Dish-Houston

Monday night saw some of Houston's culinary stars come out for a celebration if giving back thanks to CNN 650's resident foodie, Cleverley Stone. Hosted by Pappas Bros. Steak House, Houston Restaurant Week founder and chair, Cleverley Stone, announced that a record $240,000 was raised for the Houston Food Bank during the 2009 event. Eighty-four restaurants participated in the city-wide culinary event, held Aug. 10–23; 64 restaurants extended their special menus through Aug. 31 following the success of the first two weeks of the event. Participating restaurants offered three-course gourmet dinners for $35 per person and pledged five dollars from each special meal sold to the Houston Food Bank.

“My most heartfelt thank you goes out to participating restaurants, Houston Restaurant Week sponsors, the event committee, the Houston Food Bank and the 48,000 Houstonians who joined in the effort to fight hunger in our city. Without the support of our generous community, we would not have been able to raise a record-breaking $240,000 to make the 2009 event the most successful to date,” said Cleverley Stone, founder and chair of Houston Restaurant Week.

“This event provided a great opportunity for everyone in the community to support the Houston Food Bank and at the same time have a fine dining experience. We sincerely appreciate the time, effort and expertise of Cleverley Stone, and we can’t thank her enough for her leadership and generosity in organizing the event. We’re so pleased with the results and are already looking forward to another successful Houston Restaurant Week next year,” said Brian Greene, president and CEO of the Houston Food Bank.

Established in 2003, this year’s Houston Restaurant Week raised more than three times last year’s total of nearly $80,000. Approximately 48,000 Houstonians dined at 84 participating restaurants throughout the greater Houston area; last year’s event attracted 53 participating restaurants. To date, the event has raised more than $356,000 to support hunger relief in Houston.

Seen in the crowd: Cleverley Stone, Kim Padgett, Kimberley Park, Edward Sanchez, Dr. Roland Maldanado, Ashley Allen with The Health Museum, David Cordua with Cordua Restaurants, Arthur Mooradian with Del Friscos

Oh DISHIES! This is such a great deal and it's for a good cause which you know is always a good thing! Houston Restaurant Week has quickly become an annual tradition that Houstonians have embraced almost instantly!

You can enjoy specially created 3 course dinners at Houston’s favorite restaurants for just $35 and $5 from each meal will go directly to the Houston Food Bank! That's a great deal! You are participating in LOCALLY owned businesses while ALSO giving back to the community!?!?!? It's doesn't get any better than that!

For participating restaurants, menus and more information about how you can help feed the hungry in Houston Click HERE...the restaurant list is below, btw! We felt the need to promote these awesome businesses!

Therefore, we emplore you to...Eat. Drink. And be helpful at one of the locally owned restaurants listed below =)

Benjy's, Jasper's, Michelangelo's, La Trattoria,*17 Restaurant, Americas - Post Oak, Amerigo's Grille, Arcodoro, Arturo's Uptown Italiano,
Bailey's American Grille, benjy's in The Village, Bistro at The Lancaster, Brasserie MAX & Julie,
Brenner's Steakhouse, Brenner's on the Bayou, Cadillac Bar Houston, The Capital Grille,
Capriccio, Carmelo's Ristorante, Cavatore Italian Restaurant, Crapitto's Cucina Italiana,
Crave Sushi, Cullen's Upscale American Grille, Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House,
Denis' Seafood House, Downtown Aquarium, Feast, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar - Town & Country, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar - West Alabama, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar - Woodlands, Frank's Chop House, Gigi's Asian Bistro & Dumpling Bar, The Glass Wall, Gravitas Restaurant,
Grotto Westheimer, Grotto Woodlands, The Grove Restaurant, Indika, Jasper's, Jimmy Wilson's Seafood & Chop House, Kiran's, La Colombe d'Or Mansion, La Griglia, La Trattoria, Le Mistral Restaurant, The Lodge at Shirley Acres, Masraff's, McCormick & Schmick's "Fresh" Seafood Restaurant - Downtown, McCormick & Schmick's - Uptown, The Melting Pot Fondue Restaurant - Galleria Area Houston, The Melting Pot of Shenandoah, Mezzanotte Ristorante, Michelangelo's Ristorante Italiano, Monarch at Hotel Zaza,
Mo's ... A Place for Steaks, Mortons the Steakhouse - Downtown, NOE Restaurant (at The Omni Houston Hotel), The Oceanaire Seafood Room, Olivette at The Houstonian, Ouisie's Table, Pappas Bros. Steak House, Perry's Italian Grille, Perry's Steakhouse & Grille - Champions, Perry's Steakhouse & Grille - Clear Lake, Perry's Steakhouse & Grille - Katy, Perry's Steakhouse & Grille - Memorial City, Perry's Steakhouse & Grille - Sugar Land, Perry's Steakhouse & Grille - Woodlands, Pesce, Polo's Signature, Post Oak Grill - Uptown, Quattro at Four Seasons Hotel Houston, RA Sushi, RA Sushi - City Centre, Rainbow Lodge, RDG + Bar Annie, The Remington Restaurant, The Restaurant at InterContinental Hotel, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Shula's Steak House, Smith & Wollensky, SoVino Bistro & Wine Bar, Strip House, Sullivan's Steakhouse, Truluck's, Vic & Anthony's, VOICE Restaurant & Lounge at Hotel ICON, Willie G's Seafood & Steaks.