A bunch of Rice Village eating places are teaming as much as elevating cash for the Southern Smoke Basis. Dubbed Dine Out Rice Village, the occasion is happening via January 31.
Modeled after the favored Houston Restaurant Weeks, the 4 eating places are serving prix fixe menus at lunch and dinner that embrace a corresponding donation to Southern Smoke, the Houston-based non-profit that gives emergency help and psychological well being companies to hospitality staff.
The collaborating eating places are:
- D’Amico’s Italian Market Cafe, which can serve a three-course dinner menu for $45 ($7 donation)
- Hamsa, an Israeli restaurant that can serve each a three-course lunch menu for $25 and a four-course dinner menu for $55 ($3 and $7 donation)
- Milton’s, an Italian restaurant that can serve a three-course dinner menu for $55 ($7 donation)
- Navy Blue, a seafood restaurant will serve each two-course lunch menu for $35 and a three-course dinner menu for $55 ($5 and $8 donation)
Navy Blue chef-owner Aaron Bludorn tells CultureMap that he proposed the occasion each to profit the nonprofit and to encourage new diners to take a look at the restaurant throughout January, which generally is a sluggish month for eating places.
“We attempt to help SSF as a lot as attainable as a result of it advantages our business in essentially the most impactful manner,” Bludorn explains. “Via offering a security internet to our crew members we’re stronger as a complete and may concentrate on offering distinctive experiences for the company of our eating places.”
As displayed on the Southern Smoke web site, every restaurant’s menu contains a few of its hottest dishes. At D’Amico’s, the choices embrace the soup of the day, Hen Asiago, Snapper D’Amico, and a cannoli. Hamsa’s menu contains salatin (small vegetable dishes), falafel, skewers, and dessert. The Milton’s menu contains each the cresto di gallo pasta (revived by culinary director Seth Siegel-Gardner from his time at The Cross & Provisions) and its signature hen parm. Navy Blue’s menu contains gumbo, Caesar salad, crawfish risotto, branzino, and the carrot cake that pastry chef Marie Riddle served on the 2024 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards.
The fan favourite cresto di gallo is on the menu at Milton’s.Picture by Julie Soefer
“We like to supply dishes that we’re identified for such because the Branzino and provides those that may not usually dine with us the chance to get pleasure from them,” Bludorn says.
Southern Smoke govt director Lindsey Brown provides that she welcomes different Rice Village eating places who need to take part. If this yr proves profitable, it might broaden to different elements of Houston sooner or later. In any case, the necessity is nice.
“In 2024, we granted $3 million via our emergency reduction fund ($2.6M) and to our college companions for our Behind You psychological well being program ($300,000). Each greenback raised — through Dine Out Rice Village and every other occasion or donation — issues to the F+B business so we will proceed to help them. We’re so grateful to our Rice Village associates for serving to us taking good care of our personal by launching this new initiative,” Brown says.
