Wayback Burgers Gives Away Shakes, El Naranjo Brings the Mole Blanco, Wu Chow Gets Lunchy, Banger’s Goes Way Old(e) School, Lobster & Friends Returns to Launderette, 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.

Chef Iliana de la Vega's halibut with mole blanco is among June's seasonal specials at El Naranjo

Yes, citizen, it’s your “Food News Buffet” for the penultimate week of June.

Ah, hell, sad to report: Representatives of la Barbecue (2401 Cesar Chavez) informed us that co-owner LeAnn Mueller died on the morning of June 14, and we’ve got a few details right here…

Brighter news: The big bold fun-mongers of Toy Joy are moving from their current location on Airport and relocating to a new place at 5501 Burnet. Not exactly food-related, you say? Ah, but Yummi Joy – that kawaii purveyor of coffee, candy, and ice cream – is going with them, and the whole Joyful emporium will be even bigger and better when it opens there on July 1. Oh, look: Here’s our Richard Whittaker with more on the move…

Shake-shake-shake! Wayback Burgers (12901 N. I-35) will be giving away milkshakes on Sat., June 24, to “celebrate the first official Saturday of summer.” No, for real: You can get yourself a free, 12-ounce vanilla shake, no purchase necessary, at any of the national franchise’s 170-plus locations…

Holy mole, citizen, here’s a taste you don’t want to miss. El Naranjo’s acclaimed chef (and recent Lamb Jam winner) Iliana de la Vega has added new seasonal items to her restaurant’s menu, and one of them is a mole blanco (made from cashews and sesame seeds, with habañero and hoja santa leaf oil) that will be served with halibut. Suggestion: Get yourself over to 2717 S. Lamar and learn why El Naranjo is so highly esteemed in this town…

Mmmm, the new affogato flight at Gati is so cool and creamy

Let’s see – what else, what else? The newest Wu Chow venue (3800 N. Lamar) has launched their lunch service, dishing up the best of Chinese culinary styles, Mon.-Fri., 11am-2pm… And Gati (1512 Holly), sister bakery to Jam Sanitchat’s Thai Fresh, has debuted an affogato flight menu (a wooden set with your choice of three different vegan ice creams served with a shot of espresso), which may be just the plant-based coolness you need as you try to beat the summer’s heat… And Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden is rocking their own Ren fest this weekend… And new Greek joint YAMAS opens completely on Friday… And, oh! The tyranny of choice! Do you want to attend the William Chris wine-pairing dinner at Dai Due or the Orin Swift wine-pairing dinner at Cork & Barrel?… And what about Bunboy, that bao-based food truck at Oskar Blues Brewery? The Chron's Food Editor Melanie Haupt reviews it right here… And the fifth annual Lobster & Friends feast is coming up at Launderette (2115 Holly) on Monday, July 3, featuring a menu from chef Rene Ortiz that includes a seafood boil with lobster, shrimp, crab, clams, mussels, sausage, corn, potatoes, family-style sides, and dessert. Reservations ($75) are available now for noon-8pm, so click over to Resy and see yourself sated by superb seafood the day before our national fireworks-industry celebration…

WUXTRY! We hear that MUTTS Canine Cantina (9825 N. Lake Creek Pkwy.), an off-leash dog park and bar-and-grill franchise that’s designed for the delight of two-legged and four-legged friends alike, will open its first Austin location to the public with a big party on Thu., July 13, 4-10pm…

Now eat as well as you can, tip like it’s going out of style, and FFS keep yourself well hydrated.