Delight in cocktails & small plates with big Latin flavor at Américas River Oaks happy hour

By
Holly Beretto
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americas-happy-hour-river-oaks-houston-2016
Photo courtesy of Américas River Oaks

Update 6/11/20: Américas is permanently closed.

Check out a special happy hour menu showcasing cocktails and small plates filled with fun Latin flavors at Américas River Oaks every Monday to Friday.

Available all day on Thursdays and from 4pm to 7pm Monday through Friday, Américas River Oaks presents a happy hour that showcases the Cordúa family’s penchant for mixing flavors of the Americas with creative touches from around the world.

Enjoy a menu that pairs that penchant with the family’s mantra that the food and drinks should be delicious and a restaurant should be welcoming.

Drink Cocktails and Wine and Beer, Oh, My

One of the most popular happy hour drinks is the Moscow Mule. It’s a blend of Tito’s vodka, ginger beer, and lime, garnished with mint, making it a refreshing complement to Houston’s sizzling summers and sunny seasons.

The menu also boasts four other tasty hand-crafted cocktails available for $5 each, including a terrific Mojito. Guests can choose from four wines also only $5, including a rosé, malbec, merlot and chardonnay. For the brew lover, the Saint Arnold Santo is a standout on the beer list, all of which set you back a mere $2.50 each.

Sample Small Bites of Big Flavors

“It’s really taken off since last fall!” says an excited David Cordúa, executive chef for Cordúa restaurants, which owns Américas, Churrascos, Artista, and Amazon Grill. “I think one of the best things about it is that it highlights our small plates.”

And highlight it does. With all nine small plate options falling between $5 to $7, even those with a healthy will power will be tempted to try them all. So where does one start? The lobster corndogs are a kicked-up kind of carnival food, made with a lobster sausage wrapped in a corndog batter and served alongside a lemon-chardonnay aioli.

This street-food inspired creation is one of the menu’s most popular. Another favorite is the churrasquitos, a tiny portion of the Cordúa’s signature churrasco filet, accompanied by chimichurri sauce and yucca fries. Click here for a full list of small plate and beverage options.

Chef’s Choice

When it comes to his personal favorite, Cordúa chooses to pair the ahi tuna ceviche with the Marques de Caceres Rosé. The ceviche is what he calls a Thai-inspired dish of sashimi-grade ahi, tossed with coconut, crispy onion, jalapeno, peanut, and cilantro.

Blending spicy and sweet on the palate, it’s a terrific option for the hot Houston summer. Hook it up with the rosé, which packs an explosion of bright red fruit and floral undertones, and Cordúa says, “You’ve almost got a meal.”

Happy Hour at Américas River Oaks 

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Photo courtesy of Américas River Oaks
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Holly Beretto
Holly Beretto
Holly Beretto writes about food and wine, the arts and interesting people for a variety of local and regional publications. In addition to 365 Things to Do in Houston, her work has appeared in the Arizona State University Alumni Magazine, Arts + Culture Texas, Bayou City Magazine, Downtown, Galveston Monthly and Houston Woman. She is also a regular contributor to Eater.com's Houston site. She earned her B.A. in mass communication with a minor in professional writing from Franklin Pierce College (now Franklin Pierce University) and her M.A. in communication studies with an emphasis in journalism from St. Louis University. She has worked in television news production, public relations and marketing in Rhode Island, Maine, New York and Texas. A native Rhode Islander, she has lived in Texas since 1997. She is the author of Christ as the Cornerstone: Fifty Years of Worship at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, published by Bright Sky Press.

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