Bubble House Brings Boozy Boba to Two Austin Restaurants

Boozy Boba Pop-Up
A boozy boba pop-up is taking over two Austin restaurants in Januar and February, led by Bubble House, from local mini-chain Bao’d Up. The first boba cocktail pop-up will take place at the North Shoal Creek location of District Kitchen from Friday to Sunday, January 29 to 31, and then at Cherrywood Tex-Mex restaurant El Chile from Friday to Sunday, February 5 to 7. Each restaurant will feature a different menu, and hours vary per location and day. District’s includes the Gin & Jammin’, a gin and passionfruit jam drink with strawberry boba; the Midnight in Taipei, a black tea with rye whiskey, oolong bitters, tapioca soaked in amaro, and brown sugar jellies soaked in cherry syrup; and the Tea-Key, a green tea with mezcal, green tea bitters, coconut jellies infused with cachaca, and lychee bobas. El Chile’s got an array of margaritas with either coconut jellies or mango bobas. The boba cocktails at District Kitchen are only available for on-site services; El Chile’s will be available for dine-in and takeout.

Austin’s Community Fridge Project Expands
The ATX Free Fridge Project installed its third fridge down in the Dove Springs neighborhood at 6710 Ripple Run this week. This fridge — like the other two at Nixta Taqueria on East 12th and East Second Street in East Austin — is open 24/7 for people who need to grab food and essential items, as well as people who are dropping off those goods. Artist Carmen Rangel will deck out the fridge soon.

New Shoe & Shirt Benefit for Austin Music District
Austin nonprofit Red River Cultural District has a new shoe and T-shirt courtesy of skateboarding shoe and apparel company Vans. The customized footwear ($90) and shirt ($30) feature the organization’s logos. All net proceeds will go to the nonprofit, which will use the money for its emergency relief fund Banding Together ATX. The items are part of Van’s wider initiative, supporting small businesses across the country.

Eater Tracking
Looks like McGuire Moorman Hospitalty’s upcoming downtown Austin pizzeria, Favorite’s Pizza, will focus on what it is calling Connecticut coal-fired-style pizza, according to a job listing for an executive pastry chef for the restaurant on Indeed. The shop, which took over the liquor shop of th same name, will also sell sandwiches and beer. It’s accompanying forthcoming Italian-American restaurant Sammie’s, which is taking over the former Hut’s Hamburger space on West Sixth starting sometime this year.

Austin Restaurants Continue to Feed Students and Caregivers
The Austin Independent School District and Austin Ed Fund, with its restaurant partners, such as Good Works Austin places, will continue to provide meals to students and caregivers through September 2021.

Austin Music Venue, Revived
South Austin music venue and bar One-2-One is under new ownership, as reported by Austin 360. Taking over from previous co-owners Gregg Ware and Destinee Ware is Oak Hill sports bar FlipSide owner Flip Lockhoof. Ware had put the bar up for sale over the summer. The bar will reopen on Friday, February 12 with a food menu as well.

New To-Go Cocktails
South Congress Hotel bar Watertrade reopened as of January 20 for indoor dining and takeout services. The latter features 375-mililiter drinks ranging from the Goma (a whiskey with sesame and vanilla) and the Bartender’s Hand-Off (a mezcal drink concocted with musician Mobley) or the bartender’s choice (dubbed the Cocktail Omakase, where people can choose their flavor profiles); sake sets, and even caviar service. To-go orders can be placed online.

Barbecue Desserts Specials
Austin barbecue truck LeRoy & Lewis is dedicated this week to sweets, featuring a different special each day starting today through Sunday, January 3, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Items include the maple-bacon gooey-cake today, a peanut butter and jelly cookie sandwich tomorrow, and a beet-red velvet brownie on Saturday. Pickup orders can be placed online or in person.

New Patio
Southwestern chain Z’Tejas opened a new patio up in the Arboretum. The Z’ecret Garden, which features outdoor seating naturally as well as fire pits, opened as of January 23.