New Spots Around Town
Folks who’ve missed the distinctive cooking of chef Marisela Godinez since she stepped out of the everyday operation of the popular El Mesón will be pleased to discover she’s moved a couple of blocks down Burleson Road and opened Austin’s Barbecue (6002 Burleson Rd., 382-2105). We dropped in the other day and sampled a veritable feast from a menu that includes an American breakfast with ethereal pancakes, fluffy omelets, and homemade hash browns, good barbecue slathered with an ancho-chile-spiked sauce, and really wonderful hamburgers. The new breakfast and lunch spot has been open about three months, and Godinez admits the menu is still evolving, sometimes based on customer demands. “We didn’t want to do anything to distract people from El Mesón, so when my customers started asking for breakfast tacos, I told them we’d make brisket tacos with pico de gallo, and that works out fine. I couldn’t completely abandon my Mexican roots, after all.” She also said their burgers with fresh-cut fries account for more sales than the barbecue. We liked it all, but I’d have to say the highlight of the meal was indeed the new house specialty: the Mexican-inspired Chorizo Burger. Get one… Brazilian food aficionados will be glad to know restaurateur Magna Sampaio is back in business. The new Sampaio’s (4800 Burnet, 469-9988) in tony Rosedale Village focuses exclusively on dishes from Brazil and has a lovely patio on which to enjoy authentic caipirinhas.
Event Menu :: April 1-6
Mobile Loaves & Fishes (www.mlfnow.org) hosts its annual Wine Tasting and Auction benefit this weekend at the Texas Disposal Systems Exotic Game Ranch & Pavilion. The crucial fundraising event features regular and exclusive vintage tastings, hors d’oeuvres, unique auction items, and live music. Local celebrities will pour into the $200-per-person vintage tasting. General admission tickets are $75 and can be purchased online or by calling Leigh Edgar at 466-9862; Saturday, April 1, 6-11:30pm.
The Capital Confectioners 2006 Cake and Sugar Art Show takes place this weekend on the campus of the Texas Culinary Academy (11400 Burnet Rd., 837-2665). This event is open to contestants of all ages and skill levels, offering them the opportunity to enhance their skills, network with other enthusiasts, and learn new techniques. Some components are free and open to the public. The complete schedule of demonstrations plus both rules and registration requirements, is available at co-sponsor All in One Bakeshop (8566 Research Blvd., 371-3401, www.allinonebakeshop.com); Saturday, April 1, 10am-7pm; Sunday, April 2, 10am-4pm.
Learn about pairing pepper-spiked food with cool German wines when East Side Cafe (2113 Manor Rd., 494-1464) presents a gardening workshop titled Hot Peppers and Cold Rieslings. Learn about planting and caring for pepper plants, as well as which wines to pair with dishes made from the garden’s late summer bounty. Classes taught by Dorsey Barger, chef Elaine Martin, and master gardener David Kolosta. The cost is $37, and reservations are necessary; Tuesday-Wednesday, April 4-5, 6:30-8pm.
While esteemed Spanish winemaker Maria Martinez-Sierra is in town appearing at the Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival, she will also find time to host a six-course prix-fixe tapas meal prepared by chef Alex Duran at Malaga Wine & Tapas Bar (208 W. Fourth, 236-8020). Food will be paired with wines from Bodegas Montecito, and Maria will speak about the legacy of Tempranillo and the heritage of winemaking in Spain’s Rioja region. Tickets are $75, and necessary reservations can be made by contacting Michelle at 299-9550 or michelle@schnurrventures.com; Thursday, April 6, 6:30pm.
This article appears in March 31 • 2006.