Dynamic Dining

3 favorite Austin restaurant chains declared the hottest in America

Chi'Lantro is one of the hottest fast-casual chains in the U.S.

Photo courtesy of Chi'Lantro

New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington are traditional food hubs where much of the restaurant industry’s innovation happens. But a trade publication for the restaurant industry says that outside those metropolises, Austin is “the most exciting city to watch” for fast-casual dining concepts.

“With a unique combination of cultural flair and major corporate activity, Austin has become an incubator of sorts for exciting fast-casual concepts that avoid common chain pitfalls and yet have the infrastructure in place to scale into national brands,” Sam Oches, editorial director of QSR magazine, writes.

“Fast casual” refers to eateries that sell food above the quality of fast-food joints like KFC and McDonald’s but don’t offer full table service. Well-known brands under the fast-casual umbrella include Chipotle Mexican Grill, Panera Bread, Schlotzky’s, and Shake Shack.

“Fast-casual restaurants thrive in cities with populations that are food-forward and embrace new experiences,” Oches tells CultureMap. “Austin is a unique combination of business savvy and cultural progression, and those things — combined with a young, energetic population of both consumers and entrepreneurs — have likely turned Austin into such a fast-casual hub.”

On its recent list of the 40 most exciting fast-casual brands in the U.S. with fewer than 40 locations, QSR spotlights three Austin-based chains that are helping turn the city into a fast-casual hub.

Chi’Lantro
“Our vision is to be the leading fast-casual Korean barbecue brand in the world,” Chi’Lantro founder and CEO Jae Kim tells QSR. “We inspire the way people eat, think about, and experience Korean barbecue.”

Hopdoddy Burger Bar
QSR reports that Hopdoddy expects to open six to eight more locations in 2017, including one in Nashville.

Tarka Indian Kitchen
“We believe we can get to hundreds of these units around the country, not to mention the world,” Tarka co-founder and CEO Tinku Saini tells QSR. “Around the country, in every major metropolitan market, there’s no reason why there can’t be multiple stores.”

During a visit to Austin during this year’s SXSW, Oches scoped out Austin’s fast-casual scene and singled out 15 “exciting” locally grown restaurant brands, including Chi’Lantro, Hopdoddy, and Tarka. The other local brands highlighted by Oches are Baby Greens, Flyrite Chicken, General Tso’Boy, La Barbecue, Noble Sandwich Co., P. Terry’s Burger Stand, PhoNatic, Ramen Tatsu-Ya, Snap Kitchen, Tacodeli, Torchy’s Tacos, and Verts Mediterranean Grill.

In his piece about Austin, Oches declares Austin is “the next great epicenter for fast-casual restaurant development.”

“The fast-casual scene in Austin is one of the most dynamic and exciting in the U.S.,” Oches tells CultureMap. “There are dozens of fast-casual concepts with potential to thrive not only in Austin, but also all over Texas and potentially the country. The Austin fast-casual scene is also incredibly creative, which is one of the reasons these brands have so much potential outside the city.”

When it comes to growth in two segments of the restaurant business — fast food and fast casual — Austin is a whopper, according to QSR. The magazine predicts that among the country’s large and midsize markets, Austin will see the most collective growth in those two restaurant sectors over the next several years.

QSR foresees 19 percent growth in customer traffic at Austin’s fast-food and fast-casual restaurants from 2016 to 2021. Only one region in the U.S. — the small market of Minot-Bismarck-Dickinson, North Dakota — is projected to experience more robust growth (24 percent) during the same period.

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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.

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).

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.”

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 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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