Bits and Bites -- Food News

St. Patrick Day Celebrations
-- Fado, beginning at 9 am! Tickets are $10, and available in advance.
-- Chicago House, beginning at 10 am, featuring "the Blackened Bucket," Thirsty Planet's Bucket Head beer with Guinness.

Nominations
-- Two local chefs, Andew Wiseheart of Contigo and Mat Clouser of Swift's Attic are both up for Food and Wine Magazine's People's Choice for Best New Chef, Southwestern states. Go to the website and vote for your favorite(s) before March 18th!

Events
-- LOTS happening at Springdale Farm in the coming weeks. On March 17th, they will host a Peelander-Z Family Jamboree concert; March 23rd, a spring concert from the Zenith Quartet; March 30th, part of the Funky Chicken Co-op Tour; April 14th East Austin Urban Farm Tour; AND the announcement of Chef Sonya Cote's latest locavore project, Eden East, and outdoor dining establishment there at Springdale. From the press release: "Eden East's custom dinner experience will deliver prix fixe, multicourse meals bringing guests into the aura of the farm. Patrons can dine al fresco -- just feet away from where their food was raised -- or inside the cozy confines of a 1920's farmhouse surrounded by an exquisitely decorated pecan orchard."


Openings
-- Yeti Frozen Custard, a new food trailer, has opened next to LA Barbecue on South First Street.  (It's delicious, I just tried it! Blog post coming soon.)
-- Flour and Vine has taken over the space occupied by Hugo's, at 300 S. Lamar.
-- Coming later this spring to the old Romeo's on Barton Springs, Umami Mia Pizzeria.
-- Smashburger, a fast food burger chain, is coming to Southpark Meadows. 

Bits and Bites

What's new in the local food world?

-- Slow Food Austin is having a five course tomato dinner this Sunday, June 10, at Springdale Farm with local notable chefs Mat Clouser and Callie Speer of Swift's Attic, and Brandon Fuller of Olive and June. Tickets are $75, and are available online. 

-- Swift's Attic will host a small dinner with winemaker Jules Taylor on June 13; very limited seating.

-- Springdale Farm will also be the site of the previously mentioned Pigs and Pies fundraiser June 14th for local baker Colleen Sommers of Pie Fixes Everything, who was diagnosed with breast cancer. On June 27, the farm will host host a special book signing spotlighting Robyn Jasko, author of "Homesweet Homegrown: How to Grow, Make, and Store Food No Matter Where You Live".

-- Father's Day is coming up June 17! Max's Wine Dive will have Grill Packs and Picnic Packs available to go; pre-order by June 15. Trento is also offering brunch and dinner that day.

-- Lenoir will host a rose (as in the wine, not the flower) dinner on June 24th; also very limited seating!

-- Urban an America Grill at the Domain has a new Executive Chef, Bryce Murphree, where he is introducing a seasonal menu using locally sourced products.

-- Over at Olivia, Chef de Cuisine Andrew Francisco presents his four part summer series dinners, inspired by his trips around the world. Beginning June 20th, Western Chinese, July 25 Maine Lobster, August 22 White Heat, and September 19 Goats and Beer. Reservations required, price per person varies; they do not yet have the info on their website, but I have the full menu for the first dinner if you'd like it, let me know.