Kune-uh-oh

Paul Qui's flagship Austin restaurant shutters this week

Kune-uh-oh

Paul Qui's flagship Austin restaurant shutters this week

After closing Qui in 2016, Kuneho opened in the same space in early January.Photo by Bonjwing Lee/ Qui
Though Kuneho promised a return to the thoughtfulness that once made Paul Qui famous, it never became a hit with diners.Photo by Mark Weatherford

Editor's note: We have reached out to the restaurant for comment and will update this story as we learn more.

Kuneho, the second incarnation of Paul Qui's flagship restaurant, will close this week, according to the restaurant. The announcement comes following nearly two years of PR nightmares for the former foodie darling, including allegations of assaulting his girlfriend in front of her young son. Although no reason was given for the closure, the flagship eatery of the Top Chef-winning Qui had suffered a visible slowdown of business since the incident.

After Qui shuttered in September 2016, Kuneho took over the space on East Sixth Street in January 2017 with a menu that promised a return to the chef's culinary roots. And although he has since launched additional projects under the East Side King umbrella and opened Aqui in Houston with relatively little controversy, Qui's name lost most of its currency in Austin. A series of promotions like izakaya service at attached bar The Borough and lunch bento box delivery seem to have failed to take hold.

Meanwhile, Qui will surely be back in the news on November 17 when the pre-trial hearing on his domestic violence charges is slated to be held.

chefs

Earth-Conscious Eating

12 Austin eateries add plant-based dishes for April climate initiative

undefined Photo courtesy of RestauRent

Reducing climate change in your home city doesn't have to be a gargantuan effort; it can start by choosing a plant-based menu item at a favorite local eatery. A monthlong initiative in Austin called Eat for Impact aims to improve accessibility to plant-based foods at local businesses and restaurants — starting this April.

The program was created by nonprofit Planted Society in 2022, after founder and Austinite Britty Mann decided to expand her efforts to create a more sustainable food system through local means. To date, more than 600,000 individuals have participated in past initiatives to create more awareness for climate change in local communities.

Starting April 1, guests at participating restaurants can try "pro-climate" dishes that feature plant-based ingredients that will help reduce the city's overall "environmental footprint" for the month. Each restaurant will add two or more dishes to its menu.

Restaurants that will be participating in "Eat for Impact" include:

Bamboo Bistro
Four Brothers
Hillside Farmacy
Honey Moon Spirit Lounge
Komé
Madam Mam's
Mexta
Sa-Tén
TenTen
The Brewtorium
The Well
Uroko

"Being a restaurant that supports local farmers we have always been inspired by plant-based cuisine," said Hillside Farmacy owner Jade Place in a press release. "The Eat for Impact initiative is a great way for our team to get creative with seasonal produce and be able highlight those dishes on our menu."

Planted Society will also publish a comprehensive report at the end of April that details the impacts of greenhouse gas savings across all participants, including restaurant sales, plus additional food-related efforts from additional "Eat for Impact" partners including climate organizations, community events, and local businesses.

Since the initiative's conception, the nonprofit has worked with more than 330 restaurants and saved about 70,000 pounds of greenhouse gases and one million gallons of water on average. A release also says 13 prior "Eat for Impact" initiatives have each generated more than $76,000 on average in sales from plant-based restaurant specials.

"Austin is setting the standard for climate-forward food in the South, and Eat for Impact turns that vision into action," Mann said. "Now in its third year, the initiative is helping bring the bold new Austin-Travis County Food Plan to life, and we can’t wait to see the results of these collective efforts."

Additional events will be scheduled throughout the month, including a restaurant tour using public transport organized by mutual aid nonprofit Joon Community.

austin restaurants climate change nonprofit