Olamaie Wins Big

Austin culinary duo named among Food & Wine's Best New Chefs

Michael Fojtasek and Grae Nonas can be found on this year's Best New Chef list from Food & Wine magazine.

Austin's hottest chefs keep raking in the titles. On Tuesday, Food & Wine magazine announced its Best New Chefs for 2015, including a local culinary duo. Chefs Michael Fojtasek and Grae Nonas of Olamaie join nine other chefs on the esteemed list.

"The duo — who met while working at one of LA's hippest restaurants (Son of a Gun) — share a passion for classic Southern cooking, locavorism and innovation," says the magazine. "This magical combination results in dishes like whey-caramel-glazed sweet potatoes with popped sorghum and crudo with puffed black rice, benne seeds and pickled watermelon rind."

Food & Wine calls Olamaie's chilled North Carolina crab salad its signature dish and shares an insider tip about those much-loved, off-the-menu biscuits. "If we put them on the menu, we'd be doing nothing but making biscuits all day long," Fojtasek says.

To qualify for the prestigious honor, chefs have been in charge of kitchen operations for five years or less. Olamaie is the only Austin representative on this year's list. Fojtasek and Nonas join Paul Qui, who received the title last year.

Look for Fojtasek and Nonas in the July issue of Food & Wine.

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WHOM THE BELL SOTOLS

Poolside sotol bar splashes into high-end downtown Austin hotel

Photo by Jade Hammer

Cantero Austin.

Austin's thirst for desert spirits may not be precisely quantifiable, but there's no doubt it is on the rise. Over the last decade, several mezcal and tequila bars have popped up throughout the city. No wonder the Line Austin is eager to enter the game with its newest nightlife offering, Cantero.

Officially open as of November 12, it's the Capital City's first bar emphasizing sotol, a sibling spirit of mezcal made with the desert spoon plant instead of agave. The chic space, decorated with Mexican modernist neutrals, opens up to the downtown property's pool.

"When planning Cantero, we knew we wanted to highlight local ingredients and Texas spirits," explained Line head of creative Stefan Merriweather in a release. "Sotol, a regional gem, stood out as something we hadn't yet encountered in a dedicated bar, and we saw an opportunity to introduce our guests to something fresh and unexpected."

Although the bar stocks other spirits, it has one of the broadest sotol collections in the region. While Mexican brands like Flor del Desierto are featured, Cantero stocks Texan trailblazers like Desert Door and Marfa Spirit Co.

Guests can enjoy sotol via standalone tastings or mixed in signature cocktails like the Yucca with Aperol, lemon cordial, habanero bitters, and soda; or the Strelitzia with ginger, lemon, and lavender-honey soda. Other liquors anchor more sippers, like the Dahlia with mezcal, green pepper, sweet corn, and smoked chili bitters.

The lounge also enjoys proximity to the Line's outpost of Veracruz All Natural. Guests can soak up the booze with the entire taco and appetizer menu from the Austin favorite, located adjacent to Cantero.

Cantero is now open from noon to 10 pm Monday through Thursday, 10 am to midnight Friday through Saturday, and 10 am to 10 pm on Sunday.

Photo by Jade Hammer

Cantero is dedicated specifically to sotol.

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