Around the world in 80 dishes

New restaurant in Austin suburb ventures through Texan cuisine with South African and Chinese twists

Sometimes you don't have to plan a pricey trip to travel around the world — all you have to do is drive to San Marcos, thanks to the new internationally flavored cuisine at Tarbox & Brown, open now.

Located inside Kissing Tree, a 55+ community (but don't worry, anyone can dine at Tarbox & Brown), the complex's newest signature restaurant boasts a seasonal rotating menu of dishes inspired by executive chef Chanel Beattie's life growing up in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Beijing, China.

Photo by Jane Yun

The menu at Tarbox & Brown is sometimes quaint and Texan, and sometimes a bit more international.

Offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Tarbox & Brown's name is a nod to the historic Brown and Tarbox Stagecoach Line, a crucial method of delivering communications between Austin and San Antonio back in the early 1800s.

“When creating the menu for Tarbox & Brown, I wanted to share dishes people hadn't experienced yet while also including some familiar favorites," said Beattie in a news release. "We’ll have Asian and Texan dishes, and some French-influenced items, as well. I, of course, also want to add some South African flavor. My team has so many recipes and treats for you to try, and we can’t wait for you to try them all."

For example, Beattie's South African Prego rolls — a steak-centric dish with spicy peri-peri sauce, tomatoes, red onions, leafy greens, and freshly baked bread — may broaden some diners' horizons (especially with the extremely reasonable $16 price tag). There will also be more standard burgers, sandwiches, and grilled cheeses on the menu.

Some nice details that sets Tarbox & Brown's menu apart include a complimentary cup of coffee with each order off of the breakfast menu, and affordable lunch options. T&B's serves multiple meal options priced under $20.

More reasonably priced, international meals with a Texas twang include a New Zealand spring rack of lamb served with honey butter rolls ($36); a 12-ounce Maple Bourbon ribeye served up with mashed potatoes and roasted seasonal vegetables ($33); and vegetarian options like an asparagus and mushroom risotto ($20).

The drink menu also follows a merciful pricing structure, with every signature cocktail coming in at $10 or less, including a white wine-based sangria and a tequila-based cocktail called the "Texas Valley Girl" that is essentially a sweetened paloma.

Having previously served as the executive chef at the four-star Michelangelo Hotel in New York City, chef Beattie also brings extensive baking experience to her tenure as Tarbox & Brown.

Tarbox & Brown is located at 201 Kissing Tree Ln., Bldg. 5, in San Marcos. Breakfast is served daily from 7-11 am, followed by a daily lunch service at different times: Saturday through Tuesday from 11 am-6 pm, and Wednesday through Friday from 11 am-4 pm. Right now, dinner service is only Wednesday through Friday, from 5-8 pm.

More information is available at tarboxandbrown.com. Reserve by calling 512-749-1031 and selecting extension 2.

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From the Ashes

Barbecue joint with Austin's oldest pit returns after 2020 fire

Photo courtesy of KVUE

The only thing that's not new is the pit.

It may have new walls, kitchen, and staff, but an old staple of Austin is making a comeback.

House Park Bar-B-Que in Downtown Austin reopened on Monday after a devastating fire burned down the long-standing restaurant in 2020.

“This is my baby. I’m happy to be back," Owner Matt Sullivan said. “It's just been a beautiful reincarnation of what we once had.”

The restaurant has been serving Austinites barbeque since 1943, using the oldest fire pit still left in town. Sullivan said the business was owned by the Noel family in the 1950s before it was sold to his parents in the 1970s and 80s. Sullivan then bought it in 2015.

“[Sullivan's father] wanted to save a little piece of Austin, and when I had the opportunity, I wanted to save a piece of Austin myself," Sullivan said. "In a city that’s constantly changing, it was very important for me to keep this place around."

However, in December 2020, a grease fire set the building ablaze.

“We had to rebuild everything from the ground up,” Sullivan said. “We had to replace the plumbing, we had to redo the electrical. The only thing we got to keep was our magnificent [barbeque] pit.”

Sullivan said it took two years just to get permits to rebuild and it was hard not to lose hope.

“After 18 months, it has you wondering if we’re making the wrong choice," Sullivan said. "I'm watching skyscrapers get built faster than I can renovate 1,000 square feet."

However, it was support from customers that kept Sullivan’s passion burning.

“They had the flood, the fire. I mean, basically any kind of natural disaster," Tom Picazo said. "They've been able to plow right through it and keep going."

Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

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