Sarah Rufca at CultureMap noted yesterday that Polo Becerra’s Habaneros Mex-Grill in Midtown has closed. (The San Felipe location is still open.) With the shuttering of Polo’s Signature near Greenway Plaza earlier this year, this is the second Becerra restaurant to close in 2011. The Habaneros space, located at 3017 Milam, meanwhile, is being taken over by Tavern on Milam, which is owned by Charlie Watkins. Watkins has the odious Tavern on Gray, which is being torn down to make way for an apartment complex. Apparently the Tavern is not closing so much as relocating to Midtown

Just a day after we learned that San Antonio-based Freetail Brewing Co. is not coming to downtown Houston after all, the trio of Ryan Soroka, Alex Vassilakidis and chef Matt Marcus – better known in Houston culinary circles as the Eatsie Boys – announce plans for diving into the world of craft beer. The team has signed a lease and will soon begin repurposing a classic, one-story warehouse building in the burgeoning EaDo District to launch 8th Wonder Brewery. They have also brought a new member into the fold: Aaron Corsi, who is in the process of being certified as a Master Brewer by the International Brewers Guild. The 8th Wonder Brewery is slated for completion during the 2011 holiday season at 2202 Dallas, just blocks from the new Houston Dynamo soccer stadium and east of downtown’s George R. Brown Convention Center and Discovery Green.

Tradiçao Brazilian Steakhouse in Houston has relocated to Meadows Place (between Beltway 8 and Sugarland/Stafford). The new address, 12000 Southwest Freeway, is the old Pappas Grill location. Tradiçao also has a location in Webster. Sorrento, which is located on lower Westheimer, recently opened a second location at 23918 Hwy 59 North in Kingwood.

An email from Bobby Heugel at Anvil Bar & Refuge announces The Second Annual Houston Bartender Showcase on Monday, August 22, 5 to 10 pm at Mortar, a trendy men’s clothing store at 1911 Westheimer at Hazard. Bartenders from Haven, The Queen Vic Pub, Double Cross Lounge, Flora and Muse, Soma Sushi, Kata Robata, Grand Prize Bar, 13 Celsius, and Anvil Bar & Refuge have already signed on to participate. The event is open to the public; admission is $10 per person and drink tickets are $3 each. All proceeds will benefit the Houston Area United States Bartenders’ Guild. Want to get your bartender involved? Contact USBG President Bobby Heugel at bobby@houstonusbg.org.

A rainy day promotion we like: Guests at Skewers Mediterranean Cafe & Grill now have yet another reason to pray for rain. The Lebanese restaurant at the corner of Richmond and Weslayan says, When It Rains, We Pour. Yes, find yourself at the restaurant when the rains begin and you can watch your wine glass fill for half the regular price. When It Rains, We Pour offers a glass of any house wine for half price for the first 30 minutes of the storm. (Limit two glasses per person. Offer is good between noon and 7 pm daily.)