Wu Chow Doubles, Perla’s Pleases, Oseyo Flexes Vegan, Texas Veg Fest Returns, and Live Fire and Heritage Fire Prepare to Blaze Into Town

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.

Yes, citizen, it’s time for your “Food News Buffet” once again, as we plunge boldly into this year’s April.

The Chameleon Companies restaurant group tells us that Wu Chow, that popular Downtown Chinese restaurant, will open its second location this summer, at 3800 N. Lamar – where Rosedale Kitchen and Bar used to be. They say, you know, that one should never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach? This’ll be great, then, as our favorite supermarket is H-E-B’s Central Market (4001 N. Lamar), which is right down the street from this imminent Wu Chow, and suddenly many of our shopping and dining plans have even more things to smile about…

Which leads us to mention that Central Market’s next promotional event will be Soak Up the Tropics, April 19-May 2, featuring the sort of tropical culinary goodness that makes a good Tiki bar a pleasure to visit…

Happy to report that we closed out our recent SXSW nomscapades with an evening at Perla’s (1400 S. Congress), feasting on a variety of oysters and all manner of delectable seafood (and their on-tap Tiki cocktail), and that our party left sated and grinning, vowing to return post-Festival to sample the rest of Perla’s expansive ocean-borne menu…

And, let’s see – what else, what else? Have we told you that Wax Myrtle’s, the excellent dining spot inside the Thompson Hotel (506 San Jacinto), is launching a springtime program of new cocktails, pool access, and music right there alongside the upstairs pool? We have now… and Oseyo, the excellent Korean American eatery on E. Cesar Chavez, has revealed their new menu that features a variety of vegan options – gun mandu, japchae, and traditional bibimbap – and gluten-free dishes, as well… and chef Marco Hernandez announced today that his Ze Crepes in the lobby of historic Scarbrough Building (522 Congress) is relaunching as the Scarborough on Friday, March 31, expanding beyond daytime hours to include a full bar with happy hour from 4 to 6pm daily and a full dinner menu… and the ever-delightful Edible Book Festival is back this year… and Texas Veg Fest returns for the first time in five years, with a plant-forward extravaganza sure to rock Fiesta Gardens (2101 Jesse E. Segovia)… and the Austin Food & Wine Alliance’s Live Fire event is fast approaching… and, starting on April 7, Austin’s zero-proof Sans Bar will be popping up on Fridays… and, okay, we’re telling you way in advance so you can score tickets early: Heritage Fire, the “nation’s hottest competition,” another live-fire bonanza, is heading to Austin for the first time ever on Sunday, May 7, featuring more than 20 of the Lone Star State’s top chefs – working alongside local farmers, sommeliers, distillers, brewers, and barkeeps to bring a memorable tasting experience…

WUXTRY! Fierce Whiskers Distillery (5333 Fleming) is hosting a release party on Saturday, April 1, for their new carbon-neutral rye release created in collaboration with Smoke + Mash founder Robert Jacob Lerma. The party will feature bites from James Beard-nominated Ernest Servantes (of Burnt Bean Co.), Leonard Botello IV (of Truth BBQ), and more…

WUXTRY! Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better at BBQ Ramen Tatsu-Ya (2027 Anchor), they’ve announced happy hours, replete with cocktail specials and half-off munchies: Mon.-Thu., 5-6:30pm, and Fri.-Sun., 2-5pm…

Now eat as well as you can, tip like it’s going out of style, and resist those who hate any kind of love that’s not like theirs.