New school barbecue spot to open South Austin brick and mortar

Leroy & Lewis

Courtesy photo Leroy & Lewis

One of South Austin's most popular food trucks has found a permanent home. Currently housed at Cosmic Coffee, LeRoy and Lewis has announced it will open a new restaurant, bar, and retail space in South Austin later this year.

Helmed by Evan LeRoy and Sawyer Lewis, the concept will be located off Stassney Lane at 5621 Emerald Forest Drive. An adjacent retail space will expand on the brand’s current offerings, adding beer and wine as well as packaged barbecue goods to-go. Products will include LeRoy and Lewis packaged goods like sauces, rubs, and merchandise, and guests will be able to avoid the line for pick-up of large pre-orders and packaged barbecue to-go.

According to a release, the restaurant menu will expand the truck's current offerings and showcase the team's commitment to local and responsible sourcing, as well as butchery and whole animal utilization. The focus will be on dishes that "push the boundaries of Texas barbecue," and the new space will also allow the team to have fun with more specialty items, as well as additional sides and desserts.

Landing at No. 5 on Texas Monthly's top 50 barbecue spots in 2021, the brand is already well known for pushing boundaries — and not just for its barbecue. The truck's burger is one of our nominees for the best burger in Austin at our Tastemakers 2023 Awards event next month.

The private event space and bar will allow the already-popular truck the chance to offer a more robust hospitality experience, as well as expanded educational content from barbecue classes (“New School BBQ-U”) via YouTube and Patreon videos. Beverage offerings will focus on interesting, easy-drinking wines that both pair well with barbecue but are also ideal to grab for an evening at home, as well as beer ranging from local craft options to low ABV sippers.

While the current food truck will remain open at Cosmic, the new space will aim to pay homage to a nostalgic old school barbecue experience of a barbecue line service style with the team’s new school brand of hospitality in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. Behind the design are creative partners OPA Design Studio, Helms Workshop, and McCray & Co.

“We all have such a love for South Austin, making it our home and home base for the food truck, so to be able to bring this space to life and offer a well-rounded hospitality experience to our own neighborhood is a dream come true,” notes Lewis via release. “We’re excited to build a place that’s enjoyable whether you’re hanging with family and friends, grabbing a few drinks at the bar after work, or hosting a special event.”

Photo courtesy of Wu Chow

7 things to know in Austin food right now: Soup dumpling spot splashes into North Lamar

News You Can Eat

Editor’s note: We get it. It can be difficult to keep up with the fast pace of Austin’s restaurant and bar scene. We have you covered with our regular roundup of essential food news.

Openings

Wu Chow, a downtown Chinese restaurant known for its soup dumplings, is expanding from its high-traffic location on West 5th Street to something more accessible to the northern masses: the former site of Rosedale Kitchen and Bar (3800 N Lamar Boulevard). This is the first full expansion from the original location, although Little Wu serves up dumplings to-go at Fareground. The new location will have a private dining room for 30 guests and serve a dim sum brunch on Sundays (11 am to 3 pm). Wu Chow North will open in late summer from Monday to Friday between 11am and 2pm, and dinner from 5-10pm, plus Fridays and Saturdays until 11pm.

Mighty Fine Burgers is opening its first Dripping Springs location in the Belterra area at 165 Hargraves Drive. The first 50 opening day visitors on April 1 will receive gift cards between $5 and $500. The grand opening celebration also includes a first responder happy hour from noon to 2 pm with free burgers for those in uniform, an onsite fire truck demonstration by the North Hays County Fire Rescue team, and live music on the patio in the evening. Mighty Fine is known for its straightforward burger shack menu and shakes. Hours on Google Maps show that the location opens daily at 11 am and closes at 9:30 pm Sunday through Thursday, and at 10 pm on Friday and Saturday.

Other news and notes

LCRA Parks, the state-created operator of Pedernales River Nature Park, is offering another onsite installment of its farm-to-table series "Savor the Outdoors" on April 1. This dinner will feature a menu by the Roaming Fire (maker of an outdoor cooking rig) featuring a creative spring crostini with ingredients grown in Spicewood, a brown sugar rubbed pork tenderloin sourced from Center Point, Texas, sips by Texas Beer Co., and more. Tickets ($150) available at eventcreate.com.

Fierce Whiskers Distillery and social clubSmoke + Mash collaborated to release a special edition carbon-neutral rye, with a launch party on April 1. Guests may buy wristbands ($38) to taste barbecue from some of the top-rated chefs and restaurants in the state: Burnt Bean Co, Truth BBQ, and Bryan Furman BBQ. Details are sparse on the Smoke + Mash Volume 1 Special Release, but anyone can stop by for free to learn about the distillery's sustainable practices and buy a bottle. More info and tickets on Tock.

Jazz in the sculpture garden sounds like a maximally fancy event, but anyone with $12 can stop by. The Texas Moaners will serenade crowds at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden at nightfall on April 4, while Texas artist Marla Ripperda creates sculptures of armadillos. (Of course, what else?) Guests can snack on Crave Hot Dogs and BBQ, beer from Independence Brewery, wine from BOXT, and cocktails from Tito's Handmade Vodka. Register online. Members enter free.

Otopia Rooftop Lounge celebrates Global Astronomy Month for all of April, with themed cocktails that generate funds for the University of Texas at Austin Astronomy Department: the Azimuth with mezcal and islandy flavors, Equinox with Still Austin Straight Bourbon and citrus notes, and Luminosity with Titos Vodka and Crème de Violette. In addition to donating 15 percent of those sales, the lounge is partnering with the department for a free educational stargazing event on April 27. RSVP on Eventbrite.

Austinites who wish to return to the good ole days will get a chance at the Stephen F. Austin Royal Sonesta for a monthlong 20s-themed pop-up restaurant, The Austin, that goes back to the hotel's founding. It's bringing back items from the original 1924 menu, plus indulging in Domincan cigars from Bolivar Cigar Shop & Private Smoking Lounge. Stop by Stephen F’s Bar and Terrace on Thursdays in April from 4-7 pm to experience the time travel, no reservations required.

Photo by Hunter Townsend

Texas chefs sizzle into Austin this spring for annual fundraising cookout

It's alive

If you think Austin doesn’t have a most-anticipated celebration of beef, think again. That’s the title Live Fire (stylized Live Fire!) claims while announcing its return on April 6 to Camp Mabry, the Austin military base hosting star chefs for an evening of cooking over an open flame. This is the best kind of bonfire: one catered by James Beard nominees, Top Chef contestants, and more Central Texas favorites.

Aside from celebrating beef, this event by the Texas Food and Wine Alliance (TWFA) raises funds for its culinary grant program, which supports Texans in many subsets of the culinary industry including farmers, chefs, winemakers, and more, as long as their projects benefit their surrounding communities. By 2022, the grant had awarded $532,500 to stoke the flames of these initiatives.

The event will spotlight food as well as wine, beer, and cocktails. This may sound familiar to people who visited the Austin Food + Wine Festival in the fall, which annually benefits the same organization.

Chefs are bringing the heat from across the state (and a couple even farther beyond) for this evening of collaborative outdoor cooking. More will be announced soon.

The first round of Live Fire chefs includes:

Damien Brockway — Distant Relatives (2020 TFWA Grant Winner, Austin)
Marlon Rison — Community Vegan (2022 TFWA Grant Winner, Austin)

Jakub Czyszczon — Garrison (Austin)
Aaron Franklin & Rene Garza — Uptown Sports Club (Austin)
Kareem El-Ghayesh — KG BBQ (Austin)
Robert Hale — Texas Beef Council (Austin)
Jess Pryles – Hardcore Carnivore (Austin)
Anne Ng & Jeremy Mandrell — Bakery Lorraine (Austin & San Antonio)
Tiffany Derry — Roots Southern Table (Farmers Branch)
Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin — Best Quality Daughter (San Antonio)
Max Frisbie — Mill Scale Metal Works (Lockhart)
Evelyn Garcia & Henry Lu — By Kin (Houston)
Elvia Huerta & Alex Garcia — Evil Cooks (Los Angeles)
Olivia Lopez & Jonathan Percival — Molino Olōyō (Dallas)
Serigne Mbaye — Dakar (New Orleans)
Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman — José (Dallas)

"This year’s Live Fire! lineup features some of the most electrifying chefs in America," said TFWA executive director Erika White in a press release, "We’re fired up to show Austin everything they have to offer.”

A VIP experience will expand the tasting event to a “midcentury supper club,” featuring cocktail carts, flaming desserts, and, presumably, more beef and seafood, simply referred to as “surf” and “turf” separately. Houston heads with experience with the input of three chefs: Aaron Bludorn of Navy Blue, Drake Leonards of Eunice, and Becky Masson of Fluff Bake Bar.

Live Fire will be held on March 6, from 6:30-9 pm. Tickets ($125 general admission, $175 VIP) are available now on Eventbrite. All proceeds benefit the culinary grant program by the Texas Food and Wine Alliance.

Photo courtesy of Loro

10 Austin spots tackle Super Bowl plans with takeout and watch parties

New ways to wing it

It seems fair to say Austinites know they can drop by H-E-B for most of their game day needs. But we’re not talking needs, we’re talking excess. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a host who wants to offer something truly memorable — or just absolutely clueless on this whole football thing but looking forward to Rihanna and the food — CultureMap is setting you up for a touchdown.

On February 12 at 5:30 pm, the Kansas City Chiefs will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles, and there are basically two places to be: at home, or out with everyone else. If the former is more your style, make sure you order well in advance. If the latter, keep in mind that many of these events operate on a first-come-first-serve basis. Either way, time to tackle these game day plans.

Take-home snacks

Little Ola’s Giant Biscuit Bowl
One of the most extravagant and Southern offerings comes from Little Ola’s, one of Austin’s favorite biscuit makers. The Giant Biscuit Bowl ($140 feeds six) is, as described, a giant biscuit carved into a vessel for vegan queso. This main dip is accompanied by a seven-layer dip, deviled ham dip, and chicken salad. Just add chips for the classiest dip buffet on either side of the Colorado River. Order on Tock for pickup at Little Ola’s or Olamaie.

Loro’s Big Game Party Pack
Barbecue is a game-day staple, and Loro offers an Asian twist in its Big Game Party Pack. It comes with all the classics, but more interesting: wonton chips and dip, smoked baby back Duroc ribs (sourced from a specific breed of pig), whole smoked “sake can chicken,” Thai-style sausages, and oak grilled zucchini to balance out all the meat. Preorders available until February 10 via toasttab.com.

Oseyo's Korean fried chicken buckets
Oseyo is kicking the chicken wing tradition up a notch with Korean fried chicken buckets ($50). Those include twice-fried chicken, waffle fries, a pint of Korean potato salad, a pint of sesame cole slaw, half a pint of house pickles, and four chocolate-black sesame brownies (add more of these à la carte for celebration or stress snacking). Drink add-ons include a six-pack of Terra Beer (Korean Lager), a 32-ounce "Kimchilada mix" (Makes about 8-10 drinks), and non-alcoholic St. Elmo Hop Water. Preorder on Tock.

Goodstock by Nolan Ryan's specials and discounts
If a downtown restaurant is too fancy but preparing everything at home is not enough, Goodstock by Nolan Ryan is ready to meet in the middle. The Round Rock butcher shop's game day specials include bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers and beef kabobs, plus discounts on popular party items from now through Valentine's Day. House-made burger patties, Butcher’s Blend sausage, wings, steaks and more are 20 percent off. Head to the store to see what's on sale — the discount only works in person, anyway.

Watch parties

The Driskill Bar
Whether a visit to the Driskill is your way of keeping up with college football traditions, or you want the non-football fans in your group to have a special experience beyond the TV screen, the historic bar is offering deals. Domestic beer buckets will be available for $20 per five beers. The hotel’s location on 6th Street will make it just as fun as any sports bar, with the added benefit of a much nicer atmosphere.

Punch Bowl Social
For parties who’d like something else to keep busy with during game delays, Punch Bowl Social is hosting one of the most energetic watch parties in the city. The pregame starts at 4 pm with arcade games, bowling, cocktails and bar snacks. It’ll probably be crowded; consider signing up as VIPs for a projector screening, buffet, and lounge. A local DJ will close out the post-game party. Tickets ($70 with two drink tickets) for The Domain and downtown locations available on Eventbrite.

Fierce Whiskers Distillery
Whiskey distillery Fierce Whiskers is always ready with a party for big days in Austin; for Super Bowl Sunday, it’s staying ready for big crowds with pre-batched cocktails and rivalry-stoking theme-themed punch bowl drinks. Otoshi, the onsite food truck, will serve creative wings and burgers while game watchers play bingo and trivia for prizes. Dogs are welcome, and the free watch party does not require an RSVP.

Meanwhile Brewing Co.
Just down the road, the distillery’s neighbor Meanwhile Brewing Co. is breaking out the big screen outside, kicking off the party early (12 pm) for an all-day party. The super-popular group of food trucks — including an exciting new addition specializing in fried chicken sandwiches — will be churning out their own specials from the sidelines. Pueblo Viejo offers a tostada plate, and Bésame is putting together a sundae special, with more to come. RSVP on Eventbrite.

Armadillo Den
Another opportunity to watch on an outdoor projection screen is at Armadillo Den, made even greater with a gigantic crawfish boil. Let’z Geaux Boil, a weekend popup in the Armadillo space, is hosting a feast of up to 500 pounds of crawfish, plus specials on beer and seltzers. Fans who arrive via rideshare get 10 percent off for showing a receipt. The big screen is visible from downstairs tables as well as the second-floor space, but there are smaller TVs around the venue to spread out the crowd.

The Lucky Rabbit
If you're feeling superstitious about your favorite team, the Lucky Rabbit could be a good place to settle in for the game. There are 10 TVs in total, with sound on, plus a comfortable rustic atmosphere that's perfect for what could be a long game. There will be specials all day including $1 off all drinks and some wings (including habanero sweet chili, buffalo, ranch rub or BBQ), and $3 off all appetizers. The cozy space with heaters and fire pits is weather-protected, and welcomes the whole family, including dogs.

Photo by Clark Van Der Beken on Unsplash

10 restaurants represent their cities at the 2023 inauguration, including two from Austin

Taste of Texas

The Texas Restaurant Association (TRA) is serving up a Texas-sized feast at the Texas State Capitol on January 17 at the inauguration of Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. More than 60 culinary students from ProStart are running the show, which also marks the beginning of the state's 88th legislative session.

The partnership between the inauguration and the TRA, called "A Taste of Texas" represents the "$87 billion restaurant industry, which encompasses more than 53,000 locations and a workforce of over 1.3 million employees," according to a press release. Programming by the TRA involves small businesses from across the state.

Austin is the only area represented twice: once by Industry, a new restaurant supplying all the event's beverages, and then again by barbecue restaurant the County Line, which will serve slow-smoked sausage made in house with potato salad. A barbecue institution since 1975, County Line uses traditions from both Texas and New Mexico and is known for operating in unique and scenic locations.

The following restaurants represent their hometowns across Texas with a very meaty menu:

Rio Grande Valley, Salomé on Main: Carne asada, 2F Akaushi beef, mole verde, huitlacoche tamal, and corn relish
Waco, George's Restaurant: Crazy wings (chicken, pepper jack cheese, and jalapeño, wrapped in bacon, fried, and served with ranch)
Houston, PHAT Eatery: Texas Wagyu brisket in Malaysian curry
Lubbock, River Smith's Chicken & Catfish: Southern style fried catfish, coleslaw, and hush puppies
San Antonio, SILO Elevated Cuisine: Braised boneless short ribs, creamy parmesan orzo, blistered cherry tomatoes, and fresh horseradish
Dallas-Fort Worth, The Pelican House Restaurant: Cajun chipotle corn salad and BBQ brisket jambalaya
Galveston, The Spot: Seafood gumbo
San Angelo, Western Sky Steakhouse: Steak bits and German fries

“We are proud to have been selected by the Inauguration Committee to showcase the diversity of restaurant offerings in the State of Texas,” said TRA President and CEO Emily Williams Knight in a press release. “We are especially pleased to support our community through this event by including more than 60 ProStart students, Keep Austin Fed, and the Texas Restaurant Foundation — the Association’s 501(c)(3) non-profit.”

Three Austin schools — Connally High School, Del Valle High School, and Taylor High School — have set students up to work at the event through the ProStart program, in partnership with the Texas Restaurant Foundation (established by the TRA). Through the program, high schoolers receive two years of culinary arts and restaurant management training, along with opportunities to participate in events and connect with mentors. The foundation and all three schools will receive a contribution from the inauguration, and local nonprofit Keep Austin Fed will receive any leftover food when the event is over, to distribute to the community.

More information about the Texas Restaurant Association is available at www.txrestaurant.org.

Photo by Alison Narro

The best bites with nearly no lines at the Austin Food & Wine Festival

Fast Food

“This is what ACL used to be like,” said an attendee of Austin Food & Wine Festival near its close on Sunday, snacking on H-E-B nachos as the truck tried to reduce its stock. (It was one of the only vendors still open at 4:30 pm.) One pitmaster was putting the finishing touches on a roast, with a gaggle of sort-of-drunk onlookers leaning against the fence.

The Food & Wine Festival is a fascinating mix of ultra-prepared and laid-back. Wineries and local restaurants set up booths in rows that just keep popping up to foot traffic turning yet another corner. Troughs are filled with ice and canned drinks to grab in passing, and a DJ keeps the mood up for anyone who wants to step under the dance tent. But is the food good? Absolutely.

Chefs show an independent approach to offering samples, stepping away from signature menu items toward more unique recipes. Still, some trends emerged. Saturday, November 5, was swimming in fish, especially raw dishes like ceviche. Licha’s Cantina served an excellent one with a light touch: sweet and milky with chamoy and sesame, avoiding the tougher textures in many mixes.

Sunday, November 6, was, frankly, nearly over when I got there at 3:30 pm, thinking the previous day was a good indication that things would last. One attendee waiting in line for barbecue announced that she preferred the food on Sunday, but the atmosphere on Saturday. If Hillside Farmacy’s contribution — a very salty and tender meat with sweet root veggies — was any indication, this attendee’s rankings were likely shared by many.

Some other highlights from the Austin Food & Wine Festival:

Bento Picnic brought king salmon daikon rolls, with cucumber and furikake. The tiny veggie rolls tasted fresh, light, and not overly fishy. Blind Salamander toed that line with smoked salmon in mini seaweed waffle cones. One attendee grew suspicious of the tobiko (flying salmon roe), turning away from what he thought was an insect product. The seaweed cone was delicious and unique, but the highlight was the misunderstanding.
The National Audubon Society participated in a talk about grasslands and cattle ranching, revealing to many that the bird protectors certify some ranchers as operating “bird friendly land.” The audience learned that grasslands are even better carbon sinks than forests, because when fires consume them, the stored carbon tends to stay underground instead of being released back into the atmosphere, as it would be by a burning tree.
The Cantu Group served delicious and fall-ready “harvest margaritas” in little salt and cinnamon sugar-rimmed paper cups. The recipe is available on Instagram, using Rey Del Mundo Blanco tequila, apple cider, lime juice, and maple syrup. Fans of pumpkin beers (try these with a honey and cinnamon rim, too) will love this refreshing, but mild marg.
Casper Fermentables brought a simple dish with especially tasty ingredients — something chefs talk about a lot, but don’t always get to show off in casual environments. Casper’s egg salad is super simple; it just tastes like eggs. But its pinkish-orange color drew attention to the Arkansas-laid eggs, with bigger, darker yolks that gave a bit more richness to the mix. (The “fermentable” was a cute little pickle slice, by the way.)
The Nicolett represented that slice of gastronomy that shows foodies tricks they’d never think possible, with candied mezcal. The plain flavor was my favorite (reader, if you’re noticing a trend in my taste, you’re onto something). The mini pucks of dehydrated jelly are sweet, pure in flavor, and delicately crunchy. It wasn’t smoky, as I’d expected. The other flavors — charentais melon and hoja santa — were stronger, but still very demure. The Nicolett doesn’t sell them in bags yet, but they’re getting enough requests to get those cogs turning.
One festival producer, who deflected any questions about a restaurant and casually walked off minutes later, produced a delicious beef tongue romesco sloppy joe. It’s the only time I’ve enthusiastically enjoyed that cut of beef, which is usually served in slices, but was this time pulled and served on a bun with pickles. Sloppy joes are not exactly the height of culinary achievement, but this fatty, tomato-forward sandwich was the perfect close to the day.

Aside from the barbecue lines (which were, admittedly, punishing), the Food & Wine fest can be done with little to no waiting. You’ll sacrifice a chance to taste the bites people are really crazy for, but you won’t leave hungry. Going with a buddy helps pass the time, but tasting solo is a fun way to broaden horizons and really think about what’s on the plate. Plus, there are other interesting people doing the same thing. You might leave with a new friend.

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4 Austin-inspired cocktail recipes to whisk you away from the Texas heat this summer

SIP SIP

Now that summer weather has arrived in Austin, we can tell you’re thirsting for some new drinks to try. And with World Gin Day coming up on June 10, we’re sharing a few recipes from local Austin restaurants (and Austin’s favorite Topo Chico!) we hope you’ll enjoy.

The following recipes feature some of our favorite ingredients or mixers we’re loving at the moment. Whether your drink of choice is a cocktail or mocktail, we’ve gathered four bright and bubbly beverages to help whisk you away from the Texas heat. And if you prefer to drink them rather than make them, three of these lovely libations can be found on the seasonal summer menus at their respective restaurant.

Aba’s Rhubarb Rose Gin and Tonic
This cocktail was created by Senior Beverage Manager Thomas Mizuno-Moore.

Ingredients:
½ oz lime juice
¼ oz honey syrup
½ oz Fruitful Mixology rhubarb liqueur
¾ oz Brockmans Gin
¾ oz Hendrick’s Flora Adora
2 oz tonic water
Rosebud tea, for garnish

Directions:

Combine lime juice, honey syrup, Fruitful Mixology rhubarb liqueur, Brockmans Gin and Hendrick’s Flora Adora in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, shake until cold.
Add tonic water to the shaker, then strain over fresh ice in a double old fashioned glass.
Garnish with rosebud tea and enjoy!

Blueberry Sparkler Mocktail by Topo Chico Because everyone needs a good go-to mocktail recipe in their life.Photo courtesy of Topo Chico

Blueberry Sparkler Mocktail by Topo Chico
This beverage might not be gin-themed, but it does make a great refreshing mocktail. If you don’t have Topo Chico Sabores on hand, you can substitute it with sparkling water.

Ingredients:
1 Blueberry Topo Chico Sabores
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ cup water
½ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
Lemon slices and additional blueberries, for garnish

Blueberry Syrup Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries are soft and the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the blueberry mixture to cool for about 10 minutes.
Once cooled, use a fine-mesh strainer to strain the blueberry mixture into a bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the solids and set the blueberry syrup aside.

Mocktail Directions:

In a cocktail shaker, combine 1 ounce of the blueberry syrup, and lemon juice. Fill the shaker with ice and shake well until chilled, about 15-20 seconds.
Fill a glass with ice and strain the mixture into the glass. Top off the glass with Blueberry Topo Chico Sabores (or sparkling water) and give it a gentle stir to mix.
Garnish with lemon slices and additional blueberries, if desired. Enjoy your refreshing Blueberry Sparkler!

Tillie's seasonal summer cocktail This colorful cocktail is a lively take on a gin martini.Photo courtesy of Tillie's at Camp Lucy

Empress Gin Martini by Tillie’s at Camp Lucy
This martini recipe was developed by Paolo Lazarich, the mixologist for Abbey Row Restaurant at The Old Bell Hotel in the United Kingdom. Fun fact: Camp Lucy owners Kim and White Hanks also own The Old Bell Hotel, which is rumored to be England’s oldest hotel.

Ingredients:
3 oz Empress 1908 Gin
1 oz dry vermouth
Splash of lemon juice
Lemon and rosemary for garnish

Directions:

Add the Empress 1908 Gin, dry vermouth, and lemon juice to a glass and stir gently.
Garnish with a lemon wedge and a sprig of rosemary. Enjoy.

$\u200bSummertime Spritz by Dean's Italian Steakhouse$ There's nothing like a summer spritz.Photo courtesy of Dean's Italian Steakhouse

Summertime Spritz by Dean's Italian Steakhouse
This recipe is geared toward a mixologist who enjoys the little details that make a cocktail so unique, such as making their own oleo saccharum or curating the perfect flower as a garnish.

Ingredients:
½ oz lemon juice
½ oz strawberry oleo saccharum
¼ oz Aperol
¼ oz Giffard Abricot
1.5 oz Zephyr Gin
2 oz Brut champagne
1 each cocktail flower

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except Brut champagne into a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously, about 15-20 seconds.
Fill a wine glass with ice and add the Brut. Fine strain the cocktail into the glass.
Garnish with the cocktail flower

Extravagant estate in West Austin hits the market for $4.25 million

ON THE MARKET

An imperial estate in the Lost Creek neighborhood of West Austin has become the latest addition to the city's stabilizing real estate market. The property was listed at $4.25 million.

The magnificent three-story home was originally built in 2009, making great use of Austin's Hill Country views that can be seen from every single room. The home spans 8,215 square feet on just over two acres of land, surrounded by lush trees and enclosed with a private gated entrance.

Natural light floods the inside of the home, highlighting intricate details and complimenting the high ceilings. The home boasts five bedrooms, four bathrooms, and three half-baths. The primary suite is reminiscent of an upscale resort, containing its own spa-like bathroom, walk-in closets, and access to a private balcony.

In the kitchen, the 60-inch wolf range is an aspiring chef's dream. The area has plenty of space and storage with its rich brown cabinets, a sub-zero refrigerator, a cabinet-mounted wine rack, two sinks, and more.

8105 Talbot Lane in Austin The 60-inch wolf range is an aspiring chef's dream.Photo courtesy of JPM Real Estate Photography

A few other highlights of the home include a game room, media room, terraces, and a resort-style pool deck with an accompanying hot tub, kitchen, and fire pit. The two-car garage also includes a guest suite above it, with a single bedroom, kitchenette, and half bath.

Looking into the property's history, it was listed in June 2022 for $4.9 million, which was reduced to $3.9 million by September. The home was reported as sold in October of that year before being re-listed for its current $4.25 million price in 2023.

Photo courtesy of JPM Real Estate Photography

The estate is located at 8105 Talbot Lane in West Austin.

The estate is located at 8105 Talbot Lane, which is a brief 10 minutes from downtown Austin, and is zoned for the highly-esteemed Eanes Independent School District. The listing is held by agent Wade Giles of Douglas Elliman.

Uchi spinoff to debut "whisky omakase," bar pairings, and bao in Austin

Raising the Bar

Uchibā isn't a new concept, nor is it newly promised to Austin, but it's finally getting closer to becoming a reality. The bar and restaurant spinoff from Uchi (translated as "Uchi Bar") announced today that it is set to open in late summer in the Google Tower.

Hai Hospitality, the parent group of famous omakase restaurant Uchi, more casual sushi restaurant Uchiko, and drop-in Asian barbecue restaurant Loro, announced the idea in October of 2021, setting a launch date in fall of 2022. The intent was always to open the restaurant in the Google Tower (601 West 2nd St.), so the difference now is just timing.

The original Uchibā opened in Dallas in 2019, operating upstairs from Uchi, an Austin export. This exchange is now coming back around, blurring the lines of what's from which Texas city. Similarly, the lines are blurred between what each restaurant serves, since Uchibā does include some of Uchi and Uchiko's most popular dishes: hot and cool tastings, agemono (deep fried bites), raw fish rolls, yakitori, and more, including dessert.

Of course, there will be lots of menu items that are unique to Uchibā, especially when informed by the spirits behind the bar. Some of these food and drink pairings include the Hawaiian-ish spiced ham misubi with nori, rice, and tepahe, a fermented pineapple drink; and the vodka and caviar with olive oil, burnt butter, brioche, and chives. As well as these "duos," the bar will offer omakase flights for whiskey and agave spirits.

“At Uchi we combine flavors and textures to create what we call the ‘perfect bite,’” said Chef Tyson Cole, the James Beard Award-winning chef who started the Uchi brand, in a press release. “With Uchibā, we wanted to take that a step further by unifying food with cocktails and spirits. Our 'Perfect Pairs' and the whisky omakase play off this idea with intentional combinations of food, cocktails and the the amazing array of Japanese whiskies behind the bar.”

Some menu items aren't just unique to Uchibā; They're also only available at the Austin location, thanks to its chef de cuisine, Vaidas Imsha. His menu includes categories that don't appear at the Dallas location — "Buns + Bao" and dumplings — and a long list of items that could constitute their own menu independently. Among these are a Caesar salad with Japanese twists; a Wagyu beef bulgogi with radish kimchi; two fish crudos with refreshing additions like asian pear and cucumber aguachile; and the more straightforward karaage spiced up with kimchi caramel and yuzu pear.

Uchibā will operate Sunday through Thursday from 4-10 pm; until midnight on Fridays; and until 11 pm on Saturdays. Happy Hour will be from 4-6 pm Monday through Friday.

Photo courtesy of Uchibā

Although Uchi is from Austin, Uchiba, the upstairs bar, has only existed in Dallas until now.

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