Foodie paradise: Inside the Rodeo Uncorked! and Best Bites competition
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- It was a foodie playground Sunday night, as one of the most popular events surrounding the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo kicked off the Rodeo season.
Rodeo Uncorked! and Best Bites attracted thousands of food and wine lovers to NRG Center for the festivities.
There were more than 100 booths featuring samples from our area's best restaurants and award winning wines from around the country.
Always eager to join in on the fun, ABC13 was well represented in the foodie event of the season.
Samica Knight was the emcee, hopping from food station to food station sampling the fare.
The tougher jobs, though, went to the judges, who had to taste test a dozen or so samples of amazing food and pick the winners for the coveted awards. Fortunately, yours truly and ABC13 Meteorologist Elita Loresca were up to the task.
Although all the bites were delicious, a few definitely stood out. The beef ribs by Killen's served to judges at Loresca's table made their eyes pop. I had to sneak over and take a bite, as it was not one of the selections I was slated to judge at my table. Sure enough, it was such a hit that the ribs won both the Lone Star Entrée award and People's Choice award.
At my table of brave judges, the entry that really stood out was the Pepper Tuna Crab by Eurasia Fusion. It was a piece of sashimi grade tuna gently wrapped around some pillowy crab meat. Amazing! It won third place in the appetizer portion of the competition.
After judging, we ventured into the main area of NRG Center. There were so many giddy foodies that sometimes, it was hard to walk! Pop Fancy's cereal pops stood out as among some of the creative desserts this time around. Killen's STQ ended up winning the dessert category with its bread pudding.
With so many food choices and award winning wines, it's easy to see why Rodeo Uncorked! and Best Bites always seem to grow every year. It's officially Rodeo season. Let's count our calories in April.
SEE ALSO: 10 can't-miss events at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
