Food For Black Thought; Esther's Side Bar Opens

EAST SIDE — And the winner of the month-long Papi Tino's Chef Challenge Series is ... Mike Lyons of the Natural Epicurean. He won a six-month contract at the restaurant. [Austin360]

DOWNTOWN — The folks at the Esther's Follie's comedy theater downtown have officially opened their bar to the public. Esther's Side Bar is open extra hours during this weekend's Pecan Street Festival downtown, and regular hours are Fridays and Saturdays from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. [Eaterwire]

CAMPUS — Anyone interested in the many intersections of race and food in public discourse should consider attending the Food For Black Thought symposium tomorrow and Saturday for explorations of "Black experiences with food and the food system, past and present, in Austin and beyond" and how food discussions in academic research, public policy and popular media "involve, impact, and engage Black populations from transdisciplinary and community-based perspectives." [Eaterwire]

Papi Tino's. [Photo: Jarrett C./Yelp]