East meets west

2 Sixth Street bars shake things up during COVID-19 with patio pop-up

La Holly is hosting a six-month pop-up at Key Bar.

Photo by Summer Madeline

Key Bar is shaking things up. Literally. The long-running West Sixth staple is partnering with East Sixth newbie La Holly to host a summer cocktail pop-up.

The project, a joint venture between both bars, is designed to bring a "socially distanced outdoor patio experience" to Key Bar while spotlighting La Holly's famed cocktails. Pop-up patrons can expect frozen cocktails, as well as the self-described cantina's "usual offerings of tequila, mezcal, sotol, raicilla, and bacanora."

A release adds the pop-up will also offer local beers on draft and in cans and bottles. And because we are in the age of COVID-19, ownership also says it is taking social distancing measures very seriously, making it "the number one priority."

It's actually the novel coronavirus — and its devastating impact on bars and restaurants — that inspired the pop-up. As summer begins and social distancing measures remain in place, La Holly owner Simon Madera and team are focusing on patios and other outdoor spaces to help boost revenue amid the economic fallout from the pandemic.

“We see the value in growing into patio spaces, as we believe that is going to be the next big thing as Austin slowly opens up more for business,” said Madera in a release. “Due to COVID-19, we would like to focus our energy into converting our bars and restaurants into thriving patio spaces to make customers feel comfortable social distancing while enjoying a beautiful surrounding."

Along with cocktails, Taco Flats, also owned by Madera, is parking its food truck outside of Key Bar. The restaurant, which currently has locations in Allandale, Clarksville, and at La Holly, offers Mexican-inspired fare including tacos, flautas, and quesadillas.

As for Key Bar, a rep tells CultureMap that the West Sixth stalwart is not closing, just offering its patio space up for a six-month pop-up.

cocktails

More pumpkin, less milk

Austin-based vegan milk ready for fall with new pumpkin spice flavor

Photo courtesy of Malk

Pumpkin is one of the first ingredients in this flavored almond milk.

Vegans may avoid dairy, but they deserve a pumpkin spice latte in the fall. Malk Organics, an Austin-based almond milk company, is taking care of that with a new pumpkin spice variety.

This seasonal flavor is hitting shelves now, and will be available "throughout the fall season while supplies last," according to a news release. It joins three standard flavors — unsweetened, vanilla, and chocolate — for a total of four almond milks across the board. The company also makes oat and cashew milk, or "malk," and some creamers.

The second ingredient after filtered water is organic pumpkin, so that flavor should come out strong in whatever drink it's spicing up. It also contains almond butter and sugar, plus extracts of vanilla, cinnamon bark, nutmeg, ginger, and clove — all organic, too.

"With the popularity of the pumpkin spice flavor profile, we wanted to offer consumers a healthier way to enjoy their favorite fall beverages." said Malk CEO Jason Bronstad in the release. "We have meticulously crafted a pumpkin spice SKU featuring the cleanest ingredients without compromising on delicious flavor."

When Bronstad talks about health, he's referring to claims made in the release that distance the completely organic product from "gums, oils, and fillers." The brand prides itself on these things, plus few enough ingredients to count on one hand — not quite the case for this more intricately spiced product, but surely an exception can be made for that pumpkin pie flavor.

This isn't Malk's only seasonal effort; it's also bringing back its holiday nog made with almonds, maple syrup, nutmeg extract, and Himalayan pink salt. So far there aren't really any exotic flavors on the permanent menu, but a caramel creamer enhances the otherwise vanilla and unflavored line.

For those who feel called by the dairy-free pumpkin spice but don't know what to make with it, Malk has plenty of recipes on its site that might be nice to spice up. The Pumpkin Protein Pancakes are an obvious candidate for an extra bit of pumpkin oomph, as is the Pumpkin Pie Smoothie. Actually, there are lots of pumpkin recipes already on the website using other varieties of Malk; but perhaps the Caramel Pecan Cheesecake Bars could use some additional adventure.

Pumpkin Spice Malk ($6.99 for 28 ounces) can be found at Whole Foods, Sprouts, Erewhon, Gelsons, HEB, Fresh Market, and other local retailers. Find nearby options at malkorganics.com.