Let’s welcome back SEWE, the fun but somewhat confusing weekend where conservationists and hunters gather together to celebrate everything wild, and when restaurants around town serve up some of those same animals. Incongruities aside, the Wildlife Expo undoubtedly brings along with it some really good eatin’, so in this week’s edition of Eat This Tonight, we’ll let you know about a few of the more wild specials being offered.
Blind Tiger Pub is observing the Expo by adding a few exotic game dishes to their menu. Try the burger made from elk ($12), an incredibly lean meat, or the gator burger ($12), made with white meat and served with caramelized onions, jalapeños, and a chipotle sauce. Their new favorite, though, is the grass-fed bison meatloaf ($16), which is a lot healthier than the traditional version and is served up with a sweet potato casserole and a bourbon barbecue glaze.
On Friday and Saturday from 5-7 p.m., the Cocktail Club will be offering $5 cocktails made with any spirit named after an animal — so you can get your favorite handcrafted cocktail made with Wild Turkey, Buffalo Trace, or Grey Goose for half the price you’d usually pay.
Halls Chophouse is also stepping up their game this weekend with seriously wild dishes like the South Texas antelope, served with rainbow carrots and a blueberry-rosemary au jus ($72). Then there’s the braised rabbit cassoulet with cannellini beans, lemon, and roasted tomato ($32). The traditional steakhouse is also doing what they do best with their juicy Great Plains bison ribeye topped with wild mushrooms and accompanied by fingerling potatoes ($64).
Not feeling so wild with your wallet? Tristan will be featuring their Lowcountry Carbonara appetizer with quail from Manchester Farms. This “impasta” dish is served with onions, bacon crème-fraiche, and fresh sunny-side up quail eggs straight from the farm ($13).
And why not mix up your usual sandwich lunch routine in honor of the Expo? Boone’s bison burger is served with pepper jack cheese, grilled onions, and your choice of fries or chips ($14). Sounds like the perfect way to round out a wild weekend.