Austin Restaurant Weeks
Are you ready for two weeks of fine wining and dining?
Austin Restaurant Weeks is almost here! Experience the finest food fare that Austin has to offer and do some good for your community at the same time. Treat yourself to delectable eats during this gourmet spectacular where a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Central Texas Food Bank. Every dollar they collect can be turned into four meals for local citizens in need and a portion of every $12 Tito’s Vodka cocktail will benefit the Central Texas Food Bank.
This year, Austin Restaurant Weeks runs from August 15 through September 2, which means it’s crunch time for deciding which restaurants you need to hit up and what prix fixe meals are worth your precious time. There are three options for customizing your experience: Lunch/Brunch is $20 with 2-3 courses, Dinner is $35 with 3-4 courses, and Dinner is $50 with 3-4 courses. Some establishments will also include specialty beer, wine or liquor menus. To make your restaurant decisions a little easier, we decided to make this Preview of Austin Restaurant Weeks.
While you’re at it, enter to win a $100 gift certificate for two to revue at the Fairmont Hotel!
Contributed by Simone Vidauri
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4827 E Cesar Chavez St
Blending the best of New Orleans and Texas, Saywer & Co. has soulful cuisine that can take you to a happy place with one bite. For the big event this year they have a $35 dinner offering that includes three courses. Taste the Deviled Eggs and their not-to-be-missed Trout Almondine, then finish it off with the Pie of the Day. If you’re feeling thirsty, take advantage of the Strawberry Fields cocktail made of strawberry mint lemonade spiked with Tito’s Vodka.
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110 San Antonio St
Next on our list is this bustling blue bistro that serves French fare fantastique. Le Politique is a fine foods haven named with a nod to its home in the capital city of Texas. For Restaurant Weeks’ annual festivities, they will be showcasing a $35 dinner menu. While you can choose between two options for your first and second course, we recommend the Escargots with poached Burgundy snails, garlic butter, and a baguette for starters, and the Steak Frites with hand-cut beef, crispy onions, cornichons, roasted garlic, capers, topped with a farm egg as the main course. Saving the best for last, their dessert is a gluten-free treasure, Chèvre Blancmange with goat cheese, frosted almonds, strawberry thyme sorbet, and Good Flow Honey.
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120 W 5th St
The kitchen at House of the Rising Tanuki-San is drippin’ with creative swag. Gracing the Austin scene with a signature melding of East Asian flavors and Southern charm, their funky playful style shouldn’t be overlooked. This year, they’ll be offering the hungry masses a $35 dinner and a $20 lunch prix fixe meal. We’re buzzing about lunch where they’ll begin with their signature Smashed Local Cucumber and Monterey Seaweed Salad. And trust us, cucumbers never looked so good. The second course will be their take on classic General Tso’s Pork which will be comprised of smoked Berkshire pork belly, broccoli, sesame seeds, crispy garlic, and scallions.
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1603 S Congress Ave
The cozy Café No Sé provides rom-com, meet-cute vibes and makes taste buds want to declare their love. This spot is serving up a $35 dinner menu and headlining with a dessert that dreams are made of. The first two courses will satisfy veggie and meat lovers alike. We can’t wait to taste the Crawfish Beignets with pineapple relish, pickled cauliflower remoulade and the English Pea Mezzelune with whipped goat cheese, tomatoes, and arugula. But the star of the show is Lindsay’s Dessert, a gorgeous take on baked Alaska.
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98 San Jacinto Blvd
This Latin-inspired kitchen with a seasonal menu occupies the next space on our list. Ciclo is a swanky eatery that offers sumptuous edibles that you won’t be able to forget. This year, their $50 dinner menu includes three courses. We’re eager to let our obsessions run deep for the Octopus Anticuchos prepared with purple potato, wild mushroom, and ají amarillo. Next up is the Lomo Soltado, a seared beef tenderloin atop creamy jasmine rice with tomato, onion, cilantro, crispy potatoes, and soy sauce jus. Finish the evening with the Orange Creamsicle, a lime shortbread with fresh melon and sprinkled with tajín.
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4800 Burnet Rd
Step into Gusto and take a trip to Italy. With its warm and inviting ambiance and diverse menu, Gusto offers a refreshing dining experience. Serving a delectable four-course $35 prix fixe dinner, this Restaurant Weeks season they will also be presenting a special cocktail. Sure to help cool you down on a hot day, the Positano is mixed with Tito’s Handmade vodka, Aperol, lime, watermelon, & ginger ale. As for the courses, they begin with a Rocket Salad dressed with figs and goat cheese. Secondly, enjoy a Gazpacho with heirloom tomatoes and watermelon. Then, be wooed by the Steak Tagliatelle: a 44 farms NY strip steak with blistered Texas shishito peppers and charred summer vegetables. Lastly, they will delight you with Peach Semi-frozen Custard.
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400 W 2nd St A
If your goals for Austin Restaurant Weeks include liquid libations, then La Condesa is for you. The award-winning modern bistro featuring interior Mexican dishes with locally sourced ingredients is showcasing a $12 boozy beverage, The Refrescador. Made with Tito’s Vodka, Texas Pitaya, Rosé Cider, and Lime, it’ll perk up any evening.
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1417 S 1st St
There’s a reason Sway is synonymous with Thai cuisine in Austin, and if you haven’t discovered the truth for yourself, now’s the perfect time. This year, all three Sway locations will be offering the following $20 lunch menu: Som Tam, a green papaya salad with Thai chili, cucumber, cherry tomato, green bean, tamarind, and dried shrimp for the first course. You can also choose Salt and Pepper Tofu with Thai sambal, crispy garlic, and cilantro. For the second course, you can choose Pad Thai Jay with tofu, rice noodle, shiitake mushroom, egg, green bean, Thai basil, and cashew or Chicken Fried Rice with sweet soy, egg, chive blossoms, and toasted peanut.
Additionally, all three locations will be serving a specialty $12 cocktail creation, Toji’s Crush, made with Tito’s Vodka, cucumber juice, Comoz vermouth, Luxardo maraschino, Nihon Sakari sake, Thai basil, lemon, and star anise bitters.
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1900 Manor Rd
Enjoy the sincere hospitality of Yuyo which only shines a complementary light to the rich Peruvian food. Serving a $35 three-course meal, Yuyo is throwing down the chef gauntlet with their menu. We’re most excited about the Chanchito made with crispy heritage pork, Garlic yuca mash, Baby kale, Cracklings, and Encurtidos. We know you’ll be as excited to sample it as we are.
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5201 Airport Blvd
With their vision for wholesome elevated American food, Sala & Betty exceed their promises. For Austin Restaurant Weeks they will be featuring a three-course $35 dinner menu with three options for each course. We are looking forward to starting with the Salmon and Shrimp Ceviche with passion fruit vinaigrette. The second course delivers an enticing vegetarian option: Grilled Portobello with curried cauliflower and couscous, asparagus, and pine nuts. The dazzling repast could be finished with Pot de Chocolate.
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