A List of Winners in the Rodeo's Best Bites Competition

Fancy foods you can eat on plates with built-in wine glass holders doesn't seem very rodeo-y, but by the yellow rose of Texas, this is how we do it here in Houston.

Over the weekend, the kick-off to the massively large and all-encompassing event known as the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo began with a horse show and a totally unrelated and separate food and wine tasting event known as Rodeo Uncorked! Roundup and Best Bites Competition.

It was also a roundup of Eater Houston's very own Hottest Chef competitors, who sponsored and manned (or womanned) booths at the event: Rebecca Masson of Fluff Bake Bar, Philippe Schmit of Philippe, hottest chef Houston winner Vanessa O'Donnell of Ooh La La Dessert Boutique, whose booth was ironically located directly next to hot chef finalist, Ronnie Killen of Killen's Steakhouse.

How about the food? We're glad you asked. Here's who won the awards:

Popular Choice Award
1st – Royers Round Top Café – Assorted Handmade Café Pies
2nd – Hasta La Pasta Italian Grill – Savory Risotto Cake with Aged Beef Tenderloin

Trailblazing Appetizer/Entrée Award
1st – Valentino Vin Bar – Slow Smoked Flank Steak with Fregola and Smoky Tomato Demiglace
2nd – Straits Asian Bistro and Lounge – Braised Singaporean Spice Short Rib Rendang
3rd – Beaucoup Bar & Grill – BBQ Shrimp and Grits

Two-Stepping Bread/Cheese/Dessert Award
1st – Veldhuizen Cheese – Raw Milk Artisan Cheese
2nd – Ooh La La Dessert Boutique – Blackberry Pie Bars

Chairman’s Award
Tasso Bite with Celery Jam and Goat Cheese on Brioche Toast – Houston Community College, Central, Culinary Students

The full press release:
Rodeo Uncorked Press Release

· Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo [Official Site]
· Rodeo Uncorked! and Best Bites Award Winners [Scribd]
Photo: The Best Bites competition is like a rodeo, but for your mouth. [p_a_h/Flickr]