Iconic Houston Restaurant Channels Paris With Its New Gas Lamp Drinks — Brennan’s Courtyard Bar Makes It Fancy

The courtyard fountain danced in spring breezes and the jazz trio pumped a New Orleans soundtrack as several hundred of Brennan’s Houston besties joined Robin and Alex Brennan-Martin in celebration of the official opening of the storied Houston restaurant’s new Courtyard Bar. In honor of the special event, Brennan-Martin created a dreamy cocktail with Parisian roots, thus the name — The Parisian Gas Lamp.

The name is a nod to the Antoine Durenne gas lamps that have graced the historic Bayou City building since it opened as Brennan’s in 1967. The lamps procured in Paris were shipped to Houston in time for the opening. Durenne’s gas lamps can be found across Paris,. The renowned French cast iron and bronze manufacturer a founding member of the L’École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs.

Brennan-Martin allows that the Parisian Gas Lamp was inspired by artist Toulouse-Lautrec‘s famous Tremblement de Terre (The Earthquake) cocktail, reimagined with a New Orleans Twist.

“While Toulouse-Latrec’s original recipe features cognac, absinth and a twist of lemon, we use Rémy Martin’s  VSOP and Cointreau Noir,” Brennan-Martin notes. “The cocktail’s rich hue mirrors the golden glow of the antique Durenne lamps when illuminated.

“The flaming orange peel, reminiscent of the gas flames in our lamps, is a nod to our Café Brulot, which has been prepared tableside since our opening.”

The Courtyard Bar opening soirée was cohosted by Rémy Martin, which offered tastings in the bar and throughout Brennan’s restaurant where various stations featured the new bar menu including barbecued shrimp, fried oyster BLTs, crawfish pasta, the famed turtle soup and more.

PC Seen: Alley Theatre managing director Dean Gladden and wife Jane, sharing details of their world travels following his upcoming retirement; KTRK Channel 13 news ace Miya Shay, advising everyone not to look at their 401Ks following the day’s Trump tariffs  bludgeoning; Roz and Alan Pactor, who declared that the Parisian Gas Lamp is his new nightcap choice; Fox 26 morning news anchor Melissa Wilson; criminal defense attorney Rusty Hardin; and Brennan-Martin cousin and partner in Brennan’s Houston Brad Brennan.