Restaurant Review: Food Review

The Violet Crown Cinema concession stand gets its (almost) finishing touches. (Photo by John Anderson)

Violet Crown Cinema

When I heard that former Landmark CEO Bill Banowsky was bringing his dinner-and-a-movie concept to Austin's busy urban core, I was curious about how the food service would compare to that of our homegrown Alamo Drafthouse chain. Banowsky illuminated the concept to me before this Friday's scheduled opening. (For more details on the theatre itself and its upcoming lineup, check out "A New Night-out Option," Screens.)

The four-screen theatre is complete with a kitchen, cafe, bar, and concession stand overseen by food-and-beverage director James Holditch. The kitchen will offer appetizers such as individual thin-crust pizzas, spring rolls, gourmet hot dogs, fries, a Mediter­ranean plate, cake balls, and a cheese plate with three artisanal cheeses from Antonelli's Cheese Shop. The bar features a custom cocktail menu, a list of wines by the glass and the bottle, and a fine selection of area craft-brewed beers on tap, as well as plenty of appealing options in bottles and cans. The concession stand will be stocked with popcorn and sodas, conventional and retro candies, and a full complement of coffee beverages and teas.

Guests can order food and drinks before, during, and after screenings. Seats in the theatres are equipped with pop-up tables, but there will be no wait service in the theatres during screenings. We'll be checking in soon to sample the movies and the fare.