What's Eric Eating - TopPodcast.com

Episode 419 - Levi Goode of Goode Company Restaurants and Credence Oct 31, 2024

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Levi Goode of Goode Company Restaurants and Credence. Levi speaks with Eric about his decision to open his first solo project with Credence, the inspiration for Credence, the design choices for the space, developing the menu, the personality of Sidebar at Credence, how Credence is different from Goode Company Restaurants, what dishes customers are loving so far, the team at Credence, whether there could be more Levi Goode restaurants separate from Goode Company, the plans for Goode Company Fish Camp, the goals for Goode Company Kitchen & Cantina, changing the menu up at Goode Company Taqueria, and more! Plus, Levi shares some breaking news regarding a 4th location of Goode Company Kitchen & Cantina.
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:

Episode 418 - Mi Luna Oct 29, 2024

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Monica Danna to discuss some of the latest happenings in the Houston restaurant and bar world. The pair react to the Houston Chronicle's Top 100 Restaurant's List, the closures of Nippon and Cecil's Pub, and talk wings as CultureMap's ongoing Ultimate Wing Showdown continues. In the Restaurants of the Week portion of the show, Mi Luna 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:

Episode 417 - Thy and Matthew Mitchell of Traveler’s Table and Traveler's Cart Oct 24, 2024

On today's edition of What's Eric Eating, Thy and Matthew Mitchell of Traveler's Table and Traveler's Cart stop by. The pair speak with Eric about how they got into the culinary world, why Matthew decided to leave his lucrative pharmaceutical job to go to culinary school, Thy's family restaurant background, the influences behind Traveler's Table, the motivations behind opening Traveler's Cart, the advice they got from Guy Fieri that helped them create the Traveler's Cart concept, their experience on Diners, Drive-In's, & Dives, developing the menu at Traveler's cart, when diners can expect Traveler's Cart to open, the possibilities of expansion, 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:

Episode 416 - Dandelion Cafe Oct 22, 2024

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Chelsea Thomas of The Infatuation Houston to talk about some of the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss the plan real-estate company Rebees' has for a reimagined GreenStreet, the opening of the first Portillo's in the Houston area, and Austin based burger concept P. Terry's opening it's first Houston location in Richmond. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Dandelion Cafe 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:

Episode 415 - Seth Siegel-Gardner, Kent Domas, and Máté Hartai of Milton's Oct 17, 2024

On the podcast today, Eric is joined by Seth Siegel-Gardner, Kent Domas, and Máté Hartai of Milton's. The trio speak with Eric about developing Milton's, how the restaurant is doing in it's first 3 weeks of service, what they wanted to do with the food menu, how the drink program is evolving, embracing old school Italian dishes, and much more about Milton's. Plus, Seth talks about how his first year with Local Foods Group has gone, why this was the right next move for Máté, why they decided to transform Lees Den, the atmosphere they want Lees Den to have going forward, why it was time to move on from Eau Tour, how Maximo is going, the state of Local Foods, 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:

Episode 414 - Milton's Oct 15, 2024

On today's show, Eric is joined by Michael Fulmer to dive into some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The guys discuss Blacksmith opening a new kiosk location in Memorial City and Saigon Hustle opening a larger 2nd location in Spring Branch. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Milton's 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:

Episode 413 - (Southern) Smoke Gets in Your Eyes Oct 10, 2024

Doing this a little different on today's podcast. A day ahead of the Southern Smoke Festival, Eric had a chance to catch up with some of the chefs participating at this year's event. In this episode you'll hear Eric speak with Sam Fore of Tuk Tuk Snack Shop, Cheetie Kumar of Ajja, Jason Ryczek of Little's Oyster Bar, Erin Smith and Patrick Feges of Feges BBQ, and Rodney Scott of Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ. From the festival itself to the impact it has on the restaurant community, to the role it has in helping people recover, and so much more on today's episode.
To learn more about the Southern Smoke Festival or make a donation to the Southern Smoke Foundation, head to southernsmoke.org today.
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:

Episode 412 - Credence and ChòpnBlọk Oct 08, 2024

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by the Swanky Maven Felice Sloan to discuss some of the latest happenings in the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair speak about the Michelin Guide getting ready to announce the Texas restaurants receiving stars at a ceremony in Houston on November 11th , the "hot slop" being served at Meow Wolf's dive bar, and the New York Times most recent Restaurant List including one Houston area establishment. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Credence and ChòpnBlọk 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:

Episode 411 - Marin Slanina and Miranda Q of Star Sailor Oct 03, 2024

On the podcast today Eric is joined by Marin Slanina and Miranda Q of Star Sailor. Marin and Miranda speak with Eric about how they got into the hospitality industry, Marin's journey into craft beer brewing, how the opportunity to open Star Sailor came up, why the food side of Star Sailor became a much needed part of the business, what made Miranda decide to move from behind the bar to being the chef of the concept, the craft beer scene, being one of the last craft beer bars, how Miranda's evolved the food menu, the type of craft beers people are drinking these day, the Houston craft beer scene, their plans for brunch, future plans, 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:

Episode 410 - State of Grace Oct 01, 2024

On today's edition of the podcast, Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson to discuss the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene, including several notable restaurant closings including Benny Chows, HiWay Cantina, and Vinny's Pizza.
Montrose area restaurant Andiron deciding to change up their concept to something more relaxed.
The New York Times including Seabrook restaurant Viola and Agnes in their 50 favorite restaurants of the year!
And in the Restaurants of the Week portion, State of Grace 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:

Episode 409 - Ford Fry and Bobby Matos of Rocket Farm Restaurants Sep 26, 2024

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Ford Fry and Bobby Matos of Rocket Farm Restaurants, the hospitality group behind local concepts State of Grace, La Lucha, Superica, and Little Rey. The guys speak with Eric about why they decided now was the time to change things up at State of Grace, how they've changed the menu at State of Grace, the response from customers regarding the changes, whether their Atlanta concept Marcel influenced the new State of Grace menu, the inspiration behind Little Rey, why the decided to bring Little Rey to Houston, the wood fire powered grill that's behind the food at Little Rey, what makes Little Rey's chicken wings some of the best in the city, 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:

Episode 408 - Drake's Hollywood and Októ Sep 24, 2024

Today Eric's joined by Monica Danna to go through the some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Ronnie Killen's announcement of the closure of Killen's STQ, Katz's opening a new location in the Memorial City area, and Loro's 2nd Houston location has an opening date. In the Restaurant of the Week portion Eric and Monica are joined by special guest, Lawton Driscoll. The trio discuss Drake's Hollywood and Októ.
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:

Episode 407 - Ope Amosu of ChòpnBlọk Sep 12, 2024

Today on the show, Eric is joined by Ope Amosu of ChòpnBlọk. Ope and Eric discuss Opeyemi's journey from the pop up he held in an apartment complex years ago to now opening his first brick & mortar location of ChòpnBlọk. Plus, Ope speaks with Eric about why the space in Montrose was the right spot for him, the design of the location, the references/symbolism made within it's design, what customers can expect with the new expanded food menu, the beverage program, what they're planning for brunch, finding out about the James Beard Award nomination, 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:

Episode 406 - Kira Sep 10, 2024

On today's edition of the podcast, Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson to discuss the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Underbelly Hospitality closing Wild Oats, Nando's Peri-Peri claiming it's 3rd Houston area location, and Postino WineCafé adding it's first ever cocktail menu. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Kira 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:

Episode 405 - Bobby Heugel of Thorough Fare Hospitality Sep 05, 2024

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Bobby Heugel of Thorough Fare Hospitality for in-depth conversation regarding the pricing structure at restaurants and bars. Bobby and Eric speak about the differences now versus pre-pandemic, the cost of goods, the cumulative effects of alcohol/food inflation, the rise of labor costs, what a personal guarantee for lease means for people behind restaurant concepts, why Bobby is wary of real estate prices right now, why Houston needs to rethink parking requirements, the deterioration of who's owning restaurants, the financial hurdles that hurt businesses today, the struggle of the lunch in Houston, vibe dining, the investment needed to open a simple bar/restaurant nowadays, cocktail prices, the hardest concepts to open right now, what the future possibly holds, and more! Plus, they discuss how things have been going at Catbirds since Thorough Fare Hospitality took over operations of the concept last year.
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:

Episode 404 - Thai Tail and Ramen Moto Sep 03, 2024

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Chelsea Thomas of The Infatuation Houston to talk about some of the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss the closure of 2 Houston area Shake Shack locations and Houston Restaurant Weeks extending through the end of September. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Thai Tail and Ramen Moto 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:

Episode 403 - Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi and Ryan Snyder of Katami Aug 29, 2024

On today's edition of the show, Eric is joined by Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi and Ryan Snyder of Katami. The guys cover a range of topics with Eric, including how Ryan and Hori-san first met, what Ryan learned early on from Hori-san, why Hori-san left for Kata Robata, the beginnings of Kata Robata, what went into the decision to evolve into doing something new with a new restaurant, what makes Katami different from Kata Robata, the big risk they took with their sake program, what Hori-san took away from his time in Japan in preparing for Katami, why dry-aging fish is a no-go for them, how customers have responded so far to Katami, the omakase experience coming to the restaurant, what the local/national recognition that Katami has received means to them, the possibility of getting a Michelin star, 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:

Episode 402 - Granger's and Balboa Surf Club Aug 27, 2024

Today on the podcast, Eric is joined by Michael Fulmer to go through some of the latest headlines from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair speak about State of Grace undergoing some major changes, Southern Living's list of The South's Best New Barbecue Joints of 2024 that included 5 Texas spots, and European coffee shop Coffee Fellows' announcement of 4 new locations coming to Houston. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Granger's and Balboa Surf Club 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:

Episode 401- Lance McCullers Jr., Nico Baizán de Aldecoa, & Juan Carlos Martinez de Aldecoa of Maven Coffee + Cocktails Aug 22, 2024

On today's edition of the show, Eric is joined by Lance McCullers Jr., Nico Baizán de Aldecoa, & Juan Carlos Martinez de Aldecoa of Maven Coffee + Cocktails. The guys speak with Eric about the development of Maven, why Lance decided to pursue this as a venture outside of baseball, Juan Carlos' family's long legacy in coffee, how they went about this process backwards in a way, the elements of a great coffee shop they wanted to include into Maven, how Nico got involved with the concept, elevating the food experience customers get at Maven compared to other coffee shops, how the Thompson Hotel became one of their locations, why Silver Street was the best location for their first brick + mortar location, they approach they're making with the food menu at their Silver Street location, bringing Nina Quincy on, Michelin coming to Texas, and more! Plus, Lance's shares a bit about his future with the Astros and the city of Houston.
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:

Episode 400 - Guard and Grace & Turner's Cut Aug 20, 2024

Today on the podcast, Eric is joined by Monica Danna to dive into some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Monica discuss Truth BBQ opening in NRG Stadium, Hungry's opening it's first new location in 40 years, and the Malibu Barbie Cafe making it's way to Houston. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Guard and Grace and Turner's Cut 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:

Episode 399 - Matt Gottlieb of il Bracco and Balboa Surf Club Aug 15, 2024

On today's edition of the show, Eric is joined by Matt Gottlieb of Western Addition Restaurant Group. Their concepts include il Bracco and Balboa Surf Club. Matt speaks with Eric about how he got started in the culinary industry, what he learned from his time at Houston's, when he knew it was time to go on his own to open his own concept, why il Bracco was the first concept of Western Addition, developing Balboa Surf Club's menu, responding to customers wants at Balboa, what the future holds for Western Addition in Houston, 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:

Episode 398 - Azumi Aug 13, 2024

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by the returning Swanky Maven herself, Felice Sloan. Eric and Felice dive right into the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Mi Luna finding a new home in Montrose, the 3 nightlight veterans who are teaming up for a new cocktail bar concept called Melrose (also coming with some good chicken tendies), and the plan for Meow Wolf's Houston location to have a cowboys inspired dive bar/restaurant. In the Restaurants of the Week section, Azumi 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:

Episode 397 - Ronnie Killen of Killen's Restaurants Aug 08, 2024

May 4th, 2017, episode 2 of What's Eric Eating released with special guest Ronnie Killen of Killen's restaurants. A lot has changed in the 7 years since his last appearance, so after years of being Ronnie returns to the show to catch Eric, and the listeners, up on what's been going on with him and his restaurants. Ronnie speaks with Eric about his health issues the past 3 years, his near death experiences, getting back to cooking, how he's kept engaged with the restaurants through his health problems, giving up alcohol, whether he wants to strive for a Michelin star, what he's taken from his recent travels, how the barbecue scene has changed since Killen's BBQ first debuted, how the newer Killen's BBQ locations are doing, why he decided to remove Killen's BBQ from NRG Stadium/Minute Maid Park, the problems with stadium restaurants, his vision for Killen's in the Heights, why he closed Killen's TMX, would he ever open another TMX, what he's bringing to the Hobby Airport, his car collection, what he's been working on, and much 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:

Episode 396 - The Marigold Club Aug 06, 2024

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson to go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Mary discuss Molihua closing to reconceptualization after being opened for 3 months inside the Blossom Hotel, the announcement of a 4th location for Jonathan's the Rub set for Cypress, and the opening of Winfield's Chocolate Bar's new location in the Galleria area. In the Restaurants of the Week portion The Marigold Club 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:

Episode 395 - Teppay Jul 30, 2024

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Chelsea Thomas of The Infatuation Houston to talk about some of the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss the owners of Bari Ristorante reportedly taking over day to day operations of Georgia James, the closure of Gratify Neighborhood Bistro, and Chelsea gives her thoughts on the Michelin guide coming to Texas. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Teppay 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:

Episode 394 - Itai Ben Eli and Yotam Dolev of Októ Jul 25, 2024

On today's episode Eric is joined by Itai Ben Eli and Yotam Dolev of Októ. Itai and Yotam discuss with Eric how Októ fits in with the rest of the Sof Hospitality concepts, what Októ is, the dishes they're developing, the types of techniques they're using that are different from their other concepts, why the want to showcase that Mediterranean food is more than just Greek food, the research they did in Spain, why Montrose Collective was the right spot for Októ, when they plan to open the concept will open, how a meal will go at Októ, the ambience diners will feel when entering the restaurant, what they think about the Michelin guide coming to Houston, and more! Plus, they give a bit of a tease about what they're working on in Austin.
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:

Episode 393 - The Michelin Guide is Coming to Texas, What Does This Mean for the State's Restaurants? Jul 23, 2024

No news/restaurants of the week on this Tuesday episode, today it's all about the Michelin guide finally coming to Texas. In this special roundtable free flowing discussion of the podcast, Eric is joined by Emmanuel Chavez of Tatemó, RJ Yoakum of Georgie, Ryan Lachaine of Riel, and Misha Govshteyn to discuss what this means for Texas restaurants now, why it's a huge deal, whether they would change things to chase Michelin stars, how important is it to have a Michelin star, how many restaurants could receive Michelin stars in Houston, which Houston restaurants could be candidates for Michelin stars, the possibility of a barbecue spot getting a star, what Emmanuel thinks of the possibility of Tatemó getting a star, 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:

Episode 392 - The Ultimate Houston Steakhouse Draft Winner Reveal with Michael Sambrooks of Sambrooks Management Jul 18, 2024

Time to find out who the winner is of The Ultimate Houston Steakhouse Draft with Michael Sambrooks of Sambrooks Management (Andiron, The Pit Room, & Candente). Michael gives his reasoning as to why selected [redacted] as the winner of the draft as well as give his 2nd and 3rd place finishers, what he thought of the selections all around, what he would have selected, what he's learned since opening his own steakhouse with Andiron, why there's no such as too many steakhouses in Houston, the possible opening for a more casual/lower price point steakhouse concept, and more! Plus, Michael updates Eric on how the new location of The Pit Room is going.
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:

Episode 391 - The Bear Season 3 Spoiler Discussion with Justin Yu Jul 17, 2024

Finish season 3 of The Bear on Hulu and wanting to talk about it? Well, you're in luck because today's episode is all about The Bear season 3! Eric and special guest Justin Yu dive into a full spoiler discussion about season 3. Eric and Justin give their overall thoughts on the season, how Justin was able to relate to this season, the practicality of changing your menu every night, what the show got right in it's representation of the kitchen experience, whether they'd eat at The Bear, the idea of legacy explored in season 3, and more! Plus the guys discuss what's been happening at Justin's restaurants as of late, especially after Hurricane Beryl.
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:

Episode 390 - The Ultimate Houston Steakhouse Draft Jul 16, 2024

If you're thinking "I could really go for a good steak right now, but I don't know where to go" then this is the podcast for you because we're about to highlight a bunch of steakhouses. It's The Ultimate Steakhouse Draft on the podcast today! Listen as Eric, alongside Rafael Nasr, Mary Clarkson, Chelsea Thomas, Aaron Bludorn, and Michael Fulmer make their selections to create the ultimate steakhouse experience.
Here's what the teams will be drafting: appetizer, salad, steak, non-steak entree, potato, dessert, and a wild card which is any specific dish that's served at a steakhouse. All of which must come from a Houston-area bar/restaurant.
The Draft Rules
Rule 1: All of your selections must be from different restaurants. For example, you may not take a potato and a dessert from the same restaurant.
Rule 2: Once a restaurant has been selected for a certain category, no one else may pick it for the same category. I.e., only one person will get to pick Vic & Anthony's — and its crab cake — for their appetizer, but someone else could select Vic & Anthony's for potato or dessert (etc.).
Rule 3: You may only select dishes from steakhouses in the Greater Houston area. That means it has a menu of entrees that are primarily different cuts and portions of steak. It may have a meat-centric name that includes words like "steak," "butcher," or "chophouse," or tout its beef sourcing (dry-aged USDA prime, Australian wagyu, etc). Restaurants with only one or two steaks on the menu are not steakhouses and are not eligible. I will be the sole arbiter on whether or not a restaurant qualifies as a steakhouse.
Rule 4: Snake draft format. The draft order will go one through six in round 1 then go backwards six through one in round 2.
Rule 5: Categories may be selected in any order.
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Episode 389 - Aaron Lyons and Brandi Key of Dish Society & Daily Gather Jul 04, 2024

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Aaron Lyons and Brandi Key of Dish Society and Daily Gather. The pair speak with Eric about how things have been going at Daily Gather since it opened, how Daily Gather's menu evolved over time, how they're able to stand out in CITYCENTRE, the current rush of restaurants opening in the area, the menu at Dish Society, why they decided to close the Dish Society location on San Felipe, the possibility of more Dish Society locations in the greater Houston area, how things are going at Dish Society's first location in Austin, the chances of expanding their brands in the Austin area, how the Austin market compares to the Houston market, their breakfast options, possible expansions of Daily Gather, 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:

Episode 388 - Blue Tuba and Toca Madera Jul 02, 2024

Michael Fulmer returns to the podcast to jump into some of the latest headlines making waves in the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Michael discuss the new piano bar/restaurant concept called The Kennedy taking over the former Muse/Emmaline space, Portillo's announcement that it's bringing 2 more locations to the Houston area, and David Skinner's new concept Ishtia. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Michael and Eric speak about their trip to Blue Tuba. In a bonus section of the Restaurants of the Week, Eric is joined by Lawton Driscoll to talk about their experience at Toca Madera.
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:

Episode 387 - Austin Waiter, Felipe Riccio, & June Rodil of The Marigold Club Jun 27, 2024

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Austin Waiter, Felipe Riccio, and June Rodil of The Marigold Club. The team behind The Marigold Club speaks with Eric about the influences behind The Marigold Club, how things have evolved with the concept over the past 6 months, why this was the right next move for Austin after Tony's, the road they've gone down to go from the initial inspiration of Mayfair, London to what it is now, their trip to Maine, Austin's approach to putting his own spin on certain dishes, having more reasonable pricing, the beverage program, their food offerings, what people were saying after opening night, putting their team together, 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:

Episode 386 - Jonathan's the Rub Jun 25, 2024

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Chelsea Thomas of The Infatuation Houston to dive into some of the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Chelsea discuss the closure of historic Italian restaurant Damian’s Cucina Italiana, both Buffalo Grille locations being acquired by Adair Concepts, and Underbelly Hospitality closing Comalito at the Houston Farmers Market. In the Restaurants of the Week section, the newest location of Jonathan’s The Rub 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:

Episode 385 - Dawn Burrell of the Sound & Color Dinner Series Jun 20, 2024

Eric is joined today by Dawn Burrell of the Sound & Color Dinner Series. In her fourth appearance on the podcast she speaks with Eric about what she's been up to as of late, her upcoming Sound & Color dinner series, working with Marcus Samuelsson on a freelance project in Ethiopia, how Marcus helped her following her exit from Late August/Lucille's Hospitality Group, what she took away from her time overseas, coming up short on Season 20 of Top Chef, collaborating with chef Dominick Lee, her Social Sundays brunches at Sawyer Ice House, her love for hash, bringing back her Juneteenth Jubilee, working towards opening her own restaurant, what the timeline looks like right now for her own restaurant, 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:

Episode 384 - Haywire Jun 18, 2024

On today's edition of the podcast Eric is joined by the Swanky Maven Felice Sloan to discuss the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss Houston's only James Beard Finalist Emmanuel Chavez of Tatemó not winning at this year's awards, the announcement of a 3rd location of The Taco Stand coming this time to Montrose, and Katami being named to the Robb Report's 10 Best New Restaurants in America list. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Haywire is featured and it was an interesting experience to say the least.
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:

Episode 383 - Kevin Lee of Phat Eatery Jun 13, 2024

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Kevin Lee of Phat Eatery. The pair discuss how things at Phat Eatery have been since Alex Au-Yeung's passing, maintaining a community focus, honoring Alex's legacy, Kevin's career, what brought him to Phat Eatery, when he knew they had something with Phat Eatery, how the restaurant has evolved over the years, how the Woodlands location is coming along, what the menu will look like at the new location, who's leading the culinary side of things now, how they want to grow Phat Eatery, 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:

Episode 382 - Bar Bludorn Jun 11, 2024

This week on What's Eric Eating, Eric and this week's co-host Mary Clarkson, owner of Avondale Food & Wine, talk about all the big news, and goings on with the Houston restaurant scene!
Including...

The modern Vietnamese restaurant Xin Chao closing months after celebrity chef Christine Ha ("MasterChef" winner) left the restaurant.
Veteran restaurateur Benjy Levit, the restaurateur behind Local Foods, will close his French restaurant Eau Tour and convert it to a new Italian restaurant named Milton’s.
Comma Hospitality, the restaurant group known for its luxurious sushi restaurant Neo, will open Kira in Upper Kirby’s Shops at Arrive River Oaks development this July, a new sister concept with a more affordable price point.
And their restaurant of the week is Bar Bludorn!

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Episode 381 - Chris Williams of Lucille's Hospitality Group May 30, 2024

Chris Williams of Lucille's Hospitality Group returns to the podcast for the first in quite some time. Chris and Eric catch up on the latest happenings with the group. The pair speak about the development of Late August, how things are going with Late August so far, how Chris started working with chef Sergio Hidalgo, the signature elements on the Late August menu, the brilliance (and beauty) of Danny Davis, working with Gin Design Group, how things are going at The Rado MKT, the inspiration behind Rado MKT, the importance of the El Dorado Ballroom, Chris' involvement in farming, the continued success of Lucille's, and much much more!
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Episode 380 - Októ Coming Soon, and 'The Fancy' in Galveston May 28, 2024

On today's edition of What's Eric Eating, Eric is joined by Monica Danna to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Monica and Eric discuss Doris Metropolitan owners' revealing new plans to open a new Mediterranean restaurant called Októ.
Plus, The Clé Group opening an upscale cocktail lounge called Fancy's, that also serves a small food menu including shareables and sushi.
Finally, their restaurant of the week is The Fancy in Galveston!
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Episode 379 - Roberto Espinosa and Eric Wilkerson of Tacodeli May 23, 2024

Today on the podcast, Eric is joined by Roberto Espinosa and Eric Wilkerson of Tacodeli. The guy speaks with Eric about how they began working together, why Roberto decided tacos was the right route to go, Eric going from Y2K consulting to tacos, the direction they took with their tacos with both traditional/non-traditional options, how they grew the business, why they decided to come to Houston, what made their new Houston location at Post Oak the right next spot in the city for Tacodeli, what customers can expect from the new location, how the new location differs from their location on Washington, expanding the brand into Dallas, how the Dallas and Houston markets compare, where their 3rd Houston location might be (or will be I should say), where new customers should start when it comes to their menu, and more!
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Episode 378 - Dipping Tiger Phở and Tsujita Artisan Noodle May 21, 2024

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Chelsea Thomas of The Infatuation Houston to dive into some of the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Chelsea discuss the sudden closure of Love Buzz Pizza Pub, the newly announced second location of Brian Ching's soccer bar Pitch 25, and another newly announced second location but this one of the taco variety with The Taco Stand. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Dipping Tiger Phở and Tsujita Artisan Noodle are featured.
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Episode 377 - Food Writer and TV Host Ali Khan May 16, 2024

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by food writer and TV host Ali Khan. You might recognize Ali from his show Cheap Eats, which ran for 5 seasons on the Cooking Channel, or on shows like Ali vs The Dome, Food Network's Spring Baking Championship, Chopped, The Best Thing I Ever Ate, and more. Ali joins Eric to discuss how his career first started, his time writing about burgers in Houston for Texas Highways, the changing cost of eating out, why he's made home cooking a greater focus in his content offerings, how he's been humbled by Neapolitan pizza and a salad that took a weekend to make, getting judging opportunities, streaming series options now with Food Network being in the Warner Bros./Discovery umbrella, the changing of the food TV landscape, the Houston dining scene, and more!
ICYMI: On episode 375, Michael Posey of Wild Sol stopped by the podcast and surprised listeners with a treat. Any What's Eric Eating podcast listener can get a 20% discount on Wild Sol's website at checkout. All listeners have to do is head over to Wild Sol's website, wildsol.co, and then click on shop now. Once you've selected your salsas, go to checkout, and use promo code ERICSANDLER for a 20% discount. It's seriously that easy, so visit Wild Sol's website today and use promo code ERICSANDLER at checkout for a 20% discount.
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Episode 376 - Birdie's and Nickel City May 14, 2024

On today's podcast Eric is joined by frequent cohost Mary Clarkson. The pair dive into some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including chef Christian Hernandez bringing his new restaurant Barbacana to downtown Houston and country music star Koe Wetzel bringing a new location of his Koe Wetzel's Riot Room to Houston. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Birdie's and Nickel City are featured.
ICYMI: On episode 375, Michael Posey of Wild Sol stopped by the podcast and surprised listeners with a treat. Any What's Eric Eating podcast listener can get a 20% discount on Wild Sol's website at checkout. All listeners have to do is head over to Wild Sol's website, wildsol.co, and then click on shop now. Once you've selected your salsas, go to checkout, and use promo code ERICSANDLER for a 20% discount. It's seriously that easy, so visit Wild Sol's website today and use promo code ERICSANDLER at checkout for a 20% discount.
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:

Episode 375 - Michael Posey of Wild Sol May 09, 2024

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Michael Posey of Wild Sol. Michael speaks with Eric about how he began working with Alex Bregman, why they decided to transition off the Breggy Bomb branding, what Wild Sol is, how Wild Sol is different from other salsas out there on the shelves, how involved Alex and Reagan Bregman's involvement, the flavor depth of Wild Sol's salsas, the collaboration with Trill Burgers, whether future collaborations are in the plans, what's next for Wild Sol, the future if/when Alex Bregman leaves the team, working to become a national brand, and much more!
For listeners wanting to try some Wild Sol salsa visit their website wildsol.co today. When you do, click on shop now, and then once you're done go to checkout and use code ERICSANDLER for a 20% discount on your order! It's that easy!
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Episode 374 - Late August and The Pit Room May 07, 2024

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Michael Fulmer to go through some of the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The guys discuss Gulf Coast Distillers' announcement that they're taking over the former Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company facility for their Tejas Beer brand, Noble 33 saying their luxury steakhouse Toca Madera will be opening in Houston in June, and Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr.'s new coffee shop and bar opening in the Thompson Hotel. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Late August and The Pit Room are featured.
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Episode 373 - Brock Wagner of Saint Arnold Brewing Company May 02, 2024

Today on the show Eric is joined by Brock Wagner of Saint Arnold Brewing Company. It's Saint Arnold Brewing's 30th anniversary this year so Brock takes Eric back down memory lane to discuss the early days of Saint Arnold Brewing. The guys talk about how hard it was starting up a craft beer company 30 years ago, doing tastings at grocery stores, when Brock knew he had something with the company, making the move to downtown, getting the law changed to be able to sell directly to customers, opening the restaurant, building the Saint Arnold army, getting involved with the Art Car Parade, the planning of live events, the current state of the brewery, their brief time with seltzers, the craft beer landscape currently, what's next for Saint Arnold Brewing, and much more!
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Episode 372 - MF Lobster & Ceviche Apr 30, 2024

On today's episode Eric is joined by the Swanky Maven herself Felice Sloan to discuss some of the latest happenings in the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The duo speak about the new concept coming from Aaron Bludorn and his team, Gold Tooth Tony's heading to Bellaire for it's second location, Prego's surprising announcement that they will now close instead of relocating, and Craft Burger in Katy being taken over by a blue hedgehog... yes that blue hedgehog... gotta go fast! In the Restaurants of the Week section, MF Lobster & Ceviche is featured.
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Episode 371 - Patrick Pham and Daniel Lee of Duckstache Hospitality Apr 25, 2024

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Patrick Pham and Daniel Lee of Duckstache Hospitality. The guys speak with Eric about how they got into their respective culinary careers, what brought them together, how they came up with the idea for Kokoro, why Kokoro has proven to be a staple of Bravery Chef Hall while other concepts in the food hall have come and gone, developing Handies Douzo, what they do different with their menu at Handies Douzo compared to other handroll concepts, the secret design to Handies Douzo, how Aiko differs from their other concepts, Aiko being an affordable date spot, how the concept for Himari came together from one of their own long time chefs Tye Nguyễn, the neighborhood's response to Himari so far, what took them to Dubai to open another Kokoro, their experience bringing Doku and Bar Doku to Autry Park, their future plans, and more!
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Episode 370 - Little Rey and Maximo Apr 23, 2024

On today's edition of What's Eric Eating, Eric is joined by Monica Danna to discuss some of the latest new from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Monica and Eric discuss Vibrant's new location in Memorial Park, the soon to be open restaurant called Blue Tuba that's not quite like anything Houston has seen before, and the new cocktail lounge called Plume that's opening soon in Shady Acres. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Little Rey and Maximo are featured.
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Episode 369 - Nina Quincy and Sarah Dowling of Underbelly Hospitality Apr 18, 2024

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Nina Quincy and Sarah Dowling of Underbelly Hospitality. Nina and Sarah speak with Eric about how their respective career paths that led them to Underbelly Hospitality, what the transition period was like at Underbelly following the departure of Chris Shepherd, the current state of Underbelly Hospitality, how things have changed at Georgia James with their new chef making the restaurant more approachable, Sarah's amazing ability to pick the right wine every time, why Underbelly decided to close Pastore Italian Kitchen, what's happening at Wild Oats, the latest with Comalito, what's next for Underbelly, the goals for the beverage programs, and much more!
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Episode 368 - EMA Apr 16, 2024

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Chelsea Thomas of The Infatuation Houston to dive into some of the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Chelsea discuss Magnol French Baking's announcement of their new location in the Heights, Arizona based breakfast concept Hash Kitchen bringing multiple locations to Houston, and Bazaar Food and Wine, Houston's newest food festival, debuting with more than 30 Houston area chefs. In the Restaurants of the Week section, EMA 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:

Episode 367 - Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu of JŪN Apr 11, 2024

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu of JŪN. Evelyn and Henry speak with Eric about why the spot on 20th street was the right location for JŪN, what convinced Henry to come to Texas for this concept, the development of the menu, their time working pop-ups together, the moment things got real for them, what Henry has learned so far about the Houston culinary scene as well as what rodeo season means for businesses, how they've appealed to the neighborhood, Evelyn's post Top Chef season 19 life, the creation of their blood sausage dish, what the recognition means to them, the potentials for expansion, and more! Plus Henry's first time going through the lightning round!
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Episode 366 - Bar Bludorn and Magdalena's Trattoria & Pizzeria Apr 09, 2024

On the podcast today Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson to go through some of the latest news hitting the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss Emmanuel Chavez of Tatemó being the only chef of the 11 Houston semifinalists to be named a James Beard award finalist this year, the announced 2nd location of Pinkerton's Barbecue, and Ben Berg's big push into downtown with 3 new restaurants. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Bar Bludorn and Magdalena's Trattoria & Pizzeria are featured.
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Episode 365 - Remembering Alex Au-Yeung, Uplifting Others and His Lasting Legacy Apr 04, 2024

Last week the Houston culinary scene lost one of it's most prominent chef's, Alex Au-Yeung. Alex, the owner of Phat Eatery, passed away due to cancer on March 21st at the age of 52. Today's episode is dedicated to him and celebrating his memory. Eric alongside Terry Wong, Stevie Vu, Isabel Protomartir, Felice Sloan, Thomas Nguyen, and Abbas Dhanani, share stories and memories of Alex. Plus they discuss his focus on community, uplifting others, his lasting impact on the Houston food scene, and the legacy he leaves behind.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations in Alex’s honor to the Southern Smoke Foundation to support hospitality workers in need.

Episode 364 - Prime 131 and Pizzana Apr 02, 2024

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Michael Fulmer from the Houston BBQ Festival!
Eric and Michael discussed...

The results of the 2024 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards
The opening of Houston restaurant Late August
What they expect from Bar Bludorn
Plus reviews of Houston restaurants including Prime 131, and Pizzana!

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Episode 363 - Travis Tober and Karole Hardwick of Nickel City Mar 28, 2024

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Travis Tober and Karole Hardwick of Nickel City. The pair speak with Eric about their respective careers in the bar industry, how Travis' travels with Aviation Gin influenced his idea for Nickel City, why they decided to bring Nickel City to Houston, opening the first Nickel City in Austin, Karole's biggest adjustment coming from a fine dining steakhouse to Nickel City, developing the beverage program, keeping up in these agave times, the cheese curds, the programming they offer, the goals for Nickel City, the possibility of bringing other concepts to Houston, and so much more!
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Episode 362 - Duchess Mar 26, 2024

It's a swanky feeling kinda day as Eric is joined by the Swanky Maven herself Felice Sloan to discuss the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Felice and Eric discuss Dozier's BBQ & Meat Market closing at the end of March, the closure of Pastore Italian Kitchen, and L.A. based Pizzana opening it's first location in Houston. In the Restaurants of the Week section Duchess 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:

Episode 361 - Jacques Varon and Max Lappe of Baso Mar 21, 2024

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Jacques Varon and Max Lappe of Baso. The pair speak with Eric about how they both got into professional cooking, how they first began working with each other, their time in California working at Angler, coming to Houston to open their own restaurant, why they decided to go with a basque style of cooking at Baso, what basque cooking means, the philosophy behind basque style cooking, why limitations work better for Max's style, what Max has learned so far in his 4 months being in Texas, the challenges of sourcing, the feedback they've gotten from other culinary professionals, the ideas behind some of their dishes, goals for Baso, and much more!
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Episode 360 - PostScript and Le Jardinier Mar 19, 2024

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.
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Episode 359 - Ricardo Molina of Molina's Cantina Mar 14, 2024

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!
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Episode 358 - Cinda and Armando Palacios of Palacios Murphy Hospitality Mar 07, 2024

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!
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Episode 357 - Sorrento Ristorante Mar 05, 2024

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:

Episode 356 - Jason Ryczek of Little's Oyster Bar Feb 29, 2024

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!
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Episode 355 - Amrina and Himalaya Restaurant Feb 27, 2024

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.
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Episode 354 - Julia and David Grossman of Fusion Eats & Fusion Taco Feb 22, 2024

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!
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Episode 353 - Baso Feb 20, 2024

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.
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Episode 352 - Jason Gould of Common Bond and 1891 American Eatery & Bar Feb 15, 2024

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!
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Episode 351 - Artisans Feb 13, 2024

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.
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Episode 350 - The Ultimate Houston Date Night Draft Winner Reveal with June Rodil of Goodnight Hospitality Feb 08, 2024

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!
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Episode 349 - The Ultimate Houston Date Night Draft Feb 06, 2024

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: Once a restaurant has been selected for a specific category/course, no other participant may select it for that category, but it is still eligible for other categories. For instance, if someone takes Bludorn for cold appetizers, Bludorn is still eligible for entrees, desserts, etc.
Rule 3: Snake draft format. The draft order will go one through six in round 1 then go backwards six through one in round 2.
Rule 4: Categories may be selected in any order.
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Episode 348 - Ernest Servantes of Burnt Bean Co. Barbecue and Robert Jacob Lerma Feb 01, 2024

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.
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Episode 347 - Tavola Jan 30, 2024

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.
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Episode 346 - Felipe Riccio and Austin Waiter of Goodnight Hospitality Jan 25, 2024

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.
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Episode 345 - 1891 American Eatery & Bar Jan 23, 2024

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.
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Episode 344 - Morgan Weber of HiWay Cantina Jan 18, 2024

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.
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Episode 343 - Belly of the Beast and Mi Tierra Mexican Kitchen Jan 16, 2024

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.
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Episode 342 - Benchawan Painter a.k.a. Chef G and Graham Painter of Street to Kitchen Jan 11, 2024

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:

Episode 341 - Street to Kitchen and Makiin Jan 09, 2024

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:

The Ultimate Houston Burger Draft (Reair) Jan 04, 2024

We're doing things a little differently. The podcast is taking time off until January 9th, but that doesn't mean no episodes until then. Eric is bringing back some of his favorite episodes to your feeds while the podcast is away. Today's episode is a reairing of Episode 310, originally released September 5th, 2023. In this episode, join Eric Sandler, Mary Clarkson, Michael Fulmer, Monica Danna, Ryan Lachaine, and Bobby Matos as they select their ultimate burger lineup!
Here's what the teams will be drafting: a Houston Burger Restaurant Burger, a Smash Burger, a Fancy Burger, Fries or Tots, a Milkshake, and a Wildcard.
Definitions:

Houston Burger Restaurant - A Houston-based restaurant that serves at least 3 different burgers or has build your own options that allow for lots of variety. Greater Houston-area suburbs (Katy, Woodlands, Sugar Land, Clear Lake, etc.) are considered "Houston".
Smash Burger - A style of cheeseburger made with patties that are flattened on a griddle and typically served as a double. Does not need to come from a Houston Burger Restaurant.
Fancy Burger - The only burger served at a fine/fine-ish dining restaurant with full service. Likely costs more than $20.
Fries/Tots - A potato side from a Houston Burger Restaurant
Milkshake - A milkshake from a Houston Burger Restaurant.
Wildcard - Any burger from any Houston restaurant, including chains, or any dish served at a Houston Burger Restaurant such as a hot dog, chicken sandwich, an additional side, etc.

The rules: once an individual dish from one restaurant is selected participants may not select any other dishes from that restaurant to fulfill the other categories. Participants six selections will be from six different restaurants.
Then Abbas Dhanani of Burger Bodega joins the show to pick the Ultimate Houston Burger Draft winner. Abbas explains to Eric why [redacted]'s line up won, what he thought of the selections all around, what he would have selected had he participated, the vast amount of burger options in Houston, and more! Abbas also talks a bit about how things are going over at Burger Bodega.
Follow Eric on Instagram @ericsandler and on Twitter @esandler, you can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com:

A Conversation with Emmanuel Chavez of Tatemó (Reair) Jan 02, 2024

We're doing things a little differently. The podcast is taking time off until January 9th, but that doesn't mean no episodes until then. Eric is bringing back some of his favorite episodes to your feeds while the podcast is away. Today's episode is a reairing of Episode 266, originally released January 12th, 2023. In this episode, Eric is joined by Emmanuel Chavez of Tatemó. Emmanuel spoke with Eric about how he first got interested in becoming a chef, getting an ultimatum from his family after collage, his early stops in his career, his time in Seattle, developing his style/techniques that served as the foundation for Tatemó, coming back to Houston, developing the concept that became Tatemó, how things are going so far at Tatemó, creating the menu, getting inspiration from what Jonny Rhodes is doing, aspirations to becoming one of the best restaurants in people's minds, and much more!
Follow Eric on Instagram @ericsandler and on Twitter @esandler, you can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com:

The Ultimate Houston Tex-Mex Draft (Reair) Dec 28, 2023

We're doing things a little differently. The podcast is taking time off until January 9th, but that doesn't mean no episodes until then. Eric is bringing back some of his favorite episodes to your feeds while the podcast is away. Today's episode is a reairing of Episode 271, originally released February 16th, 2023. In this episode, Eric assembled a panel of Tex-Mex aficionados for the Ultimate Tex-Mex Draft. Eric alongside David Cordúa, Bryan Caswell, Mary Clarkson, Matt Harris, and Michael Fulmer select their favorite Tex-Mex dishes from different restaurants in the greater Houston area to create their ultimate Tex-Mex meal. The panel are picking dishes in the following categories: fajitas, enchiladas, tacos, chips & salsa, chips & queso, and a wildcard selection. Plus, find out which participant picks the ultimate Tex-Mex meal, as selected by special guest judge Russell Ybarra of Gringos!
Follow Eric on Instagram @ericsandler and on Twitter @esandler, you can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com:

The Ultimate Houston BBQ Draft (Reair) Dec 26, 2023

We're doing things a little differently. The podcast is taking time off until January 9th, but that doesn't mean no episodes until then. Eric is bringing back some of his favorite episodes to your feeds while the podcast is away. Today's episode is a reairing of Episode 240, originally released May 12th, 2022. In this episode, Eric assembled a panel of barbecue lovers to pick the ultimate barbecue plate. Plus, Dozier's Barbeque pitmaster Jim Buchanan looks over the selections to decide who assembled the ultimate BBQ plate. What goes number 1? Whose draft strategy will prove best? Who reached with their selection? Which items got snubbed? Find out all of that and more on this special edition of the podcast!
Follow Eric on Instagram @ericsandler and on Twitter @esandler, you can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com:

Talking The Bear Season 2 with Justin Yu (Reair) Dec 21, 2023

We're doing things a little different. The podcast is taking time off until January 9th, but that doesn't mean no podcast episodes at all. Eric is bringing back some of your favorite episodes to your feeds while the podcast is away. Today's episode is a reairing of Episode 294 with Justin Yu, originally released July 11th, 2023. Eric and Justin dove into full spoilers about The Bear season 2 including how it compared to the real life culinary world, how Justin's own culinary journey compared, stodging in Copenhagen, the anxiety inducing moments of opening a restaurant, and much more.
Follow Eric on Instagram @ericsandler and on Twitter @esandler, you can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com:

Episode 340 - 2023 Year in Review Dec 19, 2023

It's that time of year again! It's time to look back at the year that was in Houston food, it's the What's Eric Eating Year in Review - 2023 Edition. For this go around Eric is joined by Felice Sloan, Mary Clarkson, and Michael Fulmer to look back at some of the biggest stories, best dishes, saddest closures, best new restaurants, old favorites, and more! Plus, the group discuss ideas for food draft episodes in 2024. Pizza draft?! Seafood Boil?! Tacos!? Listen to find out!
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Episode 339 - Aaron Bludorn and Alexandra Peña of Bar Bludorn Dec 14, 2023

Today on the show, Eric is joined by Aaron Bludorn and Alexandra Peña of Bar Bludorn. The trio discuss how the new Bar Bludorn concept came to be, coming up with the name, what type of food customers can expect, the design, the reactions they're getting from deciding to open in the Memorial area, and more. The group also discuss Alexandra's story of discovering Bludorn, Alexandra's experience opening Navy Blue, how things have gone in Navy Blue's first year, how the Navy Blue menu has evolved, yacht rock brunch, what they're excited about for the future, collaborating with other chefs, and which burger is better - the Bludorn Burger or the Navy Blue Burger? Plus, Alexandra goes through her first ever lightning round... Aaron was excited about that.
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Episode 338 - Cocody Restaurant & Bar and La Griglia Dec 12, 2023

Eric is joined on today's edition of the podcast by Mary Clarkson to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair react to the recent closings of Acme Oyster House and Common Bond's brasserie location. Plus, Eric and Mary discuss Ben Berg's announcement of the opening date of his new concept Tavola and Matt Pak and Shawn Bermudez announcing their new pizza concept. In the Restaurants of the Week section, Cocody Restaurant & Bar and La Griglia 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:

Episode 337 - Tony Nguyen of Xin Chao and Saigon House Dec 07, 2023

On today's edition of What's Eric Eating, Eric is joined by Tony Nguyen of Xin Chao and Saigon House. The guys speak about how Tony got into the restaurant business, starting Wokker, why Tony got a cease and desist letter from Chuck Norris... yes that Chuck Norris, how he started Saigon House, where Tony first got his name on the map, moving Saigon House to the northside of Houston, what they're doing at Saigon House now, how Tony came to know Christina Ha, how the idea for Xin Chao came about, collaborating with Christine on the menu, being nominated for a James Beard award, future plans for Xin Chao, future aspirations, crawfish season coming soon, a new project in the works, 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:

Episode 336 - Mi Cocina Dec 05, 2023

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Monica Danna to discuss some of the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair speak about Nonno's Family Pizza Tavern being named Pizza Joint of the Year as part of Esquire's Best New Restaurants in America list, Michael O'Connor being named the new executive chef at Andiron, and the opening of 1891 American Eatery & Bar in The Heights. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Mi Cocina 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:

Episode 335 - Kyle Noonan of Free Range Concepts Nov 30, 2023

Today on the podcast, Eric is joined by Kyle Noonan of Free Range Concepts. The pair dive into how Kyle got into the hospitality business, everything that went into starting up Free Range Concepts, creating The Rustic, working with Pat Green, developing The General Public, how they expanded their portfolio in Houston, Kyle's observations of the different areas in the city, how the different concepts fit those areas, whether we could see either MUTTS or Joe Leo in Houston, potentially growing some of their brands outside of Texas, what Kyle is most excited about in Houston currently, why he prefers reliable over new nowadays, 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:

Episode 334 - Rumi's Kitchen, Comalito, and Burnt Bean Company Nov 28, 2023

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Michael Fulmer. The pair dive into some of the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the opening of Dallas-based Tex-Mex staple Mi Cocina in the River Oaks area and the beloved El Bolillo Bakery opening up their 4th location in the Mission Bend neighborhood. In a packed Restaurants of the Week section; Rumi's Kitchen, Comalito, and Burnt Bean Company are all 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:

Episode 333 - Deets Hoffman of Leaf & Grain Nov 22, 2023

Today on the show Eric is joined by Deets Hoffman of Leaf & Grain. Deets speaks with Eric about his high school sandwich shack dreams, his early culinary career, underestimating the day to day prep of a restaurant, the idea behind Leaf & Grain, what the first year taught him, how things work at Leaf & Grain, when it became clear that they could expand to more locations, coming up with the core menu items, adding dinner as an option for diners in West U., making the concept more family friendly, why the Galleria/Tanglewood area was the right spot for their 4th location, working with Gin Design Group, how the chef collabs came about, and taking things one salad at a time.
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Episode 332 - Hotel Lucine, The Fancy, Katami, Hudson House, and Catbirds Nov 21, 2023

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson. The pair dive into some of the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Seth Siegel-Gardner becoming the new culinary and creative director for Benjy Levit's restaurants and rising star chef Tim Reading heading to Leo's River Oaks. In a jam packed Restaurants of the Week section; Hotel Lucine, The Fancy, Katami, Hudson House, and Catbirds are all 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:

Episode 331 - Paul Petronella & Elyse Wilson of Camerata Nov 16, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Paul Petronella and Elyse Wilson of Camerata. Paul and Elyse speak with Eric about a multitude of topics including Paulie's being a staple in the Houston restaurant scene 25 years later, what brought Elyse to Camerata, Elyse's culinary career before Camerata, the sorcery of sommeliers, how Camerata has stood out since it's opening 10 years ago, bringing back the pop-ups at Camerata, the one rule about doing pop-ups, how things are going at Paulie's, why you gotta have the cookies at Paulie's, the dish Eric wants to come back to Paulie's, the chances for expansion, what's happening next at Camerata, 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:

Episode 330 - Auden and State of Grace Nov 14, 2023

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Monica Danna! The pair dive into some of the latest headlines from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Jonathan Levine's announcement that a second location of Jonathan's the Rub is opening in the East End, the new Washington D.C. based concept Medium Rare coming to Houston with their first location, and The Flat adding a coffee shop and cafe. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Auden and State of Grace 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:

Episode 329 - Dany Kamkhagi of Mostly Chocolate & Catering Nov 09, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Dany Kamkhagi of Mostly Chocolate & Catering. Dany speaks with Eric about his family's history in the chocolate business, working with his parents early on, becoming a chocolatier, the apprenticeship that changed his perspective, changing the way they operated, how they grew the business, the Rodeo Best Bite competition, the current state of Mostly Chocolate, what they have going on for the holidays, 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:

Episode 328 - Clark's Oyster Bar Nov 07, 2023

The Swanky Maven herself Felice Sloan joins Eric on the podcast today to discuss some of the latest happenings in the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair speak about La Griglia's move to Montrose, Relish opening it's second location in the Memorial area, and The Original Ninfa's bringing in some big names. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Clark's Oyster 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:

Episode 327 - Jonathan Horowitz of the Houston Hospitality Alliance Nov 02, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Jonathan Horowitz of the Houston Hospitality Alliance. Jonathan speaks with Eric about his recent time/career in the hospitality industry, the work he's done with Buffalo Bayou Brewing leading him to what he's currently doing with the Houston Hospitality Alliance, what the Houston Hospitality Alliance is, what they're trying to accomplish, his role as the president of HHA, how they're looking to bring all the different corners of Houston's hospitality industries together, the issues the city of Houston has from a hospitality business standpoint, what they are looking to do to change some of that, his future goals, where he would like the organization to be a year from now, and why their common goal of improved business in Houston is so important. Plus, Eric gets Jonathan's thoughts on the overall state of Houston restaurants and where some of his biggest concerns are. Also the sudden surge of seafood spots in Houston and what is on the horizon for food and hospitality in Houston.
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:

Episode 326 - Annabelle Brasserie Oct 31, 2023

On today's episode of the podcast Eric is joined by Linda Salinas to discuss some of the latest from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss their expectations for the future of the Thompson Hotel (set to open in December) following their partnership with TableOne Hospitality, speak about KP's Kitchen opening their 2nd location in the Bellaire Triangle, and break down the impending move for Rice Village Italian staple Prego. In the Restaurants of the Week section Annabelle Brasserie 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:

Episode 325 - Keath Jacoby and Leila Ortiz of Hotel Lucine Oct 25, 2023

Eric is joined today by Keath Jacoby and Leila Ortiz of Hotel Lucine in Galveston. Keath and Leila speak with Eric about the inspiration behind Hotel Lucine, why open the boutique hotel in Galveston, why this was the right next step for Leila, what patrons can expect from the Fancy, the Fancy being available to hotel guests and the Galveston community at large, how the Den differs, the flavors/style that Leila is bringing to the menus, the amenities for guests, working with Bobby Heugel and Justin Yu earlier in the project, how leading the kitchen has shown Leila a lot about herself, visions of the future for their area of the island, how they're both feeling 2 weeks ahead of opening, 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:

Episode 324 - Coastline Artisan Pizzeria Oct 24, 2023

On today's episode of the podcast Eric is joined by Michael Fulmer to discuss some of the latest from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair dive into the Houston Chronicle's top 100 restaurants of 2023 list, speak about Kaiser Lashkari opening up his own cooking school, and Street to Kitchen's new location being set to open on November 11th. In the Restaurants of the Week section Coastline Artisan Pizzeria 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:

Episode 323 - Andrew Smith of Savory Fund Oct 19, 2023

Andrew Smith of Savory Fund joins the show today. Andrew speaks with Eric about the creation of Savory Fund, going from a few units to over 100 in a span of 10 years, identifying what brands are good to become a Savory Fund restaurant, how the process works, discovering Saigon Hustle through their $1 million restaurant launch, Savory Fund restaurants coming to Houston, why Houston was a good fit for the restaurants brand they're bringing to the city, bringing multiple VIA313 locations to Houston, deciding to bring Hash Kitchen to Houston amidst a competitive breakfast concept landscape in Houston, how Savory Fund is different when compared to VC's that buy restaurant brands that then focus on cost cutting rather than delivering high quality food to consumers, what's next for Savory Fund, and more!
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Episode 322 - Norigami Oct 17, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Monica Danna to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair speak about City Cellars HTX opening it's new location in the massive scale East River development, Agricole Hospitality opening it's new bar concept Lightnin’s Good Times in EaDo, and new pop up bar Cursed Cauldron occupying Ninja Ramen through Halloween. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Norigami 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:

Episode 321 - Rob Wright and Jabril Riddick of Rockhouse Southern Kitchen Oct 12, 2023

Eric welcomes Rob Wright and Jabril Riddick of Rockhouse Southern Kitchen to the podcast today. Rob and Jabril speak with Eric about getting Rockhouse Southern Kitchen started, Jabril's early career, what brought Jabril to the project, how the concept has evolved since opening, the menu they've developed, the live music aspect of Rockhouse Southern Kitchen, how the Cedric the Entertainer event came together, the gameday viewing experience for the sports fans that come to Rockhouse, how has operating a sports bar evolved over Rob's time, how Prospect Park shaped the game for sports bars, what makes a good wing, what's next, 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:

Episode 320 - Dough Zone Dumpling House Oct 10, 2023

Linda Salinas joins Eric on the podcast today. The duo discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including La Cruderia coming to Spring Branch for their 2nd location, Dumpling Haus closing in Sawyer Yards, and Jane Wild's new pop-up dinner series. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Dough Zone Dumpling House 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:

Episode 319 - Washington Ho of HoBuzz and House of Ho Oct 05, 2023

Reality TV star Washington Ho of House of Hoand one of the co-founders of HoBuzz joins the show today! Washington speaks with Eric about the restaurant that stirred on his love for food, his favorite fine dining experience, how House of Ho got started, showcasing Houston on the show, how he's portrayed on House of Ho, how the show helped him recognize/acknowledge his struggles with alcohol, becoming sober, how HoBuzz came together, meeting his co-founder Tony Buzbee for the first time, learning the beverage industry, how HoBuzz is doing so far 6 weeks into opening, restaurants he's invested in, 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:

Episode 318 - Barcelona Wine Bar and Nobie's Oct 03, 2023

Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson today to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The duo discuss Mandito's Tex-Mex opening a location in Katy, Saint Arnold Brewing Company winning at the Great American Beer Festival, and Saint Arnold hiring Chase Reid as their new executive chef. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Barcelona Wine Bar and Nobie's 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:

Episode 317 - Alain Verzeroli and Felipe Botero of Le Jardinier Sep 28, 2023

Chef Alain Verzeroli and Chef Felipe Botero of Le Jardinier at MFAH join Eric on today's show! Alain and Felipe share with Eric stories from the early days of their respective careers, what brought Alain from Tokyo to America, the culinary philosophy of Le Jardinier, the importance for Le Jardinier to have a connection with nature with their offerings, how they adapted the menu for Le Jardinier in Houston due to the city's hot climate when compared to their other restaurants in NY/Miami, what they've learned about Houston, how has Houston affected or changed Felipe's style of cooking and the menu, why the MFAH is a big part of why they have so many opportunities of service for diners (brunch, lunch, and dinner), whether Michelin should come to Texas to rate restaurants, and more!
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Episode 316 - Balboa Surf Club Sep 27, 2023

It's Wednesday... wait it's Wednesday and there's a What's Eric Eating podcast?! Yep, Eric is joined by the Swanky Maven herself Felice Sloan to discuss why the Wednesday podcast. Plus the two discuss the latest news from the Houston Restaurant and bar scene beginning with the New York Times naming 2 Houston restaurants to it's list of "The 50 Places in the United States We're Most Excited About Right Now", then a couple of surprising closures, and finally Baba Yega suffering a setback to their reopening plans. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Balboa Surf Club 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:

Episode 315 - Sara Brook of Dessert Gallery Sep 21, 2023

Sara Brook of Dessert Gallery stops by the podcast today! Sara speaks with Eric about what it was like when she first started Dessert Gallery 28 years ago, why she wanted to open a pastry shop, how Dessert Gallery was different than most when it first started, developing the menu, dessert trends, recognizing a wide array of communities through dessert offerings, why expand into the Woodlands, staying engaged after 40 years strong, 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:

Episode 314 - Nonno's Family Pizza Tavern Sep 19, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Monica Danna to go over the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss chef Emmanuel Chavez of Tatemó being named to Food & Wine's Best New Chef's list for 2023, Levi Goode going solo for 2 new projects under his personal brand, and Dough Zone Dumpling House opening it's first Houston location on October 2nd. In the Restaurants of the Week Nonno's Family Pizza Tavern 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:

Episode 313 - Joe Cervantez and Raz Halili of Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House Sep 14, 2023

Joe Cervantez and Raz Halili of Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House join Eric on today's show. Joe and Raz speak with Eric about how things have changed since they were last on the podcast back during the height of the pandemic, the vast amount of offerings they have at Pier 6, what they've added to their menu, their bungalow additions, getting nominated for a James Beard award, how the record summer temperatures have affected oysters, their thoughts on Appalachian oysters, the growth of seafood restaurants in Houston, whether another location is in the cards, 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:

Episode 312 - Moon Rabbit and Best Regards Sep 12, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Linda Salinas to discuss the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss Reserve 101's rollout of their new vintage spirits program, Dak & Bop returning to it's original Museum District location, and Betelgeuse Betelgeuse opening it's 2nd location in the Montrose area. In the Restaurants of the Week section Moon Rabbit and Best Regards are featured.
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Episode 311 - Ultimate Houston Burger Draft Winner Picked by Abbas Dhanani of Burger Bodega Sep 07, 2023

In the epic conclusion of the Ultimate Houston Burger Draft we find out who won the draft as picked by Abbas Dhanani of Burger Bodega. Abbas explains to Eric why [redacted]'s line up won, what he thought of the selections all around, what he would have selected had he participated, the vast amount of burger options in Houston, and more! Plus Abbas speaks a bit about how things are going over at Burger Bodega.
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:

Episode 310 - Ultimate Houston Burger Draft Sep 05, 2023

It's football season so that means fantasy football is in full swing... which doesn't mean much for this show because it's all about burgers! Specifically drafting the most delicious burger lineup possible from Houston area burger restaurants. Join Eric Sandler, Mary Clarkson, Michael Fulmer, Monica Danna, Ryan Lachaine, and Bobby Matos as they select their ultimate burger lineup!
Here's what the teams will be drafting: a Houston Burger Restaurant Burger, a Smash Burger, a Fancy Burger, Fries or Tots, a Milkshake, and a Wildcard.
Definitions:

Houston Burger Restaurant - A Houston-based restaurant that serves at least 3 different burgers or has build your own options that allow for lots of variety. Greater Houston-area suburbs (Katy, Woodlands, Sugar Land, Clear Lake, etc.) are considered "Houston".
Smash Burger - A style of cheeseburger made with patties that are flattened on a griddle and typically served as a double. Does not need to come from a Houston Burger Restaurant.
Fancy Burger - The only burger served at a fine/fine-ish dining restaurant with full service. Likely costs more than $20.
Fries/Tots - A potato side from a Houston Burger Restaurant
Milkshake - A milkshake from a Houston Burger Restaurant.
Wildcard - Any burger from any Houston restaurant, including chains, or any dish served at a Houston Burger Restaurant such as a hot dog, chicken sandwich, an additional side, etc.

The rule: once an individual dish from one restaurant is selected participants may not select any other dishes from that restaurant to fulfill the other categories. Participants six selections will be from six different restaurants.
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:

Episode 309 - Bobby Heugel of Thorough Fare Hospitality Aug 31, 2023

Bobby Heugel of Thorough Fare Hospitality makes his return to What's Eric Eating. Bobby speaks with Eric about the acquisition of Catbirds, keeping Catbirds as an affordable neighborhood bar, when Catbirds will reopen, the story behind the creation of Refuge, the atmosphere at they wanted to create at Refuge, thoughts on the Montrose area, how Montrose has changed, the latest happenings with Better Luck Tomorrow, whether another location of BLT is in the cards, the burger at BLT that Eric has yet to try, the current price of cocktails in the city, places around Houston that standout, and much 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:

Episode 308 - Dante's River Oaks and Goode Co. Kitchen & Cantina Aug 29, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Michael Fulmer to discuss some of the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the 4 Houston restaurants named to Texas Monthly's new and improved BBQ joints list, the sudden closure of the iconic Pho restaurant Pho Binh Trailer, and Ryan Granger's new full service concept heading to the Museum District. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Dante's River Oaks and Goode Co. Kitchen & Catina.
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:

Episode 307 - Nick Stone of Bluestone Lane Aug 24, 2023

On today's edition of the podcast, Eric is joined by Nick Stone of Bluestone Lane. Nick speaks with Eric about his journey from investment banker to café owner, how he knew the Bluestone Lane approach to coffee shop dining would appeal in New York when first getting it started, growing the brand, his assessment of Houston, Bluestone being a technology friendly experience for customers, Bluestone Lane being a sit down full-service concept, some of his favorites from the menu, the amount of Bluestone Lanes Houston can hold, why coffee is all about customer retention, his experience being on reality TV briefly, working with Gordon Ramsey, 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:

Episode 306 - Benny Chows & Tim Ho Wan Aug 22, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson to go through some of the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar world. The pair discuss the announcement of Batanga's owners converting their Market Square restaurant into a new concept called The Big Casino Kitchen + Bar, ChòpnBlọk owner Ope Amosu's Chopd & Stewd Festival happening on September 30, and new wine bar Fiora's Bottle Shop opening in the Montrose Collective. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Benny Chows and Tim Ho Wan 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:

Episode 305 - Pak Tsui of Fat Bao, Ka Sushi, & I Know The Owner Aug 17, 2023

On today's edition of What's Eric Eating, Eric is joined by Pak Tsui of Fat Bao, Ka Sushi, and I Know The Owner. The pair discuss how Pak Tsui got into professional cooking, where he learned to make sushi (spoiler: it wasn't at a restaurant initially), coming up with the concept of Fat Bao, introducing what a bao was to consumers, how Fat Bao caught on, bringing sushi to the Heights with Ka Sushi, how Ka Sushi has evolved, why they decided to go with the name I Know The Owner, how the bar concept came to be, how it's going so far, his other projects, his future plans, 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:

Episode 304 - Stuffed Belly & Narwhal Jousting Club Aug 15, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Linda Salinas to discuss the latest happenings in the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Peter Nolan of Permission Whiskey taking over operations at The Ready Room, Saint Julian's Social Club temporarily setting up in the Quiote space within The Toasted Coconut for a 3 month pop up, and Nando's Peri-Peri opening it's first location in Houston. In the Restaurants of the Week, Stuffed Belly and Narwhal Jousting Club are featured.
Follow Eric on Instagram @ericsandler, and on Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com:

Episode 303 - Sébastien Laval of Laval Hospitality & PS-21 Aug 10, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric speaks with Sébastien Laval of Laval Hospitality and PS-21. The pair discuss what brought Sébastien to America, his culinary background, getting started in Houston, why he didn't want to work in France anymore, what brought him to the world of consulting, his work with Albi and Best Regards, how in his consulting work he helps people that may not have the most experience in the restaurant industry, the style of restaurant he'd like to work on, how Philippe Schmit convinced him to join PS-21, his goals for PS-21, 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:

Episode 302 - Golfstrømmen and CAPS Supper Club & Bar Aug 08, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Monica Danna to discuss the latest happenings in the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Bobby Heugel saving Catbirds, Agricole Hospitality shuttering 2 of their concepts, and Underbelly Hospitality announcing that it's bringing a taqueria concept to the Houston Farmer's Market as it relocates Wild Oats from the market to Spring Branch. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Golfstrømmen and CAPS Supper Club & Bar are featured.
Follow Eric on Instagram @ericsandler, and on Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com:

Episode 301 - Travis McShane of Ostia Aug 03, 2023

Travis McShane of Ostia makes his What's Eric Eating podcast debut this week. Travis speaks Eric about his journey that took him from Kingwood all the way to working in New York for Jonathan Waxman. Plus Travis talks about the decision to come back to Houston, why go with an Italian concept when he came back, how Ostia has evolved over the past 3 years, being part of Houston Restaurant Weeks for the first time, why he probably won't do another location of Ostia, and much more!
Follow Eric on Instagram @ericsandler, and on ~~Twitter~~ X @esandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com:

Episode 300 - Rado Market & Rockhouse Southern Kitchen Aug 01, 2023

Eric celebrated his 10 year anniversary with CultureMap! Listen as Eric reflects a bit about this milestone with the Swanky Maven herself Felice Sloan. The pair then discuss some of the latest headlines from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including, the 6 new tenants announced for the West on West shopping center in West Houston, City Cellars closing but soon reopening in a new location, and a look at Eric's top 10 potato dishes. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Rado Market and Rockhouse Southern Kitchen are featured.
Follow Eric on Instagram @ericsandler, and on ~~Twitter~~ X @esandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com:

Episode 299 - Gin Braverman of Gin Design Group Jul 27, 2023

Eric sits down with Gin Braverman to catch up on the last few years of her namesake hospitality interior design studio, Gin Design Group. Braverman shares some of her recent favorite projects such as Jūn, Lymbar, and La Colombe d’Or. They also discuss the thought process behind her designs, breaking into the hotel space, possible expansion to the west coast, and a sneak peek at projects in the pipeline.
Follow Eric on Instagram @ericsandler, and on Twitter @esandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com:

Episode 298 - Pastore Jul 25, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson, the pair discuss the latest headlines from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Street to Kitchen moving to a new development in the Second Ward called The Plant, that same development getting a new concept called Neighbors Pizza Bar from chef Angelo Emiliani, Fielding’s Culinary Group heading to the River Oaks area to open their third restaurant, and Omar Pereney opening a retail location for Love Croissants. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Pastore is featured.
Follow Eric on Instagram @ericsandler, and on Twitter @esandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com:

Episode 297 - Terrence Gallivan of Elro Pizza + Crudo Jul 20, 2023

On this week's guest episode, Eric sits down with Terrence Gallivan, chef-owner of the new Montrose-area pizza and crudo restaurant, ElRo. They discuss Gallivan’s time in New York City working with chefs like Gordon Ramsay, as well as how he met his former business partner Seth Siegel-Gardner and moved to Houston to open The Pass & Provisions. The two also touch on the uniqueness of a pizza and crudo concept, how Elro differs from The Pass & Provisions, and how Gallivan hopes it will fit into the Houston restaurant scene.
Follow Eric on Instagram @ericsandler, and on Twitter @esandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com:

Episode 296 - The Pho Fix & Houston Restaurant Weeks Jul 18, 2023

It's a Tuesday, so that means it's time for Eric to go through some of the latest headlines from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Today he's joined by Michael Fulmer to discuss the New York Times' recent article listing out the top 20 best new generation barbecue joints which includes 5 Houston area restaurants, the sudden closure of GJ Tavern, the 3 ice cream shops that have opened in the Houston area in the last couple of weeks, and the Tex-Mex BBQ Block Party 2023 happening at Saint Arnold Brewing Company this Sunday. Get your tickets for the block party by clicking here. In the Restaurants of the Week portion The Pho Fix and Houston Restaurant Weeks are featured.
Follow Eric on Instagram @ericsandler, and on Twitter @esandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com:

Episode 295 - Sunny Vohra of the Meat + Cheese Project & Thunderbirds Jul 13, 2023

Eric speaks with chef Sunny Vohra about his career roots in LA, his current concepts in Railway Heights food hall, and everything in between. Vohra shares details about his insatiable hunger for learning, including lessons from his Indian upbringing and his time staging in Pasadena, California. They also discuss his time at Indian fine dining institution Kiran’s when he moved to Houston, his experiences with Margeaux’s Oyster Bar and Peaky Grinders, going out on his own to open Thunderbirds and Meat & Cheese Project, and more.
Follow Eric on Instagram @ericsandler, and on Twitter @esandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com:

Episode 294 - Justin Yu on The Bear Season 2, Plus Josephine's Gulf Coast Tradition Jul 11, 2023

Are you watching The Bear on Hulu? Well you should be, especially if you want to listen to the first half of today's show because we go full season 2 spoiler discussion on today's podcast. Eric is joined by the great Justin Yu to discuss season 2 of The Bear, how it compares to the real life culinary world, comparisons to Justin's own culinary journey, stodging in Copenhagen, the anxiety inducing moments of opening a restaurant, and much more. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Josephine's Gulf Coast Tradition is featured.
Follow Eric on Instagram @ericsandler and on Twitter @esandler, you can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com:

Episode 293 - Alex Au-Yeung of Phat Eatery Jul 06, 2023

ICYMI: The What’s Eric Eating podcast is now two episodes per week, with the news and restaurants of the week section dropping on Tuesdays and the guest of the week section on Thursdays. Have feedback on the change? Message Eric on his socials linked below, or email him at eric@culturemap.com.
After a few years since being on the podcast, Eric checks in with Alex Au-Yeung, chef-owner of Phat Eatery. The two discuss the opening and closing of Yelo, his Vietnamese sandwich concept, and Phat Eatery’s upcoming Woodlands location. Au-Yeung also reflects on his 2022 James Beard Award semifinalist nomination, the state of Katy’s growing Asian town, future plans for Phat, and more.
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Episode 292 - Elro Pizza + Crudo Jul 04, 2023

ICYMI: The What’s Eric Eating podcast is now two episodes per week, with the news and restaurants of the week section dropping on Tuesdays and the guest of the week section on Thursdays. Have feedback on the change? Message Eric on his socials linked below, or email him at eric@culturemap.com.
Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson to discuss the latest happenings in the world of Houston bars and restaurants. The pair discuss Chris Shepherd's new show on KRPC, Dandelion Cafe nearly winning Good Morning America's United States of Breakfast competition, and Scott Sulma's new hospitality consulting company. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Elro Pizza + Crudo is featured.
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Episode 291 - The Wine Guy Chris Shepherd of Southern Smoke Foundation Jun 29, 2023

ICYMI: The What’s Eric Eating podcast is now two episodes per week, with the news and restaurants of the week section dropping on Tuesdays and the guest of the week section on Thursdays. Have feedback on the change? Message Eric on his socials linked below, or email him at eric@culturemap.com.
This week, Eric invites James Beard Award-winning chef Chris Shepherd onto the podcast to talk about life since stepping away from Underbelly Hospitality last year and behind-the-scenes scoop on his TV show, “Eat Like a Local,” premiering this September. They also discuss the Southern Smoke Foundation and festival, his bi-monthly “Wine Guy” column for CultureMap, consulting for other restaurants, whether he plans to return to the restaurant business, and much more.
Follow Chris on Instagram and check out his CultureMap Wine Guy Wednesday columns here.
Read more about "Eat Like a Local" here.
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Episode 290 - Citizens of Montrose & Musaafer Jun 27, 2023

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Linda Salinas to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss the major changes coming to El Topo, the announcement of a 4th location of The Burger Joint coming to Kirby next year, and the closure of CounterCommon Beerworks & Kitchen after 1 year. In the Restaurants of the Week segment, Citizens of Montrose and Musaafer are featured.
Let us know what you think of the new podcast format! The podcast is now split into 2 episodes each week. The first episode of the week now releases on Tuesdays and is dedicated to the News/Restaurants of the Week, then the 2nd episode releases on Thursdays and contains the Guest of the Week interview. You can reach out to Eric on social or email him at eric@culturemap.com.
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Episode 289 - Jane Wild Jun 22, 2023

ICYMI: Beginning this week, the What’s Eric Eating podcast is releasing two shorter episodes per week, with the news and restaurants of the week section dropping on Tuesdays and the guest of the week section on Thursdays. Have feedback on the change? Message Eric on his socials linked below, or email him at eric@culturemap.com.
In this week’s guest episode, Eric catches up with Chef Jane Wild on what she’s been up to since leaving the Dunlavy. Wild does it all, from markets to private chef work to cooking for special events like her open-fire dinner at the regenerative Synergos Farms this weekend. She and Eric discuss pivoting her business model post-COVID, growing her personal brand, the positive aspects of serving her sweet and savory baked goods at farmer's markets across town, details about her event at Synergos Farms this weekend and more!
Buy tickets to Regeneration Weekend at Synergos Farms here and follow Chef Jane Wild on Instagram @janeandthelion and her market account @janewildmrkt.
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Episode 288 - Andiron & The Blind Goat Jun 20, 2023

Wait, it's Tuesday and there's a What's Eric Eating Podcast available? Yep that's right, beginning this week What's Eric Eating is releasing episodes on Tuesdays and Thursdays now! Moving forward, the news and restaurants of the week section will be their own episode that's released on Tuesdays. Then the guest of the week portion will be its own episode that's released on Thursdays. So instead of one-hour long podcast released on Thursdays, you're now getting 2 shorter episodes released on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Let us know what you think of the change, just message Eric on social. Find his social media linked below. You can also email him at eric@culturemap.com.
Now on to today's episode, Eric is joined by Michael Fulmer to discuss the latest happenings in the news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss 2 of Houston's top restaurants being named to the Robb Report'sbest new restaurants in America list, the new fast casual concept that will make its debut in the old Cherry Block Smokehouse space this September, and Cyclone Anaya's announcement of where the Houston Tex-Mex staple's seventh location will be. In the Restaurants of the Week section Andiron and The Blind Goat are featured.
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Episode 287 - Andrew Geisel of Citizens of Montrose Jun 15, 2023

On today's edition of the podcast Eric is joined Mary Clarkson to discuss some of the latest headlines from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss Chef Benchawan Jabthong Painter taking home the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Texas, Bun B opening the first brick-and-mortar location for Trill Burgers, and the trio of French culinary industry professionals who are opening a Fre... wait... they're not opening a French restaurant? In the Restaurants of the Week section Albi and The Chelsea are featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Andrew Geisel of Citizens of Montrose joins the show. Andrew speaks with Eric about his career, what's led him up to this point, how the relationship with his other co-owners started, how that relationship has grown over time, how he would describe the concept of what they're doing with Australian Cafes, the idea behind their menu, expanding their brand outside of New York City, why Houston was the right choice for their next city, how they've been received so far, what's next for Citizens and more!
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Episode 286 - Joshua Weisman of Construction Concepts Jun 08, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by the Swanky Maven herself, Felice Sloan! The pair discuss the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Atlas Restaurant Group revealing what it has planned for the former Ouzo Bay space (spoiler alert Eric was right), Culinary Khancepts unveiling big plans for The Woodlands, and EZ's Liquor Lounge being named to Esquire's 2023 list of the Best Bars in America. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Little's Oyster Bar and Viola & Agnes’ Neo Soul Cafe are featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Joshua Weisman of Construction Concepts. Joshua speaks with Eric about what he did before getting into the construction industry, how he started Construction Concepts, why he liked commercial construction better, making the transition from club construction to restaurant construction, how the business evolved, some of the first jobs his company worked on, some of his favorite projects they've worked on, how things have gotten more difficult in last few years, how much money does it take to build a restaurant, what advice he would give to people looking to build restaurants, the current trends, and more!
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Episode 285 - Mary Cuclis of Kriti Kitchen Jun 01, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Becky Masson of Fluff Bake Bar to discuss the latest headlines in the Houston restaurant and bar world. The pair discuss the team behind Nobie's opening a new pizza tavern concept in Montrose, the new spacey bar coming to Montrose as well but from the team behind The Burger Joint, the NY based cake bakery that has made it's way to the Galleria area, and this year's iteration of the Hot Luck Festival. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Triola's Italian Kitchen and Bari are featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Mary Cuclis of Kriti Kitchen. Mary speaks with Eric about how she got into the world of professional cooking, her time in Hong Kong, how she made her way to Pondicheri, what about Pondicheri has resonated for people over the years, how she came to the decision to move on from Pondicheri to create her own business, how the pandemic caused a switch in her initial plan, what she learned about people's expectations for Greek food in Houston, why the space for Kriti Kitchen was perfect for what she wanted, how things are going at Kriti Kitchen so far since opening, the dishes people are loving so far, introducing people to Greek wines, getting into wine dinners, the goals for Kriti Kitchen, the desire to do a fine dining concept down the road, and more!
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Episode 284 - Ben Berg of Berg Hospitality Group May 25, 2023

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Linda Salinas to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The duo discuss the new owners of Weights + Measures trying to rejuvenate the well-known brunch spot, the Australian inspired NYC café coming to Houston, and Bobby Heugel's cocktail bar Refuge adding coffee/wine to the menu. In the Restaurants of the Week section Ojo de Agua is featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Ben Berg of Berg Hospitality. Ben and Eric rundown the entire list of concepts coming from Berg Hospitality Group. Ben gives updates on everything from La Table to Turner's Cut and more! Listen as Eric and Ben have an extended conversation about all the concepts from Berg Hospitality Group.
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Episode 283 - Adyson Alvis and German Mosquera of Wild May 18, 2023

Mary Clarkson joins Eric on today's podcast to go through some of the latest headlines from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss a new taqueria concept from State of Grace owner Ford Fry coming to Houston in 2024, the new IG-worthy Dallas concept that's coming to Houston this fall, and Pappas Restaurants opening Little's Oyster Bar. In the Restaurants of the Week portion The Preserve and Andiron are featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Adyson Alvis and German Mosquera of Wild. The guys speak with Eric about how they got into the culinary world, how German came to Houston, how Adyson went from Grinder coffee to Wild, why they're taking on this larger type project with Wild, why this was the right next move for German, coming up with the menu, the story they want to tell with the food, how cannabis factors into the menu, what customers have been enjoying the most so far, how they've integrated cannabis into the food, the difference in adding CBD to drinks compared to food, what the CBD/THC bring to the food, how they're able to use Delta 9 THC, what ingredients work well with the fusions with THC, what they're doing with the drink program, and much more!
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Episode 282 - Dan Mesches of Picnik May 11, 2023

On today's edition of the podcast Eric is joined by the Swanky Maven herself, Felice Sloan to discuss the latest headlines from around the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss Ouzo Bay's closure, Concura Italian Bites shuttering to transform into a new concept under new ownership, and the closing of New York Eatery in Bellaire. For the Restaurants of the Week section of the podcast, Graffiti Raw is featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Dan Mesches of Picnik. Dan speaks with Eric about how he got started in the hospitality business, working with the Hopdoddy Burger brand, how he got started with Sprinkles, where did the connection between Picnik and Sprinkles come from, the decision to come to Houston, the neighborhood they're in, how he defines Picnik, offering comfort food that's good for you, how people should approach the menu, the beverage options, why butter coffee, how things are going at Picnik so far since opening, how they differentiate themselves in the market, staff culture, expectations for the future, expansion plans, and more!
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Episode 281 - Josh Deleon of Underground Creamery May 04, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Michael Fulmer to discuss the latest from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The two speak about Izakaya transforming into a new gulf coast seafood concept, historic Houston area barbecue restaurant The Swinging Door closing it's doors permanently, and acclaimed Houston chef Anita Jaisinghani's James Beard nomination for her cookbook. In the Restaurants of the Week section Mandito's and Verde Garden are featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Josh Deleon of Underground Creamery. Josh speaks with Eric about the decision behind making his own ice cream, starting out with ice cream equipment from the likes of Amazon, the initial recipes, sharing it with others, how his style has grown, getting to the point of joining a commercial kitchen space with Emmanuel Chavez, selling discreetly, how the company was born from a call about the Health Department, moving into a dedicated space, developing the ideas for the different ice cream flavors, balancing customer demand with developing flavors, why the current model works for selling the ice cream works for him, whether he has future plans to expand, whether he would consider a larger production model, and more!
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Episode 280 - Peter Nolan of Permission Whiskey Apr 27, 2023

Today on the podcast, Eric is joined by Linda Salinas to discuss some of the latest news happening in the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss restaurateur Chris Williams' new concept opening in the historic Eldorado Ballroom in Third Ward, Seattle based restaurant Dough Zone Dumpling House coming to Houston with 2 locations, and the Kirby Group's new Tex-Mex concept called Verde Garden. In the Restaurants of the Week section, March and Mimo are featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Peter Nolan of Permission Whiskey. Peter speaks with Eric about how he started his career in the hospitality industry, shaping the program at Federal American Grill, opening Permission Whiskey during the pandemic, the challenges he faced, the atmosphere they create at Permission Whiskey, the neighborhood, the cocktail program offerings, what it's been like hosting celebrities promoting their liquor brands at Permission Whiskey, what they do for their signature Derby Day Party, future plans, and much more!
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Episode 279 - William Farley and Nick Nguyen of Padre's Wine Shop + Bar Apr 20, 2023

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Matt Harris to discuss the latest happenings in the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The guys discuss this year's CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, Angelo and Lucianna Emiliani changing things up at Louie's Italian American, and the surprising announcement from Bobby Heugel and Justin Yu. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Oheya by Uchi and MUSE are featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by William Farley and Nick Nguyen of Padre's Wine Shop + Bar. The guys deep dive with Eric about South American wines plus what brought them together for Padre's, how William went from the energy/investment banking industries to the wine business, why this was the right next step for Nick, why William wanted to do a retail space rather than doing wholesale, what people can expect when they visit Padre's, how Padre's stands out in the market, customer response so far, being located in a unique bar/restaurant area, the food offerings at Padre's, what customers have been gravitating towards from the retail offerings, goals for Padre's, and much more!
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Episode 278 - Alec Varnell and Hoffie Ferreira of J-Bar-M Barbecue Apr 13, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Michael Fulmer to go through some of the latest headlines from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The guys discuss MF Sushi chef/owner Chris Kinjo's announcement of 2 new concepts that he's bringing to the city, the debut of Mandito's Tex-Mex from the Palacios Murphy Hospitality group, and Dish Society's expansion into Austin. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Eau Tour is featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Alec Varnell and Hoffie Ferreira of J-Bar-M Barbecue. The guys speak with Eric about the unexpected changes at J-Bar-M last year, how they've kept things rolling after the major changes, Alec's background in the restaurant industry, Hoffie's road to J-Bar-M, why they like doing more things compared to what other BBQ restaurants offer, changing how they do their steaks, rolling out their new brunch menu, making J-Bar-M more of an oasis for a broader audience than just a BBQ place, how they would like to see J-Bar-M evolve, goals for them, and much more!
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Episode 277 - June Rodil and Felipe Riccio of Goodnight Hospitality Apr 06, 2023

On today's edition of the podcast, Eric is joined by the Swanky Maven herself Felice Sloan to go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss the 3 Houston chefs/restaurants that were named James Beard finalists, the upscale tavern concept coming to the Memorial area from Aaron Bludorn, the announcement of the New England seafood concept coming from Ben Berg, and the Top Golf of baseball opening it's first location in Houston. In the Restaurants of the Week section Kuji Kitchen is featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by June Rodil and Felipe Riccio of Goodnight Hospitality. The pair speak with Eric about how March has evolved in the 2 years since it's been open, the service experience for diners at March, collaboration that goes on at March, why Felipe is the Dave Grohl of March, what June's day to day is like as CEO, what was the inspiration for The Marigold Club, the criticism that's thrown at fine dining, why Houston is right for their concepts, nice things about Sean Gawle, and much more in a long interesting conversation!
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Episode 276 - Lindsay Burleson of I'll Have What She's Having Mar 30, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson to discuss the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the new grocery store chain that's making it's debut in Houston, Dessert Gallery set to open a new location in The Woodlands, and Muse from the Sundown Entertainment Group opening in the former Emmaline space. In the Restaurants of the Week section PS21 and Theodore Rex are featured. In the Guest of the Week portion, Eric is joined by Lindsay Burleson of I'll Have What She's Having. Lindsay speaks with Eric about what I'll Have What She's Having is, what the organization does, how prevalent the healthcare problem is in the hospitality industry, the initiatives they focus on, expanding their help men's health as well as women's health, programs they've started following SB 8, other organizations they work with, having mental health discussions, what the process is like for people seeking preventative healthcare, they're upcoming events, and much more! To learn more about the organization or find more about the different help they provide, visit I'll Have What She's Having website now to get all the information and details that Lindsay spoke about in this episode.
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Episode 275 - Pace Webb of Daddy's Chicken Shack Mar 16, 2023

Today's podcast opens on a sad note, Eric Sandler alongside Michael Fulmer and Matt Harris remember longtime Houston restaurateur Lee Ellis who passed away last Monday (3/6) at the age of 63. The guys reflect on Lee's career, his impact on the Houston restaurant scene, and share their memories of Lee. Eric and Matt get into other news from the week that was including Hobby airport's new concessions contract that has Killen's BBQ among it's new options for food and Kraftsmen Café closing in The Heights. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Jun is featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Pace Webb of Daddy's Chicken Shack. Pace speaks with Eric about getting into the food business, coming from a family of entertainers, becoming a chef, the life changing events that led her to the culinary world, making the leap from catering to leaning into the chicken sandwich side of things, the early chicken sandwich grind, how their chicken sandwich is different, developing the different types of sandwiches they offer, educating customers, growing from a 100 foot to go counter to what they are today, bringing the business to Houston, why it was nostalgic for her to come back to Houston, the response so far, expansion plans for Houston, and much more!
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Episode 274 - Justin Turner of Bocca Italian Kitchen Mar 09, 2023

On the podcast today Eric is joined by Linda Salinas to discuss the latest happenings from the restaurant and bar scene in Houston. The two discuss Sébastien Laval and Philippe Schmit pairing up for a new concept called PS21, the new bar and lounge concept Best Regards making it's home in the space that formerly housed Chivos, and Dallas based restaurant group FB Society bringing it's concept Haywire to Houston for the restaurant's third location. In the Restaurants of the Week portion PrimoHoagies is featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Justin turner of Bocca Italian Kitchen. Justin speaks with Eric about returning to the podcast for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic back in 2020, reflecting on the decision to close Bernie's Burger Bus amid the pandemic, getting connected with McCord Development, being part of the Generation Park development project, taking on the challenge of an Italian concept, what he's learned about Italian cooking during his time with Bocca, the offerings on Bocca's menu, connecting with the northeast side of Houston, why they pivoted at Lupo Caffe, what's on his radar for other possible concepts that could fill the area, why a hidden omakase style concept is appealing to him, and much more!
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Episode 273 - Michelle Wallace of B'tween Sandwich Co Mar 02, 2023

Today on the show Eric is joined by the Swanky Maven herself Felice Sloan to go through the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss the closing of 1751 Sea and Bar, Ben Berg's latest concept Buttermilk Baby, and Eloise Nichols Grill & Liquors' switch to a more casual format. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Fat Boy's Pizza is featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Michelle Wallace of B'tween Sandwich Co. Michelle speaks with Eric about the development of Gatlin's Fins & Feathers, how fried chicken set the stage for the development of it, when she knew she could step away from Gatlin's, why she decided to go with sandwiches post Gatlin's, what makes a great sandwich, why a pop-up was the right next move, the types of sandwiches on the menu, the response so far, plans for the future of the concept, the many upcoming culinary opportunities she has, being part of BBQ Brawl, and most importantly the ideal PB&J sandwich.
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Episode 272 - Seth Siegel-Gardner of the Southern Smoke Foundation Feb 23, 2023

On today's podcast, Eric is joined by Michael Fulmer to go through some of the latest from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Dallas Tex-Mex staple Mi Cocina returning to Houston, 3 Houston area restaurants making it onto Texas Monthly's best new restaurants list, and the owners of Traveler's Table introducing a new sister concept called Traveler's Cart. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, LuLoo's Day & Night is featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Seth Siegel-Gardner of the Southern Smoke Foundation. Seth speaks with Eric about getting into the restaurant industry, how his culinary journey led him to New York, what it was like working with Marcus Samuelsson, what brought him back to Houston, getting Pass + Provisions started, the amazing team they assembled at Pass and Provisions, how they innovated at that time, why they ended up closing Pass and Provisions in 2019, his time in Marfa, the latest with Marfa Spirits, Chris Shepherd approaching him about the foundation, what his day to day is like working with the foundation, what they're planning for this year's big festival event, and much much more!
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Episode 271 - Ultimate Tex-Mex Draft Feb 16, 2023

It's a special edition of the podcast today, as Eric assembles a panel of Tex-Mex aficionados for the Ultimate Tex-Mex Draft. Eric alongside David Cordúa, Bryan Caswell, Mary Clarkson, Matt Harris, and Michael Fulmer select their favorite Tex-Mex dishes from different restaurants in the greater Houston area to create their ultimate Tex-Mex meal. The panel are picking dishes in the following categories: fajitas, enchiladas, tacos, chips & salsa, chips & queso, and a wildcard selection. Find out which participant picks the ultimate Tex-Mex meal, picked by special guest judge Russell Ybarra of Gringos!
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Episode 270 - Brooks Bassler of BB's Tex-Orleans Feb 09, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Avondale Food & Wine owner Mary Clarkson to go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss the Cle Group selecting a location for a new concept called the Post Oak Lodge, Chris Cusack bringing a second location of Betelgeuse Betelgeuse to the market, and Café Express' arrival in The Woodlands. In the Restaurants of the Week section Sushi by Hidden is featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Brooks Bassler of BB's Tex-Orleans. Brooks speaks with Eric about his experience in the restaurant industry, developing the concept of BB's, why po' boys, starting the crawfish side of the business, theories on what created the crawfish boom in Houston, the insane numbers of crawfish they're doing, how crawfish season is going so far this year, the growth of BB's, why San Antonio was the right next city to expand into, what makes an area the right area for a location of BB's, the possibility of other types of concepts, and much more!
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Episode 269 - Abbas Dhanani of Burger Bodega Feb 02, 2023

On today's pod, Eric is joined by Matt Harris to go through the latest from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the James Beard Foundation releasing it's list of award semifinalists that includes 10 Houston restaurants, Ben Berg's newest concept that has some questions surrounding it, and Hubcap Grill on 19th Street shuttering. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Karne is featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Abbas Dhanani of Burger Bodega. Abbas speaks with Eric about the early days of his career, growing up in a successful restaurant family, what inspired him to launch Houston Eats, the food blogging scene, why he wanted to pursue/open Burger Bodega rather than working within the family business, why he went with burgers for his concept, the research that he put in for Burger Bodega, why the design was so important for him, how things have been going with the restaurant so far, how things came about with the shakes program at Burger Bodega, and much more!
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Episode 268 - Sherman Yeung and Jio Dingayan of Money Cat Jan 26, 2023

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by frequent cohost and co-founder of the Houston BBQ festival Michael Fulmer. The guys discuss the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Western Addition Restaurant Group bringing a new seafood concept to Houston, the iconic Spanish Village shuttering in March but the legacy will live on in another project soon, and the newest bar concept from the Kirby Group that has a familiar face from the bbq scene involved. In the Restaurants of the Week section Gatsby's Prime Seafood and Home Slice Pizza are featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Sherman Yeung and Jio Dingayan of Money Cat. The guys speak with Eric about how they both got started in the restaurant industry, how Sherman acquired Tobiuo, how they started working with each other, getting Money Cat started, why upper Kirby was the right location for Money Cat, why a new concept like Money Cat was the right next move rather than another location of Tobiuo, why Jio wanted to make the leap to savory by becoming the chef de cuisine at Money Cat, the benefits of staging for Money Cat's development, how Money Cat breaks with some Japanese food traditions while honoring others, some of the highlights from the menu, how things have been at Money Cat so far, and much more!
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Episode 267 - Steve Rogers and Rob Wright of The Warwick Jan 19, 2023

This week, Eric is joined by beverage expert/consultant Linda Salinas to go through some of the latest Houston restaurant and bar news. The pair discuss Kata Robata's Yun Cheng and chef Manabu Horiuchi teaming up to launch a new concept called Katami, some sad restaurant closures that occurred toward the end of 2022, the cocktail program at Phat Eatery that Linda rolled out, and they also share some memories of Griff's Irish Pub after the bar was destroyed by a fire earlier in the week. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Money Cat is featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Steve Rogers and Rob Wright of The Warwick. Steve and Rob speak with Eric about how they got into the hospitality industry, getting the Sugar Hill Lounge started back in the day, creating the ultra sports bar with Prospect Park, what it's meant to them to be the creators of a series of places that have become destinations for people, the creation of The Warwick, why the location was the right spot, the decision behind going with a fine dining concept, how the first few months have gone since opening The Warwick, the dishes people have enjoyed the most, details on their new concept Rockhouse Southern Kitchen, and much more!
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Episode 266 - Emmanuel Chavez of Tatemó Jan 12, 2023

For the first podcast of 2023 Eric is joined by the Swanky Maven herself, Felice Sloan! The pair discuss some of the latest happenings in the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Common Bond Bakery entering a new phase of growth with the Garza Management Group, Michelle Wallace leaving Gatlin's BBQ/Gatlins Finns & Feathers to pursue a new project with pop-ups on the way, and Little Pappas Seafood is reopening this spring under a new name. In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Ciel is featured. In the Guest of the Week section of the podcast Eric is joined by Emmanuel Chavez of Tatemó. Emmanuel speaks with Eric about how he first got interested in becoming a chef, getting an ultimatum from his family after collage, his early stops in his career, his time in Seattle, developing his style/techniques that served as the foundation for Tatemó, coming back to Houston, developing the concept that became Tatemó, how things are going so far at Tatemó, creating the menu, getting inspiration from what Jonny Rhodes is doing, aspirations to becoming one of the best restaurants in people's minds, and much more!
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Episode 265 - 2022 Year in Review with Linda Salinas, Mary Clarkson, Michael Fulmer, and Matt Harris Dec 29, 2022

It's that time of year again! It's the final podcast of the year which means time to look back at the favorite restaurants and food from 2022. Eric is joined by Linda Salinas, Mary Clarkson, Michael Fulmer, and Matt Harris discuss their favorite new restaurants that opened, the dishes they remember most, their favorite classic restaurants, the saddest shutters of the year, and finally what restaurants they're looking forward to visiting in 2023.

Episode 264 - John Reed of Bosscat Kitchen & Libations & Ten Sushi Dec 22, 2022

Eric returns with another edition of What's Eric Eating, this week alongside frequent podcast co-host Matt Harris to talk about the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Bun B finding a permanent home for Trill Burgers, Tatemo being named one of America's best new restaurants, and Houston Restaurant Weeks bringing in a large haul for the Houston Food Bank this year. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Louie's Italian American and Burger Bodega are featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by John Reed of Ten Sushi and Bosscat Kitchen & Libations. John speaks with Eric about how much Bosscat Kitchen & Libations has grown in it's five years of operation, why now was the right time to bring Ten Sushi to Houston, the strengths of the menu at Ten Sushi, whether customers are mixing and matching with their items at Ten Sushi, the design of the new concept, how the restaurant has gone so far in it's early days of opening, why the Woodlands was the right choice for the next location of Bosscat, whether Ten Sushi could make it's way up to the Woodlands, what the future holds for their hospitality company, and much more!
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Episode 263 - David Cordúa of The Lymbar Dec 15, 2022

After a little over a month long hiatus, Eric is back!! CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler is joined in his long awaited return by Avondale Food & Wine owner Mary Clarkson to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. The pair discuss Café Louie's transformation into an Italian restaurant, Austin pizzeria Via 313 has a location locked in for Houston, and Home Slice's opening date reveal for their Houston location. In the Restaurants of the Week section Navy Blue and Zanti Cucina Italiana are featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by David Cordúa of The Lymbar. Eric and David speak about David's upbringing in a restaurant family, why David decided to come back to Houston, focusing on catering the last few years, why The Lymbar was the right move for David, what made them pick the Ion as the location of the restaurant, what the plans are for the menu, the design of the restaurant, the beverage program they're rolling out with Lymbar, and much more!
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Episode 262 - Michael Sambrooks and Louis Maldonado of Andiron Oct 27, 2022

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Linda Salinas to go through some of the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including a brief recap of the Southern Smoke Festival, Christine Ha and husband John Suh's announcement of a new sandwich concept coming to Spring Branch, and the fourth location of Niko Niko's being set for The Woodlands. In the Restaurants of the Week section Wild is featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Michael Sambrooks and Louis Maldonado of Andiron. Michael and Louis speak with Eric about Andiron, why a steakhouse was the right next restaurant for Michael's hospitality group, the recruitment process for the concept, what made Louis decide to pursue a career in the restaurant industry, Louis' prestigious resume, why Andiron was the right move for Louis, how Andiron distinguishes itself from other restaurants like it in the market, some of the techniques that they're doing at the restaurant, what the menu looks like, the influences behind the menu, what patrons can expect from the rest of their dining experience at Andiron besides the food, and much more!
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Episode 261 - Paige Lujan of The Upside Pub Oct 20, 2022

This week's pod features the return of Michael Fulmer as he joins Eric to go through some of the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including an analysis on the Houston Chronicle's top 100 restaurants list, Artisans' new location in the Galleria-area, and the team behind Gatsby's Steakhouse opening a new casual concept at the beginning of next year. In the Restaurants of the Week section Numero28 and Davanti Ristorante are featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Paige Lujan of The Upside Pub. Paige speaks with Eric about how she got into the restaurant/bar industry, what made Paige elected to come to Houston, how they developed the concept of The Upside Pub, putting the menu together, how things have been going so far since the opening, how they're giving back to the community, what is the role of a bar like The Upside Pub currently for craft beer drinkers, whether there are aspirations to do more concepts, and much more!
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Episode 260 - Chris Bianco of Pizzeria Bianco Oct 13, 2022

This week on the pod, Eric is joined by Matt Harris to discuss the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including a new concept called Cali is heading to Northwest Houston this fall, Dallas based sports bar Boomerjack's Grill & Bar coming to Houston with 2 locations, and Hungry's has a 3rd location now in Tanglewood. In the Restaurants of the Week section Lagniappe Kitchen and Bar and Baso are featured. Then in the Guest of the Week Chris Bianco of Pizzeria Bianco joins Eric to discuss coming to Houston for the East Downtown Throwdown benefiting the Southern Smoke Foundation, his friendship with Chris Shepherd, what he'll be serving at the event, what Chris enjoys about the event, the experience of being featured in Netflix's Chef's Table Pizza series, what he thought about it looking back on that time, what it's like sharing your life with the camera's, the story of how Chris got started into the tomato business, what Chris' would do with the Phoenix Suns, how Jerry Colangelo introduced Chris to his loves for the Suns, whether he would ever bring a Pizzeria Bianco to Houston, and more!
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Episode 259 - Aaron Bludorn, Cherif Mbodji, & Jerrod Zifchak of Navy Blue Oct 06, 2022

Today's podcast features the long awaited return of Rebecca Masson of Fluff Bake Bar! Eric and Rebecca dive into the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Café Express' River Oaks location reopening after finishing up their upgrades, how excited we should be to have a chef like Jerrod ZIfchak coming to Houston, Top Chef alum Louis Maldonado being named executive chef at Andiron, and Rebecca catches listeners up on what she's got going on at Fluff Bake Bar. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Upside Pub and Kate Weiser Chocolate are featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Aaron Bludorn, Cherif Mbodji, and Jerrod Zifchak of Navy Blue. The guys speak with Eric about how they came together for the concept, what they've done in their respective careers beforehand, what they learned about Houston upon coming here, why they decided to go the seafood route with Navy Blue, why Rice Village felt like the right location, how they balance the workload with the structure of the team, developing the menu, Jerrod's tremendous seafood background that intersects with a legendary fish butcher, creating memorable moments for customers, what are the goals for Bludorn, and much more!
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Episode 258 - Morgan Weber and Matt Tanner of EZ's Liquor Lounge Sep 29, 2022

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson to discuss the latest happenings in the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Frank's Americana Revival relocating to a new spot, Zanti Cucina Italiana opening a 2nd location in River Oaks, and LA based ramen restaurant Killer Noodle has it's first Houston location locked in. In the Restaurant of the Week portion Mala Sichuan Bistro and Ciel Restaurant & Lounge are featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Morgan Weber and Matt Tanner of EZ's Liquor Lounge. In the Guest of the Week segment Eric is joined by Morgan Weber and Matt Tanner of EZ's Liquor Lounge. The guys speak with Eric about why this was the right move for Matt right now in his career, how they decided EZ's was the right move for the space, the rabbit holes Matt went down to get nostalgia items for EZ's, their drink program, how the drinks are not like the kind you get at dive bars, the food they'll offer, when they plan on opening, where does EZ's/Coltivare and other fit in the east end White Oak scene nowadays as the area has continued to grow, where Morgan is at in the process of bringing Eight Row Flint to the east end, the latest with what Morgan is up to in the spirits business, and Matt goes through his first lightning round.
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Episode 257 - Gabe Corchiani of Fat Boy's Pizza Sep 22, 2022

On this week's podcast Eric is teamed up with Linda Salinas to discuss the latest happenings in the Houston restaurant and bar scene including downtown's new food hall Lyric Market announcing it's lineup of vendors serving food this fall, Bill Floyd opening a new tequila/other agave spirits focused bar and lounge Real Agave, new brewery Black Page Brewing coming to Houston this fall, and Linda goes off on the wait in line for hours style of pop-ups there are nowadays. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Aya Sushi is featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Gabe Corchiani of Fat Boy's Pizza. Gabe speaks with Eric about how he got started in the pizza business, how they make their 30 inch pies, how they standout from the rest, being in the coin operated/gaming business, the team he's put together for expansion into Texas, the neighborhoods he has his eye on for Houston growth, the dine in experience at Fat Boy's Pizza, the cocktail program they have at their stores, when they're expected to open, their 2ft pizza challenge, being friends with Joey Chestnut, and more!
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Episode 256 - Rafael Nasr of Craft Pita Sep 15, 2022

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Michael Fulmer to go through the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including a vibe dining concept coming to Kirby, Bellaire Broiler Burger's return being a short lived one after ownership got an offer they couldn't refuse, and new restaurant March adds another accomplishment to it's ever growing list of accolades. In the Restaurants of the Week portion il Bracco is featured. In the Guest of the Week portion of the podcast Eric is joined by Rafael Nasr of Craft Pita. Since his last appearance back on episode 162, Rafael catches up with Eric on what's been going on with Craft Pita, how the restaurant has matured, why now was the right time to expand, why West U was the right spot for the expansion of Craft Pita, what advice he's gotten from Ziggy of Kenny & Ziggy's about moving into the West U location, the plans they have for the 2nd location, how he plans to manage both locations, building relationships with others in the Houston food community, working with his mom, whether Craft Pita could go into a food hall, the vision he has for a Peruvian restaurant, and much more!
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Episode 255 - Shion Aikawa of Ramen Tatsu-Ya Sep 08, 2022

On today's podcast Eric is joined Matt Harris to discuss the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Tim Love shuttering his 3 Houston restaurants, Luis Rangel's expansion into seafood, and a Canadian favorite is now open in Katy. In the Restaurant's of the Week Pacha Nikkei and Neo are featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Shion Aikawa of Ramen Tatsu-Ya. Shion speaks with Eric about what it means to be the senior VP of culture for a restaurant group, memories from the early days of bringing ramen restaurants to Texas, building up the following, why they decided to come to Houston, adapting the Austin dining experience to Houston, what's some of their goals are, their other concepts, whether any of the other concepts would expand into Houston, their new BBQ concept coming to Austin, and much more!
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Episode 254 - Jason Wishengrad and David Selman of The Stand Sep 01, 2022

On today's podcast Eric is joined Felice Sloan to discuss the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Ronnie Killen's new spot in Cypress, Finn Hall adds 4 new concepts one which is a returning concept from when Finn Hall first opened up, and the Barking Pig goes through a rebrand. In the Restaurants of the Week section Tony's is featured. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Eric is joined by Jason Wishengrad and David Selman of The Stand. Jason and David speak with Eric about what The Stand exactly, why bring The Stand to Houston, what sets The Stand apart from other restaurants, what they mean by serving American classics redefined, letting the customers have fun with their burger combinations, their respective paths to working with The Stand, getting to know Houston, setting up their supply chain, why The Woodlands fit the brand, how the first few weeks have gone, whether there could be more locations in Houston, recommendations for people coming in for the first time, and much more!
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Episode 253 - Bun B and Andy Nguyen of Trill Burgers Aug 25, 2022

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson. The pair go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Ana Beaven opening a new breakfast concept with business partner Charlie McDaniel, Agricole Hospitality opening a 2nd location of Eight Row Flint in a familiar space, and Blood Bros. are bringing in some top Houston talent for their latest concept. In the Restaurants of the Week portion il Bracco and Cafe Louie are featured. In the Guest of the Week section of the podcast this week, Eric is joined by Bun B and Andy Nguyen of Trill Burgers. The guys speak with Eric about their plans for Trill Burgers, how Bun got interested in fine dining/the food scene, the culinary scene in Houston, how Andy became the mashup king, how Andy made the jump from the apparel industry into the restaurant industry, how the pair got connected for the burger concept, why a burger concept was the right choice, why a smashburger, what the different popups have taught them, getting the burgers to music artists, how did the opportunity with Good Morning America come about, their goal with the development of their menu, plans for the brick & mortar, and much more!
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Episode 252 - Matthew Massey of Champagne Madame Zéro Aug 18, 2022

On this week's edition of the podcast Eric is joined by Linda Salinas. The pair go through some of the latest news happening in the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the sudden closure of The Branch in Spring Branch, Mandito's is heading to Bellaire, and a new nightclub hitting Midtown. In the Restaurants of the Week Dinette and Quiote are featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Matthew Massey of Champagne Madame Zéro. Matthew speaks with Eric about how he got interested in wine, how working at the San Luis Hotel in Galveston led to Matthew to working the restaurant industry, working in the energy industry, transitioning from loving wine to creating his own winery, their process, how things have been going, their flavor versus classic champagne, places to find their wine, why it pairs so well with food, future plans for their products, and much more!
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Episode 251 - David Skinner of eculent Aug 11, 2022

On this week's pod Eric is joined by Michael Fulmer to discuss the latest news from the Houston bar and restaurant scene including some recent closings like The Tasting Room and Revival Market, plus some openings like the 2nd location of The Taco Stand. In the Restaurants of the Week portion the guys highlight Gatlin's Fins & Feathers and Brett's BBQ Shop. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by David Skinner of eculent. David speaks with Eric about his long winding career before his time in working in food full time, where the name for eculent comes from, why Kemah, what he did to prepare to open eculent, where the idea for eculent came from, how eculent has evolved over the years, teaching his staff, the ways that they pushed boundaries early on, the idea behind the forest dish, coming up with dishes you won't see anywhere else, the Washington Post review, and much more!
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Episode 250 - Ryan Lachaine and Derek Brown of Riel Jul 28, 2022

On this week's edition of the podcast Eric is joined by Matt to discuss the latest from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the huge shocker that Chris Shepherd is leaving Underbelly Hospitality, Goode Co. announces it's bringing it's Tex-Mex concept Kitchen & Cantina to the Heights, and Blossom Hotel's announces some new details regarding their dining program. In the Restaurants of the Week portion eculent is featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Ryan Lachaine and Derek Brown of Riel. Eric catches up with the duo from Riel about a multitude of things including how things are at Riel, the challenges they've run into, how Derek got started in bartending, what brought Derek to Houston, what Derek's approach is with the bar program at Riel, working with executive chef Peter Nguyen, what on the menu has them excited nowadays, the customer base, building your bar regulars, what the future holds, Ryan's upcoming pop up with Brandon Silva, and much more!
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Episode 249 - Fe Fi Fo Fum Jul 21, 2022

No guest this week so on today's podcast it's all Eric and Fe! Eric is joined by the Swanky Maven herself Felice Sloan to discuss the latest happenings in the Houston restaurant and bar scene including a chef duo coming together to create a tapas restaurant in Kemah, James Coney Island closing it's last inner loop location, and the newest food festival coming to Houston this fall. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Blue Sushi Sake Grill is featured, plus Houston Restaurants Weeks strategies for diners to consider when deciding where to go.
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Episode 248 - Christopher Haatuft and Paul Qui of Golfstrømmen Jul 07, 2022

On today's show, Eric's co-host is hospitality veteran and co-founder of the Houston BBQ Festival Michael Fulmer. They kick things off with Houston's Restaurant News of the Week in which they discuss an exciting new partnership involving French restaurant La Table ahead of its reopening next Spring, a new brew pub opening in the Bellaire Triangle called CounterCommon Beerworks & Kitchen, and their excitement for Reata Cellars, a new wine shop and bar opening in the Heights.
For this episode's Restaurant of the Week, the pair highlight the "new" Georgia James as they discuss their initial impressions of Chris Shepherd's Houston steakhouse in its swanky new location.
In the guest portion of the show, Eric is joined by Norwegian Chef Christopher Haatuft and James Beard Award-winning Chef Paul Qui of Golfstrømmen to discuss the beginnings of their unlikely partnership, how their restaurant came to be, why sustainability is so important to what they’re trying to do, how the restaurant has fared compared to their expectations, and how they’d like to see things develop going forward.
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Episode 247 - Justin Yu of Theodore Rex and Thorough Fare Hospitality Jun 30, 2022

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Linda Salinas to discuss the latest happenings in the Houston restaurant and bar scene including 2 Houston food vets coming together for a new Italian concept, Rise Soufflé is coming back to the Houston area, and a new brewery opening in Hardy Yards. In the Restaurant of the Week portion Amrina. In the Guest of the Week section, for the first time ever on the podcast, Eric is joined by Justin Yu of Theodore Rex and Thorough Fare Hospitality. Justin speaks with Eric about what he remembers about starting Oxheart, working with Kaitlin Steets at Theodore Rex, what Justin's day to day schedule is like, stepping back at Better Luck Tomorrow, working with Michael Connor, how did the business relationship with Bobby Heugel evolve into what it is today, how did the hotel project come about, what makes Galveston appealing for this project, what to expect from The Fancy food wise, the current state of the James Beard Awards, and more!
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Episode 246 - Jason Andaya and Cole Hoang of Dinette Jun 23, 2022

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including further discussion/celebration of Alba Huerta's James Beard award, Agricole Hospitality announces their plans for a new lounge concept, promising self-serve concept Shoot the Moon closing it's doors permanently, and March being named one of the best new restaurants of 2022. In the Restaurants of the Week section Street to Kitchen is featured. In the Guest of the portion Eric is joined by Jason Andaya and Cole Hoang of Dinette. Jason and Cole speak with Eric about the new concept Dinette, why a Vietnamese restaurant concept was the next step for Jason after Hando, the evolution of Vietnamese food in the city, dishes people will see on the menu, what the Dinette twist is on Vietnamese food, the offerings that will be at Dinette, what Cole learned from his time working with Christine Hà, how things are going at Hando, what Jason attributes Hando's success to, why now was the right time for a 2nd location for Hando, what made Spring Branch the right choice for that 2nd location, and much more!
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Episode 245 - Top Chef Finalist Evelyn Garcia of Kin Jun 16, 2022

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Matt Harris to discuss the latest happenings in the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the James Beard Awards announcing their winners for 2022, Phat Eatery announcing a 2nd location, Willow Villarreal and Jasmine Barela working with Killen's restaurants now, and Nando's Peri-Peri is coming to Houston. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Hugo's is featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Top Chef finalist Evelyn Garcia. Evelyn speaks with Eric about what motivated her to join the show, the preparation that she did to prepare for the show, finding out the show was going to be set in Houston, her favorite challenges that she went through on the show, when did she start thinking of ideas for the final 4 course meal for the finale, what was going through her mind walking up to the judges in the finale, getting to know her fellow contestants, letting her emotions show on camera, how life has changed for her since being on the show, has the show helped her business in a way, how she started working with Henry Lu, timeline for her restaurant, the concept behind her restaurant baby, and much more!
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Episode 244 - Daddy's Back Jun 09, 2022

No guest on the show this week so Eric and cohost Michael Fulmer catch up on the latest happenings in the Houston restaurant and bar scene including what they thought of Top Chef season 19 which filmed here in Houston, did it depict the city well? Plus Evelyn Garcia's run in the competition and how she represented the city. The guys also discuss Greg Gatlin and Michelle Wallace opening a new comfort food concept and the family behind Rice Epicurean Market closing it's last location. In the Restaurants of the Week section 1751 Sea & Bar and Flying Fish are featured.
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Episode 243 - Nicole Morris of Lucy Pearl's Jun 02, 2022

On today's edition of What's Eric Eating, Eric is joined by Linda Salinas to discuss some of the latest happenings from the Houston bar and restaurant scene including recapping the winners from this year's Tastemaker Awards, Austin bar Nickel City coming to Houston, and Robert Del Grande announcing that he's taking a step back. In the Restaurants of the Week section Height's & Co. is featured. Then in the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Nicole Morris of Lucy Pearl's. Nicole speaks with Eric about how she first got interested in baking, getting started in the farmers market, how she got connected with Post Houston, learning from the family, figuring out the family recipes, why the counter/open kitchen are key parts of the design for Lucy Pearl's, what customer's are asking, meeting Eric, what Lucy Pearl's menu has to offer, the non cake options, the wild cake sales numbers, developing the different options for customers, making connections with other vendors at The Post, future plans, and much more!
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Episode 242 - Brian Doke of Savoir, Patton's, & Heights & Co. May 26, 2022

On today's edition of What's Eric Eating, Eric is joined by Felice Sloan to discuss the latest from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Bobby Heugel and Justin Yu opening a new concept in Galveston, the "world's biggest pizza slice" coming to Houston, and Zach Harris' newest concept coming to the Shady Acres area. In the Restaurants of the Week Uchiko is featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Brian Doke of Savoir, Pattons, and Heights & Co. Brian speaks with Eric about how Brian got into the hospitality industry, how he grew at Tiny Boxwoods, deciding to go out on his own, the vision behind Savoir when starting it out, working his chef Eric Johnson, why he decided to with a steakhouse as his second concept, how Patton's has been going so far, what feedback he's gotten from customers, developing the idea behind his newest concept Heights & Co., what they do at Heights & Co. to separate themselves from the competition, how he'd like to see Heights & Co. evolve, developing the food offerings for Heights & Co., what's next on the concept front, and much more!
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Episode 241 - Will and Nichole Buckman of CorkScrew BBQ May 19, 2022

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson to discuss some of the latest happenings in the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Loro's 2nd location being revealed, Bobby Heugel's new bar opening this week, and a 2nd location of Hando heading to Spring Branch. In the Restaurants of the Week Hamsa and Cafe Louie are featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined in studio (yes in studio for the first time since March 2020) by Will and Nichole Buckman of CorkScrew BBQ. Will and Nichole speak with Eric about the state of CorkScrew BBQ, retaining staff through the past difficult 2 pandemic years, why they're always present, ways they have grown, the possibility of opening another restaurant in the future, the idea of relevance when it comes to restaurants, whether they cared about falling out of Texas Monthly's Top 10 BBQ places, the most overlooked item, speaking with Daniel Vaughn, what shows they're binging, why they don't mix barbecue and politics, Will's hobbies, and much more!
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Episode 240 - Ultimate Houston Barbecue Draft May 12, 2022

Instead of doing the normal format Eric is switching things up today with a special edition of the podcast, it's the Ultimate Houston Barbecue Draft. Eric has assembled a panel of barbecue lovers to pick the ultimate barbecue plate. Then Dozier's Barbeque pitmaster Jim Buchanan looks over the selections to decide who assembled the ultimate BBQ plate. What goes number 1? Whose draft strategy will prove best? Who reached with their selection? Which items got snubbed? Find out all of that and more on this special edition of the podcast!
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Episode 239 - Paul Miller of Gr8 Plate Hospitality May 05, 2022

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson to discuss the latest in restaurant and bar news from the Houston area including Bellaire Broiler Burger making it's long awaited return, Lankford Grocery opening a second location, and Uchiko announcing it's opening date. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Marmo is featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Paul Miller of Gr8 Plate Hospitality. Paul catches Eric up on what's been going on with Gr8 Plate Hospitality since he was last on the podcast, what he's learned about operating a business such as his during these past 2 years in the pandemic, wanting more staff, how he's adapted the business these past 2 years, why he decided to open the new Italian concept Passerella, what type of Italian style does Passerella bring to the market, developing the menu for the new concept, the dishes he's excited for people to try, the future for Gr8 Plate, when Passerella is launching, and much more!
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Episode 238 - Tasos Katsaounis & Drew Gimma of Bread Man Baking Co. Apr 28, 2022

It's a celebration! Not just because it's a new episode of the podcast but because today marks the 5 year anniversary of What's Eric Eating! A huge thank you to everyone that listens, shares, subscribes, reviews, or however you engage with the podcast. We wouldn't be able to do this for the 5 years and running without you all. A huge thank you as well to all of the great cohosts and guests over the years. It's been an amazing ride and we look forward to providing more great podcast content to you all!
Now for today's podcast Eric is joined by Linda Salinas to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston bar and restaurant scene including Uchi announcing a new dedicated omakase space, Chris Shepherd's shake up at the tavern formerly known as Georgia James, and a new nightclub popping up in the Heights area. In the Restaurants of the Week section Reikina and The Warwick are featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Tasos Katsaounis and Drew Gimma of Bread Man Baking Company. Tasos and Drew catch Eric up on what's been happening with Bread Man, the big moves the company has been making, why Bread Man Baking Co. made sense as the next step for Drew, moving into a space that's ten times bigger, the production load they manage now, how they're preserving the artisan quality with the larger production volume, putting Drew's stamp on the products, how consumers will notice the difference, the possibility of introducing other products, the future goals for Bread Man Baking Company, and much much more!
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Episode 237 - Scott Sulma of Atlas Restaurant Group Apr 21, 2022

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Matt Harris to discuss the latest news from the Houston restaurant and food scene including the shocking shake up with J-Bar-M Barbecue, Craft Pita getting a new location, and Chris Shepherd's big Southern Smoke Festival. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Tatemó is featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Scott Sulma of the Atlas Restaurant Group. Scott speaks with Eric about how he got into the restaurant industry, what he learned from working with the great Tony Vallone, how he got started with Atlas, his role with the restaurant group, how the group of Atlas restaurants have been doing in Houston so far, why Atlas is bringing the new Italian concept Marmo to Houston, what customers can expect, the menu at Marmo, and much more!
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Episode 236 - Tobias Dorzon & Rosea Grady of Thirteen Apr 14, 2022

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Felice Sloan to discuss the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Three Brothers Bakery adding a new location, Wolfgang Puck returning to Houston with a new concept, and Upside Pub coming to the Garden Oaks/Oak Forest area. In the Restaurants of the Week The Greasy Spoon is featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Tobias Dorzon and Rosea Grady of Thirteen. Tobias and Rosea speak with Eric about how they got into the restaurant industry, what brought them to Thirteen, how they got to know James Harden, how Thirteen came together, what it was like working with James Harden on the concept, how things have gone in the first year, how difficult it was early on after James was traded to Brooklyn, how they describe the food, biggest surprise from their first year, memorable celeb interactions, building the team, goals for year 2, whether we could see more Thirteen's in other markets, and much more!
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Episode 235 - Aaron Franklin of Loro Apr 07, 2022

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson to discuss the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Burger Bodega opening this summer, Benjy Levit's new concept, and Daniel Wolfe's fundraising efforts. In the Restaurants of the Week section BCN and Blue Stone Lane. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Aaron Franklin of Loro. Aaron speaks with Eric about how Loro came together, his role in shaping the menu, why he decided to come to Houston for this, his approach with Loro with it's vast array of menu options, how the concept is doing so far, feeling the love from locals, whether more locations could be in the cards for the future, building the grill at Wild Oats, Franklin BBQ being back to normal since the pandemic started, his new sandwich shop concept that's in the works, and much more!
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Episode 234 - Grant Cooper, Josep Prats, & Marc Cantu of The Big Vibe Group Mar 31, 2022

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Michael Fulmer to discuss the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Cabo Bob's opening 3 new locations in the Houston area, The Chocolate bar returning with a new name and location, and Aaron Bludorn's new seafood concept that's heading to Rice Village. In the Restaurants of the Week Patton's and Roberta's are featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by the team behind The Big Vibe Group. Grant, Josep, and Marc speak with Eric about how this venture came together, what attracted each of them to this partnership since the splitting of Clark Cooper Concepts, the development/aesthetics of Gratify, why now was the right time for Flora, bringing something strong with Flora into the Mexican food scene, Josep's role in developing the menu at Flora, the inspirations for the food, Flora's decor, the focus on cocktails at Flora, how Grant's travels have inspired him, the latest details regarding Graffiti Raw and Daddy's Burgers, possibly going into other cities, and much much more!
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Episode 233 - Niki Vongthong of Hidden Omakase Mar 24, 2022

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Matt Harris to discuss the latest from the Houston bar and restaurant scene including a recap of the latest episode of Top Chef, the James Beard Foundation's finalist announcement, and pastry chef Jordi Roca is set to open his gelato shop in Houston soon. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Flora is featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Niki Vongthong of Hidden Omakase. Niki speaks with Eric about her family's time running a grocery store, switching the family business from a grocery store to a restaurant, what set her upon her culinary journey, Niki's transition into professional cooking, her time in Spain & Thailand, what she learned while at Uchi, her first time leading a kitchen, why she loves the omakase style, the approach to building courses with omakase, her incorporation of Thai elements, how she's gotten more comfortable with leading, celebrating special occasions at Hidden Omakase, and much more!
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Episode 232 - Nick Fine of Wild Oats Mar 17, 2022

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Linda Salinas to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston bar and restaurant scene including Gr8 Plate Hospitality opening a new concept called Passerella this spring, Jackson Street BBQ closing, and Liuyishou Hotpot has arrived in Houston with a soft opening. In the Restaurants of the Week Loro and Tatemó are featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Nick Fine of Wild Oats. Nick speaks with Eric about how he got into cooking, the interesting origin story/road he took to get to this point, what it's been like working with Chris Shepherd, the difference between running a restaurant versus running a business, what made him pursue developing Wild Oats, how he describes the food at Wild Oats, developing the menu, the story behind Grilly Nelson, vision for Wild Oats, how it's going so far, what the future holds for him, and more!
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Episode 231 - Angelo Emiliani of Café Louie and Angie's Pizza Mar 10, 2022

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Episode 230 - Charles Clark and Michael Hoffman of Brasserie 19 Mar 03, 2022

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Episode 229 - Marcus Davis of The Breakfast Klub, Reggae Hut, & Kulture Feb 24, 2022

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Episode 228 - Going to the Matt Feb 17, 2022

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Episode 227 - Willow Villarreal and Charles Toomey of J-Bar-M Barbecue Feb 03, 2022

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Episode 226 - Keith Goldston and Julie Dalton of The Post Oak Jan 27, 2022

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Episode 225 - Danny Frounfelkner of Sipple Jan 20, 2022

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Episode 224 - Blake Robertson and Ryan Cade of RC Ranch Jan 13, 2022

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Episode 223 - 2021 Year in Review with Linda Salinas, Mary Clarkson, Michael Fulmer, and Matt Harris Dec 30, 2021

It's that time of year again! It's the final podcast of the year which means time to look back at the favorite restaurants and food from 2021. Eric alongside Linda Salinas, Mary Clarkson, Michael Fulmer, and Matt Harris discuss their favorite new restaurants that opened, the dishes they remember most, the trends, their favorite classic restaurants, the saddest shutters of the year, and finally what restaurants they're looking forward to visiting in 2022.

Episode 222 - Kathleen Morgan of Honeychild's Sweet Creams Dec 23, 2021

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Episode 221 - Aaron Inkrott and Brock Wagner of Saint Arnold Brewing Company Dec 16, 2021

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by the Swanky Maven herself Felice Sloan to discuss the latest happenings in the Houston bar and restaurant scene including the reopening of the Little Pappas Seafood House, a very early announcment of Hattie B's Hot Chicken coming to Houston, and the final numbers from the popular Houston Restaurant Weeks program. In the Restaurants of the Week section Maize is featured. Eric is also joined by Aaron Inkrott and Brock Wagner of Saint Arnold Brewing Company. They discuss Aaron's recent promotion to brewmaster, both of their paths to where there are with Saint Arnold, the seltzer craze, and Eric even gets Brock to break some major news about a new division of Saint Arnold arriving in a year or two!
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Episode 220 - Aaron Lyons and Brandi Key of Daily Gather Dec 09, 2021

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Episode 219 - Reginald Scott, Winner of the 2021 Oxtail Mashup Dec 02, 2021

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Episode 218 - Addie and Dustin Teague of Relish Restaurant & Bar Nov 24, 2021

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Episode 217 - Daut Elshani and Geoff Hundt of d'Alba Craft Kitchen & Cocktails Nov 18, 2021

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Episode 216 - Patrick Feges of Feges BBQ and Jim Buchanan of Dozier's BBQ Nov 11, 2021

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To hear Patrick's full story, listen to episode 47 of Tales from the Pits: Texas BBQ Podcast here.

Episode 215 - Mary Clarkson of Avondale Food and Wine Nov 04, 2021

Today on the podcast, Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson of Avondale Food and Wine. They discuss Aaron Bludorn's plans to open a new restaurant, Miami based doughnut shop, The Salty, opening in Houston, and Tin Drum Asian Kitchen coming to Houston as well. In the Restaurants of the Week portion of the podcast, Eric and Mary discuss their recent visit to Alba Ristorante in the Hotel Granduca.
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Episode 214 - Dodie Wilson and Rebecca Masson of Dodie's Beer + Wine Shoppe Oct 28, 2021

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Episode 213 - Mary Ellen Angel of Angel Share HTX Oct 21, 2021

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Bonus Episode - Breaking Down the Texas Monthly Top 50 with Michael Fulmer and Patrick Feges Oct 19, 2021

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Episode 212 - Win Campbell and Molly Voorhees of Becks Prime Oct 14, 2021

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Episode 211 - Steve Marques and Kim Kaase of Craft Creamery Oct 07, 2021

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Episode 210 - Meredith Davis and Adam Garcia of PX Project Sep 30, 2021

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Episode 209 - Travis Lenig of Field & Tides Sep 23, 2021

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Episode 208 - Benjy Mason and Graham Laborde of Winnie's Sep 16, 2021

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Episode 207 - Justin Ware and Patrick Abalos of Night Shift Sep 09, 2021

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Episode 206 - Daniel Vaughn of Texas Monthly Sep 02, 2021

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Episode 205 - Still Salinas After All These Years Aug 26, 2021

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Episode 204 - Daddy's Home Aug 19, 2021

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Episode 203 - Ryan Hildebrand and Efrain Villareal of Palace Social Aug 12, 2021

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Episode 202 - Time to Pay the Fe Jul 29, 2021

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Episode 201 - Aaron Bludorn of Bludorn Jul 22, 2021

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Episode 200 - Top Chef S18 Finalist Dawn Burrell of Late August Jul 15, 2021

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Episode 199 - Grover Smith, Brett Cooper, & Tim Ma of Commune Jul 08, 2021

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Episode 198 - Michelle Wallace and Greg Gatlin of Gatlin's BBQ Jun 24, 2021

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Episode 197 - Erin Smith of Feges BBQ Jun 17, 2021

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by frequent guest host Linda Salinas to discuss the latest happenings in the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Culturemap's Tastemaker Awards returning for an in-person event, the Commune food festival coming to Houston in the fall, and il Bracco, a popular Dallas restaurant coming to Houston in 2022. In the Restaurants of the Week portion of the show, Homestead Kitchen and Bar is featured.
In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Erin Smith of Feges BBQ. Eric talks with Erin about their Spring Branch location's opening, how that location will differ from their Greenway Plaza location, some food and beverage menu additions, how they managed to staff their new location in the pandemic and much more!

Episode 196 - Lance Fegen of Fegen's Jun 10, 2021

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Episode 195 - Donnette Hansen of Rainbow Lodge Jun 03, 2021

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Episode 194 - Diane and Willet Feng of burger-chan May 27, 2021

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Episode 193 - It's All About Fe May 20, 2021

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Episode 192 - Jason Cho of Dak & Bop and Tom N Toms Galleria May 06, 2021

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Episode 191 - Alba Huerta of Julep Apr 29, 2021

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Episode 190 - Jonathan Benno of Cafe Leonelli Apr 22, 2021

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Episode 189 - Otto Sanchez and Matthieu Cabon of Magnol French Baking Apr 15, 2021

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Episode 188 - Greg Perez and Lyle Bento of Night Moves Hospitality Apr 08, 2021

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Episode 187 - Warren Luckett of Black Restaurant Week Apr 01, 2021

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Episode 186 - Linda Nguyen of Roostar Vietnamese Grill Mar 25, 2021

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Episode 185 - Michael Neff of The Cottonmouth Club Mar 18, 2021

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Episode 184 - Adan Medrano of Truly Texas Mexican, The Movie Mar 12, 2021

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson of Avondale Food & Wine to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston bar and restaurant scene including the Governor's mask mandate being lifted, a new concept from the owners of Doris Metropolitan, and two new locations for La Calle Tacos. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Messina Hof's Harvest Green Winery and Kitchen is featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Adan Medrano, executive producer and writer of Truly Texas Mexican, The Movie. Eric and Adan discuss how he got started writing, why he decided to turn his book into and movie, some of his favorite dishes from his research for the movie, and much more!

Episode 183 - Scott Hudler of Torchy's Tacos Mar 04, 2021

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Episode 182 - Something About Mary Feb 25, 2021

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Episode 181 - Antonio Rios and Diego Chiarello of La Sicilia Italian Bakery & Cafe Feb 11, 2021

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Episode 180 - Kathryn Lott of the Southern Smoke Foundation Feb 04, 2021

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Episode 179 - Chris Shepherd of Underbelly Hospitality Jan 28, 2021

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Episode 178 - Brandon Silva of Degust Jan 21, 2021

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Episode 177 - Justin Yoakum of Culinary Khancepts Jan 14, 2021

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Episode 176 - Ryan Lachaine of Riel Dec 31, 2020

In today's episode, Eric Sandler is joined by Matt Harris. They start off by expanding on some thoughts about the Houston food scene from the year in review show, then move on to the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the Van Leeuwen Ice Cream opening, 93' Til bringing a new spot to the Montrose area, Tiny Champions giving the East side another pizza option, and Kanau Sushi opening in Midtown at Drewery Place. In the Restaurants of the Week Better Luck Tomorrow and Lefty's Cheesesteaks are featured. In the Guest of the Week segment Eric is joined by Chef and owner of Riel, Ryan Lachaine. They discuss how Riel was impacted by COVID restrictions and how Ryan has been able to keep Riel successful with their to go business. They also talk about how Ryan came up with the idea for Louie's sandwiches, the future of Riel, Ryan's project in Nashville, his hopes for 2021 and much more!

What's Eric Eating - Episode 175 - Year in Review with Matt Harris, Linda Salinas, and Felice Sloan Dec 23, 2020

This week's episode of What's Eric Eating is the year-end wrap up, covering everything from classic spots that have weathered the 2020 storm to restaurants and bars not so fortunate to make it through this year. Eric, Felice, Linda, and Matt all review their personal best new restaurants, their most memorable bites, what they are all looking forward to in 2021, and much more!

Episode 174 - Gabriel Medina of Click Virtual Food Hall Dec 17, 2020

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Episode 173 - Ben Williams and Wendell Robbins III of Highway Vodka Dec 10, 2020

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Episode 172 - Monica Danna of REVIVE Development Dec 03, 2020

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Episode 171 - Brian Ching of Pitch 25 & East End Backyard Nov 19, 2020

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Episode 170 - Mithu and Shammi Malik of Musaafer Nov 12, 2020

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Episode 169 - Gary Mosley of The Creek Group Nov 05, 2020

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Episode 168 - Jonathan Horowitz of Convive Hospitality Consulting Oct 29, 2020

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Episode 167 - Jim Buchanan of Dozier's BBQ Oct 22, 2020

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Episode 166 - Joe Cervantez and Raz Halili of Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House Oct 15, 2020

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Episode 165 - Alex Au-Yeung and Cuc Lam of Phat Eatery & Yelo Oct 08, 2020

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Episode 164 - Thomas Bille of Belly of the Beast Oct 01, 2020

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Episode 163 - Jacob Ibarra of Tenfold Coffee Sep 24, 2020

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Felice Sloan to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the Governor Abbott's decision to open restaurant capacity to 75%, Deshaun Watson bringing Lefty's Cheesesteaks to Houston, and how social media influencers can help support local businesses. In the Restaurants of the Week, The Original Hot Dog Factory and Phat Eatery are featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Jacob Ibarra of Tenfold Coffee. Jacob speaks with Eric how he got his start in coffee, what he hopes to do differently than other Houston coffee shops, and much, much more!

Episode 162 - Rafael Nasr of Craft Pita Sep 17, 2020

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Episode 161 - Kevin Floyd of Shoot the Moon Sep 10, 2020

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Episode 160 - Jonny Rhodes of Indigo and Broham Fine Soul Food Sep 03, 2020

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Episode 159 - George Joseph and Jason Gould of Common Bond Aug 27, 2020

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Episode 158 - Tasos Katsaounis, Chico Ramirez, & Scott Simonson of White Elm Cafe Bakery Aug 20, 2020

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Episode 157 - Anita Jaisinghani of Pondicheri Aug 13, 2020

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Episode 156 - Ziggy Gruber of Kenny & Ziggy's Aug 06, 2020

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Episode 155 - Mary Clarkson of Avondale Food & Wine Jul 30, 2020

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Episode 154 - Alex Brennan-Martin and Marcus Gausepohl of Brennan's of Houston Jul 23, 2020

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Episode 153 - Itai Ben Eli and Shachar (Sash) Kurgan of Doris Metropolitan Jul 16, 2020

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Episode 152 - Christine Ha of The Blind Goat and Xin Chao Jul 09, 2020

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Episode 151 - Mallory Buford and Sharon Haynes of Fajitas A Go Go Jul 02, 2020

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Episode 150 - Aaron Bludorn of Bludorn Jun 25, 2020

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Episode 149 - Ronnie Killen of Killen's Restaurants Jun 18, 2020

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Episode 148 - Felipe Riccio and June Rodil of Goodnight Hospitality Jun 11, 2020

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Episode 147 - Remembering Cleverley, Coronavirus Closures, and More Jun 04, 2020

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Episode 146 - Vanarin Kuch of Koffeteria May 28, 2020

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Episode 145 - John Holler of Holler Brewing Company May 21, 2020

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Episode 144 - Levi Goode of Goode Company Restaurants May 14, 2020

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Episode 143 - Philipp Sitter of King's Group May 07, 2020

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Episode 142 - Sasha Grumman of Rosalie Italian Soul Apr 30, 2020

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Episode 141 - Austin Simmons of Tris Apr 23, 2020

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Episode 140 - Sean Beck of H-Town Restaurant Group Apr 16, 2020

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Episode 139 - Russell Roegels of Roegels Barbecue Apr 09, 2020

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Episode 138 - Antonio Gianola of Houston Wine Merchant Apr 02, 2020

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Episode 137 - Justin Turner of Bernie's Burger Bus Mar 26, 2020

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Episode 136 - Shannen Tune of Craft Burger Mar 19, 2020

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Episode 135 - Tim Love of Woodshed Smokehouse Mar 12, 2020

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Episode 134 - Youssef Nafaa of Bella Restaurants Group Mar 05, 2020

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Episode 133 - Ope Amosu of ChòpnBlọk Feb 27, 2020

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Episode 132 - Leonora Varvoutis and Hector Suarez of Coltivare Feb 20, 2020

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Episode 131 - Salinas, Salinas, Salinas Feb 13, 2020

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Episode 130 - Brock Wagner of Saint Arnold Brewing Company Feb 06, 2020

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Episode 129 - Stephen Conklin and Valerio Lombardozzi of La Table Jan 30, 2020

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Episode 128 - Ecky and Niken Prabanto of Greenway Coffee Jan 23, 2020

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Episode 127 - Ben McPherson of BOH Pasta Jan 16, 2020

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Episode 126 - Patsy Vivares of Sticky's Chicken Jan 09, 2020

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Episode 125 - 2019 Year in Review Dec 26, 2019

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by frequent co-hosts Felice Sloan and Matt Harris to recap the year. Eric, Felice, and Matt discuss their favorite new restaurants of the year, best dishes, saddest shudders, worst meal, restaurants they're looking forward to in 2020, and much more!

Episode 124 - Michael Sambrooks and Steve Breaker of Sambrooks Hospitality Dec 19, 2019

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Episode 123 - Aaron Lyons of Dish Society Dec 05, 2019

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Episode 122 - Lindsay Rae Burleson of Two Headed Dog and Michael Neff of The Cottonmouth Club Nov 27, 2019

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Episode 121 - Rassul Zarinfar and Arash Kharat of Buffalo Bayou Brewing Nov 21, 2019

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Episode 120 - Jason Andaya and Man Nguyen of Hando Nov 14, 2019

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Episode 119 - Leonard Botello IV of Truth BBQ Nov 07, 2019

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Felice Sloan of Swanky Maven to go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the shuttering of Houston area Steel City Pops locations, the new M-K-T addition Da Gama Canteen, and a couple new openings from some Houston mainstays, and more! Traveler's Table is the featured restaurant of the week. In the Guest of the Week segment Eric is joined by Leonard Botello IV, pitmaster of Truth BBQ. The two discuss the No Kid Hungry program Leonard is involved in as well as the upcoming benefit dinner at the Truth Houston location. Eric and Leonard also discuss the day to day business of running two locations of an acclaimed BBQ joint, the Texas Monthly BBQ festival, Leonard's plans for the future, and much more!

Episode 118 - Andrew Alvis, Addison Alvis, and Martin Weaver of Grinders Coffee Bar Oct 31, 2019

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Episode 117 - Thomas Nguyen and Ryan Stewart of Peli Peli Kitchen Oct 24, 2019

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Episode 116 - Sam Governale, Ben Berg, and Robert Del Grande of The Annie Cafe Oct 17, 2019

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Episode 115 - Jason Egan and Jack Mason of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse Oct 10, 2019

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Episode 114 - Laurie Harvey and Kris Sowell of Ladies of Libation Oct 03, 2019

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Episode 113 - Mark Holley of Davis St. at Hermann Park Sep 26, 2019

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Episode 112 - Omar Pereney of A'la Carte Consulting Group Sep 19, 2019

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Episode 111 - Chris Williams of Lucille's and Dawn Burrell of Kulture Sep 12, 2019

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Episode 110 - Top 100 Restaurants & Nicolas Jammet of Sweetgreen Sep 07, 2019

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Episode 109 - Ignacio Torras and Luis Roger of BCN and MAD Aug 29, 2019

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Episode 108 - Adam Dorris of Coterie Aug 22, 2019

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Episode 107 - Chris Cosentino of Rosalie Italian Soul Aug 15, 2019

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Episode 106 - Alex Au-Yeung of Phat Eatery Aug 08, 2019

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Episode 105 - Ellen Chen and Mario Del Pero of Mendocino Farms Aug 01, 2019

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Episode 104 - Nick Wong of UB Preserv Jul 25, 2019

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Episode 103 - Robin Wong, Terry Wong, & Quy Hoang of Blood Bros. BBQ Jul 18, 2019

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Episode 102 - Austin Simmons of Tris and Jordan Beeman of HeartBrand Beef Jul 11, 2019

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Episode 101 - Mike Sammons of How to Survive on Land and Sea Jul 04, 2019

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Episode 100 - Charles Clark and Grant Cooper of Clark Cooper Concepts Jun 27, 2019

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Episode 99 - Troy Guard of Guard and Grace Steakhouse Jun 20, 2019

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Episode 98 - Ben Berg of Berg Hospitality Jun 13, 2019

Episode 97 - Matt Marcus of 8th Wonder Brewery Jun 06, 2019

Episode 96 - Wayne Mueller of Louie Mueller Barbecue May 30, 2019

The podcast is back! Eric returns with frequent co-host Matt Harris to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston bar and restaurant scene including the Pass and Provisions closing, BB Lemon opening a second location, and the national headlines that Restaurant Indigo is getting. In the Restaurants of the Week section, Squable and Rudyard's are featured. In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Wayne Mueller of Louie Mueller Barbecue for a long conversation regarding the BBQ revolution, the cultural significance of BBQ, not going into the restaurant business immediately, coming back to the family business, feeling the weight of the history of the restaurant, and much more!

Episode 95 - Jason Giagrande of The Roastery Coffee Kitchen Apr 11, 2019

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by a new cohost! Phaedra Cook of Houston Food Finder joins Eric to go over some of the latest happenings from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Balls Out Burger shuttering, Voodoo Doughnuts coming to Houston, Verdine opening in the Heights, and more! In the Restaurants of the Week portion Alice Blue and La Villa are featured.

In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Jason Giagrande of the Roastery Coffee Kitchen. Eric and Jason discuss the Four J's, beginning to work with HEB, building a restaurant concept around what they do, getting involved in the coffee business, the public's response to the Roastery so far, learning the different neighborhoods of Houston, building a great team at the Roastery, the partnership with HEB, the 3 formats of the Roastery, why Houston, Roastery as a Texas brand, the Houston restaurant scene, dividing time between 2 cities, and more!

Episode 94 - Jason Vaughan and Julia Doran of Nancy's Hustle Apr 04, 2019

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Matt Harris to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the James Beard foundation's lack of Houston finalists, a recap of CultureMap's Tastemaker awards, and more! In the Restaurants of the Week portion, 1751 Sea and Bar is featured.

In the Guest of the Week segment, Eric is joined by Jason Vaughan and Julia Doran of Nancy's Hustle. Eric, Jason, and Julia discuss what a whirlwind it's been for the 1st year and a half of Nancy's Hustle, Jason getting his start in Chicago, how Julia got started in the restaurant business, how Julia got involved in Nancy's Hustle, the plan going in for Nancy's Hustle, describing the food they serve, growing and changing the menu, the feel of Nancy's Hustle, staying busy 6 days a week, getting industry people out to the restaurant, getting national recognition, making improvements, and more!

Episode 93 - Anu and Sunil Srivastava of Verandah Progressive Indian Cuisine Mar 28, 2019

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by frequent co-host Rebecca Masson of Fluff Bake Bar to go through some of the latest news to hit the Houston restaurant and bar scene and man is there some news this week. Eric and Rebecca discuss Ronnie Killen's leasing of the old Hickory Hollow space, Bobby Heugel and Justin Yu announcement for a new concept called Penny Quarter, Adam Dorris revealing details about his new project Lotti Dotti, Finn Hall losing it's first tenant, and much more! In a Restaurants of the Week first, the guest's restaurant is featured before the guest of the week with Verandah Progressive Indian Cuisine taking center stage.

In the Guest of the Week portion of the podcast Eric is joined by Anu and Sunil Srivastava of Verandah Progressive Indian Cuisine. Eric, Anu, and Sunil discuss how they met, working together, how Sunil got started in cooking, coming to New York in 2005, choosing to stay in Houston, distinguishing themselves from the competition, starting out with Great W’Kana Café, moving inside the loop with Verandah, the decision to move away from the W'Kana Cafe brand, showcasing elegant techniques, and more!

Episode 92 - Philipp Sitter of the King's Group Mar 21, 2019

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Matt Harris to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston bar and restaurant scene. Eric and Matt discuss Cafe Bustelo's pop up in the Montrose area, chef Brandi Key's new gig, the new Common Bond Bakery hitting the medical center area, the newest Bernie's Burger Bus in Missouri City, and more! In the Restaurants of the Week portion Perry's Steakhouse in River Oaks and Katsu Bar and Noodle in Cypress.

In the Guest of the Week segment Eric is joined by Philipp Sitter of King's Bierhaus and the Sitter Group to discuss the latest happenings with the latest King's concepts. Eric and Philipp discuss how Philipp got involved with his father's business, going from a car wash to a full fledged restaurant, coming off St. Patrick's Day weekend, the concepts growing as event spaces, how the Egghouse Gourmet concept came to be, looking at expanding the Egghouse concept, opening King's Bierhaus in League City, why choose to start franchising with the League City location, the timeline for opening more restaurants, building a loyal fan base, and much more!

Episode 91 - Alex Padilla and Jason Gould of The Original Ninfa's Mar 14, 2019

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Felice Sloan of Urban Swank to discuss the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Felice discuss Messina Hof's big plans for Houston, Goodnight Hospitality adds master sommelier June Rodil to it's roster, the opening of The Rice Box, the latest sushi trend hitting Houston, and more! In the Restaurants of the Week, Corky's BBQ, Pepper Twins, and Milano Bar are featured.

In the Guest of the Week portion of the podcast Eric is joined by Alex Padilla and Jason Gould of The Original Ninfa's. Eric discusses with the guys how they both got into the restaurant business, balancing the traditions of Ninfa's with the need for innovation, what Alex and Jason bring to the table, what the nostalgia factor of Ninfa's brings, getting the news about the James Beard Award nominations, the fast casual concept in the works, an update on the Uptown location, TV opportunities, and much more!

Episode 90 - John Peterson of The Rice Box Mar 07, 2019

Today on What's Eric Eating Eric is joined by Avondale Food & Wine's own Mary Clarkson to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Mary discuss the various Houston based nominations for the James Beard Awards, Austin based restaurant P. Terry's possibly coming to Houston, Slowpokes' new location, Uptown Sushi's reopening, and more! In the Restaurants of the Week segment, Nancy's Hustle is highlighted.

In the Guest of the Week portion of the podcast Eric is joined by John Peterson of The Rice Box. Eric and John discuss how John went from cars to food, how the idea for The Rice Box came about, why Chinese-American food, getting the food truck, the evolution of The Rice Box, the cooking style now vs when The Rice Box started, opening their third location, and much more!

Episode 89 - Jerry Lasco of Lasco Enterprises Feb 28, 2019

On today's edition of What's Eric Eating, Eric is joined by beverage consultant Linda Salinas to go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the James Beard Foundation coming to Houston in March, Star Fish closing for remodeling and the name change that goes along with it, Bravery Chef Hall selecting David Cedeno to be their first tenant of it's innovative incubator bar concept, Rhotey Rotisserie closing, and whether media coverage makes or breaks a restaurant. In the Restaurants of the Week section it's all about crawfish spots!

In the Guest of the Week portion, Eric is joined by Jerry Lasco of Lasco Enterprises. Eric and Jerry discuss how Jerry went from the Air Force and flying planes for Continental to being in the restaurant industry, starting out with wine retail, how to describe the tasting room nowadays, understanding the way to truly taste wine, the food program at the tasting rooms evolving, how Max's Wine Dive is a mixture of 2 concepts, the aspirations to open more locations, the talent that has come through Lasco Enterprises, what Jerry's excited about, and much more!

Episode 88 - Dominick Lee of Poitin Feb 21, 2019

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by frequent contributor/co-host Felice Sloan of Urban Swank to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston bar and restaurant scene. Eric and Felice discuss Bobby Heugel and Justin Yu's announcement for their new venture called Squable, La Macro taco truck moving to a new location, Perry's Steakhouse hiring nationally known chef Rick Moonen as Master Development Chef, and craft breweries and beer distributors coming together to support new Texas legislation. In the Restaurants of the Week portion 2840 at Dukessa, Perry's Steakhouse, and the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo's Best Bites event are featured.

In the Guest of the Week segment Eric is joined by Dominick Lee of Poitin to discuss the latest happenings at Poitin, how Poitin has done since opening last year, adapting to what the customers want, what has worked for Poitin, taking advantage of their patio setup, the latest events at Poitin, how the cuisine has evolved, combining creativity with what people want, the staff changes at Poitin, the bar program's success, wanting to grow, the difficulties of administration, Poitin's Sunday program, and more!

Episode 87 - Ryan Lachaine of Riel Restaurant Feb 14, 2019

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Avondale Food and Wine owner Mary Clarkson to go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Mary discuss Ronnie Killen partnering with Papa Johns pizza for brisket pizzas, Bellaire Food Street development with 13 restaurants heading to Chinatown, the latest details about Politan Row Food Hall coming to Rice Village, and much more! In the Restaurants of the Week portion, Sorriso Modern Italian Kitchen is featured.

In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Ryan Lachaine of Riel Restaurant. Ryan returns with a bang, setting a new record on What's Eric Eating that may never be matched... yeah I think we can safely say it will never be matched. Plus the guys catch up on the latest happenings at Riel, the change in staff, the evolution of the restaurant, part of the story regarding a patron who definitely left a mark at Riel, pushing Houston's food scene forward, being 2 years into Riel, and Eric puts Ryan through the vaunted What's Eric Eating Lightning Round!

Episode 86 - Nicole Bean of Pizaro's Pizza Feb 07, 2019

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by frequent contributor/co-host Matt Harris to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston bar and restaurant scene. The guys discuss Common Bond Bakery possibliy opening as many as 5 locations in the near future, rumors that Sway might be heading to Houston, the new flagship for Los Tios, HEB finally opening in the Heights, and more! In the Restaurants of the Week, Siu Lap City and La Vibra Tacos are featured.

In the Guest of the Week segment Nicole Bean of Pizaro's Pizza jumps on the podcast. Eric and Nicole discuss how Nicole got into the pizza business, working with family, opening their Montrose location, defining the different styles of making pizza, introducing New York style pizza, jumping into the pizza competition game, being a rising star in the world of pizza, the possibility of a 3rd location, and more!

Episode 85 - Jonny Rhodes of Indigo Jan 31, 2019

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Rebecca Masson of Fluff Bake Bar to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston bar and restaurant scene. Eric and Rebecca discuss chef Ross Coleman landing at 2840 at Dukessa, the opening of the new Perry's Steakhouse in River Oaks, the temporary closure of Carmelo's Cucina Italiana for renovations, Julie Julez Houston restaurant bingo cards going viral, and more!

In the Guest of the Week segment Eric is joined by Jonny Rhodes of Indigo. Eric and Jonny discuss the type of restaurant that Indigo is, how Jonny got interested not only in what people cooked but the why behind it, how Jonny got started in fine dining, his time in New York, the influences behind Indigo, getting into the history of food, the ideas behind the creation of the dishes, the social history, getting more media attention, the goals for Indigo, expansion ideas, the response from the neighborhood, and much more!

Episode 84 - Justin Turner of Bernie's Burger Bus Jan 24, 2019

Today on the podcast, Eric is joined by frequent co-host Felice Sloan of Urban Swank. Eric and Felice discuss the latest news from the Houston bar and restaurant scene including chef Cuc Lam's departure from Sing, Shake Shack opening a new location in downtown, Coltivare leasing a neighboring space for a new concept, Pinkerton's BBQ expanding to San Antonio, and more! In the Restaurant's of the Week portion, Killen's TMX and Ishin Udon are featured.

In the Guest of the Week segment Justin Turner of Bernie's Burger Bus joins the podcast! Eric and Justin discuss the opening of the 4th Bernie's Burger Bus location, the differences between other locations to the new location, getting permits, supporting local business, In-N-Out vs Whataburger, ideas for new concepts, the burger scene in Houston, and much more!

Episode 83 - Randy Hines of The Kolache Shoppe Jan 17, 2019

On today's edition of What's Eric Eating, Eric is joined by frequent co-host Linda Salinas to discuss the latest from the Houston bar and restaurant scene. Eric and Linda discuss Pax Americana closing it's doors, the owners of the Pit Room acquiring the Cane Rosso space, Dallas concept Magical Dessert Bar heading to Houston, Chris Shepherd's BBQ pit stolen, and more! In the Restaurants of the Week portion of the podcast Eric and Linda discuss Decatur Bar & Pop Up Factory and Fadi's Eatery.

In the Guest of the Week segment of the podcast, Eric is joined by Randy Hines of The Kolache Shoppe. Eric and Randy discuss how Randy got into the restaurant business, being a kolache fan, becoming a kolache entrepreneur, his time in DC, the overwhelming offer from the original owner, using the farmers market, adding a 2nd location, experimenting with different types of kolache, kolache versus klobasnek, the thought of possibly opening a 3rd location, and more!

Episode 82 - Ramon Soriano Tomka of La Calle Tacos & Tortas Jan 10, 2019

On today's edition of What's Eric Eating, CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler is joined by frequent co-host Mary Clarkson, the owner of Avondale Food & Wine, to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston bar and restaurant scene. Eric and Mary discuss Cane Rosso's closing in Montrose, Canino's Produce Company closing this January, Varra's Sports Bar getting purchased, and more! Plus Eric and Mary react to Andrew Zimmern's... umm... interesting way of eating crawfish on his latest Houston-centric episode of The Zimmern List. In the Restaurants of the Week portion of the podcast Flying Fish and Blood Brothers BBQ are featured.

In the Guest of the Week segment, Eric is joined by Ramon Soriano Tomka of La Calle Tacos & Tortas. Eric and Ramon discuss what made Ramon stay in Houston, how he started out in the restaurant industry, being a 2nd generation restaurateur, putting his La Calle Tacos & Tortas concept together, how La Calle stands out from other concepts, the feel of the restaurant, staying relevant in the downtown area, developing his social media presence, what works and doesn't work on social media, La Calle's different promotions, and more!

Episode 81 - 2018 Year in Review Dec 27, 2018

It's the final episode of What's Eric Eating of 2018! On this special edition Eric Sandler is joined by an all-star panel of co-hosts including Felice Sloan, Mary Clarkson, Matt Harris, Rebecca Masson, and Linda Salinas. Eric and the crew give their favorite new restaurants, favorite dishes, and saddest closings of 2018. The panel also give their picks for restaurant they find they keep going back to, the restaurant they're looking forward to in 2019, and their worst dish of the year! All that plus shenanigans, party horns, and more!

Episode 80 - Felipe Riccio and Adam Garcia of Goodnight Hospitality Dec 20, 2018

On today's podcast, Eric is joined by co-host Linda Salinas to discuss the latest news from the Houston bar and restaurant scene. Eric and Linda discuss Nobie's new tiki bar concept in Montrose, La Mexicana's Heights location spinoff La Mex, Cloud 10's two new locations, and more! In the Restaurants of the Week Finn Hall and Light Years Natural Wine Shop & Bar are featured.

In the Guest of the Week portion of the podcast, Eric is joined by Felipe Riccio and Adam Garcia of Goodnight Hospitality. Eric, Felipe, and Adam talk about Goodnight Hospitality's upcoming concepts, Montrose Cheese & Wine, March, and Rosie Cannonball, as well as their current concept, Goodnight Charlie's. Felipe and Adam give Eric a background of their kitchen careers, their travels, how that led them to their new concepts together and much more!

Episode 79 - Martin Stayer, Sara Stayer, & Sarah Troxell of Nobies Dec 13, 2018

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by frequent co-host Felice Sloan of Urban Swank to discuss the latest news from the Houston bar and restaurant scene. Eric and Felice discuss Fountainview Cafe closing, the Marquis II recent closing, Baba Yega Cafe closing due to fire damage, Bosscat Kitchen + Libations heading to Katy, the folks behind Adair Kitchen launching a new concept called Betsies, and more! In the Restaurants of the Week Neyow's Creole Cafe, La Table, and a special pop-up are featured.

In the Guest of the Week portion of the podcast, Eric is joined by Martin Stayer, Sara Stayer, and Sarah Troxell of Nobies. Eric, Martin, Sara, and Sarah discuss why Martin came down to Houston, what has kept Sarah at Nobies for so long, the family atmosphere of Nobies, how Nobies has evolved over time, maintaining a happy work environment, increased traction from patrons, being an industry hangout, how Nobies still flies under the radar, being left off Alison Cook's top 100 restaurants of Houston, their new concept the Toasted Coconut, the inspiration for the new concept, why Sarah loves Tiki so much, and more!

Episode 78 - Rebecca Masson of Fluff Bake Bar Dec 06, 2018

Today on What's Eric Eating Eric is joined by frequent co-host Rebecca Masson of Fluff Bake Bar. Eric and Rebecca discuss some of the latest news from the Houston bar and restaurant scene including Paul Qui's restaurant Aqui closing it's doors, the controversy surrounding Paul Qui, Eric's article regarding 24 restaurants opening between now and March, Nancy's Hustle being named to Esquire's best new restaurants list, and more! In the Restaurants of the Week section Ishin Udon and Eunice are featured.

Episode 77 - Tony Luhrman of El Topo Food Truck Nov 29, 2018

On the podcast today, Eric is joined by Michael Fulmer, co-founder of the Houston Barbecue Festival. Eric and Michael discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Bobby Heugel and Justin Yu shedding some light on their new project heading ot the Heights area, Snooze opening in the Galleria area in December, The Harp closing it's doors, Ronnie Killen revealing details about the new Killen's Steakhouse location opening in the Woodlands, and more. In the Restaurants of the Week section the guys discuss what new restaurants they would like to revisit.

For this week's Guest of the Week portion of the podcast, Eric is joined by Tony Luhrman of El Topo Food Truck. Eric and Tony discuss Tony's road into the culinary scene, what inspired him to cook, the journey from jobs he hates to opening a food truck, why open a food truck, ending up in Houston, the process in creating good tortillas, the weird Houston food truck rules, the one dish no one ever bought, his goals, whether he has plans to open a restaurant, and much much more.

Episode 76 - Tasos Katsaounis of The Bread Man Baking Company Nov 22, 2018

Today on the podcast, Eric is joined by Avondale Food and Wine owner Mary Clarkson to discuss some of the latest Houston restaurant and bar news including the former Moving Sidewalk space converting into a new concept coming in December, Brian Doke assembling a team for new concept Savoir, Chef David Cordua hosting a special program from Houston Public Media called the Houston Cookbook, and the crazy story from ESPN 97.5 host Lance Zierlein regarding his wild night at Riel Restaurant… you don't want to miss this story. In the Restaurants of the Week section, Shun Japanese Kitchen is featured.

In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Tasos Katsaounis of The Bread Man Baking Company. Eric and Tasos discuss Tasos' journey into baking, getting a push from his wife to pursue his passion, what sets his bread and company apart from the rest, the types of breads they make, where you can find their bread, trying to deal with Houston's humidity while baking, being gluten friendly versus gluten free, Tasos' mom seeing his bakery for the first time, plans and projects moving forward, and more!

Episode 75 - Jane Wild of The Dunlavy Nov 15, 2018

Today on What's Eric Eating, Eric is joined by frequent contributor and co-host Matt Harris to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston bar and restaurant scene. The guys discuss Lyle Bento joining Sambrooks Management Company as culinary director, Maurizio Ferrarese signing on to be the executive chef at Ristorante Cavour at the Hotel Granduca, Finn Hall getting an opening date, California-based sandwich shop Mendocino Farms opening a location in Houston in 2019, and much more! Diana American Grill and B.B. Lemon are featured in this week's Restaurants of the Week segment.

In the Guest of the Week section of the podcast, Eric is joined by Jane Wild of the Dunlavy. Eric and Jane discuss Jane's journey into the culinary world, exploring the Art Institute in Houston, moving to Chicago, joining Whole Foods, the dishes at The Dunlavy, creating memorable sandwiches, the response from patrons, other projects that Jane has been involved with, getting more invovled in the Houston food scene, getting know other chefs, and more!

Episode 74 - Kevin Maxey of Superica Nov 08, 2018

Today on What's Eric Eating, Eric is joined by Felice Sloan of Urban Swank to go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Felice discuss Kitchen 713 closing, the opening of 2840 at Dukessa, the opening of Ben Berg's new concept B.B. Lemon, the opening of Sing, and more! In the jam-packed Restaurants of the Week section Indianola, Vinny's, Miss Carousel, and Jonathan's The Rub are featured.

In this week's Guest of the Week segment Eric is joined by chef Kevin Maxey of Superica. Eric and Kevin discuss Superica, how he found his way into cooking following college, meeting Chef Ford, figuring out his role within the company, Atlanta's response to Tex-Mex, the inspiration for the menu, changes that needed to make when entering the Houston market, stepping up the spice levels for the Texas market, opening Superica in other markets, plans for expansion, plans for other projects in Houston, and much more!

Episode 73 - Mike Raymond and Michael Neff of The Cottonmouth Club Nov 01, 2018

On today's edition of What's Eric Eating, Eric is joined by Megha Tejpal to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston bar and restaurant scene. Eric and Megha discuss Killen's TMX, Kevin Floyd leaving Underbelly, Bud's Pitmaster closing, and much more! In the Restaurants of the Week portion Rhotey Rotisserie is featured.

In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Mike Raymond and Michael Neff of The Cottonmouth Club. Eric, Mike, and Michael discuss how The Cottonmouth Club is doing, getting into bartending, the art of it all, the response they've gotten, plans for the club, and much more.

Episode 72 - Matthew Lee of Tèo Gelato Oct 25, 2018

On today's edition of the podcast Eric is joined by frequent co-host Linda Salinas to discuss the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Linda discuss In-N-Out Burger's 2nd location coming to Katy, Pizaro’s Pizza’s new Memorial-area location, Bravery Chef Hall's 5th concept revealed, this past weekend's Butchers Ball, and a fiery Eric unleashes fury! In the Restaurants of the Week portion La Fisheria and Georgia James are featured.

In the Guest of the Week section, Eric is joined by Matthew Lee of Tèo Gelato. The guys discuss what made Matthew open a gelato shop, why he preferred gelato over ice cream, getting that right gelato balance, working with HEB, the accidental creative process for different flavors, the flavors that didn't work, winning awards, and much more!

Episode 71 - Will Gruy of Pizza Motus Oct 18, 2018

On today's podcast Eric is joined by Avondale Food & Wine owner Mary Clarkson to talk about some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Danton's Gulf Coast Seafood and Steaks relocating and rebranding, Harry's Restaurant reopening, Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company's new location in Sawyer Yards, and HEB partnering up with New York chefs. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Superica and the Recipe for Success Chefs in the Field Pig Roast.

In the Guest of the week segment Eric is joined by Will Gruy, the owner of Pizza Motus. Eric and Will discuss Will's motorcycle racing career, being a professional racer, how he decided to open a restaurant, picking Roman style pizza as the focus for the concept, defining Roman pizza, training the staff, educating customers, things Pizza Motus is looking at possibly changing or adding, how the first few months have gone, and much more!

Episode 70 - Monica Pope of Vinegar Hill Oct 11, 2018

On today's episode of the podcast, Eric is joined by co-host Rebecca Masson of Fluff Bake Bar. Eric and Rebecca start off the Houston restaurant and bar news by discussing the plans for the former Beaver's location, how the Vinegar Hill concept will fare there, the upcoming Smith and Wollensky's closing, and the opening of a new retail wine shop and bar in Montrose specializing in natural wine. In this week's Restaurant of the Week, Eunice Restaurant and Raw Bar is featured.

In the Guest of the Week section, Monica Pope of Vinegar Hill joins Eric to discuss how she became a chef, her decision as a young chef to source local ingredients, her background with Beaver's and Sparrow, how Vinegar Hill will operate compared to other restaurants, and much more!

Episode 69 - Wesley Jurena of Pappa Charlies Barbeque Oct 04, 2018

On today's episode of the podcast, Eric is joined by co-host Matt Harris. Eric and Matt react to Allison Cook's Top 100 Restaurants in Houston article and discuss another new coffee roastery opening in the Heights next year. Both hosts were at Chris Shepherd's Southern Smoke event and talked about their favorite dishes they sampled there. In the Restaurants of the Week portion of the podcast Kitchen 713 and Aqui are featured.

In the Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Wesley Jurena of Pappa Charlie's BBQ. Eric and Wes discuss how he got into BBQ, his time in the military, and how he transitioned his passion for BBQ into a career. Wes also talked about how he opened the restaurant with no experience, his new location, how he has sometimes been in the spotlight for being so outspoken on social media, and much more!

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 68 - Michael Sambrooks and Steve Breaker of Sambrooks Hospitality Sep 27, 2018

On today's episode of the podcast, Eric is joined by new co-host Megha Tejpal, contributor to Houston City Book and Food Network.com. Eric and Megha go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including celebrity chef Jonathan Waxman and friends are opening a new coffee shop in the new HEB in the Bellaire area, Adair Concepts taking over as operator for Evelyn's Park's onsite cafe, Robert Del Grande creating the menu for the Hobby Center's new restaurant, and the bitcoin exploits of restaurateur Ken Bridge. In the Restaurants of the Week portion of the podcast Chopping Block's pop up and Buff Burger are featured.

In the Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Michael Sambrooks and Steve Breaker of Sambrooks Hospitality. Eric, Michael, and Steve discuss Sambrooks Hospitality's acquisition of Cherry Pie Hospitality concepts Lee's Fried Chicken & Donuts, Pi Pizza, and Star Fish. The guys breakdown what went into the decision to acquire the concepts, how the opportunity came about, the plans to expand Pi Pizza's menu, the timeline of changes at Star Fish, the minor changes at Lee's Fried Chicken & Donuts (i.e. the name), the growth of BBQ in Houston, how The Pit Room took shape, Steve's role with the company, and more!

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 67 - Billy Durney of Hometown Bar-B-Que Sep 20, 2018

On today's episode of the podcast Eric is joined by frequent co-host Mary Clarkson, owner of Avondale Food and Wine. Eric and Mary go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Ronnie Killen opening a Tex-Mex concept, Maba Pan-Asian Diner closing, The Rustic opening in Houston, Pat Green, The Waffle Bus, and much more! In this week's Restaurants of the Week, Avondale Food and Wine, La Lucha, and Sweet Bribery are featured.

In the Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Billy Durney of Hometown Bar-B-Que. Eric and Billy discuss how a guy goes from doing security for celebs to owning his own BBQ restaurant, opening a BBQ restaurant in New York, what goes into being unique, meeting Chris Shepherd, who Billy learned from, how he got into cooking, making tacos in Texas, places in Houston he's looking forward to, being involved with Southern Smoke, relief efforts for the Carolina's in the wake of Hurricane Florence, and the intrigue of opening a concept in Houston.

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 66 - Drake Leonards and Daniel Blue of Eunice Sep 13, 2018

On today's episode of the What's Eric Eating podcast, Eric is joined by frequent co-host and beverage consultant Linda Salinas to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Linda discuss Urban Harvest relocating, Linda's work with Urban Harvest on the Cultivated Cocktails event, Michael and David Cordua leaving Cordua Restaurants group, Del Frisco's Grill closing, Postino opening a 2nd location in Montrose, and more! In the Restaurants of the Week portion Eric and Linda discuss One Fifth Mediterranean and Flower Child.

In the Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Drake Leonards and Daniel Blue stop by to discuss their new restaurant Eunice, getting to know the Houston market, preparing for the opening, the dishes they're most excited about, the design of the space, the culture of the restaurant, the feeling heading into the opening, and when we can expect to see the restaurant open.

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 65 - EJ Miller of International Smoke Sep 06, 2018

On today's podcast Eric is joined by frequent co-hosts Shanna Jones and Felice Sloan of the popular lifestyle blog Urban Swank. Eric, Shanna, and Felice go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Cherry Pie Hospitality selling their final 3 concepts, the Original Beaver's closes it's doors, Spaghetti Warehouse's rebirth as Warehouse 72, and more! Then in a special Restaurants of the Week section, Eric, Shanna, and Felice take a look at 3 bars. They discuss Present Company, Holman Draft Hall, and Pitch 25.

In the Guest of the Week portion, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by EJ Miller of International Smoke. Eric and EJ discuss EJ's entry into cooking professionally, getting approached by Michael Mina, working with Ryan Lachaine, training in San Francisco, working under Michael Mina, Rockets fans, describing International Smoke, where International Smoke can go, and more!

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 64 - Sean Carroll of Melange Creperie Aug 30, 2018

On today's episode Eric is joined by Matt Harris to discuss some of the latest Houston restaurant and bar news including Hickory Hollow closing it's doors on Washington, the Original Ninfa's expanding, Petite Sweets closing, and the new GQ magazine article about the Houston food scene. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Eric talks about his good time at the new restaurant Vibrant and his not so good time at Shell Shack.

In the Guest of the Week segment, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Sean Carroll of Melange Creperie. Eric and Sean discuss Sean's start in Houston, making crepes, creating the food cart, expanding into a full fledged restaurant, and much more!

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 63 - Paul Miller of GR8 Plate Hospitality Aug 23, 2018

On today's podcast Eric is joined by frequent co-host and beverage consultant Linda Salinas. Eric and Linda discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Cherry Pie Hospitality selling State Fare Kitchen and Bar, a CultureMap exclusive regarding the new Heights' restaurant Savoir, L'Olivier rebranding, when we can expect to see Jonathan's The Rub, and much more! In the Restaurants of the Week portion of the podcast Eric and Linda discuss St. Arnold Brewery's new beer garden & restaurant and Kau Ba Kitchen in Montrose.

In the Guest of the Week portion, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by GR8 Plate Hospitality owner Paul Miller. Eric and Paul discuss how Paul got into the restaurant business, Union Kitchen's broad selection, the moment of realization of having a concept that could expand beyond just one facility, the decision to open both a Jax Grill and a Union Kitchen in the same development, aspirations on opening a fine dining concept, future plans, and 5 ways to make Houston Restaurants Week better.

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 62 - Kelly Barnhart of Vibrant Aug 16, 2018

On today's podcast Eric is joined by special guest co-host, Fluff Bake Bar's own Rebecca Masson. Eric and Rebecca discuss the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the backlash El Tiempo faced on social media following a pic, the newest food hall opening in Houston, the return of Mike Molina's bar One Armed Scissor, and more! In the Restaurants of the Week, Eric and Rebecca discuss International Smoke and Pizza Motus.

In the Guest of the Week portion, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Kelly Barnhart, owner of Vibrant. Eric and Kelly discuss Kelly's interesting 5 year journey leading up to the opening of Vibrant next week, how she got into the restaurant industry, why her daughter helped fuel her drive to open Vibrant, developing the menu, the healthy approach to the concept, what Kelly was doing before becoming a restaurant owner, the possibility of opening more restaurants down the road, and much more!

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 61 - Dawn Burrell and Marcus Davis of Kulture Aug 09, 2018

On today's issue of the podcast Eric is joined by frequent co-host Mary Clarkson of L'Olivier. Eric and Mary discuss the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Tony Vallone's Ciao Bello closing it's doors, Snooze opening new locations, drama within Cherry Pie Hospitality, and more! In the Restaurants of the Week section Eric and Mary discuss The Classic and La Villa Saint Tropez.

In the Guest of the Week portion, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by chef Dawn Burrell and owner Marcus Davis of Kulture. Eric, Dawn, and Marcus discuss the opening of Kulture, how both Dawn and Marcus got into cooking, how Dawn made the transition from being an Olympian to being a chef, the concept behind Kulture, the response to Kulture in the first 4 months of being open, developing the menu, being involved in the community, how the Breakfast Klub is doing, dispelling a myth about the Breakfast Klub, upcoming projects in the works, and much more!

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 60 - Gin Braverman, Matthew Healey, and Chris Frankel of El Segundo Swim Club Jul 26, 2018

On today's edition of the podcast Eric is joined by frequent co-host Matt Harris. Eric and Matt discuss the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Anthony Calleo's new project, Hubbell & Hudson Bistro going through a rebrand, St. Arnold's Brewery opening their new restaurant next to the brewery, and the sad news of LA Times food critic Jonathan Gold passing away. In the Restaurants of the Week portion of the podcast Eric and Matt discuss their visits to Indigo and Wanna Bao.

In the Guest of the Week segment, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Gin Braverman, Matthew Healey, and Chris Frankel of El Segundo Swim Club. Eric gets in depth look at El Segundo Swim Club, find out about the design, drink program, how the project came together and much more!

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 59 - Anthony Calleo Jul 19, 2018

On today's edition of the What's Eric Eating podcast, Eric is joined by Felice Sloan of Urban Swank to co-host the podcast. Eric and Felice go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including a preview of Houston Restaurants Week, Harry's Restaurant & Cafe closing for remodeling, Montrose's Camerata is expanding, and more! In the Restaurants of the Week section Eric and Felice discuss Padna's Cajun Eatery and Phat Eatery.

In the Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Chef Anthony Calleo formerly of Pi Pizza. Eric and Anthony discuss Anthony's path into cooking, starting Pi Pizza, innovating at Pi Pizza, learning and growing as a chef, leaving Pi Pizza, getting involved at Ladybirds, revamping the menu at Ladybirds, Anthony's next project in the works, and much more!

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 58 - Mike Lim and Michael Ly of Tobiuo Sushi & Bar Jul 12, 2018

On today's episode of the podcast Eric is joined by beverage consultant Linda Salinas. Eric and Linda discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Andrew Zimmern of the Travel channel filming at 6 Houston area restaurants for the 2nd season of his show The Zimmern List, the closing of The Queen Vic Pub and Kitchen, a new fast casual Italian concept heading to the Houston area, Eric Hastings joining Lasco Enterprises, and much more! In the Restaurants of the Week portion of the podcast Eric and Linda discuss Calle Onze.

In the Guest of the Week segment, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Mike Lim and Michael Ly of Tobiuo Sushi & Bar. The guys discuss Mike's start in cooking, learning from Morimoto, coming to Texas, getting the restaurant started, why Katy, balancing creativity with what the customer wants, the cocktail program, how the first month has gone, and so much more!

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 57 - Dominick Lee and Ian Tucker of Poitín Jun 28, 2018

On today's edition of the What's Eric Eating podcast, Eric is joined by new co-host for the week Rebecca Masson of Fluff Bake Bar. Eric and Rebecca discuss the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the owners of popular nightclubs Clé and Spire acquiring a space in River Oaks for a new restaurant called Bisou, Ayesha Curry and Michael Mina's restaurant International Smoke in Houston getting bad Yelp reviews before the restaurant even opens, bitter Rockets fans, Yelp, Otto's Barbecue & Hamburgers making a triumphant return, and much more! In the Restaurants of the Week section Eric and Rebecca discuss La Vista 101.

In the Guest of the Week portion of the podcast, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Poitín owner Ian Tucker and Poitín executive chef Dominick Lee. Eric, Ian, and Dominick give an in depth look at Poitín. The guys discuss how Dominick got into cooking, making his way to Houston, working for chef Karen, how Ian and Dominick got into contact, the voicemail that Ian left for Dominick, Dominick becoming an executive chef, handling a large restaurant like Poitín, how Poitín is similar to one of Ian's previous restaurants in Dublin, how Poitín is doing a month into the opening, evolving the restaurant, creating the menu, the team at Poitín, and much more!

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 56 - John and Veronica Avila of El Burro & The Bull Jun 21, 2018

On today's episode of What's Eric Eating, Eric is joined by restaurant consultant Nathan Ketcham for the final time before Nathan heads off to Seattle for a year. Normally the guys discuss the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene but first Eric and Nathan react to the passing of Anthony Bourdain and his influence not only restaurants/food but on them personally. The guys also discuss Goodnight Hospitality's big new 3 concept project heading to the Montrose area, the opening of Brian Ching's Pitch 25, and much more. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Eric and Nathan discuss Robard's and Dream Tacos.

In the Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by John and Veronica Avila of El Burro & The Bull and Henderson and Kane General Store. Eric, John, and Veronica discuss how the two met, how John got into the Austin, ending up at Franklin's BBQ, coming back to Houston, being in the Conservatory, being the last original concpet left from the opening of the Conservatory, the future of El Burro & The Bull, the possibility of opening a brick & mortar, the idea for the Henderson and Kane General Store, the response to the store so far, the planning of their new bakery concept heading to the east end, and when we can expect to see this new project.

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 55 - Ryan Soroka of 8th Wonder Brewery Jun 14, 2018

On today's edition of What's Eric Eating, Eric is joined by Matt Harris to discuss some of the latest Houston restaurant and bar news including New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees' sports bar Walk-On Bistreaux coming to Houston, Brooklyn Athletic Club closed for renovations, a new bar headed to Spring Branch, and much more! In the Restaurants of the Week section Eric and Matt discuss Nobu, East Hampton Sandwich Company, and UB Preserv.

In the Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by 8th Wonder's own Ryan Soroka. Eric and Ryan discuss the latest happenings at the brewery including how their hip hop series came about, working with Bun B, Slim Thug, and Paul Wall, Eric's most trill moment, upcoming events, the latest on 8th Wonder's distillery, industry trends, and much more.

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 54 - Kaiser Lashkari of Himalaya Restaurant Jun 07, 2018

On today's edition of What's Eric Eating, Eric is joined by Urban Swank's own Felice Sloan. Eric and Felice go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the passing of culinary legend Ella Brennan, Chris Shepherd's Southern Smoke lineup announcement, and Richard Knight leaving Harold in the Heights. In the Restaurants of the Week section Eric and Felice discuss Kulture and East Hampton Sandwich Company.

In the Guest of the Week portion, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Kaiser Lashkari of Himalaya Restaurant. Eric and Kaiser discuss how he got into cooking professionally, doing things differently, rolling out southern comfort foods, the media attention, his relationship with Yelp, being on Anthony Bourdain's show Parts Unknown, working with his wife, on the possibility of retiring, and much more!

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 53 - Darrin Straughan of James Coney Island May 24, 2018

On today's edition of the podcast Eric is joined by frequent co-host, restaurant consultant Nathan Ketcham. The guys go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Jonathan Jones returns to Beavers, Fox Restaurants Concept is bringing their concept Flower Child to Uptown Park, and Bernie's Burger Bus getting in trouble with the Department of Labor. Then in the Restaurants of the Week portion the guys discuss Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken and Cantina Barba.

In the Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Darrin Straughan of James Coney Island. Eric and Darrin discuss how Darrin got into the restaurant business, how the opportunity with James Coney Island came about, the process on rolling out different menu options, dealing with the different waves of restaurant trends over the years, the Greek influences, what's next for James Coney Island, what they want to improve upon, how food halls fit in their future plans, and much more!

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 52 - Ryan Pera of Agricole Hospitality May 17, 2018

Today on What's Eric Eating owner of L'Olivier and frequent co-host Mary Clarkson joins Eric to discuss some of the latest news in the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Anthony Calleo's next move after leaving Cherry Pie Hospitality, Houston's first Whole Foods Market 365 coming to the Heights area, and possible restaurant options for a new area on Yale. In the Restaurants of the Week section Eric and Mary discuss UB Preserv, Poitin, and State of Grace.

In the Guest of the Week segment, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Ryan Pera, the chef/owner of Agricole Hospitality. Eric and Ryan discuss the upcoming Taste of the Nation event benefiting the No Kid Hungry campaign happening Tuesday, May 22nd at Silver Street Studios. The guys also discuss what restaurants are involved in the event, the reason for spearheading Taste of the Nation, No Kid Hungry's goals, what type of food can be expected at the event, the importance of fresh food, what's kept Coltivare so popular for so long, Revival Market becoming a casual breakfast/lunch cafe, setting up the team at Indianola, and more!

Taste of the Nation takes place Tuesday, May 22nd at Silver Street Studios in Houston. For tickets and more info about this great culinary event, benefiting the No Kid Hungry campaign, visit events.nokidhungry.org.

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 51 - Grover Smith, Ryan Lachaine, and Tim Archuleta of Indie Chefs Week May 10, 2018

On today's podcast Eric is joined by new co-host Matt Harris to go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Matt discuss what restaurants opening between now and Labor Day they're most excited about, the ambitions of Musaafer coming to Houston this fall, and the latest regarding Finn Hall. In the Restaurants of the Week section Eric and Matt discuss Tuk Tuk Crab, Aqua S, and the WAGYUMAFIA pop up at Blacksmith.

In the Guest of the Week portion of the podcast, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Grover Smith, Ryan Lachaine, and Tim Archuleta to discuss the latest Indie Chefs Week in Houston. The guys discuss why Indie Chefs week came back to Houston so soon, Ryan hosting the event for the first time, what keeps Tim coming back to participate in the event, getting inspired by other chefs during the event, how the event has helped Ryan grow professionally, and much more.

Please Note: There were issues with the mic that Grover used periodically during the podcast, especially at the beginning. Adjustments to his and everyone else's mic levels were made during post production but at different points the volume might be difficult to hear. We apologize for this issue and we're working on making sure this issue does not occur again.

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 50 - Monica Richards of Picos May 03, 2018

On today's podcast Eric is joined by a new co-host, beverage consultant Linda Salinas. Eric and Linda discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the charges against Paul Qui being dropped, the latest on Bravery Chef Hall, and more. In the Restaurants of the Week portion restaurants that serve breakfast are featured.

In the Guest of the Week segment, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric speaks with chief marketing officer/beverage director Monica Richards of Picos. They discuss Monica growing up in the restaurant business, moving Picos from Bellaire to Kirby, the types of dishes found at Picos, what sells the most at Picos, the types of food they bring in from Mexico, riding the tequila trend, preparations for their Cinco de Mayo celebrations, and much more.

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 49 - Brandi Key of Lasco Enterprises Apr 26, 2018

On today's episode, host Eric Sandler is joined by restaurant consultant and frequent co-host Nathan Ketcham to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Amaya Coffee joining the lineup of restaurants opening in Finn Hall, chef de cuisine Gabriel Medina leaving Aqui, a new food truck that's doing things a bit differently, MidiCi closing a location, and GQ released it's list of the best new restaurants in America which includes 2 Houston restaurants. Then in the Restaurants of the Week section Blue Onyx Bistro and Killen's BBQ are featured.

In the Guest of the Week portion of the podcast, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Brandi Key, the culinary director of Lasco Enterprises. Eric and Brandi discuss how Brandi got into the restaurant business, how she developed her interest in Italian food, her experience in opening in different concepts, leaving Clark Cooper Concepts, how did the opportunity of Lasco Enterprises come about, working with the Tasting Room and Max's Wine Dive, future plans for Lasco Enterprises concepts, and the latest on Lasco's newest concept.

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 48 - Ben and Daniel Berg of Carmelo's and B&B Butchers Apr 19, 2018

On today's episode of What's Eric Eating CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler is joined by frequent co-host Mary Clarkson the owner of L'Olivier. Eric and Mary discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including, 3 new concepts opening in Houston, Food & Wine's restaurants of the year list, the I'll Have What She's Having Gala, and more! No restaurants are featured in this week's restaurants of the week portion (blame it on the cold/flu) so instead Eric asks... what food do you crave most when you're feeling under the weather?

Then in the Guest of the Week segment, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Ben and Daniel Berg of Carmelo's and B&B Butchers. Eric and the Berg brothers discuss what brought Daniel down to Houston from New York, why Ben purchased Carmelo's, the pasta stipulations of the agreement, updating the menu at Carmelo's, customer reactions to the restaurant, the addition of B&B Butchers in Fort Worth, the latest details on their new project Benjamin's including a possible timeline for the opening, and the vaunted What's Eric Eating... lightning round!

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 47 - Lauren Bailey and Brent Karlicek of Postino Apr 12, 2018

Today CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler is joined by Felice Sloan and Shanna Jones of the lifestyle blog Urban Swank Eric, Felice, and Shanna discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including reactions to the latest CultureMap Tastemaker Awards and much more! In the Restaurants of the Week portion Postino and Fresco Cafe Italiano are featured.

In the Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric Sandler is joined by Lauren Bailey and Brent Karlicek of Postino. Eric discusses with Laren and Brent how they both got into the business, the development of the concept of Postino, when did Brent get involved, the different programs rolling out, why Houston was chosen as the next market for Postino, seeing what Houston has to offer, differences between this Postino opening, any other concepts heading to Houston, and more!

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 46 - Alba Huerta of Julep Apr 05, 2018

Today host Eric Sandler is joined by restaurant consultant and frequent co-host Nathan Ketcham to discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Before the guys get into the news though they discuss the topic that affects most restaurants no matter the size... tips. What's appropriate for a dine-in, or a fast casual concept? Find out what Eric and Nathan think regarding the topic. This week, Rodeo Goat is featured in the Restaurant of the Week section.

The in the Guest of the Week portion of the podcast, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Alba Huerta owner of Julep cocktail bar. Eric and Alba discuss how she got into bar-tending, how did the Julep concept come together, how the bar has evolved over the years, Alba's invovlement with the Southern Food Alliance, her role in the opening of Pastry War, what people can expect from her latest book, and more!

The What’s Eric Eating Podcast Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 45 - Jonathan Levine of Jonathan's The Rub Mar 29, 2018

This week on What's Eric Eating, host Eric Sandler is joined by restaurant consultant and frequent co-host Nathan Kethcam. The guys discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the surprising news of Lee Ellis leaving Cherry Pie Hospitality, Pizaro's Pizza moving to the Memorial area, Denver steakhouse Guard and Grace opening a 2nd location in Houston, and much more! In the Restaurant's of the Week section Feges BBQ and a couple of restaurants from Seattle are featured.

In the Guest of the Week portion of the podcast Jonathan Levine of Jonathan's The Rub joins the show. The guys discuss how Jonathan got to Houston, developing the menu, celebrating Jonathan's The Rub's 10 year anniversary, Jonathan's thoughts on the Houston restaurant scene, and much more!

Episode 44 - Austin Chef Adam Brick and James Brown of Barton Springs Mill Mar 22, 2018

On today's episode of What's Eric Eating CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler is joined by Tyler Horne of Urban Harvest. Eric and Tyler go through some of the latest news from Houston's restaurant and bar scene including the 4 big names headed to downtown's newest food fall Finn Hall, the disappointment Houston chef's shared with the James Beard Foundation's announcement of finalists, the changes coming for Honeymoon Cafe & Bar, the crawfish app, and much more! In the Restaurants of the Week section Eric and Tyler discuss Buff Burger, Night Heron, and Topo Truck.

In the Guest of the Week portion of the podcast Eric's doing things a little different this week. Eric is joined by Austin Chef Adam Brick and James Brown of Barton Springs Mill to discuss the impact of the mill bringing high quality flour and grain to restaurants. They dive deep into the impact of the mill not just in the Austin food scene but in other areas of the state as well.

Episode 43 - Bobby Heugel of Anvil Bar and Refuge Mar 15, 2018

On today's edition of What's Eric Eating CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler is joined by L'Olivier owner Mary Clarkson. Mary and Eric discuss some of the latest restaurant and bar news from Houston including a new version of Reef, the Heights Waterworks projects, Kukuri closing, and more! In the Restaurants of the Week Eric and Mary discuss Fig & Olive and Cadillac BBQ.

In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Anvil Bar and Refuge owner Bobby Heugel. Eric and Bobby discuss in depth the bar scene in Houston and what changes could be made.

Episode 42 - Patrick and Erin Smith Feges of Feges BBQ Mar 08, 2018

On today's edition of What's Eric Eating, CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler is joined by frequent co-host Felice Sloan of the popular Houston lifestyle blog Urban Swank to discuss the latest happenings in the Houston restaurant and bar scene. In today's news section Felice and Eric react to the news that former Clark Cooper Concepts chef Brandi Key has taken on a new role with Lasco Enterprises. Plus Felice and Eric discuss executive chef Richard Knight joining Harold in the Heights, Roman style pizza heading for West U, The Harp coming back to the scene, and much more! Then Nancy's Hustle, East Hampton Sandwich Company, and El Topo Food Truck are featured in this week's Restaurants of the Week section.

This week's Guest of the Week portion features Erin Smith and Patrick Feges of Feges BBQ. The pair discuss how they both got into cooking, how they first met, settling on a BBQ restaurant, building the menu, the grand opening of Feges BBQ, what makes Feges BBQ standout compared to other BBQ places, why cook whole pigs, the response from the pop ups, and more!

Episode 41 - Scott Snodgrass and Clayton Garrett of Loam Agronomics Mar 01, 2018

This week on What's Eric Eating CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler is joined by frequent co-host and restaurant consultant Nathan Ketcham. The guys go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including an update on the farmers market on Airline development, Fig & Olive opening in the Galleria, and the guys discuss David Chang's Netflix show Ugly Delicious and it's Houston centered episode. Then the guys discuss their visits to this week's Restaurants of the Week... Willow's Texas BBQ and Moxie's Grill & Bar.

This week Scott Snodgrass and Clayton Garrett of Loam Agronomics are featured in the Guest of the Week portion of the podcast. The guys discuss with Eric and Nathan how they got into farming, what restaurant's they're currently working with, the challenges of farming in Houston, why they chose to go organic, how the farm fared after Hurricane Harvey, the idea behind Chef Fest, and much more!

Episode 40 - David Keck and Felipe Riccio of Goodnight Charlie's Feb 22, 2018

This week on What's Eric Eating, CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler is joined by L'Olivier owner Mary Clarkson. Eric and Mary go through some of the latest news emerging from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including the announcement of several local chefs and restaurants being named semifinalists for certain 2018 James Beard Awards, Texas Monthly's 2018 best new restaurants list, Shake Shack opening a 3rd location, Rodeo Houston's best bites competition, and more! Then Eric and Mary discuss Night Heron in the Restaurants of the Week portion.

This week's Guest of the Week features David Keck and Felipe Riccio of Goodnight Charlie's in Montrose. The guys speak with Eric on how the idea for Goodnight Charlie's came about, the beverage program, how the first 7-8 weeks have been, plans for Goodnight Charlie's moving forward, other projects in the works, and much more!

Episode 39 - Leslie Nguyen and John Reed of Bosscat Kitchen & Libations Feb 15, 2018

This week on What's Eric Eating it's a first as Eric hosting riding solo this week. Eric goes through the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Then in this week's Restaurants of the Week section Eric shines a spotlight on Night Heron and Coral Sword.

In the Guest of the Week portion of the podcast business partners Leslie Nguyen and John Reed of Bosscat Kitchen & Libations stop by. Eric, Leslie, and John discuss what brought them to Houston from California, the process of getting to know the Houston market, how the 1st year has gone, the menu evolving, opening their new concept BCK, and much more!

Episode 38 - Mike Raymond of Reserve 101 Feb 08, 2018

This week on the podcast host Eric Sandler is joined by frequent co-host Nathan Ketcham. The guys go through some of the latest news in the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Coral Sword opening, Leeland House opening in EaDo, and much more! In the Restaurants of the Week section Eric and Nathan discuss Willie G's and Golden Bagels and Coffee.

For the Guest of Week segment this week, Eric is joined by Mike Raymond of Reserve 101. Eric and Mike discuss Reserve 101 celebrating 10 years and Mike drops some big news about a new project.

Episode 37 - Benjy Levit and Dylan Murray of Benjy's, Local Foods, and The Classic Feb 01, 2018

On this week's edition of What's Eric Eating CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler is joined by frequent co-host Mary Clarkson of L'Olivier. Eric and Mary discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Common Bond expanding, Felix Flores' new project, the latest with the Caswell's departure from Oxbow 7, Papa Charlie's BBQ finding a new home, and much more! In the Restaurants of the Week segment, Eric and Mary take a look at Holman Draft Hall and Snooze.

This week Benjy Levit and Dylan Murray are the featured guests of the week. Benjy and Dylan discuss with Eric their 5th Local Foods location, what about the concept has resonated with people, opening The Classic on Washington, buying fresh local foods, and much more!

Episode 36 - Arash Kharat of Beaver's Jan 25, 2018

This week on What's Eric Eating host Eric Sandler is joined by guest co-host Felice Sloan of Urban Swank. Eric and Felice go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including shocking news regarding Oxbow 7 and Bryan and Jennifer Caswell's place within the restaurant, Fluff Bake Bar's recent renovations, the Italian American Grocery store opening in the Heights, and Landry's opening a new restaurants. In the Restaurants of the Week section Goodnight Charlie's and Cafe Annie are featured.

In the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by Arash Kharat of Beaver's Houston. Eric and Arash discuss how Arash got involved in cooking, what about barbecue appealed to him, why he told Beaver's no when the first came around, and much more!

Episode 35 - Jeff Mastro of Steak 48 Jan 11, 2018

Eric Sandler is back from a brief holiday break and he's starting 2018 in a big way. Eric is joined by frequent co-host, restaurant consultant, Nathan Ketcham. The guys go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Mastro's Steakhouse is featured in this week's Restaurants of the Week section. Then in the Guest of the Week portion Eric is joined by the co-owner of Steak 48 Jeff Mastro.

Episode 34 - Year in Review Dec 28, 2017

It's a special year in review edition of this week's podcast. Host Eric Sandler is joined by restaurant consultant Nathan Ketcham, L'Olivier owner Mary Clarkson, and the talented ladies of Urban Swank, Shanna Jones and Felice Sloan. Eric and the group go through some of their favorite dishes of the year, their favorite new restaurants of the year, their least favorite restaurants (pulling no punches here), the top 4 restaurants of the year, and what everyone is looking forward to the most in the Houston restaurant and bar scene in 2018. Listen to the final What's Eric Eating podcast of 2017! What's Eric Eating will be going on a 2 week break for the holidays but will return January 11th!

Episode 33 - Ned Elliott and Grover Smith of Indie Chefs Week Dec 21, 2017

Today on What's Eric Eating CultureMap Food Editor and host Eric Sandler is joined by the wonderful ladies of Urban Swank, Shanna Jones and Felice Sloan. Eric discusses with Shanna and Felice some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Chris Shepherd's announcement of major changes coming for his restaurants in 2018, Pappa Charlies Barbeque closing, and much more! In the Restaurants of the Week portion features Emmaline and Doris Metropolitan.

In the Guests of the Week segment, Eric is joined by Ned Elliott and Grover Smith of Indie Chefs Week. Eric speaks with the guys about the motivation behind starting Indie Chefs Week, why Houston was the next destination for the event, what was the reasoning behind the Houston chef selections, how many more Indie Chefs Week's are they planning, and much more. Plus find out the reasoning why Ned decided to sell his critically acclaimed restaurant Foreign & Domestic in Austin and when we can expect a Foreign & Domestic in Houston.

Episode 32 - Austin Simmons of Hubbell & Hudson Dec 14, 2017

On today's edition of What's Eric Eating CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler is joined by restaurant consultant and frequent guest co-host Nathan Ketcham. Eric and Nathan go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Bravery Chef Hall coming summer 2018 and Mastros Steakhouse, Emmaline, and Cavo Coffee opening in Houston. In the Restaurants of the Week portion the guys discuss Nancy's Hustle, Le Colonial, and La Peep.

In the Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric and Nathan are joined by Austin Simmons of Hubbell & Hudson. Eric and Nathan discuss Austin's path into cooking, his perseverance to get his cooking career started at The Mansion on Turtle Creek, his relationship with John Tesar, what he learned from his time in Europe, what brought him to Hubbell & Hudson, how the opportunity to bring more creativity came via Cureight, his interest in bbq, and much more!

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and more!

Episode 31 - Kevin Naderi of Roost Restaurant Dec 07, 2017

This week on What's Eric Eating CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler is joined by first time co-host Tyler Horne of Urban Harvest. Eric and Tyler discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Lowbrow closing its doors, Peska Seafood also closing its doors, the East Hampton Sandwich Company coming to Houston, and The Classic - All Day replacing Benjy's on Washington. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Eric and Tyler discuss Spicy Girl and Nancy's Hustle.

In this week's Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric and Tyler are joined by Kevin Naderi of Roost Restaurant. Eric and Tyler speak with Kevin about how he got started in cooking, opening Roost when he was 25 years old, was he ready taking on the challenge of running a restaurant, how Roost has been able to stick around, what Kevin has done to develop ideas for the menu, his love of reality TV, beating Bobby Flay, and much more!

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and more!

Episode 30 - Erin Smith Feges and Lori Choi of I'll Have What She's Having Nov 30, 2017

This week on What's Eric Eating CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler is joined by L'Olivier owner Mary Clarkson to go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Liberty Kitchen closing their Golden Oaks location, Velvet Taco opens their 2nd location, and more. In the Restaurants of the Week section Eric and Mary discuss Maison Pucha Bistro.

In the Guest of the Week portion, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Erin Smith Feges and Lori Choi of I'll Have What She's Having. Eric speaks with Erin and Lori about how they both got involved with I'll Have What She's Having, why the organization decided on women's health, how the organization has grown, the goals for I'll Have What She's Having, and more! Learn more about I'll Have What She's Having at illhavewhatsheshaving.org.

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and more!

Episode 29 - Aaron Lyons of Dish Society Nov 23, 2017

On this week's Thanksgiving edition of What's Eric Eating host Eric Sandler is feeling thankful as he has Felice Sloan and Shanna Jones of Urban Swank co-hosting with him this week. They go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including, Cleburne Cafeteria reopening after a year-and-a-half, Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company heading to Sawyer Yards, Grant Pinkerton named to Forbes 30 for 30 list, and much more! In the Restaurants of the Week section Eric, Felice, and Shanna discuss Theodore Rex and Louie Mueller BBQ.

In the Guest of the Week portion, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Aaron Lyons, the founder and CEO of Dish Society. Eric and Aaron discuss how the original vision of Dish Society has evolved since opening, the new Dish Society location in Memorial, how Dish Society balances affordable food with locally-sourced ingredients, and much more!

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and more!

Episode 28 - Robert Del Grande of Cafe Annie Nov 16, 2017

This week on What's Eric Eating, CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler is joined frequent guest co-host restaurant consultant Nathan Ketcham. The guys go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including, former Dynamo star Brian Ching opening a soccer themed sports bar, Le Peep moving locations, Southern Goods damaged by a fire, and much more! In the Restaurants of the Week section the guys discuss Pappas Delta Blues Smokehouse and Grimaldis.

In the Guest of the Week portion, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric and Nathan are joined by Robert Del Grande, the owner and executive chef of Cafe Annie. The guys discuss with Robert how changes to Cafe Annie have been received, when did the shift in the menu at Cafe Annie happen, being left off the Chron's top 100 restaurant list, and Eric puts Robert through the vaunted What's Eric Eating Lightning Round!

Episode 27 - Graham Laborde of Killen's Restauants Nov 09, 2017

On this week's What's Eric Eating Podcast CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler is joined by Houston Life producer/reporter Stephanie Gerry. Stephanie and Eric discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Michael Mina and Ayesha Curry's International Smoke concept is opening a location in Houston in 2018, Pappy's Cafe moving to a new location, new plans for Brasserie 19, and Uber Eats adds a new restaurant. In the Restaurants of the Week section Eric and Stephanie discuss Town Hearth, Zoli's Pizzeria, and Pete's Burger Place.

In this week's Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric and Stephanie are joined by Graham Laborde of Killen's Restaurants. Eric and Stephanie discuss with Graham how it is working at Killen's Restaurants, working with Ronnie Killen, how he got into the restaurant industry, how he tried to establish himself coming in to an already established concept, and more!

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and more!

Episode 26 - Danny Trace of Potente and Osso & Kristalla Nov 02, 2017

This week on What's Eric Eating CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler is joined by returning cohost restaurant consultant Nathan Ketcham. Eric and Nathan go through some of the latest news from the Houston (and Austin this week) restaurant and bar scene including Cafe Annie evolving into Cafe Annie: Wood Grilled Steaks and Oyster Bar, Austin pitmaster Aaron Franklin joining Uchi/Uchiko chef Tyson Cole’s new restaurant, Patrick Feges and Erin Smith announcing where Feges BBQ will be located, and more! In the Restaurants of the Week section the guys discuss Pokeworks and Kukuri.

In the Guest of the Week portion of the podcast, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Potente and Osso & Kristalla executive chef Danny Trace. Eric, Nathan, and Danny discuss being in the middle of the Houston Astros World Series run, working for Jim Crane, the approach at both Potente and Osso & Kristalla, what made Danny make the jump over to the restaurants, and more! Plus Danny is put through the vaunted What's Eric Eating Lightning Round!

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and more!

Episode 25 - Jody Stevens of Jodycakes Oct 26, 2017

This week on the What's Eric Eating podcast, CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler is joined by Mary Clarkson of L'Olivier. Eric and Mary go through some of the latest news and notes from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Saltair Seafood Kitchen closing, 8th Wonder Brewery expanding with a distillery, the Southern Smoke charity event, and much more! In the Restaurants of the Week portion Eric and Mary discuss Theodore Rex, Night Market Thai, and Laki Fish.

In the Guest of the Week segment, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Jody Stevens of Jodycakes. Eric speaks with Jody about how she made the transition from corporate world to the restaurant world, what got her started in vegan/gluten free baking, the growth of Jodycakes, what the Depressed Cake Shop is, and much more!

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and more!

Episode 24 - Shanna Jones and Felice Sloan of Urban Swank Oct 19, 2017

A bit shorter edition of the What's Eric Eating Podcast this week. No guest of the week section this time so CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler goes through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene with Shanna Jones and Felice Sloan of Urban Swank. They discuss Heights Mercantile adding Arizona-based wine cafe concept Postino, Fadi's Mediterranean Grill opening inside the loop, Dish Society's new location in Memorial Green opening it's doors, and more! In the restaurants of the Week section Eric, Shanna, and Felice discuss Lucienne of Hotel Alessandra and State of Grace.

Episode 23 - Morgan Weber of Agricole Hospitality Oct 12, 2017

On this week's edition of the What's Eric Eating podcast CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler is joined by co-host Stephanie Gerry of KPRC's Houston Life. Plus a What's Eric Eating podcast first, the guest of the week, Morgan Weber of Agricole Hospitality , joins Eric and Stephanie for the entire episode. In the News of the Week portion of the podcast Eric, Stephanie, and Morgan discuss news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including upcoming new restaurant openings, Hugo Ortega awarded the Craig Claiborne Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern Foodways Alliance, and upcoming benefits. In the Restaurants of the Week section the group take a look at Killen's STQ, One Fifth Romance Languages, & Riel Restaurant.

In the Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric goes in depth with Morgan on his latest endeavor Indianola Distilling. From how the venture came about to what goes into making their selections, get the breakdown on everything about Indianola Distilling from Agricole Hospitality's own Morgan Weber! Plus Eric and Stephanie get a taste of one Indianola's selections.

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and more!

Episode 22 - Bobby Matos of State of Grace Oct 05, 2017

On this week's podcast CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler is joined by restaurant consultant Nathan Ketcham. The guys go over some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including 2 recent restaurant closings, Christopher Huang opening a new restaurant, popular Austin restaurant Foreign & Domestic heading to the Houston area, and more! In the Restaurants of the Week section Eric and Nathan profile only one restaurant but it's a big one, the new concept from Bryan Caswell Oxbow 7.

The Guest of the Week portion, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, features executive chef Bobby Matos of State of Grace. Eric and Nathan discuss with Bobby how he ended up in Houston, where he got started in Houston, what brought him to State of Grace, Ford Fry, development of the menu at State of Grace, how the restaurant has evolved, and much more!

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and more!

Episode 21 - Sam Governale and Dimitri Voutsinas of Emmaline Sep 28, 2017

On the latest edition of What's Eric Eating, CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler is joined by Shanna Jones of the popular Houston food, beauty, and lifestyle blog Urban Swank. Eric and Shanna go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Prelude Coffee and Tea opens a new location in downtown, Anvil Bar and Refuge being voted one of the top bars in the world, and much more! In the Restaurants of the Week section, Eric and Shanna discuss Cape Cod Cafe Express and Tiger Noodle House.

In the Guest of the Week portion, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Sam Governale and Dimitri Voutsinas of Emmaline to discuss the opening of Emmaline, creating the menu, how they started working together, how Emmaline will stand out, the goal for the outdoor area of Emmaline, and more!

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 20 - Terry Williams and Alex Negranza of Better Luck Tomorrow Sep 21, 2017

This week L'Olivier owner Mary Clarkson joins CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler to go through the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Mary discuss Houston Chronicle Restaurant Critic Allison Cook's release of her annual top 100 restaurants in Houston and announcements of a few restaurant closings across the Houston area. In the Restaurants of the Week section Eric and Mary discuss One Fifth Romance Languages and Patrick Feges and Erin Smith's pop up at Camerata previewing Feges BBQ.

In this week's Guest of the Week portion, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Terry Williams and Alex Negranza of Better Luck Tomorrow. Eric, Terry, and Alex discuss how Terry and Alex first ended up getting involved at Anvil Bar, what brought Alex to Houston from Seattle, how they got involved in Better Luck Tomorrow, how much freedom does Bobby Heugel and Justin Yu give them, how to categorize Better Luck Tomorrow, and much more!

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, merch, taproom info, and much more!

Episode 19 - Rebecca Masson of Fluff Bake Bar Sep 14, 2017

On this edition of What's Eric Eating, CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler is joined by Nathan Ketcham to discuss the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene. Eric and Nathan discuss more effects from Hurricane Harvey, the impact on the local restaurant scene, and the different fundraisers and charities that are helping out the Houston area. This week Goode Company Kitchen and Catina and One Fifth Romance Languages are featured in the What's Eric Eating, Restaurants of the Week.

In this week's Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric and Nathan are joined by Rebecca Masson of Fluff Bake Bar. Rebecca talks about how she got started in Houston, creating Fluff Bake Bar, having an expansive selection Fluff Bake Bar, the Fluff Bake Bar Bake Sales, and much more!

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

#EricSandler #WhatsEricEating #CultureMap #NathanKetcham #HurricaneHarvey #GoodeCompanyKitchenandCatina #OneFifthRomanceLanguages #8thWonderBrewery #RebeccaMasson #FluffBakeBar #Beer #Food #Bakery #Houston

Episode 18 - Leonard Botello IV of Truth BBQ Sep 07, 2017

The What's Eric Eating Podcast is back following a week off due to Hurricane Harvey. In his return, CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler is joined by Felice Sloan and Shanna Jones of the popular Houston food, beauty, and lifestyle blog Urban Swank. Eric, Felice, and Shanna discuss the devastation that Hurricane Harvey left in it's wake, the impact that Harvey had on the Houston restaurant and bar scene, and how the community has come together to help fellow Houstonians during this very difficult time.

Then in the Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Leonard Botello IV of Truth BBQ. Eric and Leonard discuss how Harvey impacted him and Truth BBQ, how Leonard got started in the restaurant industry, why expand Truth BBQ to Houston, and much more!

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

#EricSandler #WhatsEricEating #FeliceSloan #ShannaJones #UrbanSwank #HurricaneHarvey #LeonardBotelloIV #TruthBBQ #CultureMap #Houston #8thWonderBrewery #Beer #Restaurant #Food

Episode 17 - Alex Boquiren, Vuthy "Tee" Srey, and Tai Nguyen of SeaSide Poke Aug 24, 2017

This week on What’s Eric Eating CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler is joined by guest co-host Mary Clarkson of L’Olivier. Eric and Mary go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including 2 new concepts opening in the Heights, Tila’s Restaurante closing it’s doors, more details coming in regarding Oxbow 7, and much more! In the Restaurants of the Week portion Eric and Mary discuss Aqui in Montrose.

In the Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric brings in Alex Boquiren, Vuthy “Tee” Srey, and Tai Nguyen of SeaSide Poke. They discuss how they got into the restaurant industry, when did they notice Poke, how Poke has become more popular as of late, what defines Poke, the quality of fish SeaSide gets, how they stand out from other Poke restaurants, and much more!

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

#EricSandler #WhatsEricEating #MaryClarkson #LOlivier #SeaSidePoke #AlexBoquiren #VuthySrey #TaiNguyen #Poke #BosscatKitchen #TheEdison #TilaRestaurante #Aqui #CultureMap #Houston #8thWonderBrewery #Beer #Restaurant #Food

Episode 16 - Chris Shepherd and Nick Fine of One Fifth Aug 17, 2017

On the latest edition of What’s Eric Eating CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler is joined by returning co-host Nathan Ketcham. They breakdown the latest news from the restaurant and bar scene in Houston and in the Restaurants of the Week section Eric and Nathan discuss restaurants such as Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana, Fielding’s Rooster, and more.

In the Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric catches up with Chris Shepherd and Nick Fine of One Fifth. Eric, Chris, and Nick discuss how Nick’s first months as the Chef De Cuisine have gone, how the 2nd version of One Fifth became Romance Languages, developing the menu for Romance Languages, what to expect from the new version of One Fifth, and more!

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

#EricSandler #WhatsEricEating #NathanKetcham #ChrisShepherd #NickFine #OneFifth #CultureMap #PizarosPizzaNapoletana #FieldingsRooster #RomanceLanguages #Houston #8thWonderBrewery #Beer #Restaurant #Food

Episode 15 - Thomas Nguyen of Peli Peli Aug 10, 2017

This week on What’s Eric Eating CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler is joined by guest co-host Mary Clarkson of L’Olivier. Eric and Mary go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including a new French restaurant is heading to the Heights, Hugo Ortega collaborating with Michael Mina, Mala Sichuan expanding in other areas of Houston, and and more! In the Restaurants of the Week section there is only one place featured this week and it’s the only place anyone is talking about... A’Bouzy in River Oaks.

In the Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Thomas Nguyen of Peli Peli. Eric and Thomas discuss how Thomas went from going to law school at UT to jumping into the restaurant industry, how they grew the Peli Peli concept, why service is a big part of Peli Peli’s philosophy, expanding Peli Peli not only in Houston but in other cities, and much more!

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

#EricSandler #WhatsEricEating #MaryClarkson #LOlivier #ThomasNguyen #PeliPeli #HugoOrtega #MichaelMina #MalaSichuan #ABouzy #8thWonderBrewery #Restaurant #Food #Beer

Episode 14 - Ian Tucker of Balls Out Burger Aug 03, 2017

On this week’s edition of What’s Eric Eating, CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler is joined by Felice Sloan of the popular Houston food, beauty, and lifestyle blog Urban Swank. Eric and Felice go through some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Truth BBQ’s announcement of where their new restaurant will be located, Krisp Bird and Batter heading to the Heights, Hugo Ortega’s restaurant Xochi being named one of the 12 best new restaurants in the country, and new restaurant openings this week! In the Restaurants of the Week section, Eric and Felice look at South Bank Seafood Bar and some quick looks at some of the restaurants participating in Houston Restaurant Weeks 2017.

In our Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric is joined by Ian Tucker of Balls Out Burger. Eric and Ian discuss how Ian made his way to Houston from Ireland, opening restaurants in Ireland, the philosophy behind Balls Out Burger and the no frills burgers they serve, responding to feedback from customers, opening his new concept Poitin, and much more!

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

#EricSandler #WhatsEricEating #FeliceSloan #UrbanSwank #IanTucker #BallsOutBurger #Poitin #TruthBBQ #KrispBirdandBatter #HugoOrtega #Xochi #SouthBankSeafoodBar #HoustonRestaurantWeeks #8thWonderBrewery #Beer #Food #Restaurant

Episode 13 - Cary Attar and Edel Goncalves of Fielding's Restaurant Group Jul 27, 2017

This week CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler is joined by restaurant consultant Nathan Ketcham. The guys go over some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Houston’s Farmers Market on Airline going through a major transformation, In-N-Out Burger coming to Houston, Hopdoddy Burger opening their 4th location in Houston, and Long Sing Supermarket closing their doors. In the Restaurants of the Week section Eric and Nathan discuss Ellis Brothers BBQ and Feges BBQ.

In our Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric and Nathan are joined by Cary Attar and Edel Goncalves of Fielding’s Restaurant Group. They discuss their newest restaurant Fielding’s Rooster, how they both got into the restaurant industry, their other concepts Fielding’s Wood Grill and Fielding’s Local Kitchen + Bar, and much more!

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

#EricSandler #WhatsEricEating #NathanKetcham #CaryAttar #EdelGoncalves #FieldingsRestaurantGroup #FieldingsRooster #FieldingsWoodGrill #FieldingsLocalKitchen #InNOutBurger #HoustonsFarmersMarket #HopdoddyBurgerBar #LongSingSupermarket #EllisBrothersBBQ #FegesBBQ #Food #Restaurant #Beer #8thWonderBrewery

Episode 12 - Mike Raymond of Reserve 101 Jul 20, 2017

This week CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler is joined by returning cohost Michael Fulmer, cofounder of the Houston Barbecue Festival. Eric and Michael kick things off this week previewing Houston Restaurant Weeks 2017. Plus the guys discuss Nao Ramen closing in Rice Village, the Original Beaver’s closing for the summer, and MidiCi: The Neapolitan Pizza Company opening a new location inside the loop. This week’s Restaurants of the Week section features 2 places in the Montrose area, Lowbrow and Nobie’s Restaurant.

In our Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric and Michael talk all things whiskey with Mike Raymond the owner of Reserve 101. The guys discuss with Mike how he became interested in whiskey, when it became a drive to share that love for whiskey with others, what he does to keep Reserve 101 different from other whiskey bars, and much more!

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and more!

#EricSandler #WhatsEricEating #MikeRaymond #Reserve101 #MichaelFulmer #HoustonBarbecueFestival #HoustonRestaurantWeeks #NaoRamen #RiceVillage #OriginalBeavers #MidCi #NeapolitanPizza #Nobies #Lowbrow #Montrose #8thWonderBrewery #Houston #Restaurant #food #Beer #Whiskey

Episode 11 - Morgan Weber of Agricole Hospitality Jul 13, 2017

CultureMap Food Editor Eric Sandler is joined this week by co-host Mary Clarkson, owner of L’Olivier. They discuss the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including, the announcement of a new bagel shop called Golden Bagels & Coffee opening in the Heights, acclaimed Austin restaurant Foreign & Domestic teasing a possible opening in Houston, Jimmy Chew Asian Kitchen undergoing changes, and more. No new restaurants in our Restaurants of the Week portion of the podcast so Eric and Mary give you their best new restaurants of 2017, so far.

In our Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Eric chats (and drinks) with Morgan Weber of Agricole Hospitality. Eric and Morgan dive deep into Agricole Hospitality’s recent announcement of their expansion into east downtown with not one but three all new concepts, all under one roof. Listen to find out all the details that went into this major expansion and when we can expect to see these new concepts. Plus Eric puts Morgan through the vaunted What’s Eric Eating Lightning Round.

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and much more!

#EricSandler #MorganWeber #AgricoleHospitality #MaryClarkson #LOlivier #GoldenBagelsandCoffee #ForeignandDomestic #JimmyChewAsianKitchen #Indianola #Vinnys #MissCarousel #8thWonderBrewery #Houston #Food #Restaurant #Bar #Beer

Episode 10 - Gin Braverman of Gin Design Group Jul 06, 2017

After a week off, Eric Sandler is back in the studio for another episode of What’s Eric Eating and in his return he’s joined by Felice Sloan and Shanna Jones of the popular Houston food, beauty, and lifestyle blog Urban Swank. Eric, Felice, and Shanna discuss some of the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including, Truth BBQ coming to Houston, Blood Bros. BBQ opening a brick-and-mortar location in Bellaire, Ray’s Real Pit BBQ Shack's announcement of a new location, The Rustic coming to Houston in 2018, Agricole Hospitality’s announcement of plans to open 3 new restaurants and bars in EaDo, and more. This week’s Restaurants of the Week portion Eric, Felice, and Shanna discuss Roka Akor and 85c Bakery Cafe.

This week’s Guest of the Week, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, features restaurant designer Gin Braverman of gin design group. Gin is the designer behind Oxheart, Axelrad Beer Garden, Raven Tower, Ruggles Green, Beckrew Wine House, and many more. Eric and Gin discuss how Gin got into design, what customers look for when they come to her, the process of blending her ideas with clients ideas, whether social media influences design elements to an establishment, common mistakes restaurants make when it comes to design, and more.

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and more!

#EricSandler #WhatEricEating #FeliceSloan #ShannaJones #UrbanSwank #GinBraverman #gindesigngroup #TruthBBQ #BloodBrosBBQ #RaysRealPitBBQShack #TheRustic #AgricoleHospitality #RokaAkor #85cBakeryCafe #Oxheart #AxelradBeerGarden #RavenTower #RugglesGreen #BeckrewWineHouse #Restaurant #Food #Bar #Houston #8thWonderBrewery #Beer #CraftBeer #WineBar

Episode 9 - Mike Sammons of 13 Celsius, Mongoose Versus Cobra, and Weights + Measures Jun 22, 2017

This week on What’s Eric Eating, restaurant consultant Nathan Ketcham returns to co-host the podcast with CultureMap Food Editor and host Eric Sandler. Eric and Nathan first discuss arguably the biggest news from the food world, Amazon’s agreement to buy Whole Foods for $14 billion and what that means moving forward. The guys then take a look at the local news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including, Dallas based Ascension Coffee’s announcement that they’re coming to Houston, Tilman Fertitta's purchase of 50% of New York based restaurant group EMM Group, and Ronnie Killen’s response to his restaurant Killen’s BBQ being left out of the top 10 of Texas Monthly’s Top 50 barbecue joints in Texas. Spoiler Alert: Ronnie was not happy. Then in the Restaurants of the Week section Eric and Nathan discuss their trips to Alice Blue in the Heights and Dot Coffee Shop’s new location off of I-10 East. One trip went well and the other… not so much, listen to find out more.

In this week’s Guest of the Week section, brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery, Mike Sammons of 13 Celsius, Mongoose Versus Cobra, and Weights + Measures joins the show. Eric and Mike discuss how Mike got into the restaurant industry, what it took to build 13 Celsius, where did the passion for wine come from, how Houston’s bar scene has grown, the direction Mongoose Versus Cobra has taken, why Mike scaled back the initial concept of Weights + Measures, how the east side of Houston is similar to Midtown 10 years ago, and much more! Plus Eric puts Mike through the What's Eric Eating lightening round and Mike brings a gift to the podcast.

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week segment is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and more!

#EricSandler #WhatsEricEating #NathanKetcham #MikeSammons #13Celsius #MongooseVersusCobra #WeightsandMeasures #WholeFoods #Amazon #AscensionCoffee #TilmanFertitta #EMMGroup #KillensBBQ #RonnieKillen #TexasMonthly #AliceBlue #DotCoffeeShop #Restaurant #Food #Bar #Houston #8thWonderBrewery #Beer #CraftBeer #WineBar

Episode 8 - Ryan Soroka of 8th Wonder Brewery Jun 15, 2017

CultureMap Food Editor and host Eric Sandler is joined this week by guest co-host Mary Clarkson, owner of L’Olivier. Eric and Mary take a look at some of the news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including, veteran chef John Sheely’s return to the kitchen with Lowbrow, the Impossible Burger food trend making its way to Houston, and some of the best stops for ice cream. Plus Eric and Mary discuss some of the new restaurants and bars that are opening in Houston this summer such as, Oxbow 7, Theodore Rex, A’Bouzy, and more. Then in the Restaurants of the Week section Eric and Mary discuss Balls Out Burger and Better Luck Tomorrow.

This week our guest of the week is Ryan Soroka, co-founder of 8th Wonder Brewery. Eric and Ryan discuss how 8th Wonder Brewery got started, how important it is for the brewery to be a hangout for people, what 8th Wonder does to stand out from the rest of the local beer market crowd, opening a location in San Antonio, what the future holds for 8th Wonder Brewery, their approach to beer trends, the future for the local beer market, whether they would be open to being acquired by another company, and much more! Plus Eric puts Ryan through the vaunted What’s Eric Eating lightning round.

What’s Eric Eating’s Guest of the Week section is brought to you by 8th Wonder Brewery. Visit 8thwonderbrew.com for brews, events, taproom info, and more!

#EricSandler #WhatsEricEating #RyanSoroka #8thWonderBrewery #MaryClarkson #LOlivier #JohnSheely #Lowbrow #ImpossibleBurger #Oxbow7 #TheodoreRex #ABouzy #BallsOutBurger #BetterLuckTomorrow #Restaurant #Food #Bar #Beer #CraftBeer #IPA

Episode 7 - Travis Lenig and Chico Ramirez of Field & Tides Jun 08, 2017

This week on What’s Eric Eating, Felice Sloan of Urban Swank co-hosts alongside CultureMap Food Editor and host Eric Sandler. In news of the week, Eric and Felice react to Jerry Built Homegrown Burgers closing its remaining 2 locations in the Houston area, Jonathan’s the Rub opening a second location, Tony’s bringing on Austin Waiter as their new chef de cuisine following the departure of chef Kate McLean, and the Jones on Main adding a food hall for about 12 different concepts. In the Restaurants of the Week section, Eric and Felice discuss Ohn Korean Eatery.

Then in the guest of the week section, Eric is joined by chef Travis Lenig and Chico Ramirez of Field & Tides. The guys discuss how the concept of Field & Tides came about, how the restaurant has been doing since it opened earlier this year, what items they’ve added to the menu, how Travis got started in the industry, the feedback they’ve gotten from both patrons and critics, the secret to success in opening a restaurant in the Heights, the possibility of opening more concepts, the challenges of opening a restaurant on the westside of Houston, and much more. Plus a What’s Eric Eating podcast first with Travis and Chico… a lightening round.

#EricSandler #WhatsEricEating #TravisLenig #ChicoRamirez #FieldandTides #FeliceSloan #UrbanSwank #JerryBuiltHomegrownBurgers #JonathansTheRub #KateMcLean #AustinWaiter #JonesonMain #OhnKoreanEatery #Food #Restaurant #Bar

Episode 6 - Ryan Lachaine of Riel Restaurant Jun 01, 2017

CultureMap Food Editor and host Eric Sandler hands over co-host duties this week to L’Olivier owner Mary Clarkson. Eric and Mary go through the news of the week from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including, Lopez Mexican Restaurant’s expansion announcement, Former Peska Seafood & Steaks executive chef Omar Pereney suing Peska, where does Treadsack Restaurants go following the closing of both Bernadine and Hunky Dory, and the rumors of what possible concepts might move into the space. Then in the Restaurants of the Week, Eric and Mary discuss Chengdu Taste in Chinatown, Heights Bier Garten, and Kings Bier House.

Eric is then joined by his guest of the week, Ryan Lachaine of Riel Restaurant. Eric and Ryan go into what Riel Restaurant is, the ideas behind the menu, how it’s been since opening earlier this year, how the neighborhood has been treating Riel, what it’s been like seeing/reading reviews of Riel from critics, the challenges of running your own restaurant, and what goals Ryan has for Riel.

#EricSandler #WhatsEricEating #MaryClarkson #LOlivier #RyanLachaine #RielRestaurant #Riel #LopezMexicanRestaurant #PeskaSeafoodandSteaks #OmarPereney #HunkyDory #Bernadine #TreadsackRestaurants #ChengduTaste #HeightsBierGarten #KingsBierHouse

Episode 5 - Will and Nichole Buckman of CorkScrew BBQ May 25, 2017

It’s a special BBQ edition of What’s Eric Eating this week as Texas Monthly released their list for the Top 50 Barbecue joints in Texas. To help breakdown the list CultureMap Food Editor and host Eric Sandler is joined by the cofounder of the Houston Barbecue Festival Michael Fulmer. The guys give their takes on the list, why the list is important, who finished where, what it takes to make the list, and look at the list from both the Houston and statewide perspectives.

Eric and Michael are then joined by Will and Nichole Buckman of CorkScrew BBQ to discuss their restaurant finishing 7th on the list, the reaction they’ve gotten since the news broke, how they’ve gotten better since the last time they were on Texas Monthly's top 50 list, their commitment to their restaurant, whether they would ever expand, the trends in the bbq scene, and much more!

#EricSandler #WhatsEricEating #CultureMap #MichaelFulmer #HoustonBarbecueFestival #WillBuckman #NicholeBuckman #CorkScrewBBQ #Barbecue #TexasMonthly #Food #Restaurant

Episode 4 - Jonathan Horowitz, CEO of Legacy Restaurants and President of the Houston Restaurant Association May 18, 2017

The ladies of the popular Houston food, beauty, and lifestyle blog Urban Swank stop by to co-host this week’s edition of What’s Eric Eating. Shanna Jones and Felice Sloan join CultureMap Food Editor and host Eric Sandler in breaking down the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Danny Trace being named executive chef of Potente and Osso and Kristalla, Graham Laborde’s announcement that he’s taking on an operational role with Ronnie Killen’s restaurant group, and more. Then this week’s restaurant’s of the week section features One Fifth Houston and FM Kitchen and Bar.

Jonathan Horowitz then joins the show to discuss how he keeps brands like Ninfa’s and Antone’s still relevant in the growing Houston restaurant scene, the expansion of both brands, the state of the restaurant industry in Houston, where do the upscale national brands fit in the Houston scene, where do new restaurants have opportunities to expand, his tips for restaurants to maintain their existing customer base and more. Plus Jonathan shares his thoughts and impressions on a restaurant that he’s had the opportunity to dine at recently.

#EricSandler #WhatsEricEating #JonathanHorowitz #LegacyRestaurants #HoustonRestaurantAssociation #Ninfas #AntonesFamousPoBoys #UrbanSwank #ShannaJames #FeliceSloan #CultureMap #DannyTrace #OssoandKristalla #Potente #GrahamLaborde #RonnieKillen #KillensRestaurants #OneFifthHouston #FMKitchenandBar #Houston #Food #Bar #Restaurant

Episode 3 - Bryan and Jennifer Caswell of Reef, Little Big’s, El Real Real Tex Mex Cafe, and Caswell and Company Catering May 11, 2017

This week CultureMap Food Editor and host Eric Sandler is joined by popular Houston bartender Chris Frankel. Eric and Chris go through the news of the week from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Chris being brought on to consult Cane Rosso on their bar program, Evan Turner leaving Helen Greek Food and Wine, and the opening of Better Luck Tomorrow, the new concept from Bobby Heugel and Justin Yu. Plus Brennan’s of Houston and Killen’s Steakhouse have hired new chefs, listen to find out who. In this week’s restaurants of the week section Chris gives his take on poke and poke restaurants such as Ono Poke on Richmond Ave. and Moku Bar in the Conservatory downtown, along with his take on Thai food in Houston as Eric and Chris recently took a trip to Rim Tanon on Richmond Ave.

For this week’s guest of the week section, renowned Chef Bryan Caswell and his wife Jennifer Caswell stop by the podcast to deliver some big news regarding their latest endeavor, a new restaurant concept that they’ll be opening this summer in Houston. Eric, Bryan, and Jennifer dive deep into the concept of the new place, the idea behind the name, how the opportunity came about, how it compares to their other restaurants, what ‘elevated bayou cuisine’ is, why this new restaurant is the most personal thing Bryan has ever done, their roles in this new restaurant, and much more! Bryan and Jennifer also share some info about what changes are coming for Reef and when we can expect to see them. Listen to find out all the details!

#WhatsEricEating #EricSandler #ChrisFrankel #BryanCaswell #JenniferCaswell #CultureMap #Reef #LittleBigs #ElRealTexMexCafe #CaswellandCompanyCatering #ConeRosso #HelenGreekFoodandWine #EvanTurner #BetterLuckTomorrow #BobbyHeugel #JustinYu #BrennansofHouston #OnoPoke #MokuBar #RimTanon #Food #Restaurant #Bar #Houston #Catering #Seafood #ThaiFood #Poke

Episode 2 - Ronnie Killen of Killen's Restaurants May 04, 2017

In this week's episode, Culture Map Food Editor and host Eric Sandler is once again joined by restaurant consultant Nathan Ketcham to discuss the news of the week from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Hugo Ortega of Hugo's finally winning Best Chef Southwest at the 2017 James Beard Awards, the popular restaurant chain Dat Dog coming to the Houston area, and Chef Paul Qui opening his new restaurant Aqui in Montrose. Eric and Nathan discuss their Restaurants of the week. This week restaurants, Ramen Tatsu-Ya in Montrose, Dolce Neve in the Heights, and Tacodeli on Washington Ave.

Eric is then joined by Ronnie Killen of Killen's Restaurants which includes Killen's Steakhouse, Killen's Barbecue, Killen's Burgers, and Killen's STQ. Eric and Ronnie discuss Killen's Burgers being the hardest to manage of the group, the challenges when running a burger place, people's expectations versus what Ronnie wants to execute, what defines gourmet, Killen's STQ's success, and what he said to Houston Texans star J.J. Watt when J.J. called about a reservation at STQ. Plus Ronnie reveals some major info regarding expansion. Hint: a barbecue place somewhere other than Houston. Listen to find out!

#WhatsEricEating #EricSandler #RonnieKillen #NathanKetcham #Culturemap #KillensBurgers #KillensSteakhouse #KillensSTQ #KillensBarbecue #HugoOrtega #Hugos #RamenTatsuya #DolceNeve #Tacodeli #Barbecue #BBQ #Burgers #Food #Restaurant #Bar #PaulQui #DatDog

Episode 1 - Lee Ellis and Jim Mills of Cherry Pie Hospitality Apr 26, 2017

In the debut episode of What's Eric Eating, CultureMap Food Editor and host Eric Sandler is joined by restaurant consultant Nathan Ketcham to discuss the news of the week from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including a recap of the 2017 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards. Eric and Nathan also discuss their visits to the Restaurants of the Week, Helen in the Heights and Salmontin in River Oaks.

Then guests, Lee Ellis and Jim Mills of Cherry Pie Hospitality join the show to discuss what it's been like for the first year of Cherry Pie Hospitality restaurant group, their restaurant State Fare winning the CultureMap Tastemaker Award for Best New Restaurant, opening Star Fish Houston just one week ago, creating Star Fish Houston's menu to be seafood centric, whether they plan on replicating their success with restaurant openings in other areas, and much more!

#WhatsEricEating #EricSandler #NathanKetcham #LeeEllis #JimMills #CherryPieHospitality #StarfishHouston #HelenintheHeights #Salmontin #CultureMap #TastemakerAwards #StateFare #PiPizza #LeesFriedChickenandDonuts #Houston #PetiteSweets #Food #Restaurant #Bar

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