The most prized memento from the reception after Danny Young‘s funeral has to be the little bottles of Dublin Dr Pepper provided courtesy of Young’s friend Marshall Meece. Mine is in a place of honor … Friends joined me for the inaugural brunch at Olivia (2043 S. Lamar,
804-2700), and we could not have been more impressed with the quality of the food and service in the lovely new space. This place is off to a very good start. Chef/owner James Holmes did tell me they’ve decided to suspend lunch service for the time being in order to concentrate on the ever-changing dinner menu, based as much as possible on local and regional seasonal ingredients… The eagerly awaited Corazon (1101 W. Fifth, 476-0728) opens this week in the newly reimagined space that formerly housed Castle Hill Cafe. Owners Cathe Dailey, Perry Lorenz, Executive Chef Mike Taddeo, and general manager David Showacre are presenting Interior Mexican cuisine complete with a new full bar… Málaga Tapas & Wine Bar (440 W. Second, 236-8020) executive chef and managing partner Alejandro Duran is thrilled with the full-size kitchen in the new location where Málaga debuted last week. Expansion into the bigger space makes it possible for Duran to serve Spanish and Mediterranean-inspired menu items for weekday lunches, nightly dinners, and brunch on Saturday and Sunday. The new space also offers some sidewalk seating and convenient valet parking for those of us who aren’t neighborhood loft dwellers… Taco entrepreneur Michael Rypka presented his newest concept last weekend with the opening of the South Austin Trailer Park & Eatery (1311 S. First), where you’ll find the original Torchy’s (366-0537) trailer serving up those “damn good tacos,” as well as Shuggie’s (789-2063) turning out made-from-scratch burgers and hand-battered onion rings, po’boys, fried shrimp with jalapeno hush puppies, and creamy milkshakes. The outdoor space will host live music on occasion, and long-range plans call for the addition of a dessert trailer and a game area… Drop into your favorite Z’Tejas Grill outlet (www.ztejas.com, three locations) now through Sept. 21 to sample the items on their special Chile Fest menu. During the Chile Fest every fall, Z’Tejas donates $1 spent on each menu special to a chosen charity, and this year’s beneficiary is the Sustainable Food Center (www.sustainablefoodcenter.org). Look for more about my involvement with the Chile Fest menu when my new blog appears on our website next week… Award-winning Hilton Austin bartender extraordinaire Mindy Kucan has founded a local chapter of the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild (usbgaustin@gmail.com), and she encourages anyone interested in joining to attend the first meeting at Opal Divine’s Penn Field (3601 S. Congress, 707-0237) for an exclusive tasting of a new liqueur, from 3 to 5pm on Sept. 8… Cornucopia (1914 Guadalupe, 472-7677) offers a mouthwatering variety of popcorn flavors on the Drag behind Veggie Heaven. Several blocks up the street, the owner of Bambino’s New York Style Deli (2716 Guadalupe, 482-9225) wrote to inform us that his big, overstuffed sandwiches are priced in the $5-6 range, and his hours are 11am-11pm, Sunday through Thursday, and 11am-2am on Friday and Saturday.
This article appears in September 5 • 2008.