News You Can Eat

A ramen window, plus 6 other openings + closings reset Austin food news

Lil' Ramen Tatsu-ya is now open on The Drag near the University of Texas.

Photo courtesy of Ramen Tatsu-ya

Austin is all about casual food this week, judging by this especially large group of openings and closings. Ramen out of a window, the rise of a queer diner, and two chains add to locals' options for a low-key meal out; meanwhile, some elevated versions of hypercasual cuisines are packing it up.

Openings and closings

College students on The Drag will have a much nicer association with ramen than their colleagues with a Maruchan dependency, now that Lil' Ramen Tatsu-ya has moved in. The new shop at 2416 Guadalupe St. will serve the local chain's famous ramen through a walk-up window. The concept has a fun, eye-catching design and some outdoor seating to make visitors feel welcome. We can't welcome those cooler fall days fast enough. Lil' Ramen Tatsu-ya is now open daily from 10:30 am to 10 pm. Guests can order ahead via Toast.

Upscale barbecue joint Black Gold has closed and deleted its social media accounts. Thankfully, a local Redditor snapped some screenshots before the Instagram post disappeared with the account. After less than a year in business, the team wrote "This may be the end of one chapter, but the story isn't over yet. Here's to new beginnings and ventures on the horizon — and to all of you who made this adventure so special." The concept behind Black Gold was to create a more elevated dining experience around barbecue, adding cocktails to the central conceit. The post does not detail why the business closed or what new beginnings are coming.

Cover 2, the "redefined" sports bar at 13701 Research Blvd., has closed, according to social media posts by the business. "Since opening in 2012, this community has been our home, our family, and the place we’d go to see friends and familiar faces. [...] It’s been an honor to serve you and to be a part of this neighborhood for so long." This closure does not affect sister restaurant Cover 3 in Round Rock or on Anderson Lane, which also elevates the sports bar experience.

Queer diner-inspired food truck Lynny’s, which is parked in East Austin's Govalle neighborhood (705 Gunter St.), is progressing on its quest to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant. A week ago, the team debuted a new sign on the unassuming 12th Street building, and they've raised more than $6,000 of their $10,000 crowdfunding goal. Passers by who get curious about the food can stop by the trailer for a "Big ol Burger Nite" on Saturday, August 22. The event will serve as an opening party for a new art show at neighbor Mass Gallery by Mexico-based artist residency Cobertizo.

Local chain Tacodeli is opening its 10th Austin-area location, but its first in Cedar Park at 1400 E. Whitestone Blvd., Ste. 100. The casual restaurant, known for its Tex-Mex tacos and Austin origin, will open September 8. This new location is also notable because it's the first with a drive-thru window. It's the brand's 15th location across Texas.

North Austin development EastVillage is adding another business to its lineup with Shake Shack, an international chain that serves burgers and other fast food with sleeker branding and interior design. That means it'll share a neighborhood with Midwest chocolate and ice cream shop Kilwins and very upscale conveyor belt sushi restaurant Tora. No address or opening date was announced, but EastVillage is located between East Howard Lane and East Parmer Lane and is still in development.

Other news and notes

Homey local diner Kerbey Lane Cafe is celebrating 45 years in business with a $45 dinner for two. After 4 pm, diners can get a starter, two entrées, and a dessert for the special price, available only for those dining in. This is a limited-time offer, but no end date has been specified. A banner on the website's home page describes the deal, so perhaps if guests are reading this article months from now, they should check that it's still there before heading out.

New Orleans-inspired bar and restaurant Uptown Sports Club is getting down on Thursday nights with local record store Breakaway Records. Nitelight will be held every week from 9-11:30 pm. Guests can enjoy reverse happy hour deals like $8 martinis, $4 fries, and 25 percent off all po’boys. Entry is always free.

Lovers of spooky things and Japanese culture might want to stop by Hyperreal Film Club on August 23 for Chilling Night, an Austin Japanese Community Nōryō Film Event. (Nōryō refers to a tradition of cooling off during the summer.) There will be a movie screening (Hoichi the Earless), a cultural talk, a Buddhist Sutra writing tribute, a scary photo booth, and a Hyakumonogatari ghost storytelling ritual. On the food side, guests can enjoy an optional sushi bento dinner. Tickets ($24.25) are available via Eventbrite and in short supply.

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Out to Pasture

New hotel and restaurant open at historic Austin 'pastures'

Photo by Casey Dunn

Henry's gives a chic, updated look to an old property.

Mattie's at Green Pastures, a Southern restaurant on a historic property with famous pigeons, already felt like a retreat from the more urban parts of Austin. Now the property at 811 W. Live Oak St. has reached its hospitality potential with the addition of the Inn at Green Pastures, with 63 new guest rooms, a private pool, a lounge, a bar, and even a whole new restaurant called Henry's. Room reservations will open Friday, December 12.

The Green Pastures property in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood used to cover 50 rural acres, but now it's down to seven — still a healthy size considering its always-changing surroundings. The pièce de résistance is a 120-year-old Victorian farmhouse that was built by local minister and physician Dr. Eugene W. Herndon and later purchased by lawyer Henry Faulk, who moved his family in and ran the surrounding land as a farm.

By 1946, the owner's daughter Mary Faulk Koock and her husband, Chester Koock, turned the home into a restaurant — the first racially integrated restaurant in Austin, according to Green Pastures — and more family members stewarded the property until it was sold by a local investment group of more than 100 members in 2015. The restaurant became Mattie's in 2017.

The biggest news for Austinites is the new restaurant, which will be open day-to-night for morning coffee service, snacks, full meals, and cocktails. For now, it's just open from 4-11 pm, and will open in its full capacity starting December 12.

Foodies can still get the famous mini-biscuits from Mattie's, plus hot smoked salmon on a bagel, a hotdog with relish, a burger using beef from Grassfield Farm in Hondo (about 50 miles west of San Antonio), and grilled redfish with German potato salad. These dishes will be served in the restaurant as well as to guests in their rooms. Small plates like charcuterie boards and oysters will be available at the pool.

Henry's at Green Pastures hotdog Not everything at Green Pastures is fancy.Photo by Jessica Stephens

Cocktails aren't relegated to the nighttime hours. Guests can order a breakfast martini with gin, red berry liqueur, lemon and strawberry jam; then they can come back at lunch or dinner for a Hugo Spritz or a signature cocktail. Draft cocktails like an Artemis Cup, Back Porch Tea, and Espresso Martini keep things simple and can be served without alcohol.

For travelers and staycationers, the guest rooms and nine suites in the newly constructed, three-story hotel offer a "quiet, restorative retreat," according to a press release. Both room styles show off high ceilings and windows that maximize that height, plus hardwood floors, marble sinks, anddeep bathtubs. The suites are all named after wildlife that might be found on the property, and the building is shaped like an "L" to work around existing live oaks. Even parking is out of the way, hidden underground.

Inn at Green Pastures guest rooms The guest rooms keep things simple and serene.Photo by Casey Dunn

The new structure was designed by the highly regarded local architecture firm Clayton Korte. Its many recognizable projects include other historically sensitive builds, like major renovations just announced in November at Austin's Paramount and State Theatres. On the interior, local design studio Noah Marion is responsible for leather goods around the property including catchall tray, decor, games, apparel, and more that will all be for sale to guests.

Completing the resort feel, a luxury spa is planned for a 2028 opening.

Finally, the property will also be available for events, including weddings, with access to its gardens, event hall at Mattie's, and Green Pastures ballroom. A cottage also provides a space to get ready for the events to come.

Inn at Green Pastures The new addition looks nothing like the Victorian farmhouse it accompanies.Photo by Casey Dunn

“The Inn at Green Pastures is our way of offering guests a deeper connection to this special place,” said Jeff Trigger, chairman of the investor board and president of La Corsha Hospitality Group, in a press release. “Whether you're here for a wedding, a quiet getaway or drinks at Henry’s, we want every stay to feel personal, elevated and rooted in the beauty of Austin.”

Rooms at the Inn at Green Pastures start at $395.

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