As the Woodlands has grown, we've seen explosive growth in the local restaurant market. Newcomers open every month, anxious to tap into the thriving economy by feeding hungry residents. Some succeed. Some fail. But all help the dining scene change and evolve into something more interesting.
Once thing we've bemoaned repeatedly is the lack of good BBQ in the Woodlands. While there are a smattering of BBQ joints, we've yet to run across a place that serves the kind of 'Q that we crave. Heck, most of the time when we're in the mood for BBQ, we hike down I-45 to Louetta and give Rudy's, the San Antonio import, our business.
So we were excited to hear from one of our Twitter followers about a new BBQ place opening up off Sawdust road. Called Corkscrew BBQ, it is an oversized BBQ truck/trailer semi-permanently located on Budde road, half a block south of Sawdust. Painted black with a bright pink roof, you won't miss the trailer when you drive down Budde Road, perhaps on the way to an Orwall little league game.
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| The Corkscrew BBQ Truck |
Corkscrew BBQ is new to the Woodlands, but the people behind it are not new to BBQ. Will and Nichole Buckman are the owners, and they have operated a successful catering business on the north side for years. Corkscrew BBQ is the result of their desire to serve a bigger market on a daily basis, applying their hard-won expertise in the catering field.
So how is the BBQ? As every real Texan knows, BBQ is all about slow-cooking meat with plenty of honest-to-Robb wood smoke. Corkscrew's wood of choice is oak, and they use plenty of it.
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| Native Texas Oak is the source of fire and smoke in Corkscrew BBQ's pit |
Unlike many urban BBQ places, Corkscrew's pit runs exclusively on wood - there's no gas involved at all. Oak was selected because it's a fairly hot-burning wood, and Will Buckman prefers not to overpower the flavor of the meat with the flavor of smoke, and a hotter fire shifts the balance in favor of the meat flavor.
The pit itself is a good-sized rotary shelf unit, with individual meats wrapped in foil to retain their juices.
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| The pit at Corkscrew BBQ |
Corkscrew smokes the traditional brisket, ribs and sausage, and also plans to go beyond the standards with occasional daily specials. On our first visit, we were in a bit of a hurry, and sampled only the chopped beef sandwich.
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| Chopped Beef at Corkscrew BBQ |
Chopped beef can tell you a lot about the philosophy of a BBQ joint. Some places use the least desirable scraps, hiding the poor quality behind too much strong sauce. Corkscrew's approach is one we prefer: Freshly chopped brisket, mixed with just enough sauce, topped with veggies. Crunchy sliced onions and pickles (and jalapeños, if you'd like) complete the sandwich, and we liked the not-overly-sweet tang of the housemade sauce.
We returned two days later, and talked with Will Buckman about how their first weekend went. They were very busy - apparently we weren't the only ones in the Woodlands who were hungry for a new BBQ spot. Will insisted that we try his brisket, and hauled out a slab.
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| Brisket at Corkscrew BBQ |
The brisket had a beautiful dark bark, and the grit of the house rub was plainly visible. A cut revealed a quarter-inch smoke ring in a nice, dark pink.
He sliced off a sample (an outside cut from the fatty end) and we dug in. The smoky flavor was subtle, but certainly present. We've had BBQ where the smoke totally overpowered the flavor of the beef, but that wasn't a problem at Corkscrew. The 'Q was slightly drier than we prefer, but a dash of the tangy housemade sauce addressed that problem, and added a nice bite to the flavor.
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| Brisket at Corkscrew BBQ |
Bottom line: Corkscrew's brisket is easily among the best to be had in the Woodlands.
Will had an enigmatic smile on his face, and handed me a small container. "It's our cobbler. Today's is apple." Never being one to insult a man with a hot pit and sharp knives, I opened the container and sampled the warm cobbler.
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| Apple Cobbler at Corkscrew BBQ |
Corkscrew's cobbler is superb. A soft, flaky, buttery crust balanced with the zest of the spicy apples, sweet but not cloyingly so. We're anxious to return and sample the other cobblers, including peach and seasonal berries.
The Woodlands has been in need of a serious BBQ joint ever since I've moved here, and Corkscrew BBQ is already filling that void. Between the tasty brisket and superb cobbler, we'll be back, and often. If you love BBQ, you will, too.
Corkscrew BBQ | Budde Road just south of Sawdust | The Woodlands, TX 77380
832-592-1184 | www.CorkscrewBBQ.com | Twitter: @CorkscrewBBQ
Houston's rock star chef, Randy Rucker (of Tenacity Dining, Rainbow Lodge and Laidback Manor fame) has announced his latest venture.
Bootsie's Heritage Cafe is scheduled to open this February in Tomball, at 112 Commerce St. Details are scarce, but we expect Rucker to wow local foodies with his creative takes on local seafood and superbly crafted comfort food.
Particularly exciting are rumors of the Mother Rucker burger. We're looking forward to sampling the hamburger that measures up to Rucker's exactling standards.
Texas may not have been the most likely place for an east coast kid who grew up in the Hamptons to settle but that’s exactly what he’s doing. Chef John Tesar announced today he would open Tesar’s Modern Steak & Sustainable Seafood this August in the Woodlands.
The chef says his roots are submerged deeply in the ocean he grew up near and always will be: "I identify with the sea there so completely and it’s companionship with our modern steak concept though I look forward to opening my first eponymous restaurant in Texas. Texas and Texans have been kind to me. I lived in Dallas for three years and loved it. Came back to New York for less than three months and found I missed it," said Tesar.
Tesar, a 2009 James Beard semi-finalist for Best Chef: Southwest has seen crowds gather for his fare and his commitment to sustainable food sources when he revamped the menu and restaurant into three distinct dining areas at the Mansion on Turtle Creek.
Nationally lauded restaurant critic, John Mariani wrote Chef Tesar brought "New York edge to Texas swagger," when he named the Mansion Restaurant one of Esquire’s Ten Best New Restaurants of 2008.
Since his early 20's Chef Tesar has created his own restaurants and reinvented others for some of the best chefs, hotels and resorts from New York, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas and Dallas. "I’ve been asked many times to brand my name, but timing is everything, and this is the time. Tesar's will be a special place," Tesar commented.
Fresh from his success in Dallas, Tesar looked to investors who believed in modern gastronomy for his next adventure. "Planning this concept has been intense," Tesar says. "Plenty of investors showed interest, but I needed to find the dedicated 'sustainable' backers. We take from flora and fauna without regard to maintenance; even poisoning it with the chemicals we use to make 'earth-foods' grow. But, people care more about what they eat now and my customers are desirous of the locavore and sustainable movement," states Chef Tesar.
Tesar’s Modern Steak & Sustainable Seafood will parlay the chef’s talents with a varied menu loaded with organically grown, "green" selections using side-by-side comparisons of grass and grain-fed beef and earth-easy seafood.
"Modern Steak is not only tastier it’s healthier." opines Tesar. "I’m currently engaging ranchers who practice these newer, cleaner modern ways of raising and aging cattle. My entire menu will be 100 percent sustainable created with a zero-waste food ethics in mind. This will also include our hamburgers served at our outside burger bar."
Tesar’s will have multiple options and price points for diners including a bar lounge menu, raw bar, chef’s room and main dining room with whole fish choices. "Whole fish will be a principal part of our menu. It’s an amazing way to taste the true flavor of the sea and the quality of finfish," informs Tesar.
McCarble and Tesar say they hope this to be the first of many restaurants. "Diners are searching for modern thoughtful cuisine everywhere, and the demand is high," states Tesar.
Pizza by Marco, based out of Dallas, will open its first Houston location at Market Street this July. Market Street is the outdoor shopping and entertainment district in the Woodlands.
Pizza by Marco is one of the oldest pizzerias in Dallas, and was honored by D Magazine as the best pizzaria in Dallas.
Founded by the Nuccio family of Dallas in 1955, Pizza by Marco is known for to its secret family sauce and flatbread crust. The new restaurant will serve lunch and dinner with delivery available. The menu will feature pizza, pasta and a wide selection of vegan toppings and preservative-free cheese.
Pizza by Marco at Market Street will be led by owner Frank Barnard, a longtime resident of the Dallas area and successful restaurateur.
There's a new spot opening up in Vintage Park (Hwy 249 at Louetta) that we're looking forward to checking out. Called Peli Peli, it's an upscale casual restaurant with cuisine that looks very interesting.
Peli Peli (also known as Piri Piri or Peri Peri), which means Bird’s-Eye Chili, is a spice found by the Portuguese in the 15th Century on the plains of Southern Africa. The spice rapidly became popular when used to prepare sauces and marinades for Portuguese and African foods. The Bird's-Eye Chili is the cornerstone spice for the cuisine at Peli Peli.
The chef behind this new spot is Paul Friedman, the man who create Paul's Pizza, the popular local pizza chain with some very interesting recipes. Chef Paul has had over 35 years of experience in the restaurant industry, having owned and operated successful restaurant concepts in South Africa and Germany as well as Paul's Pizza.
They're planning a grand opening event with a Live Jazz Brunch on Mother's Day (May 10) from 11 to 3.
For more information, browse their Web Site
Escalante's has opened its fifth Houston location in Sugar Land's bustling Town Square. Escalante's offers Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisine in a casual, upscale setting.
Swirll Frozen Yogurt is also open, offering a variety of frozen desserts and treats for kids of all ages.
This summer, Taisho will be opening a contemporary Japanese eatery in Town Square. Taisho features a variety of Japanese dishes, as well as the popular hibachi grill popularized by the Benihana chain.
Ryan Granger, owner of the Park Grill, has announced his new Mexican restaurant and tequila bar, Bodegas Taco Shop. It is scheduled to open on February 27 on the corner of Caroline at Ewing.
Bodegas will feature a variety of chicken and beef tacos, with over ten salsas to top them. Desserts will be offered as will a full bar.
Attention to all fans of 70's funk, attractive women, and man food: Brick House Tavern & Tap has opened a location on Highway 290 in northwest Houston.
Following in the footsteps of Hooters, Brick House is a new example of the "brestaurant" concept that is gaining in popularity. Combining guy-friendly comfort food, a "man cave" atmosphere, and an attractive, all-female waitstaff, Brick House is positioned as a guy's home-away-from-home, a place where he can relax with his buddies and behave in an un-politically-correct manner.
Beer selection includes tableside micro-kegs, 40 ounce bottled beers, 100 oz beer bongs, and hand-pulled cask beer.
Brick House Tavern & Tap, 12910 Hwy 290, Houston, 77040, 713-462-0576, brickhousetavernandtap.com
Grimaldi's Pizza, the legendary Brooklyn pizza joint, has opened its first establishment in the Houston area. Located across the Southwest Freeway from Sugar Land's First Colony mall, Grimaldi's has been delighting local residents with their three types of pizza: Red (traditional margharita) White (with garlic) and Green (with pesto). Prices aren't cheap, but for those seeking NY-style pizza, it's a lot cheaper than a plane ticket to La Guardia.
Closer to town, Russo's New York Coal-Fired Pizza has opened their second location on I-10 at Echo Lane. Befitting it's Memorial location this is a higher-end pizza joint, with a beautiful interior that complement the crowd-pleasing coal-fired pizza.
Mia Bella, the popular downtown restaurant, has opened a branch in the Vintage Park shopping center, Hwy 249 at Louetta. Vintage Park is a themed outdoor shopping center along the lines of Market Street in the Woodlands or Town Square in Sugar Land.
Mia Bella is part of Youssef Nafaa's Bella Restaurant Group, which also operates Collin's Chop House, Cava Bistro, CoCo's Crepes & Coffee, Saffron Moroccan Cuisine and Cielo Mexican Bistro.
Another Mia Bella is planned for the new Pavillion center in downtown Houston.
More info: bellarestaurants.com