Openings
After six months at its temporary location---and more than two decades at its former home---Tony Mandola’s has opened in a brand new stand-alone building in Montrose. Tony and Phyllis Mandola, long-time restaurateurs, designed the building as their dream eatery. The exterior of the new building is straight from New Orleans’ French Quarter, complete with a fountain and gas lamps; the interior, meanwhile, is comfy and sleek. And while the kitchen is 70 percent larger than the first one, the dishes that come out of it are still based on the same family recipes combining fresh Gulf Coast seafood with Italian favorites. Tony Mandola’s, 1212 Waugh Dr., Houston, TX 77019, 713-528-3474.
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Month-long Houston Restaurant Specials Yes, it’s plural now. The annual event to raise funds for the Houston Food Bank that began in 2003 is now a month-long restaurant crawl. This year’s event runs from August 1-31. Already more than 30 hot restaurants have signed up to participate, offering specially priced lunches and dinners with a portion of the proceeds going to the Houston Food Bank. It’s a great opportunity to sample $20, two-course lunches and $35, three-course dinners at such well known eateries as Feast, Mark’s American Cuisine, RDG + Bar Annie and Tony’s. Last year’s event raised $585,562 for the Houston Food Bank. For more information, visit www.houstonrestaurantweek.com and sign up to follow Houston Restaurant Weeks on Facebook and Twitter for menus and new restaurants.
Molina's Celebrates 70 Years Both Molina’s Cantina locations are celebrating their seventieth birthdays this month as the state's oldest family-owned and -operated Tex-Mex eatery. Hard to believe but it was back in 1941 when Raul and Mary Molina bought the Old Monterrey Inn, a restaurant where Raul started as a dishwasher after coming to Houston from Mexico in the 1920’s. Today, it’s the grandkids that run the operation but some of the classic dishes are still exactly the same. Molina fans can follow the restaurant on Facebook and Twitter to check for daily specials, including 1941 prices, a chance to have a dish named after you, drink specials and prize giveaways. The Washington Avenue location will throw a fiesta July 31 with mariachis, free appetizers and margarita specials. Molina’s Cantina, 4720 Washington Ave., Houston, TX 77007, 713-862-0013.
Get Your Summer Lobster Fix at The Palm The Palm, that venerable old Galleria area steakhouse, is offering a summer lobster special. The Return of the Summer Lobster nets you a four-pound Nova Scotia lobster, split for two, with melted butter, a starter salad and potato or vegetable sides for $95. Additional lobster can be had for $15 a pound. The special runs through August 31. The Palm, 6100 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77057, 713-977-2544.
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