Oh My Stars

Classic all-night Austin diner closing I-35 location after 58 years

Stars Café is closing its I-35 location because of planned highway construction. A new location will be announced in November.

Photo by Brittany Flowers via KVUE

After nearly 60 years, local late night restaurant Stars Café — known to many as Star Seeds — is closing up shop and moving to a new location away from Interstate 35.

For several years, KVUE has reported on the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) controversial I-35 expansion project, which is meant to alleviate traffic woes near downtown Austin but will also displace long-time businesses and residents. The battle over the expansion first started brewing around 2021 and has led to numerous protests and a lawsuit from advocacy groups like Rethink 35.

Most recently, an Austin-based attorney said in June that TxDOT was suing displaced businesses along the interstate to acquire their land.

The staff at Stars Café have known for a while that their days at their I-35 location were numbered.

"I hate to say it, but Keep Austin Weird. Stars is definitely weird. We've always been that place where we even hire people where they might not get these jobs at their fancier restaurant because they might not fit the mold," manager Jetara Robertson told KVUE in February 2023. "You want Austin to change, you want Austin to expand, but you also want to be able to keep your heart."

Now, more than a year later, the end of an era has come for the restaurant.

In a social media post on October 10, the café announced its November 10 closure and relocation, stating that the I-35 expansion led it to make the "difficult decision" to move from its location of 58 years.

In the post, the staff waxed poetic about its decades in business.

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

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Omakase for Everyone

New South Austin restaurant swims against current of expensive omakase

Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Tancho Sushi keeps things simple.

Austin had no shortage of beautiful sushi restaurants, but a new one at Lantana Place is doing drawing the trend away from the center of the city and sticking a lower price tag on the experience. Tancho Sushi, offering "everyday omakase," is now open at 7415 Southwest Parkway.

The thought of casual omakase feels like a bit of an oxymoron in Austin, where the service style — which tasks the chef with choosing what the diner will eat — is almost synonymous with something fancy and expensive. Factor in the interior design at Tancho, which certainly doesn't look pedestrian, and it's hard to believe it's actually an everyday meal.

But all things considered, these prices seem reasonable: $29 for the lightest dinner option, and capping out at a $59 feast. Lunch is even less expensive, starting at $24.

Tancho Sushi interior The airy space takes advantage of its surroundings outside of the city.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

In some omakase experiences, the chef might factor in a diner's taste, the special ingredients that are available that day, and any number of other factors to determine what hits the table. But at Tancho, these prix fixe options are predetermined, doubtlessly contributing to the more accessible pricing.

The 50-seat restaurant also uses a clever marketing angle to get diners in who aren't necessarily experienced in sushi, or might otherwise be intimidated by letting a chef choose unfamiliar foods. "With thoughtfully curated preset menus, Tancho simplifies the dining experience by eliminating the guesswork so guests can focus on enjoying their meals," a press release announcing the opening says.

The release was sent November 22, but it looks like Tancho has been serving customers in a soft opening capacity for about a month, based on its Google reviews (which are stunningly high for a new restaurant at 4.7 stars).

Offerings at Tancho are simple.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Although each menu is different, there is a shared arc. All four experiences start with sunomono salad, a cucumber-based dish with red seaweed and sesame. Then there's tuna sashimi with smoked yuzu ponzu and scallions, and the rest depends on what the diner chooses.

Some standout items across the dinner service are sea bream on the light menu; akami (very red meat along the spine of a tuna) on the standard omakase menu; a lobster open hand roll on the rolls-only menu; and a tuna flight on the grand omakase menu.

No menu item is especially complicated. The focus is on doing each ingredient right, including the temperature the fish is served at and even the flavor of house-made soy sauce and ponzu.

“We keep the focus on the ingredients,” said co-founder Brad Van Otterloo in the release. “By stripping away unnecessary flourishes, we allow the quality of our fish to take center stage. This is a Texas-born concept through and through, and we’re proud to contribute to Austin’s growing sushi reputation.”

The open hand rolls are a signature for the restaurant.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Despite all this talk of omakase, it is possible to order à la carte items: some appetizers, nigiri (sliced fish on top of rice), and rolls. There's also a carefully curated beverage program, which largely focuses on sake. That includes the Kubota Manju or “Ten Thousand Celebrations" ($79), renowned in Japan for its complex layers and smooth mouthfeel.

“As Austin continues to grow, we wanted to introduce a fresh take on the sushi experience,” said Van Otterloo. “We’re here to make sushi approachable for Austinites while honoring the integrity of this cuisine. It’s about creating a space where everyone can discover and enjoy sushi at their own pace – no pressure, no pretense.”

Tancho Sushi exterior This restaurant is meant to be approachable.Image courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Tancho Sushi is located at 7415 Southwest Parkway, Building 4, Suite 300. It's open daily from 11 am to 10 pm, offering both dine-in and takeout. There are no reservations.

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