Food-o-File

I've been on rumor patrol this week, and here's what I know for sure: Look for Nuevo Leon to open a second full service location in the new Escarpment Village Center on West Slaughter by late July or early August... Comida Deluxe honcho Mike Young tells us his company is indeed considering creating a unique new Chuy's outlet on a 5-acre tract in the Arbor Trails development near the new southwest Costco, but they are only now in the "due diligence" phase of the project... Eddie Bernal is doing his best to get the chic new Blue Star Cafeteria in the Rosedale Center on Burnet Road open this month completely under the radar, but the spiffy sign was too enticing a clue to ignore!

The folks at the Whole Foods Market (Fifth & Lamar) flagship store are certainly staying busy. Founder John Mackey has been all over TV news magazines (on CNBC and 60 Minutes) in the past few weeks with Boggy Creek Farm as a very attractive backdrop. The store has also announced a new program called the Go Local Product Referral (go.local@wholefoods.com) that encourages "passionate local food enthusiasts" to suggest quality local food products for inclusion in the WFM inventory. Suggestions should include brand name, product name, and a short description. Whole Foods buyers will review the suggestions to discern whether or not the suggested products meet with their strict quality standards. If and when a new product is brought into the store, the person who originally suggested it will receive a $100 WFM gift card. The program is slated to run the month of June, so get busy... We've also seen the first course schedule for the new Whole Foods Culinary Center. Most of the initial classes will be presented by in-store chefs and experts, including the new team leader in the Gateway location's prepared foods department, well-known Austin chef Sam Dickey. Check out the new Culinary Center facility at the public open house from 10am-2pm on Saturday, June 17.

---

Event Menu: June 17-22

Central Texas' newest winery, Stone House Vineyard (265-3630, www.stonehousevineyard.com), overlooking Lake Travis, invites you to enjoy Sunset in the Vineyard with a summer meal prepared on the grill by winery owner (and Cordon Bleu graduate) Angela Moench. The menu will be complemented by wines imported from her native Barossa Valley in Australia. Dinner is $50, and reservations are required; 7pm, Saturday, June 17.

North by Northwest Restaurant & Brewery (10010 Capital of TX Hwy., 467-6969) invites you to explore the harmonious pairings of their excellent handcrafted beers with some of the world's finest cheeses. director of beer education Mary Thompson will moderate the tasting. The cost is $20, and space is limited, so reservations are suggested; 7pm, Monday, June 19.

If your taste runs to microbrewed beers well-paired with an interesting gourmet meal, check out the five-course beer dinner scheduled at Cafe Caprice (900 W. 10th, 477-4340). Chef Paul Constantine will present appetizers with Bernard beer; arugula salad with bacon, potatoes, and crispy shallots with Stella Artois; brown ale and cheddar soup with Real Ale Rye; Belgian-style mussels with Hoegaarden White; lager- and sweet onion-marinated striploin with Belhaven Scottish Ale; and Guinness chocolate cake with Lindemans Framboise. Cost is $50, and reservations are required; 6:30-9pm, Thursday, June 22. – V.B.W.