New beginnings

Mysterious East Austin restaurant finally spills secrets on opening plans

Mark Odom Studio's design for Rosewood keeps the historical elements intact.

UPDATE: Rosewood announced on May 9 that dinner and bar service will begin on May 15. However, a heat barrier issue on May 9 caused an evacuation of the restaurant and the opening will be delayed until modifications can be made. The owners will announce a new opening date in the coming days.

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In Austin’s gossipy hospitality world, it is rare to keep concepts under wraps. But the team behind the mysterious project taking over the space formerly occupied by East End Wines at 1209 Rosewood Ave. managed to do just that, leaving food obsessed locals with only a few clues: a name, a few architectural renderings, and a handful of details from TABC filings.

On March 22, the owners of the upcoming Rosewood spilled a few more secrets and revealed they will be opening the restaurant's doors by the end of April. The new project is the work of chef Jesse DeLeon and his business partner and brother-in-law Chas Spence. DeLeon has worked in several restaurants in town, including Geraldine’s in the Hotel Van Zandt, Vespaio, and Zoot, the much-missed West Austin eatery from Wink chef/owners Mark Paul and Stewart Scruggs.

In 2016, DeLeon and Spence branched out on their own to launch Victoria Provisions, a coastal dinner pop-up series named after the South Texas town, with plans to eventually find a permanent home. According to a release, Rosewood will have much the same focus, taking South Texas cuisine as an inspiration and using ingredients sourced from the Texas Hill Country and the Gulf.

The Rosewood team did not offer many details of how that will actually transfer to the plate. In the release DeLeon said, “I developed Rosewood's menu to be simultaneously familiar and surprising,” but did not offer any examples of dishes he is working up. Currently, the restaurant website has not posted menus and the Facebook page does not offer any photos of prospective dishes.

The rotating menus posted for Victoria Provisions, however, do offer some intel to DeLeon’s approach. Dishes are presented in the currently fashionable style (spelling out lower case ingredients without detailing techniques), but the components are familiar and approachable, largely avoiding the international arsenal of za’atar, gochujang, and yuzu seen on the menus of many local New American chefs.

DeLeon and Spence brought on a couple of industry vets to help with the pastry and beverage programs. Pastry chef Aria Alba (Mattie's, Odd Duck, McGuire Moorman Hospitality) will be handling the sweets while beverage director Benjamin Levario (Parkside Projects, Swift’s Attic) will handle the bar, which will serve cocktails using seasonal indigenous ingredients, wine from family-owned wineries, and beer from Texas breweries.

The design, helmed by Mark Odom Studio’s namesake architect (Bonhomie, Bumble headquarters), was careful to keep the spirit of the original 1890s Victorian home. The space will include a small bar, a 12-table main dining room, a 12-seat private dining room, a chef’s counter, and a large deck open to a lawn. The latter was done by landscape architect Word Design (Green Pastures, Hotel San Jose) to mimic residential gardens and blend in with the surrounding neighborhood.

Initially, Rosewood will only serve dinner. The team promises to add brunch and lunch in May.

openings

Omakase for Everyone

New South Austin restaurant swims against current of expensive omakase

Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Tancho Sushi keeps things simple.

Austin had no shortage of beautiful sushi restaurants, but a new one at Lantana Place is doing drawing the trend away from the center of the city and sticking a lower price tag on the experience. Tancho Sushi, offering "everyday omakase," is now open at 7415 Southwest Parkway.

The thought of casual omakase feels like a bit of an oxymoron in Austin, where the service style — which tasks the chef with choosing what the diner will eat — is almost synonymous with something fancy and expensive. Factor in the interior design at Tancho, which certainly doesn't look pedestrian, and it's hard to believe it's actually an everyday meal.

But all things considered, these prices seem reasonable: $29 for the lightest dinner option, and capping out at a $59 feast. Lunch is even less expensive, starting at $24.

Tancho Sushi interior The airy space takes advantage of its surroundings outside of the city.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

In some omakase experiences, the chef might factor in a diner's taste, the special ingredients that are available that day, and any number of other factors to determine what hits the table. But at Tancho, these prix fixe options are predetermined, doubtlessly contributing to the more accessible pricing.

The 50-seat restaurant also uses a clever marketing angle to get diners in who aren't necessarily experienced in sushi, or might otherwise be intimidated by letting a chef choose unfamiliar foods. "With thoughtfully curated preset menus, Tancho simplifies the dining experience by eliminating the guesswork so guests can focus on enjoying their meals," a press release announcing the opening says.

The release was sent November 22, but it looks like Tancho has been serving customers in a soft opening capacity for about a month, based on its Google reviews (which are stunningly high for a new restaurant at 4.7 stars).

Offerings at Tancho are simple.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Although each menu is different, there is a shared arc. All four experiences start with sunomono salad, a cucumber-based dish with red seaweed and sesame. Then there's tuna sashimi with smoked yuzu ponzu and scallions, and the rest depends on what the diner chooses.

Some standout items across the dinner service are sea bream on the light menu; akami (very red meat along the spine of a tuna) on the standard omakase menu; a lobster open hand roll on the rolls-only menu; and a tuna flight on the grand omakase menu.

No menu item is especially complicated. The focus is on doing each ingredient right, including the temperature the fish is served at and even the flavor of house-made soy sauce and ponzu.

“We keep the focus on the ingredients,” said co-founder Brad Van Otterloo in the release. “By stripping away unnecessary flourishes, we allow the quality of our fish to take center stage. This is a Texas-born concept through and through, and we’re proud to contribute to Austin’s growing sushi reputation.”

The open hand rolls are a signature for the restaurant.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Despite all this talk of omakase, it is possible to order à la carte items: some appetizers, nigiri (sliced fish on top of rice), and rolls. There's also a carefully curated beverage program, which largely focuses on sake. That includes the Kubota Manju or “Ten Thousand Celebrations" ($79), renowned in Japan for its complex layers and smooth mouthfeel.

“As Austin continues to grow, we wanted to introduce a fresh take on the sushi experience,” said Van Otterloo. “We’re here to make sushi approachable for Austinites while honoring the integrity of this cuisine. It’s about creating a space where everyone can discover and enjoy sushi at their own pace – no pressure, no pretense.”

Tancho Sushi exterior This restaurant is meant to be approachable.Image courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Tancho Sushi is located at 7415 Southwest Parkway, Building 4, Suite 300. It's open daily from 11 am to 10 pm, offering both dine-in and takeout. There are no reservations.

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