Feature Beer Friday: Saint Arnold's Pub Crawl Pale Ale

By Eric Ducote

Hello again everyone!  Today I'm featuring another Texas Brewery, Saint Arnold Brewing, to go along with recently featured Rahr & Sons and 11 Below.  Even though they weren't my first Texan brewery featured, Saint Arnold claims to be Texas's oldest craft brewery, shipping out their first keg on June 9th, 1994.  As they approach their 24th birthday late this month, I figured it would be appropriate to try out one of their newer releases, the Pub Crawl Pale Ale.  

This beer debuted in January 2017, but the 6-pack I picked up at Robert Fresh Market were dated 03/05/18, which is well within my comfortable freshness range.  It's described as a bright and sessionable pale ale with a 4.7% abv and 48 IBU.  

Saint Arnold's Pub Crawl Pale Ale

At first, the pour... this certainly fits what I would expect out of "bright and sessionable" with a luminous yellow color and a frothy white head.  On the nose I get mostly citrus hop flavors with perhaps a bit of a floral note and a backbone of crackers or bread from the malt.  The taste has more of the same citrus notes, coming strong from the Centennial bittering hops as well as the Amarillo and Galaxy used in the back end.  All three of those hop varieties showcase citrus flavors so it's no surprise that the beer tastes like it does.  The 4.7% abv makes this one an easy drinker, just a little stronger than a standard light beer, with a clean slightly bitter finish.  

This is a really good option for a summer poolside beer, at a backyard BBQ, or just relaxing after some yardwork.  The weather is heating up, and we could all use a cold beverage or two, right?  

Feature Beer Friday: 11 Below's Oso Bueno American Amber Ale

by Eric Ducote

Happy Good Friday everyone! I'm coming to y'all on back to back days (be sure to check out yesterday's MLB opening day Wakey Whiskey post) with an all new Feature Beer Friday.  I've ventured out of state a few times already, but today will be my first feature from the state of Texas. My mother was over in Houston a few weeks back and was nice enough to bring a few 6-packs back for me (it's like she knows I like beer) so here's the first review from that haul.   

11 Below Brewing is a relative new-comer to the Houston, TX area, a city that not too long ago was virtually a craft beer wasteland outside of Saint Arnold and is now blossoming with breweries everywhere you look. Houston itself is home to around 20 breweries now, not counting the rest of the metro area, which is large to say the least. If you are ever in Houston (to check out an Astros game maybe?) 11 Below can be found in an industrial park just to the NNW of the beltway.  They are open every Thurday and Friday from 5 to 9, and Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 6.  Like all the other Texas breweries, they operate on a token system, where $10 buys you admission and you get three tokens to redeem for beer.  It wasn't too long ago that Louisiana breweries operated their tours/tastings in a similar fashion, and hopefully Texas can catch up to the taproom trend before long. 

Oso Bueno Amber from 11 Below Brewing

Now for the beer itself, Oso Bueno is an American Amber Ale, a stalwart of styles that has been popular for years among novice and expert craft beer drinkers.  The style is defined by the BJCP as: "An amber, hoppy, moderate-strength American craft beer with a caramel malty flavor. The balance can vary quite a bit, with some versions being fairly malty and others being aggressively hoppy. Hoppy and bitter versions should not have clashing flavors with the caramel malt profile." Oso Bueno (which translates into "good bear" and don't miss the pun...) clocks in at 5.3% abv and 22 IBU, which puts it on the lower end for the style and has me expecting that this will be a more malt-forward example.

This beer pours a reddish brown, deeper than what I would consider a true amber color but not all the way into brown ale territory. True to expectation, the aroma on this one is rich with toffee and caramel, with just a hint of hop bitterness adding a bit of a floral note. There are no surprises on the taste, the malt sweetness dominates and provides a nice change of pace from all the NEIPAs I've been drinking lately. This offering is a smooth easy drinking malty amber ale that definitely has a place in my fridge. Unfortunately nothing from 11 Below is available in Louisiana yet, but if you are ever in Houston (or other parts of SE Texas) and you see the Good Bear, don't hesitate to give it a try.

Cheers, and happy Good Friday to you all! 

Pico's: A Houston "Mex-Mex" Institution

by Blair Loup

Since establishing Pico’s in 1984, it has become a shining beacon of “Mex-Mex” cuisine in the holy land of Tex-Mex. The Richards family treats their customers like relatives. When you enter the sprawling restaurant you can hear fresh margaritas shaking, smell the hand-pressed tortillas on the flat top and see the genuine smile across the faces of their employees. You can’t have a bad time at Pico’s; they simply won’t allow it.

It’s a large restaurant, but don’t let that fool you. Chef, and owner, Arnaldo Richard has his hand in every dish. The attention to detail that goes in to the flavor built on each plate is extremely authentic. If you’re looking for true Mexican cuisine in the Houston area, you need not look any further.

The depth of flavor isn’t just in the food though. Arnaldo’s daughter Monica Richards is at the helm of their fantastic tequila program. Even the most baseline of margaritas at Pico’s is top-notch. Whether you’re looking to demolish a couple of shakers of their house margaritas or taste from some of Monica’s select barrels, she has taken the time to curate a truly special tequila experience for their guests. The tequila selection alone is a worth the trip.

Jay, Chef Aimee and I have had the pleasure of dining with Monica and visiting with Arnaldo on a couple of occasions and each trip has only made our hearts grow fonder. Here are a few of the best bites and sips we had the last time we were there:

Ontiones Carlos Slim is one dish that I think speaks to the attention to detail and flavor building Arnaldo's cooking is centered around. With this take on Oysters Rockefeller, Arnaldo uses an intricate blend of celery leaf, tarragon, chervil, parsley, herb saint, spinach, collard greens and purslane and tops each bite with cotija and parmesan cheeses.

Ontiones Carlos Slim

These mussels are sautéed in a white wine and crema sauce with Spanish chorizo and topped with micro cilantro. After we got a hold of their bolilla (similar to French bread) these babies didn't last long. The creaminess of the sauce combined with the flavor of the mussels and the little kick and umami from the chorizo made each one more poppable than the last.

Mejillones a la Gallega

I'm not going to lie. I think about this next dish all the time. In a section on their menu called Al Ajillo you can find some of the tastiest dishes in the whole joint. Ajillo is a condiment in Mexican cuisine that is made by infusing olive oil with dried chilis and fresh sliced garlic for a minimum of 72 hours. It's even more amazing than it sounds. They sauté different types of seafood in this delectable concoction, but my favorite version is the octopus. So tender, it feels like you're biting into a cloud that's soaked in garlic/chile olive oil; insane.

Pulpo Al Ajillo

Mole holds a very special place in my heart. There's a lot that goes into each mole, but you can always be sure of one thing when it comes to this comforting dish: whoever took the time to make it, undoubtedly stirred in a lot of love. In this case Arnaldo moved me to feelings. The duck fell apart in the rich, decadent mole and the tostones hit the hearty, but sweet notes. I would order this dish again and again.  

Until next time, Pico's! If you're ever in the Houston area, Pico's is a must. Keep a look out for some of their phenomenal tequila dinners as well! 

Still thinking about our fun night tasting delicious tequilas with Monica from the legendary @picosrestaurant last night! #tequila #houston #mexmex

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Jun 13, 2017 at 9:16am PDT

TX takes TX: Around the World in a Long Weekend

by Rachel Hamburger, intern

For LSU fall break I made my way back home to Houston. I used this as an opportunity to eat at a lot of my favorite restaurants I’d been missing while at school. Lucky for me, Houston is a major foodie city with thousands of delicious restaurants to choose from. I’m a fan of different cuisines, so naturally my favorite restaurants reflect this. Here’s some of my faves that I was lucky to stop at over the extended weekend:

Tex-Mex: Chuy’s

Chile Rellenos, Refried Beans and a Soft Taco at Chuy's

Chuy’s Tex-Mex is one of my absolute favorite spots for Tex-Mex. Although it has grown into a chain, it originated in Austin and the location I go to in Houston is one of the first franchises. I go to different Tex-Mex restaurants for different things: Los Tio’s for cheese enchiladas, Lupe Tortilla for the fajitas, El Real for nachos, etc. 

My reasoning for loving Chuy’s the way I do is for its chile con queso and chile rellenos. The queso has roasted green chiles, which gives it a great smoky spicy flavor. The rellenos are roasted and perfectly fried Anaheim peppers stuffed with delicious melty cheese.

My go-to order is a soft ground beef taco and a cheese chile relleno, double refried beans and no rice. Chuy’s has THE BEST refried beans. I don’t usually end up being able to eat the double serving of refried beans, but I always order it for leftovers.

Mediterranean: Fadi’s

Gyro at Fadi's

Fadi’s is a cafeteria-style line, with so many options. For example, they have about 10 different types of hummus alone. This time I got gyro, hummus, pomegranate eggplant, and dolmades (rice-stuffed grape leaves). Gyro meat is cooked on a vertical rotisserie. The most common is beef, which is what I ordered. Fadi’s has delicious homemade pita bread, it’s about 10x better than pita bread from a package-- hot, doughy and delicious. I try to order differently every time I go to Fadi’s, because everything is so good and I like to try out different things.

Houstonian: Local Foods

The Seasonal Harvest Salad at Local Foods

While this isn’t an ethnic restaurant, it can be considered “Houstonian” cuisine, kind of fits, right? The first Local Foods location opened in 2011, and they already have 3 locations and are working on a fourth. Their concept is just what the name entails: the use of local ingredients. 

Each location is spectacularly designed, it’s the type of restaurant you love to go to because of the atmosphere (as well as the food, obviously.) Their menu consists mainly of sandwiches, salads and soups but they also have tons of delicious sides, as well as multiple vegan options. 

Houston is a city full of food, but the focus on local organic foods has become increasingly popular, and the fast expansion of Local Foods is proof of that. I got the Seasonal Harvest Salad with chicken. I love getting this salad because it really does use whatever ingredients are in season, so it’s different each and every time I order it.

Indian: The Bombay Brasserie 

All of the things at The Bombay Brasserie

I have been going to eat at The Bombay Brasserie since I was a little girl. It is my absolute favorite Indian restaurant on planet earth. My parents both love Indian food, and introduced me to it at a very young age. I have loved it from the start and consider the Indian cuisine one of my favorites. Every day, Bombay Brasserie has a lunch buffet (typical of many Indian restaurants.)

I know that many people frown upon buffets, as they usually aren’t the best quality, but this is not the case with Bombay Brasserie. Silver ornate chafing dishes and white tablecloths are what you get at this lunch buffet.

Why do I love going to the buffet versus going for dinner? The Indian cuisine has so many different dishes and unless you go with a larger group for dinner, you won’t get to try different ones. It is a cuisine best served family style, but I typically am eating out with one parent or the other. That doesn’t enable you to be able to order in typical “family style” fashion so the buffet is perfect.

It’s all served with warm Naan, traditional Indian flatbread similar to pita, and poppadum, a thin, giant, round Indian cracker (typically made from lentils or chickpeas.) My all time favorite dishes are Saag Paneer, a creamed spinach with cubes of paneer cheese (a cheese used in many Indian dishes), and Chicken Tikka Masala, cubes of roasted chicken in a creamy tomato and butter sauce. I also can’t go to the Bombay Brasserie without ordering a Mango Lassie to drink. It’s a mango yogurt drink that is perfect in cooling your mouth down from the many spices in the food.

Thai: Thai Cottage 

Red Chicken Curry

My last stop of the weekend was Thai Cottage, my favorite Thai restaurant. I almost always order the Red Chicken Curry; because it is so good I have a difficult time straying from it. Thai red curry is very different from Indian curry. It is soupier and made with red curry paste, coconut milk, bamboo shoots, peas, carrots and basil served with rice. If you didn’t know any better you would think it was full of cream, but its smooth, velvety texture comes from the coconut milk.

When ordering, you tell the waiter which spice level you want, from one to five. I opt for level three, which is pretty spicy but not so spicy that you can’t enjoy the food. Thai cottage has nine Houston area locations, so no matter what part of town you’re staying in, there will likely be a Thai Cottage in the vicinity.

These are just a handful of my favorite Houston spots that I miss dearly when I’m in Baton Rouge. I hit up most of these places every time I’m back in H-town. If you find yourself in Houston anytime soon, check any (or all) of these out. You’ll thank me later.

TX takes LA: Beignets

by Rachel Hamburger, intern

As a Texas girl that made the “big move” (4 hours) to Baton Rouge to go to LSU, I quickly realized that Cajun culture was no joke. While mourning the loss of all my Tex-Mex faves back in Houston, I had no choice but to fill the void with some Cajun classics.

I had never really tried most of the Louisiana staples like gumbo, jambalaya and boudin, but there is one staple that I was all too familiar with: beignets. Growing up, I was a frequent customer at Crescent City Beignets in Houston. My go-to order was the beignet strips (which I now know is the non-traditional option) with the classic powdered sugar, and not so classic chocolate and vanilla sauce drizzled on top.

The first time I visited Café Du Monde in New Orleans, I was shocked that they only had beignets in square form. I wanted my beignet strips (beignets that basically look like human fingers… kind of creepy.) After trying the classically shaped pastry, I finally understood why that’s the form they’re typically served. The ratio of golden crunchy crust to doughy steamy goodness is perfection. While the beignet strips from Crescent City Beignets will always hold a nostalgic place in my heart, I have a new found appreciation for their classic predecessor.

Experiencing this classic Louisiana treat at the place of all places got me thinking: What is the origin of this heavenly dessert that has somehow camouflaged itself as a breakfast food?

I did a little research and here’s what I found:

French settlers brought the recipe for the beignet when they migrated to a region called Acadia in Eastern Canada in the 17th century. Some believe it was the French Ursuline Nuns in particular.

So, how did the beignet get from Canada all the way down to Louisiana?
A hundred years after the French settled in Acadia, the British took over and forced them to migrate. Many made their way to Louisiana! They became known as the Cajuns, and brought their food and language with them. Beignets are most associated with the French Quarter in New Orleans, but are a tradition all over Louisiana.

How are these hole-less doughnuts on steroids made?
Beignets are choux pastry (a light pastry dough moist enough to puff up with steam, aka no yeast is needed to make them rise). They are prepared fresh to order, or at least should be because they are so much better that way. They take a nice hot bath in vegetable oil, and are fried until they’re golden brown.

Once they come out of the fryer, they are covered in copious amounts of powdered sugar. Beignets are traditionally served with café au laits (hot coffee mixed with steamed milk) and in some parts of Louisiana there’s also chicory mixed in there. I’ll tell y’all all about chicory in my next post. I highly recommend you dipping your beignet in café au lait.

All this talk about beignets got you hungry for them? Here’s a couple places right here in Baton Rouge where you can go grab some today!

Coffee Call: 3132 College Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70808 (They’re open till 2AM every night!)

Rue Beignet: 18135 E Petroleum Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70809

The Nightingale Room's Old-Fashioned: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

There are some that believe in drinking only pure Old-Fashioneds. I'll admit, these days it can be hard to find a straight up Angostura bitter soaked sugar cube engulfed in rye whiskey Old Fashioned, but I grew up with a crotchety grandpa and don't intend to be the same.

The Old-Fashioned at The Nightingale Room in Houston, TX

Sometimes it's nice to shake things up and be creative while giving a tip of the cap to the classics and while I love Baton Rouge, I often find myself thirsty for a different kind of bar serving libations that inspire me.

About a month ago, Jay and I took to the streets of downtown Houston to check out some of their cocktail bars. You know, just another day in the office.

I stepped into The Nightingale room, eyes adjusting from the blazing surface of the sun to the dimly lit, cozy spot. Once I climbed onto my bar stool (I'm short) I found myself looking at a wall covered in vinyl and saw that the new Alabama Shakes album, Sound and Color, would be spinning next. 

At this point, you've got to understand that I am in the happiest of places: a cool bar, rad records coming my way, and a uniquely delicious Old-Fashioned in my hand with champagne drinks to follow.

Did I mention we were there for Happy Hour? Half off all cocktails, which means I was sipping on a $4.50 harmonious blend of bourbon, cognac, turbinado, and bitters.

This version of the classic cocktail called for a similar make-up, but subbed the white sugar cube for a lesser-refined sugar-in-the-raw that looks like brown sugar, but a little lighter in color and has tasting notes of molasses. It's not outlandish to use bourbon instead of rye whiskey, but that makes the cocktail feel warmer. 

I don't know why, but for me, bourbon is like a warm fire a couple of weeks before Christmas.

With the added cognac, this Old-Fashioned tasted warm, velvety, with the occasional crunch of turbinado sugar. The Nightingale Room is a win.

For more takes on the Old Fashioned, make sure to check out Lock & Key in Baton Rouge!

El Xuco Xicana en Houston, TX

Summertime in South Louisiana isn't much different than summer in Houston.  Heat.  Humidity.  Afternoon thunderstorms.  Desperation for football season to get here.  The biggest distinction, from best I can tell, is the quality of the Mexican food.  For some reason it seems that authentic, delicious Mexican cuisine has trouble traveling an extra 300 miles to Baton Rouge.  Not one to worry too much, I easily solve the problem by feasting on frijoles whenever I'm in the "Bayou City" of the state to our West.

El Xuco Xicana's Milletes topped with Fried Eggs

A recent trip found me setting up a visit to Chef Jonathan Jones's El Xuco Xicana.  Chef JJ, who came to fame under his Beaver's name, recently took over the kitchen at the establishment formerly known as El Patio.  Wanting to revamp the cuisine to reflect that of authentic interior Mexican superiority with a Texan twist, Chef JJ started massacring the menu and putting his flair all over it.  His "Comida Texano" menu made my mouth water before I could even order the signature blue margarita that reflected back to the El Patio days.

The Famous Blue Curacao Margarita from El Patio

I was joined by an excellent cast of characters for an early afternoon Sunday brunch.  We had my dear friend Amanda, high school pal Chad and his wife Ashley, Alvin and Jason from MasterChef on FOX along with Jason's bad ass lady friend, Sara Jackson and a friend of hers who are working on some food based television productions with kids in the Houston area, and a fella named Jay, who on Twitter goes by @GunsandTacos (clearly fits in well with my @BiteandBooze mentality), with his wife.  We gathered and ordered drinks.  Soon enough, Chef JJ's right hand man at XX, Chef Kenny Pullin, came out to the table to greet our crew and drop off our first round of grub.

Battered Stuffed Toast at El Xuco Xicana

The Milletes made me happy to be alive.  Proclaimed on the menu to be a "REAL Mexican brunch food," the milletes featured bolillo bread toasted and topped with refried black beans, queso Chihuahua and chorizo.  Then I had the option to add a fried egg on each half of the open-faced sandwich.  As you can see, I couldn't resist!  The milletes combined classic flavors into a brunch dish that I'd eat over and over again.  Then came the battered stuffed toast.  Dear Lord.  Heaven.  And Hell.  In every bite.  The dish is constructed by stuffing Texas toast with Dulce de Leche, coating that in a Grand Marnier cinnamon batter, dropping it in a deep fryer, then topping the sandwich with ancho-maple syrup, sauteed apples, and Chantilly cream.  Each bite let me know I was alive while assuredly slowly killing me.  I didn't mind.  I took another bite.  It tasted that damn orgasmic.  

El Xuco Xicana Mojito 

Ceviche at El Xuco Xicana

The beverages at El Xuco Xicana also provided plenty of punch.  Chef JJ warned me about the strong margaritas.  After I began with the blue margarita I noticed the rest of the table drinking amazing mojitos.  I needed to try one for myself.  It did a splendid job of being thirst quenching and intoxicating.  Meanwhile, Chef Pullin brought out the signature ceviche.  One thing that I like about the menu is that it warns the diner that the ceviche changes depending on the freshness of the seafood and availability of produce.  There is no set recipe, but rather a rotating and seasonal ceviche.  Ours had a gulf drum marinated in loads of citrus.  I thought I tasted lime, lemon, and the something a little different like a grapefruit.  It also had jalapenos, watermelon radishes and avocado.  The bottom line is that the concoction used fresh ingredients and tasted equally refreshing on a hot day.  The blending of sweet, sour and spice worked magnificently.

El XX Hot Wangs

The feast concluded for me with the El XX Hot Wangs.  The wings were fried naked then tossed in a special blend that includes Jalisco Chili de Arbol vinegar hot sauce, toasted sesame, cilantro and queso fresco.  They were served with "cucumber and jicima con chili y limon".  The "wangs" were certainly different than a traditional Buffalo style hot wing with celery and bleu cheese.  That being said, I loved them!  I thought the twists were pretty ingenious and I'm a sucker for an inventive wing.  Bravo, El Xuco Xicana.

I essentially got a full meal by sampling an assortment of brunch and appetizer selections.  Truth be told, that is one of my favorite ways to experience a restaurant.  Sometimes the most creative dishes are appetizers and daily specials.  The food at El Xuco Xicano was worthy of any trip to Houston.  I have no doubt that I'll be back when I get a Mexican craving that my local establishments can't handle!

Live Oak Grill in Sugar Land, TX

Some good home cooking from a laid back joint is just what you need sometimes.  Nothing fancy.  No white table clothes.  No pretentious foodies barking about cooking sous vide or using molecular gastronomy (though I am a fan of those things).  Nah.  More like come on in darlin',  sit in a booth, and eat some Texas-sized deliciousness out of a deep fryer!  

My buddy Chad and I recently ate at the Live Oak Grill in Sugar Land, TX.  A lot of Sugar Land is overrun with massive suburbanization and the streets are lined with retail dining chains.  I remember growing up there and thinking that a lunch at TGIFridays was a good meal.  Oops.  Fortunately if you know where to look, even the cookie-cutter Houston suburbs have some good finds.  Live Oak Grill looks like it is in a house with a huge Texas flag painted on the roof.  Okay, maybe that's not so cool.  I mean, is that really necessary?  Well, maybe.  There's something interesting about Texas.  No matter what, they make no mistake about boasting that they are, indeed, Texan.  I feel a similar pride in Louisiana, but we haven't learned how to express it like they do in Texas.  The lone star that is hangs from walls and car mirrors is special.  It makes me vomit in my mouth sometimes, but it is special. 

Live Oak Grill in Sugar Land, TX

Chad's wife Ashley works at Live Oak Grill.  That's really why we were there.  Well, that and because they wanted me to eat there.  Naturally, since there was food involved, I obliged. I'm always willing take suggestions and dine at places that are new to me.

While the beer selection didn't lean towards too much craft stuff, they did have some good regional and local brews out of Texas like Shiner and Saint Arnold.  Can't argue with that.  I started my meal with some huge, delicious onion rings.  The massive Vidalias were cut thick, breaded, and fried... just like any good onion ring should be.  And they were indeed very tasty.  Soft, flavorful onion inside a crispy fried coating... yes!

Then came the main course: a gigantic chicken fried steak absolutely smothered in white gravy with a side of macaroni and cheese.  The steak came out with a crunchy exterior and full of flavor on the inside.  It had been pounded out and properly tenderized, that's for sure.  The gravy was a bit excessive, but also contained enough pepper to make it a delicious accompaniment to the juicy fried steak.  The mac and cheese lacked a little inspiration, but the basic noodles and cheese sauce still hit the spot.

For dessert, Ashley brought out a couple brownies with scoops of Blue Bell's homemade vanilla ice cream.  I love a good chocolate-vanilla, hot-cold combination!  Delicious!

All in all, Live Oak Grill is definitely the kind of place I enjoy dining at when I travel.  It is authentic, local down home cooking.  It is the kind of place with character and a soul.  I like that.  And I like a good chicken fried steak every now and then too!

YTAC's Kiss My Grits Gulf Coast Throwdown

Last Thursday evening I had the extreme pleasure of judging the YTAC (Young Texans Against Cancer) Kiss My Grits Gulf Coast Throwdown in Houston, TX.  Sara Jackson recruited me to come serve as a judge and represent Louisiana on the grits judging panel.  I was joined by Houston Texans's Quarterback Matt Schaub, the Food Editor of the Houston Chronicle, Greg Morago, and Sarah Rufca from Houston's Culture Map. The star-studded panel knew we'd be eating some good food, but nothing could prepare us for the constant flow of gastronomic grits glory that was about to unfold.

Jay Ducote and Matt Schaub prepare to gorge on some grits

My mom also came to the event to support the cause and sample a few grits.  Some of Houston's best chefs were there to try their hand at grits cooking in order win foodie trips to New Orleans and Dallas.  But most of all, the event raised $45,000 to benefit cancer awareness and Houston area cancer centers.  Oh, and Saint Arnold brought some local beer, which is always nice!  Now, on to the food!

Dish number one came from Chef Jeramie Robison of Zimm’s Little Deck and Restaurant Cinq.  Chef Robison featured jalapeño grits underneath a seared Gulf grouper filet and a poached quail egg.  I loved the southwestern flavor of the grits that also had cilantro in them.  The crispy exterior of the grouper added a great contrast to the egg and grits as well.  Plus, he served the dish with a smoked lime margarita.  Extra points there!

The first attempt at Shrimp and Grits came from Chef Chris Shepard of Catalan and Underbelly.  The dish featured a pair of cold cocktail style shrimp with a fried ball made out of blue corn grits and pork served over a parsnip puree.  The grit and pork ball ended up being rather similar to a Cajun boudin ball.  It also had a little sweetness from a syrup in it that worked really well.

Chef Randy Evans of Haven presented the judges with a duo of Grits Congee.  Congee is a porridge traditionally made out of rice in many Asian countries.  To step outside the box and use grits to make congee certainly showed a little creativity.  Chef Evans had two types of congee for us to try: Louisiana crawfish and Texas pork.  Each bowl also included a touch of chili oil as well as an assortment of additions that were served on the side including homemade cracklins!  This dish certainly got extra points for being inventive as well as delicious.

Another fascinating dish came from Chef Jamie Zelko of Zelko Bistro.  Chef Zelko used all sorts of local ingredients to create her seemingly simple yet surprisingly complex dish of sausage, grits, and greens.  The sausage had a wonderful flavor and everything on the plate came out very delicious.  At the bottom of the leaf bowl there was also an agave nectar that took everything up even another notch on the taste bud chart.

The second shrimp and grits plate we were served came from Chef Elouise Adams of Ouisie’s Table.  The shrimp were warm and had great flavor after being cooked down in white wine and lemon juice.  I also really liked the mushrooms and other flavors in the grits.  Everything tasted fine and well prepared, but the other judges and I had a hard time finding the creativity in this dish like we found in some of the others.

Speaking of creativity and interesting dishes, Chef Jason Gould of Cyclone Anaya’s and Quench presented us with this masterpiece on a plate.  The dish featured a bacon, herb, and cheese fried grit cake stuffed with braised pork served over fresh arugula and julienned apples that had been tossed in a little apple cider vinegar.  On the side came a little cold corn mustard to add some extra flavor.  The grit cake highlighted the dish while the greens, fruit, and mustard all kept the dish light and refreshing.  This was one of my favorites for sure.

Chef Mark Holley from Pesce took us for another trip around the world with his gnocchi grits and charcuterie plate.  It also featured a bouillabaisse reduction and everything being cooked down in fennel.  The gnocchi style grits brought a great texture that certainly made the dish unique.  The sausage and greens were salty and delicious.  I found that everything on the plate had a consistent salty flavor.  While it tasted good, there was nothing else there to balance out the dish.  Still, bravo to Chef Holley, because this dish was good!

Next up were the Kimchi Grits from Chef Seth Siegel-Gardner of Kata Robata.  Served with some sake and Asahi beer from Japan, this dish was already off to a good start.  The kimchi flavor in the grits left them tasting a little sweet and tart at the same time.  Atop the grits was a pickled lamb wonton and some flowery greens that provided more than just eye appeal.  The dish had superb balance and creativity, and tasted phenomenal.

Chef Randy Rucker of Bootsie’s Heritage Cafe took the biggest risk of the evening by serving his version of breakfast in a cup.  Chef Rucker used instant grits to go along with his scrambled egg mousse, fried honeycomb cow stomach, and maple syrup.  The bowl did have excellent, classic breakfast flavors.  Unfortunately, I felt like the texture of the instant grits wasn't ideal for this dish, especially when paired with the scrambled egg mousse of the same consistency.  The fried tripe, however, tasted amazing!

The final dish of the evening came from Chef Jonathan Jones of Beaver’s.  The dish, in his words, represented Texas on a plate.  His grits were unique in that they were baked in the oven low and slow with mixture of eggs, local sheep's milk feta and all sorts of goodies.  The grits ended up acting almost like a cake.  Chef JJ baked them until a crust formed on the top to provide some extra texture.  In addition to the unique take on grits, the plate also had some Texas-style pork shoulder grillades, mushrooms and pearl onions.  The dish as a whole was every bit as interesting as it was delicious.  The only complaint I had was that the pork didn't quite end up being as tender as I would have liked.  All we had were forks and we we almost needed a knife to cut the grillades.  Still, Chef JJ presented an excellent final dish of the contest, and I knew that the judging would be close!

I know my buddy Alvin Schultz, who writes the blog Eat. Drink. Experience., cast his vote for Chef JJ's baked grits and grillades.  My mom dropped her voting beads for Chef Jason Gould's grit cake.  For me, the top point earner was Chef Siegel-Gardner's Kimchi Grits with 35/40.  Next was a tie between Chef Gould and Chef Evans with 34 points each.  Several others were close with 32 or 33 points.  The top two in audience votes and judges points were announced:

People's Choice:
1. Chef Jason Gould's grit cake over greens with corn mustard
2. Chef Mark Holley's grit gnocchi and charcuterie

Judges results:
1. Chef Seth Siegel-Gardner
2. Tie: Chef Jeramie Robison and Chef Randy Rucker

A huge thanks to all the chefs who participated, all of YTAC board members and volunteers for putting on such a great and well-attended charity event, and especially to Sara Jackson for inviting me to be one of the judges for such an amazing culinary contest for a cause!

Lunch with Amanda at T-Bone Tom's in Kemah

After the New Year started at Jay's Bay, I met up with Amanda on my way out of Houston to have lunch before returning to Louisiana and the typical daily grind.  Having recently bought a house near the Space Center, Amanda lives a short drive away from Kemah where we decided to go for a sampling of Texas barbeque at T-Bone Tom's. 

T-Bone Tom's in Kemah, Texas

T-Bone Tom's is a gastronomic establishment with stereotypical Texan charm.  There is a giant cow on the sign out front (seen above) and a patio outside for live music and dancing.  Inside the restaurant sat clusters of tables with chairs that had advertisements on the back, but somehow not in a way that screamed commercial sellout, but rather a bit of marketing genius!  Amanda and I had a seat at the bar, I ordered a tall glass of Texas sweet tea, and we glanced over the menu while catching up on life.

Smoked Sausage Plate with House-Made BBQ Sauce

We began with smoked sausage plate that came with bowl of T-Bone Tom's tangy home made barbeque sauce.  The sausage had a rich smoke flavor that tremendously complimented the sauce at the end of a toothpick spear. 

The sausage worked up an appetite for more barbeque so I ordered the three meat plate to get a trial run at the best of their smoked meats.  The plate contained brisket and spare ribs smothered in sauce and jalapeño pulled pork on the side of the other two.  I also added some baked beans and potato salad for good measure and T-Bones threw in a Texas-thick slice of white bread for squeegeeing the remaining sauce off the plate.

Three Meat Plate - Brisket, Ribs, and Jalapeño Pulled Pork, Beans, and Potato Salad

The beans had a good texture and were not turned to mush consistency like some baked beans are, which I liked.  The potato salad tasted fine but didn't blow me away.  The brisket pulled apart and melted in my mouth just like it was supposed to.  The texture was right on, but the flavor didn't do anything special for me and seemed like it wasn't smoked long enough... certainly not bad, but not the greatest ever either.  The jalapeño pulled pork intrigued me and lived up to the modest expectations.  The pork itself was moist and tender and pulled perfectly into stringy bite sized pieces.  The jalapeño flavor added quite a kick to the pork and at times I found it a little excessive and overpowering.  The actual pickled jalapeños tasted fine, but I wanted jalapeño pork, not porky jalapeños.  The highlight of the meal, other than Amanda's company, was by far the ribs.  The sweet sauce attempted to cover up the flavor of the pork but the zing of the rib shined through as it pulled off the bone and left my taste buds with the smack that they so desperately craved.  Man, I love a good rib.

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