Houston Kitchen Notebook
An in-depth look at some of our favorite dishes and cocktails from our time on the ground in Houston.
Las Pupusas de Jacks Monterey
In the kitchen of Jacks Monterey, you can find Mauricio, the man that introduced pupusas to their staff one Sunday. It’s a common food for Mauricio as his daughter-in-law, Maria, makes pupusas every Sunday for their church. To know what a pupusa is, the basis of it is a thick masa de maiz (corn flour) stuffed with one or more ingredients; traditionally with quesillo (soft cheese), chicharron (fried pork rind), ayote (squash), and frijoles. Once Danny Abbruzzese had a taste, he fell in love with the pupusas and asked Mauricio if Maria would make them for the restaurant. The El Salvadorian food item is now featured on the menu at Jacks Monterey. Made with masa de maiz and packed with house-made chicharron, jack cheese, and pork fat; then capped with Berkshire pork carnitas, curtido (a pickled cabbage relish), and served with a little side of spicy chile de arbol sauce to tickle your tongue. Jacks Monterey restaurant at Portola Hotel & Spa, has a philosophy centered on the globally-inspired traditions of California Culture Cuisine, they emphasize small plates, high-quality seafood, and local, sustainable ingredients.
A Pie Worth Celebrating
Spanakopita means celebration. But for most, it’s associated with that first part of said celebration where you walk in, check your coat, and pick a single crispy triangle off of a black tray platter accompanied by a paper napkin. At Helen Greek Food and Wine, Chef William Wright makes a spanakopita that is more than the cocktail party—it’s the main event. Wright’s Greens and Cheese Pie is served in a coil, a shape typically reserved for Greek desserts. This variation allows every forkful to be completely encrusted in flaky, house phyllo. Rather than just using “spana,” Wright opted for a whole slew of “horta,” or seasonal greens instead. In the balanced sweet and spicy mix, there are dandelion greens, mustard greens, swiss chard, collard greens, and spinach. This is all mixed with a blend Kefalograviera and feta cheese. The pie is finished with fried capers, oregano, Mizithra cheese, and ideally, a big ol’ gulp of Sigalas Santorini Assyrtiko to get the party goin’. Opa!
Spirit-Free Melon Cocktail
Bartender Sarah Crowl of Coltivare is one of the many advocates of spirit-free cocktails in Houston and of the hospitality-for-everyone movement. “We wanted to provide something that was all-inclusive to anyone who wants to celebrate,” says Crowl. The spirit-free section of Coltivare’s cocktail menu features a margarita variation named MELO FRESCA. The drink, which is just as carefully crafted as ones with alcohol, consists of an in-house cantaloupe shrub, coconut water, lime, orange, and salt, and is garnished with an elegant slice of cantaloupe. With the hospitality industry itself becoming more interested in self-care and sober living, along with the rise of a culture of sobriety spurred by millenials, the demand for spirit-free cocktails from both sides of the bar shows no signs of stopping. Here are some other spirit-free options on the offer at Coltivare: MI AMIGA, grapefruit, lime, jalapeño, agave, topo chico; DESIGNATED DRAGON, apple shrub, Italian marigold, cinnamon, elderflower tonic; NADA COLADA, pineapple, coconut water, almond orgeat, lime. Get inspired and add the spirit-free category to your menu.
The Chopped Muffaletta
Matt Staph, the chef de cuisine of One Fifth, faces an annual challenge. Every year, the restaurant’s concept changes and every year, he must create an entirely new menu. This became particularly challenging after last year’s sophisticated (and successful) One-Fifth Mediterranean. “This building has a stigma that we only do fine dining,” says Staph. “I just want people to come here and have a good time.” And for a theme like “Gulf Coast,” it’s important that Matt and the Underbelly Hospitality team treats guests as if they’re at home. What better way to do this than taking a quintessential Gulf Coast sandwich, the muffaletta, and breaking it down (literally). This chopped salad fantasy features all the muffaletta fix-ins—romaine, salami, capracol, carrots, castelvetrano olive salad, swiss cheese—chopped and mixed in a large, shareable bowl. Staph came up with the idea when on a research road trip with the One Fifth crew through the Gulf. His lighter rendition of a classic sandwich grants a taste of playfulness to the formerly fine-dining setting.
