Photo by Julie Soefer Photography

Learn how to make classic cocktails with Julep's Alba Huerta and Kenny Freeman.

Chef Tony Vallone and his team have put together the menu for his last Italian Regional Cuisine Dinner of 2014: Una Serata Milanese: an evening in Milan at Ciao Bello. The five-course meal -- which features four wine-pairings and classic Milanese dishes like branzino with mussels and fennel, oxtail-stuffed pasta en brodo, and osso buco with saffron risotto -- will be held Wednesday, November 5 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $125 per person (+ tax and gratuity). There is limited availability, so call 713-960-0333 to reserve your spot.

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And all across Montrose, a heavy sigh was heard.

When other parts of the country have suffered economic downturns in recent years, Houston's economy has fortunately remained stable. One ironic and sad side effect of that durability is the climbing real estate prices. There are more profitable things that landowners can do than lease restaurants.

As reported yesterday, El Tiempo 1308 Cantina is probably going to have to move sometime after January 1 because the land is being sold. Apartments will be built in its place. The Montrose location of the popular local chain opened back in 2007. On the plus side, at least there are other El Tiempo locations in town to tide over diners who get a hankering for its freshly-made guacamole.

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A sad sign indeed

We just received word that Polovina Italian Cafe has been locked out by its landlord, allegedly for non-payment of rent.

A sign on the door posted on the door says new keys will be issued once payment is made to the company handling the rent.

In September, Joanna O'Leary wrote about Polovina for us, saying that it appeared it was trying to reach several different and perhaps conflicting audiences at once.

We'll update once we hear more news.

Photo by Phaedra Cook

Chef Kevin Naderi on the sunny patio of Lillo & Ella

In Part 1 of our chat with Kevin Naderi, he related a fond memory of the special Persian dinners he made at Roost alongside his mom and grandmother. Does cooking run in the family? In Part 2, we find out and along the way delve into some deeper issues that affect many of Houston's independent restaurants. Naderi voices some strong opinions on the support independent restaurants need from Houston's dining public if the scene is to continue to evolve.

Additionally, we talk about the ambitious cocktail program that some veteran Houston bartenders created for Lillo & Ella, the food at both of Naderi's restaurants and how the dark, fun and funky former home of El Big Bad became the light, colorful and airy Lillo & Ella.

EOW: Did anyone in your family ever cook professionally?

KN: No, not at all, but when my dad came from Iran originally about 40 years ago, he worked at Rotisserie For Beef & Bird back in the day. My uncle Barry, who's a partner with me on [Lillo & Ella], used to work at countless restaurants and he's a walking encyclopedia. He knows where everybody came from, who the manager was, who the chef was, signature dishes from back in the day--it blows my mind. Customers will come in and say, "Oh, down the street there used to be this restaurant that I remember and he'll jump in and be like, "Oh, I know exactly who owned it."

It's important to remember history. Houston, as fast as we're growing, we're really like letting go of a lot of history. We're not keeping a lot of historical buildings and all these restaurants, as good as they are or were back then--they're just shutting down. It's really sad to see.

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Jef With One F

Spinach quiche keeps well for days and is a fun, easy dish kids can help you make

Maybe you're one of those people that makes the family dinner and says, "This is what we're having. If you don't like it, you don't eat." I admire that sort of fortitude, but I am paying a penance form being a picky pain in the ass as a child. Now I prepare three dinners every night. One is for me, one is for my wife, and one is for our five-year-old. It sounds like a chore, and it is, but with a little forethought and a few tips you can get used to maneuvering among several different dinners at once.

Rice Cookers
Rice cookers, and for those of you that like to get up early, crock pots, are a godsend to someone trying desperately to get several different meals going at once. You can make a dozen or more dishes entirely within a rice cooker, including sausage and rice, chicken and rice, and... well, you get the idea. The point is that it is a small device that can be shunted off to the side and forgotten while you deal with other things. That's part of the magic of multiple meal prep; finding shortcuts not for time, but for attention.

Stagger Leftovers
When it comes to my own fare I like to stick with things that I can make and eat for several days. Pots of turkey chili, chicken and potato combos, or even just broiled burgers and reheated sweet potato fries. You sacrifice one day of extra effort for three days of leisure where you just pop one entrée in the microwave and you're good to go. It can cut your workload by a third and keep husbanding that precious attention span. If you're carefully in how you plan your days, you might end up only actually cooking one dinner a night through staggering leftovers.

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Photo by Brooke Viggiano

These are no ordinary dogs...

If you love happy hour as much as we do, you'll love this new series. We're taking a look at the best happy hours in town, 'hood by 'hood. To narrow it down, we're focusing on the spots with the best deals on not only drinks, but eats, too. From upscale eateries serving bar bites and half-priced wine to dives with cheap beer and burgers, we've got it all. See the complete list at the end of this post

This week, we're moving east of downtown to the area known as the East End.

Honorable mention: Voodoo Queen.

Note: For the purposes of this list, the East End is based off of this official map, which roughly places its boundaries at Clinton Drive to the north, I-45 to the south, 610 to the east and parts of 59 to the west.

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Photo by Joanna O'Leary

Oyster Sampler

As a self-identified "foodie" and food writer, there's little excuse I can offer for never having visited Tony Mandola's during my seven-plus years in Houston. "Mistakes were made," as they say, and it was only a few days ago that my inaugural meal took place. Note, "inaugural," not initial, because plans are already in place for follow-up visits.

The expansive menu offerings at Tony Mandola's make it impossible to appreciate the restaurant's culinary versatility in just a single albeit long dinner. Although Tony Mandola's ostensibly specializes in Gulf Coast seafood, this proclamation is not by any means limiting when it comes to designing ways in which to showcase this type of regional protein.

An entire repast could be made out oysters, to which an entire section of the menu is dedicated. "Plain," freshly shucked gulf oysters emitted a lovely maritime aroma that led us to slurp two down immediately without thought of lemon or horseradish. The addition of these condiments added a nice spicy, citrus twang that cut through the brine. Mandola's baked oysters are not overstuffed and oversalted like those at some other area seafood restaurants (Pappas, can you hear me?); the Rockefeller oysters, for example, maintain a good balance of bivalve, breadcrumbs, and garlic butter that gives rise to a rich but not cloying flavor. Likewise, the Bienville version are lightly dressed in a parmesan sauce and dotted with pepper and bacon such that you never forget you're eating oysters and not some bizarro seafood nacho. A trio sampler, btw, is the best way to try the aforementioned varieties plus the Buccaneer style with crabmeat.

Photo by Joanna O'Leary

Shrimp Cocktail Vincente

Another standout starter is the shrimp cocktail Vincente, a delightful Mexican riff on traditional dish whose traditionally effete flavors reflect its WASP origins. Mandola's puts the prawns directly in the cocktail sauce, which is spicier and heartier due to the inclusion of pico de gallo and avocado chunks. The concoction could easily be consumed with a spoon, but use the accompanying fried tortilla triangles and you'll enjoy a pleasant salty crunch with each bite.

This story continues on the next page.

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Photo by Rachel Bohanan.

This Thanksgiving, let Houston restaurants take care of the fuss.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner -- and if you aren't planning on burning your house down with a turkey fryer (again) or you just don't feel like cooking, you're going to need some ideas on where to eat. Well you've come to the right place, friends.

From casual options and brunches to fancy five-course affairs, here is your Thanksgiving 2014 Dining Guide:

Note: Don't forget to make your reservations quickly, as these spots are bound to fill up!

024 Grille
945 N. Gessner, 281-501-4350

Head to this modern American eatery from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to enjoy an all-you-can-eat Thanksgiving Day feast ($55/adult; $45/senior; $25/child age 6-12). Along with complimentary mimosas, indulge in pastries and muffins, seasonal fruits, made-to-order omelets, eggs benny, roasted butternut squash soup, an assortment of fresh greens, turkey and prime beef carving stations, smoked chicken and cornbread stuffing, goat cheese whipped potatoes, French green bean casserole, smoked gouda mac', and more. And we didn't even get to dessert. A chocolate fountain, honey bourbon pecan pie, and bananas foster bread pudding (among others) help round out the affair.

Américas
2040 W. Gray, 832-200-1492
21 Waterway, 281-367-1492

Both Américas locations will being serving Thanksgiving Day brunch buffet -- featuring Cordua classics alongside holiday favorites with Latin flair -- from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. ($49 adults; $15 for children age 6 to 12). Enjoy dishes like pumpkin and chorizo empanadas, maple glazed pecan ham, loaded mashed potatoes, aji-pepper-rubbed roast turkey, and pumpkin spice tres leches; Then wash it all down with some cinnamon-spiced cranberry sangria (additional charge) for good measure.

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But where will we go for killer margaritas?

Sometime after the start of the year, El Tiempo 1308 Cantina will have to move.

Roland Laurenzo announced this in an email today, saying that his landlord is selling the land to someone for an apartment project.

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Photo by Phaedra Cook

Kevin Naderi relaxes in a booth upholstered in cheerful orange at Lillo & Ella

Kevin Naderi has the daunting task of running not one, but two independent restaurants that each have a unique identity. Roost has been a mainstay of the Montrose neighborhood for almost three years and has scored national recognition on more than one occasion. He's dad to a new "baby" now, too. Lillo & Ella is the fledgling that has only been open for about six months.

In this first part of our chat with Naderi, we'll talk about his native Houstonian roots and how becoming a chef helped turn the former bad boy into a grounded chef and business owner.

EOW: Are you a native Houstonian?

KN: Yes. I was born and raised here. I went to Bunker Hill Elementary, Memorial Middle School and Memorial High School. I went to The Art Institute [of Houston], too.

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