Flavors of April

Austin's reputation as an irresistible tourist destination is well-established. The natural beauty of our surroundings only serves to enhance the appeal of our welcoming, laid-back vibe and world-famous live music scene. However, the guests who'll be coming to Austin over the next week will have one thing on their minds, and that's food! Oh, these food lovers' visits are sure to be liberally seasoned with eye-pleasing scenery and good music, but make no mistake: Austin's food scene is the hottest new culinary discovery in the country. Our restaurants, chefs, barbecue joints, and even food trucks are the subject of television shows, newspaper and magazine features, and national awards. Thanks to all the well-deserved media attention, Food & Wine magazine is partnering with homegrown event moguls C3 Presents and a cadre of Texas chefs/restaurateurs to present the first Austin Food & Wine Festival, a showcase of national and Texas talents and flavors that is slated to become an annual event. Serving as mouthwatering appetizers to the new fest, a couple of outdoor cooking parties will attract beef eaters to the Hill Country between Driftwood and Wimberley for some seriously outrageous feasting. Foodies from near and far are hungry for their own bite of Austin, so Chronicle contributors Mick Vann, Wes Marshall, and Claudia Alarcón have helped me come up with a sample of what's on the menu for the coming week.