Food-o-File

Chef Andy Sasser e-mailed to inform us he's left Capitol Brasserie (310 Colorado, 472-6770) and is now an executive chef at the Whole Foods flagship store downtown. Sasser's former sous chef, Geoff Nunez, who came to Austin via Tru in Chicago, has been promoted to take the helm of the busy, all-hours kitchen at Cap. B... Restaurateur Bick Brown called to say that the long-awaited southwest location of Hyde Park Bar & Grill (4521 Westgate Blvd., 899-2700) will finally open this Sunday, Aug. 27, with former Zoot chef Michael Hall on the range. Another Zoot kitchen alum, chef Marty Frannea, is now on the range at the original Hyde Park outlet on Duval. "We're so excited to be working with both these guys again, and we've structured their jobs so that their main responsibility will be just to oversee the quality of the food and create specials," Brown says... The Omni Hotel Downtown (Eighth & San Jacinto, 476-3700) recently announced the hiring of Executive Chef Christopher Daly, who spent many years working in New York City and Los Angeles before coming to Austin. While in New York, chef Daly developed a program called HIP 4 Kids (Hospitality Industry Professionals for Kids) to address the issues of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes by educating kids about real food and good eating. For more info on the program, go to www.hip4kids.org... Had a great conversation with Jorge Garcia about his new Curra's Long Bar (6301 Parmer, 257-2500), the first restaurant venture he has designed from the ground up. The bar is indeed long and can accommodate 22 people. It's fast becoming a popular happy hour destination for all the IT folks in the vicinity. The décor in the new spot reflects a hip, artsy Mexico City style, while the menu has a definite coastal flavor. "We're keeping our menu favorites, but we're doing a lot more seafood at this location, like blackened fish tacos, escolar, even halibut," Garcia explains... Readers have already alerted us about the delicious lobster rolls at Joe's Bar & Grill (506 West Ave., 473-0885) and they've only been open a few weeks. This is a new venture from Louie's 106 co-owner Joe Elminger and he's installed former Louie's sous chef Riah Kuenzi on the range, preparing some very tasty pub grub and late-night breakfast items... Owner J.D. Torian wants everyone to know that food is finally back at the Hole in the Wall (2538 Guadalupe) on the Drag. Torian took over the old print shop behind the club and is serving an icehouse-style menu at picnic tables on the deck. We hear the response is pretty positive thus far... The owners of Salvation Pizza (624 W. 34th, 535-0076) are still waiting for their beer-and-wine license, so it's BYOB for now when you stop by to enjoy their pizza... The Texas Chili Parlor (1409 Lavaca) is closed from Aug. 28 through Sept. 5 for the filming of Quentin Tarantino's contribution to Grind House... The County Line folks tell us the Austin segment of the Deen brothers' Road Tasted will air at 9pm on Tuesday, Aug. 29, and again Sept. 3-4. We'll be watching.