OFF THE CLOCK
Rebecca Wallace opens her home for Sunday Brunch
A SEAT AT THE TA B L E
Casa Marianella serves up hope for new beginnings
N O. 203 | F O O D
Where our favorite local chefs unwind
A LITTLE HOSPITALITY
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1 John recliner with the Stressless ® 2
Comfort System by Norwegian designer Tone Kvello. Sculpted in solid high polished aluminum. $1995 2 Corridor free standing bar by
designer Matthew Weatherly of BDI, USA. Natural oak or chocolate walnut with black micro-etched glass top. $2299 3 Metal sculpture by designer
Andrea Lucatello of Italy, Built-in light adds dramatic indirect illumination. $1191
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4 The Turro sofa by Stefano
Pessotto, Italy. Amazing comfort in sophisticated minimalist design. As shown in fine caramel leather with gun metal/ brass legs. Special order any color. $3295 5 Ventaglio table, designed by Mario
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LOEWY LAW FIRM
CONTENTS Alice McGinty raises a glass.
JULY / FOOD
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Casa Marianella’s community gathers for a meal that’s about more than just the food.
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DEPARTMENTS
Social Hour p. 12
Style Profile p. 68
Kristin’s Column p. 20
Travel Pick p. 78
Community Profile p. 22 Karen’s Pick p. 82 Community Pick p. 41 Dining Guide p. 84
Jesse DeLeon kicks back at Nickel City.
ON THE COVER Fresa’s handmade ice cream, photographed by Kathleen Pieratt.
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Tribeza Talk p. 28
A Look Behind p. 88
Arts & Entertainment Calendars p. 32
FEATURES
Music Pick p. 33
Off the Clock p. 44
Art Pick p. 34
A Little Hospitality p. 56
Event Pick p. 36 Drinks of Austin Guide p. 75
A Seat at the Table p. 62
TICKETS AVAILABLE atpearl.com
EDITOR'S LETTER
T
HE FOOD ISSUE. AS WE WERE PUTTING THIS MONTH’S ISSUE TOGETHER, THE ENDLESS OPTIONS
were almost paralyzing. To that end, and let me stop you right there: this issue is not an exhaustive catalog of every single mouthwatering bite in town. Of course we have left stuff out — lots in fact. How could we not?! Austin is bursting at the seams with delicious food, and we are happily along for the ride. We have tried to do what we do best — tell stories about the people making (and eating and growing) Austin’s food.
Let’s start with the folks who are preparing all those delicious meals. I confess that chefs and their ways have always intrigued me. Do they all hang out together? Are they really as rowdy as some claim? I was delighted when Hannah Morrow decided to sit down with five of our favorite local chefs (“Off the Clock”) to find out where and how they kick back after-hours. Between the restaurants they have opened and the watering holes they frequent, consider your Austin summer plans squared away. But of course not all of the best food is made in restaurants. Like lots of people, many of my favorite meals have been prepared and eaten at home. This is something Rebecca Wallace knows all too well. The self-taught caterer, whose focus is on hospitality and comfort, effortlessly cooks and entertains for others. She invited us over on one such occasion, a wedding shower for food-world pros Roberto Ainslie and Alice McGinty, so we could catch her in action (“A Little Hospitality”). Her tried-and-true tip for successful entertaining? Mimosas and yeast-raised waffles. Eating a meal with friends and family provides a certain kind of nourishment that few other acts achieve, and certainly no one understands the need for that nourishment better than Casa Marianella. The nonprofit and its tireless staff have been providing food and shelter for Austin’s homeless immigrants and refugees since 1986. At their monthly Convivio gathering (which is always open to the public), current and former residents, staff and volunteers come together for a feast that is as much about community as it is the delicious Ethiopian and Latin dishes before them. In “A Seat at the Table,” Anne Bruno shares Casa Marianella’s story and what this monthly meal symbolizes for some of Austin’s newest arrivals.
There is no better way to celebrate and come together than over a meal — a fact I am gladly reminded of every time my loud and rambunctious household makes the effort to gather around our dinner table. Happy eating, dear reader. Margaret Williams margaret@tribeza.com
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P H OTO G R A P H B Y M A D E L E I N E L A N D RY
Here is the good news — all of the above is merely the tip of the iceberg. Desperate for the best ice cream sandwich in town (“Gimme Some Suger”)? We’ve got you covered. Pining for a pasta-and gelato-filled trip to Florence? Yep, just keep reading. Curious about how to grow your own food (“Garden to Table”)? Well, even if you aren’t, follow along.
J U LY 27 - 2 9 ALEX AND ANI | AMAZON BOOKS | APPLE | ARCHER HOTEL | AWAY | B8TA | BIRDS BARBERSHOP | THE BODY SHOP | BONOBOS BRANDY MELVILLE | CAPITAL ONE CAFÉ | CARILOHA | CB2 | CHASER | CHUBBIES | CULINARY DROPOUT | DANCE WITH ME | DESIGN WITHIN REACH DIPTYQUE | THE DOGWOOD | DRYBAR | E.L.F. COSMETICS | ERIN CONDREN | ELIZA PAGE | ENGEL & VÖLKERS | EVEREVE | EVERYTHING BUT WATER | FILSON FLOWER CHILD | FRANCESCA’S | FREE PEOPLE | THE FRYE COMPANY | GUIDEBOAT | HANNA ANDERSSON | HAT CREEK BURGER CO. | THE IMPECCABLE PIG INTERIOR DEFINE | IT’SUGAR | JOIE | JOSE LUIS SALON | KELLY WYNNE | KIEHL’S | KITTSONA | LILY RAIN | LIMBO JEWELRY | LOTUS & CLEAVER LUSH | MARINE LAYER | MARMI | MITCHELL GOLD + BOB WILLIAMS | NORDSTROM | NINA BERENATO | NYX | ORIGINS | PAIGE | PAPER SOURCE PELOTON | RAY-BAN | RH | R.M. WILLIAMS | RAVEN + LILY | SAINT BERNARD | SCOUT + MOLLY’S | SECOND BAR + KITCHEN SEPHORA | SOULCYCLE | SPRINKLES | STEEL CITY POPS | STAG | STARBUCKS RESERVE | STEVE MADDEN | SUGARFINA | SUITSUPPLY | SUR LA TABLE | SWAY TEDDIES FOR BETTYS | VELVET TACO | VIVA DAY SPA | W3LL PEOPLE | WARBY PARKER | WEATHERED COALITION | WILDFOX | WILL LEATHER GOODS
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TRIBEZ A AUSTIN CUR ATED
J U LY 2 01 8
N O. 2 0 3
CEO + PUBLISHER
George Elliman
EDITOR
Magaret Williams
ART DIRECTOR
September Broadhead
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Anne Bruno
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Holly Cowart
DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER
Hannah Morrow
COLUMNISTS
Kristin Armstrong Karen Spezia
DIRECTOR OF SALES
Elizabeth Arnold
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Teresa Clark Krissy Hearn Errica Williams INTERNS
Abby Moore Avery Tanner PRINCIPALS
George Elliman Chuck Sack Vance Sack Michael Torres
WRITERS
Neal Baker Nicole Beckley Laurel Miller Alex Reichek PHOTOGR APHERS
Andrew Bennett Dorothy Bennett Warren Chang Danielle Chloe Holly Cowart Jonathan Garza Taylor Jarrett Dagny Piasecki Kathleen Pieratt Taylor Prinsen Alysha Rainwaters Hayden Spears
ILLUSTR ATORS
Mackenzie Dunn Chris Nickels
706A West 34th Street Austin, Texas 78705 ph (512) 474 4711 | fax (512) 474 4715 tribeza.com Founded in March 2001, TRIBEZA is Austin's leading locally-owned arts and culture magazine. Printed by CSI Printing and Mailing Copyright @ 2018 by TRIBEZA. All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of the publisher, is prohibited. TRIBEZA is a proud member of the Austin Chamber of Commerce. S U B SC R I B E TO TR I B EZ A VISIT TRIB EZ A .COM FOR DE TAIL S
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UMLAUF GARDEN PARTY
The 20th annual UMLAUF Garden Party took place on April 26 at the beautiful UMLAUF Sculpture Garden & Museum. Guests were treated to local bites and drinks, live music, and fun live and silent auctions. The night raised nearly $270,000, benefitting the museum’s community programs, exhibitions, and garden preservation.
GIRL SCOUTS OF CENTRAL TEXAS: WOMEN OF DISTINCTION LUNCHEON
On April 26, Girl Scouts of Central Texas held its Women of Distinction Luncheon, celebrating women who have distinguished themselves as outstanding members of their community through individual excellence and high levels of achievement. This year’s Austin honorees included Nora Comstock, Denise Davis, Amy Shaw Thomas, and Laura Wolf.
¡VIVA! EASB
On April 28, the Elizabeth Ann Seton Board hosted ¡Viva! EASB 2018 at Camp Mabry. This year’s gala raised more than $1 million in support of the Marialice Shivers Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and mother/baby services at Seton Medical Center Austin. Attended by 1,200 guests, the event featured a lively cocktail party, an elegant dinner buffet, incredible auction packages, and live concert by Yacht Rock Revue.
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GOTTESMAN RESI DEN TI A L.COM / GOTTESMA N RESI DEN TIAL REAL ES TATE
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UMLAUF GARDEN PARTY 1. Marcia Nelson, James Nelson & William Jackson 2. Jed Vick, Jacob Herstein & Vibhav Joopelli 3. Bill Worrell & Marilee Davis 4. Peter McGibney, Natasha Vermeys, David Houston & Todd Reesing 5. Keri & Greg Walling
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GIRL SCOUTS OF CENTRAL TEXAS: WOMEN OF DISTINCTION LUNCHEON 6. Rachel Beecham & Sandy Goldfarb 7. Danae Rawlinson, Jaclyn Sharp & Julissa Gonzales ¡VIVA! EASB 8. Blake & Jamie Chandlee 9. Laura Hotze, Megan Houser & O’Kelley Little 10. Leslie Newberry, Allyson Hertel, Darby Berra & Kelley Newberry 11. Lee & Margaret Rigby 12. Liz Opalka, Jane Black & Kirstin Ross
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P H OTO G R A P H S B Y DA N I E L L E C H LO E , TAY LO R P R I N S E N ,
SOCIAL HOUR
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SOCIAL HOUR
IACT HOPE AWARDS
Nonprofit Interfaith Action of Central Texas (iACT) celebrated 30 years of service at its 2018 Hope Awards on May 1 at the Bullock Texas State History Museum. The night included words from Luci Baines Johnson and The Texas Tribune’s Evan Smith. The event also raised funds for iACT’s community service programs, like the iACT for Refugees program, the Red Bench dialogue program, and the Passport Program.
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COCKTAILS & CURIOSITY GALA
Piazza Center for Plastic Surgery put on its fifth annual Cocktails & Curiosity Gala on May 10, raising funds for the Breast Cancer Resource Center (BCRC). At the scenic Headwaters Central in Dripping Springs, guests enjoyed refreshing cocktails, bites from Rocco’s Grill, and entertainment by jazz crooner Ken Slavin, along with more than $10,000 in raffle prizes.
REACH FOR THE STARS
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IACT HOPE AWARDS 1. Karen & Ray Brimble 2. Stead Sabeera & Rizwana Bano 3. Syed Hamed & Jibraan Siddiqi COCKTAILS & CURIOSITY GALA 4. Dr. Marcelo Antunes, Alexis Antunes, Addie & Dr. Steve Elsbecker 5. Linda Piazza & Dr. Rocco Piazza REACH FOR THE STARS 6. Ebheni Henderson & Andrea Henderson 7. Holland Taylor 8. Celestine Sparkman, Jill Stan, Eleanor Bailey, Michelle Milford Morse & Jo Lynn Wallace 9. Anna Cruz, Tia O’Laughlin & Cynthia Rodriguez Gonzalez
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P H OTO G R A P H S B Y TAY LO R P R I N S E N , K A R A M A R I E , W I L L G A L L AG H E R
The Ann Richards School Foundation’s annual fundraising gala, Reach for the Stars, took place on May 11, recognizing the graduating class of the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders and toasting to their bright futures. This year’s gala honored their founding principal, Jeanne Goka, and featured student-led video interviews with Sylvia Acevedo, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA, and Gayle King, co-host of CBS This Morning.
6TH ST
RESTAURANTS
GROCERY STORE
COFFEE & TEA
BAR & COCKTAIL
SOCIAL HOUR
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EMANCIPET ANNIVERSARY LUNCHEON
On May 11, more than 500 guests gathered at the Hyatt Regency Austin for Emancipet’s 19th Anniversary Luncheon. Emceed by Jim Spencer of KXAN, the event celebrated a successful year, which included providing three months of free veterinary care to people and pets affected by Hurricane Harvey in Houston; opening the nonprofit’s first out-of-state clinic, in Philadelphia; and opening a state-of-the-art Emancipet Central Austin location.
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PARAMOUNT THEATRE ANNIVERSARY GALA
The Paramount Theatre hosted a romantic, Spanish-inspired anniversary celebration on May 12 at the historic Paramount and Stateside theaters. Along with a performance by Grammy- and Latin Grammy Award-Winning Gipsy Kings, two full blocks of Congress Avenue were transformed into the bustling streets of Spain, where guests were delighted by Catalan culture.
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World-renowned pianist Olga Kern joined members of the Austin Symphony Orchestra’s Arbor Series for a delicious luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel on May 17. This was the finale of the intimate behind-the-scenes event taking place before each masterworks concert of the season. Kern and Maestro Peter Bay enlightened symphony-goers with insights and endearing conversation before their stunning performance.
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6 EMANCIPET ANNIVERSARY LUNCHEON 1. Missy Nichols, Jeff Nichols, Chrissy Kleberg & Jay Kleberg 2. Edward Flores & Jim Spencer 3. Gretchen Nelson, Amy Mills, Congressman Lloyd Doggett & Carol Adams PARAMOUNT THEATRE ANNIVERSARY GALA 4. Jeff Straathof, Mafalda Tan, Patrick & Judy Cantilo 5. Marion Sanchez, Caroline Jones & Janet McCullar ASO ARBOR SERIES LUNCHEON 6. Pat Cherico & Olga Kern 7. James Wood & Mela Sarajane Dailey 8. Jim Arth & Heath Riders
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P H OTO G R A P H S B Y B R YA N T H I L L , CO U R T E S Y O F B E L L S A N D W H I S T L E S P R O D U C T I O N S & J O N AT H A N G A R Z A
ASO ARBOR SERIES LUNCHEON
Come Visit Us. Shop our showroom tucked away just one mile east of South Congress at 2090 Woodward Street. Or visit us online to see what’s new, find inspiration and browse our digital catalog. Exclusively in Austin. FOURHANDSHOME.COM
SOCIAL HOUR
SPIN AUSTIN GRAND OPENING
A lively and eclectic crowd partied alongside celebrities and Ping-pong devotees to welcome the grand opening of SPiN in Austin’s original and iconic Antone’s building. Guests delighted in SPiN’s 9,000-square-foot Ping-pong mecca (consisting of 14 Olympic-style Ping-pong tables and a full-service bar and restaurant) and the surrounding artwork, which pays homage to the historic venue.
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AUSTIN UNDER 40 AWARDS
The 20th annual Austin Under 40 Awards were held on May 19 and sponsored in part by Lexus of Austin and Lexus of Lakeway. This year raised the most to date for charitable organizations the YWA Foundation and the Austin Sunshine Camps. The event also included a performance by Dance Austin Studio, a live auction, and dancing to the tunes of Memphis Train Revue. Sujata Ajmera was named the Austinite of the Year.
A-LIST OF HOTTEST STARTUPS AWARDS & RECEPTION
The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with South by Southwest, revealed this year’s A-List of Hottest Startups on May 24 at ACL Live at The Moody Theater. Now in its eighth year, the A-List continues to highlight Austin’s most promising and cutting-edge innovators and startups. Brian Sheth, of Vista Equity Partners, was the keynote speaker.
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SPIN AUSTIN GRAND OPENING 1. RJ Mitte & Soo Yeon Lee 2. Jonathan Bricklin, Gary Clark Jr., Franck Raharinosy, & Nicole Trunfio AUSTIN UNDER 40 AWARDS 3. Kara Sutton, Kristie Gonzalez & Scott Clark 4. Sean Duffy & Chelsey Cook 5. Sujata Ajmera 6. Tiffany Marsh & Christine Lewellen 7. Monica & Mark Tucci A-LIST OF HOTTEST STARTUPS AWARDS & RECEPTION 8. Samuel Alexander & Lauren Bauml 9. Stacey Berlow, Jeff Fry & Arthur Jackson 10. Dan Connolly & Gerardo Interiano 11. Biz Lindsay & Melissa Rubenstein
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KRISTIN'S COLUMN
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HIGHS and Lows By Kristin Armstrong Illustration by Chris Nickels
When I was a kid, dinner was whateverthehell mom made. She cooked, we came downstairs when called, and we all sat together and ate our dinner. Both my parents are from the Midwest, so dinner was mostly in the meat-and-potato genre. Dessert was a treat, not a regular deal. We drank milk or water, my parents included. We made conversation. And we cleared our plates when we were done. Fast-forward to present-day mealtime at my house. Wait, first let me say that I had/have every good intention of replicating the same wholesome vignette of my childhood. Once in a while, I get something that looks vaguely like it. But most of the time, dinner Chez Armstrong with teenagers looks something more like this: I attempt to create childhood vignette meal, but with more vegetables. Ideally everyone is home, but often someone has sports or tutoring or a group project, so we aren’t always a complete party ready to be seated. I drink a glass of wine while I cook. No one drinks milk. In fact, I don’t think anyone has had an actual glass of milk since the sippy cup era. Now we have almond
milk, coconut milk, or some version of new-age milk, and it is used only for cereal. I am not sure when this happened. Everyone is upstairs quarantined in their rooms, supposedly doing homework but probably Snapchatting on their phones, watching Netflix, or playing Xbox. I text-yell, “DINNER’S READY!!!” to my family group text about ten minutes before it’s actually ready. They come down and slowly filter into the kitchen about ten minutes after it’s done. We sit around the kitchen island, not the table. No one sits at the table. It just holds up a vase. My children suspiciously lift pot lids or tinfoil covers and make faces that look nothing like gratitude. Mind you, I am my mother’s daughter and therefore a good cook. I try to remember who is now vegan, lactose-free, avoiding carbs or gluten, or trying to put on weight for football. These facts change regularly, so I just do my best and aim for variety. If my evening vegetable selection is a nonfavorite, a token piece of green will be placed on the plate but left untouched. We hold hands around the island and say a prayer, a daily nutritional dose of Catholicism. I miss the old kid prayer that sounded even cuter with lispy missing teeth, “God is great God is good let us thank him for our food. By his hands we are fed thank you Lord for our daily bread.” Followed by a very loud and rowdy “AHHHH-MEN – DIG-IN!!” “Phones UP,” I always say. But they buzz and beep inside pockets and get surreptitious glances when my kids think I’m not looking. Organic, meaningful conversation is reduced to a round of “Highs and Lows,” which is admittedly better than nothing. My high is usually, “This family dinner, right now, with you.” But I don’t know that they have ever shared that sentiment. It’s more like, “Uh, my high is that Friday is in two days, and my low is that school sucks,” or, “I’m tired,” or something equally profound. Left to his
own devices, Luke would always choose to drink straight out of the orange juice or chocolate milk container and use the kitchen towel as his napkin. I try to break him of these habits so his future wife can have a shred of respect for me and my mothering. If they don’t like what I’ve made, or aren’t in the mood for it, or it doesn’t meet their current dietary requirements, they will push it around, eat a few bites, and later say they are starving and either eat cereal or want to Favor something. Hopefully not using my credit card. After our dining experience is complete, the kids mumble something about needing to get back to homework, which, as I mentioned, is code for Xbox, Netflix, Facetime, or Snapchat. After all these years, they manage to bring their plates sort of close to the sink, rather than the inch or so below counter level and into the dishwasher. We’re still working on that part. Sometimes they scrape some leftovers onto the floor below, just to watch the dogs desperately scramble and snarl at each other. This is met with more laughter than was generated by our conversation, so I allow it. Daily shared laughter fosters connection. I read that in a parenting book back when I had time or inclination for such things. “Thanks Mom,” (or “Mim,” as Luke calls me) they say as they head back up to their Lairs. I look at the clock. About 15 minutes have passed, maybe 20. I sometimes pour another glass of wine and start rinsing dishes and putting them in the dishwasher. I smile to myself and shake my head, somewhere between exasperation and gratitude, which is where I often find myself — and my smile — these days. OK so maybe it doesn’t look much like my childhood, but I love it. All of it. This is my high. My low is that it’s fleeting. God I’m going to miss this.
“WHEN I WAS A KID, DINNER WAS WHATEVERTHEHELL MOM MADE.” tribeza.com
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COMMUNITY PROFILE
All in the Family FOR SIETE, THE RECIPE FOR SUCCESS IS ABOUT MORE THAN ENTREPRENEURIAL SAV V Y
By Laurel Miller Photographs by Warren Chang
I
’M STANDING IN THE TURQUOISE-TILED TEST KITCHEN AT
Siete Family Foods in Northwest Austin shoveling tortilla chips into my mouth. This behavior is unusual only because the chips in question are grain-, gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free, as well as vegan, paleo, and non-GMO-verified. I’m omnivorous despite being lactose intolerant, and decades of living in places like Berkeley and Boulder have made me wary of foods created for those unfortunate enough to suffer from dietary restrictions and aversions. Yet these chips (in sea salt, lime, and nacho f lavors,) are crispy, nutty, and light as air, but also sturdy enough to resist salsa sog. Made with cassava (a starchy tuber native to the tropical Americas) and coconut f lours and fried in avocado oil, they’re surely the crack of snack foods. No less impressive are Siete’s tortillas (also free of grain, gluten, dairy, and soy), new line of hot sauces (enriched with chia and flaxseeds) and queso dip made from cashews. There’s an art to culinary R & D, and the co-founder and president of Siete Family Foods, Veronica “Vero” Garza, is clearly gifted in multiple mediums. Garza launched the company in 2014 with her mother, Aida, and younger brother, Miguel. Today all seven members of the Garza family, including patriarch Roberto (“Bobby”); siblings Linda, Rob, and Becky; and sister-in-law Alexandra oversee every aspect of Siete. In just under five years, the Garzas have gone from running a family gym in Laredo (G7 Athletics) to establishing a burgeoning food empire in Austin.
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COMMUNITY PROFILE
The Garza family, circa 1994. BELOW: Miguel, Veronica (Siete’s founder) and Linda Garza at the company’s North Austin headquarters.
MY GRANDMOTHER ALWAYS USED TO SAY, ‘FAMILY FIRST. FAMILY SECOND. BUSINESS THIRD.’
F
or 37-year-old Garza, who has suffered from a variety of autoimmune disorders for more than two decades, Siete was born out of necessity. At 17, she was diagnosed with ITP, or idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, a clotting disorder, which was treated with prednisone. Two years later, after experiencing fatigue, heart palpitations, and kidney issues, Garza was diagnosed with lupus nephritis, an often progressive disease that causes the body to attack its own tissues, resulting in joint pain and inflammation, skin rashes, and other debilitating symptoms. She also suffers from Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune condition that affects the thyroid. While Garza’s doctors experimented with various medications, her brother Rob suggested making dietary changes. “He was into CrossFit and doing a lot of reading on the paleo diet,” she says. Medical research shows that a nutritional regimen free of grain (the gluten, or proteins, in wheat can trigger an inflammatory response in certain individuals) and rich in anti-inflammatory foods like nuts, seeds, and dark leafy greens can help ease autoimmune symptoms. In 2009, however, Garza wasn’t getting such advice from her doctors. She did her own research, and fortunately, her family rallied around her and as a group changed how they ate. It wasn’t a magic bullet (“It’s not like I changed my diet and was cured,” Garza says. “It’s about managing my symptoms”). But within a few months, Garza noticed her knee joints no longer “squeaked” during exercise and she had more energy.
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Siete debuted their newest products, four flavors of hot sauce, in June. They’re packed with superfoods like avocado oil, apple cider vinegar, flax seeds, chia seeds, and turmeric.
Still, there were challenges. “My mom made grain-free dinners every night, which was hard for us,” she says. “Growing up in Laredo, we ate a lot of wheat f lour–based food like tortillas at every meal. We tried various gluten-free flours and alternate foods, but wrapping carne asada in a lettuce leaf really wasn’t satisfying. I started playing around with almond flour and tapioca starch, trying to make a tortilla that tasted good but was also pliable enough to work.” BUILDING A BETTER TORTILLA Garza’s late grandmother Alicia Campos was known as much for her cooking as her vibrant spirit and love for her family. Aida took some of Garza’s tortillas to her mother, who loved them. Says Garza, “My mom videotaped her saying, ‘Vero, these tortillas are great. They’re better than mine.’ My grandmother was the most honest person, especially when it came to food. Just weeks before she died, she lovingly reminded my mom about how to keep her scrambled eggs from being runny.” Bolstered by her abuela’s encouragement, Garza, who was teaching at a university in Laredo, began to seriously consider launching a grain-free food company. “I wanted to leave my job, but I didn’t have the guts. My mom was totally on board to do it with me, but it was Miguel, who has a law degree, who convinced us. He said, ‘If you don’t do it, you’ll regret it.’” Garza began working with cassava flour after reading that it had a
texture like that of wheat. She was less than impressed by the initial results. “The tortillas were bitter and fell apart,” she says. “I learned that that there are variables due to the type of cassava and processing methods.” Garza eventually found a cassava flour that tasted good and yielded the pliability and texture she required. Today Siete sources its cassava from a mill in Brazil that’s supplied by regional family farms. Garza was able to visit last year and finds it gratifying to know that her company is helping to support the economy in an impoverished area. Philanthropy, while not part of the original business plan, is now a hallmark of what Siete stands for. Says Garza, “We make heritage-inspired Mexican-American food, but we’re also a mission-based company, which is something that evolved along the way as we realized we could make an impact. We donate some product and a portion of all our proceeds to organizations like the Hispanic Impact Fund and Con Mi MADRE that benefit underserved communities.” AUSTIN WAS LIKE A SECOND HOME TO US The entire family, including Aida and Bobby, had attended UT, and Miguel was already living in Austin when Siete was in the development phase. The city was deemed the perfect place in which to base the business (there’s a production facility in addition to the North Austin office)
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BEEF TONGUE BARBACOA TACOS INSTRUCTIONS
Rinse the beef tongue with water and place it in your slow cooker. Add garlic powder, salt, onion (reserve a few tablespoons), bay leaf. Add enough water to cover the beef tongue. Set the slow cooker on low, cover, and cook for 10 to 12 hours, or until tender.
INGREDIENTS 1 beef tongue (approximately 4 to 5 lbs) 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 bay leaf Siete tortillas 1 cup chopped cilantro 1 cup chopped white onion Lime wedges Siete hot sauce (any flavor)
Remove the beef tongue from the slow cooker. Remove the skin from the top and trim any fat from the bottom. Using two forks, shred the beef tongue (barbacoa) and place it in a serving dish. Strain the broth from the slow cooker and add some to the barbacoa in the dish. Warm your favorite Siete tortilla. Fill each tortilla with a generous amount of the barbacoa. Add cilantro, remaining onion, lime, and your favorite Siete hot sauce to taste. Serves about 6 people
because, according to Garza, “the community is into fitness and a healthy lifestyle, and I love that you can walk into any restaurant and ask for a gluten-free option. Also, Whole Foods is from here.” In return, Austin has embraced Siete, which is carried in many retail outlets besides Whole Foods, including Wheatsville Co-op (Siete’s first account), Natural Grocers, and Fresh Plus. The company’s growth has been organic. It employs 20 people, in addition to family. The product line now includes four types of tortillas, in addition to those built from almond flour: cassava and coconut, cassava and chia, chickpea, and cashew flour. The new hot sauces (chipotle, traditional, jalapeño, and habanero) were a natural extension of the chips. “We like to make foods we love to eat with every meal,” says Garza, who retains a soft spot for the almond-flour tortillas, preferably filled with grilled beef tongue. She recommends heating
them for 15 seconds per side first on a smoking-hot cast-iron skillet. You might assume that after working together all week the Garzas would take a break from one another in their downtime, but you’d be wrong. “On Sundays, my family likes to get together and do a carne asada, and we do exercise and yoga together with our team at the office gym three times a week.” When I ask Garza what her biggest challenge is regarding work, she says it’s managing stress, and spending time with her family and exercising are antidotes, as is maintaining a sense of humor (one example being the company website’s hilarious website copy, of which she notes, “We don’t take ourselves too seriously”). Siete’s success may best be explained, however, by something Garza and her siblings learned at an early age. “My grandmother always used to say, ‘Family first. Family second. Business third.”
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TRIBEZ A
TALK
AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO WHAT’S BUZ ZING AROUND AUSTIN By Nicole Beckley
Calling the Shots It’s not rare for chefs to donate their time and talents to worthy organizations, but chef David Bull is taking it up a notch. Actually, make that more than 19,000 notches, as he makes the climb up Mount Kilimanjaro in support of Water to Thrive. Seven years ago, Bull, currently the executive chef at Second Bar + Kitchen, led a tasting event for the organization, which works to provide clean water for villages in Africa. Now he’s venturing up the highest free-standing mountain in the world and bringing his daughter, Jamison, along for the climb. “I think that the sheer magnitude of the experience of the hike and being on top of the world, so to speak, that’s going to be, I think, a life-changing experience,” Bull says. “And something me and my daughter can reflect back on.” WATERTOTHRIVE.ORG
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to Mexico for these surf trips, and we’d sit around after a day of surfing and locals would make their own tequila there,” Davis says. Inspired by the unique flavors, he created Playa Real with a vision for a more versatile liquor. “Either sip it, shoot it, or mix it,” Davis says. “Do it all.” PLAYAREALTEQUILA.COM
One-stop Shop Whether you’re looking for packaged kimchi, buckwheat noodles, or red bean cakes, HMart has made Asian food products in Austin more accessible since it opened earlier this year. The Lakeline Boulevard location offers fresh produce, prepared foods, and baked goods and boasts a food hall serving a variety of Japanese and Korean dishes, including Korean tofu soup and fried chicken. NJ.HMART.COM/OURSTORES/AUSTIN
P L AYA R E A L P H OTO B Y J U L I A K E I M
Straight to the TOP
“If we had known ten years ago that now we’d be living in Austin, Texas, running a tequila company, we’d be laughing,” Matt Davis says. A decade ago Davis and Arturo Vargas were in White Plains, New York, running brands for Heineken. Today they’re CEO and President, respectively, of Playa Real, a newly launched fruit-infused tequila brand. “I would go down
Satisfying Snacks A little sweetness can go a long way. Just ask Courtney Ray Goodson. In November 2017, she launched Uncle Ray’s Peanut Brittle, using a recipe from her great-uncle. “I honestly didn’t grow up cooking a whole lot but had this great recipe and feel like it’s more fun for me when you share it with people,” Goodson says. “It connects people and creates community.”
S U E R T E P H OTO B Y A N D R E W R E I N E R , R I C H A R D ’ S R A I N WAT E R P H OTO B Y A S H L E Y C H I N N I
The feelings of connection emerged for Goodson when she served in the Peace Corps in Fiji. Sharing batches of brittle mailed from her uncle, Goodson befriended a woman who wished to own her own business. To help realize those wishes, Goodson started a fundraising campaign, selling the first bags of
what would become Uncle Ray’s Peanut Brittle. “I realized I have a creative and entrepreneurial spirit in me,” Goodson says. Since then, Goodson has dreamed up new flavors, including dark chocolate–dipped bacon-pecan brittle and a Hatch chile brittle, which are expected to be available at Central Market. UNCLERAYSPEANUTBRITTLE.
Making a Splash
A Lucky Lager What do you get when you combine the buzz of a hot new restaurant with the innovation of a favorite brewery? The answer: Suerte Lager, a beer specially crafted by Hops & Grain Brewery for the recently
opened Mexican dining spot Suerte. A collaboration between Josh Hare (Hops & Grain) and Sam HellmanMass (Suerte), the lager is a dry and refreshing pairing for the masafocused menu. SUERTEATX.COM
Move over, LaCroix. There’s another way to satisfy your carbonated-water thirst. Richard’s Sparking Rainwater, from the Dripping Springs–based company, is pure rainwater turned into bottled bubbles. Since 2002, the company has transformed collected rainwater into triple-filtered clean drinking water. Founder Richard Heinichen wanted a way to naturally purify water without added chemicals, later expanding his process to add carbonation. RICHARDSRAINWATER.COM
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A DV E R T I S I N G @ T R I B E Z A .CO M
C ALENDARS
Entertainment MUSIC WILLIE NELSON’S 4TH OF JULY PICNIC
July 4 Circuit of the Americas JACKIE VENSON
July 5 Shady Grove
LOUIS THE CHILD, BIG WILD & TROYBOI
July 7 Stubb’s BBQ
THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS
July 7 Austin360 Amphitheater BOY GEORGE & CULTURE CLUB
July 10 ACL Live at The Moody Theater JANET JACKSON
July 11 Austin360 Amphitheater JIMMIE VAUGHAN
IRON & WINE
July 14 Paramount Theatre THE SMASHING PUMPKINS
July 16 Frank Erwin Center
BLUES ON THE GREEN
July 18 Zilker Park
ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL
July 19 Shady Grove
COUNTING CROWS
July 21 Austin360 Amphitheater SAM SMITH
July 21 Frank Erwin Center FLOAT FEST
July 21 & 22 Cool River Ranch ANIMAL COLLECTIVE W/ LONNIE HOLLEY
July 12 Antone’s Nightclub
July 23 Paramount Theatre
PETERSON BROTHERS
JEFF BECK
July 12 Shady Grove
July 26 ACL Live at The Moody Theater
BUN B
LOGIC
LUDOVICO EINAUDI
BOB SCHNEIDER
July 13 Antone’s Nightclub July 13 Bass Concert Hall
VIOLENT FEMMES WITH ECO & THE BUNNYMEN
July 13 ACL Live at The Moody Theater
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July 27 Austin360 Amphitheater
July 28 Antone’s Nightclub
DARYL HALL, JOHN OATES & TRAIN
July 28 Frank Erwin Center
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: SYMPHONY FOR OUR WORLD
July 28 Long Center O.A.R .
July 28 Stubb’s BBQ PENTATONIX
July 28 Austin360 Amphitheater STEVE MILLER BAND & PETER FRAMPTON
July 30 ACL Live at The Moody Theater KUTX BIRTHDAY CONCERT SERIES: BEACH HOUSE
July 31 ACL LIVE at The Moody Theater
VIVA CINEMA: ACORAZADO
July 14 Bullock Texas State History Museum CONTRAST FILM FESTIVAL
July 20 – 22 Various Locations
BEST OF THE FESTS: 2018 SUNDANCE SHORTSE
July 28 AFS Cinema BLANCHE
July 28 Stateside at the Paramount
THEATER
PHISH
July 31 Austin360 Amphitheater
FILM
RUTHLESS, THE MUSICAL
Through July 8 The City Theatre HEISENBERG
Through July 22 ZACH Theatre JAWS ON THE WATER
Through August 18 Beachside Billy’s at Volente Beach Resort SUMMER CLASSIC FILM SERIES
Through September 1 Paramount Theatre
LANDMARKS VIDEO PRESENTS ANIMAL
July 1 – 31 Visual Arts Center
MEAN MOVIE MONDAYS
July 2 – 30 Mean Eyed Cat
THE ANTIPODES
July 5 – August 4 Hyde Park Theatre ALL SHOOK UP
July 6 – August 18 Zilker Hillside Theatre AUSTIN FLAMENCO FESTIVAL: FORASTEROS
July 7 & 8 Long Center
DISNEY’S BEAUTY & THE BEAST
July 11 – September 2 ZACH Theatre
THE MUSIC MAN
July 20 – August 11 Long Center ROB1N
July 24 – August 11 Long Center
COMEDY GARY GULMAN
July 12 – 14 Cap City Comedy Club BIG GAY MUSICAL
July 12 – August 25 The Hideout Theatre
DARREN KNIGHT
July 13 Paramount Theatre
SPEECHLESS LIVE
July 13 The Hideout Theatre
JERMAINE FOWLER
July 19 – 21 Cap City Comedy Club STEVE TREVINO
July 26 – 28 Cap City Comedy Club
CHILDREN AUSTIN SYMPHONY CHILDREN’S DAY ART PARK
Through July 25 Austin Central Librar
TOO MANY STORIES!
Through August 1 Austin Scottish Rite Theater
TOTALLY COOL TOTALLY ART THEATRE CAMP
July 9 – August 1 Doris Miller Auditorium FAMILY DAY
July 8 UMLAUF Sculpture Garden & Museum PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT
July 13 Thinkery
July 4 Vic Mathias Shores
HILL COUNTRY GALLERIA INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION
July 4 Hill Country Galleria
RED, WHITE AND BLUES
FANTA-SEA CREATURES
July 4 Geraldine’s
July 14 The Contemporary Austin Laguna Gloria
SUMMER SPLASH
SUMMER FAMILY FILM SERIES: THE LAND BEFORE TIME
SOUND & CINEMA
July 14 Bullock Texas State History Museum GUSTAFER YELLOWGOLD
July 28 Austin Scottish Rite Theater FAMILY SUNDAY FUNDAY
July 29 backYARD at Waller Creek
OTHER FIFA WORLD CUP VIEWING PARTIES P H OTO B Y C H A R L E S R E AG A N
H-E-B AUSTIN SYMPHONY JULY 4TH CONCERT & FIREWORKS
Through July 15 Native Hostel BIKE NIGHT
July 3 Circuit of the Americas
July 7 Domain NORTHSIDE
July 11 & 25 Long Center
THE ORIGINAL HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS
July 13 H-E-B Center at Cedar Park TRAILER FOOD TUESDAYS
July 17 Long Center
RHYTHM ON STAGE
July 19 Long Center
TEXANISCHE NACHT
July 21 Saengerrunde Hall
TEXAS HEAT WAVE
July 21 & 22 Travis County Expo Center
MUSIC PICK
Bob Schneider By Neal Baker
ANTONE’S NIGHTCLUB, JULY 28
After bouncing around from [small-town] Michigan to Munich to El Paso in his childhood, young Bob Schneider probably didn’t seem to be the most likely guy to develop loyalties for any particular place. And yet once he arrived in Austin, he couldn’t seem to get away. The capital city’s music scene has had a hold on him (or perhaps the other way around) since 1999, and between then and now he’s been regularly churning out records, making memories at the local venues, and raking in Austin Music Awards by the dozens. Schneider’s presence is certainly constant, but like that of a good friend, it never gets old. Part of the reason for this could be the fact that across all his work, he’s never been too comfortable doing the same thing twice. Along the way, there has been funk and folk, gritty and clean, heavy and light. Enter Blood and Bones. Schneider’s newest project comes at a time when he’s thinking about some of his other loyalties — to his family, especially. He’s played it all by now, so he’s not afraid to do, as he puts it, “what’s always been done, a million times before now, a million and one. You sing about love.” Schneider’s on tour right now, and has a hometown gig on July 28 at Antone’s Nightclub. After all these years, it would hardly be a summer in Austin without him.
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ARTS C ALENDAR
Arts JIEUN BETH: INNOCENCE IN SILENCE
WET, WILD, & A WEE BIT OF WHIMSY OPENING RECEPTION
VAUDEVILLE!
VINCENT VALDEZ: THE CITY
Through July 7 Big Medium Gallery
Through July 15 Harry Ransom Center ...OF WARP AND WEFT
Through July 21 Davis Gallery
PUNK NOIR: DAWN OKORO
Through July 21 George Washington Carver Museum
ART PICK
MARGAUX CRUMP: THE LURE
Ancestral Modern: Australian Aboriginal Art From the Kaplan & Levi Collection By Neal Baker BL ANTON MUSEUM OF ART, JUNE 3 – SEPTEMBER 9
Of all the art forms still in existence today, that of Aboriginal Australians is the oldest. Dating back tens of thousands of years, their culture has withstood the passage of time and imposition of an empire - the same forces that eventually eroded similarly ancient civilizations. And thanks to their own successful efforts to revive their artistic traditions, this same cultural lineage is reaching out to touch such faraway places as Austin. Of course the Blanton is no history museum. “Ancestral Modern: Australian Aboriginal Art From the Kaplan & Levi Collection” runs through September 9 and exhibits a selection of contemporary Aboriginal works that prove that this ages-old culture is many things: rich, evolving, relevant. At first glance from an outside perspective, the style is immediately stimulating. Countless individual marks — usually dots or distinct brushstrokes — compose dense forms on bold backgrounds. Many of the same reds, yellows, and whites of clay and ochre lend their colors to these works, as they did years and years ago. The few recognizable figures are those of the occasional person or animal. But these works are far from what we could justifiably describe as abstract. They are full of maps, symbols, and narratives that remain mostly unintelligible to all but those who belong to the culture and whose history is embodied here. For all the strides made toward the visibility of Aboriginal people, some secrets are to remain hidden.
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Through July 26 Women & Their Work JIMMY DESCANT ART SHOW
Through July 29 Yard Dog Art Gallery
ANCESTRAL MODERN
Through September 9 Blanton Museum of Art
DIANA GREENBERG
July 7 – 28 Wally Workman Gallery
July 13 Art For The People
July 17 – Ongoing Blanton Museum of Art MEET HER HANDS: DEBORAH VALCIN
July 19 Elisabet Ney Museum COOL SUMMER NIGHTS: ART
July 13 Bullock Texas State History Museum
YOUR LOCAL AUSTIN ARTIST
ELIHALPIN.COM
1023 SPRINGDALE RD
A R T S PAC E S
Art SPACES MUSEUMS BLANTON MUSEUM OF ART 200 E. MLK Jr. Blvd. (512) 471 7324 Hours: Tu– F 10–5, Sa 11–5, Su 1–5 blantonmuseum.org THE BULLOCK TEXAS STATE HISTORY MUSEUM 1800 Congress Ave. (512) 936 8746 Hours: M–Sa 9–5, Su 12–5 thestoryoftexas.com THE CONTEMPORARY AUSTIN –JONES CENTER
EVENT PICK
Zilker Summer Musical: All Shook Up By Neal Baker ZILKER HILL SIDE THEATER, JULY 6 - AUGUST 18
A little bit of Austin history for you: Back in 1959, Zilker Park hosted the first of its longstanding series of summer musicals. Seventeen, a 1950s teenage romance told Broadwaystyle, was put on for a crowd gathered on the very same hillside theater where the production happens today. Since then, the summer spot has seen such classics as The King and I, Fiddler on the Roof, West Side Story, and Little Shop of Horrors. Now in year 60, little has changed, with Zilker Theatre Productions putting forth yet another production sure to light up your summer evening. This year’s show, All Shook Up, is based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. For all the petty behavior, the family mystery, and one particularly precarious love triangle, there’s only one thing the Elizabethan play is missing. That would of course be a soundtrack of Elvis songs, of which All Shook Up contains precisely 24. Choreography filled with the King’s moves and a wardrobe lined with leather completes what is admittedly a production that is probably far greasier than anything Shakespeare had in mind. The show begins on the 6th and will run until August 18, so there’s no excuse for missing it. As always, it’s free to all, though ZTP welcomes donations, especially in the spirit of its diamond anniversary.
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700 Congress Ave. (512) 453 5312 Hours: W 12-11, Th-Sa 12-9, Su 12-5 thecontemporaryaustin.org THE CONTEMPORARY AUSTIN: LAGUNA GLORIA 3809 W. 35th St. (512) 458 8191 Driscoll Villa hours: Tu–W 12-4, Th-Su 10–4 Grounds hours: M–Sa 9–5, Su 10–5 thecontemporaryaustin.org ELISABET NEY MUSEUM 304 E. 44th St. (512) 458 2255 Hours: W–Sa 10–5, Su 12–5 ci.austin.tx.us/elisabetney FRENCH LEGATION MUSEUM 802 San Marcos St. (512) 472 8180 Hours: Tu–Su 1–5 frenchlegationmuseum.org
GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER MUSEUM 1165 Angelina St. (512) 974 4926 Hours: M–Th 10–9, F 10–5:30, Sa 10–4 ci.austin.tx.us/carver HARRY RANSOM CENTER 300 E. 21st St. (512) 471 8944 Hours: Tu–W 10–5, Th 10–7, F 10–5, Sa–Su 12–5 hrc.utexas.edu LBJ LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 2313 Red River St. (512) 721 0200 Hours: M–Su 9–5 lbjlibrary.org MEXIC–ARTE MUSEUM 419 Congress Ave. (512) 480 9373 Hours: M–Th 10–6, F–Sat 10–5, Su 12–5 mexic–artemuseum.org O. HENRY MUSEUM 409 E. 5th St. (512) 472 1903 Hours: W–Su 12–5 THINKERY AUSTIN 1830 Simond Ave. Hours: Tu-F 10-5, Sa-Su 10-6 thinkeryaustin.org UMLAUF SCULPTURE GARDEN & MUSEUM 605 Robert E. Lee Rd. (512) 445 5582 Hours: Tu-F 10-4, Sat-Su 12-4 umlaufsculpture.org
WWG
Wa l ly W or k m a n Ga lle ry
Diana Greenber g 1202 W. 6th St. Austin, TX 78703 wallyworkman.com 512.472.7428 Astral Weeks II, mixed media, 36 x 48 in.
A R T S PAC E S
Art SPACES GALLERIES 78704 GALLERY 1400 South Congress Ave. (512) 708 4678 Hours: M–F 8-5 78704.gallery ADAMS GALLERIES OF AUSTIN 1310 RR 620 S. Ste C4 (512) 243 7429 Hours: Tu–Sa 10–6 adamsgalleriesaustin.com ART ON 5TH 3005 S. Lamar Blvd. (512) 481 1111 Hours: M–Sa 10–6 arton5th.com ARTWORKS GALLERY 1214 W. 6th St. (512) 472 1550 Hours: M–Sa 10–5 artworksaustin.com AUSTIN ART GARAGE 2200 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. J (512) 351-5934 Hours: Tu–Sa 11–6, Su 12–5 austinartgarage.com AUSTIN ART SPACE GALLERY AND STUDIOS 7739 North Cross Dr., Ste. Q (512) 771 2868 Hours: F–Sa 11–6 austinartspace.com AUSTIN GALLERIES 5804 Lookout Mountain Dr. (512) 495 9363 By appointment only austingalleries.com BIG MEDIUM GALLERY AT BOLM 5305 Bolm Rd., #12 (512) 939 6665 Hours: Tu-Sa 12-6 bigmedium.org
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CAMIBAart 2832 E. MLK. Jr. Blvd., Ste. 111 (512) 937 5921 Hours: Tu–F 10–5, Sa 12-5 camibaart.com CO-LAB PROJECTS: PROJECT SPACE 721 Congress Ave. (512) 300 8217 By event and appointment only co-labprojects.org DAVIS GALLERY 837 W. 12th St. (512) 477 4929 Hours: M–F 10–6, Sa 10–4 davisgalleryaustin.com DIMENSION GALLERY SCULPTURE AND 3D ART 979 Springdale, Ste. 99 (512) 479 9941 Hours: S 12–5 dimensiongallery.org DOUGHERTY ARTS CENTER 1110 Barton Springs Rd. (512) 974 4000 Hours: M-Th 10-9, F 10-5:30, Sa 10-2 austintexas.gov/department/ dougherty-arts-center FAREWELL BOOKS 913 E. Cesar Chavez St. (512) 473 2665 Hours: M-Sa 12–8, Su 12–7 farewellbookstore.com FIRST ACCESS GALLERY 2324 S. Lamar Blvd (512) 428 4782 Hours: Tu-Sa 10-7, Su 12-5 firstaccess.co/gallery FLATBED PRESS 2830 E. MLK Jr. Blvd. (512) 477 9328 Hours: M–F 10-5, Sa 10-3 flatbedpress.com
FLUENT COLLABORATIVE 502 W. 33rd St. (512) 453 3199 By appointment only fluentcollab.org
MASS GALLERY 507 Calles St. (512) 535 4946 Hours: F 5-8, Sa & Su 12-5 massgallery.org
STUDIO 10 1011 West Lynn St. (512) 236 1333 Hours: Tu–Sa 11–5 studiotenarts.com
GALLERY 702 702 San Antonio St. (737) 703 5632 Hours: Tu–Su 10-6 gallery702austin.com
MODERN ROCKS GALLERY 916 Springdale Rd., #103 (512) 524 1488 Hours: Tu–Sa 11- 6 modernrocksgallery.com
THE TWYLA GALLERY 1011 West Lynn (512) 236 1333 Hours: Tu–Sa 11–5 studiotenarts.com
GALLERY SHOAL CREEK 2832 MLK Jr. Blvd. #3 (512) 454 6671 Hours: Tu–F 10–5, Sa 12–5 galleryshoalcreek.com GRAYDUCK GALLERY 2213 E. Cesar Chavez Austin, TX 78702 (512) 826 5334 Hours: Th -Sa 11-6, Su 12–5 grayduckgallery.com JULIA C. BUTRIDGE GALLERY 1110 Barton Springs Rd. (512) 974 4025 Hours: M–Th 10–9, F 10–5:30, Sa 10–2 austintexas.gov/department/ doughertygallery LA PEÑA 227 Congress Ave., #300 (512) 477 6007 Hours: M–F 8-5, Sa 8-3 lapena–austin.org LINK & PIN 2235 E. 6th, Ste. 102 (512) 900 8952 Hours: Sa & Su 11-4 linkpinart.com LORA REYNOLDS GALLERY 360 Nueces St., #50 (512) 215 4965 Hours: W–Sa 11-6 lorareynolds.com LOTUS GALLERY 1009 W. 6th St., #101 (512) 474 1700 Hours: M–Sa 10-6 lotusasianart.com
MONDO GALLERY 4115 Guadalupe St. Hours: Tu–Sa 12- 6 mondotees.com OLD BAKERY & EMPORIUM 1006 Congress Ave. (512) 912 1613 Hours: Tu–Sa 9–4 austintexas.gov/obemporium PUMP PROJECT ART COMPLEX 702 Shady Ln. (512) 351 8571 Hours: Sa 12–5 pumpproject.org ROI JAMES 3620 Bee Cave Rd., Ste. C (512) 970 3471 By appointment only roijames.com RUSSELL COLLECTION FINE ART 1009 W. 6th St. (512) 478 4440 Hours: M–Sa 10-6 russell–collection.com SPACE 12 3121 E. 12th St. (512) 524 7128 Hours: Tu-F 10-5 space12.org STEPHEN L. CLARK GALLERY 1101 W. 6th St. (512) 477 0828 Hours: Tu–Sa 10–4 stephenlclarkgallery.com
VISUAL ARTS CENTER 209 W. 9th St. (800) 928 9997 Hours: M-F 10-6 twyla.com/austingallery WALLY WORKMAN GALLERY 1202 W. 6th St. (512) 472 7428 Hours: Tu–Sa 10–5 wallyworkman.com WOMEN & THEIR WORK 1710 Lavaca St. (512) 477 1064 Hours: M–F 10–6, Sa 12-6 womenandtheirwork.org YARD DOG 1510 S. Congress Ave. (512) 912 1613 Hours: M–F 11–5, Sa 11–6, Su 12–5 yarddog.com
FREDERICKSBURG ARTISANS — A TEXAS GALLERY 234 W. Main St. (830) 990-8160 artisanstexas.com CATE ZANE GALLERY 107 N. Llano St. (830) 992-2044 catezane.com
FREDERICKSBURG ART GALLERY 405 E. Main St. (830) 990-2707 fbgartgallery.com FREDERICKSBURG ART GUILD 308 E. Austin St. (830) 997-4949 fredericksburgartguild.org INSIGHT GALLERY 214 W. Main St. (830) 997-9920 insightgallery.com KOCH GALLERY 406 W. Main St. (830) 992-3124 bertkoch.com LARRY JACKSON ART & ANTIQUES 201 E. San Antonio St. (830) 997-0073 larryjacksonantiques.com RIVER RUSTIC GALLERY 222 W. Main St. (830) 997-6585 riverrustic.com RS HANNA GALLERY 244 W. Main St. and 208 S. Llano St. (830) 307-3071 rshannagallery.com URBANHERBAL ART GALLERY 407 Whitney St. (830) 456-9667 urbanherbal.com
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COMMUNITY PICK
Gimme Some Sugar THE SWEETEST COLD TRE ATS FOR THE HOT TEST TIME OF YE AR
By Alex Reichek Photographs by Kathleen Pieratt
A
LEX REICHEK KNOWS HER STUFF. By “stuff” I mean food — and by “food” I mean desserts. The happy omnivore and former McGuire Moorman Hospitality communications director has a legendary sweet tooth. One that shines through as she chronicles her many food adventures (pastries in Mexico City! Massaman curry in New York City!), both savory and sweet, as part of her food and travel
blog (@chekmarkeats). A childhood picky eater, the Houston native first discovered her love for the food world when she moved to New York City in 2009. The University of Texas grad found a job working at Shadow (a marketing and communications firm), where she somewhat guiltily explains that eating out and trying a little bit of everything was both expected and encouraged by her colleagues. Since then, Reichek’s culinary enthusiasm has only grown, and after moving back to Austin in 2016 for the MMH job, she tackled Austin’s food world headon. Now, striking out on her own, Reichek is putting her sweet tooth to good use, as she reports for Tribeza on the best spots around Austin to grab an indulgent (and cold!) summer treat. -Margaret Williams
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Fresa’s MOST UNEXPECTED
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Baked Bear is Austin’s newest icecream-sandwich destination. Located at The Seaholm, the Baked Bear bakes all of its treats in-house — a must in my opinion. Despite the many choices — 11 cookies, 13 ice cream flavors, and 12 toppings — I found the Blackberry Crumble ice cream between Snickerdoodle cookies to be a light and craveable summer dessert. Since I’m typically a chocolate fan I was surprised by how much I loved this one. And if you want to take a slightly more indulgent route, go for the red velvet cookies (draped in a light vanilla icing) filled with my all-time favorite ice cream flavor, salted-caramel fudge. Plus there are cookie and brownie bowls, which make for a less messy experience. And don’t forget to add Fruity Pebbles to any sandwich for instant nostalgia.
It’s hard to imagine churros any better than what you can get in Mexico City, but at Churro Co., they are made-to-order and served warm with a cinnamon-sugar coating. Kick it up a notch and order the Campfire, which is tossed in graham cracker, sugar, Mexican-chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and torched marshmallow. Whatever you do, please make sure you add a scoop of Blue Bell vanilla ice cream on top, as it swirls all the flavors together and creates just the right texture. Don’t forget to check their hours before you go. This cute dessert truck is only open Thursday through Sunday.
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Most people come to Fresa’s for the tacos and chicken al carbon. I come for the made-from-scratch ice cream by chef Laura Sawicki. The perfectly soft but also crunchy homemade Oreos make the spot’s cookies-and-cream flavor electric. And at the risk of sounding technical, it has an ideal cookie-tocream ratio, with big chunks dispersed throughout. When you dine in, each scoop is paired with a cute rainbow sprinkle cookie, which is great for in between bites and something you didn’t even know you needed. I grab a cup or a pint a few times a week at the to-go window, and flavors change seasonally. Look out for the Rice Krispie Treat!
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I will admit, I never choose a snow cone or shaved ice over an ice cream cone, but a DIY dreamsicle that combines vanilla soft serve with layers of freshly puréed water ice from Jim Jim’s is a whole different story. The water ice, which is very popular in co-owner Jim Moy’s hometown of Philly, is made with puréed fruit in a margarita machine every morning. This way the flavor is blended evenly throughout. Get the sour watermelon with vanilla soft serve or your choice of ice cream in one cup. The ice cream was new last season, and the mint chip and blackberry are my favorite. Other water ice flavors include dragon’s blood, cotton candy, mango, horchata, and more. Jim Jim’s has locations on Sixth Street and at Deep Eddy Pool. With the Texas heat, you’ll be craving this duo all summer.
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The South Congress Hotel has the cutest pinkand-white ice cream truck in its courtyard every summer; however, don’t expect your basic ice cream pops here. Go for the raspberry-cheesecake bar made with raspberry sherbet and cream cheese ice cream swirled with a raspberry ripple and garnished with a tricolor, hard magic shell. If you’re into fruity treats, the dairy-free strawberry-rhubarb sorbet is delightful. The winning ticket, though, is the cherry-cheesecake ice cream, as you can taste the graham cracker crust on each crumb!
Cow Tipping Creamery
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I found Cow Tipping on Instagram when I still lived in NYC two years ago. A jumbo stacker is the hot-ticket item, encompassing three layers of toppings (beginning at the bottom) and two layers of soft serve in between. The flavors —and very hip toppings — rotate. The It’s Your Birthday comes with homemade Funfetti cake chunks, birthday cake crumb, rainbow sprinkles, and white-chocolate sauce. The fact that you can mix in large enough cake bites that are still small enough not to overwhelm the ice cream is a champion move. A party in your mouth! If you want something boozy, go for At the Ritz with brown butter Ritz crumb, brown sugar, and hot fudge with rummy caramel sauce. Also, pick up a to-go bag of homemade cake crumbs, Southern cracker candy, and pumpkin-seed brittle to fancy your own sundae creations at home.
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OFF THE
Clock BY
HANNAH MORROW
HAYDEN SPEARS ILLUSTRATION BY MACKENZIE DUNN PHOTOGRAPHS BY
For patrons, restaurants are an emblem of leisure. There are top-tens and need-to-trys, the regular spots, and the special occasions. Dining out means taking a break. For chefs, restaurants are an emblem for hard-earned success. They mean long hours of work and a long road to the top. We caught up with five illustrious Austin chefs at their favorite spots to wind down.
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RENE ORTIZ at Hotel Saint Cecilia
By the nature of cooking, a chef has to think ahead. The next dish, the next order, the next shift. Thinking ahead is the only thing keeping a chef from falling behind. Rene Ortiz has spent his chefdom thinking ahead, opening 30+ restaurants over his long career. Born in Houston and raised in San Antonio, Chef Ortiz studied engineering before leaving Texas with $5,000, a fishing tackle box of knives, and the classic culinary dream. “During the late ’90s in New York City, there was a lot of work to be had. Everyone needed chefs,” says Ortiz, who worked his way up the line to the kitchens of Chefs Alain Ducasse and Jean-Louis Palladan. “I lived in New York for 15 years because it’s just home. It’s beautiful, the hustle is strong, the people are amazing.” Ortiz has opened and consulted on restaurants in NYC, Europe, and Australia. Brought to Austin by Jesse Herman of New Waterloo (then known as Violet Crown Management), Ortiz’s first venture here took form as upscale Mexican restaurant La Condesa in 2009. In 2012, he
opened the Thai brasserie Sway, proving his Midas touch on Austin’s restaurant scene. “To build Sway after 15 years of studying Thai food was a dream come true,” says Ortiz. In 2013, Ortiz left both restaurants to take over Fresa’s Chicken al Carbon and eventually open the James Beard award–nominated Launderette. “To let it go? Very difficult. But I’m always going to do another one, so I’ll be happy again.” During his off days, you can catch Ortiz at Hotel Saint Cecilia. With 14 rooms, the Saint Cecilia is closer to a luxury guesthouse than a hotel; in the same vein, the bar and lounge are guest and member only. But it’s a nook of the city that Oritz has grown to cherish, his favorite place to press pause in the midst of always moving forward. For now, sipping a margarita in the hotel’s bar, Ortiz says he’s focused on the expansion of Fresa’s and the ongoing success of Launderette. And looking forward? He replies: “Always.”
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CALLIE SPEER at The Liberty
You could say Holy Roller is a prime example of Austin staying weird and you wouldn’t be wrong: an all-day brunch diner with purposefully punk intentions and calorically apathetic items like trash fries and chicken pot pies. But that’s also something at which Callie Speer might roll her eyes. The whole thing is not a front or a carefully curated equation to success. It’s the best of Speer’s own admitted weirdness, and Austin loves it. The owner and executive chef grew up here, collecting a restaurant résumé as long as left-lane Mopac traffic: Cipollina, Parkside, Swift’s Attic, and Geraldine’s, to name a few. After leaving the last of the bunch, Speer planned to take a step back when her husband, Austin chef and restaurateur Philip Speer, told her that Wahoo’s Fish Tacos on Rio Grande Street was closing. “He asked if I knew anyone who wanted to start a restaurant, and I was like, Are you kidding?” she laughs. “I put together a lookbook and a business plan and just went for it. I still can’t believe it worked.”
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For Holy Roller, her first solo foray, Speer recruited trusted past co-workers pastry chef Britt Castro and Jen Keyser, general manager and beverage director. “You hire these people because you think they’re going to be great at their job. And it turns out that they’re great at my job and each other’s. Watching them nail it has been the best,” says Speer. She’s been coming to The Liberty for the past nine years, playing pool and hanging out on the crowd-favorite back patio. She doesn’t drink, but the bar still feels like a second home. “One of the things that I’ve really enjoyed over my sort of coming-up has been watching all our friends come up at the same time,” says Speer, who is family friends with the owners. “Austin is so ever-changing that it’s nice to have staples you can count on. I like the pieces that still feel uniquely our town.”
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TOM MICKLETHWAIT at Yellow Jacket Social Club
Dining at Tom Micklethwait’s eponymous East Austin trailer is not a far leap from his backyard barbecue beginnings, which, rumor has it, used to hit capacity. From the handcrafted sausage and house-made sides, the menu is entirely made from scratch. You order from the 1960 Comet trailer, which Micklethwait renovated in his spare time, and sit community-style at picnic tables around the grass and gravel lot. It’s as far from a chain restaurant as one can get. So when Micklethwait Craft Meats posted a simple announcement on its Facebook page in March, “Coming soon to downtown Smithville, TX: Micklethwait Craft Meats BBQ Restaurant,” commenters begged for new locations closer to their locales. The floodgates had opened. “It kind of was exactly what I didn’t want,” says Micklethwait with a smile at the prospect of opening a brickand-mortar restaurant. The trailer served its first threemeat plate in December 2012, and have since garnered enormous acclaim for the attention to detail, from the pickles to the potato salad to the pork ribs. It’s an ultra-locavore eatery lacking all the pretension that ruins some upscale farm-to-table options. Micklethwait likes to make good barbecue, period. Everything else is superfluous.
But at some point, he says, he gave in to the idea of a real-life restaurant. “You’re so limited in what you can do in the trailer, so it’s a little bit like, how could you not extend it? You can’t do any less,” he laughs. “I could probably fit the trailer into the bathroom of the new location.” Southeast of Bastrop, Micklethwait is finishing up renovations on Smithville’s old Vasek Automotive, which will be home to the concept, though he made sure a lot of the old building is being repurposed. The restaurant will include an event space, a large covered patio, and a retail and grocery store that will sell “picnic items” like house-cured deli meats, baked goods, produce, and Micklethwait’s famous crafted sausage. Micklethwait only worked in one restaurant, as a baker at Enoteca Vespaio on South Congress, prior to the trailer, but he had long practiced his craft. He was Yellow Jacket Social Club’s “original commissary,” parking his first small BBQ pit in its parking lot on weekends and for events. Micklethwait Craft Meats may be expanding, but Tom Micklethwait won’t outgrow his first love: feeding his friends and fans in Austin.
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REBECCA MEEKER at Matt’s El Rancho
Though Austin has long claimed its fair share of iconic restaurants, our city was not always a culinary destination. Before go-tos like Franklin Barbecue or Uchi, aspiring chefs often moved to the metropolises better known for opportunity in their field. Chef Rebecca Meeker, a native of Austin who has spent her fair share of evenings on the Matt’s El Rancho patio, was one such case. But just as Austin grew into a foodie’s dream, Meeker grew to become a highly accomplished chef whom we’re proud to call one of our own. Before Meeker began cooking across the globe under Michelin star–monger chef Joël Robuchon, she spent the summer after high school working for a local catering company. From there, she spent a year at the Driskill Grill under chef David Bull before leaving Austin for culinary school. In the following ten years, Meeker help Robuchon launch restaurants in New York and Taiwan before returning home to Austin, where Bull asked her to help open Congress. Five years later, with McGuire Moorman Hospitality in full swing,
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Meeker joined the group as executive chef of Jeffrey’s and Josephine House. Last year, she left her position to start Lucky Lime, an online food service delivery focusing on delicious, healthy food that “adds to your life.” “I had the concept of a floating restaurant, cutting out the real estate and front of the house and just focusing on cooking,” says Meeker, who is a certified holistic health coach. “After years of opening restaurants in New York and Taiwan and San Francisco and I needed a healthier balance with food.” Through Lucky Lime, patrons can order à la carte meals focusing on breakfast and lunch. The menu changes weekly and ingredients are provided by local purveyors. Now a year old, Meeker has expanded into retail with Lucky Lime options available to-go at Juice Society. In the future, she says she’ll consider a small storefront or casual eatery. For now, Austin is just happy to have her home.
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JESSE DELEON at Nickel City
Jesse DeLeon is not one to gild the lily. “Take a beautiful, ripe tomato,” says the Texas native. “Put some salt on it. You don’t need to do anything else.” The philosophy of simplicity whelms DeLeon’s new restaurant and bar Rosewood, which opened in May in the building that East End Wines occupied until 2015. With a business plan in hand, DeLeon was holding out for the perfect location for his first from-scratch restaurant. He knew from the first time he walked in, he says, that the century-old home on Rosewood Avenue was going to be perfect. “To distinguish yourself, restaurants have to have this crazy interior or menu,” says DeLeon. “But when we found this house with all the original features, we wanted to let the design come through and have the house speak for itself.” Renovations by architecture and design firm Mark Odom Studio stuck as close to the original aesthetic as possible, restoring the inside and adding an outdoor patio space. For the menu, DeLeon took the same approach. “We bought that house to be a part of the neighborhood and be a part of the menu,” says DeLeon. Rosewood’s menu changes daily and is all house-made. Most of the
dishes are inspired by childhood and South Texas favorites with twists, like chicken meatballs or lamb milanesa tacos. “I like when people come in craving something, and I want to give them the best of whatever they’re craving.” Originally from Victoria, DeLeon has long been interested in South Texas fare. After culinary school in Vermont, he cooked in New Orleans kitchens before taking over Bee Caves’ Zoot in 2006. After its closure, DeLeon worked at Vespaio for six years and helped open Hotel Van Zandt’s restaurant, Geraldine’s. He ventured out on his own in May 2016 with tasting menu supper club Victoria Provisions, which hosted dinners at Patricia’s Table on Thursdays and Sundays for six months. After the passion project, he knew we wanted to return to full-menu cooking and committed to the idea of Rosewood. After purchasing the house a block away, DeLeon began to spend time at local favorite Nickel City. “The first time I walked in here, we were still under construction [on Rosewood] and it was like walking into my past,” he says. “It’s a great community that they’ve established and have welcomed us into. And the hot dog here is ridiculous.”
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A LITTLE
HOSPITALITY Rebecca Wallace opens her home, and kitchen, for Sunday brunch
BY
NICOLE BECKLEY ALYSHA RAINWATERS
PHOTOGRAPHS BY
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Wallace tweaked a 1950’s recipe for her now-famous waffles.
“I love old-fashioned food, I’m not fancy, I don’t stack things up. Everything I do is very simple and uncomplicated.”
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t’s a bright summer Sunday morning and Rebecca Wallace is manning a large silver waffle iron. While guests bustle through her house and patio, drinking lemonade and watermelon mimosas, she instructs them to help themselves to waffles. She stirs a huge blue-and-whitepatterned ceramic bowl of batter, and more guests arrive in lightweight summer clothes in breezy tans, creams, and greens. The atmosphere is comfortable even if the house is busy, which is exactly Wallace’s goal. “I like it if they rave about the food,” Wallace says, “but I hate it when people go home early. I like to see them hang around. A lot of times we’ll have something and people will still be here at dinnertime.” After some 30 years in the catering business — she started Word of Mouth catering in 1983, sold it in 2001, and currently caters for the speaker of the Texas House of Representatives — Wallace has an unflappable essence. With close-cropped gray hair, sparkling blue eyes, and a dry wit, her presence is caring and inviting, embodying the essential ethos of hospitality. “I always loved catering because of being part of people’s lives,” Wallace says. “I just like feeding people; I don’t know what it is, but it satisfies something in me to feed people.”
For this particular brunch Wallace is feeding some longtime friends. Her weekly Monday morning coffee group has a tradition of throwing showers for one another’s children, and this event is celebrating the wedding of Roberto Ainslie, general manager at Olamaie, and Alice McGinty, general manager of June’s All Day. The couple met while working at McGuire Moorman, and since their wedding is being held in upstate New York, the coffee group decided a local celebration was in order. Growing up in Mart, Texas, Wallace always liked to entertain. “I’d be the one to say, ‘Yeah, come to my house,’ and I would cook something or make something — it might just be brownies.” In high school Wallace learned the basics in home ec classes and Future Homemakers of America and took inspiration from her grandmothers — one who sold Parker House rolls in Denton and the other who ran a hamburger stand. “People would come in, farmers, sit on the stools and eat their hamburger and talk to her. There was that human interaction where you’re serving someone lovingly with something and you have a conversation with them,” Wallace says. Those early experiences shaped Wallace’s approach to food. “I love old-fashioned food, I’m not fancy, I don’t stack things up. Everything I do is
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Soon-to-be-married McGinty and Ainslie, for whom the brunch was held.
“You know, a lot of people don’t get encouraged in the kitchen, but I think my mother was like, if you want to cook, go ahead. I’ll clean up.”
very simple and uncomplicated.” And her family gave her free rein to try new recipes. “My mother was a horrible cook,” Wallace says. “You know, a lot of people don’t get encouraged in the kitchen, but I think my mother was like, if you want to cook, go ahead. I’ll clean up.” By the time Wallace started her own family she was ready to take her food interests in a new direction. “I never had any professional training or anything. I just decided one day that if Martha Stewart could have a catering business so could I,” Wallace says. “I didn’t realize her resources were a little greater than mine,” she laughs. Wallace started Word of Mouth catering, handling a wide range of events, including many at the Governor’s Mansion. “I was completely self-taught, just eating and going, ‘How did they do that?’ and trying to figure it out.” For recipe inspiration she drew on her experiences traveling and living other places. After earning a BA in Liberal Arts from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s in Library Science from Florida State University, she married a man whose Navy job took them to Florida, Italy, and Mississippi. “Living all these different places really encouraged me to cook more,
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to try different things.” It’s also how she learned to eat seasonally, serving up strawberries and peas and asparagus in the spring and corn and tomatoes in the summer. After a successful run with Word of Mouth, the business was sold in 2001 (Wallace’s business partner Leslie Moore bought it back in 2008), but Wallace was approached with a new offer in 2009, first cooking personally for the speaker of the Texas House’s policy director and then getting a position cooking for the speaker himself, Joe Straus. As the Special Services Director, Wallace and her staff prepare meals for special events while the speaker is in town and during session serve members in the members’ lounge. “It’s like home cooking, ’cause you have to be able to do things on the fly,” Wallace says. Ultimately what Wallace most enjoys is providing hospitality. “People come in, maybe they’re a little stressed or upset, you can feed them something and they don’t have to go back to their office or go out to eat, they can get something they enjoy. It’s hospitality, but also just sort of the milk of human kindness that you’re sharing along with the food.” Back at the party, Wallace’s three-year-old granddaughter, Ruby, runs around the house, and as guests with children arrive, they head to the backyard pool. When it comes to tips for being a good host, Wallace recommends standing away from the front door to encourage people to come in and to make sure you’ve got enough ice (about two pounds per person). Is there an optimal number of guests? “Once you’ve been in the catering business, 50 is about the same as eight to me,” Wallace says. “You have to do all the same things. You’ve got to menu plan. You’ve got to go to the store, get the booze, the wine, the flowers; it doesn’t matter.” Sausage comes out of the oven and the kitchen island becomes a prep station, packed with silverware, syrup, and fresh fruit. The waffles find their way to plates, smeared with butter, surrounded by strawberries, blueberries, and a cloud of whipped cream. Wallace says she’s “sort of famous for these waffles,” explaining that she rewrote the original recipe, from the 1950s, to remove the “lumpiness.” The yeast-raised batter produces a waffle that’s surprisingly light and crispy. Occasionally she’ll make the waffles during session to raise people’s spirits when they have to work on the weekend, but mostly she makes them for friends and family. “I thought, if I had the energy I should have a restaurant that just served waffles, ’cause these are really good waffles.”
INGREDIENTS
PREPARATION
•1/2 cup warm water •1 package dry yeast •2 cups milk, warm •1/2 cup melted butter •1 teaspoon salt •1 teaspoon sugar •2 cups all-purpose flour •2 eggs, beaten •1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Put the water in a large mixing bowl (due to the yeast, the batter will “grow”) and sprinkle it with yeast. Let it stand to dissolve for about 5 minutes. Add the warm milk and melted butter to the yeast mixture; beat until it’s well-blended and smooth. Place the salt, sugar, and flour in a very large bowl. Beat the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing quickly to avoid lumps but being careful not to overmix. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it stand an hour or so, at room temperature. Just before cooking the waffles, beat in the eggs, add the baking soda, and stir until well-mixed (the batter will be thin). Pour the batter into sections of a very hot waffle iron*, being careful to not overfill (what a mess). Cook the waffles until they are golden brown. Serves about 4. *I usually double the recipe even if I’m just cooking for myself and my husband. We like to freeze the leftovers and pop them in the toaster to enjoy them another day. **I have always made these in an All-Clad Belgian Waffle Maker.
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A Seat at the Table BY
ANNE BRUNO
PHOTOGRAPHS BY
ANDREW AND DOROTHY BENNETT
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“If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him … the people who give you their food give you their heart.” - Cesar Chavez
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hortly before 6 p.m., a parade of food and drink begins at the back door of one of a cluster of colorful houses at the end of an East Austin block. From the driveway of the yellow house (the house with the biggest kitchen), the procession moves swiftly from one side of the street to the other. Long plastic folding tables have been set up on the lawn of the bright aqua house, near picnic tables and chairs scattered under the shade of pecan trees. With relaxed efficiency, the kind born of practiced teamwork, staff and volunteers lay out rectangular metal platters next to napkins, utensils, paper plates, and a stack of red plastic cups. One last check is made to be sure everything is out of the kitchen and a special dessert, a chocolate sheet cake with “Happy Birthday Esther!” written in white icing, is added to the end of the table. The foil, its loose corners leaking aromas of garlic, cumin, turmeric, onion, and other enticing spices, comes off the platters to reveal food as varied and colorful as the houses themselves. It’s the last Sunday of the month, and this is Convivio at Casa Marianella, an emergency homeless shelter that, since 1986, has served recently arrived immigrants and asylum-seekers from around the world. More than a meal of homestyle global dishes, Convivio is a celebration of community, culture, and shared hope for new beginnings. The monthly dinner gathering, which started about 10 years ago and also features live music and dancing, provides sustenance for both body and soul. Jennifer Long, Casa Marianella’s executive director for the past 20 years, says that Convivio started in response to what might be called a happy logistical problem. Casa’s former residents loved coming back to visit what was essentially their first home in the U.S. “At dinner, we’d regu-
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Ethiopian food like Injera, Gomen and Spicy Beef FirFir are staples at each month's Convivio.
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just former residents, but former staff and volunteers as well because everyone wanted to stay connected,” Long says. Staff positions at the nonprofit organization are based on stipends and typically last for one year, so the desire to remain in touch is as strong for the staff as it is the residents. “Basically, we just reached capacity so we decided to do a monthly community gathering and spread the word,” she explains. “This way,” Long says, “Everyone knows where to find each other, at least once a month. All are welcome to join us, share a meal, make new friends, and experience what we do here.” Over the years, Convivio has grown as more people learn about the opportunity to be part of welcoming new arrivals to Austin who’ve made such an effort to be here. Casa Marianella has aided people from over 40 countries in its 32-year history. Between a total of nine homes — four are exclusively for moms with children and one is just for two-parent families — the program typically houses about 100 people every night, helping to resettle more than 350 annually. With the goal of encouraging self-sufficiency while building community, the volunteer-driven organization provides other services in addition to the essentials of shelter, food, and cloth-
For more than 32 years, Austin’s Casa Marianella has served men, women, and children from over 40 countries.
ing. Skilled staff give legal counseling, operate an acupuncture clinic, and help residents locate affordable health care. Casa’s adult English as a Second Language classes, which are open to the public and taught by trained volunteers, can mean the difference between someone thriving and simply surviving. For people who have endured extreme and dangerous travels for months at a time, either alone or with children in tow, the ESL classes offer an important avenue for belonging. Aster Kassaye, who started Aster’s Ethiopian Restaurant about six years after moving to Austin in 1985, knows firsthand the importance of finding and creating community in a new place. Her husband’s work with Motorola brought the couple to Austin, and Kassaye brought with them her love of cooking and a strong desire to share the traditions surrounding Ethiopian culture — chief among them the conviction that food is not meant to be eaten alone. At the time of their arrival, the city was nowhere near the multinational food destination it is today, and Kassaye says the number of Ethiopians living in Austin was small. “Maybe around 130 people,” she estimates. “And, of course, everybody knew everybody! That’s how we are; you know your neighbors, the people around you. You take care of one another. And food is a very important part of that, every single day.”
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Convivio regulars and longtime volunteers, Francisco and Rolando, are integral to Casa’s work.
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assaye first learned about Casa Marianella via a phone call asking if she might be able meet with a refugee from Ethiopia who had recently moved to Austin. She went to pick the man up where he was living, at Casa Marianella; that was over 30 years ago, and Kassaye has been involved ever since. She serves on the organization’s board and her restaurant donates the Ethiopian food at each Convivio. “In Ethiopia, regardless of how much or little you have,” Kassaye says, “the sharing of food is a big part of the culture. Eating together is important. For example, we eat from one big platter. It’s relaxed. We eat with our hands and use the injera [a round, spongy flatbread made from a high-protein grain called teff] to scoop up bites of the food on the platter. And when you are far away from home, trying to adjust to a new culture,” she adds, “you really miss your food. So, being able to have the food you know is a big deal.” Kassaye’s sentiment is echoed often at Convivio. Kidame from Eritrea, who’s been in Austin for seven months, and Musa from Sudan, who’s been here nine months, describe a feeling of comfort that comes from eating with injera and enjoying the traditional wott (stew dishes) as well as the beloved flavors of Berbere sauce. “It’s very nice. It makes you feel good inside to have it,” Kidame says. “And I like to see everyone here. The people are so interesting to talk to, and we are making our way here.”
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Pedro from Mexico has been a regular at Casa Marianella’s English classes for several years. He is a former resident who bikes to Convivio each month. “I love all the food they make from Mexico, where I come from, and everything else they bring. I love learning from everyone, all the time.” A guitar player with música en su alma, Pedro says being able to attend Convivio means a lot to him. “I like all kinds of music, and all kinds of people. At Convivio, everyone I meet is very friendly, I don’t care where they come from, it’s all okay with me. I’ve met many wonderful people here.” Today, most of Casa’s residents are coming directly from months or years in government detention centers and often find out about the organization through word of mouth. In the past, the majority came from Central American countries like El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala, as well as from Mexico. In recent years, the organization has seen more migrants from Cuba and African countries like Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Eritrea, most fleeing economic peril, ethnic violence, and political persecution. Regardless of their native tongues or the places and struggles that Casa Marianella’s residents left behind, the universal language of food abides. Breaking bread at Convivio’s shared table provides a straight route to the heart of community. Please visit casamarianella.org to find out more.
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STYLE PROFILE
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Garden to Table HOW MA X AND JENNY SNYDER HAVE TURNED A BACK YARD GARDEN INTO THE FARM THAT PROPELS E AST AUSTIN RESTAUR ANT PITCHFORK PRET T Y By Margaret Williams Photographs by Danielle Chloe
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ot too long ago I found myself on one of those rare just-so Austin evenings in the backyard of Seth Baas, owner of Pitchfork Pretty. It was warm but not blazing, the air was mostly mosquito-free, and the light was casting a magic-hour glow over his lush garden. I say “his,” which is technically accurate, since the garden is housed in Baas’ East Side backyard, but the restaurant owner was quick to heap any and all credit on head chef Max Snyder and Max’s wife, Jenny. Max, an Austin native with an impressive résumé that stretches from New York’s Eleven Madison Park to San Francisco’s Old Bus Tavern, moved back to Austin in 2017, along with his wife and young daughter, Olympia, to open Pitchfork Pretty. Jenny, who arrived in Austin with an equally notable background (she served as Gramery Tavern’s front of house captain for years), now runs the Pitchfork Pretty garden, which supplies the restaurant with most of its vegetables and herbs. The couple met while they were both working in San Francisco, and their easy partnership in both work and life is immediately apparent. I sat down with Max and Jenny to find out more about their impressive garden-to-table operation and how the produce they grow influences the self-described “regional and seasonal” restaurant.
Olympia, Max and Jenny Snyder.
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STYLE PROFILE
MARGARET WILLIAMS: How has this last year been since you opened the restaurant? MAX SNYDER: It’s been great. It’s been a lot of fun. MW: Has it been crazy? MS: I don’t know. I think running a restaurant is always kind of crazy. Sort of like one ongoing manic episode. MW: Ha! Got it. What brought you all back to Austin? Was it only the restaurant? Or a bunch of different factors? MS: It was a combination. We knew that San Francisco wasn’t really the best fit for us, long term, after starting a family. Austin was kind of an obvious choice because I grew up here. JENNY SNYDER: Max has lots of family here. MS: Plus Austin is getting to the point where it can, I don’t know, support the kind of restaurant that I want to be involved with. I feel like the food scene here has even changed dramatically from just a few years ago [Snyder briefly spent time in Austin in 2013 to help open the now shuttered Qui]. There’s a lot more big and ambitious restaurants. MW: Jen, what’s your background? JS: My background’s in fine dining. We actually met working at Coi [in San Francisco], and I worked in a lot of different restaurants in New York. Mostly at Gramercy Tavern and then a few years at Quince in San Francisco. MW: How did the garden get started? Has it been a crash course, or do you two have lots of experience in that world? MS: I suppose a crash course. It’s something we’ve always tried to incorporate
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into whatever restaurant we were involved with. We’ve always had a backyard garden or a community plot. But yeah, it’s definitely been a huge learning curve. MW: How many hours a day do y’all spend there? JS: About two hours each day, on a regular day. Tuesday and Thursday I’m there for six hours. MS: Tuesday is kind of the day when we throw everything at it. MW: What’s the schedule for planting? JS: Well, we are transitioning into summer, so the planting is kind of winding down at this point. Just a little bit of squash and cucumber is left. The tomatoes are already happening. We have tons of tomatoes. Peppers. We have eggplant going. Okra started. Tomatoes are actually a lot of work because you have to make sure they don’t fall on the ground. You have to tie them up, really take care of them. You have to prune them. It invigorates them so they’ll produce more. MW: How directly does what you’re growing influence the menu? MS: Yeah, the menu is structured based on what we’re doing at the farm. What we’re able to get. Unfortunately it’s really hard to completely fuel the restaurant with farmed produce. We don’t have the skills or luck yet to be at that level. It’s nice because [the garden is] big enough to mostly supply a restaurant but small enough to be nimble. JS: Yeah, we are able to adjust. Max wasn’t using as many microgreens, so I stopped producing them.
Max Snyder in Pitchfork Pretty’s garden, whose bounty ends up on the restaurant’s menu.
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STYLE PROFILE
CHERRY TOMATO SALAD with Tofu, Basil, and Sesame Dice ¾ cups soft tofu into half -inch cubes and submerge them in 2 cups of water with 2 tablespoons of salt dissolved in it . Ma r i nat e at r o om temperature for 3 hours. Tomato Balsamic Dressing Split 1¼ cups of cherr y tomatoes and toss them with a little honey and salt and allow them to marinate for 3 hours or overnight. Roast them in a scant quantity of olive oil until deeply caramelized and concentrated. C over them w ith white balsamic vinegar and reduce to a dark syrup.
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Strain the syrup and reserve the solids for another use. Whisk the tomato-vinegar reduction with a little soy sauce, minced garlic, and sesame oil. Split some ripe tomatoes and toss them with a little salt. Drain the tofu cubes. Mince a serrano pepper. Pick some basil. Toss the fresh tomato, tofu, and serrano with the vinegarsoy dressing and garnish with basil leaves and sesame seeds. Yields 4 servings
It’s exciting to be pushing into tomato season. Tomatoes and basil are really satisfying ingredients to work with.
MW: What’s coming in from the garden that you’re most excited about right now? MS: It’s exciting to have tomatoes appearing across the menu. We have a green-tomato sorbet on the menu. We also have a kind of macerated tomato we’re serving with the sweetbreads right now. It’s exciting to be pushing into tomato season. Tomatoes and basil are really satisfying ingredients to work with. MW: How do you get your daughter involved? JS: [Jenny laughs] She has to be involved. She doesn’t really have a choice. She goes to school Tuesday and Thursday, which is why I can devote so much time on those days. But then the rest of the week we have to get her up early and get her there. We have to be creative about keeping her entertained at the farm so that we can get things done. Someday she’ll be really helpful. MW: Sounds like a definite long game. JS: Yes, she just turned three, so she likes to get a big thing of water and play with that. MW:What’s next for the land? Any big plans? MS:We do have a farmer coming on from Johnson’s Backyard Garden who’ll be contributing some real expertise in structure and planning. Sort of bigger-picture stuff. JS: Right now we’re trying to stay ahead of the season and keep things coming. MS: Whereas bringing someone on that actually has experience on a large-scale farm will help us be more organized.
MW: What would you tell people who want to get started? I have two young kids. We have a little area that we try to grow stuff in. But it’s hard to maintain that consistency. What tips do you have for people who are trying to do something similar? MS: I think just start small and kind of keep it simple. JS: The Natural Gardener on Old Bee Caves Road has been really helpful. They have a really great website. Every month they have designated seeds that you can start growing. They have a planting schedule that’s specific for the region and native plants and all that stuff. They’re a really great resource. I think it’s a great place to look if you’re growing within Austin. MW: Max, did you work in restaurants when you were growing up in Austin? MS: Yeah, I did. I worked in fast food. ThunderCloud Subs and a pizza place in San Antonio when I was a teenager. I was just curious. I was initially more interested in sort of the multitasking. I had a couple cashier jobs too, where it was just sort of juggling a lot of things. That’s where my initial interest was. And I always enjoyed cooking at home. But it wasn’t until I’d been doing that for a few years when I realized that there was another level to it. Max trails off as a heaping egg sandwich arrives at the table, likely fuel for the day ahead. Today is a Tuesday. Time to get to work. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. tribeza.com
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[ Unbound by convention ]
THE NEXT GREAT SPIRIT WAS MADE BY JAPANESE PHILOSOPHY.
Hanzoku. Resisting convention. Never surrendering to tradition. We could have made another London dry gin—but Treaty Oak is intently focused on creating the flavors of now and here. We wanted to create a spirit that invoked as much art as science. so we infused it with the pecans and juniper, grapefruit and lavender that taste like Texas. It took training our minds to collectively
U I T R S
F
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believe that refining spirits
means distilling presence.
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Ta s t e t he t hink ing.
DRINKS of AUSTIN
GUIDE
Summer is here…let’s raise a glass! Whether you like your vodka muddled with mint or whiskey poured neat, we all can agree this time of year is best served alongside a shady patio and ice cold drink. Thankfully, Tribeza has you covered with our favorite ways to shake, stir and imbibe.
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
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P H OTO G R A P H B Y B U N D O K I M
Cheers to the season!
Still Austin Whiskey Co.
Still Austin Whiskey Co. is a craft distiller y located in the hear t of Austin. All their spirits are made from scratch using grains provided by Texas farmers. Still Austin’s commitment to creating grain-to-glass Texas expressions of American craft whiskey sets them apart - a true original. Drop by Thursday-Sunday for a tour, or the chance to kick back with friends while enjoying a whiskey flight on their inviting patio. And don’t forget to take a peek at their 42-foot-tall bourbon still! STILLAUSTIN.COM
Iron Cactus
Iron Cactus is ready for summer and here to help you beat the heat with these cooling cocktails. Their Blood Orange Margarita and Spicy Water melon Margar ita are both favor ites for the tequila loving crowd, while the Peach Mule features the refreshing combination of peaches, ginger beer and vodka. Cool off with a refreshing drink in your hand as you enjoy the comfortable shade of our rooftop patio. Iron Cactus – where hours become happy. IRONCACTUS.COM
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MANUELS
Invigorate your senses with MANUELS Beach Bliss. A cooling fusion of vodka, coconut, lime, cucumber, and muddled mint, the Beach Bliss is like a vacation in a glass. MANUELS is raising money for clean o c ea n s a nd w ater w ay s by donating a dollar to Ocean Conser vancy (oceanconservancy.org) for each Beach Bliss cocktail sold. MANUELS.COM
Cascade Crush
-1.5 oz Cascade Blonde American Whiskey -Lemonade -Orange Slice
Cascade Blonde American Whiskey
Cascade Blonde American Whiskey is a new style of blonde American whiskey that’s incredibly smooth, lighter in color and easier to drink than floating downstream. Splashing down in Texas this summer, Cascade Blonde is the Lone Star State’s soon-to-be favorite daytime sipper. CASCADEBLONDE.COM
Gusto Italian Kitchen + Wine Bar
Gusto Italian Kitchen + Wine Bar features a curated menu combining Italian tradition with local artistry. The Buon Amico cocktail is a bright and refreshing addition to Gusto’s summer menu: Cocchi Americano from Italy, locally made Amico Amaro by Revolution Spirits, fresh squeezed Texas grapefruit and club soda. Cin-Cin! GUSTOITALIANKITCHEN.COM
Tequila 512
Scott Willis traveled to Jalisco in search of the perfect anytime-tequila and returned with Tequila 512 . Sip by sip, Willis found his way to the earthy, spicy and smooth flavor you’ll find in each bottle. He still returns to Jalisco to taste each batch, ensuring ever y drop is as good as the last. TEQUILA512.COM
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T R AV E L P I C K
Florence By Margaret Williams Photographs by Dagny Piasecki and Taylor Jarrett Dagny Piasecki and Taylor Jarrett have a certain something. The photographer couple, who own and run Austin’s SHDW Studios, exude style, talent, and warmth. When we heard about their upcoming trip to Italy, we couldn’t help but ask for a peek. Piasecki and Jarrett spent most of May exploring Milan, Lake Como, Venice, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast — not a bad way to ring in the summer. The couple raved about the whole trip, but proclaimed, “The food and wine in Florence was by far our favorite.” Both Piasecki and Jarrett happened to be visiting Florence for the first time, and in the photos they have shared, their love of the city is apparent. In a place as photographed as Florence, we were delighted to see their adventures through a fresh lens.
Gucci’s new restaurant, which opened in January of this year, led by chef Massimo Bottura.
A true charmer, Florence is a city where it’s hard not to fall deeper in love with life.
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At the Gucci Osteria, chef Massimo Bottura takes much inspiration from his travels in South America and repurposes Italian classics, like risotto and linguine, with flavors that hit close to home for both of us. The dish pictured is called ‘Sensational Risotto — Where The Forrest Meets the Sea.’
BELOW: Salamino Alla Toscana LEFT: Photographer, Dagny Piasecki, having lunch at Enoteca con Degustazione
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T R AV E L P I C K
To our surprise, Florence is home to some of the most coveted wine bars and restaurants in not just Tuscany, but all of Italy.
Photographer, Taylor Jarrett, about to enjoy Gusta Pizza, a Florentine favorite.
We actually had two different stays in Florence. The first was over five days and was spent in the Palazzo Pitti neighborhood. For our second stay, an overnight visit, we were near the Duomo.
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We traveled with two of our best friends, one of whom is a spectacular planner, but in Florence the most important lesson we discovered was to embrace and encourage spontaneous moments.
RIGHT: Jarrett and Piasecki raved about Enoteca Pitti Gola’s pasta dishes.
As for gelato, it’s a whole different ball game in Italy. It’s a cultural cornerstone. Dagny’s favorites were fragola and limone. Taylor’s favorites were nocciola and stracciatella.
KAREN'S PICK
ABOVE: Baked Alaska
by executive pastry chef Alyssa Hurlstone. LEFT: Joe Holm and Sam Manning of architectural firm Clayton & Little designed the New Waterloo brasserie.
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LE POLITIQUE 110 SAN ANTONIO STREET LEPOLITIQUEAUSTIN.COM (512) 580-7651
Le Politique PARIS BY WAY OF DOWNTOWN AUSTIN By Karen Spezia Photographs by Holly Cowart
Full disclosure: I’m writing this review from Paris. And as I spend my summer vacation eating my way through this gastronomic temple, I realize how lucky I am to have a place in Austin like Le Politique. This chic new downtown restaurant is a deliciously accurate reflection of today’s Paris: a delightful marriage of brasserie classics updated with modern flavors. Le Politique looks straight off the streets of Paris — the real Paris — where local Parisians work and eat. Banish the fantasy fabricated by Hollywood or imitated by La Madeleine chains and forget French dining’s outdated reputation for heavy cream sauces, sappy Edith Piaf tunes, and dismissive waiters. Le Politique’s ambiance and food are fresh and stylish, and, like so many new Paris haunts, it’s located in a downtown skyscraper, on the street level of the gleaming new Northshore high-rise. Combining the best design elements of old Paris and new, Austin-based Clayton & Little created a sleek, spacious dining room, marble raw bar, polished wood cocktail lounge, and
sidewalk dining replete with French bistro seating. The cheerful palette of blues and pinks in the bar and on the patio contrasts the cool neutrals in the dining room, accented by art deco lighting, vintage mirrors, and polished brass and marble. A wall of windows frames the bustling sidewalk scene, allowing for the favorite Parisian pastime of people-watching. The cuisine at Le Politique takes traditional brasserie fare and brings it up to date with today’s culinary sensibilities. Chef Derek Salkin’s menu was inspired by famed French cookbook author Julia Child, who once said, “The kind of food I fell in love with was not trendy, souped-up fantasies, just something very good to eat.” And at Le Politique, there are lots of very good things to eat. Like any true Parisian, start with a glass of chilled Champagne and something from the raw bar, like simple oysters or the impressive Grand Plateau seafood tower. Next, dive into the charcuterie platter, which showcases a rotating selection of homemade pâtés, rillettes, sausages, pickles, and mustards. If you’re lucky, there’ll be pâté en croûte, a time-consuming treat rarely found in American restaurants. Cleanse your palate with the Salade Verte, a lovely, light toss of tender lettuce, slivered cucumber and fennel, and fresh herbs.
For the main attraction, there are bistro classics like steak frites, trout almondine, and steamed mussels. At dinner, there’s also poulet rôti, half a succulent, well-crisped chicken, and boudin blanc, a truffled white sausage nestled atop a fluffy pillow of pommes purée. I order it every time I go. The French take their bread very seriously and so does Le Politique. Each meal starts with a complimentary pain d’epi, a lovely baguette shaped like a stalk of wheat, accompanied by a crock of creamy butter. When you’re ready for dessert, go old school with a cheese plate or check out chef Alyssa Hurlstone’s incredible pastry skills with light madeleine cookies or the indulgent Paris-Brest. On one special night, baked Alaska was the dessert du jour. Of course, the wine list is mostly French, and general manager Chris Dufau is adept at suggesting pairings. The bar crafts lovely cocktails and also features some interesting boutique French beers. Open early in the morning, the adjoining coffee shop and patisserie bakes a croissant that rivals almost anything I’ve had this week in Paris — which, unfortunately, I’ll be leaving soon. But when I get home to Austin and need an authentic French fix, I know right where to go, tout de suite!
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24 DINER
BARLEY SWINE
BLUE DAHLIA BISTRO
600 N. Lamar Blvd. | (512) 472 5400
6555 Burnet Road, Suite 400 | (512) 394 8150
1115 E. 11th St. | (512) 542 9542
Chef Andrew Curren’s casual eatery promises delicious
James Beard Award-nominated chef Bryce Gilmore encour-
3663 Bee Caves Rd. | (512) 306 1668
plates 24/7 and a menu featuring nostalgic diner favor-
ages sharing with small plates made from locally sourced
A cozy French bistro serving up breakfast, lunch, and
ites. Order up the classics, including roasted chicken,
ingredients, served at communal tables. Try the parsley
dinner in a casual setting. Pop in for the happy
burgers, all-day breakfast, and decadent milkshakes.
croissants with bone marrow or Gilmore’s unique take on
hour to share a bottle of your favorite wine and a
fried chicken.
charcuterie board.
34TH STREET CAFE 1005 W. 34th St. | (512) 371 3400
BUENOS AIRES CAFÉ
This cozy neighborhood spot in North Campus serves up
1201 E. 6th St. | (512) 382 1189
soups, salads, pizzas, and pastas — but don’t miss the
13500 Galleria Circle | (512) 441 9000
chicken piccata. The low-key setting makes it great for
Chef and Argentine native Reina Morris wraps the
weeknight dinners and weekend indulgences.
f lavors of her culture into authentic and crispy empanadas. Don’t forget the chimichurri sauce!
ALCOMAR
Follow up your meal with Argentina’s famous dessert,
1816 S. 1st St. | (512) 401 3161
alfajores — shortbread cookies filled with dulce de leche
Chefs Alma Alcocer and Jeff Martinez serve up some of
and rolled in coconut f lakes.
the city’s best Latin American-inspired seafood. Stop by for lunch, happy hour, dinner, weekend brunch, and
CAFÉ JOSIE
start your visit with a blood-orange margarita and the
1200 W. 6th St. | (512) 322 9226
crab and guacamole.
Executive chef Todd Havers creates “The Experience”
ANNIE’S CAFÉ & BAR
prix fixe all-you-can-eat dining experience. The à la
menu every night at Café Josie, which offers guests a carte menu is also available, featuring classics such as
319 Congress Ave. | (512) 472 1884
smoked meatloaf and redfish tacos.
Locally minded American offerings in a charming setting; perfect spot for a decadent downtown brunch.
FONDA SAN MIGUEL
408 E. 43rd St. | (512) 451 1218
2330 W. North Loop Blvd. | (512) 459 4121 fondasanmiguel.com
The chic little Hyde Park trattoria offers essential Italian dish-
There’s always something new at Fonda San Miguel...
es along with a variety of wines to pair them with. Finish off
such as our new rotisserie! Daily preparations of the
your meal with the honey-and-goat-cheese panna cotta.
juciest meats you’ll ever have include pork, lamb and
ASTI TRATTORIA
chicken. Selections change daily, so be sure to ask your BAR CHI SUSHI 206 Colorado St. | (512) 382 5557 A great place to stop before or after a night on the town, this
server for the day’s special.
CAFÉ NO SÉ 1603 S. Congress Ave. | (512) 942 2061 South Congress Hotel’s Café No Sé balances rustic décor and a range of seasonal foods to make it the best place for weekend brunching. The restaurant’s spin on the classic avocado toast is a must-try.
CRU FOOD & WINE BAR 238 W. 2nd St. | (512)472 9463 11410 Century Oaks | (512) 339 9463 CRU’s wildly popular ahi tartare is the perfect com-
sushi and bar hot spot stays open until 2 a.m. on the weekends.
plement to any of over 300 selections, 80 premium
Bar Chi’s happy hour menu features $2 sake bombs and a
wines by the glass, or 15 wine f lights. A state-of-the-art
variety of sushi rolls under $10.
wine-preservation system with temperature control ensures optimal taste and appreciation.
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V I S I T T R I B E Z A .CO M TO VIEW THE ENTIRE ONLINE DINING GUIDE
EASY TIGER
FREEDMEN’S
GUSTO ITALIAN KITCHEN
709 E. 6th St. | (512) 614 4972
2402 San Gabriel St. | (512) 220 0953
4800 Burnet Rd. | (512) 458 1100
Easy Tiger lures in both drink and food enthusiasts
Housed in a historic Austin landmark, smoke imbues
This upscale-casual Italian spot in the heart of the
with a delicious bakeshop upstairs and a casual beer garden
the f lavors of everything at Freedmen’s — from
Rosedale neighborhood serves fresh pastas, hand-tossed
downstairs. Sip on some local brew and grab a hot, fresh
the barbecue to the desserts and even the cocktail
pizzas and incredible desserts (don’t miss the salted
pretzel. Complete your snack with beer cheese and an array
offerings. Pitmaster and chef Evan LeRoy
caramel budino) alongside locally sourced and seasonally
of dipping sauces.
platessome of the city’s best barbecue on a charming
inspired chalkboard specials. Gusto also offers a full
EL ALMA 1025 Barton Springs Rd. | (512) 609 8923 This chef-driven, authentic Mexican restaurant with unmatched outdoor patio dining stands out as an Austin dining gem. The chic yet relaxed setting is perfect for enjoying delicious specialized drinks outside for the everyday 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. happy hour!
outdoor patio.
GERALDINE’S 605 Davis St. | (512) 476 4755
bar with craft cocktails, local beer on tap and boutique wines from around the world.
HILLSIDE FARMACY 1209 E. 11th St. | (512) 628 0168
Located inside Rainey Street’s Hotel Van Zandt,
Hillside Farmacy is located in a beautifully restored
Geraldine’s creates a unique, fun experience by
1950s-style pharmacy with a lovely porch on the
combining creative cocktails, shareable plates, and
East Side. Oysters, cheese plates, and nightly dinner
scenic views of Lady Bird Lake. Enjoy live bands
specials are whipped up by chef Sonya Cote.
ELIZABETH STREET CAFÉ
every night of the week as you enjoy executive chef
1501 S. 1st St. | (512) 291 2881
Stephen Bonin’s dishes and cocktails from bar
HOME SLICE PIZZA
Chef Larry McGuire creates a charming French-Vietnam-
manager Caitlyn Jackson.
1415 S. Congress Ave. | (512) 444 7437 For pizza cravings south of the river, head to Home Slice
ese eatery with a colorful menu of pho, banh mi, and sweet treats. Both the indoor seating and outdoor patio bring com-
GOODALL’S KITCHEN AND BAR
fort and vibrancy to this South Austin neighborhood favorite.
1900 Rio Grande St. | (512) 495 1800
Don’t forget to end your meal with the housemade macarons.
Housed in the beautiful Hotel Ella, Goodall’s provides modern spins on American classics. Dig into a
EPICERIE
fried-mortadella egg sandwich and pair it a with
2307 Hancock Dr. | (512) 371 6840
cranberry-thyme cocktail.
A café and grocery with both Louisiana and French
Pizza. Open until 3 a.m. on weekends for your post bar-hopping convenience and stocked with classics like the Margherita as well as innovative pies like the White Clam, topped with chopped clams and Pecorino Romano.
HOPFIELDS 3110 Guadalupe St. | (512) 537 0467 A gastropub with French inclinations, offering a beautiful
sensibilities by Thomas Keller–trained chef Sarah
GRIZZELDA’S
McIntosh. Lovers of brunch are encouraged to stop in
105 Tillery St. | (512) 366 5908
here for a bite on Sundays.
cocktail options are plentiful and the perfect pairing for
This charming East Austin spot lies somewhere be-
the restaurant’s famed steak frites and moules frites.
FOREIGN & DOMESTIC 306 E. 53rd St. | (512) 459 1010
patio and unique cocktails. The beer, wine, and
tween traditional Tex-Mex and regional Mexican recipes, each fused with a range of f lavors and styles. The attention to detail in each dish shines, from dark mole
Small neighborhood restaurant in the North Loop area serving
served over chicken brined for 48 hours down to the
unique dishes. Chefs-owners Sarah Heard and Nathan Lemley serve
tortillas made in-house daily.
thoughtful, locally sourced food with an international twist at reasonable prices. Go early on Tuesdays for $1 oysters.
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ITALIC
LAS PALOMAS
123 W. 6th St. | (512) 660 5390
3201 Bee Caves Rd., #122 | (512) 327 9889 |
Chef Andrew Curren of 24 Diner and Irene’s
laspalomasrestaurant.com
presents simple, rustic Italian plates. Don’t
One of the hidden jewels in Westlake, this unique restaurant
miss the sweet delicacies from pastry chef Mary
and bar offers authentic interior Mexican cuisine in a
Catherine Curren.
sophisticated yet relaxed setting. Enjoy family recipes made
JACOBY’S RESTAURANT & MERCANTILE
with fresh ingredients. Don’t miss the margaritas.
3235 E. Cesar Chavez St. | (512) 366 5808
LENOIR
Rooted in a ranch-to-table dining experience,
1807 S. 1st St. | (512) 215 9778
Jacoby’s Restaurant & Mercantile transports you from
A gorgeous spot to enjoy a luxurious French-inspired
East Austin to a rustic Southern home nestled in the
prix fixe meal. Almost every ingredient served at Lenoir
countryside. The menu features the best dishes Southern
comes locally sourced from Central Texas, making the unique,
cooking has to offer, including beef from Adam
seasonal specialties even more enjoyable. Sit in the wine
Jacoby’s own family brand based in Melvin.
garden for happy hour and enjoy bottles from the top wineproducing regions in the world.
JEFFREY’S 1204 W. Lynn St. | (512) 477 5584 Named one of Bon Appétit’s “10 Best New Restaurants in America,” this historic Clarksville favorite has maintained the execution, top-notch service, and luxurious but welcoming atmosphere that makes it an Austin staple.
JOSEPHINE HOUSE 1601 Waterston Ave. | (512) 477 5584 Rustic Continental fare with an emphasis on fresh, local, and organic ingredients. Like its sister restaurant, Jeffrey’s, Josephine House is another one of Bon Appétit’s “10 Best New Restaurants in America.” Find a shady spot on the patio and indulge in fresh baked pastries and a coffee.
LA BARBECUE 1906 E. Cesar Chavez St. | (512) 605 9696 Though it may not be as famous as that other Austin barbecue joint, La Barbecue is arguably just as delicious. This trailer, which is owned by the legendary Mueller family, serves up classic barbecue with free beer and live music.
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L’OCA D’ORO 1900 Simond Ave. | (737) 212 1876 Located in the Mueller development, chef Fiore Tedesco delivers contemporary Italian cuisine with a strong nod to the classics. Alongside delicious plates, guests will enjoy impressive cocktails, wine, and a great craft beer selection.
MANUEL'S 310 Congress Ave. | (512) 472 7555 10201 Jollyville Road | (512) 345 1042 A local Austin favorite with a reputation for high-quality regional Mexican food, fresh-pressed cocktails, margaritas, and tequilas. Try the Chile Relleno del Mar with Texas Gulf shrimp, day boat scallops, and jumbo lump blue crab, or Manuel’s famous mole. Located downtown at the corner of 3rd and Congress Avenue and in the Arboretum on Jollyville Road. One of the best happy hour deals in town.
OLAMAIE 1610 San Antonio St. | (512) 474 2796 Food+Wine magazine’s best new chef Michael Fojtasek creates a menu that will leave any Southerner drooling with delight over the restaurant’s contemporary culinary concepts. The dessert menu offers a classic apple pie or a more trendy goat chees— caramel ice cream. Also, do yourself a favor and order the biscuits. THE PEACHED TORTILLA 5520 Burnet Rd., #100 | (512) 330 4439 This cheerful spot is sure to clear your weekly blues with friendly staff, fun food, and a playful atmosphere. Affordably priced, you’ll find culinary influences from around the world with a healthy dose of Asian and Southern options. PIEOUS 12005 U.S. 290 West | (512) 394 7041 Unequivocally some of the best pizza Austin has to offer, Pieous brings together the unlikely yet perfect combination of Neapolitan pizza and pastrami, with all dishes made from scratch. Decked out in prosciutto and arugula, the Rocket is a crowd favorite and a must-try. RED ASH ITALIA 303 Colorado St. | (512) 379 2906 Red Ash Italia strikes the perfect balance between high-quality food and enticing ambiance. Located in downtown’s sleek Colorado Tower, this Italian steakhouse is led by an all-star team, including executive chef John Carver. Sit back, relax, and enjoy an exceptional evening. SALTY SOW 1917 Manor Rd. | (512) 391 2337 Salty Sow serves up creative signature drinks, including a Blueberry-Lemon Thyme Smash. The food menu, heavy with sophisticated gastropub fare, is perfect for late-night noshing. SWAY 1417 S. 1st St. | (512) 326 1999 The culinary masterminds behind La Condesa cook up Thai cuisine with a modern twist. An intimate outdoor area, complete with a Thai spirit house, makes for an unforgettable experience.
V I S I T T R I B E Z A .CO M TO VIEW THE ENTIRE ONLINE DINING GUIDE
TRUE FOOD KITCHEN 222 West Ave. | (512) 777 2430 Inspired by Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet, True Food Kitchen combines decadent favorites with health-con-
VINAIGRETTE 2201 College Ave. | (512) 852 8791 This salad-centric restaurant off South Congress has one of the prettiest patios in town. Along with an inviting ambiance, the
WU CHOW 500 W. 5th St., #168 | (512) 476 2469 From the curators of Swift’s Attic, Wu Chow is expanding Austin’s cuisine offerings with traditional
scious eating, striking the perfect balance. The restaurant,
salads are fresh, creative, bold, and most importantly delicious,
located in downtown’s chicest new entertainment district, offers
with nearly two dozen options to choose from.
and farmers. Don’t miss the weekend dim sum menu.
WINEBELLY
YARD AT WALLER CREEK 701 E. 11th St. | (512) 478 1111 The YARD is not your typical hotel dining experience. Led by executive chef Lonny Huot, enjoy savory American cuisine with Texas f lavors like the Beer Braised Short Rib and the Chorizo & Pepper Jack Grits Cakes Benedict.
a full range of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.
UCHIKO 4200 N. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 140 | (512) 916 4808
519 W. Oltorf S. | (512) 487 1569 Named one of the top-20 wine bars in
The sensational sister creation of Uchi and former home of
America by Wine Enthusiast, Winebelly boasts an interna-
Top Chef Paul Qui and renowned chefs Page Presley and
tional wine list and Spanish-Mediterranean small plates.
Nicholas Yanes, Uchiko is an Austin icon that
The bistro maintains a local feel with its comfortable, laid-
everyone should visit at least once. Try the bacon tataki.
back interiors.
Chinese dishes sourced from local purveyors
A L O O K B E H I N D …
Remembering Anthony Bourdain By Abby Moore Photograph by Anna Hanks While fine dining has its place on the Austin food map, its most beloved institutions are unadorned and communal. Which is why when Anthony Bourdain visited Austin in 2012 for an episode of “No Reservations,” he wanted to shoot in a backyard close to downtown, but isolated from the city. Bourdain’s production scout reached out to friend Christian Helms, whose backyard perfectly matched the description. Helms was nervous at first to meet someone he admired. After working in the music industry, he had learned to avoid contact with his favorite artists, whose reputations often deceive reality. But with Bourdain, “He was very much the guy you see on TV,” Helms said, “ just a very down-to-earth, genuine, sweet guy.” It was that unpretentious and easy-going demeanour that set Bourdain apart from the stereotypically cutthroat culinary world. His fearless sense of adventure had nothing to do with being tough, but everything to do with being curious and empathetic. “He was careful to support others’ stories, without steamrolling with his own experiences,” Helms added. Aside from shotgunning beers, telling stories, eating food, and making margaritas, Helms most fondly remembers Bourdain asking to hold his son, Hatley. “Tony really missed his daughter, who, at the time, was very young.” It became a running joke amongst the crew to yell “Hat!” in lieu of “cut,” and at the end of each take, they would hurry to hand Bourdain the child. “He would just kind of cuddle him,” Helms said “It was little moments like those that were remarkable to us.”
88 JUNE 2018 |
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