This week in Austin food, it'll be easy to pretend we're on vacation. We can travel via taste buds to Germany, France, Eastern Europe, the Pacific Northwest, depending on how you slice it, or enjoy a casual brunch made with local ingredients.
Openings and closings
Saturn Cocktail Club, a quirky bar with casual food, imaginative cocktails, and lots of community events, announced this week that its last day would be Thursday, October 8. In a post on Instagram, the owner explained that staying viable as a business was "a constant uphill battle." The post explains that in order not to compromise the vision or lean on crowdfunding, the closure would happen almost immediately. Guests are asked to stop by in the bar's final hours to drum up as much business as possible before it shuts down. Fans can also buy a commemorative hardcover book.
A small brunch chain called Urban Egg, with locations in Colorado, Missouri, and Texas, is opening a new location at 7600 Burnet Rd., Suite 250, on October 12. This is the first location in Austin; the three other Texas locations are in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Urban Egg serves classic diner food featuring ingredients by local suppliers including Fiesta Tortillas, Texas Coffee Roasters, Texan Heartland hot sauces, New World Bakery, and Dripping Springs Distilling.
Longtime Pflugerville restaurant Pecan Street Station Deli & Grill announced October 3 on Facebook that it would close October 11. The post by the current owner explains that the building is for sale, and the business will have to relocate even though the current location is profitable. Fans can stay tuned on social media for more information about a new location to come.
Other news and notes
Austin movie star Matthew McConaughey has appeared on the popular YouTube show Last Meals, where celebrities present the multi-course meals they'd like to eat right before they die (very hypothetically). Very Texan highlights from McConaughey's last meal were his own tequila brand, the worst, most egregiously Southern pronunciation of "bolognese," and sausage dunked in jalapeño creamed corn from Opie's Barbecue in Spicewood. The full interview is nearly 45 minutes long, but you can watch him read off his menu here.
Oktoberfest is an expected holiday at Austin breweries, but Meanwhile Brewing is doing something unexpected by collaborating with the French bistro Épicerie. A press release promises "a French-Louisiana spin on German-inspired dishes and drinks" from Thursday to Sunday, October 8-11. Specials include chicken schnitzel with braised greens and turnips, crab and spinach spaetzle, brats with potato aligot, and beer-inspired spritz cocktails.
Piroshky Piroshky will make treats to order in advance.Photo courtesy of Piroshky Piroshky
The famous Seattle bakery Piroshky Piroshky is coming to Austin for a one-day pop-up October 14. To make sure everyone gets their perfect order, the bakery is accepting orders in advance online. The team will make and then flash-freeze each order, pack them up, and then send them home from each stop on the tour, which also includes Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas on October 12, 13, and 16, respectively. Customers can reheat their goodies right away or keep them in their freezers for later.
