PREFER IT SHAKEN or stirred? The heat is on, so you be the judge. Houston’s best bartenders will gather to compete for the honor of creating the “Official Drink of H-Town” on Wednesday, Sept. 6, from 6-8:30pm at Four Seasons Hotel Houston. Last year’s winning cocktail was the Punch Drunk Love by mixologist Brooke Lightfoot.

Featured bartenders will present an original cocktail using any of the following spirits: Grey Goose Vodka, Patron Tequila, Bacardi Ocho Rum, Bombay Sapphire Gin, or Teeling Whiskey. A panel of beverage experts — including 2022 winner Lightfoot, Southern Smoke’s Catarina Bill and EZ's Liquor Lounge co-owner Matt Tanner — and event attendees will taste and vote for the winning cocktail. The gold winner will be featured on the Bayou & Bottle menu for one year. Special prizes from Four Seasons Hotel Houston will also be awarded.

"After the rousing success of last year’s event, we are very much looking forward to welcoming back great bartenders from across the city for some delicious competition,” says Johnathan Jones, the Four Seasons’ beverage manager. “Bringing these talented drink makers together always makes for a festive evening — inspired, spirited, and most importantly, fun.” The evening includes three-ounce samples of each featured cocktail, signature small plates from Bayou & Bottle and Toro Toro, and musical entertainment provided by BELLOSOUND DJ Flash Gordon. Proceeds benefit Southern Smoke Foundation and the Houston Chapter of the Bartenders’ Guild of America. Tickets ($35) are limited for this special event.

For those looking to make a night of it and stay at Four Seasons Hotel Houston, which is always a treat, the Residents Retreat package includes 10 percent off the room rate, breakfast for two, and overnight valet parking. Or stick around for a staycation with more fun. Toro Toro’s special Houston Restaurant Weeks dinner menu ($55) is still on offer until Sept. 4. The three-course menu features delicacies such as bison tartare with salsa macha; salmon with achiote marinade or a prime center cut filet with chimichurri; and dessert. The Paloma cake laced with grapefruit and tequila is the perfect palate cleanser. (If you’re looking for another deal, try Burger Wednesdays. Bayou & Bottle’s famous brisket burger is just $6 for lunch!)

Rather take a dip? Hotel guests and visitors are invited to reserve a day at the rooftop pool. Unwind at this urban oasis or snag your own private poolside cabana with friends and family, complete with a patio, seating area and full bathroom. The poolside café offers flavorful dishes and drinks. Other programs to add to your radar include Latin Live: live musical entertainment every Tuesday from 6:30-9:30pm, alongside exec-chef Rafael Villalpando’s dinner menu. Expect a twist on the contemporary steakhouse experience with Pan-Latin influences, Asian dishes and elevated spirits. Salud!

Toro Toro