What's Eric Eating

Eric is back on a regular podcast schedule this week and today he's joined by the returning Monica Danna to discuss the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss Alex Padilla leaving The Original Ninfa's after 18 years, Portillo's opening soon in Houston with 2 locations, and a new cocktail bar called High Five Mini Bar heading to the Stomping Grounds in Garden Oaks. In the Restaurants of the Week portion PostScript and Le Jardinier are featured. Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Talented Chef Leaving After 18 Years at Iconic Houston Tex-Mex Restaurant Favorite Chicago Hot Dog Shop Portillo's Reveals 2 Houston Locations Mini Cocktail Bar with Mid Century Vibes Stomps into Garden Oaks Houston's 14-Seat Agave Bar Reopens with New Drinks and French Fusion Menu Houston's New Pickleball-Themed Sports Bar Swings into Action this Week Ben Berg's

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Ricardo Molina of Molina's Cantina. Ricardo speaks with Eric about his family's history in the restaurant business, starting the business back in 1941, the changing of locations over the years, keeping a balance between staying current but also paying homage to the restaurant's roots, the evolution of the drink program, not being able to say "ice cold" on their marquee (oh TABC), opening their Fulshear location during the height of Covid, the possibility of opening other locations, yelp reviews, and more! Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Houston's 9 Best Pastry Chefs Create Sweet and Savory Masterpieces Veteran Houston Restaurateur Upgrades Sealy Eatery with an Assist from Chris Shepherd Mini Cocktail Bar with Mid Century Vibes Stomps into Garden Oaks Presenting Houston's 10 Best Patios for Outdoor Drinking and Dining Favorite Chicago Ho

Today on the podcast, Eric is joined by Cinda and Armando Palacios of of Palacios Murphy Hospitality. Cinda and Armando speak with Eric about how they first met, where the idea of combining Tex-Mex with fine dining came from, the story behind Armando getting fired from Ninfa's for giving out sopapillas, starting Armando's Restaurant, developing the "you gotta be at Armando's" environment early on, Thursday nights at Armando's, the story behind the Billy Gibbons and Lionel Ritchie photo, why they expanded into Round Top, creating Hotel Lulu, diversifying their restaurant portfolio as they expanded in Round Top, bringing Mandito's to Houston, what's next for them, and much more!  Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: 16 of Houston's Best New Restaurants Compete for Coveted Tastemakers Title New 17-Story Luxury High-Rise Stands Tall in Tanglewood with Posh Amenities and a Rooftop P

On today's edition of the podcast CultureMap Editor Eric Sandler is joined by Mary Clarkson to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair speak about Tilman Fertitta's recent multimillion dollar development purchase, Harold's in the Heights shuttering after 10 years, and Tacos Doña Lena opening it's 2nd location in the former Dak & Bop space on W. 18th street. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Sorrento Ristorante is featured.  Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Houston Billionaire Tilman Fertitta Buys River Oaks Development for a Reported $450 Million Staple Heights Restaurant Closing This Weekend After 10 Years on 19th Street Yelp's Favorite Houston Birria Tacos Coming to Shuttered Korean Restaurant Houston's 9 Best Food Pop-Ups Showcase Culinary Innovation and Hustle Where to Eat Right Now: A Tasting of Houston's 7 Best Bag

Today on the podcast CultureMap Editor (yeah that's right someone got a promotion) Eric Sandler speaks with Jason Ryczek of Little's Oyster Bar. Eric and Jason discuss how Jason's culinary career first began, how his time in San Francisco helped shaped him, what got Jason into caviar, coming to Houston, working with Pappas, developing the menu, keeping the menu dynamic, becoming a big fan of yellowedge grouper, what being named the best restaurant in Houston by the Houston Chronicle did for the restaurant, what are Jason's goals for Little's Oyster Bar, whether we could possibly see more Little's Oyster Bars around Houston or Texas in general, and much more!  Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Staple Heights Restaurant Closing This Weekend After 10 Years on 19th Street Where to Eat Right Now: A Tasting of Houston's 7 Best Bagel Shops Austin's Favorite Detroit-Style Pizzeria B

Today on the podcast CultureMap Editor (yeah that's right someone got a promotion) Eric Sandler is joined by Michael Fulmer to dive into the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar world. The guys discuss Katami topping Texas Monthly's Best New Restaurants in 2024, Houston's newest food hall Conservatory Galleria opening it's doors, and Eric getting stepping into his new role at CultureMap. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Amrina and Himalaya Restaurant are featured.  Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Houston Sushi Star's Montrose Eatery Tops Texas Monthly's Best New Restaurants List Houston's Newest Food Hall Opens in the Galleria Area with 11 Diverse Dining West U. Welcomes New Italian Restaurant from 17-Year Da Marco Veteran Houston's 9 Best Bars of 2024 Blend Old Favorites and New Destinations New Coastal-Inspired Restaurant Duchess Reigns in Uptown

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Julia and David Grossman of Fusion Eats and Fusion Taco. Julia and David speak with Eric about how they met, what brought David back to Houston from New York, Julia's interest in the food truck scene early on in her career, the early food truck days, David's time at Branch Water, transitioning from food trucks to brick and mortar, how their menu has evolved, the opening of their new location in Montrose, menu recommendations for new customers, their aspirations, and more! Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Houston's 11 Best Neighborhood Restaurants Cater to Daily Cravings with Diverse Dishes Houston Sushi Star's Montrose Eatery Tops Texas Monthly's Best New Restaurants List Houston's Newest Food Hall Opens in the Galleria Area with 11 Diverse Dining Houston's Top Restaurants Lasso Big Wins at Rodeo Uncorked! & Best Bites Competition Lo

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Chelsea Thomas of The Infatuation Houston to go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss the opening of PostScript which features the return of chef Bryan Caswell, the opening of MF Lobster & Ceviche by the team behind MF Sushi, the recently shuttered coffee shop The Tipping Point getting a second life by operating out of 93' Til, and Winfield's Chocolate Shop partnering with Kroger. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Baso is featured. Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Posh and Pretty-in-Pink Restaurant from Notable Names Opens in River Oaks Lobster-Obsessed Restaurant Serving Rolls, Ceviche, and More Opens on Allen Parkway Shuttered Downtown Coffee Shop Brews Up New Home in Montrose Eatery-Record Bar Favorite Houston chocolate shop sweetens season with new Kroger partnership Ho

On this week's episode, Eric speaks with Jason Gould of Common Bond, and 1891 American Eatery & Bar! They discussed bringing the first classic croissant to the Houston restaurant scene, the decision to close the downtown Brasserie, trying to change the way we think about sports bars, expanding the Common Bond brand, and how the Houston restaurant scene has changed over the last 20 years! Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Meet Houston's 12 Rising Star Chefs Stirring Up Our Dynamic Restaurant Scene Houston's Most Sandwich-Obsessed Chef Heads to Milwaukee for Top Chef Season 21 Favorite Houston chocolate shop sweetens season with new Kroger partnership Posh and Pretty-in-Pink Restaurant from Notable Names Opens in River Oaks Buzzworthy Chocolate Shop and Bar Sweetens Up East End with Booze-Filled Bites Cherished Montrose Italian Restaurant Gets Major Makeover Thanks to New

We're back to normal programming this week as Eric is joined by regular cohost Mary Clarkson to dive back into the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Mary discuss the bagel drama happening with Space City Bagels formerly known as Brazos Bagel just a short time ago, Dominick Lee returning to Houston with the upcoming opening of his new restaurant Augustine's, and Sorrento Ristorante's makeover courtesy of it's new owners. In the Restaurants of the Week, Artisans is featured.  Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Buzzy Heights Bagel Shop Rebrands After Founding Baker's Surprise Exit New Modern Creole Restaurant in Third Ward Channels Prodigal Chef's Italian Culinary Quest Cherished Montrose Italian Restaurant Gets Major Makeover Thanks to New Owners Posh and Pretty-in-Pink Restaurant from Notable Names Opens in River Oaks Buzzworthy Chocolate Shop and

Time to find out who won The Ultimate Houston Date Night Draft! To determine our winner, Eric has enlisted the help of June Rodil of Goodnight Hospitality. Listen as June reveals the winner of the Date Night Draft, why [redacted]'s lineup won her over in the end, what she would have selected if she had participated, Eric's team 7 picks, and more! Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Celebrate Houston's Culinary All-Stars at the 2024 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Third Ward Restaurant's Financial Challenges Revealed in Viral Social Media Posts Buzzy Heights Bagel Shop Rebrands After Founding Baker's Surprise Exit Global Peri-Peri Chicken Favorite Opens 2nd Houston-Area Restaurant in Katy Sizzling Tex-Mex Staple Opening Expansive Patio Bar-Restaurant in River Oaks New Modern Creole Restaurant in Third Ward Channels Prodigal Chef's Italian Culinary Quest

You know what your special someone deserves from you for Valentine's Day this year? You to listen to this episode of What's Eric Eating because then you'll be fully prepared to plan the best possible date night. That's right, it's the Ultimate Houston Date Night Draft on today's edition of the podcast. Join Eric Sandler, Felice Sloan, Rafael Nasr, Justin Yu, Mary Clarkson, and Evelyn Garcia as they select their ultimate date night. Here's what the teams will be drafting: a cold appetizer, a hot appetizer, an entree, a dessert, after dinner drinks, and a wild card. All of which must come from a Houston-area bar/restaurant. The wildcard can be anything in Houston that would be a fun stop on a date. For example, the Waugh Bridge Bat Colony, Turrell Exhibit, Menil Lawn, or a sixth bar/restaurant. The Draft Rules Rule 1: All six selections must be from different restaurants and bars. For instance, if a participant selects Bludorn for cold appetizers, the participant may not select Bludorn for desserts. Rule 2:

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Ernest Servantes of Burnt Bean Co. Barbecue and Robert Jacob Lerma. The guys speak with Eric about how they first became friends, eating birria tacos in Robert's backyard before it was cool to eat birria tacos in your backyard, how Ernest got started in competition barbecue, transitioning away from competition barbecue, why Seguin was the right spot for Ernest to setup shop, doing whatever Ernest wants to do at Burnt Bean Co., the Sunday service at Burnt Bean Co., being recognized by the James Beard Foundation as a best chef semifinalist, what restaurant number 2 could be, the state of Texas whiskey from Robert's perspective, what's next in the world of barbecue, telling a story with food, and remembering John Brotherton.    Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Heights Vietnamese Restaurant Lauded for Inventive Fare Set to Shutter Embattled

The Swanky Maven herself Felice Sloan joins Eric on today's podcast to go through some of the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Felice discuss the 11 Houston restaurants/chefs named James Beard Award semifinalists, the sudden closure of Buffalo Bayou Brewery, and saying their goodbyes to Clare Smith's Alice Blue. In the Restaurant's of the Week portion Tavola is featured. Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: 11 Houston Chefs and Restaurants Score James Beard Award Semifinalist Nominations for 2024 Houston Beer Shocker: Sawyer Yards Brewery Shutters After Landlord Lock Out 2 Heights-Area Restaurants Set to Shutter, For Very Different Reasons Favorite Houston Wine Bar Uncorks Private Label Bottles for Fans Near and Far High-Profile Seafood Restaurant to Close its Doors in Houston Food Hall 3 Houston A-List Chefs Headline Fundraising Dinner Hono

On today's edition of the podcast, Eric is joined by Felipe Riccio and Austin Waiter of Goodnight Hospitality. The pair speak with Eric about the vision for Goodnight Hospitality's new concept The Marigold Club, the status of the concept currently, what exactly is continental cuisine, the type of food customers can expect from the concept, the service experience at The Marigold Club, lunch/dinner plans, and more. Plus the guys speak about the upcoming reopening of March, the new menu debuting with the new season at March, the region they're focusing on with this new season, the recognition March has received, Austin's transition from Tony's to March, what drew Austin to Goodnight Hospitality, Austin's time staging in Europe, the life changing year ahead for Austin, and of course being that it's Austin's first time on the podcast it means Austin has to go through the lightning round. Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some

On today's edition of the podcast Eric is joined by Michael Fulmer to dive into some of the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Michael discuss Common Bond claiming a spot in Tanglewood for their 5th bistro location, Layne's Chicken Fingers opening their third Houston area location, and the opening of Hando's new second location in Spring Branch. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, 1891 American Eatery & Bar is featured.  Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Common Bond Claims Familiar Tanglewood Space for 5th Bistro Location Aggie-Favorite Chicken Fingers Spot Sets Opening Date for River Oaks/Montrose Outpost Heights Favorite Sushi Spot Now Serving Hand Rolls in Spring Branch Ben Berg Kicks It Up a Notch for RodeoHouston Return of The Ranch Saloon + Steakhouse Allergy-Friendly, Healthy Eating Austin Restaurant Closes Houston Locale Whe

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Morgan Weber of HiWay Cantina. Morgan speaks with Eric about why he and the rest of the team at Agricole Hospitality decided to change things up in the east end of Houston by closing Indianola and Miss Carousel, coming up with the ideas for HiWay Catina and Lightnin's Good Times, the development process for HiWay Cantina, making HiWay's menu items distinct from Eight Row Flint's items, how things have gone since opening, the style of fajitas, the drink program at HiWay, whether he was surprised by the success of EZ's Liquor Lounge, why he's happy doing casual concepts, what the future holds from a future projects perspective, reflecting on Coltivare as it comes up to it's 10 year anniversary, and using easy melt... yes easy melt comes up.  Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Acclaimed West African Restaurant Set to Open First Brick and Mo

It's Tuesday, which means it's time to dive into the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene with Eric Sandler and this week's cohost Monica Danna. Eric and Monica talk about ChópnBlọk opening its first brick and mortar location, the new wine bar from Gr8 Plate Hospitality, and since Monica missed the annual Year in Review podcast she gives her picks for some of her favorites from 2023. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Belly of the Beast and Mi Tierra Mexican Kitchen are featured. Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Acclaimed West African Restaurant Set to Open First Brick and Mortar Location in Montrose New Memorial Wine Bar from Union Kitchen Owners Uncorks 200 Bottles in Rustic-Chic Space Common Bond Claims Familiar Tanglewood Space for 5th Bistro Location Drake-Approved Pizza and Pasta Spot Bakes Up 3rd Houston Locale in CityCentre James Harden's Midto

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Benchawan Jabthong Painter and Graham Painter of Street to Kitchen. The couple speak with Eric about how they first met, coming to American from Thailand, the story of Chef G's braised green curry brisket that ended up leading her to SaltAir Seafood Kitchen, Chef G's experience working at SaltAir, how Graham's stepmom got them introduced to Justin Yu, joining Theodore Rex, developing the Street to Kitchen concept, growing Street to Kitchen from pop-ups to brick and mortar, building a following with their pop-ups, how fried chicken almost brought everything down, life post winning a James Beard award, how Th Prsrv at Eculent came to be, how the idea for Th Prsrv changed from a tapas bar to a tasting menu, how the move to the new location for Street to Kitchen went, and more! Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: New Memorial Wine Bar from Un

Eric's back! The first podcast of the new year is here and on this episode Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson to catch up on the news that we missed during the holidays from the Houston bar and restaurant scene. The pair discuss Aaron Bludorn's announcement of Bar Bludorn, Kaitlin Steets leaving Theodore Rex after 8 years, and the new upscale Japanese restaurant concept taking over the former One Fifth space in Montrose. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Street to Kitchen and Makiin are featured.  Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Aaron Bludorn Dishes First Details on his New Memorial Restaurant, Plus Our Visit to Cocody Theodore Rex's Beard Award Semifinalist Chef Departs After 'Beautiful,' 8-Year Run New Upscale Japanese Restaurant Claims Former One Fifth Space in Montrose Acclaimed West African Restaurant Set to Open First Brick and Mortar Location in Montrose Peking D