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Fried chicken sandwich truck mini-chain Spicy Boys expanded with a new food truck this month. Patty Palace is found at 440 East St Elmo Road within the St. Elmo Brewing Co. brewery space alongside its sibling truck as of September 7. Patty serves a very simple and short menu: there’s the main Palace Burger, a smash burger available with either one or two beef patties, plus cheese, grilled onions, pickles, and mustard. There are also fries, sauce, and a vegan iteration of the burger. Spicy Boys opened in 2019 by now-closed pan-Asian food truck Soursop in early 2019. The team expanded with three additional trucks throughout Austin. Patty Palace’s hours are from 3 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and then from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday. Takeout orders can be placed online.
Ken Paxton loves fast food
It turns out that suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is in the middle of an impeachment trial, is a big fan of fast food chains. Texas Monthly went through the dense impeachment evidence and uncovered that he often would visit or had meetings at chains like Church’s Texas Chicken, Dunkin’, and Panera Bread.
Another national accolade for an Austin restaurant
Eater Austin’s best new neighborhood wine bar winner of 2021 and Chestnut wine restaurant Birdie’s was named as Food & Wine’s restaurant of the year this week. The writeup highlights food like the beef tartare and general vegetable dishes; the fun wine list; and operating a business that prides itself on offering actual work-life balances for co-owners chef Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel and beverage director Arjav Ezekiel and the team such as its paid-time-off policies, tip pool courtesy of its counter-service model, and health insurance This feature is within the same magazine issue naming the country’s best new chefs, which includes Austin’s Edgar Rico of Nixta Taqueria, announced also this week.
Tracking Mexican Independence Day and related events
The downtown location of taco restaurant Vaquero Taquero is hosting a combination Mexican Independence Day and its second anniversary party. There will be lots of live music, plus food and drinks. It takes place on Saturday starting at 7 p.m. with the last band starting at 11:45 p.m.
East Austin restaurant Ma’Coco is offering free mezcal cocktails courtesy of Dos Hombres during brunch service on Saturday, September 16 from 12:30 to 2 p.m.
Far South Austin bar Armadillo Den is hosting the Sazon Latin Food Festival this weekend. On deck will be food vendors serving dishes from the Caribbean, Central American, and South American regions, including Dominican food business Phatty Boy, Brazilian truck Espadas de Brazil, Mexican seafood truck El Marisquero, Puerto Rican truck Del Campo, and Mexican Venezuelan food business Sazon Venemex. There will also be a DJ and family activities. It takes place on Saturday and Sunday, September 16 and 17, from 11 a.m. to 6 .m. each day. Free RSVPs are required.
Tracking other food events
Downtown Austin bar Room 725 within the Fairmont Austin hotel is celebrating its first anniversary by giving guests a free glass of champagne and a gift over the weekend. It’ll be available on Friday and Saturday, September 15 and 16 from 6 to 11 p.m. each day. Reservations are necessary.
Frenchish food truck and downtown food hall stand Austin Rotisserie is offering a collaboration dish with fellow food truck Cuantos Tacos this weekend. The resulting dish is chilaquiles, made with Cuantos’s chips and refried charro beans, Austin Rotisserie’s chicken, and queso fresco, crema, and raw onions. It’s available on Saturday, September 16 at both Cuantos’s Central East Austin location starting at 9 a.m. (with a salsa verde) and Austin Rotisserie’s Fareground location at 11 a.m. (with a salsa verde and a roja salsa).
As part of Austin Mexican restaurant Nixta’s pop-up series as its physical restaurant is in the middle of permittingness, it’ll collaborating with Franklin Barbecue on Sunday, September 17 at 6 p.m.
Round Rock Irish bar and restaurant Cork & Barrel is celebrating both its half-birthday and the fact that it’ll be half-a-year to St. Patrick’s Day in 2024 with a party. There will be special dishes like beer cheese dip, pretzel sticks, hand shepherd’s pies, and vegan smoked sliders; a cornhole tournament, and live Irish music. It takes place on Sunday, September 17 from 3 to 9 p.m.; it’s free to attend with a la carte food and drink purchases.
Bakery pop-up Andrew’s Tiny Bakehouse will happen at Bouldin Creek restaurant Lenoir this weekend. Run by Lenoir chef Andrew Leigh, the menu will include items like milk bread-wrapped hot dogs, along with coffee drinks by Dumm Drinks. It takes place on Saturday and Sunday, September 16 and 17, from 9 a.m. to noon each day.
