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Sushi Zushi opens on W. 5th Street!  Located adjacent to the Mean Eyed Cat in the new 5th Street Gable building, Sushi Zushi makes its debut in Austin to great reviews. Featuring a vast menu with over 91 rolls and 300 menu items (including numerous vegetarian selections), sushi die-hards as well as sushi newbies are sure to find something to tantalize their taste buds. The restaurant also has an extensive beer, wine, and sake list, in addition to a full bar, a cozy sushi bar, and Happy Hour specials M-F 3-7 PM. This is the sixth Texas restaurant for the San Antonio based company and they have plans to open another Austin location in the Domain in February of 2010. To Go orders as well as delivery are also available. 1611 W. 5th, Suite 105 Austin, TX 78703 For more detailed information, click here Austin Foodie Favorite Olivia Named Among the Best in The Country  Chef James Holmes and wife and business partner Cristina, owners of the much-loved Olivia restaurant in Austin, are the toast of the town after being named one of the “Top 10 Best New Restaurants in America” by Bon Appetit magazine. The top 10 list, a featured part of the magazine’s “Restaurant Issue,” is set to hit newsstands on August 11 and includes new eateries from all over the country that according to the magazine, “represent the new standard: simple, satisfying local food—all served with zero pretense.” Chef Holmes, who fervently supports local farmers by offering sustainable, seasonal cuisine at Olivia, has been a standout in the Austin locavore movement since the restaurant opened in August of 2008. Bon Appetit praises Holmes’ produce-based risottos and gnocchi, but gives a particular nod to his “riffs on comfort-food classics” like the Milk-Braised Pork Shoulder with Semolina Gnocchi. Holmes’ menu is rich in Mediterranean and Southern U.S. influences and changes daily to reflect the season and the products of local farmers, ranchers, foragers and artisans. It is this unique blend that has quickly made Olivia one of the region’s top dining destinations. The restaurant is located at 2043 S. Lamar Blvd, Austin TX, 78704 and reservations can be made by calling 512.804.2700. Web: www.olivia-austin.com . Lavender is no pansy in seasonal summer cuisine  Aside from growing in neighborhood landscapes, being packed into department store fragrant soaps and perfumes and even finding its trademark color dyed into clothing, lavender is also known for its sweet, floral flavor in cuisine. In honor of this versatile herb, Chef Gabriel Pellegrini is hosting a lavender sagra with a menu featuring the sweet and savory flavors of the herb. The best part about Sagra’s first Lavender Sagra is it’s free of charge for all. In Italy, a sagra is a festival or meal that celebrates a seasonal foodstuff so in this case, Chef Pellegrini chose to pay homage to our local lavender, which reaches its seasonal peak in August. Starting at 4PM on Wednesday, August 12, Chef Gabriel Pellegrini will open his restaurant for a family-style meal, with every course featuring lavender, and will serve food simply until the kitchen runs out. Guests can enjoy house wines for $4.00 and get a hint of lavender with the Lavender Lemonade, $2.00. The meal will begin with an Herbed Mixed Green Insalate served with a sweet lavender vinaigrette and will then move on to the star of the show: a delicious Whole Roasted Pig Porchetta with lavender, fennel, rosemary and garlic. Accompanying the Pig Porchetta will be a seasonal vegetable Tiella and Polenta Al Forno with lavender, fontina and tomatoes. More information can be found at www.sagrarestaurant.net Kerbey Lane summer menu features the ever popular tomato  locally grown goodness In keeping with their desire to use fresh, locally grown produce (see article below), Kerbey Lane Cafe launches a seasonal menu to take advantage of farm fresh Texas tomatoes. Among other very popular dishes, the 10 year anniversary of this menu features the now famous Tomato Pie. This dish is over-flowing with farm fresh roasted tomatoes, green onions, fresh basil, garlic and feta all encased in a homemade herbed crust and topped with kalamata olives and feta cheese. People ask for it year round! Kerbey Lane has partnered with Paul Engel of Engel Farms in Fredricksberg to supply all the locally grown fresh vegtables for this summer's event. You might know Engel Farms if you have ever visited the Sunset Valley Farmers Market on any given Saturday. In addition to the killer tomatoes, Engel Farms will also supply okra, zucchini, yellow squash and cucumbers. For more information and to find the location nearest you, check out the website www.kerbeylanecafe.com Help Austin grow by growing your own  Throughout the entire month of June, Kerbey Lane Cafe will be accepting donations for Sustainable Food Center’s Grow Local program. Kerbey Lane will be selling small packs of seeds to encourage people to get their own gardens growing. Seeds were donated by The Natural Gardener and Shoal Creek Nursery and all proceeds will go to SFC. Since pumpkins grow in the garden Kerbey Lane will also be featuring their pumpkin pancake mix and for every box sold during the month of June $1 will go to SFC. Kerbey Lane will match what is raised. With roots dating back 30 years, Sustainable Food Center was founded with a mission of cultivating a healthy community by strengthening the local food system and improving access to nutritious, affordable food.
Uchiko Details Unveiled, The Countdown Begins Teasing Austin diners a few months back with the announcement of a second Uchi restaurant in the works, Uchi has finally unveiled where the offspring will be. Taiko roll please.....4200 N Lamar. Uchiko, which translates loosely as "child of Uchi," will open in spring/summer 2010 in a portion of the space formerly occupied by Seton Hospital Office Building. Executive Chef Tyson Cole is expanding the upscale Japanese hotspot (named Austin's #1 restuarant in 2008 by Zagat Survey Guide and Fearless Critics Guide) since it opened six years ago in the heart of South Austin. The new restaurant will feature a dining room for walk in guests and a second dining room for reservations. The hope is to alleviate the long lines that have been as much a hallmark at Uchi as the incredible cuisine and service. The menu will feature all Uchi favorites. The new restaurant will be designed by Michael Hsu, who has recently become the rock star architect of Austin. Upcoming Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Selects Local Purveyors  The fast construction on Lamar just south of the river includes the first arrival of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in to Texas. The California business is the world's oldest privately held coffee retailer and offers more than 20 varieties of carefully selected Arabica coffee. Ditto for whole leaf tea, with more than 20 varieties of hand-picked harvests. While the company may be West Coast based, they are making efforts to embrace the local Austin market. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf worked with numerous local bakers to sample products, and have settled on five bakers to provide daily, fresh-baked goods: Mary Louise Butters Brownies (near legendary yum 'round here), Round Rock Donuts (full-on legendary), Austinuts (making Austin nutty since 1993), Bakerman's Bakery (award-winning chocolatier), Alexandra's Cookie Dreams (featured nationally by Rachel Ray). The new coffee cafe will be open in mid-June at 221 S Lamar Blvd. New Opening: Borboleta Fried Green Tomatoes Dubbing the fresh fare as “gourmet living cuisine,” Borboleta specializes in organic, healthful foods that are designed to satisfy as if nutrition and origins weren’t a concern at all. But, since they are, the food is all vegetarian, kosher, and free of dairy, gluten, soy, and trans-fat. Executive Chef/Owner Virginia Morgan uses local produce as much as possible. The name Borboleta is Portuguese for butterfly. The café is located at 1221 W 6th St in the Bella Salon & Spa building just west of downtown. Borboleta serves fresh juices, organic coffees and teas, and has free wi-fi. It is BYOB. Sagra Goes All-Natural, Handmade, Preservative-Free Sagra—the casual, yet elegant, Italian trattoria—has stepped up its commitment to fresh ingredients. All additives, preservatives, and chemicals of any kind have been eliminated from the kitchen. Already noted for handmade freshness (spaghetti and other long pastas were already handmade), a new pasta machine allows Sagra to even make tubular pastas by hand (apparently, quite the rarity in the pasta world). Executive Chef/Owner Gabriel Pelligrini has added a new chalkboard to announce daily seasonal pasta specials along with a list of ingredients and the farms or regions where they came from. Sagra is located at the corner of 17th and San Antonio streets. South Congress makeover with Perla’s and Snack Bar
The north end of South Congress is receiving to high-profile turnovers. Mars, all too short-lived at its beautiful new location, has of course closed. Now open at the same location is Perla’s Seafood and Oyster Bar. The expansive oak-shaded deck remains, but the interior is significantly different, with big splashes of vibrant color adding a whole new vibe. Dinner is served nightly, lunch M-F, and brunch Sat and Sun. Price is mid-range; no cheap eats, but not a rent buster either. A couple doors down, the space vacated by El Sol y la Luna (now located downtown at the corner of Red River & 6th St) is being taken up by Snack Bar. The diner and lounge seems to have a great concept in the works, though its hard to tell as the city of Austin is still making them jump through hoops to get the doors open. Snack Bar (adjacent to Austin Motel at 1224 S Congress) will be a diner by day, serving full breakfast and lunch, and a lounge by night, serving international snack plates. Wine and beer will be served and the menu will use organic and local ingredients when possible.
P. Terry’s Opens North Location
In 2005 a little burger stand near Barton Springs and Lamar changed lives. Folks who had forgone fast food for years could once again revel in the joy of a deliciously simple fast food meal of burger and fries. The smashing success is finally spreading as P.Terry’s is opening a second location the week of April 13. The north location is at 3303 North Lamar Blvd and will feature an indoor seating area, something the original burger stand can’t boast. P.Terry’s features all-natural, hormone/antibiotic free beef and local, all-natural chicken. Veggie burgers are homemade, fried cut on site, and some of the fixins are organic. A third location is in the works for those in the south at Mopac and William Cannon (4228 W William Cannon Dr). Loosely slated for summer 2009, austin.com will keep you posted on the developments.
Trio at Four Seasons Unlikely Hero to the Not So Rich & Famous Tuna Tartare, avocado, soy-lime vinagrette In case you needed further evidence that the current economic meltdown is affecting everyone, the illustrious Four Seasons Hotel has made the unprecedented move of making their menu accessible to the working stiff. And ladies and gentlemen of the based-in-reality classes, this is a chance to dine like the soft-hands in the governor’s mansion at grease-bomb burger joint prices. The Trio happy hour boasts half-price appetizers and wine from 5-8pm Monday through Saturday, making the food prices range from $3.50 to $7.50. On the menu: a tuna tartare that gives Eddie V’s a run for their money, lamb sliders (made from local lamb) that rival anything at 219 West (and easily qualify as a full meal, especially when paired with the ridiculously over-achieving truffle fries, which redefine the capability of fried potatoes), and a lump crab fondue that sets a new height in innovation that should send local chefs scurrying through the pantry. There are ten items in all and a lengthy wine list. And just to make sure you didn’t miss this little nugget buried in all the words…the happy hour is good on Saturdays too. Hell’s bells, a flagging economy ain’t so bad after all. Miss Jane Nickles Named the Nation’s “Ultimate Culinary Educator” Jane Nickles of the Texas Culinary Academy has been named the nation’s “Ultimate Culinary Educator” after winning a Bobby Flay-style “throw down teach-off.” The contest began last November with nominations representing the finest culinary educators from across the nation. Ultimately three finalists were invited to compete head-to-head at the inaugural summit of the Foodservice Educator’s Learning Community held last month in Charleston, South Carolina. Nickles beat out a dazzling knife-skills display (Chef Adam Weiner, San Mateo, CA) and a seemingly impossible presentation of fried flounder, from whole fish to pretty dish in less than 15 minutes. Nickles, who goes by the nickname “Miss Jane,” has been a chef instructor and wine educator at the Texas Culinary Academy in Austin for over 11 years. Her winning presentation was a 15-minute wine tasting class entitled “Ready, Set, Sip.” One judge described her teaching style as “a combination of lecture, stand-up comedy, beat poetry, rap, and interpretive dance.”
New Roaring Fork Location Open in Northwest AustinThe hip, fine-dining spot in the Stephen F. Austin Hotel downtown has added a second Austin location at 10850 Stonelake Blvd, situated along Quarry Lake in northwest Austin. Much will be the same: bold, innovative chef creations and award-winning wood-fired cooking. Much will be completely different, as the ritzy hotel locale is traded for a canopy of trees and panoramic lake views. "When we saw this location, we were immediately excited about its potential," states Larry Foles, co-founder of Roaring Fork. "People can relax, yet be pleasantly surprised at every visit." Roaring Fork, which is part of the Eddie V’s group of restaurants (Guy Villavaso is the other co-founder), recently opened a new location in San Antonio in June of 2008.
Stephan Pyles Scholarship Cook-Off Winner Nabs $15,000
Austin’s Texas Culinary Academy student Thomas Seargeant won the Wine & Food Foundation of Texas’ 9th Annual Stephan Pyles Scholarship Cook-Off. Seargeant beat two other student-chef finalists on March 1 in a two-day, statewide Iron Chef style cook-off in Dallas. The final battle required the students to present a three-course gourmet meal using a pre-determined (but unknown) collection of mostly Texas ingredients, including quail, oysters, and lamb. Seargant’s victory earned him a $15,000 check to help cover his tuition, as well as an invitation to accompany Pyles in Wolfgang Puck’s Food and Wine Festival in Hollywood.
 Mmmm...tasty burger
Proving that fast food doesn’t have to be junk food, TerraBurger opened on February 20 at 2522 Guadalupe (next door to Hole in the Wall). The burger joint features all-natural or organic meats and ingredients in all menu items. But creators Don Craven Jr. and George Walas stress they’re not fancifying fast food, just taking the unwholesome nastiness out of it. The menu is anchored by 100% USDA certified organic beef for the three varieties of burgers ($6), all of which are available as veggie burgers or with all-natural chicken, or even as a turkey burger. Of course, fries are a staple too, with options of hand-cut organic fries or sweet potato fries. Robust dinner salads ($7) are also available. If the long lines at P. Terry’s on Barton Springs are any indication, Austin loves organic, eco-conscious fast food. So expect this addition to The Drag to be a huge hit. TerraBurger is open 7am-11pm Monday through Saturday, and 8am-10pm on Sundays. Breakfast is served until 10:30am on weekdays, until noon on weekends.
New Kid on the Organic Block, Newflower Market, Opens
 If you live or commute in South Austin, passing William Cannon and Manchaca, you surely noticed the overflowing parking lot and massive throngs of grocery-carrying folks with big smiles streaming from the brand new Newflower Farmers Market. The grocery chain strives to offer the highest-quality, all-natural or organic products at (or even below) regular supermarket prices. The majority of the 26,000-square-foot store is dedicated to fresh produce, but Newflower carries pretty much what you’d expect to find in a normal grocery store. Newflower (which is called Sunflower in most other markets) is a national chain based in Boulder, CO, with 22 other stores in six states. It was launched by CEO Mike Gilliland, who helmed Wild Oats for years, in 2002. There are plans to open more stores in Austin, but that is just in the idea stage for now. So far, all reviews for the Austin Newflower Farmers Market, which opened 2/11/09, are A+. It is located at 1901 W William Cannon Dr, where the old Hobby Lobby was (which, before that, was a Safeway grocery store).
Flipnotics closes one Satellite, expands another.
 The Satellite Café at The Y on Highway 71 has closed. The café offshoot of the original Flipnotics Coffeehouse closed due to slow business as the shopping center loses tenant after tenant as its future remains a mystery. But overwhelming customer demand for the Satellite Café’s breakfast to remain available, Flipnotics has opened their Satellite Bistro location for breakfast seven days a week. The more refined Bistro location (5900 Slaughter Lane) has brought most of the Café’s morning crew to serve the signature Flips breakfast dishes. The Satellite Bistro now opens at 8am and flips the menu to lunch starting at 11am. The dinner menu/hours remain unchanged.
Plate & Vine Interactive Cookbook
 This is about the coolest thing to happen to cookbooks since, well, ever. Besides the obvious advantage that the online cookbook saves trees, this thing has mad features. For example, an automatic serving size calculator: you plug in the number of guests/diners, and the recipe automatically recalculates all ingredient proportions. A grocery list generator lets you pick multiple recipes (for a large party of just for a week’s worth of meals) and then generates a categorized shopping list of all the items needed. You can even send the list to your cell phone. All this before we even talk about the recipes. The cookbook is produced by The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas (WFF) and features more than 75 recipes of top chefs from throughout Texas. You’ll find recipes direct from the executive chefs of standout Austin restaurants like Jeffrey’s, Hudson’s on the Bend, Wink, Fête Accompli, Aquarelle, TRIO at Four Seasons, and Jasper’s. Most recipes include instructional photos and pairing recommendations; an added glossary of cooking terms, techniques, and ingredients answers is extremely helpful. An added bonus, the Plate & Vine Interactive Cookbook continually evolves and is only $20 to WFF members, $30 for non-members and is available here.
Sustainable Food Policy Board Established in Austin, Texas
 Boggy Creek Farms
A Wine and Food Lovers Paradise
 A new book by author Terry Thompson-Anderson and photographer Sandy Wilson, The Texas Hill Country: A Wine and Food Lovers Paradise (Shearer Publishing), is being published this month, and Alamosa Wine Cellars is hosting a meet and greet with the author on November 22 from noon to 5:00pm. Anderson is a professional chef and cookbook author who explored every corner of the 18-county region. Her book and Wilson’s (who happens to be the author’s sister) photographs bring to life more than 100 establishments and a wealth of Hill Country foodie gems. The travel guide is filled with recipes that focus on local food products. The book will make a great gift for foodie friends. Thompson-Anderson’s Texas on the Plate cookbook will also be available. Alamosa Wine Cellars is one of the wineries featured in the book. It is located near Bend, Texas, 90 minutes northwest of Austin. The event will include complimentary tastings of Alamosa wines and some samplings from the book.
Joel Shuler, owner Casa Brazil, has been awarded the honorable title of Certified Cupping Judge by the Specialty Coffee Association of America. A rare distinction, less than 350 individuals across the entire globe have been awarded this title. Cupping Judges are an elite breed of coffee connoisseur trained to detect and measure six highly specified elemental characteristics of a good cup of coffee: fragrance, aroma, taste, nose, aftertaste, and body, as well as knowledge of organic coffee practices. Cupping Judges are capable of tracking the bean as it warms from green to yellow and hear the first crack as it heats to 160 degrees. Even fewer still will sense the initiation of chemical processes that cause the bean to swell. In other words, they know their Joe. Austin’s Casa Brasil sells coffee beans and specialty products. Shuler bypasses traditional import methods and buys direct from Brazilian farmers, hand-selecting the finest yield of each crop. Casa Brasil sells its coffee in Austin and via internet order for shipping.
Paggi House reopens.
 We’ve had to live without one of Austin’s most beloved restaurants for far too long now, but the wait is over. Reopening on 10/15, the already tucked away Paggi House is now hidden further behind the new condo developments on Lamar Blvd. just south of the river. But owners Tom and Tori Tinnon utilized the growth around them to create an even more intimate, secret nook of “ahhh, this is Austin.” The 160-year-old house (the second oldest structure in Austin) underwent major renovations, combining a bold new to the quaint old. A plush patio amongst the grove of trees is a showcase, looking northeast to Lady Bird Lake and the downtown skyline. Renowned chef Shane Stark creates seasonal menu of New American cuisine using local and organic goods when possible. A sample of the adventurous menu in three courses: oxtail consommé, frisée salad with quail leg confit, and sea scallops with black truffle butter, foie gras mashed potatoes, and asparagus. Paggi House is located at 200 Lee Barton drive, near the intersection of South Lamar and West Riverside.
The Cookie Lounge opens; life will never be the same.
 Introducing one of those perfectly genius ideas that fall in the “how come I didn’t think of that?” category. The Cookie Lounge offers up fresh-baked cookies made-to-order exactly as you like. Craving a brown sugar cookie with, oh…hazelnuts and..... maybe some sundried cherries….and....ooooh...dark Belgian chocolate? You’re now in luck. Similar to the Amy’s Ice Cream “crush-in” method, The Cookie Lounge has eight doughs to start as a base, then you select from a list of 28 ingredients to add to your cookie. In ten minutes you have your fresh-baked, fully customized cookies straight from the oven. Never before has the term “bam!” been so appropriate in the culinary world. With confection royalty at the helm in Mark Chapman, The Cookie Lounge opened October 9 and the ovens haven’t had a moment to rest. Local foodies are salivating more at the mention of Chapman, the former executive pastry chef at the Driskill Hotel who has won numerous national distinctions for his devilishly delectable desserts. The Cookie Lounge is located in West Campus area; orders can be called ahead (478.BAKE) or made in minutes in the store. And the icing on the, er, cookie...delivery is available.
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Beginning November 23 and running through December 28, Kerbey Lane Café will be accepting donations for the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas at all 4 of their Central Austin locations. Donations can be made in the form of food and cash. Customers can donate canned goods in exchange for discounts on their meal. Two canned goods will get customers $1 off their check, with a maximum of $5 off. Homemade Capital Area Food Bank gingersnap cookies will also be available to purchase with $1 of each sale going directly to the Food Bank. One dollar is enough for the Food Bank to provide 5 meals for hungry Central Texans.