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Very fun and Eater Austin award-winning pop-up Bad Larry Burger Club is hosting five days of concerts and food pop-ups with local live music events company Resound Presents (the concept of music + food isn’t new to founder Matthew Bolick: he often hosts music and food events). The resulting Weekend at Larry’s includes tons of metal/punk/emo music, good food, and, yes, burgers. There’s a pizza pop-up on Tuesday, November 10; a collaboration with Bad Larry and Zee’s Wiener System on Friday, November 11 (plus, Bolick’s band Mall Walker is performing); a pizza brunch at Hold Out Brewing with Small’s Pizza on Saturday, November 12; a food collaboration with Bad Larry and Suerte/Este’s Fermín Núñez that same Saturday; a burrito collaboration with Nixta Taqueria’s Edgar Rico and Bummer Burrito on Sunday, November 13; and finally a burger collaboration with pop-ups Bad Larry and Le Beef on Monday, November 14.
A very, very, very negative Austin restaurant review
Restaurant website the Infatuation wrote a scathing review of East Austin Italian tasting menu spot Pasta|Bar this week. Editor Raphael Brion (who is a former Eater editor) really, really, really didn’t enjoy his meals at chefs Phillip Frankland Lee and Margarita Kallas-Lee’s restaurant, describing a “rushed” experience, a lack of enough pasta courses despite the name, and ultimately called the meal “unremarkable New American-ish with luxury ingredients, lots of butter, and more than one gritty granita.” The site gave it its lowest rating ever of 4.1 and added the tag of “perfect for: wasting your time and money.”
Best new taco spots in Texas
Texas Monthly put together a list of the best new taquerias in the state. The Austin picks include newly-Eater-38-added North Austin truck slinging Rio Grande Valley fare Con Todo, East Austin taqueria/bar De Nada Cantina, barbacoa-focused relocated East Austin barbacoa truck La Santa Barbacha, far south Austin truck Los Danzantes ATX, new-school taco truck Texsueno, and truck Un Mundo de Sabor.
Celebrity sightings at Austin restaurants
Kathy Valentine and Gina Schock, of the new-wave band the Go-Gos, had a meal at downtown dive Casino El Camino earlier in October.
And then Diplo had dinner at East Austin omakase Toshokan over the weekend. The DJ is in town performing at Austin City Limits Music Festival.
Central Texas brewery medal winners
There were many Central Texas winners at this year’s Great American Beer Festival, which took place earlier in October. This includes gold medals for Lazarus Brewing Co.’s Black Pearl in the herb-and-spice beer category, Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co.’s Industry in the German-style pilsner category, Blanco brewery Real Ale Brewing Co.’s Firemans #4 in the golden/blonde ale category; plus other gold medals, and a bunch of silver and bronze medals, among many others.
San Antonio chain’s Austin opening
San Antonio-based Tex-Mex restaurant chain Las Palapas opened its first Austin location in August, as reported by Community Impact. It’s found in far northwest Austin at 7409 Ranch Road 620 North.
Tracking Austin-area events
Hye winery William Chris Vineyard is hosting two wine dinners this month. The multi-course wine-paired meals take place on Friday, October 14, and then again on Friday, October 21, with doors open at 6 p.m. and dinner starting at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are $150.
South Austin seafood restaurant TLC is hosting an oyster festival this weekend. It takes place on Saturday, October 15 from noon to 5 p.m. There will be oysters, drinks, and live music, an oyster-shucking competition from 3 to 4 p.m. (email info@tlcaustin.com to enter, there’s a $25 entry fee), and then an oyster-eating competition from 4 to 5 p.m. (email with a $50 entry fee). Both contests have cash-pot prizes. There are free RSVPs to attend.
East Austin wine bar LoLo is hosting roaming pop-up Apollo Bagels this weekend. It takes place on Sunday, October 16 with doors at 11 a.m., and bagels at noon. There will be coffee from Little Brother and wines too.
New American restaurant Emmer & Rye is having a wine dinner with Sicilian winery Benanti. The five-course meal includes wine pairings. The reservations are $225 per person, and it takes place on Tuesday, October 18 at 6:30 p.m.
Anniversary art installation
To celebrate Lucky Robot’s 10th anniversary this year, the South Congress Japanese restaurant is a newish pop-up art installation from October 12 through Wednesday, November 16. It features its signature cherry blossoms, along with disco balls and Lucky Robot memorabilia. The restaurant will also offer giveaways and prices during the month.
Austin tortillas in supermarkets
Austin-based restaurant chain Tacodeli is now selling its flour tortillas at Whole Foods Markets. There are packs of 10 available cooked or uncooked.
Pizza-New York City trip contest
Austin restaurants Tony C’s Pizza and Pizza & Beer Garden are letting people win a trip to New York. Entry is done by buying pizza from any of its multiple locations in the Austin area in the month of October. The receipts will include a “golden ticket” QR code for a scannable entry. Each pizza purchase is a single entry. The winners will receive a trip package worth $2,000 with a dinner at the Italian restaurant Lombardi’s, a Broadway show, and an AmEx gift card to cover travel.
