2011 was a banner year for David Bull and his Congress Austin concept. Less than three months after opening, the restaurant vaulted from hot newcomer to king of the mountain status after receiving the Austin American-Stateman's first five-star review in several years. The crowds arrived, and more praise followed. Texas Monthly named it the "best place to eat right now." Celebrities like Jimmy Kimmel, Rachael Ray, and Billy Gibbons were spotted catching late-night meals. The New York Times and Wine Spectator both suggested that tourists make it a point to stop by. And so it went. Aside from a few benefit dinners and food festival events, Chef Bull and his ace team mostly spent the year with their noses to the grindstone, tweaking the Congress, Second, and Bar Congress menus and working to meet the huge number of covers that came in. Earlier this month, we called Chef Bull during a rare week off to ask for his thoughts on the launch of Congress, the state of Austin dining, and what the restaurants have in store for us in 2012. more ›

Austin Restaurant Week is bringing great deals on high-end lunches, dinners and even some brunches to the masses once again this fall. From September 25-28 and October 2-5 (yes, that's technically eight days spread over two weeks), anyone who can make a reservation can enjoy a lunch or brunch ranging from $10-$15 or dinners ranging from $25-$35 at some of Austin's best restaurants. more ›

Whether at The Driskill Grill, Uchi, or Uchiko, if you've done some fine dining in Austin, June Rodil has probably stopped by your table to talk about wine. Now reunited with Chef David Bull at Second Bar + Kitchen and Congress, Ms. Rodil is currently serving as the beverage director for the Congress Avenue triple threat. Having been named Texas' best sommelier in 2009 by the Texas Sommelier Association, Rodil is continuing to work toward a coveted Master Sommelier designation while also cultivating quite a wine list at Congress. She recently spoke to us about wine trends, spirits, and which wines are in fact her favorite children. more ›

In their short tenure on West 6th Street, Haddingtons has both developed a loyal following and endured more than their fair share of change. In late March, Chef Jimmy Corwell (formerly of the Culinary Institute of America's Greystone School) joined the staff as executive chef. The word at the time was that Corwell was brought in with an eye to balancing the heavier flavors dominating the early menus, and this summer, we're seeing the results of his handiwork. While there is still plenty of red meat to be had, our favorite dishes during a recent visit were the vegetable-based main courses. more ›

Mondays aren't a traditional date night. With work and the recent end of the weekend, the restaurant business is often quiet and sometimes closed on this solemnest of days. So if a chef were to pick a time to go all out, Monday might be the last night that savvy diners would guess. Which leads us to Mulberry's announcement today of a fun and gutsy dinner series. more ›

If you've been down Congress Avenue this fall, you've likely noticed a great deal of activity in the ground floor of The Austonian. While there's a small Caffé Medici in there as well, the focus of all the hard work is the ambitious new pair of restaurants from former Driskill Grill and Bolla chef David Bull. more ›

Austin's Green Corn Project assists Central Texans with limited access to nutritious food due to income or other challenges in growing organic food gardens. To help raise funds for their noble and healthy cause, the group hosts a charity fundraiser at Boggy Creek Farms on Sunday, October 24th from noon to 3pm. more ›

Uchi may be Austin's most beloved restaurant: it placed first in The Fearless Critic's most recent edition, scoring a 9.8 out of 10. The rub: it also came in at an average cost of $80 - not unfair given the restaurant's sterling rep, but also not designed for everyday consumption. In a fun twist, Uchi has decided to do a limited "bargain" of sorts by offering a 14-seat community table once a month for just $45. The next event takes place on Monday, 10/25, and as of this writing, a few seats are still available. more ›

If you've ever felt that spending time at the Four Seasons was out of reach, you've likely never been to TRIO. Long a favorite of the in-the-know foodie crowd, the restaurant's generous happy hour (it runs on Fridays and Saturdays) and frequently updated by-the-glass wine list are a great way to feel elegant while working with a moderate dining budget. more ›

In early 2009, the team behind La Condesa faced a challenging proposition: opening an upscale Interior Mexican restaurant - in a town filled with competitors - during a recession. The odds weren't working in their favor, but the cooking was. Since their opening, La Condesa have become a fast favorite in Austin's fine dining scene, and have established roots through sponsorship of a number of entertainment and community-based events. To catch up on La Condesa's first year, we recently spoke to owner Jesse Herman and discussed Austin's food reputation, chef camaraderie, and (of course) food trailers.

To start with, for people who are less familiar, you are in the New York area. What attracted you to opening your first restaurant here in Austin?

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The concept of "local food treated well" in restaurants certainly isn't new; Alice Waters pioneered it with Chez Panisse in the 1970s. But the trend has picked up a lot of steam in recent years, with the increasing focus on locally-grown organic food. The latest Austin entrant in this genre is Olivia, which arrives under the guidance of executive chef and owner James Holmes and chef de cuisine Morgan Angelone, formerly of Asti. Joining the ranks of Uchi and Wink, Olivia is a welcome new part of Austin's increasingly cosmopolitan dining scene. more ›

In Austin, it is hard to find quality French fare at low prices, but Péché may now be here to fill that void. With a menu of rich and savory dishes all under 20 bucks, and touting the claim as Austin's first absinthe bar, Péché is definitely worth the trip. more ›

Photo from AIArchitect.com We recently came across this fascinating master's architecture project by UT Arlington alumnus Jason Mellard. Drawing from Star Wars and "biomimicking" the clam shell, this archipelago of futuristic donuts would function as a self-sustaining aquatic research platform, designed to allow scientists to study marine animals and fish in their natural habitat for extended periods of time. From AIArchitect: The research spheres consist of laboratories, classrooms, computer labs, viewing platforms, holding tanks, offices,... more ›

Primizie Osteria (Italian) Location: 1000 E. 11th St., Ste. 150 [map] Phone: (512) 472-9299 Cost: Entrees $9-11 Atmosphere: Casually urban decor, concrete floors, wine bar. Counter ordering. Food: The new Primizie Osteria serves simple but elegant Italian at good prices in a comfortable, casual setting in semi-gentrified East Austin. Eastside denizens are lucky to have such a place close by for a spur of the moment relaxed dinner or a to-go run for a... more ›

Have you been wanting to eat out at a great restaurant lately but just needed a good reason? If so, then we've got just the reason to get you out of the house tonight. Dining for Life is Monday and Tuesday night and is a great, and very easy, way to help benefit Aids Services of Austin. More than 60 of Austin's best restaurants donate 15% of their dinner proceeds to AIDS Services of... more ›

Austin is full of small, out of the way places that we have grown to love. These aren't the big name restaurants that everyone already knows about or the restaurants in the warehouse district or downtown locations. In fact, two of them are in nondescript strip malls, and one is surrounded by giant safety cones. These places offer up good (and in the case of Tomo, great) food in locations away from the city center.... more ›

Patterson Hood is best-known for his work with the Drive-By Truckers, but the Alabama native, whose father was a member of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, has a musical career stretching nearly 20 years. He's been through near-hits and near-misses aplenty. In one particularly tumultuous season, he put together an album of solo material, Killers and Stars, which became an unofficial release passed out at shows and circulated amongst fans. Now, as he's wrapping... more ›

Maru (Japanese) Location: 4636 Burnet Rd [map] Phone: (512) 458-6200 Cost: Starters $5-8, Maki Rolls $6-13 Atmosphere: Not much to speak of, as it's on a nondescript part of Burnet Road in some modest and anonymous white-walled digs. Food: There are three reasons to visit Maru, and they are simply the freshness of the fish, the affordability of high-quality sushi, and the modest $5 corkage charge. Maru's decor is as plain as can be,... more ›

Ah, back to school – that magical time of year when students across town come back from those lazy days of summer and start emptying their wallets on books, parking tickets, and cover charges. So what's the best way to actually break the monotony of ramen and grilled cheese without going broke in the process? Four magic letters: BYOB. Thai Noodle House is nestled in at 2602 Guadalupe, just behind the 7-Eleven on the north... more ›

The Pier on Lake Austin, an old staple of Lake Austin boat cruisers and Hill Country folks since the 1920s, closed its doors back in 2005 after the restaurant/music venue/gas station lost its lease. Since that time, the place has basically sat unused. As we reported in April 2006, the original plan was to replace The Pier with a three-story development that consisted of a mix of casual and finer dining. Evidently this plan fell... more ›

When summer arrives, most food and wine events disappear into the hot summer air, not to be seen again until fall. Thankfully, this year seems to be an exception to that rule. On Sunday the 15th, the Wine & Food Foundation is partnering with Mirabelle and Chef Michael Vilum to create a special summer foodie event. The Mirabelle dining room will host a 'sip and stroll' dinner featuring seven different dishes (three appetizers, three... more ›

30 seconds on American Idol are worth more than you will ever be. (Also, the girl won. Apologies to those who Tivoed the finale to watch later. Actually, we don't apologize -- we recommend getting a life, instead.) Veganism kills (sometimes), so make your own burgers this Memorial Day weekend. We're not sure if anyone would want to eat these creatures from the abyss, but the dumbo octopus is totally the Nabaztag of the... more ›

Posted for Veronica Meewes How’s a mom to celebrate Mother’s Day when she’s stuck working a double at the Yellow Rose? Or catering someone else’s mom-day brunch? Or doing any of the number of things Austin’s plentiful parental population will be busy doing this and every Sunday? Well, the folks at Patsy’s Cowgirl Café feel your pain and they’re offering a Post-Mother’s Day service industry lunch special this Monday, May 14 for those who... more ›

Fire ravages Griffith Park in L.A.; city councilman compares fire to Mick Jagger. Things really are different out there. The five-second rule, explained. Way fewer people watched TV this spring, and network suits are flipping out. Maybe everybody found out that Jack Bauer is a neocon fantasy? Sorry ladies—Ty Pennington ain't as perfect as you're always telling us. Sammy Hagar need never argue with the Van Halen brothers again, or do anything else for... more ›

With all the recent responses, we get it - you're passionate about food. Austin is no longer a one chicken fried steak town with a burgeoning fine dining scene and three "best new chef" honorees by Food and Wine Magazine. In that spirit, the city has announced plans for its fifth annual industry-specific start-up conference: Ingredients for Success: Opening a Restaurant. The one-day forum, sponsored by the City of Austin Small Business Development Program... more ›

As you might recall, a homeless man inadvertently started a fire on the outdoor patio of Mother's Cafe earlier this month, causing an estimated $500,000 in damage. No charges were filed against the man, John Evans, who was merely trying to stay warm; Mother's co-owner Cameron Alexander demonstrated an extraordinary degree of compassion in agreeing with fire investigators that Mr. Evans should not be punished. While no one was injured by the blaze, much... more ›

Hurry up and join Austin-based writers of The Fearless Critic Austin Restaurant Guide Robin Goldstein, Rebecca Markovits, and Monika Powe Nelson tonight from 5-7pm at Follett's Intellectual Property. All three authors will be present to sign copies of the book, and Ruby's will serve up free samples of their award-winning barbecue. According to Editor-in-Chief Robin Goldstein, a food and travel writer for Fodor's and Condé Nast and graduate of the French Culinary Institute, "Our reviews... more ›

You can’t steal from the public and stay out of jail for long. Unless, of course, you’re a politician. John Villarreal, former director of Austin’s community access TV stations, found that out the hard way today when state District Judge Mike lynch sentenced him to seven years in prison for stealing public funds. Prosecutors had asked for a 10-year sentence, while Villarreal’s attorneys had sought probation. While in his position of authority, Villarreal stole more... more ›

We attended the press day preview of the new Round Rock IKEA store last week, where we had a chance to snack on an assortment of delectable Swedish cuisine before being given a tour of the new (and enormous) space. Like every other IKEA we've ever visited—Frisco, Houston, Elizabeth, Emeryville, Covina, Taipei—the store is laid out as a series of showcase areas (Living Rooms, Wall Units, Media & Storage, Kitchens & Dining, etc.) that... more ›

Zagat's 2007 America's Top Restaurants Survey is out and although the setup on this one begs for an immediate rimshot, it's true - we love eating out. In fact, only Houston residents eat out with more frequency *snicker* than Austinites. Hungry Houstonians are eating out an average of 4.2 meals per week while residents of Austin and Dallas/Ft. Worth eat out an average of 4 times per week. Trailing in weekly eating-out outings are... more ›