Austin Laotian Truck Finds a New Home in South Austin

Temporarily roaming Laotian truck Sekse Fud Ko (styled Sek-sē•Füd•Kō and pronounced “sexy food co.,” and formerly known as SXSE) has found a new permanent home in Austin. It’s parked at South Austin brewery Vacancy Brewing as of September 1. Founder and chef Bob Somsith will serve both his a la carte menu as well as his chef’s tasting menu, the latter of which will be paired with the brewery’s beers. The truck had been previously parked at North Austin brewery 4th Tap Co-op, but the brewery closed in July due to bankruptcy and high rents. Somsith had operated the truck on a traveling basis for a short while until the Vacancy spot became available.

Austin-area restaurant openings

Gluten-soy-sugar-free restaurant the Well opened a second location in Westlake at 6317 Bee Caves Road, Suite 200 in early August. The menu remains the same, with breakfast, brunch, and lunch dishes like eggs, salads, tacos, and more. Its hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

Asian fusion Austin chain Chi’lantro opened its 10th restaurant this week at 12129 North Farm to Market Road 620, Suite 202 as of September 6.

San Antonio restaurant openings

San Antonio restaurant group Potluck Hospitality opened a new restaurant in San Antonio’s the Pearl district this month. Carriqui debuted at 239 East Grayson Street as of September 2. The menu focuses on South Texas fare, running from seafood, barbacoa, vegetables, and more. Hours are from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, and then from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Potluck is also opening another restaurant in the Pearl later this month, Full Goods Diner, from the people behind Austin restaurant Paperboy.

Texas cookbook

Texas Monthly is publishing a cookbook full of recipes from the state. The Big Texas Cookbook will be released on November 8. The book will feature something from Austin Tex-Mex barbecue truck Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ.

Tracking Austin restaurant events

Former Bon Appetit editor Andy Baraghani is fêting his new cookbook The Book You Want to Be with two of events at Travis Heights hotel restaurant Summer House on Music Lane at the Hotel Magdalena. First, there’s a bookbook signing/meet-and-greet at the Magdalena Bar on Friday, September 9 with snacks and drinks from 6 to 8 p.m. Then there’s a collaborative three-course prix-fixe dinner with Baraghani and Summer House chef Jeff Hundelt on Saturday, September 10, with dishes like scallop crudo and chickpea stew with seafood and fried bread, starting at 6 p.m. Tickets to the first event are $60; tickets to the second are $100; both include signed copies of the book.

Austin Japanese sandwich pop-up

Dallas pop-up Sandoitchi is in the middle of an Austin stint right now, touting its Japanese sandwiches. It started on September 4 at North Austin Japanese restaurant Mikado Ryotei, and runs through Saturday, September 17. Preorders should be placed online, but it’s already sold out for this week. Similarly, Austin has its own Japanese sandwich shop with the opening of Choo Sando in August.

Austin restaurant expansions

Austin Tex-Mex restaurant El Arroyo is going to open a location in New Braunfels, as reported by My San Antonio, sometime by the end of 2023.

Pasta-topped pizza for charity

Austin pizzeria Toss is collaborating with Italian restaurant Asti Trattoria on a charitable pizza topped with pasta. The resulting rigatoni amatriciana pizza comes with pasta and sauce. 10 percent of the pizza sales from the month of September will go towards the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas.