Growth spurt

Aaron Franklin and Tyson Cole to open acclaimed Austin smokehouse in Houston

One of Austin's highest profile restaurants will open a Houston location in 2021. James Beard Award winners Tyson Cole (Uchi) and Aaron Franklin (Franklin Barbecue) are bringing Loro, their Asian smokehouse concept, to Houston neighborhood The Heights, the duo announced.

“Since opening Uchi here in 2012, we have loved being a part of this Houston community,” Cole said in a statement. “We are incredibly excited to bring Loro to the Heights! It’s a fantastic neighborhood with so much history."

Originally opened in Austin in 2018, Loro serves a range of dishes that blend the creative talents of its founders. For example, smoked beef brisket gets paired with a chili gastrique and Thai herbs, and smoked pork sausage comes with a Thai-style papaya salad. Those dishes can be matched with a full range boozy slushes, batch cocktails, wine, beer, and sake.

Loro will occupy a former sanctuary at 1001 West 11th St. Like Uchi, Austin's Michael Hsu Office of Architecture will be responsible for transforming the RE:VIVE Development property into a restaurant. Like the original location, the 5,500-square-foot space's design will takes its inspiration from classic Texas dance halls and feature both indoor and outdoor seating.

"I'm super excited about Loro in Houston," Franklin added. "More time with some of the best people in one of the best food cities in the country? Yes, please."

The next couple of years will be a busy time for Hai Hospitality, the parent company of Loro and Uchi. Loro will open a Dallas location in late summer 2020. Uchiko, Uchi's more casual sibling, will open in Houston in 2021.

Aaron Franklin and Tyson Cole are bringing Loro to Houston.

Photo by Logan Crable

Aaron Franklin and Tyson Cole are bringing Loro to Houston.

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Taco News

Popular Austin taco truck Con Todo wraps up business after 3 years

contodotacos.com

Con Todo is closed, but Chef Joseph Gomez is looking forward to the future.

A very popular Austin taco trailer at Celis Brewery has suddenly shut its ordering window. Con Todo chef Joseph Gomez made the announcement on his Instagram account, which was previously the business' account.

As Gomez points out in the message, the account predated Con Todo and will survive it, too, under his own name. It's a clear handle for what the chef plans to do: continue his career and the things Con Todo stood for, but not under the Con Todo name or project.

"Sorry for delay on posting but, after much thought, I’ve made the difficult decision to close the doors to Con Todo 😢. This is one of the hardest choices I’ve ever had to make," Gomez wrote. "Con Todo wasn’t just a business — it was my livelihood, my passion, so deeply personal to me. For those of you who know me, you understand how much heart, soul, time, effort I put into it."

Gomez lists several identities and callings he plans to continue expanding: among them, advocacy, cooking, writing, and being "a proud ADHD weirdo."

"My commitment to supporting migrant workers’ rights remains is as strong as ever, and I’ll continue that work through new projects, as I always have," he writes. "You’ve heard me talk about this mission before, and this year is going to be especially important to take a deep dive into it and explore what’s happening on the border towns where I am from. I won’t be quiet about it."

Gomez and Con Todo have garnered acclaim from food industry and media sources including the James Beard Foundation, Texas Monthly, and CultureMap's own Tastemaker Awards; however the chef doesn't seem too concerned with formal praise from the Michelin Guide as he signs off with the snarky Spanish "#michelinmisnalgas." (He had already been using the hashtag for years prior to winning a recommendation from Michelin in November 2024, and the team did attend the ceremony.)

According to Con Todo's website manifesto, cuisine at Con Todo was both deeply personal to Gomez and representative of the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), so it seems likely that Austinites will get to enjoy eats in the same style from Gomez going forward.

"In the mean time, keep an eye out for me doing pop ups, events, talks, panels and a little pot stirring," Gomez writes. "Nos vemos pronto!"

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