Houston’s food and beverage scene always has a lot going on — but how to choose what to spend your time and money on? Houston Food Finder editor Phaedra Cook and associate editor Mario-Sebastian Berry are sharing their personal picks below to help you decide. 

This week, the choices include three options for dining at a highly respected restaurant in Kemah, how to get three cuts of steak for $39, a limited-time crawfish dish, a food hall burger stand from fine-dining chefs and more. 

Submit your upcoming special or event for consideration in a future “5 Things” by emailing us.

Indigenous American Restaurant in Kemah Debuts Three New Tasting Menus

Mario says: “Chef Skinner’s Choctaw indigenous cuisine is now being highlighted through three new interactive tasting experiences that are sure to book fast.”

Reservations are now available for chef-owner and 2025 James Beard Award semifinalist David Skinner’s new seasonal menus at ISHTIA, one of our picks for Best New Houston Restaurants of 2024. The multicourse epicurean voyages last between two-and-a-half to three hours with a cost between $225 and $265 per person, plus tax and a 20% living wage charge, with gratuity appreciated but not expected. Beverage pairings are available to compliment the dinners at various levels. Each evening begins with wine, conversation and small bites at the Clear Creek Vineyards tasting room, located above the restaurant, before moving to the main dining area where guests are guided through each course. Skinner shares stories about his Choctaw and Chickasaw heritage during the experience. 

The Thursday-only Sacred Harvest Menu for $225 offers 15 courses utilizing seasonal foods sourced locally as well as foraged wild elements to create dishes that act as “a tribute to the land, featuring ancestral ingredients, modern techniques and a deep reverence for nature.” On Fridays and Saturdays, Ishtia offers an 18-course Indigenous Journey for $265 in the main dining area, which is billed as an “immersive experience showcas[ing] wild-foraged plants, heirloom grains, sustainable game and indigenous spices from North and South America.” Later this month, Ishtia is also introducing the Ancestral Table Menu offered at the chef’s table on Fridays and Saturdays, which features 20+ courses of “smoke-kissed broths, fire-roasted meats, hand-foraged herbs and fermented roots”. 

A New Feature Lets You Try a Trio of Steak for $39

Phaedra says, “For a great price, you get three different cuts of steak — nine ounces, total — prepared with different types of approaches. Sounds like a great Tuesday night to me!”

Every Tuesday from 4 to 9 p.m., Mutiny Wine Room at 1124 Usener is offering a Steak Flight Night for $39. It includes three cuts of steak, which is currently three ounces each of bottom sirloin with onion jam and fried garlic chips, flat iron with truffle butter and teres major with cabernet reduction. Sides can be added for $7 each, and the choices are truffle-Parmesan steak fries, grilled seasonal vegetables, broccolini gratin and the small harvest salad. Make reservations online. 

Crawfish Returns to Ramen Tatsu-ya

Phaedra says, “Many people love crawfish season, and this limited-time ramen lets you enjoy them without even having to peel them! There’s a reason this dish comes back every year.” 

Starting on April 4, Ramen Tatsu-ya at 1722 California in Montrose will have its annual Crawmen offering — that is, crawfish ramen. The chain, which started in Austin but will debut a second Houston location late this year, promises its crawfish ramen will be meatier than ever with more crawfish and andouille sausage. The special ramen uses a tonkotsu base (pork bone broth) and also has Cajun spice butter, a succotash of corn and bell peppers, ajitama (marinated soft-boiled egg) and noodles. The special ramen costs $17 and will run through Wednesday, May 28. 

Tickets Now On Sale for Farm Dinner With Michelin-Starred Restaurant

Phaedra says, “Blackwood Educational Land Institute is a teaching farm, and it’s great to see that Musaafer, one of Houston’s best restaurants, supports this non-profit organization. Visiting the restaurant is a luxurious experience, but there’s always something special about open-air dining experiences.”

Musaafer, the Michelin-starred restaurant in The Galleria, is hosting its annual Spring Soirée on Thursday, April 17 at 5 p.m. at Blackwood Educational Land Institute at 27144 Rock Island in Hempstead. The 10-course experience also serves as Musaafer’s debut of its spring menu. Guests will dine under the stars (if the weather turns inclement, dinner will be rescheduled for the following week) and enjoy a DJ as well as wine and cocktail pairings with the meal. The cost of this unique feast is $375 per person. Go online to reserve. 

Smash Hunger With This New Downtown Burger Joint

Mario says: “The fries alone are worth a visit to Proper Burger. They taste like English chip-shop fries dusted with Cajun seasoning. These big, uneven cuts of potato are fluffy and hot on the inside, with a beautiful crispy texture on the outside. The burger is also delicious. The patties are just shy of lacey and crispy, so fans of both smash burgers and homestyle burgers should  be pleased. Just remember to grab some extra napkins.”

Proper Burger – A Burger Spot is now open at 712 Main, inside Finn Hall in Downtown Houston. The brand-new food stall with a retro diner atmosphere from chefs Mike Collantes of Michelin-starred restaurant Soseki Modern Omakase in Winter Park, Florida (near Orlando) and Joe Murphy, formerly executive chef at Nobu Houston, specializes in mouthwatering smash burgers cooked in beef tallow with a variety of toppings. There’s A Proper Smash with American cheese, Proper Burger Sauce, dill pickle and caramelized onion, as well as specialty burgers including Truffle Swiss, Bacon Blue Cheese and the Frenchy. 

The golden beef-fat fries are a must — or go for the decadent Proper Fries loaded with crispy onion strings, Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese, bone marrow demi and pickled red onion. The food stand also offers a Hot Honey Chicken Sammie, onion rings and classic floats. Proper Burger is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Validated parking is available at 803 Fannin when you spend over $10. 

Mario-Sebastian Berry & Phaedra Cook