Who’s Hungry for Doing Good
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The time when hundreds of Houston area restaurants ban together for Houston Restaurant Weeks benefiting Houston Food Bank. 150 [and counting] venues are participating this year so you know we couldn’t let you get by without highlighting the stellar philanthropic cuisines to be had in Montrose next month. The massive undertaking is planned by amazing volunteers so that 100% of funds raised are donated to the Houston Food Bank.
“Houston Restaurant Weeks gives people in Houston an opportunity to experience Houston’s exceptional restaurants while providing much-needed relief for families suffering from hunger,” said Brian Greene, CEO of the Houston Food Bank. “We are grateful to once again be the beneficiary of this incredible event.”
HRW website offers easily searchable menus based on neighborhood, meal and even Gluten Free and Vegetarian options.
The 411:
- Last year the week[s] expanded to the entire month of August [making your business lunches so much more appealing]
- Dinners are three courses (sometimes four) for $35
- Lunch is $20 for two courses (sometimes three)
- Reservations are required, however restaurants may take walk-ins at their discretion.
One of the top 10 salads in Houston according to Press Food Critic Katharine Shilcutt, this bistro boasts classic, upscale french cuisine to die for and is offering HRW lunch and dinner options. C’est Magnifique!
A fav for Montrose vegetarians [or those whose dining companions are vegetarians], the quiche is not to be missed. Offering HRW lunch and dinner specials … but the dinner includes a Saint Arnold Root Beer Float and who could turn that down?
Cinq offers modern European cuisine infused with Texas Creole accents situated in the posh, artsy mansion at La Colombe d’Or. At just $25 for it’s 2 course HRW lunch offering, it’s one of the best steals of the bunch.
Opening just months ago, Concepcion and chef Jonathan Jones are already making a great addition to the Montrose community. From CultureMap, “Have you seen the playful, modern take on Latin American food that Jonathan Jones is making at Concepcion? A three-course dinner is a great way to explore.”
Winner of 2011’s Best Cajun and Best Seafood restaurant awards in the Houston Press Best of Houston edition, Danton’s is legendary for their half price oyster happy hours. Of course, their HRW dinner menu will feature the slippery bivalves. Order a 1/2 dozen on the half shell for your first course and the fried oyster dinner or oyster kyle for the 2nd course … if only they added an oyster shot onto that dessert menu.
Reveled just months ago in United’s Hemisphere magazine’s highlight on 3 Perfect Days in Houston and winner of numerous awards over the last four years, Feast offers rustic European farm-house cuisine … in the middle of Montrose. And they focus on quality, local, seasonal ingredients. Reservations highly recommended here.
It seems we were just celebrating Chef Ortega’s James Beard nom. What a great excuse to raise an award winning margarita for charity and cheers. [offering lunch and dinner HRW options]
Chef Anita Jaisinghani opened Indika in 2001 and continues to excite diners, this year making a showing as a James Beard Award semifinalist in two categories. From Houston Press, “This may be the best Indian restaurant in the country.”
Keeping it fresh and French, L’Olivier is a new addition for both Montrose and HRW. From CultureMap, “It seems like it’s been forever since Olivier Ciesielski presided over Tony’s kitchens, but with his new Westheimer restaurant he’s back and ready for Houston Restaurant Weeks with a three-course lunch and dinner.”
Highlighted just this week on CultureMap and Great Day Houston for it’s happy hour offerings, Mockingbird Bistro is an American Bistro with a Texas twist – and quite the wine list.
Sorrel just celebrated their one year anniversary! Named Top 10 Best New Restaurants in America by Gayot and City Search Diner’s Choice Winner 2012, perhaps the most alluring feature at this farm-to-table bistro is it’s wines on tap.
A mainstay on the Montrose dining scene for a reason, Sorrento offers classic, upscale Italian dishes with grand murals and a great wine list.
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About Houston Restaurant Weeks
Houston Restaurant Week(s) was established in 2003 by Cleverley Stone, host of “The Cleverley Show” onTalk 650/CBS Radio Houston and
contributor to Houston’s Fox 26 Morning News. To date, the event has raised more than $1.7 million to fight hunger in Houston. The HRW team of volunteers donate their time to produce the event so that 100% of the donations raised go directly to the Houston Food Bank.
About The Houston Food Bank
Now operating from a new, 308,000 square-foot facility, the Houston Food Bank is the nation’s largest size Feeding America food bank and source of food for hunger relief charities in 18 southeast Texas counties. They have been named one of 10 Top-Notch Charities across the nation by Charity Navigator. A network of nearly 500 food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers and other agencies, feeding a total of 137,000 people each week, provides more than 53 million nutritious meals annually. Fresh produce, meat and nonperishables are distributed from the new warehouse at 535 Portwall, and hot meals are prepared and distributed from Keegan Center, a 15,000 square-foot industrial kitchen. Additional community services range from nutrition education to assistance with food stamp applications and hands-on job training. Red Barrels offer a convenient way for grocery shoppers to donate nonperishables for their neighbors in need. The Houston Food Bank, founded in 1982, is a certified member of Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network. The organization plans to grow to an annual distribution of 100 million nutritious meals by 2018.
