Food-o-File: Weekend Lagniappe

Barbecue from Stiles Switch, one of the Texas Barbecue Week participants (photo by John Anderson)

Sometimes there is too much Austin food news to squeeze into the print edition of the Chronicle. Rather than wait a week, we've decided to give our readers a little bite of something extra.

• Edible Austin magazine's Edible Escape party is today at the lovely Brodie Homestead (5211 Brodie Ln.) event venue in Sunset Valley. Hundreds of foodies submitted travel-related food photos to the contest and nine finalists were chosen from those pictures. During the voting period, more than 14,000 people voted for their favorite photos and now the winners of some very excellent travel adventure packages will be announced at the party, along with raffle items and door prizes. There will be live music, bites from local restaurants, plus local beers, wines, spirits, coffees, and waters. Part of the proceeds benefit the Sprindale Center for Urban Agriculture (755 Springdale Rd.) Tickets will be $20 at the door. Sat., July 11, 2-5pm.

• Austin Chronicle food editor Brandon Watson will be one of the big cheeses judging Quesoff V at the Mohawk (912 Red River) today. He'll be joined by Austin American-Statesman restaurant critic Matthew Odam, cheesemongers Zack Davis of Henri's and Casey Wiginton of Antonelli's, and Drink.Well co-owner Michael Sanders. As always, the event is free, but the all important bag of chips is $5. Sat., July 11, 2-5pm.

• Texas Monthly has designated a week in July as Texas Barbecue Week during which barbecue joints around the state that have appeared in the magazine's most recent list of the Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas will offer special barbecue plates for sale. Part of the proceeds from the sale of these plates will benefit the culinary cultural organization Foodways Texas. Participating Austin joints include la Barbecue (902 E. Cesar Chavez), Micklethwait Craft Meats (1309 Rosewood Ave.) and Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew (6610 N. Lamar). Sun., July 12 - Sat., July 18.

• In honor of this summer's Go Texan Restaurant Round-up, all three Opal Divine's outlets will be offering 100% Texas beers on draft for a few days at the beginning of each week during the rest of July, as well as tapping some special kegs. Penn Field (3601 S. Congress) is up first, July 13-17; then Davenport (3801 Capital of Texas Hwy North), July 20-24, and finally, the Marina (12709 N. MoPac Expressway), July 27-31.

• East Side Cafe (2113 Manor Rd.) is introducing five new lunch specials with a side dish and a salad for $12.95. Check out the grilled meatloaf in Shiner Bock sauce on Mondays, grilled shrimp tacos on Tuesdays, grilled salmon with wasabi cream sauce on Wednesdays, pulled pork tacos on Thursdays, and fried catfish on Fridays.

• In addition to lunch, dinner, and brunch, Mongers Market + Kitchen (2401 E. Cesar Chavez) has recently added a Wednesday Oyster Social with half-priced raw oysters from the East Coast and $5 select wines and bubbles by the glass. Wednesdays, 2-6pm.

Mongers (photo by John Anderson)