Opening alert
Rotating East Austin restaurant cooks up cure to lunchtime blues
No matter how many restaurants are in a neighborhood, choosing where to eat lunch eventually dissolves into chaos. As customers become increasingly bored with the same old choices, the simple inquiry of “where should we eat?” becomes the most excruciating decision of the day.
One of Austin’s top commissary kitchens is introducing some much-needed variety into the lunch game. RPM Kitchens, which provides commercial preparation space for food trucks and culinary startups, has announced the opening of a new counter lunch eatery inside east side development Springdale General.
According to a release, the concept — informally branded as RPM Counter — will feature a constantly rotating lineup selected from its deep bench of food entrepreneurs. Each pop-up will only run for a few weeks at the 1023 Springdale Rd. space, so patrons always have something fresh to look forward to.
Introducing the concept will be an almost month long run from Lucky Lime, running now through November 27. The food delivery service, specializing in fresh bowls, salads, juices, and other “clean” dishes comes from former Jeffrey’s and Josephine House chef Rebecca Meeker.
Pretty Thai (née Pretty Thai for a White Guy) then steps in for a two pop-ups on December 2-13 and January 6-31. The concept from couple Kristen and Robert Strong offers traditional Thai dishes made with the company’s line of sauces, now available at retail outlets like H-E-B, Central Market, and Wheatsville Co-op.
RPM Counter will only be open for weekday hours between 11 am-2 pm and will announce the future lineup at a later date. Though it will not have a discrete dining room, the building’s food hall-like setup will provide plenty of space to linger.
RPM is the latest addition to the growing culinary crew housed in the creative office space. Casual bar The Front Page opened in early April followed by temaki and omakase spot Uroko. Farmers market mainstay Julie Myrtille Bakery will join the crew on December 4 with its first brick-and-mortar.