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Food News: Time Magazine Loves Indigo, Too

Plus, Los Tios is opening a new location today in Tanglewood.

By Timothy Malcolm August 26, 2019

The interior of 13-seat restaurant Indigo. 

It's hard to keep up with all the honors for Indigo, Jonny Rhodes's tasting-menu restaurant that focuses on agricultural oppression and the survival of black and indigenous people through food, specifically preservation and live smoke techniques. There was the James Beard nomination and the Best New Restaurant honors from GQ, Food & Wineand Eater (only Los Angeles's Nightshade also made all three lists), for a start.

Now Time magazine has decided people need to visit Indigo. It named the restaurant as one of its 100 World's Greatest Places for 2019. That means alongside a national park for wild elephants in Chad and a luxury resort in Jordan is Rhodes's Trinity Gardens restaurant next to a convenience store. Allow me just a moment to say this: That's f**king awesome.

"This last year has been such a ride," said Rhodes in a statement while visiting New York City for his first James Beard dinner. "It’s an incredible honor to be featured on this list going into year two of business. ... It’s just motivation for our team to continue to strive for greatness and make our community proud. We are so grateful to everyone that has had a hand in our development."

While you can't visit Indigo right now, the restaurant will re-open with a new fall menu Sept. 5.

Antone's Famous Po'Boys has collaborated with a number of Houston celebrities; over the next year, each will create her or his own "H-Town Originals" sandwich. Each sandwich will compete for your money, with half of every sale going to the celebrity's charity of choice. At the end of the year, Antone's will donate an additional $5,000 to the charity aligned with the top-selling sandwich.

The first one is available now, from rap legend Bun B. The Hot Wang sandwich has fried chicken breast drizzled with buffalo sauce and is served with bacon and blue cheese-ranch dressing on ciabatta.

Other celebrities taking part include Texans linebacker Whitney Mercilus, artist Donkeeboy, Suffers's front-woman Kam Franklin, Saint Arnold Brewing Co.'s Brock Wagner, Pierce Bush of Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star, and a few chefs (Kaiser Lashkari of Himalaya and Ryan Lachaine of Riel). More celebrities will be announced.

Los Tios is opening a new location, and it'll be its flagship.

Image: Kerry Kirk

A new Los Tios is opening today. This location, at 5161 San Felipe St. in Tanglewood (its fifth), will be the flagship of the Adair Concepts' spot that specializes in Tex-Mex. Look for an expanded tequila program and food menu. The restaurant will be open 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday.

Tin Drum Asian Kitchen, an Atlanta-based Asian street food concept from Steven Chan, is coming to Houston ... and how. Tin Drum has announced it'll open five locations in Houston, tapping local restaurateurs Shairoz Lakhani, Avez Maredia, and Faizan Momin (primarily known for opening franchises of chains like Dunkin' Donuts, Popeyes, Wing Stop) to run the units. They're currently seeking locations and hope to open some doors by the end of 2019.

Ms. Green, an acai bowl restaurant, has just opened at 11191 Westheimer Rd. in Westchase. Along with bowls, Ms. Green blends smoothies and brews local coffee.

I Heart Mac & Cheese, a fast-casual concept out of Florida known for build-your-own mac-and-cheese bowls, announced last week that it signed an agreement to open a restaurant in Houston (there are locations already in College Station, Lubbock, and Waco, and another coming to Beaumont). Currently the chain is looking for a franchisee for the Houston location, which is not yet known.

The new B.B. Lemon in Montrose has just added weekend brunch. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, get egg dishes, banana pudding French toast, crawfish hash, burgers, sandwiches, and select entrées. Also in Lemon news: CultureMap reports beverage director Monique Cioffi-Hernandez has left Berg Hospitality Group "to launch her own project."

Do you like ordering things online? What about groceries? AmazonFresh last week expanded into Houston (as well as Minneapolis and Phoenix), meaning Amazon Prime members (for an additional $14.99 per month) can order groceries through the service, which would then be delivered to their homes within one or two hours. And yes, you can just ask Alexa to do it. 2019, everyone.

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