Bits and Bites: Austin Food + Restaurant News

 Events
-- Slow Food Happy Hour at Barley Swine, April 28th, 5:30 pm
-- April 30th, Jack Allen cookbook signing at Treaty Oak Ranch, 1-4 pm
-- Stolpman Wine dinner at Parkside, May 2nd, $75/person
-- South Congress Hotel will celebrate Cinco de Mayo along with First Thursday with margarita specials and live music from 5 - 9 pm.
-- Contigo anniversary party, May 7th, 5 - 9 pm. 
-- The Official Drink of Austin, benefiting the Austin Food + Wine Alliance will be May 12th, 7 pm at Fair Market; tickets $55/person.

-- CelebrASIA, a celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at the Asian American Resource Center, 8401 Cameron Road. Free admission, cooking demos, kids activities and cultural performances.

-- The 24th Annual Dining Out for Life will be May 17th; over 50 participating restaurants will donate proceeds to AIDS Services Austin.
-- Certified American Grown Flowers will hold a dinner at the Texas flower farm, Texas Specialty Cut Flowers on May 21st, catered by farm to plate Chef Sonya Cote. It's the first time the Field to Vase Dinner Tour has stopped in Texas.
-- The Austin Food + Wine Alliance hosts a dinner with legendary chef Jacques Pepin (who will be at the Long Center earlier in the day), June 5th at Launderette, $285/person.
-- Spun Ice Cream and Anjore team up for an "Ice Cream Social Supper," June 16th, $75/person.
-- The Fit Foodie Race Weekend is coming to Austin June 24-26 at Mueller. I've been accepted as a Race Ambassador. Get your tickets now, and stay tuned for more details! Use SOUTHATXFOODIE as the promo code and get 10% off! Tickets for the Fit Foodie 5K Race are priced at $35 until May 23, 2016, and $45 until June 23, 2016, so be sure to register before prices increase!

Kentucky Derby events, Saturday, May 7th
-- Watch party at Hotel Ella, $15/person, which includes valet parking, lawn games & special drinks.
-- Viewing events at Cantine, Roosevelt Room, drink.well
-- Get your julep supplies at Metier.

Mother's Day, Sunday, May 8th
-- Central Standard at the South Congress Hotel, 11 am - 3 pm, $45/person
-- Goodall's Kitchen at Hotel Ella, 10 am - 3 pm, $44/person
-- The Carillon at the AT+T Executive Center, 10:30 am - 1:30 pm, $65/adults + $25/under 12
-- Visconti Ristiorante at the Hotel Granduca, 10:30 am - 2 pm, $72/adults + $35/under 12
-- Estancia Churrascuria is celebrating Mom on both Saturday and Sunday, lunch and dinner
-- Andiamo, 11 am - 2 pm, $38-45/person
-- Dine, 11 am - 3 pm, $45/person, buffet
-- Olive + June,$42/person
-- Prelogs, 11 am - 2:3- pm, $39/person
-- While not food specific, the 2nd Street District retailers offer a variety of promos: Milk + Honey Day Spa has a makeup consultation for $75 (normally $200); Teddies for Bettys offers 20% off Saturday from 6 - 9 pm; Sikara + Co will donate 30% of jewelry sales to Ballet Austin.

Openings

-- Creole-inspired Ophelia is now open at 507 Calles Street (the old Mettle, and also owned by Bridget Dunlap). I was able to attend a media tasting last week with my blogger friend Curious Notions. Her favorite was the vegan crab cake, which you really wouldn't know was vegan! I really liked the catfish with slaw and chimichurri. Lady boss and Louisiana native Lynzy Moran knows her way around the kitchen! Can't wait to see what else she will come up with.

Vegan crab cakes

Catfish, slaw, and chimichurri

Frog legs and waffles

-- Tiny Pies has opened at the old Lick (which moved a touch north to Lamar Union) at 2032 South Lamar
-- Pieology Pizza is now open in Mueller
-- L'Oca d'Oro will be opening in Mueller in May.
-- Modern Market is coming to the Arboretum area.
-- Rumors of Cane Rosso Pizza opening in the old St. Philip in Sunset Valley in May.
-- Hotel Granduca is now offering high tea, Friday - Sunday from 2 - 5 pm, $45/adults + $22/under 12, reservations required.
-- Reservations for June seatings at Otoko will go on sale May 1st at 9 am; a portion of the sales will benefit Kumamoto earthquake relief via the Japanese Red Cross.

Bits and Bites: The Easter Edition

Places for Easter Brunch (that's THIS Sunday!)

The Capital Grille, $49/adults + $15/children
The Carillon, $65/adults + $19.95/children
Eddie V's, $49/adults + $15/children
Estancia Churrascaria, $44.95
Hotel Ella, $65/adults + $27/children
Olive + June, 11a - 2p and 5 - 9p
Russian House, buffet
Sagra, $29/adults + $12/children
Tiny Pies has pies available

Events
-- Johnson's Backyard Garden's annual spring picnic is Saturday, March 26th.
-- Prelog's anniversary celebration is March 25-27, with various specials. 
-- Metier is hosting a pop-up breakfast with  Chef Tyler Johnson and Pastry Chef Kyle McKinney, on Saturday, April 2nd, starting at 10 a.m. until sold out. These two are teaming up to open Delicious, a neighborhood "groceraunt" coming soon to South Lamar.
-- Texas French Bread hosts a four-course dinner with Springdale Farms, April 3rd, $60/person + $40/optional wine pairings.
-- April 7th, the Austin Food and Wine Alliance presents Live Fire! a meat and wine extravaganza at the Salt Lick Pavilion, $85/person with $20 option for park + ride.
-- The Austin Food Blogger Alliance (of which I am a member) presents the first Colossal Curry Cook-off, April 16th, 2 - 4pm at Shangri-la, $15/person (adults only). Interested in flexing your curry-making skills? Email cookoff at austinfoodbloggers dot org for contestant guidelines, or buy tickets (free for contestants) at the link above.
-- Waller Creek Conservancy's pop-up picnic will be April 16th at 6:30 pm. 
-- The Austin Food + Wine Festival, April 22-24 has published their chef's showcase. 
-- May 11th, Sustainable Food Center's Farm to Plate Event with over 20 local restaurant chefs. Tickets and more info here.

Openings/Updates
-- Manana Coffee + Juice inside the South Congress Hotel is now open.
-- Italic now offering Sunday brunch.
-- Lick Ice Cream is moving their South Lamar location a few blocks north to Lamar Union.
-- Dine at the Radisson is now offering a prix fixe dinner menu, Monday through Wednesday for $32
-- From Jack Allen's Kitchen, comes Salt Traders Coastal Cooking, a seafood concept in Round Rock, coming soon....
-- From the folks behind drink.well, a new bar (conveniently next door to Ramen Tatsuya) called Backbeat at 1300 South Lamar. 
-- Mama Fu's fast casual Asian is opening new locations in Round Rock, Pflugerville, Bastrop, and Cedar Park.
-- Chef Sonya Cote is now offering farm to table catering. 
-- Chicon (the former Gardner) at 1914 E. 6th is almost open.
-- Central Market has launched small-batch artisan ice cream pints, with flavors like Saigon Cinnamon, Coconut Ginger, and Tahitian Vanilla.

Round Up
You may have seen my individual posts for the Austin Food Blogger Alliance's City Guide; if not go back a post or two for my Best of South Austin, Best of South Austin food trailers, and Best Mexican in town. Here's the link to the ENTIRE City Guide! Bookmark it for great reference and please SHARE! :)

The Last Bits and Bites Food News of 2015

Places for Christmas Dinner
-- Goodall's Kitchen, $44/person
-- Prelog's, December 24-26, $49/person
-- Sagra, Dec 22-24, Feast of the Seven Fishes Dinner, $39.95/person + $25 for wine pairings
-- VOX Table (Christmas Eve), $89/person

Places for New Year's Eve Dinner
-- Arro, $50/person
-- The Carillon, $75/person
-- Contigo, $110/person
-- Dai Due, $95/person
-- Gardner, $65-115/person
-- The Hightower
-- Launderette, $65-85/person
-- Parkside, $90/person +$35 for wine pairings
-- Prelog's
-- Sala + Betty, $35/person + $15 for wine pairings
-- Texas French Bread, $50/person + $30 for wine pairings
-- VOX Table, $100/person
-- Weather Up, $145/person

Other Offerings
-- East Tiger has Stollen and Vörtbröd holiday breads.
-- Fresa's has tamales and posole through December 24th.
-- Santa Rita Tex-Mex Cantina has tamales through December 24th.
-- Gourmet By Numbers has a variety of meal kits/holiday gift packages.

Events
-- Sunday, December 20th, coffee and donut pop-up bakery in Lenoir's wine garden with their pastry chef, 10 am - 1 pm.
-- Monday, December 21st, Counter 3.FIVE.VII dinner with Apis and Apiary, $180/person or $300 with wine pairings.
-- Tuesday, December 22nd, Garbo's hosts a five-course dinner, $65/person.
-- Kitchen Underground has a full schedule of classes for December and January, all taught by local bloggers, chefs, home cooks, artisans, and professionals.
-- Oasthouse Gastropub now open for brunch and lunch.
-- SPUN liquid nitrogen ice cream now open.
-- The Prevention R3 Summit is coming January 15-16 at the Moody Theater; keep an eye on this space for ticket details and giveaways! 
-- Bacon + Beer Festival, January 24, 2016 at Fair Market. Tickets on sale. 

Openings
-- Central Standard, inside the South Congress Hotel, opened December 17th.
-- Chez Nada, a French brasserie and bakery will open in late 2016 at 110 San Antonio Street in the Northshore building, the latest from the New Waterloo group and Jesse Herman.
-- Amazon Prime now delivering food from participating restaurants to Prime customers.
-- Barley Swine moving to their new home on Burnet Road on January 2nd.

Closings
-- Blackbird and Henry
-- Congress (will make way for an expanded 2nd Bar + Kitchen)
-- Fork and Taco
-- Roll On Sushi
-- Short Bus Subs (trailers)

Happy holidays, y'all!!!

Bits and Bites and the Thanksgiving Round-up

Make your dining reservations or order your Thanksgiving meals NOW!
Places to Dine In
-- The Carillon, buffet seatings at 11 am, 11:30 am, 2 pm, 2:30 pm; $65/adults, $19.95/kids ages 6-12

-- Estancia Churrascuria, 11 am - 9 pm, $49.95 for the full experience, $24.95 just for the salad bar

-- Goodall's Kitchen buffet, 12 - 8 pm, $68/adults, $25/kids ages 12 and under

-- Southwest Bistro at the Hyatt, $65/adults, $30/kids

-- Kerbey Lane, from 11 am onwards at the Central, South Lamar, Northwest, University, Southwest and Round Rock locations; $14.95

-- Russian House, 11 am - 11 pm

-- Dine at the Radisson, $49/adult, $15/kids; buffet 11 am - 3 pm, three course meal after 4 pm


Places to Pre-order and Pick Up
-- Central Market's Holiday Hotline, you can now order online
-- Blue Star Cafeteria, order by noon on Nov 23rd 
-- Elaine's individual-sized pies, order by Nov 24th
-- Fresa's, order by Nov 20
-- Walton's Fancy and Staple, order by Nov 20
-- Wheatsville Co-op
-- The Austin Chronicle has a great list of places to get your pies!


Events
-- The Empty Bowl Project will be Sunday, November 22nd at the Marchesa, from 11 am - 3 pm. Come and buy a unique, locally made ceramic bowl, and get it filled with soup! Proceeds benefit children's programs at both the Capital Area Food Bank and Meals on Wheels + More.

-- Vivo celebrates it's first anniversary at the Linc, November 24th, 11 am - 9 pm.

-- Edible Austin presents its 9th Eat Drink Local Week, November 28 - December 5; various events including the Beekman Boys at the Paramount Theater, Harvest Dinner at the Palm Door. See Edible's website for all the details.

-- Metier has a variety of upcoming events, including a Thanksgiving wine tasting, pie workshop with owner Jessica Maher, pop-up shops from Dude Sweet and I Knead That, and their own Black Friday sale. See their events page for details.

-- Slow Food Austin and Antonelli's Cheese host their annual cheese tasting with 512 Brewing, December 3rd, $60/adults, $50/SFA members

-- Opal Divine at Penn Field holds its 13th Whiskey Festival December 3rd, $45 in advance, $50 at the door; a portion of the proceeds goes to Meals on Wheels and More.

-- Kettle + Brine has a variety of events and pop-ups coming; Coffee Sock on November 28th and Coterie Market, November 28 - December 4th; see their website for details.

-- Serena Lissy Chocolates and Coco Paloma Desserts will hold a holiday pop-up sale, Saturday, December 5th, 11 am - 3 pm. These are Serena's pumpkin spice truffles that I recently got to try -- beautiful (they're hand painted!) and delicious! Check out her website for pre-ordering info. 

-- Odd Duck is having a trailer throwback party to benefit the garden at Zilker Elementary; December 9th 5 pm, $25

-- Prevention Magazine's third R3 Summit will be January 15-16 at the Moody Theater.

Misc 
-- Slow Food Austin has re-launched their Emergency Farmer/Rancher Relief Fund for farmers affected by the recent floods, and are accepting nominations until November 23rd. 
 
-- Texas Hill Country Olive Oil Company is now offering offers tours every Friday and Saturday at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m, $5/person or $15 with lunch.

-- Joining the local food delivery ranks is Harvest  and regional grocery powerhouse HEB 

-- And for cocktail delivery, Sourced, which I got to try out! You pick from a menu of cocktails, how many you want, and when you want them, and a mini-barrel with all the makings are included. Plus the delivery person/bartender can make your first round for you. They'll pick up the barrel the following day. Easy and delicious! We had Moscow mules, complete with copper mugs and the good pellet ice!

Openings/Updates
-- Your Mom's is back in the burger business, now with a stuffed burger home delivery kit.

-- The Three Little Pigs trailer has found a new home (it's previous landlord, East End Wines has closed) at the Aristocrat Lounge (formerly Poodle Dog Lounge) at 6507 Burnet Road.

-- Geraldine's at the Hotel Van Zandt opened November 17th.

-- Stinson's is opening another location at 3300 N. IH-35.

-- New fall menus from Finn + Porter and Scarlet Rabbit; Juniper has a new happy hour

-- Sala + Betty just launched reverse happy hour Monday through Saturday, 8pm to close, featuring 50% off all bottles of wine.

-- Launderette and Bangers now open for lunch.  
 
-- Dollar nights on Tuesdays at Pacific Rim Sushi

-- Urban Outfitters on the Drag is getting into the food business, with the counter service-only opening of Chef Michal Symon's new Symon's Burger Joint.

-- Central Standard will open at the South Congress Hotel in mid-December, serving classic American bar and grill food.

-- The Roosevelt Room offers Monday movie night, Tuesday all night happy hour, and Wednesday discounted whiskey.

-- In and Out Burger opened on South Lamar

-- Fast-casual Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers announced their Famous Fry Sauce is now available for retail purchase at all locations or online.

Closings
-- St. Philip
-- Mann's Smokehouse BBQ
-- Noodle and Company have closed all five area locations.

Bits and Bites: Austin Food News

Events
-- Browne Family Vineyards four-course wine pairing dinner at Olive + June, Thursday, October 29th, $96/person.

-- Pop-up bakery from I Knead That at Metier (1805 S. First) on Saturday, October 31st, 10 am.

-- Throughout November, Noble Sandwich will "swap" sandwiches with four other national restaurants in the inaugural Signature Sandwich Swap; proceeds benefit Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry.
 
-- Still some tickets left for the Texas Monthly BBQ Fest, this Sunday at the Long Center, $80/person.

-- Texas French Bread hosts a Boggy Creek Farm harvest dinner, Sunday November 1st, $60/person.

-- The Blind Cafe, a socially conscious dinner in the dark will be in Austin November 3 - 5; see my blog post for more information on this unique event!

-- Tuesday, November 3rd is National Sandwich Day, and ice cream sandwich shop Moojo celebrates with a $1 off their Superhero sandwich.

-- Eat East, happening the first Tuesday of each month (coming up: November 3rd) where a number of centrally located east Austin restaurants offer a special on that day.

-- Shake Shack is partnering with Hops + Grain to bring live music the first Tuesday of each month; on November 3rd at the Domain location, Supernomadic will play from 6- 8 pm, and Hops + Grain beers will be half off.

-- Six-course Kaltern Winery pairing dinner at Dine, $65/person, November 5th.

-- The annual Wurstfest, November 6 - 15.  #sausageonastick

-- Tickets for Wine and Swine on Sunday, November 8th are still available, and the full lineup of chefs/dishes/hog heaven has been announced. (I'll be volunteering at registration, come say hi!)

-- The Brooklyn Brewery #AustinMASH tour begins November 8th; see their site for all the events; this is the largest traveling international beer and arts festival.

-- All locations of Wienerschnitzel will offer a free hot dog and small drink to veterans with valid military ID, proof of service or by wearing a military uniform on November 11th in appreciation for their service.

-- Startup Food Weekend, November 13-15, is a food tech conference looking for ways to impact the global food system. From their site: We're looking for passionate foodies, students, entrepreneurs, developers, chefs and designers who want to innovate new systems and products related to food. Come learn the basics of founding and launching a successful startup while solving real problems we face in our food system. 20% off registration via this link.

-- Swoop House presents East Austin Supper Club with a dinner with guest chef Egil Valentin, November 13th, $85/person.

-- Austin Bakes is back on November 14th. This city-wide bake sale has raised thousands of dollars in the past for various relief efforts. Be a volunteer baker or a generous shopper, more details on their site.

-- Johnson's Backyard Garden postponed their Fall Potluck and Harvest Hustle event to November 14th.

-- November 15th will be the 10th bi-annual Sustainable Food Center Chef Series dinner at La Condesa; ticket are $150/person.

-- The Salt Lick BBQ is teaming with Jester King Brewery on Wednesday, November 18th for their first pairing dinner, $75/person.

Openings/News
-- Pinthouse Pizza has just opened at 4236 South Lamar, next to Bombay Bistro and Pei Wei.

-- Two much anticipated Italian spots have opened on the east side: osteria-inspired Al Fico opened at 1700 E. 2nd Street and modern Italian Juniper at 2400 E. Cesar Chavez.

-- Kerbey Lane's fall pumpkin menu will be available October 28th. Austin Monthly is holding a $50 gift card drawing.

-- Harvest restaurant delivery has just launched.

-- Gourmet By Numbers now has desserts available on their menus.

-- Wheatsville Co-op has partnered with Instacart; new users can get a $10 discount and free delivery with the code wheatsville10.

-- Baby Greens, the former South Austin salad drive through, will reopen in 2016 on Anderson Lane.


-- Happy hour at Texas French Bread, Monday - Saturday, 3 - 5:30 pm, with drink and food specials
-- Gardner has a new fall a la carte menu featuring seasonal items.

-- The Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort and Spa in Boerne just completed a $3 million renovation. Their on site restaurant, La Cascada Table + Bar, has live music on Friday and Saturday nights, and features local Texas fare from a host of regional dairies, farms, and ranches. From breakfast Vaquero Huevos Rancheros to Poteet Farms produce to Bandera quail, you will not go hungry though you're at a spa!

-- New fast-casual chain Blaze Pizza will open in December in Lakeline Commons (14009 North Research Blvd., #103), close to the Lakeline Mall.

-- Artisanal snow trailer SnoLabs begins their winter break November 1st.

-- Amy's Ice Cream on South Congress closed, as the landlord doubled the rent. Booo.

Order Up!
-- The holidays are coming, so start thinking about your meals. (Yes, already!)

• Central Market's Holiday Hotline opens November 2nd (orders will be taken online this year!).
• Pre-order your pies from Tiny Pies , Pie Plante, and CafeNoSe.

Bits and Bites -- Austin Food News

Openings/What's New
-- My Fit Foods has launched a series of salad bowls: Southwest Chicken, Asian Beef, Mediterranean Shrimp and Vegetarian with quinoa.

-- Goodall's Kitchen at the Hotel Ella has completed a remodel, featuring classic American bistro fare and handcrafted cocktails. They are also offering a tailgate buffet for UT football home games, $50/person.

-- Shake Shack is now open at the Domain.

-- Royal Jelly is coming to 704 St. John's (at Lamar); no menu info as of yet.

-- Toss Pizza and Pub is coming to 2901 S. First (just south of Torchy's at El Paso St.).

-- New home meal delivery service in Austin, Nimble Foods, which brings fresh cooked foods to your doorstep.

-- New corporate meal delivery service, Foodee, which partners with local restaurants.

-- South Congress Hotel prepares to open September 8th, and along with it, their all-day cafe, Cafe No Se will be open from 7 am - 2 am daily. Coming soon to the space will be Paul Qui's sushi bar Otoko; Central Standard, an American bar and grill; and Manana a coffee shop and cold-pressed juice bar.

Events/Happenings
-- Prizer Gallery's Artist as Farmer exhibit runs August 29 - September 13th, 2023 E. Cesar Chavez.

-- Tailor Made Treats (vegan chocolates) will have a pop up sale at Metier, Saturday, August 29th from 11 am - 2 pm.

-- Shawn Cirkel's latest project Bullfight is getting close to opening at 4807 Airport; they're hosting a preview benefit for the Sustainable Food Center August 29th, $75/person (no menu details as of yet).

-- Contigo Catering and Austin Beerworks are hosting a dinner featuring roast goat, August 29th, $55/person at the brewery.

-- Texas French Bread is hosting a 4 course dinner with pate, grilled shrimp, quail and apple tart, Sunday, August 30th, $50/person.

-- Counter 3.Five.VII and Qui are teaming up on a 15-course dinner, Monday, August 31st, $180/person $300 with wine pairings.

-- HAAM Benefit Day (Health Alliance for Austin Musicians) is September 1st, and a number of participating restaurants will feature live music and donate at least 5% of profits that day to HAAM. ABGB, Amy's, Whole Foods and lots more.

-- The soon to open Geraldine's at the Hotel Van Zandt has hired Jennifer Keyser as Chief of Bar Operations; she will host a bar takeover at Midnight Cowboy September 1st to showcase her drinks.

-- Metier will host a pop-up bakery with Odd Duck's pastry chef Susana Querejazu, Saturday, September 5th beginning at 10 am until sold out; cash and credit cards accepted. And Metier will be having a sale!

-- Knife sharpening demo with a master of Japanese knives, at Metier, Thursday, September 10th at 11 am.

-- The Wine and Food Foundation of Texas will hold their annual Tour de Vin fundraiser at Fair Market on September 17th; Andrew Wiseheart of Contigo serves as honorary chair and will include chefs from Bribery Bakery, Kin and Comfort, Juliet and VOX Table. Tickets $70/person.

-- Patron Tequila tasting at the Coppertank Event Space, Friday, September 18th, 8 pm.

-- Edible Austin's annual Chef Auction will be October 8th at Allan House, $85/person. From the press release: Benefiting Sustainable Food Center and Urban Roots, the live auction is your chance to bid on exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime dinner packages prepared by Austin’s hottest chefs while supporting two nonprofits who truly “walk the walk” of strengthening our local food system. Participating chefs are from Contigo, Eden East, Franklin BBQ, Justine's, Lenoir, Ramen Tatsuya, Travassa, Uchi/ko and Wu Chow.

-- Central Market will debut a new event, Garlic Fest at all locations, September 16-29, with all kinds of garlic creations, demos, and cooking classes.

-- Thundercloud Subs is holding an art contest to design the upcoming poster/t-shirt for the 25th anniversary Turkey Trot 5k to be held on Thanksgiving Day; submissions due September 15th.

--Austin Alfresco, an exclusive food and wine overnight glamping retreat and festival with some of the areas top chefs, will be at Carson Creek Ranch, October 16-18, and they have currently dropped their price to $895/person.

-- The Carnivore's Ball returns Thursday, October 22nd, $72; as it sounds, probably not suited for vegetarians! Three different meat courses plus dessert, paired with St. Arnold's beers.

-- Tickets are on sale for the Austin Fermentation Festival, October 25th at Barr Mansion, $20+ /person. 

Bits and Bites -- Austin Food News

Events
-- Friday, July 24th, Art + Tequila at Mexic Arte Museum, $20/person in honor of National Tequila Day.

-- Summer Rose dinner at Lenoir, $110/person, Friday, July 24th.

-- Saturday, July 25th, 11 am - 5 pm, Hops + Grain's Bike Affair, $15/person, benefiting 1400 Miles, a non-profit that educates about prostate health.

-- TenOak hosts a Russell's Reserve whiskey pairing, Wednesday, July 29th, $30/person.

-- The Hill Country Food Truck Festival will be Saturday, August 1st in Luckenbach.

-- Saturday, August 1st is the 3rd Annual White Linen summer party, in the 2nd Street District downtown; $30/advance, $50/VIP, the event benefits Urban Roots and white attire is encouraged. Participating establishments: Austin Eastciders, Bob's Steak+ Chop House, Bribery Bakery, Cantina Laredo, Con Olio, CRU, Finn + Porter, Frank, Goose Island Brewery, Hilmy Cellars, Karbach Brewing Company, Numero 28, Spicewood Vineyards, TenOak, The Bonneville, Twisted X Brewing Company, and W Hotel Living Room.

-- Gardner hosts a 6-course dinner Tuesday, August 4th, with Chef Matt McCallister of Dallas, $75/person with optional $35 for wine pairings.

-- Central Market celebrates its 20th Hatch Chile Festival at both Austin locations, August 5 - 18. Both locations will have all kinds of in-house made products from scones in the bakery to meatballs at Chef's Case to commercially made products like Austin Slow Burn's Green Chile on Queso in the Dairy; regular demos throughout the event and the North Lamar Cooking School will have various cooking classes featuring the famed New Mexico green chiles.  

--The 5th Annual  Pay it Forward with Daniel Curtis at the AT+T Conference Center, benefiting the Lone Star Paralysis Foundation, $75- $125/person, Thursday, August 6th. 

-- Sunday, August 16th is the annual Slow Food Grub Trivia event at Saengerrunde Hall.

-- The annual Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival is August 23rd.

-- Thursday, September 17th, the Wine and Food Foundation of Texas present their annual Tour de Vin wine tasting event at Fair Market, $70/person.

-- This year's Austin Fermentation Festival is scheduled for Sunday, October 25th at Barr Mansion; tickets start at $20.

-- A number of East Austin eateries have joined together for Eat East, every Tuesday through Labor Day, with cocktail and appetizer specials; join The Hightower, La V, Silo, Salt + Time, Gardner, Tamale House, Spartan Pizza, Gemelli Gelateria, Buenos Aries Cafe, Weather Up, and Jacoby's.

-- Antonelli's Cheese is offering more than just cheese classes in August. Check out their Adult Summer Camp series on their calendar of events for classes in shrub/bitters, chocolate and fermented vegetables, all with local experts. 

-- Full schedule of the Sustainable Food Center's cooking classes at the Happy Kitchen is online.


Openings/Misc
-- Billie Jean's Burger Pub, 6501 S. Congress just north of William Cannon.

-- Dine from David Garrido at the Town Lake Radisson (old Chavez spot).

-- Lick Ice Cream opened a second location at 6555 Burnet Road.

-- Frozen banana shake currently available at Hopdoddy through August 2nd.
-- 4 courses for $38 at Gardner, Tuesday - Sunday for a summer prix fixe.

-- Corner Restaurant at the JW Marriott now offers weekend brunch from 11 am - 3 pm.  

-- Monger's Market + Kitchen, Wednesday oyster specials and happy hour.

-- Estancia Churrascuria is now offering lunch on Saturday & Sunday, 11:30 am - 3 pm, $29.95 for the full meat experience or $19.95 for the salad bar.

-- Gusto Italian Kitchen offers a Sunday Antipasti Buffet for $16.75/person. 

-- Rocco's Grill in Bee Caves is now holding Tuesday's Ladies Nights and Sunday brunches, as well as live music on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.


Closings
-- Barley Swine announced they will close their South Lamar location when they open their new, larger space at 6555 Burnet Road later this year; they will continue to use South Lamar for events. 

Bits and Bites: Austin Food News

Events
-- Patika is hosting a Pan-Asian supper club dinner, Friday, June 26th, $50/person
-- Seventh Flag Coffee celebrates their one-year anniversary on Saturday, June 27th from 12-4 pm with live music, beer + kombucha tastings, and food from neighboring trailer Regal Ravioli.
-- Six course dinner at Gardner with guest Chef Steven Satterfield from Miller Union in Atlanta; $75/person + $35 with optional wine pairings, June 28th
-- The Hightower and Hops + Grain get together on June 30th for a five course dinner with beer pairings, $55/person
-- Jacoby's is hosting a five course local farm dinner on July 10th, $100/person.
-- Counter 3.FIVE.VII is hosting a 15 course dinner, Monday, July 13th, $180/person or $300 with wine pairings.
-- Trailer Food Tuesday will be July 7th  at the Long Center. Food trucks galore!
-- The annual Pay it Forward with Daniel Curtis, benefiting the Lone Star Paralysis Foundation, returns to the AT+T Conference Center on August 6th, $75-125/person.
-- Mark your calendar (and save up your pennies) for the first Austin Alfresco Culinary Retreat at Carson Creek Ranch, October 16-18. Spend the weekend with some of the areas top chefs, with culinary demos, food and wine tastings, outdoor activities, and much more. See the website for further details as they become available. $975+/person


Openings
-- Tim Love's Lonesome Dove opens this week at 419 Colorado (old Kenichi).
-- Michi Ramen has opened a take out operation at 3005 South Lamar (by Kerbey Lane and Torchy's)
-- Juliet will serve Italian fare at 1500 Barton Springs Road beginning July 1st (the old Romeo's and Umami Mia).
-- Stella San Jac will open at the corner of 5th and San Jacinto in the new Westin Austin Hotel on July 16th, and will serve Austin-inspired Southern foods.
-- Geraldine's at 605 Davis in the Rainey Street district, will open later this summer with Uchi alum Chef Frank Mnuk at the helm, serving contemporary Austin food.
-- Rocco's Grill has moved from Lakeway to Bee Cave, 12432 Bee Cave Road (FM 2244); the new space featured a covered outdoor dining area and an oyster bar.
-- Lady Luck Food Truck, a new Southern foods-inspired food trailer is parked outside of Hard Luck Lounge at 3526 E. 7th Street
-- Gino's East will be serving up authentic Chicago deep dish pizza at 214 E. 6th Street.
-- This fall, 51 Rainey Street will become home to Emmer + Rye, serving rustic cuisine along with dim sum carts as a regular part of their service.
-- Crepe Crazy is coming to 3103 South Lamar (the old Boardwalk Burger + Fries)
-- Snarf's Sandwiches opening at 1400 S. First Street later this fall.


Closings
-- Freddie's on South First closes this weekend; a new location of Fresa's Chicken will take over this fall. 
-- Crepes Up trailer at South First and Live Oak
-- Hill-bert's Burgers on 35th Street


Misc
-- Help local farm El Cruz Ranch with a Kickstarter project so they can buy a food trailer to sell prepared Mexican foods on the go! 
-- From the press release: "The GRACE Communications Foundation today launched its new Eat Well Guide, the largest online directory of sustainable food vendors in the country with 25,000 listings of restaurants, farms, farmers’ markets, food co-ops and more across the United States." Great resource!
-- Farmbox Direct is now shipping boxes of locally-sourced produce to its subscribers in a customizable CSA box. (I received a vague response when I asked what Texas farms they were working with.)
-- A new chocolate bug collection from Delaysia Chocolatier; crickets, meal worms and grasshoppers, oh my!
-- Olamaie will start lunch service on July 1st. 
-- Shake Shack will have corn dogs and Blueberry Pie oh My Concretes from Thursday, July 2 – Sunday, July 5. And starting Thursday, July 2, their summer seasonal Peach Lemonade will be available. 
-- Salvation Pizza has new menu items including wings, arancini, new subs and desserts.
-- Maple bacon waffle cones now available at Hopdoddy through July 4th.

Bits and Bites -- Austin Food News

LOTS of stuff coming up!

Events
-- I Knead That pop up bakery at Metier, January 24th and 31st, 10 am until sold out, cash and credit cards now accepted; Flat Track Cold Brew will also be available.
-- Bacon and Beer Fest  is this Sunday, January 25th, but it's sold out! Hope you got your tickets for this tasty annual event.
-- January 27th, 6 pm, Jack Allen's Kitchen (Oak Hill)  hosts a Gulf seafood cookout benefiting the Lone Star Paralysis Foundation,$150/person, tickets here.
-- Chavez will host a 5-course Folio Fine Wine Dinner on February 3rd; $100/person.
-- Central Market's (all locations) annual chocolate festival will be February 4 - 17. This year's event, A Chocolate Affair, will also include a store wide chocolate tasting on February 6th from 5 - 8 pm.    
-- Leading up to their 5th anniversary, Antonelli's Cheese Shop has a couple different events going on: Feb 9th -- Pig Crawl with La Quercia charcuterie maker Herb Eckhouse; Feb 10th -- pizza party with special pies at ABGB; Feb 11th (their actual anniversary) -- a house party at their shop. Check their events page for more details on all of these!
 -- Sit Stay Day from Emancipet is coming up on February 13th. For $175, you purchase a box of locally curated items donated by area restaurants and food smiths; the various items are gathered in a basket, which can be delivered to your Valentine on the 13th. Some South Austin favorites such as Sugar Mama's, Bouldin Creek Cafe and the Soup Peddler are amongst the donors, and the full list can be found on their website.
--  Lamb Jam will be February 22nd,  at Barr Mansion, brought to you by the American Lamb Board, with 16 local chefs making great use of lamb. $60/person.  From the press release:

Competing for the titles of “Best in Show,” “People’s Choice” and “Best Mediterranean, Asian, Latin and Middle Eastern inspired dishes,” chefs will prepare and serve their most flavorful American lamb fare to be voted on by lamb-loving attendees and judged by Austin’s top food media. 

 -- February 26th, is the Official Drink of Austin event, where the local bartending community gets the spotlight, as the Austin Food and Wine Alliance partners with the Tipsy Texan. Tickets $45 before February 1st, $55 after. 

-- The Gluten Free Food Allergy Fest will be February 28 - March 1 at the Austin Convention Center. Attendees will be able to sample hundreds of gluten-free and allergy friendly foods, learn new cooking techniques and sit in on lectures from leading researchers in the field.  
-- The third annual Austin Oyster Festival will be February 28th, 12 - 6 pm at Carson Creek Ranch, $45-75/person, benefiting the Capital Area Food Bank. East and west coast oysters, bloody Mary bar, games, live music and more!
-- Tickets now on sale for the Austin Food and Wine Festival, April 24 - 25; restructured pricing from last year.

Super Bowl -- February 1st 
-- Did you know that chicken wings have surpassed pizza as the "must have food" for Americans watching the Super Bowl? Pluckers will make 5,000 wings an hour for the 4-5 hours surrounding the big game, but you can place your order now!
-- Fresa's will have special offerings for the game, including wood-grilled wings, jalapeno poppers and 7-layer dip.
-- Salty Sow and Roaring Fork present "Dinner On Us" (or, buy one entree get one free) throughout Super Bowl Sunday.

Valentine's -- February 14th, duh! ** make reservations now!**
--Three course luncheon at Fall Creek Vineyards, $39/person (includes wines); strawberry and goat cheese salad, choice of chicken, pasta or spinach tart, chocolate raspberry mousse
-- Five course dinner at Olamaie, $80/person with optional $45 wine pairings; Olamaie Biscuit, Venison Heart & Sunchoke Tartare, Day Boat Fish, Rutabega Spoonbread, Biscuit Wellington, and Chocolate Cremeux
-- Four course dinner at Finn + Porter, $75/person, with optional wine parings. Different offerings for each course, which include oysters, smoked duck, sea bass, and hazelnut pot de creme. 
-- Five course dinner at The Carillon, $80/person, with optional $65 wine pairings; beef tartare, grilled romaine, blue prawns, beef tenderloin, and chocolate in black and white. (They're serving on both Feb 13 and 14.)
-- Four courses at Lenoir, $65/person. No further menu info available at this time.
-- Four courses at Sagra, $50/person, with optional $15 wine pairings; different offerings for each course, including saffron bisque, pistachio crusted scallops, and creme brulee; vegan options also available.
-- Odd Duck and Peche will offer plate specials as well.  
-- Dai Due offers three savory courses plus dessert. 
-- Due Forni: dinner for two for $60. 
 -- Epicerie, four courses for $45/person with scallops.
-- NXNW has four courses for $49/person with beef tenderloin or snapper. 
-- Daily Grill, three courses with choice of lamb, scallops, or filet + lobster as an entree.  
-- The Preserve at Travaasa offers four courses for $75/person with optional $45 wine pairings. Entree choices include halibut, prime rib, or vegetable melange. Couples massages also available. 
-- And a "Love Hangover" brunch at drink.well on February 15th.

Now Open/New Offerings
-- Barley Swine's Hour of Snacks and Drinks (aka Happy Hour) is now a thing, every Monday through Friday from 5:30 - 6:30 pm.
-- Eastside Cafe is now offering their homemade soups ($3.95/12 oz and $4.95/16 oz) to go next door at Elaine's Pork and Pie. Check their Facebook page for daily varieties.
-- Chi'lantro, a 1509 South Lamar -- Korean/Mexican fusion food.  I attended the media preview last week, and found the k-pop chicken wings to be particularly tasty! Excited to have them in South Austin!

-- Lucky's Puccias at 1611 W. 5th Street
-- Delysia Chocolatier and Tito's Vodka have paired up for three new limited edition truffles.
-- Ramen Tatsu-ya is holding soft openings at their new south location (1234 South Lamar) through January 24th, with their official grand opening on the 25th.

In Progress...
-- The old Fran's at Mary and South Congress was demolished this week to make room for the new flagship Torchy's Tacos.

Bits and Bites -- Austin Food News

Greetings food lovers! Hope you all survived the holidays and are keeping up with at least some of your new year's resolutions. Here's my first Bits and Bites of 2015.

The year has started out on a very good note for yours truly: South Austin Foodie has been named one of the top 10 best food blogs by the Austin Chronicle for the second year running. THANK YOU, Kate Thornberry and AusChron for the distinction; I am honored to be mentioned with this group of excellent bloggers, and will point out that my blog is really the only one of the bunch that posts regular restaurant reviews.

Events
-- Indie Chefs Week has started at Foreign + Domestic with up and coming chefs from across the country coming together to cook in pop-up dinners. Check their website, but I believe they are already sold out.
-- Casa Brasil Coffee and South Austin Brewery are holding their Up + Down tours of their respective facilities, where you can get an in depth look at their raw materials, production, and tastings. Two upcoming dates: January 10th and February 7th, 10 am - 2 pm, $35/person; to register go here.
-- The Hightower will be hosting a bloody mary brunch on January 11th; for $5, diners can create their own drink with Dickel Corn Whiskey, and proceeds benefit the Flatwater Foundation, which provides support for families with cancer.
-- Lenoir and Jester King Brewery are holding a 5 course dinner on January 15th, $95/person. 
-- The second annual Bacon and Beer Fest, hosted by Edible Austin will be Sunday, January 25th at Fair Market (1100 E. 5th St.) from 2:30 - 5 pm. Tickets are $45, and serves as a fundraiser for the Capital Area Food Bank.  Thirty area restaurants (including Barley Swine, Cafe Josie, Frank, Jack Allen's, Noble Sandwich and Snack Bar to name a few) and 12 local craft breweries (Austin Beerworks, Pedernales, St. Arnold.....) will be on hand. I don't know much about this new venue, Fair Market, but it looks gorgeous. Get your tickets, this one is sure to sell out fast!

-- The 9th Annual Jo's Chili Cook-off will be February 1st at their South Congress location. $20 to try all the chili contest submissions! The event benefits the 100 Club, which raises money for the families of fallen firefighters and law enforcement officers.

Openings + Updates
-- Irene's, the latest from the ELM Restaurant Group (Easy Tiger, Arro, 24 Diner) will open at 506 West Avenue in April.
-- In the job openings department, Dinner Lab is searching for a local Brand Ambassador.
-- Kebabalicious has new menu offerings as well as a new catering truck. Check out the full menu at the brick and mortar at 7th and Navasota; the two trucks will offer some of the new items.
-- The humongous new JW Marriott hotel downtown (on Congress between 2nd & 3rd) will be the largest Marriott in the US with over 1,000 rooms across 34 floors when it opens February 13th. Three new restaurants will be a part of the hotel: Osteria Pronto (regional Italian), Corner (Texas food and tequila bar), and Burger Bar, a walk-up window.

Bits and Bites -- Austin Food News

Upcoming Events
-- Patika Wine and Coffee is hosting a latte art throwdown with the Barista Guild of America, October 30th, 7 pm.
-- Gourdough's Public House celebrates their 2nd anniversary with the Creepy Carnival Halloween party, October 31st, 7 pm.  They're also celebrating Austin Beer Week through November 2nd with a prix fixe three course menu for $25.
-- Tacodeli is celebrating 15 years in business, and during the month of November, try 15 lunch tacos and win a free t-shirt. Stop by one of their locations and pick up a Celebrate 15 card and get eating!
-- Jeffrey's offers a four-course wine pairing dinner with winemaker Christian Moueix, November 4th, 6 pm, $300/person.
-- Little Barrel and Brown teams with the Austin Wine Merchant for a five-course wine pairing dinner on November 5th, 6:30 pm, $60/person
-- Austin Monthly has announced their list of the top 11 new restaurants in Austin, and will celebrate them with their Diner's Club dinner on November 6th, 7:30-9:30 pm, $30/person.
-- Whip In and Wine for the People present Sunday brunch with a Tower of Bubbles! November 9th, 11:30 am - 3 pm with bubblies from all over the world. $30/person.
-- Experience Thanksgiving dinner with Epicerie and Argus Cidery, November 9th, 6:30 pm, $75-93/person
-- Austin Fermentation Festival with Sandor Katz is November 15th at Le Cordon Bleu.
-- Wine and Swine, from the Austin Food and Wine Alliance is November 23rd, $85/person.
-- Silk Road Austin, a dinner benefiting Asian Family Support Services of Austin, will be November 15th, 7pm at the Bullock Texas State History Museum, $100/person with food from Kome, Clay Pit, Koriente, and Chinatown, and co-chaired by Takuya Matsumoto, chef/owner of Ramen Tatsuya.
-- The Sustainable Food Center will host Autumn Harvest at Sway, November 16th, 5:30 pm,  $70-$175/person, and will be a celebration of locally-sourced produce and meats prepared by some of Austin's finest chefs.
-- Edible Austin's Eat Drink Local week is December 6-13; chef/author Dan Barber will be the keynote presenter during the event (December 8th at the Paramount Theater).


New and Misc. 
-- Chocolaterie Tessa, an artisan chocolate shop, has opened at 7425 Burnet Road. 
-- Black's BBQ (yes, of Lockhart) has opened at 3110 Guadalupe.
-- Fall Creek Vineyards has announced they will open a tasting room and production facility in Driftwood, directly across from the Salt Lick BBQ.
-- The Elm Restaurant Group (24 Diner, Easy Tiger, Arro) has announced their latest concept, Italic, an Italian bistro to open in the historic Starr Building at 6th and Colorado sometime next year.
-- Pinthouse Pizza will open a south location at 4236 S. Lamar next year. 
-- Download Citygram magazine on your phone or tablet, and take a look at the article on the family meal at three local establishments.
-- Vivo has reopened at Lincoln Village.

Closing...sorta
-- The iconic Dog and Duck Pub at 17th and Guadalupe will close October 31st; plans are in the works to relocate it to E. 7th in 2015. 
-- 7th and Congress mainstay Thai Passion has managed to find new space in far NW Austin, 13376 Research Blvd. Eater Austin reports that the landlords of the downtown location wanted national tenants, not mom and pops. Boo.

Bits and Bites -- Austin Food News

 Upcoming Events
-- The Scarlett Rabbit is running Oktoberfest specials, October 6-26, the culmination of which will be an outdoor party with lots of food and live music on the 26th from 4 pm onward.

-- Mandola's Italian in Bee Cave is celebrating their 5th anniversary with a pizza party on October 13th beginning at 11 am.

-- Art Bites, an evening of art-inspired culinary creations from area chefs, Tuesday, October 14th, at Russell Collection Fine Art (1137 W. 6th) benefiting the Austin Food and Wine Alliance, $50/person.

-- Marye's Gourmet Pizza on Bee Caves Road is throwing a two year anniversary party, Wed., October 15th, 5 - 7 pm.

-- Meet local brewers at Thunderbird Cafe and Tap Room, October 15th, 6-10 pm, also serving as a benefit for the culinary grant programs of the Austin Food and Wine Alliance.

-- Prevention Magazine's R3 Summit is October 17-18 at the Long Center; see my previous post for a coupon code for $20 off tickets!

-- Swift's Attic Sunday Supper Series on October 19th will feature a benefit for LIVESTRONG. $75/person or $100 with wine parings.

-- Truck by Truckwest, October 21-26. Buy a 1-day, 2-day, or 6-day pass and get bites to eat at a slew of food trailers. Vote for your favorite trailer and the winner gets a $10,000 prize, to be awarded at the last Trailer Food Tuesday of the season, October 28th at the Long Center.

-- Carnivores Ball, and as the name implies, not really for the vegans; October 23rd, 5:30 pm, the old Brodie Homestead (you know, sandwiched in between strip malls on Brodie Lane in Sunset Valley -- the old barn is now an event space), $55/person. Organized by Aussie blogger Burger Mary, it will feature meats from Salt + Time, The Slow Bone Crew (from Dallas), Freedman's, Fried + True, beer from St. Arnold and bourbon from Garrison Brothers.

-- Estancia Churrascaria is celebrating their 3rd anniversary October 24-26 with a complimentary dessert for their patrons. 

-- Come one, come all to Homeslice's 9th Annual Carnival of Pizza, Saturday, November 22nd, 12 - 7pm!  Games, contests, pizza, and the event serves as a fundraiser for the Austin Bat Cave, a local non-profit for youth to develop their creative writing skills.

-- Wine and Swine (always one of my favorite events!) for the Austin Food and Wine Alliance, will be Sunday, November 23rd at Star Hill Ranch; details TBA.

-- Delysia Chocolatier is opening a brand new culinary facility in Cedar Park (2000 Windy Terrace, #2C) later this month.

Bits and Bites -- Austin Food News!

-- Incredibly saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Art Blondin, founder of Artz Ribhouse, and pit master of the best baby back ribs anywhere. RIP to one of the good guys.

Events
-- Olive + June hosts a Tasca d'Almerita wine dinner, September 3, $80/person, tickets here.
-- The upcoming Sunday Supper at Swift's Attic is a benefit for owner CK Chin's birthday; $10 or a donation of gently used business attire will benefit Dress for Success; more info here. 
-- Jack Allen's Kitchen (Oak Hill) and Hops + Grain Brewery are having a five course beer dinner, September 9th, $55/person, email banquets@jackallenskitchen.com for tickets.
-- Food, Fun + Fore! Golf Tournament  will benefit the Austin Food and Wine Alliance's culinary scholarships, September 19th at Falconhead Golf Course.
-- Russian House will host a vodka fair, September 25th, $10/person.
-- The Texas Craft Brewers Festival is September 27th at Fiesta Gardens, $10 and up.
-- Springdale Farm Aid will be September 28th at Springdale Farms, $50/person, tickets here.  This sip and stroll fundraiser event will feature many local chefs!

Openings/Updates
-- New prepared foods spot, Independence Fine Foods has opened at 1807 Slaughter Lane.
-- New trailer, Chico + the Fox has opened at 1311 South Lamar, specializing in pulled pork.
-- After much anticipation, Olamaie has opened (in the old Sagra/Mars spot on San Antonio St.), featuring modern southern foods.
-- Jacoby's Restaurant + Mercantile has opened on East Cesar Chavez.
-- aRoma Italian is now open for lunch, 11am - 4pm M-F, and 12 - 4pm on Saturdays; happy hour 3 - 6pm Mon - Sat.
-- The Parish Underground now offers a 25 cent martini with lunch, Mon - Fri, 11am - 2pm. 
-- The Kebabalicious trailer is joining The Picnic food trailer park on Barton Springs.
-- The Smokey Denmark BBQ trailer has a new pit master, formerly of John Mueller's.

And with that folks, I am off to Ireland for 12 days! Slainte!