Food-o-File
Virginia B. Wood has so much news in this week's "Food-o-File" that reading it too fast might give you indigestion. In a good way.
By Virginia B. Wood, Fri., Aug. 9, 2002
FoodHeads
Since 1992, sandwich mavens Chip and Candi Wendt have been stocking grocery store shelves around town with their fresh, handmade sandwiches to the delight of a hungry Austin dining public. Late this spring, the Wendts took the plunge into their very own retail operation, opening FoodHeads (616 W. 34th, 420-8400) in the central city to service catering, takeout, and delivery customers from 7am to 3pm weekdays. In the early mornings, the bill of fare consists of cappuccino, espresso, pastries, and breakfast tacos. As lunchtime looms, you can choose from a staggering array of sandwiches, soups, salads, and side dishes, all made with the finest quality meats, cheeses, and condiments (many of them homemade) on an assortment of breads baked fresh daily by Austin's own New World Bakery. Sandwiches are available hot or cold, in box lunches with chips and cookies, or simply wrapped in butcher paper to eat on the run. So far, we're partial to the Tuna Niçoise, the sirloin steak, and the pork tenderloin sandwiches, but we're headed back to mix and match meats and cheeses with homemade condiments on their fresh focaccia.
Asian Food Update
One of my best news sources is Jason Leavitt's Austin Sushi newsletter, an online publication from his Web site, www.austinsushi.com. In a recent newsletter, I learned that Japanese fast food will soon be available in SoCo. Owners of Zen Japanese Fast Food (2900 W. Anderson Ln. #250, 451-4811) are busy remodeling the old City Tile Company building at 1305 S. Congress (across from Jo's) and hope to be open in September, construction and the city permit process permitting. A call from Zen honcho Adam Weisberg confirmed this info. There were also tidbits about the new Noodle-ism, A Noodle & Tea Shop (107 W. Fifth, 275-9988) tucked in right next door to Kenichi with a less swanky interior and somewhat lower prices, and another new Asian eatery called Mimosa Cafe in the works in the original Good Eats space on Barton Springs Road's restaurant row... From other sources, we've learned that talented Indonesian chef Johannes Muljadi former chef/owner of Java Noodles (2400 E. Oltorf, 443-5282) and the now-defunct Java Grill, has been sighted working in the rotisserie department at Central Market South (4521 Westgate Blvd., 899-4300)... And it seems that pan-Asian chef Ped Phommavong of Ped's Lemongrass Bistro, with one location near Lakeway and another on West Sixth, has disappeared without a trace. The Lakeway restaurant has been taken over by Thai chef/restaurateur Vicky Vicha and is now called Thai Spice (1310 S. RR 620, 263-2221). No word yet on when or by whom the downtown outlet will be reopened, but Ped has definitely left the building.
Upcoming Events
On Sunday, Aug. 11, the Main Street Grill (118 E. Main in Round Rock, 244-7525) will host a $75 per person, four-course wine dinner featuring the wines of Chalone Estates. Reservations are necessary. This afternoon, Thursday, Aug. 8, community leaders and business owners will be picked up at their offices, "booked," and held at Eddie V's downtown (Fifth & San Jacinto, 472-1860), where they will be provided with cell phones to make donation calls to secure their "bail" to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association at the 2002 MDA Telethon Executive Lock-Up. During their "incarceration," jailbirds will feast on oysters on the half shell, Jonah crab claws, jumbo shrimp cocktails, and rock shrimp beignets. Not too shabby.
