Photo by Katharine Shilcutt

For all of the wonderful things that our Houston farmers markets offer, a consistent daily location isn't one of them.

On one hand, it's incredibly convenient that there are farmers markets spread all over town for those who can't drive downtown on Wednesdays to catch the City Hall farmers market, for example. On the other hand, there's something nice about farmers markets like those in Dallas, where you know that the vendors will be waiting there for you nearly seven days a week. There are pros and cons to both sides, of course.

The good news, however, is that one of our largest and longest-running farmers markets is about to be open all weekend long -- great news for anyone who was never quite able to make it out to the Urban Harvest Eastside Farmers Market on Saturdays.

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Photo by @swilson101

Domestic violence: hilarious and a great way to sell beer, according to Roots Bistro.

UPDATED: The sign outside Roots Bistro today, Monday, carries the following apology: "Sorry a million times over, Houston." See next page for more.

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The last time anyone found a domestic violence joke funny was during an episode of The Honeymooners, and those were dark times, America. However, one Houston restaurant still finds the topic hilarious nearly 60 years later.

See also:
- Maggie Rita's Calls Customer "Fat" on Facebook
- Down House Ejects Diner for Tweeting While Eating
- Petrol Station Wishes Muslim Customer "Happy 9/11"

Roots Bistro, a vegetarian-friendly restaurant on Lower Westheimer, ran the following sign on its marquee this weekend: "Beer should be like violence: domestic." Although a manager would later claim the sign was only up for 10 minutes, it immediately sparked outrage across the Internet, on Twitter and on Facebook.

"Shame on you for that sign," wrote Elizabeth Hilts on Roots Bistro's Facebook page in only one of a flood of comments. "Shame, shame, shame."

Above her on the restaurant's Facebook page, Stephen Madden had written: "Recommendation: Take the sign down, apologize and contact HAWC for badly needed training on the horrors of domestic violence."

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Screenshots courtesy of Amanda Newman

Although Maggie Rita's has now closed all but one of its Houston locations, the flagging Tex-Mex chain continues to redefine the phrase "can't win for losing." Seemingly looking to get in a parting shot...anywhere...at anyone...Maggie Rita's lashed out at a Houston woman this week on Facebook.

Amanda Newman is a northwest Houston resident who posted last Thursday on Maggie Rita's Facebook page that she was glad the restaurants were closing. "Insulting Houston before we tried your food," she wrote, "was kinda 'dee-de-deee' of you."

Maggie Rita's responded to Newman the following Tuesday with this gem: "I thought fat people were suppose [sic] to be jolly!"

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Photo by Craig Hlavaty

The fire was mostly extinguished by 10 a.m.

Five Houston Fire Department ladder trucks responded to a three-alarm fire that broke out this morning at Sorrento, a popular Italian restaurant on Lower Westheimer. The fire started at the restaurant around 9 a.m., and had been downgraded to a one-alarm fire by 10:30 a.m.

"No one hurt at Sorrento, hose going into the kitchen, maybe grease fire, not too bad from the outside, smells like plastic," Tweeted "Buffalo Sean" Carroll, whose crepe stand -- Melange Creperie -- is located only a few doors down from the Montrose restaurant.

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Photo by Julie Soefer

Bobby Heugel and company don't intend for Clumsy Butcher to "operate as a typical restaurant group."

It was bound to happen.

After opening so many concepts in only four years -- and taking over operations of two other longtime Houston institutions -- Bobby Heugel, Kevin Floyd and Michael Burnett have announced the creation of restaurant group Clumsy Butcher to hem everything into one tidy package. Admit that it was getting old referring to Underbelly or The Hay Merchant or Blacksmith as "sort of owned by Bobby and Kevin and those guys."

Along with those three spots, Clumsy Butcher's portfolio also includes the OKRA Charity Saloon, bartender Alba Huerta's upcoming cocktail bar Julep, Anvil Bar & Refuge (the bar that started it all four years ago) and the two restaurants owned by Legacy Restaurants: the Original Ninfa's on Navigation and Antone's. The latter two are still co-owned by Niel Morgan, who turned over operational oversight to the Clumsy Butcher team last fall.

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Photo by Troy Fields

Triniti snagged a nomination for its well-designed interiors.

The finalists for this year's James Beard Foundation Awards were announced in several categories today that spanned the breadth of the food world from culinary writing to cooking. And just as Houston was well-represented in the semifinalist round, we also secured some big-name finalists in advance of the awards in New York City this May.

Chefs Chris Shepherd of Underbelly and Hugo Ortega of Hugo's were both announced as finalists in the Best Chef: Southwest category. Bryce Gilmore of Barley Swine in Austin also received a nomination in the same category.

Triniti received a nomination in the Outstanding Restaurant Design category (76 seats and over) for its beautiful dining room and overall design.

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Photo by Troy Fields

Terrence Gallivan and Seth Siegel-Gardner of The Pass & Provisions.

Each year, Food & Wine recognizes the nation's great up-and-coming chefs with The People's Best New Chef -- a contest which allows readers to vote on the 10 best new chefs from 10 regions around the country. This is the first year that Food & Wine has employed a Gulf Coast regional category -- exciting news, as many Houston chefs refer to their own cooking as "Gulf Coast" or even "Third Coast" cuisine.

Weirdly, though, despite Food & Wine's map placing the new Gulf Coast placard directly in the middle of Texas, our state is still lumped in with the Southwest region as in past years. I maintain that this makes no sense.

Regardless of bizarre regional situation, Houston dominated the Southwest category: five chefs out of the 10 nominees were from Houston.

Granted, chefs Seth Siegel-Gardner and Terrence Gallivan of The Pass & Provisions were lumped together -- meaning that we actually have four horses in the race instead of five individual contestants -- but we'll take it.

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Photos courtesy of Stanton's City Bites

Art Fong passed away on March 5.

On his way to work at Stanton's City Bites the morning of February 19, where he'd manned the front counter for over 30 years, Arthur Fong suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke. Fong -- known as "Art" to his friends and family -- lingered in the intensive care unit until March 5, when he passed away. Fong leaves behind a wife, Theresa, and two children, Jonathan and Samantha.

He also leaves behind a legacy of smiles and speedy service, where guests waiting for the burger inside the odd little convenience store at the corner of Houston and Edwards would often hear Fong's signature phrase ringing out: "It's not a problem!" No matter your order, Fong was always kind and always accommodating.

Over the years, Fong and the big, beefy, juicy, half-pound burgers that Stanton's turned out made the old white house a destination. Its burgers have been recognized everywhere from national food blogs such as Serious Eats to Travel Channel's upcoming show Burger Land, and won Houston Press Best of Houston® awards for Best Burger in 2005, 2006 and 2009.

Sadly, this legacy is not all that Fong leaves behind with his death.

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Photos courtesy of Google Maps

Few tears will be shed over the demolition of the Tanglewood Court apartments.

In 2010, Montrose residents were upset to find out that the languishing Wilshire Village apartment complex, built in the 1940s, were scheduled for demolition after Texas grocery giant H-E-B purchased the large parcel of land at Dunlavy and West Alabama.

Later that year, West University residents were upset to find out that the new H-E-B planned for Buffalo Speedway wouldn't include room for the beloved Buffalo Grill which had occupied its spot at the corner of Bissonnet for 26 years. The diner was forced to move to a new location a few blocks away on Weslayan.

Now, the grocer has announced plans to construct a new store at the corner of San Felipe and Fountain View, a site currently occupied by the sprawling Tanglewood Court apartment complex. But unlike these previous situations, no one seems particularly sad to see the Galleria-area apartments go.

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Photo by Mai Pham

Pretzel covered whole suckling pig by Chef Michael Pellegrino of Max's Wine Dive last year

"Go pig! Or go home!" That is the gauntlet that has been thrown, and the challenge, the question, the machismo duel that will pit 23 of Houston's most prominent chefs in a challenge to create Houston's most supreme incarnation of a suckling pig.

The second annual event is scheduled for Sunday, April 14, hosted by founding chef Manabu Horiuchi and his team at Kata Robata, and plans to be one of the biggest -- if not the biggest -- throwdown events Houston has ever seen.

And if history tells the story, it's going to be nothing short of epic.

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