New Thai Ghost Kitchen
There’s a new Thai ghost kitchen in Austin with the opening of Charoen Express at 5610 North I-35 in the North Loop neighborhood as of December 2020. The menu features curries, noodles, stir-fries, soups, and appetizers from crab rangoons to omelet pad kra prow to pad se ew to mango with sticky rice. Co-owner and chef Char Chongchitmate had originally wanted to open the restaurant as a physical space in February 2020, but decided to switch to takeout/delivery in light of the pandemic. Previously, he had been the chef of Jollyville-adjacent restaurant Thai Lada and the general manager of local Thai mini-chain Madam Mam’s. There are pickup orders out of the Cloud Kitchen address via phone calls, as well as deliveries through numerous third-party apps (Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub, Postmaes, ChowNow, and Chowbus).
Austin Food Grant Winners
The Austin Food & Wine Alliance announced the winners of its annual grant program this week. The awardees include:
- Nutrition consulting and education business To Taste, which will use the grant to run cooking classes for homeless mothers
- Meal support organization Free Lunch, which will use the money to start an edible garden
- Texas small-batch winery Wine for the People, which will use the funds to enhance its just-opened Hill Country tasting room and run its women winemaker apprenticeship program
- Farmers market stand Tamale Addiction, which will funnel the money into creating tamale meal kits
- Forthcoming food truck Distant Relatives, which will use the money to build out a smoker enclosure
- Local chocolatier Madhu Chocolate, which will implement the money for new chocolate-making equipment
- Vegan pizza truck Li’l Nonna’s which will use the grant for its already-opened physical restaurant with vegan ice cream shop Sweet Ritual, Big Nonna’s, as well as fund a wholesale program
Honorable mentions (which didn’t receive any grants) are San Antonio-based bakery Comadre Panadería, food and farm nonprofit Wholesome Generation, and downtown Mexican restaurant Comedor’s running club. In total, the nonprofit is giving away $30,500.
Austin Airport Beer
North Burnet brewery Austin Beerworks opened a sort-of outpost in the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in early January. The bar isn’t run by the brewery actually, instead it’s operated by airport food service company HMSHost (which also operates the airport locations of 24 Diner and Parkside, among others; other Austin airport concessions are run by Delaware North). Beerdrop features four year-round drafts (Pearl Snap, Flavor Country, Fire Eagle, Amber Vision), one seasonal draft (the Sputnik), and three year-round cans (Peacemaker, Sun Shovel, and Bloodwork Orange), plus taps from other breweries. The bar is able to pour to-go cups too. It’s found within the Austin City Kitchen next to gate 12.
Service Industry-Related SXSW Panel
South by Southwest announced additional programming for its 2021 virtual festival. This includes a panel discussing taking care of the health and mental wellness of restaurant employees. The Leading Safely + Motivating Emphatically panel features North Carolina chef Katie Button; Andy Chabot, the vice president of food and beverage of Tennessee hotel/restaurant Blackberry Farm; and chef Marcus Samuelson.
All-Hours Tacos Come to West Campus
New “millennial-friendly” Austin hotel Moxy opened in West Campus this month, as of January 13 on 2552 Guadalupe Street. It features one restaurant — 24/7 walk-up window spot Zombie Taco — and a lobby bar — Bar Moxy. The restaurant includes a counter and walk-up window open all day and night. The menu features tacos, burritos, and taquitos. To-go orders can be placed in person, over the phone, and online, with delivery via Uber Eats to come soon. This is Zombie’s third location, following restaurants in Chicago and Louisville. The bar, which also functions as the check-in desk, features indoor and outdoor space.
Austin Festival Beneficiary Announcement
Hot Luck Festival, the food and music festival heralded by pitmaster Aaron Franklin, Mohawk owner James Moody, and Feast Portland co-founder Mike Thelin, will now benefit service industry nonprofit the Southern Smoke Foundation, run by Houston chef Chris Shepherd. To kick off this new partnership, the festival and founding partner Yeti will donate money to the nonprofit, but the amount hasn’t been disclosed. Hot Luck had postponed its 2020 event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a rep said that there is a plan for festival to “return in some form” this year.
Cookie Anniversary
Austin online cookie bakery Wunderkeks is celebrating its second anniversary with a café con leche cookie created with local roastery Talisman Coffee. The cookie is made with ground espresso and condensed milk, available via online orders.
Austin Company Funding
Nonprofit Beam announced it was investing $300,000 in several women-founded Texas companies this month as part of its Beam Angel Network. This includes Austin-based açaí bowl spot Blender and Bowls’s line of frozen package goods.