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• Restaurant owners channel Louisiana roots at local eatery
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• Dance Fit Studio opens doors following new renovations
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Local family embraces Cajun flair By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com When Jacqueline Hicks and husband Jabarri were newly married they liked to go out to eat just like most young couples. Unlike most diners though, Jacqueline often found herself thinking about how she could duplicate the meal. “I found myself saying, ‘I can do that,� she said. Jacqueline cooked most days for husband Jabarri, who agreed her dishes matched up with any restaurant. “He’s in sales,� said Hicks. “He wanted to sell it.� Flash forward to the Hicks House Cajun Cafe and Catering, 5400 Pinemont, Ste. 102, which is six months old. Jacqueline had previously been doing catering out of her home for more than a year before that. “We got on the vendor list for HISD,� said Hicks. “We did three lunches for about 300 people and everybody loved it.� “I love to cook and I love to share,� said Hicks, who grew up in a town of 300 in Liberty County. “I grew up learning to cook. It took 45 minutes to get anywhere.� The Cajun influence comes from her grandparents and great grandparents who had roots in Louisiana. The gumbo, shrimp creole and bread pudding the cafe offers are all specialties. Cousin Josh Mosely is the specialty baker responsible for the cafe’s fresh bread and beignets. They make their own spices and seasonings and have gotten interest in packaging and selling it.
Contributed Photos (Left) Jacqueline Hicks, center, and husband Jabarri Hicks embarked on their own business venture about six months ago after opening Hicks House Cajun Cafe and Catering on Pinemont. Jacqueline Hicks credits the Cajun influence for their dishes to her grandparents who have roots in Lousiana. (Right) Aside from staples like gumbo and shrimp creole, Hicks House Cajun Cafe and Catering offers bakery items, including fresh bread and beignets.
“We take a lot of pride in our food,� she said. 7-year-old daughter Madison is all about the hospitality. “People ask for her,� said Hicks. No one is a better marketer for the business than Jabarri, who grew up in Shepherd Park Terrace and attended Oak Forest Elementary, Black
Middle School and Waltrip High School. “We don’t advertise because he literally knows everyone,� said Hicks. When Jabarri visited his sales customers, he’d often drop off some pralines, pies and bread pudding too, along with some menus. “I started getting a lot of orders for lunch that way,�
said Hicks. Hicks said that they were also invited to join the Oak Forest Homeowners Association Facebook page and the support they’ve gotten from posters has been much appreciated. “It’s the best thing we’ve done,� said Hicks. “They really show up.� Although the couple cur-
rently lives in Jersey Village, the decision to locate the cafe on Pinemont came from a visit to relatives in the neighborhood. As the cafe and catering business grows, Hicks said that they’ve been talking about moving back to the area. The cafe can fit about 75 people, and is normally open six days a week and closed
on Mondays. They’ve been closed on Sundays, too, recently as Hicks is two weeks away from the birth of the couple’s second child, a boy. Odds are, he will be a fan of Cajun cooking. For more information and to keep up with their hours of operation, please visit them on Facebook at Hicks House Cajun Catering.
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/FFE B TQBDF GPS B DPNQBOZ NFFUJOH Photos by Betsy Denson The newly renovated Dance Fit Studio, located at the corner of W. Tidwell and Yale, will open its doors this month, according to its owners. The facility offers over 4,700 square feet of space for classes, and the studio will also offer special deals for its opening.
A new year is a new start for local dance studio Spotlight Think green with your Christmas tree disposal The holidays are over and sadly, it’s time to get rid of the tree. The Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) is hoping you’ll do it responsibly, saving landfill space and disposal costs. Residents can recycle their trees by dropping them off at one of 17 free, drop-off recycling sites
located throughout Houston. The program ends on Jan. 7. All facilities are closed Jan. 1. In addition to the drop-off locations, residents with City of Houston collection may place their tree curbside on their scheduled tree waste day and it will be recycled. Trees that are collected for recycling will be ground into mulch that is available in bulk directly from Living Earth or available in
bags at Houston retailers. The trees must have all decorations, ornaments, tinsel, lights and stands removed. Flocked trees cannot be recycled. The closest drop off for Leader readers is T.C. Jester Park - 4200 T.C. Jester West, open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dance Fit Studios open their doors Just in time to honor your
new year’s resolutions for health and fitness, Dance Fit Studio, a dance and fitness studio, will open its doors in January. Classes cater to all ages and fitness levels and include Zumba, Salsa and Bachata and competition dance for youth and teens. The newly renovated studio is located at the corner
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