Quest for the best

Encina Dallas wins top prize and $10K in H-E-B competition

Encina pancakes, as served at their restaurant.

Photo courtesyof Jamil Bata

Texas' favorite grocery chain H-E-B has completed Quest for Texas Best, its search for the best Texas-made products to hit the shelves, and one Dallas brand made the cut: Oak Cliff restaurant Encina Dallas won for its Blue Corn Butterscotch Pancake Mix, one of four finalists.

Encina came in third place, winning a check for $10,000, plus an opportunity to get their product placed on H-E-B shelves.

Two Austin companies took top honors: Birria Queen won the grand prize, earning $25,000 for its birria seasoning bombs; and Utopia's Hess Street Foods won first place and $20,000 for its chorizo seasoning paste. Also from Austin, Certified Country Lemonade won second place and $15,000 for its frozen iced teas and lemonades.

The competition is now in its 11th year of engaging small businesses to find the best of their products, in return for $70,000 in cash prizes and placement on H-E-B shelves across Texas. For the 2024 competition, H-E-B received video from 470 entrepreneurs.

Encina H-E-B Team Encina wins 3rd place from H-E-B. H-E-B

Encina was the only restaurant on the list, and its unique blue corn pancakes are one of the most popular menu items at its acclaimed weekend brunch.

The full list of 2024 H-E-B Quest for Texas Best finalists were:

BeeKing's – Honey Dust – Canton
Birria Queen – Birria Seasoning Bombs – Austin
Certified Country Lemonade – Frozen Lemonade & Sweet Tea – Austin
Encina – Blue Corn Butterscotch Pancake Mix – Dallas
Hess Street Foods – Chorizo seasoning paste – Utopia
HydroNation – Natural Sports Drinks – Dallas
La Pale Frozen Fruit Bar – Mini Frozen Paletas – Brownsville
Marasi Foods – Frozen Filled Naan Bread – Dallas (Allen)
Sarape Treats – Chamoy Candy – Dallas
Texas Rice Milling ~ Home of Honestly Texas – Rice – Brookshire

Small businesses drive innovation and keep our communities vibrant, which is why we are dedicated to finding and supporting the best small businesses in Texas,” said James Harris, senior director of diversity & inclusion and supplier diversity for H-E-B. “We are amazed year after year by the creative products submitted for the competition and look forward to making these inventive products available to our shoppers.”

More information about the contestants and product listings from past winners are available at heb.com.

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Where to drink

Where to drink in Dallas right now: 5 new happy hours for August

Owl Bar in Frisco

Cocktail from Owl Bar in Frisco

August is back to school time, but just because summer is winding down doesn't mean happy hour has to end. (If anything, the opposite.) This edition of Where to Drink, our monthly roundup of the best new happy hours, comes in the nick of time, with five specials in Dallas.

Here's where to drink in Dallas this month:

Los Amigos
Plano Mexican sports bar has drink specials and happy hour every Thursday. They have a range of discounted drinks including $5 tequila shots and frozen margaritas, $6 classic margaritas, $8 spicy ranch water, and $9 palomas. Bites include four beef and chicken taquitos for $10. Happy hour runs from 6 pm to close.

Lucy's Yard
Dog-friendly bar at Watters Creek in Allen recently opened and is already bringing out all the drink specials. They have draft beers for $4, classic wells drinks for $5, and $6 frozen drinks such as pina coladas or margaritas. Happy hour is available Monday through Friday from 3-7 pm.

Oak Highlands Brewery
The Richardson brewery in the Core District relocated from its Lake Highlands location in May and offers fun events every night such as trivia and live music. For cheap drinkers, the best night is Tuesday when they offer flights for $8. Flights consist of four glasses, four-ounces each, with a choice of any of the brewery's 20 beers on tap such as Freaky Deaky and Derelict IPA.

Owl Bar
Frisco bar has happy hour Monday through Friday, plus daily drink specials. Happy hour features $2 off any drink. Daily specials, which aren’t included in the happy hour discount, feature beer, shots, and classic cocktails such as Manhattan or old fashioned for $7-$10 Monday through Sunday.

Sportsbook
Bishop Arts sports bar with plenty of TVs (24 to be exact) for gameday viewing has drink specials Monday through Friday. They have an all day happy hour Tuesday featuring $6 Crown and Down and 25 percent off appetizers such as fried pickles and mini corn dogs; bottles of wine are half off on Wednesdays. Monday and Wednesday through Friday, happy hour is from 11 am-6 pm.

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