Bits and Bites

Events

-- Salt + Time Salumeria and Jester King Brewery are teaming up for a five-course beer dinner, Wed., July 24th, $70/person, ticket info here.

-- J. Blacks is having their 6th anniversary on July 25th, gift bags for the first 100 guests.

-- Area Jack in the Box restaurants (and no, chains and fast food usually aren't my thing) are holding a summer fan drive, July 27th; they will collect 20-inch box fans or monetary donations, that will be utilized by the United Way for Greater Austin and their clientele.

-- Banger's  will have their one year anniversary party on August 3rd, complete with live music, pig roast and some special beers.

-- Casa Brasil, along with South Austin Brewing Company, are offering their "Up and Down" Tours, a "backstage pass into the world of craft coffee and craft beer." You get tours of both facilities (next door to each other), lunch, and a goodie bag for $35! Next tour is August 10th.

-- This year's Pay It Forward with Daniel Curtis Benefit will be August 8th, 7 - 10 pm, $75/person at the AT + T Conference Center. Daniel was a food and beverage director at the AT + T/Carillon, who became a quadriplegic in a diving accident. The event benefits the Lone Star Paralysis Foundation, and has an amazing lineup of area chefs donating their time and talents (see the Pay it Forward link). I attended as a volunteer last year, and the food and energy in the room was amazing.

-- Parkside is hosting the Summer Sparkling Dinner on August 13th, $100/person, benefiting the Sustainable Food Center.

New and Updates
-- The Dojo, specializing in Japanese bar foods, has opened (yes, up north....) at 9070 Research Blvd.

-- El Pollo Rico, the Mexican-style rotisserie chicken place, has opened another spot at 1719 E. William Cannon.

-- Pelons Tex Mex, at 8th and Red River (the old Jaime's Spanish Village), is now offering Sunday brunch, complete with a Bloody Mary bar. I don't see the menu online as of this posting, but the press release mentions huevos rancheros, migas, breakfast tacos and burritos.

-- Coming this winter, Olamie, a modern Southern restaurant will open at 1610 San Antonio (the old Mars and Sagra location). Prior to their formal opening, they will host a series of pop-up meals at various establishments around town, starting at Lenoir, August 6 - 10.

-- Wheatsville Co-op's new spot on South Lamar is slated to open on/around August 28th.


In the past two weeks, I have attended three media tastings/soft openings (thank you for having me!), all very good!

The new PhoNatic in Southpark Meadows -- pork bun (vermicelli) bowl and eye of round pho.

Kenichi downtown -- seabass with grapefruit, seaweed + wilted spinach, prosciutto-wrapped big eye tuna, butterfish

Arro's soft opening -- mussels + frites, antelope, croque monsieur, four desserts (chocolate pot de creme on the right stole the show!).

And, the Austin Food Blogger's Alliance fundraiser for the ARC -- Cocktails and Cupcakes! Thanks again to all of our sponsors. Cupcakes: Blue Note Bakery, Butter Stick Bakery, Crema Bakery + Cafe, Delish, SugaPlump Pastries, Sugar Mama's Bakeshop. Cocktails: T1 Tequila, Treaty Oak Distillery, Hops + Grain.  Flowers: Central Market Westgate. Facility + Appetizers: Le Cordon Bleu of Austin. Additional support by Google+.

Bits and Bites

Events and Happenings

-- The Austin Food Blogger Alliance will hold their annual fundraiser, Cocktails and Cupcakes on July 19th from 6 - 9 pm at the Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School at the Domain; proceeds benefit the ARC Capital Area. AFBA member price $25/all others $35, over 21 only please. Sip on libations provided by Treaty Oak Distilling, T1 Tequila, and Hops and Grain. Cocktail themed cupcakes courtesy of Sugar Mama's Bakeshop, SugaPlump Pastries, Swift's Attic, Delish, and Crema Bakery and Cafe. Tickets available for purchase here. (Disclosure: I am a member of the AFBA, and am helping with this event! Come on out!)

-- Austin Cake Ball is having a summer promo: buy one dozen cake balls, get one ball free!

-- Umami Mia Pizzeria is having a pizza eating contest on July 4th at 4 pm. Come HUNGRY!

-- La Condesa is hosting a Herradura Tequila tasting 4-course dinner, July 9th $100/person. Tickets here. Additionally, La Condesa's private lounge space, Malverde will no longer have bar/lounge programs to expand the private event space.

Openings and New Stuff
-- P. Terry's has opened their 7th area location, at 12301 North Mopac, and they hope to have a total of 12 spots by 2015. 

-- Uncle Julio's, a Mexican chain based in Dallas, will open in mid-July at 301 Brazos Street downtown; this is their 17th restaurant and first in Austin. At 9500 square feet, there will be seating for over 400 people.

-- Austin-based chain Johnny Carino's has partnered with Udi's Gluten Free Foods to create a new gluten free menu.  

-- Both locations of Jack Allen's Kitchen are celebrating new whiskey drinks, featuring their own Eagle Rare Single Barrel Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey, selected exclusively by Jack Gilmore himself.

-- Smashburger's milk shake of the summer is peanut butter and jelly, now through the end of September.

-- Justin Rupp is the new Executive Chef at Olive and June, where's he's creating light pasta dishes with seasonal ingredients for the summer.

-- Pasty Chef Taff Mayberry has returned to Olivia. 

-- PhoNatic is now open in South Park Meadows. 

-- Mettle is now open for lunch. 

-- Barlata, the new Spanish tapas bar from Daniel Olivella, opened last night

Local Publications
-- David Alan's Tipsy Texan: Spirits and Cocktails from the Lone Star State

-- Jarod Neece and Mando Rayo's  Austin Breakfast Tacos: The Story of the Most Important Taco of the Day

Bits and Bites

-- Go Texan Restaurant Round Up is July 23 - 29;  a number of local restaurants will feature Texas menu items. Great list of the participating places and see what they're serving!

-- Banger's Sausage House and Beer Garden will officially open on July 30th in the Rainey Street District. With 30 sausage and 103 (!!) taps of beer, and even vegetarian sausage (oxymoron?) and kombucha on tap, there ought to be something for everyone! Am told there's a parking lot behind the building.

-- Max's Wine Dive will host a "Picnic Wine Dinner" on August 2, $50/person, available for purchase in advance here.

-- Slow Food Austin is sponsoring the 2nd Annual Slow Food Quiz Bowl at the Highball, August 12. To join in, purchase your $25 tix here.

-- Roll On Sushi at 5350 Burnet Road, has a new chef, Patrick Acuna so look for some updates to the menu.

-- Drink.Well at 207 E. 53rd has launched a new menu.

And, a reminder COME AND JOIN US!!!

The Austin Food Blogger Alliance is holding a fundraiser, Cocktails and Cupcakes, for Bake a Wish, a non-profit group of volunteer bakers who provide cakes to kids in foster care.  It's Wed., July 25th, from 6 - 8pm at the AT and T Conference Center on the UT Campus. Food and cupcake-inspired cocktails by the Carillon, a cupcake taste-off from five fabulous local bakeries, and a silent auction. Tickets are $35 (purchase here), which includes two drink tickets! Come see me, eat some cupcakes and drink some drinks!

Bits and Bites

I am a member of the Austin Food Blogger Alliance, and we are very excited to be hosting a fundraiser to benefit Bake A Wish, an area non-profit that provides birthday cakes and other treats to those in need. Cocktails and Cupcakes will be held on Wednesday, July 25th, from 6 - 8 pm at the Carillon, part of the AT&T Conference Center at UT. Tickets are $35/person, and can be purchased here; you will receive two drink tickets for some cupcake-themed cocktails!

Bake A Wish is comprised of volunteer bakers who donate their time, talent, and materials to provide birthday cakes to area children and elderly who may not otherwise have a cake to enjoy. We will have a silent auction at Cupcakes and Cocktails that will also help raise funds for them. Much thanks in advance to the Carillon for their support. Come and join us for a fun and very tasty evening! 

Other news:

-- Trento is celebrating Half Way to New Years on July 17th from 5 - 8 pm, with half price food and drinks. 

-- Eleven Plates will be hosting a Spanish wines dinner on July 24th, $69/person for a four course meal with wine pairings.

-- Easy Tiger is hosting a Real Ale beer pairing dinner, also July 24th, $55/person for six coursed with beers.

-- We're coming up on the first Trailer Food Tuesday, a changing collection of area food trucks gathered at the Long Center on the last Tuesday of the month, in this case, July 31st from 5 - 9 pm. They've got about 10 trailers lined up for this first one, see their Facebook page for more details!

-- Thunder Heart Bison: Ranch to Trailer has a food trailer! Now located at 1104 E. 6th.

-- The Pizza Shop trailer is an offshoot of the currently closed Mercury Pizza (I think they're trying to get their liquor license) at 1906 S. 1st.... I saw their menu in something online the other day, and now I can't find it, but it looked good.

-- Several places expanding their offerings: Swift's Attic now doing happy hours, Fresas Chicken al Carbon now doing breakfast tacos, Max's Wine Dive will begin Sunday brunch on August 12th.

-- Other spots with hot happy hours: icenhauer's, Paggi House, Urban at the Domain.