Chinatown’s Downtown Austin Location to Close
I got a call from Ronald Cheng friday night. He told me that after considerable thought he had decided to close the iconic Chinatown downtown location on West 5th Street. A decision of this magnitude is not made lightly. Ronald finally had to deal with the combined effects of a lease issue, social distancing (which […]
What the Hell Is Wrong With Austin Restaurant Customers?
Since local restaurants have been allowed to at least partially reopen, all in all it has not been a particularly pleasant sight. Our restaurants are literally busting their asses to keep their stores safe, sanitized and hospitable but many customers, it seems, are not rewarding the effort. I’ve heard from dozens of servers, managers and owners […]
Austin Restaurants Where Takeout Dinners Match Quality of Dine-In
As a restaurant critic, one thing I almost never did at my favorite restaurants prior to the pandemic was to order a meal to-go. But things have changed. While I still prefer dining in with enhanced safety measures in place, there are times that’s just not possible. So where does one go for curbside takeout where the order […]
Austin Area Restaurant Reopenings
For dedicated foodies everywhere, the closing of restaurants has certainly been just one of the many difficult aspects of living with COVID-19. We’re happy to report that, in addition to takeout, many restaurants in the Austin area are now beginning to open their dining rooms to customers too. Here’s a list of openings we’re aware […]
Local Restaurants vs. COVID-19: Stories From the Front Lines
As Austin Restaurants slowly reopen, they have found the challenges have been far greater than restaffing, reestsblishing relationships with vendors, reaching out to customers and rethinking menus. It has come down to one battle where the lines have been clearly drawn. There is literally a war being fought between restaurants and a vicious unseen enemy. […]
Step by Cautious Step, Austin Restaurants Begin to Reopen
After a depressing two months of imposed inactivity, Austin’s restaurants are gradually reopening. From large establishments like downtown steakhouse III Forks to smaller mom and pop joints like Hoover’s Cooking and Homespun Kitchen and Bar in Dripping Springs, the process has been similar: thoroughly sanitizing surfaces and kitchen cookware, installing hand washers for customers, investing […]
2020 Mother’s Day Dining Options
Well, Mother’s Day certainly looks a little different this year, but now more than ever it’s a great time to let the mothers in your life know how much they mean to you. Below are some options for treating your mom to a nice meal from Austin area restaurants. So do something extra nice for […]
The Harsh Reality for Restaurants in the Age of COVID-19
It’s been an amazing decade for both America’s and Austin’s restaurants. Diners have been able to indulge themselves in a gastronomic cornucopia of amazing concepts, with flavors from around the world crafted by brilliantly creative chefs. This unprecedented largess seemed infinite. Spectacular new restaurants opened around the country leaving restaurant critics, myself included, virtually speechless […]
Austin Restaurants Finally Welcome Customers in to Dine
May 1st was a date that local restaurants and their customers had been eagerly looking forward to. The date had been set by Governor Abbott for the “reopening” of the Texas economy, a ruling that included a variety of businesses along with restaurants. Specific heath guidelines were established along with the numbers of customers who […]
