Taste of Texas
10 restaurants represent their cities at the 2023 inauguration, including two from Austin
The County Line and Industry — an old restaurant and a very new one — represent Austin among eight other areas across Texas.
The Texas Restaurant Association (TRA) is serving up a Texas-sized feast at the Texas State Capitol on January 17 at the inauguration of Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. More than 60 culinary students from ProStart are running the show, which also marks the beginning of the state's 88th legislative session.
The partnership between the inauguration and the TRA, called "A Taste of Texas" represents the "$87 billion restaurant industry, which encompasses more than 53,000 locations and a workforce of over 1.3 million employees," according to a press release. Programming by the TRA involves small businesses from across the state.
Austin is the only area represented twice: once by Industry, a new restaurant supplying all the event's beverages, and then again by barbecue restaurant the County Line, which will serve slow-smoked sausage made in house with potato salad. A barbecue institution since 1975, County Line uses traditions from both Texas and New Mexico and is known for operating in unique and scenic locations.
The following restaurants represent their hometowns across Texas with a very meaty menu:
- Rio Grande Valley, Salomé on Main: Carne asada, 2F Akaushi beef, mole verde, huitlacoche tamal, and corn relish
- Waco, George's Restaurant: Crazy wings (chicken, pepper jack cheese, and jalapeño, wrapped in bacon, fried, and served with ranch)
- Houston, PHAT Eatery: Texas Wagyu brisket in Malaysian curry
- Lubbock, River Smith's Chicken & Catfish: Southern style fried catfish, coleslaw, and hush puppies
- San Antonio, SILO Elevated Cuisine: Braised boneless short ribs, creamy parmesan orzo, blistered cherry tomatoes, and fresh horseradish
- Dallas-Fort Worth, The Pelican House Restaurant: Cajun chipotle corn salad and BBQ brisket jambalaya
- Galveston, The Spot: Seafood gumbo
- San Angelo, Western Sky Steakhouse: Steak bits and German fries
“We are proud to have been selected by the Inauguration Committee to showcase the diversity of restaurant offerings in the State of Texas,” said TRA President and CEO Emily Williams Knight in a press release. “We are especially pleased to support our community through this event by including more than 60 ProStart students, Keep Austin Fed, and the Texas Restaurant Foundation — the Association’s 501(c)(3) non-profit.”
Three Austin schools — Connally High School, Del Valle High School, and Taylor High School — have set students up to work at the event through the ProStart program, in partnership with the Texas Restaurant Foundation (established by the TRA). Through the program, high schoolers receive two years of culinary arts and restaurant management training, along with opportunities to participate in events and connect with mentors. The foundation and all three schools will receive a contribution from the inauguration, and local nonprofit Keep Austin Fed will receive any leftover food when the event is over, to distribute to the community.
More information about the Texas Restaurant Association is available at www.txrestaurant.org.
