Dish-Houston

Well apparently not enough! However, never fear!!! Sushi Raku is here!!

Swanky meets sushi at a new restaurant nestled in the heart of Midtown. Sushi Raku combinings age-old cooking techniques and modern day ingredients with flair and creativity. Sushi Raku, which means “happy” in Japanese! We all know DISH loves nothing more than HAPPY things!!

“We are thrilled to open Sushi Raku in midtown" said Patrick Chiu, owner. "We have always wanted to bring the Raku concept to Houstonians; the area of midtown is an extremely dynamic and invigorating destination and we look forward to being a part of the energy and creativity here."

Keeping it all in Texas, Sushi Raku was designed by Austin’s Michael Hsu Designs! The interior has been described as dynamic and sexy while it playfully engages with classic Asian design from a previous era with a modern update. The 6,800 square-foot restaurant features two opposing design themes: one stylish and contemporary with heavy use of red mosaic tile and white oak décor; and the other traditional with life size samurai warriors and drums. Much of the artwork will be created on-site, by a local artist who will entertain guests nightly with his canvas drawings. One stylistic detail, new to Houston, is 60,000 pounds of red, nylon rope that took one week to install.  Imported from Japan, the layers of three-inch wide rope drape the ceilings and walls of Raku’s 1,200 square feet bar area. Other stand out features include, twenty-five foot high ceiling and grand windows; banquette seating throughout; sushi and tempura bars; and three individual ‘dining spaces’ all connected by flowing curtains, that provide guests with privacy.

Executive Taka Sekiguchi brings his mastery of the cuisine to the Raku kitchen, with more than 15 years of experience in Japanese and Pan-Asian cooking. Taka honed his culinary skills working in Japan at traditional Japanese restaurants including Sankafu and Shokudo En. Taka approaches traditional Japanese dishes as if they were works of modern art and efforts are always made to use local produce. Raku seafood will be shipped in daily; and on Friday’s, Raku will feature a “today’s special” with fish that is flown in every Friday morning from Tokyo’s famed Tsukiji market.

“Chef Taka will bring the captivating Japanese culture alive with his amazing creations and presentations of Japanese cuisine blended with Texas flair,” said Chiu. Taka’s Texas fancy is evident in creative dishes, such as: Warm Tomato Water Soup ,with kabocha pumpkin, lump crab, osaka seaweed and mitsuba leaf; Texas Mesquite Smoked Scottish Salmon, with boursin cheese, watercress, orange marmalade salad, salmon roe and chive oil; Texas wagyu beef, with roasted pear tomato, scallion, whipped kabocha, star anise  and aged sake demi glaze; and Tontoro, a 12 hour slow braised Berkshire pork jowl, with  lady apple comport, reduction of au jus and candied Texas pecan.

The Raku bar menu features an extensive list of Sake, that has been carefully selected by Chiu in conjunction with specialty importers. Raku will also feature fruit-infused sake; wine list, and specialty cocktails using distinctive ingredients.

Sounds like a DISH party is on its way!!!

Who are we kidding??? It takes for EVER to cook a full Thanksgiving Day meal, 20 minutes to eat it, including giving thanks and conversation and then you get to clean it up while everyone goes to watch football. Who needs it?? That's why DISH has compiled a list of restaurants where you can either take it to go or go and sit while someone else does the cooking and the clean up! ENJOY DISHIES and Happy Thanksgiving!

CLICK HERE for the entire list =)

Thank you CLEVERLEY!!!!

Yes, Michael Garfield has his little hands into everything...how he has the energy to do it is beyond DISH...we need what he's having! =) Friday is a special food event at the Houston Nation Golf Club that benefits MDA. There was a deadline for ticket purchace of Sept 17...HOWEVER they've extended it and you can even buy tickets at the door Friday night! Thank you Cleverley for the inside info! =)

Speaking of Cleverley, she will be a celebrity judge at the event as well! Everything kicks off at 6:30 pm for wine and 7:00 pm is food time.

Since 2004, Garf has lent his name, time and energy to raising funds for the the Gulf Coast Muscular Dystrophy Association.  Over $500,000 has been raised through the annual golf tournaments and events. 

You can join him and some local celebrities September 25 to enjoy phenomenal food, wine, beer and cocktails at the Land Tejas-Michael Garfield "Taste of Tejas."  Houston's top chefs will be preparing their signature dishes and you will vote on the "Best of Tejas" award for the best dish in Houston!

The event takes place place at Houston National Golf Club (Hwy 290 near Barker Cypress) beginning at 6:30pm.  Tickets are $100 (tax deductible of course) and each ticket comes with a complimentary round of golf for two at Houston National!

Hang, eat and drink with Sherron Melton and Casey Curry (ABC13), Anthony Yanez (KPRC Local 2), Randy Lemmon (KTRH "Garden Line"), Don Armstrong (Fox26), Ted Deluca (790 The Sports Animal), Cleverley Stone and even DISH FAVORITE Outlaw Dave himself.

Chefs representing these great restaurants are ready to cook for you:  Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House, Polo's Signature, Post Oak Grill, *17 (The Alden Hotel), Maggiano's Little Italy, Massa's, Kona Grill Sugar Land, Ray's Gourmet Grill, Two Rows, Cafe Zol and Rio Ranch.  Thanks also to Saint Arnold's Brewery, Tito's Handmade Vodka and Fleischer Wines.

To reserve your spot now please call Vienda Ward at MDA: (713)522-1426

BLAST!!

Houston Day Trip: Yepez Vineyard, Baytown, Texas

It doesn’t look like most people’s idea of Baytown, but there it is…off a quiet dirt road, set back off the gulf: Yepez Vineyard. Cows lazily graze alongside several rows of grape vines while a gulf breeze steadily blows. An adobe-style tasting room is where you will find Lena Yepez, awaiting visitors and happily offering samples of available vintages. Yepez Vineyard offers between six and eight wines at any one time. Their most popular with the locals is the White Zinfandel, but I liked their Merlot the best. Both Lena and her husband, David, joyously answer questions about their grapes and wine-making process.  

It’s a relaxed environment and guests are invited to take a seat at one of several tables inside or out on the patio to enjoy their wine. Every Sunday, the winery offers live music and several times a year special concerts are held on the property. You are encouraged to linger, bring your family and friends, and even pack your own picnic!

It’s a family operation so expect to see the Yepez’s two daughters playing around in between the vines with their new yellow lab puppy, Elvis. Their names grace some of the winery’s most popular selections! Several events are planned for the fall including a ‘Fall Fest’ and Christmas Market. Check the winery’s website for event details.  www.yepezvineyard.com

- Submitted by DISHIE Rhia Robinson - Wine lover and Yogi extraordinaire.

Today is the day DISHIES! Beer geeks united today over the release of Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 8.

Serious brew fans were tweeting up a storm today along with Saint Arnold's about how excited they were to get their hands on the limited edition drink! It's all commenced at the Flying Saucer after the general manager Jake Rainey sends out the alert that he's about to tap the keg. ONE PING ONLY!!!

The procudt will be served in Belgian-style snifters, the keg should yield 135 to 140 glasses.

“I can expect that to be gone in about an hour,” Rainey predicted.

To let you know how good this is and why it's such a big deal to beer drinkers, Divine Reserve No. 4 took gold in the World Beer Cup's Scotch Ale category! 

It's like waiting for the birth of a child! The arrival of these single-batch brews has become such much-anticipated event that people actually took off work this morning to make sure they got theirs!. Just 1,504 cases were bottled this year, and the beers can be tough to find, even at $15 to $16 a six-pack.

SAVE SOME FOR DISH!!

So what's in your bowl?? It's entirely up to you! DISH had the neatest experience the other day at this charming little lower Richmond eatery BOWL.

You walk in, pick up a paper menu, check off what you would like and they make it in the most beautiful and presentable way! It's not just the freshest salad possible but sandwiches and pizzas!

The owners of Absinthe who are known for some of the best pizza and paninis in town have opened this Montrose lunch spot right next door to offer gourmet grub before dusk. The people who work there are super friendly! Make sure to ask for Ralph and tell him DISH sent you!

OMG! DISH had the best Mac & Cheese we have ever tasted is at Max's Wine Dive! We were invited by one of the managers and Exec Chef Michael Pellegrino to dine. It was a wonderful evening with the most yummy beer called True Blonde Ale =)

Chef told DISH his Mac & Cheese was to die for but we were weary because we had tasted the dish there a few months ago and it was not so hot...we are not afraid to tell you.

Well he re-did it and it was BRILLIANT! So much so that we went back today and got some more =)

Different cheeses than before and an extra special secret ingredient that he shared with only us. IT'S AMAZING!!!  We can't wait for you to go try it yourself. We also tried the Fried Chicken sandwich with Champagne mayo and our friend had the shrimp/oyster poboy. WOW! The pic is Chef and Seth with the poboy!

By the way, the General Manager Jeremy is the kindest, most patient person DISH has met in a long time! When you go in, ask for Kate to wait on you, she's amazing, cute and fun! Make sure to say hi to Seth, a manager there and of course, give your regards to Chef Pellegrino!

We will be back soon!

Thanks Max's Wine Dive for an amazing experience!

DISH got the best email today from one of the owners of Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar on Alabama, across from Whole Foods. They are proud to announce that they've recently added a Prime Beef Burger to its already famous "5 for 6 'til 7" Happy Hour menu. Every day - yes, that's right...7 days a week - all three Fleming's locations in the Houston area (River Oaks, Town & Country, The Woodlands) feature a $6 Prime Beef Burger, complete with two large, mouthwatering onion rings. If the price doesn't convince you to come in, try our recipe:

Fleming’s Prime Burger


Serves 4

BURGER COMPONENTS

Ingredients
32 oz Ground chuck 80/20 thawed
4 tsp salt and pepper blend
4 Knot egg rolls
8 Tbsp Butter, lightly salted room temperature
6 oz Cheese for burger
8 slices Bacon seasoned
8 leaves Iceberg lettuce
1 tomato sliced
Onion rings
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black pepper, café grind
Smoked jalapeno aioli (recipe below)

Method:
1. With gloves on your hands squeeze the burger patty together so that
it's 1" tall x 4 1/2" wide. Season both sides of the burger with salt
and pepper blend. Sear for 2 1/2 minutes on each side.
Place the burger on a metal pan and place under the broiler to cook
to the desired temperature. Allow the burger to rest for 1 minute.
2. Split the roll horizontally then spread room temperature butter on
the top & bottom of the bun and place on the flat top to toast.
3. Set the cheese on the burger and place under the broiler for 14 - 16
seconds to just melt the cheese. Place cooked bacon strips in criss
cross pattern on top of the cheese.
4. Cut the tomato 1/4" thick and add with lettuce.
5. Cook the onion rings in a 375° fryer to golden brown 2-3 minutes.
Place on a paper towel then lightly season with salt and pepper.
Serve with the smoked jalapeno aioli,

Temperature cook times
Rare : sear 2 1/2 minutes on each side
Medium Rare: sear 2 1/2 minutes each side and 1 minute under broiler
Medium: sear 2 1/2 minutes on each side and 2 1/2 minutes under broiler
Medium Well: sear 2 1/2 minutes on each side and 3 minutes under the broiler
Well Done: sear 3 minutes on each side and 3 1/2 minutes under the broiler

Bacon Seasoning
1. Combine the ahi spice and sugar in a mixing bowl and mix well.
Lay the bacon on a paper lined sheet pan and sprinkle 1/4 tsp. on
top of each piece. Bake in a 350° double convection oven set on
high fan for 8-10 minutes until crisp.
2. Place on paper towels to absorb any excess fat.

AIOLI
Ingredients
• 2 oz. chipotle puree
• 1 Tbl. fresh lime juice
• 1.5 cups mayonnaise
• Kosher salt to taste
Method
Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with a whisk.

DELISH DISH!!!

Thanks Maeve!

Wow - my new favorite restaurant "Au Petit Paris" on Colquitt at Shepherd. What a superb gem of a place 2 handsome French men chef-owners (single) a jewel box French restaurant with food to die for, you will think you are right in the heart of the 6th district. Don't forget to order the most dreamy of desserts - so romantic, charming full of character and awesome wine list!

Thanks for the write DISHIE! We can't wait to try it!