Ken Hoffman: Texans unveil super lineup of new stadium food for 2018 season
TEXANS STARTERS
17 August 2018
Find Chris Shepherd’s Georgia James Carved Roast Beef Sandwich with Wedge Slaw at the Club Level. Photo by Brandon Strange
This article originally appeared on CultureMap.
The Houston Texans have announced their lineup of starters — and entrees, sandwiches, and snacks —for the upcoming season at NRG Stadium.
As the Texans enter their 17th year, two rookies have made the team: Antone’s Famous Po’Boys and the Original Ninfa’s on Navigation. Two superstars are returning: award-winning Chris Shepherd with a menu from his new restaurant, Georgia James, and barbecue wizard Ronnie Killen waving beef ribs that would tip over Fred Flintstone’s car.
Texans president Jamey Rootes and Aramark district bossman Joel Nash recently revealed the new food items at the big stadium on Kirby. Rootes calls Houston the “most diverse city in the U.S.” and “culinary capital of the South.” He also says that “Texans love to eat.”
If Hotels.com ever needs a new Captain Obvious, Rootes is their guy. (I kid — because I love.)
How are the Texans doing? Rootes noted that the waiting list to buy Texans season tickets is comparable to the current number of Houston Rockets and Houston Astros season ticket holders — combined. Yeah, Houston is a football town.
Football and...lobster rolls?
As the media grazes tables showcasing high-falutin’ concession items, I ask Nash: “Even with all this haute cuisine (lobster rolls and quinoa salad at a football game?), what percentage of fans will buy a couple of hot dogs and a beer and be happy?” He says, “between 60 and 70 percent.” So take that, Korean Barbecue Eggroll Lettuce Wraps with rice wine vinaigrette, which will be available in suites, where they belong — and better stay there.
Hot dogs at NRG Stadium are from Holmes Smokehouse, so they’re legit franks, not generic, no-name mystery franks.
Flintstones food
By the way, those two-pound monster beef ribs from Killen are $40 each — the highest priced single food item in Houston Texans history. They’re incredibly fantastic and worth the money — if you have that kind of money.
Texans exhibition season at NRG Stadium begins August 18 against the San Francisco 49ers. And much like the action on the field, concession stands will feature a lot of newcomers and rookies. In my best Marc Vandermeer "rock 'n' roll" voice, here are the players and their numbers.
Video: See what's cooking at NRG Stadium
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José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.
There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.
Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.
He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.
Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.
Key moment
The home run by Peraza.
Key stat
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
Up next
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
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