Bonfire shrimp & ribs ($18.95) is a specialty combo on Texas Mesquite Grill’s menu, combining seafood and barbecue plates.[/caption]Houston Restaurant Weeks, the largest annual fundraiser benefiting America’s largest food bank, is set to kick off Aug. 1 and run through Sept. 5. Last year’s event raised a record-breaking $1.9 million for the Houston Food Bank, according to officials involved with the fundraiser.
Restaurants participating in the event offer special lunch and dinner menus. For each $20 lunch or brunch, restaurants will donate $3, generating nine food bank meals. Dinner prices range from $25 to $45, with restaurant donations ranging from $4 to $7 per dinner.
Several restaurants in Cypress are participating this year, and local restaurant owners are eager to get on board for the cause.
Austin Yates, owner of Texas Mesquite Grill, said his restaurant participated in the event for the first time last year. Between his Katy and Cypress locations, Texas Mesquite Grill generated about $4,000 for the organization, he said.
“We thought it was a good way to give back to the community,” Yates said. “It’s fixing a big problem that’s out there in feeding people that don’t have food, and it’s also a good deal to give our guests a three-course meal.”
The collaboration is a “win-win” to Yates and his crew. This year, the offerings from Texas Mesquite Grill include several classic and new items on the menu. Quail bites are among the appetizer options; baby back ribs, steak and seafood are available for the main course; and bread pudding is one of several dessert selections.
Participating restaurants can be found in the downtown Houston area as well as throughout suburban communities such as Cypress and The Woodlands. Restaurant types range from fine dining to casual eateries and cover a variety of cuisines.
Other Cy-Fair area restaurants participating include:
- 429 American Grille
- Alamo Drafthouse Cinema-Vintage Park
- Churrascos-Champions
- Dario’s American Cuisine
- El Tiempo-Vintage Park
- Jaxton’s Bistro
- Mezzanotte Ristornate
- Peli Peli-Vintage Park
- Steamboat House Restaurant
Diners can browse a list of more than 200 restaurant participants at www.houstonrestaurantweeks.com along with their respective multi-course prix-fixe menus.
Since its launch in 2003, proceeds from Houston Restaurant Weeks have provided 23 million meals for food insecure Houstonians. Annually, the hunger relief charity feeds 800,000 individuals through a network of food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers and more. Additional community services include nutrition education, school-based programs, food stamp applications and hands-on job training.
“As one who reports on restaurants and chefs in our city, I am so grateful for the outpouring of support by Houston’s restaurant industry and diners for Houston Restaurant Weeks,” Founder Cleverley Stone said in a press release. “Houston Restaurant Weeks has become one of the most anticipated times of the year for local foodies and visitors to our city.”
