Lots of Austinites had things stolen over the holidays, so they’re certainly not alone. At Gourdough’s Donuts, the thieves were after more than just the dough; over Christmas, the entire Airstream trailer was removed from its paved home. The company took to social media to ask Austinites to keep their eyes peeled for the glistening donut factory, and it actually worked.

Some commenters on the post reported seeing the trailer off of Highway 21 and thinking the location was odd. (Now that the trailer is recovered, donuts in a field sounds like a great way to celebrate.) The post offered a cash reward for information via direct message.

News of the recovery was delivered by KVUE’s Ford Sanders, who tweeted that the owner had contacted him directly. The donut shop has been quiet since the initial post, wishing people a happy new year on January 1, before Sanders’ announcement.

Gourdough’s is likely eager to leave 2022 behind. The restaurant celebrated a decade simultaneously with its own closure in November, permanently ending brick-and-mortar service at the South Lamar location. Brunch, lunch, and dinner all sold out according to an update on the Instagram announcement.

During its tenure, Gourdough’s became known for its brazen willingness to put anything on a donut: fried chicken, steak, gravy, eggs, avocado, and, believe it or not, strawberries. Although the dessert donuts are exciting in their own right — often piled high with several toppings outside the sprinkles and glaze mainstream — there is often little need to indulge after the main course.

Thankfully for the fried-meats-on-donuts niche, which in Austin is essentially only occupied by this whimsical business, the plan was to keep donuts coming through the original trailer and more mobile locations coming soon.

As they do for any politician, circumstances have changed for Le Politique. The downtown Austin French bistro, which had been temporarily closed for two-and-a-half years, is officially closed for good.

CultureMap confirmed the permanent closure, first reported by Eater, with a representative of the New Waterloo hospitality group, who declined to provide more details.

The restaurant's initial 2020 announcement, brought about by the pandemic and thought to be temporary, was much wordier.

“It’s been a hard & unpredictable year,” Le Politique posted on Instagram in May of 2020. “Even prior to COVID-19, we faced obstacles as the Northshore building underwent repairs and our block was covered in scaffolding — leaving our storefront looking shuttered & patio unusable.”

Over the years, the bistro's messaging remained hopeful overall, several times delaying a definitive end. But the closure is now official, and moving in is celebrity chef Michael Mina, whose restaurant group will take over the 2nd Street District space, Eater reports.

Le Politique never shied away from rich flavors, with luxe menu items such as baked whole lobster, bone marrow, and escargot, plus deluxe everyday items like a cheese-smothered burger. Its bakery put out a range of traditional French pastries, plus creatively flavored macarons.

“The Politician,” in English, referred not to any modern affiliation, but to the general air of the Capital City itself. While the restaurant’s politics were not a real talking point, it did have the charisma of a well-liked, local politician: devoted to the classics, but taking them on with a rogue spirit. The restaurant frequently participated in local festivals and social fundraising initiatives.

Executive pastry chef Melissa Carrol was nominated for CultureMap’s Tastemaker Awards in 2018 and 2019, and has been active in community events, representing the restaurant despite its latency.

The restaurant will clearly be missed; even despite the radio silence, commenters on the farewell post have been returning regularly to offer encouragement and even pleas for Le Politique to return.

“Thank you for your understanding & support of Le Politique over the last few years,” concluded the restaurant’s final Instagram post. “We opened our doors in hopes of becoming a bright neighborhood spot for our downtown neighbors to gather & make their own, and we hope to do so again someday.⁠”