parties

Ben Berg in His 'Prime': Opens Lucky No. 13 with a Fun, Food-Filled Bash

Michelle Watson
Ben Berg in His 'Prime': Opens Lucky No. 13 with a Fun, Food-Filled Bash

Stacy and Jason Johnson

COMBINE AN INTERESTING location, pretty people, fab food and Ben Berg's prowess — and a bit of actual fire — and you have the grand opening bash for Houston's hottest new restaurant.

Dozens of foodies filed in to Prime 131, the live-fire steakhouse and sushi spot from Berg Hospitality, which recently opened in a revamped industrial space called The Docks at Timbergrove. Pulling inspo from New York's trendy Meatpacking District back when it was still a tad grungy in the '90s, Prime 131 welcomed guests with Cosmopolitans and Tequila Sunrises. Bites like tuna tartare and lobster toast were passed around the space, which was a factory in a previous life, while other food was cooked over open flame at live-fire stations — Wagyu sliders and New York Strip, to name a few.

Further setting the tone for a fun night was muralist Donkeeboy, who created a New York-street-art-inspired piece onsite, and tunes from DJ Bories, who played grunge and hip-hop tracks accompanied by a live saxophone.

Besides sampling the juicy offerings fresh off the grill, guests got to try a selection of premium sashimi, nigiri and signature rolls at the sushi bar. They later wandered into the private-dining space to find an entire room dedicated to decadent desserts like mini Basque cheesecakes and citrus-meringue tarts.

Berg himself took to the mic to thank guests for supporting the opening of his thirteenth restaurant, and sent them on their way with a fire-themed swag bag (think s'mores and Palos Santos sticks).

The evening benefited Southern Smoke Foundation.

Wesley & Cassie Sinor, Lesli & John Giannukos

Alan & Roz Pactor, Robin & Tom Segesta

Ben Berg

Shephard Ross, Jonathan Levine

Shelley Ludwick, Lisa Hoover

Cindy & Allen Case

Roz & Alan Pactor

Dana Barton, Robert Clay

Russell & Stacie Jones, Lisa & Tom Laird

Disney & Max Harris

Ellie Francisco, Ben Berg, Michael Francisco

Melanie Camp

Executive Pastry Chef Ruchit Harneja, Leigh & Franck Savoy

John & Kristen Berger

Gail McCleese, Bradley Lau

Meg Reynolds, Sarah Schriever

From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Food
art

Peep These Mesmerizing Commissions by One of Houston’s Favorite Artists

A detail of 'Cycle' (Photos courtesy Barbara Davis Gallery)

NEWS OF RECENT commissions by Houston artist Paul Fleming led us to several photos of his eye-catching, large-scale wall installations, many of which are installed in the sunlit interiors of some of the city’s most beautiful homes and apartment communities, including the resident lounge of The Southmore, located just a few blocks from the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment
art

Through Lenses of 12 Black Artists, CAMH Presents Visual History of Houston’s Freedmen’s Town

Installation view of 'THIS WAY: A Houston Group Show' at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, 2023. (Photo by Sean Fleming)

IN THE SUMMER of 1865, less than two months after the end of the Civil War, thousands of former slaves, or “freedpeople,” from the Texas countryside and every state in the former Confederacy made the pilgrimage via the San Felipe Trail to Houston’s Fourth Ward and established Freedman’s Town — a neighborhood for families determined to build and establish a thriving community as the country entered the Reconstruction era. Nearby cypress trees provided wood to construct family homes and handcrafted bricks were used to create the neighborhood’s streets. In June 2021, the Houston City Council voted to make Freedmen’s Town the city’s first official Heritage District, which allows nonprofits to help fund the restoration and care of the community’s historic structures, including those brick streets.

Keep Reading Show less