downtown - 3/7 - The Austinot

Before Austin Was a Foodie City, Chez Nous Served True French Food

July 24, 2017 by Yulia Dyukova Leave a Comment

Amidst the hustle and bustle of Sixth Street, with its never-ending chain of bars, live music pounding from open windows, and bright neon signs, is a restaurant that is quiet, cozy and feels like home. Our home. For that’s exactly what Chez Nous, the name of this French bistro off Sixth Street, translates to: “our home”, or “our place.”

How can such a cozy family restaurant operate in the Dirty Sixth district? Let’s rewind back to the late 70’s when three friends, Sybil Reinhart-Regimbeau, Robert Paprota, and Pascal Regimbeau, arrived in the capital of Texas from Paris, with hopes of introducing unsuspecting Austinites to the cuisine of their homeland. [Read more…]

Boiler Nine Could Be Your New Favorite Lunch Spot in Austin

May 8, 2017 by Joleen Jernigan Leave a Comment

The tart Green Velvet cocktail pairs nicely with Beet + Bibb salad, steak fries, and the smoked whitefish sandwich (Credit: Mike Thompson)

Editor’s Note: Boiler Nine is closing. The last day of service is Feb. 23, 2019.

Drop everything and call a friend now. You are going to want to make lunch plans at Boiler Nine Bar + Grill soon.

Boiler Nine, a steampunk fever dream bathed in natural light, sprawls across four floors of the old Seaholm Power Plant. It boasts a discreet basement bar and a cozy rooftop patio, along with two dining rooms and a regular patio. Places this pretty sometimes have difficulty ensuring the food is as appealing as the space itself. However, Boiler Nine more than meets the challenge. [Read more…]

5 Lady Bird Lake Activities for Pleasant Austin Days

April 18, 2017 by Susan Meyer 1 Comment

Lady Bird Lake Activities in Austin — Lady Bird Lake alongside downtown Austin (Credit: Cesar Garza via Flickr CC)

On any of the more than 300 days of sunshine in Austin each year, there’s no better place to go than Lady Bird Lake. Whether hiking or biking the trails, doing stand-up paddle board yoga, or taking a river cruise, you’ll find no shortage of outdoor fun to be had in the heart of beautiful downtown Austin.

[Read more…]

Breaking Ground on 37 Acres of Connected Green Space in Downtown Austin

March 30, 2017 by Jaclyn Hubersberger Leave a Comment

A historically important park with strong connections to East Austin communities, Palm Park will be revitalized as a major entrance to the creek trail and a central gathering place. The redesigned park will host a variety of community programs including movie nights, open-air markets and outdoor exhibitions. (Rendering courtesy of Waller Creek Conservancy)

The city of Austin is home to more than 300 parks, but there’s always room for more, especially when we’re talking about accessible green space in the highly urbanized and rapidly growing downtown area. Waller Creek is a one and a half mile riparian ecosystem that begins at Waterloo Park and travels south along the eastern edge of downtown Austin to converge with Lady Bird Lake.

In partnership with the City of Austin and thanks to a $15 million grant from the Moody Foundation–the largest amount for parks and public open space ever gifted in the city of Austin–Waller Creek Conservancy will break ground on Phase 1 of its revitalization project later this year, beginning with Waterloo Park. [Read more…]

Parallelogramophonograph Gives a Mouthful of Improv to Austin

February 22, 2017 by Susan Meyer Leave a Comment

The cast of Parallelogramophonograph, L-R: Roy Janik, Valerie Ward, Kaci Beeler, Kareem Badr
(Credit: Steve Rogers)

Not all improv groups are created equal. I’m a fan of improv theater in general, but I have to admit, I’ve been to some painful shows in the past. When done badly, improv theater can be downright uncomfortable to witness. But when a troupe has chemistry, energy and talent, and everything falls into place just right, you’re in for an incredible live theater experience. Austin local quartet Parallelogramophonograph (PGraph, for short) is improv done well. Very well. [Read more…]

Beer Lovers Seek Mort Subite for Sip of Belgium in Downtown Austin

January 16, 2017 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

Welcome to Mort Subite, downtown Austin’s newest Belgian beer bar (credit: Bill Tucker)

With all due respect to local stouts, sours and IPA’s, I feel Belgium makes the best beer in the world. And while we have breweries dedicated to brewing in the Belgian style, it can be hard to find the real thing. Enter Mort Subite, a bar that not only specializes in beer from the land of waffles and chocolate, recreates the warmth and friendliness of a traditional Belgian pub. [Read more…]

Multi-Regional Italian Cuisine Hits Downtown Austin at Red Ash Italia

December 2, 2016 by Jessica Pino Leave a Comment

Peering into the kitchen at Red Ash Italia in downtown Austin (Credit: Susannah Haddad)

Tex-Mex and steakhouses may be the Texas standard, but when it comes to Austin’s growing culinary scene there are many cuisines challenging that tradition. Italian food is one of the most popular cuisines across America, yet in Austin we lack authentic options.

Only in the last five to ten years have we seen an increase in authentic Italian pizza locally, but Italian food is much more than just pizza. Finally, Red Ash Italia offers dishes that highlight both northern and southern Italian styles of cooking. Here’s what awaits you when you visit Austin’s Red Ash Italia. [Read more…]

Locally Owned Vince Young Steakhouse Excels Beyond Red Meat

August 5, 2016 by Brittany Highland Leave a Comment

Vince Young Steakhouse on San Jacinto Boulevard at 3rd Street

If you’ve wandered around downtown near the Austin Convention Center during SXSW, then you’ve walked right past Vince Young Steakhouse. Longhorn football fans no doubt recognize the restaurant’s namesake, but even they wouldn’t know this is a family-run, locally owned and operated business founded in 2010. Husband and wife Phillip (Executive Chef) and Laura Brown named their establishment after friend and ex-University of Texas football heavy-hitter, Vince Young, whom Laura’s father mentored at UT.

You can find a cheaper steak in Austin, but you’ll have a hard time finding a better one. If you manage to take a breath and put your fork down to look around, you may be most surprised by the atmosphere. While the decor is upscale and the staff members excel at customer service, ’60s and ’70s tunes play across the speakers and festive groups feel no pressure to talk in hushed tones.

The Vince Young Steakhouse summer menu reveals there is more to this place than steak. When I was invited to see for myself, I couldn’t [Read more…]

The Townsend Introduces Gourmet Bar Bites to Complement Cocktails

June 29, 2016 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

A mix of early century charm and modern cocktails await you at The Townsend
(Credit: Andrew Bennett Photography)

When we last left The Townsend bar, we raved about their speakeasy ambiance and clever cocktail list.

Almost one year later, this vintage-inspired lounge has added gourmet, yet accessible, bar bites to their repertoire. The Townsend is now one of the premier spots on Congress Avenue to eat, drink and get your Jimmy Stewart/Barbara Stanwyck on. [Read more…]

Revival Public House Blends Pub and Southern Comfort Downtown

June 16, 2016 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

Bacon Wrapped Dates At Revival Public House

The bacon-wrapped dates are a must-try dish at Revival Public House (Credit: Bill Tucker)

Editor’s Note: Revival House has closed.

The corner of 2nd and Trinity can be a challenging one for new Austin businesses. When companies and trade shows invade the Austin Convention Center, profits soar. When they leave, it’s a different story. Located too far for the South Congress lunch crowd, and inconvenient for the Rainey/6th Street scene, blossoming restaurants have had a tough time maintaining a regular clientele.

Revival Public House hopes to change all that. Through an Austin-centric menu, décor and vibe, this new eatery offers up Southern comfort food with an ATX twist. The result is a delicious addition to the local foodie scene that’s well worth traveling the extra couple of blocks. [Read more…]