NEWS YOU CAN EAT

6 things to know in Austin food right now: Indonesian pop-up fuses into full-time trailer

Yeni's Fusion features menu specials like Indonesian meatball soup with vermicelli noodles, fried wontons, tofu, and grilled rib.

Yeni's Fusion/Instagram

Editor’s note: We get it. It can be difficult to keep up with the fast pace of Austin’s restaurant and bar scene. We have you covered with our regular roundup of essential food news.

Openings and reopenings

An ambitious new culinary fusion operation is bringing bold flavor experiences to North Austin. Described as a charged take on Indonesian fare, with Mexican, American, and Tex-Mex influences, chef Yeni Rosdiyani’s new — and appropriately named — trailer, Yeni’s Fusion, is the result of years spent perfecting her craft. Originally launched as an Instagram pop-up, with Rosdiyani taking preorders directly on the social media app, Yeni’s Fusion is set to open in its permanent food trailer space at the Aristocrat Lounge, at 6507 Burnet Rd., in early August. Replacing the Aristocrat Lounge’s once-acclaimed food truck Three Little Pigs, Rosdiyani’s new truck will expand on her popular pop-up menu, featuring such eats as meatball stew with beef ribs, smoked curry burgers with potato fries, and beef-based curry options. Follow Yeni’s Fusion on Instagram for updates.

Texsueño, one of the east side’s favorite Tex-Mex food trailers, is trucking its elevated cuisine to a new location. Now operating his eatery out of east side bar High Noon, Texsueño chef Brandon Martin (best known for his stints at acclaimed Austin spots Barley Swine, Lenoir, and Foreign & Domestic) offers an updated take on old-school crispy tacos, using made-in-trailer masa. The resulting freshly nixtamalized corn tortillas serve as the core of Martin’s menu, creating lighter, fluffier taco shells than typically found in crispy tacos, and a more complex flavor and texture. Now located at 2000 E. Cesar Chavez St., Texsueño is open 5-11 pm Wednesday and Thursday, 5 pm-midnight Friday and Saturday, and noon-3 pm Sunday.

Other news and notes

It’s the phrase every self-respecting Austinite dreads hearing: “Sorry, guac costs extra.” Thankfully, the saint-like folks at Freebirds World Burrito are here to make guac aficionados’ days a little brighter. On National Avocado Day (wait, isn’t that every day?), Saturday, July 31, Freebirds’ decadent, flavorful guacamole is free with any purchase! The generous offer is valid for in-store orders only at all 55 Freebirds locations across the state. And if the free avocado ambrosia isn’t enough to curb your Tex-Mex craving, the beloved burrito chain is also offering a special slow-cooked brisket menu item available at all locations for a limited time.

Austin Motel, the city’s favorite retro-chic staycation destination, is offering the perfect poolside event for weathering the dog days of summer: cocktails and movies by the pool. Every Friday in August, in collaboration with Malibu, Austin Motel will host its new Float Fridays event, giving locals and guests the chance to “get away” without leaving the comfort of their tube. Beginning August 6, the film industry’s greatest road-trip movies will be aired, including Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Crossroads (Britney, not Macchio), Girls Trip, and more. Drink specials and snacks will be available at the pool bar. Tickets ($20) go on sale two weeks from each show’s date, and screenings start at 8:30 pm. Get find more info here.

Even if you’re not planning to take a typical summer vacation this year, your taste buds can still embark on one heck of a trip. Introducing Pilgrimage, a new special release that offers a complex, boozy journey through the whisky world from Waco-based Balcones Distilling, the award-winning operation behind such American single-malt whiskies as the Lineage, “1” Texas Single Malt, and Mirador. Each release of this ongoing bottle series showcases different results in the exploration of whisky, and none will be the same. The first iteration of Pilgrimage is crafted with Golden Promise malted barley aged in used casks and finished in Sauternes dessert wine barrels. This initial batch of Pilgrimage is exemplified by complex honeyed fruit notes of canned peach, golden raisin, and Asian pear, with sweet, nutty grain notes of baklava. Balcones Pilgrimage retails for $79.99 and is available for purchase at local liquor stores.

Scenic Hill Country views, good wine, and happy puppers. What else could you want? Kuhlman Cellars’ 2020 Estate Wine and Calcarcia release party is going to the dogs — and that’s a great thing! Sunday, August 1, Kuhlman Cellars will host a special Dog Days of Summer Wine Release Party benefiting the Humane Society of New Braunfels. You can pre-purchase a four- or 6-bottle bundle, which includes two event tickets, plus either two or three bottles of each released wine, a small charcuterie plate, two glasses of the new wines, and some puppy swag gifts. And $1 of each bottle sold of the new releases and all bottles sold on August 1 will support the Humane Society of New Braunfels, the shelter where the Kuhlman team adopted their beloved vineyard cat, Nico. View and purchase a variety of tasting and bottle package options for the event on Kuhlman Cellars’s website.

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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.

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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