The locations and menus for Houston Restaurant Weeks are being posted.
http://www.houstonrestaurantweeks.com
It's like the NCAA Selection Sunday for Houston foodies. For those unfamiliar with this, certain restraunts in Houston (mostly fine dining) offer a $35, 3 course dinner with a limited menu. People use the website to make reservations and make sure that they mention Houston Restaurant Week. $5 of that dinner will then be donated to the Houston Food Bank. It is win, win, win. The Food Bank gets 100% of the money, $1.7 million to date from this event, restaurants get a great way to market to the very people they want to appeal to, and you get the chance to try new places that might otherwise be out of your price range. The website has more details.

Anyway, any other Houstonians out there excited by this? My picks:
Brennan's - Restaurant Royalty in Houston
divino -I don't know what Crispy Pork Shoulder is, only that I want it.
Artisans - Desserts are usually the same with a lot of bread pudding, but their lineup looks strong and unique.
Feast - Call yourself and adventerous eater? You can get a dinner of pickled lamb's tongue, braised prok cheeks, and honey and rosemary ice cream. If you don't like something, you are only out $35.

Artisans is excellent and a very unique restaurant. Their filet is one of the best in town (this is me ducking...incoming). And, yes, their deserts are outstanding.

My main goal in life is to find a beer as cold as a woman's heart

Ibiza would be my pick.

Fatties rejoice!!!

Did Haven and Feast last year.

Underbelly and Oxheart look like their notably absent, the two places I've yet to eat where I've really been wanting to.

Oh well will just have to suck it up and not be lolpoor.

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Fatties rejoice!!!

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That isn't the final list. I don't see how Underbelly could not be on the list.

My list of places to go this year:

Feast - the snails on toast are phenomenal
Bistro de Amis - foie gras and duck confit
Brenner's on the Bayou
Sorrel Urban Bistro
Eddie V's
Backstreet Cafe

the worst week to work in Houston.....SO glad i dont have to put up with that crap anymore!!!!

But it is a good cause!


Just understand that ordering off this "menu" is like ordering a well done steak

And how is it:

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It is win, win, win.

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Sure you get to try something new.....win
Sure the food bank get money....BIG WIN
the Restaurant is a loss!


The restaurant has to sell 3 plates under cost or under quality standards...there is a reason that you dont typically see $30 3 course meals at these restaurants.

If you really want to make it win win win:

a) Tip like you paid full menu price - not just the event prices
b) talk up your favorite meals on social media
c) GO BACK to the restaurants you actually like! So many only go to some of these place because of the deal, but help out your favorites by becoming a regular.

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The restaurant has to sell 3 plates under cost or under quality standards...there is a reason that you dont typically see $30 3 course meals at these restaurants.

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Is participation forced?

in actuality no, it is not forced...but do you really want to be the restaurant that turned down the food bank???? That would be some pretty bad press....and prices are set by the food bank.


They play the guilt card fairly thick...there is a reason why you dont see the same restaurants on the bill EVERY year...





and for the love of pete, dont special order on these menus.....the cooks HATE these weeks.....dont piss them off any more....

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"Food should be fun." -Thomas Keller

[This message has been edited by bonfirewillburn (edited 7/19/2012 10:48p).]

The only reason I'm going to any of them is because it is for the food bank. The only place I really have to go is Bistro de Amis for duck confit and foie gras. Anything else will just be places my wife has been looking for an excuse to try.

I call BS!
You go because you can get a great meal, at a restaurant that you dont typically frequent/have been wanting to "try", for a price the doesn't hurt all that much.

The $5 to the food bank is just makes it all feel good.

If you care that much, the food bank is ALWAYS looking for packers/sorters/and straight donations. It not like the central warehouse/donation office is "out of the way." How hard is it, really, to cut a $10 dollar check (equal to the donation for the dinner for 2 you will likely be getting) once a month or so?

At the end of the day it is a GREAT cause that I have spent MANY DAYS(if not weeks) helping out with, in my free time. I truly believe that everyone deserves to have a good meal EVERYDAY and that sitting down to a meal with friends can do wonders for the soul. And I will continue to support these organizations wherever I am at.


Ultimately, if a restaurant is going to "join the cause" it is far better you to utilize it and the fund raiser than to not. So go! Enjoy! But just understand a little deeper what is really going on.

_______________________________________________________
"Food should be fun." -Thomas Keller

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b) talk up your favorite meals on social media
c) GO BACK to the restaurants you actually like! So many only go to some of these place because of the deal, but help out your favorites by becoming a regular.

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That is how they win. The problem with fine dining is how to grow your brand. One way is to be an institution, but that takes forever. You could have a chef get on TV, but that is pretty rare. Or you can have a limited promotion to get foodie inclinded people, the kind of people who would pay for cuisine, into the restaurant for a "test drive". I went to two last year, Brennan's and Charivari. It worked well for Brennan's, not so much for Charivari. But what were the odds I'd have tried Charivari without Houston Restaurant Week? 1 in 60 or so?

That being said, I don't begrudge any restaurant that chooses not to participate and I understand this is not the most pleasant time for the staff. However, I think a story about a manager "being pressured" to participate is either an excuse for the staff or is a pushover as a manager.

Finally, I know that the customers can ruin it by forgetting that they are getting a unique opportunity. This will eventually be the downfall of Houston Restaurant Week.
[EDIT]

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If you care that much, the food bank is ALWAYS looking for packers/sorters/and straight donations.

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I've done this a couple times and it is actually an easy and fun way to pitch in. Also, a little bit of an eye opener about free food. I sorted a ton of Pop Tarts. We didn't always have a lot of money growing up, but luckily we had parents that made a balanced dinner a priority. We NEVER had Pop Tarts.

[This message has been edited by FarmerJohn (edited 7/19/2012 11:23p).]

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That is how they win.

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Then make sure you do it! This is why I recommended it. This helps make it win, win, win.

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The problem with fine dining is how to grow your brand.

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I agree, to an extent. But how woes setting a price below you average going to accomplish this? People can come in and see you atmosphere? Will that really grow your brand. Because selling plates that are below you cost/ability/focus will not. A better way would be to allow each restaurant to make their own prices with a 5 dollar spiff to the Food Bank.

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You could have a chef get on TV, but that is pretty rare.

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This desire is the exception that most turn there nose up at

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Or you can have a limited promotion to get foodie inclinded people, the kind of people who would pay for cuisine, into the restaurant for a "test drive".

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If you are a "foodie inclined person" you will find your way in anyways.

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But what were the odds I'd have tried Charivari without Houston Restaurant Week? 1 in 60 or so?

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this proves my point. If you were really "foodie inclined" these odds would be WAY less.

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I don't begrudge any restaurant that chooses not to participate and I understand this is not the most pleasant time for the staff. However, I think a story about a manager "being pressured" to participate is either an excuse for the staff or is a pushover as a manager.

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If your an "institution" like you said then NO it will not harm you, but that takes a LONG time like you stated. Now, if your an upstart...trying to make your reputation.....?

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If you are a "foodie inclined person" you will find your way in anyways.

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Playing hard to get might work in the dating world, but much less so when offering a good or service. The fact of the matter is I have a limited about of time and money to devote to trying places. I have to pick and choose these options and if a place makes it easier to pick them, great. Raising the price would work for some, but I'm already not going to Hearsay for HRW as it doesn't really represent a great value compared to their usual menu prices.

Expanding this beyond just Houston Restaurant Week, picking a fine dining restaurant is a little like ordering once you get there. You know you like the ribeye. The ribeye never disappoints. However, the Chilean sea bass is the special for the night. It could be really good. It could be really bad. That element of the unknown plays into it and many times you go with what you know. I had this issue a little over a month ago. I needed a restaurant where I could propose to my now fiancee. I'd been to Brenner's and knew that was a great place. But thanks to Houston Restaurant Week, I KNEW Brennan's was also what I was looking for. I ended up at Brenner's, in part because they list their prices on the internet, but Brennan's wouldn't have even come to mind for that very special occassion without Houston Restaurant Week.

Again, not for every place, but just the fact this has generated discussion on two boards and last night some friends were interested enough to open the website for the first time when I was at their house shows the marketing power. Reading Tipping Point, getting "Mavens" interested in a place is the single most important factor in growing a brand. Everyone is not created equal when it comes ot marketing but if you get enough subject matter experts on board, it will carry itself. But that is a discussion for another day.

[This message has been edited by FarmerJohn (edited 7/20/2012 11:40a).]