South Austin Birria Taco Truck Changes Name but Still Serves Same Great Menu From Same Address

South Austin food truck La Tunita 512 has reopened after being temporarily closed for just under three months with a new name. Palo Seco 512 (the name of a Mexican city) has reopened as of September 16 in the same address of 2400 Burleson Road, slinging the same menu full of birria tacos and quesadillas. Owner Gerardo Guerrero opened the truck in 2019.

Austin chef recognized nationally

Austin chef Edgar Rico is one on Time’s Time100 Next list, a roundup of what the publication deems as “rising stars” in various sectors around the world. Chef Marcus Samuelsson described the James Beard award-winning best emerging chef as with the kind of “hustle and heart [that] embodies the kind of leader that inspires generations to come.” The Nixta Taqueria chef and co-owner is in the Phenoms section with actor Sydney Sweeney, basketball player Ja Morant, environmentalist Elizabeth Wathuti, and musician Finneas.

Harries get free breakfast tacos

Austin arena Moody Center has been giving out free breakfast tacos from Pueblo Viejo to Harry Styles fans waiting in the morning lines for general admission pit wristbands.

Austin restaurant’s roti is the best in the country

In more “national food publications talking about Canje,” Food & Wine called the Austin Caribbean restaurant’s roti the “best bread order in the country,” describing it as the “most buttery, flaky breads in existence.”

California governor had Texas tacos

During the Texas Tribune Fest last weekend, California Governor Gavin Newsom filmed a segment of Alex Wagner Tonight at Nixta Taqueria, and yes, they had tacos.

Several Central Texas barbecue spots named the best in the country

And then in more “national food publications talking about Central Texas restaurants,” Southern Living published its list of the best 50 barbecue restaurants in the South. This includes Austin’s Tex-Mex barbecue truck Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ (ranked 34), new-school barbecue truck LeRoy & Lewis (number 33), Franklin Barbecue (number six); Lockhart’s Kreuz Market (number 26), and Smitty’s (number 17); Taylor’s Louie Mueller Barbecue (number three); and Lexington’s Snow’s BBQ (number two).

More Austin restaurant awards

Austin Chronicle’s more-focused best of the city: restaurant edition was published. Among the winners were New American wine restaurant Birdie’s as the best new restaurant, New Texan restaurant Odd Duck as the best-established restaurant, and missed restaurant Texas French Bread (which is still closed due to the damaging fire earlier this year). This new awards system replaced the alt-weekly’s previous First Plates awards.

Food editor (and former Eater Austin associate editor) Melanie Haupt also shared her list of her favorite restaurants sans reasons, with Tex-Mex restaurant Eldorado Cafe as number one and newcomer Canje at number two.

San Antonio nonprofit highlighted by national food magazine

Along with its list of the best new restaurants in the country, food publication Bon Appetit highlighted culinary industry people in its Heads of the Table roundups. This year’s group includes San Antonio’s Joel Rivas of mental health and wellness program Heard, which focuses on food and beverage industry people, in “the Listeners” category.

Chicken po’ boy sandwiches alert

Because of predicted turkey shortage due to bird flu this year, Houston-based Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys is now offering a new chicken sandwich, roast chicken and Swiss cheese. This includes its outposts at the Austin airport, H-E-Bs, and Antone’s Nightclub.