Eatery Update
New details emerge about long-awaited downtown bistro from Austin all-stars
Austin's newest French bistro has an update. Le Politique, previously known as Chez Nada, will open downtown in the 2nd Street District this summer. The new name plays off its French concept while paying homage to Austin's status as the political center of Texas.
The patisserie/brasserie combo from New Waterloo — the Austin-based hospitality group behind Sway, La Condesa, South Congress Hotel, and more — will serve everything from pastries to regional French fare. The lineup includes escargot, tarte flambée, and a raw bar. Executive chef Derek Salkin, comes by way of Pao (a New Waterloo project), The French Laundry, Per Se, and other notable establishments.
"My inspiration for the Le Politique menu is a quote from Julia Child's memoir: 'The kind of food I fell in love with was not trendy, souped-up fantasies, just something very good to eat,'" says Salkin in a release. "Our menu will feature French classics that people crave simply because they are satisfying, generous, and familiar. That's what people want to eat, and that's what I love to cook."
Le Politique will offer lunch, dinner, and brunch that can be enjoyed in the open dining room, bar area, or massive wraparound patio. Salkin's wife and fellow Pao and French Laundry alum, Alyssa Hurlstone, will serve as pastry chef for the patisserie portion of the restaurant, which will specialize in housemade treats and espresso that can be taken to-go.
The bistro will be located among the 30,000 square feet of ground-floor storefronts at the 38-story Northshore complex on the corner of San Antonio and West Second streets. The high-rise also includes luxury residential units and office space.
This French concept isn't the only new project from New Waterloo. The team recently announced updates, and a name change, to an Italian eatery opening on the east side at The Arnold, another mixed-use development. Two more Sway locations are also in the works, now projected to open in 2017.
