Siti, the Michelin-recommended Southeast Asian restaurant and the brainchild of Chef Laila Bazahm, is celebrating its first anniversary on Sunday, July 19, with an evening featuring guest chefs, Southeast Asian bites, and live music.
The celebration will take place from 5-9 pm at Siti, located on the ground floor of the Frances Modern Inn, 1123 E. 11th St. in East Austin. Each ticket includes a welcome toast, Southeast Asian small bites served throughout the evening, and music from three live DJs. Guests can sample special dishes from Curry Boys BBQ (San Antonio), Lao'd Bar, Bun Belly, Thai Fresh, Oribello's, Blue Apsara, and chef Christian Alquiza, with attendees free to come and go throughout the event.
In its first year, Siti earned a Michelin Recommended designation. The Michelin Guide describes the restaurant as drawing inspiration from the cuisines of the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia, with shareable dishes that reflect Bazahm's Filipino heritage and her years cooking in Singapore.
Born in the Philippines, Bazahm left a career in finance at J.P. Morgan and Deutsche Bank to pursue cooking. She trained in Singapore before spending nearly a decade working in Michelin-starred restaurants in Spain, where she later opened Hawker 45 in Barcelona before relocating to Austin.
The idea for Siti began with Bazahm craving the laksa she had grown to love while cooking in Singapore, according to an interview with Eater Austin when Siti opened. That inspiration became a restaurant celebrating surrounding cuisines through shareable dishes such as laksa, wagyu spring rolls, char kway teow topped with duck confit, and house-made ice creams.
Chef Laila Bazahm, whose East Austin restaurant Siti earned recognition in the Michelin Guide, is marking the restaurant's first anniversary with a celebratory menu.Photo by Mackenzie Smith (MSK Creative)
Bazahm first introduced herself to Austin diners with El Raval on South Lamar in 2023, a restaurant rooted in Barcelona's culinary traditions. Two years later, she opened Siti as a tribute to the food of her mother, grandmother, sister, and eight aunts who taught her to cook.
Bazahm's work extends beyond the menu. In addition to cooking nightly at Siti, she oversees the restaurant's wine program as a WSET Global Level 3 sommelier and regularly collaborates with fellow Austin chefs through guest dinners and community events.
The schedule for the event will allow guests to come and go as they please. Tickets for the anniversary celebration are available through Siti's OpenTable.
