Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co. is nearing the opening of its new 28,000-square-foot facility at Sawyer Yards. How do we know? The brewery has announced the hiring of Arash Kharat, formerly of Beaver's, to run its kitchen. When the brewery opens in late 2019, look for a 200-seat upper-floor restaurant, plus a rooftop patio overlooking the downtown skyline.

We have a new Understory tenant. When the food hall opens at Capitol Tower this summer, it'll also have a Seaside Poke. The popular poke bowl joint will join East Hampton Sandwich Co., Boomtown Coffee, Mama Ninfa's Tacos y Tortas, Mona Fresh Italian Food, and Flip 'n Patties. 

Wednesday is Houston's Taste of the Nation, where a bunch of the city's favorite restaurants and beverage producers will offer plenty to eat and drink, all to benefit the No Kid Hungry Campaign. Working with Kids Meals, the Houston Food Bank, and the Center for Public Policy Priorities, money raised will do everything from helping to start school breakfast programs to educating families on the best ways to ensure healthy meals in the home. Some of the participating restaurants: Indianola, 1751 Sea and Bar, Coltivare, BCN Taste & Tradition, and Nobie's. Tickets are $125 for general admission ($200 VIP), and the event begins at 7 p.m. at Silver Street Studios.

Now open in Spring Branch: Magnol French Baking. Co-owned by head baker Matt Cabon (Jerome Bocuse's outlets at French Pavilion at Walt Disney World's Epcot Center), pastry chef Tina Blanco (Four Seasons Houston, Hotel ZaZa, Rainbow Lodge), and Otto Sanchez (La Table, *17 Restaurant), Magnol at 1500 N. Post Oak, #160, will be open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday for walk-ins to get fresh bread (baguettes, boule, pain de mie). Magnol also has a wholesale program.

Julep has announced seasonal menu changes, which includes a near total overhaul of the snacks and small plates menu by consulting chef Alvin Schultz. New dishes include campechana, watermelon poke, hatch green chile pimento cheese with Ritz crackers, a Kentucky Hot Brown Frito Pie, and a Bordeaux-style sausage and oyster plate. New cocktails, coming from owner Alba Huerta's book Julep: Southern Cocktails Refashioned, include the Creole Crusta (rum, chile-infused shrub, turbinado, lemon) and Greater Understanding (rum, jackfruit, lemon, coconut, hazelnut).