August started slow, but suddenly the Austin restaurant scene is bustling again with financial drama, exciting teasers, and fun ways to get involved with new restaurants and cuisines. From news about Suerte-Este team to a silly dress-up challenge, local dining is your oyster.

Openings and closings

Few Austin restaurants have seen the level of meteoric success that Suerte and especiallyEste have, and it looks like we're in for another whirlwind soon. Suerte owner Sam Hellman-Mass provided a statement August 1 about his mysterious latest effort with Chef Fermín Núñez and Suerte's general manager, Celia Pellegrini: "We were brought an incredible opportunity to purchase a vacant property in Cherrywood and I am thrilled to share that we finalized the sale last week. Like Suerte and Este, our goal is to bring something really special to the neighborhood. There is no timeline just yet and we are exploring several concept ideas."

The saga at Valentina's Tex Mex BBQcontinues. According to Johann Moonesinghe, the CEO of the Austin-based restaurant development platform InKind who was looking to buy the building, the Buda barbecue spot owed him more than $1 million. At the time, Valentina's was closed indefinitely by the landlord allegedly due to unpaid rent. Austin Business Journal has been doing investigations into this feud and concluded this week that Valentina's really is closed for good. Now the question is, who's moving in next?

ICYMI: One Italian restaurant has opened in Austin and one has closed, but the balance has shifted to the more local. Buca Di Beppo, a Planet Hollywood subsidiary that serves Italian American cuisine, has declared bankruptcy and closed its only Austin location. But fans of Italian food can now try Fig Italian Kitchen and Bar, a local effort on South Lamar by a chef from Atlanta whose restaurant there has received a Michelin recommendation.

Other news and notes

We're a little late for class on this one, but there's still time to finish a bit of homework. Elementary is celebrating its first anniversary this week (has it really only been a year?) and has invited Austinites to participate in "Spirit Week" from August 5-10. Guests who dress up in the following themes will receive 25 percent off their order: punk rock or Hot Topic-esque styles on Thursday, an embodiment of your favorite holiday on Friday, and prom-worthy looks (dresses and suits) on Saturday. Here's proof that this entry isn't an elaborate prank.

Although BOA Steakhouse is a fancy restaurant with a big reputation, it's been making moves to be accessible at a lower price point. A new effort in that direction is the Wine Lovers Night special launching August 13, which will set all bottles to half price on Tuesday evenings. This launch also doubles as the debut of an exclusive single barrel whiskey custom crafted for the steakhouse by Still Austin. The one-night-only menu to celebrate will include three courses featuring Wagyu, plus an old-fashioned dessert. See the menu here, and reserve ($199) at sevenrooms.com.

Folks who want to learn more about Southern home cooking — or share their own expertise — are invited to a gathering at the Austin Public Library's Central branch for a cooking club August 13. We've shared a good number of professional cooking classes, but there's something about a self- or tradition-taught chef that just can't be replaced. Attendees will swap tips, recipes, and stories, and there will even be some food to sample. Reserve a free spot on Eventbrite, but note that spaces are filling up fast.

Austinites can get a taste of Africa at Cape Bottle Room on August 16. The South African wine bar is hosting Chef Eva Bundi of The Kibanda, a Kenyan pop-up, for a six-course meal with five wine pairings. The menu will focus on traditional dishes, made with modern techniques and global twists. When Bundi isn't running the pop-up, she's packing delivery boxes and working as a personal chef. Reserve a spot for the Cape Bottle Room dinner ($115) on Tock.