Satellite and Salt Traders Bring Back Brunch; Taquero Mucho Expands; Girl Scouts Will (Briefly) Offer Cocktails; and More

Here's some of what's happening in Austin's culinary scene, as wrangled from numerous PR releases, words on the digital street, and even the occasional (verified) IRL eavesdroppings.

We sure like the looks of the new lunch & brunch service at Satellite

Yes, it’s your Food News Buffet for the first week of January.

It’s the beginning of 2022, in other words, and the pandemic is still hanging on and trying to throw another mutated spanner into the works of our struggling communities. But, damn it, we’re gonna get through this viral crap – and we’re probably gonna gain another pound or two while we do …

Never mind that Netflix comedy-thriller about the comet, friend. You don’t look up in the sky for this culinary Satellite, you look right here in Austin: In addition to the usual dinnertime business, the popular eatery on Slaughter Lane that's run by those Kamburis Bros is bringing back lunch service with the new year, opening Tue.-Sun., 11am-2pm, starting Jan. 11, and debuting a Cowboy Wagyu Burger alongside such noms as the Mighty Greek Gyro and that Don’t Let Your Meatloaf Sammie. “We’ll be running happy hour the full length of lunch,” says Mark Kamburis, “while serving up $4 margaritas as a thank you to Austin for keeping us going all these years.” Reckon the new, mimosa-fueled weekend brunch hours will be a pleasure, too …

Speaking of siblings, we hear that Gabriela and Arturo Bucio, the sister-and-brother team from Michoacán who brought us Gabriela’s, Taquero Mucho, Mala Vida, Revival Coffee, and Seareinas, are opening a second Taquero Mucho (complete with a fruteria and juice bar) at 11101 Burnet Rd., up near the Domain, on Fri., Jan. 7 …

And, speaking of brunch, you know who else is offering weekend service? Salt Traders, baby! One of the finest seafood-forward concepts in the city, part of the excellent Jack Allen’s Kitchen empire, is offering brunch at both their locations as of Sat., Jan. 8, featuring $1 gulf oysters, $18 bottles of bubbly, and various coastally inspired menu items like crab poutine and eggs, steak and eggs, maple bacon beignets, and more. And all those start-your-day-in-a-relaxed-and-delicious-way vittles will be available on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-2pm …

Two great tastes that ... oh, you know.

Early heads-up: On Thu., Feb. 3, the Girl Scouts of Central Texas will take over Fair Market to host Cookies and Cocktails, a fundraising event where six local women mixologists will compete to win Best in Show as they create their own interpretations of America’s favorite cookies — and it looks like your current reporter will be one of the competition’s judges. One of the, he can only hope, Thin Mint-stuffed judges …

Also, Phillip Frankland Lee and Margarita Kallas-Lee, the adventurous duo who moved here from California, mid-pandemic, to open the much ballyhooed (and legitimately amazing) Sushi|Bar inside Bento Picnic? They’ll be bringing their Michelin-starred Pasta|Bar to Downtown Austin in, fingers crossed, March. To be followed by the premiere of Shokunin, a new high-end sushi venue in the Hill Country …

Note: Just because another year’s gone by doesn’t mean that Maris Clegg and Chris Cubas are stopping their Red Beans & Ricely Yours program. The compassionate duo and their friends continue to provide nutritious and tasty meals to those who need them, and you can volunteer to help (or sign up for a meal) by clicking that link we just provided …

Finally this week, Veronica Meewes tells us about the Austin-born beverage brand CLEAN Cause; and a couple of local wine aficionados report on the dining-and-touring scene out in nearby Bee Cave; and, listen, your man Brenner just had one of those roast beef sandwiches from Salt & Time in Republic Square while typing this column up, and – aaaaaaah, holy shit, they’re so good!

Now eat as well as you can, tip like it’s going out of style, and try not to step in any of that Omicron.