This weekend was one of those magical blocks of time where you're enjoying yourself far too much to remember to stress about Monday morning. Long weekends are wasted without an evening out on the town, and I certainly wanted to take advantage of the vibe and the weather of the city this week, so my one evening wonderfully evolved into three, feasting (both physically and mentally) on some of the best that Houston has to offer.
Dinner at Eater Houston’s 2018 Restaurant of the Year, Nancy’s Hustle, was entirely worth our trust in the hype. With far too many mouthwatering dishes to choose from, we opted for the eatery’s signature Nancy cakes, followed by parmesan and pancetta croquettes, sourdough tagliatelle, and their burger on a brioche english muffin. With a hip vibe so immense it can barely be contained in the quaint space, and a menu crowded with exciting flavor possibilities, I can certainly understand what has inspired the hubbub around this east downtown hot spot.
Saturday called for an early dinner at Rodeo Goat, a meal that included blow-your-mind savory fries, and a perfectly prepared burger (the Marvin Zindler, for me) that I’d like to revisit very soon. This was absolutely the most beautiful part of the day, with impressive views of the area to keep us company while we devoured the meal in front of us.
As a longtime Parks and Recreation fanatic, and with my partner’s interest in the art of the brew, we visited 8th Wonder Brewery for their annual Harris Phest (spelled just so as a tribute to the band Phish) in honor of the memory of comedian Harris Wittels. Dome Faux'm continues to be my favorite of their collection, but when it comes to 8th Wonder there’s more of a “come for the beer, stay for the ambience” sort of impression. A truth I imagine Harris would appreciate, especially hosted at the taproom founded by a handful of his childhood friends.
Certainly a weekend for celebration, our favorite spot to grab a bite and a drink, Conservatory, threw a week long extravaganza commemorating their third year feeding the masses. From lunch on our wedding day, to late night conversations over pizza and pho, this downtown food hall has a special place in our hearts, and our stomachs. The addition of spirits to their bar has been appreciated, as my love for a proper old-fashioned continues to heighten, and that’s basically all that was missing from Conservatory’s earlier days.
For the dream-come-true portion of the weekend, Houston welcomed my favorite band, Snow Patrol, to the Revention Music Center for a night of glorious coffeehouse rock. This was the band’s first time headlining in Houston in seven years, and they were sure to bring the fire to make up for their absence. Crooning hits like “Chasing Cars” and “Run” alongside new favorites, “Life on Earth” and “Heal Me”, front-man Gary Lightbody exceeded expectations and created a truly earth-moving evening for their fans.
