Bread (and ceviche bar): Pullman Market at The Pearl
I love these loaves. Owned by Austin’s Emmer & Rye Hospitality, the bread at this San Antonio culinary playground is baked fresh daily using local and heritage grains and includes varieties like Forbidden Rice, Onion Caraway, Honeyed Oak and Hopi Blue…While you’re there, don’t miss the Ceviche Bar where they recently added Seremoni Grade fish to the mix, which is caught using a low-stress method and humanely harvested. It makes a difference - it’s delicious.
New restaurant: Siti
The Frances Modern Inn is now home to Siti, the honorable Malaysian word for "lady," a nod to owner Chef Laila Bazahm’s childhood in the kitchen, spending her days cooking with her mother, grandmother, sister, and eight aunts. Bazahm’s second Austin restaurant (her first is Spanish restaurant El Raval!) is Southeast Asian cuisine honoring the food of her Filipino heritage and her time working and living in Singapore. It features dishes the chef grew up eating, but couldn't find locally in Austin. https://www.sitiatx.com/
Grocery store find: Mimi Cheng’s Dumplings
The New York City favorite is now available in Austin! Taiwanese dumpling shop Mimi Cheng’s has had a cult following at its East Village restaurant for the better part of a decade. Due to popular demand, they’ve packaged their delectable dumplings and three varieties are now available in the freezer section of Whole Foods nationwide - Chicken Parmesan, Heritage Pork and Chicken, Bok Choy and Zucchini https://mimichengs.com/
Look forward to: Kappo Kappo
An intimate dining experience created in collaboration with designer Kelly Wearstler and twin chefs Haru and Gohei Kishi that opens at the Austin Proper Hotel this fall. There will be 25 seats, including a 15-seat chef’s counter for an 11-course tasting experience (including eight savory and three dessert courses) that blend the refined discipline of Japanese kappo cuisine with the expressive artistry of French technique.
Private chef: Leave it to Kievit
Leave It to Kievit, helmed by Chef Danny Kievit, mixes culinary talent, bold creativity and warm hospitality to create a winning recipe for one-of-a-kind private chef experiences. Whether a hosted happy hour with a 10-foot charcuterie board or an elegant multi-course meal, he creates meaningful experiences in intimate settings designed to delight and impress. Find him at https://www.leaveittokievit.com/