Talk about plenty of good news: Early September means school has started and college student spending will begin to percolate in the local economy; another potentially successful, prosperity-inducing season of UT football starts this weekend, providing a boost to the local hospitality industry; and, most important of all, Austin’s hottest summer in recorded history could finally be coming to a close. Whoopee! In keeping with the new dining and entertainment developments along West Sixth Street between Guadalupe and Lamar, business partners Scott Hentschel, Stuart Hentschel, and Ted Karam have closed the original Waterloo Ice House (600 N. Lamar) to create a new concept with Paggi House co-owner Bob Gillett. Look for their new “attitude-free” comfort food diner, Twenty Four, to open in the Lamar location in October, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, 24 hours a day. Meanwhile, check out the newest Waterloo Ice House outlet (12815 Shops Pkwy. #100, 263-3130), with plenty of outdoor seating, a family-friendly playscape, and washer pitching pits. We’re told it’s a very popular destination in the Hill Country Galleria… Austin’s homegrown Southwestern cuisine chain Z’Tejas Grill (1110 W. Sixth, 478-5355, www.ztejas.com) will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a big bash benefiting the Lance Armstrong Foundation on Sunday, Sept. 13. The evening will include a dinner buffet, cocktails, an outstanding musical line-up, and a fabulous silent auction. $65 tickets can be purchased at any Z’Tejas location or by calling 866/598-3527… Regular diners at Austin’s two Roaring Fork outlets (701 Congress, 583-0000; 10850 Stonelake Blvd., 342-2700) now have the added incentive to dine more frequently as part of the RF Rewards program. Guests can register at any Roaring Fork location in Texas or Arizona or at www.roaringfork.com to begin collecting reward points of 10% of every dollar they spend at lunch, brunch, dinner, or happy hour. After reaching a minumum of $5 in rewards, customers may redeem rewards Sunday through Wednesday after 5pm at any Roaring Fork location… Beginning Sept. 8, 34th Street Cafe (1005 W. 34th, 371-3400, www.34thstreetcafe.com) extends its Friday and Saturday evening dinner hours and adds weekday happy hour specials between 4-7pm. Look for the scoop on beer and wine specials as well as news about half-priced appetizers, chef Justin Raiford’s weekly prix fixe dinners, and the return of the popular Lounge 34 on the newly revamped website.
This article appears in September 4 • 2009.