Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Restaurant Week in Austin, TX!


Dine your way around Austin’s top restaurants for LESS while supporting the Sustainable Food Center during Austin Restaurant Week. This fall’s event brings over 60 A-list restaurants serving up stellar three-course dinners from $25 to $35 and some offering lunches for $10 to $15. Presented by RISE, Austin Restaurant Week will run from September 19th through the 22nd and September 26th through the 29th.


The original restaurant week, co-founded in 1992 by Tim Zagat of the Zagat guide, started in New York City to accommodate 15,000 reporters covering the Democratic National Convention. Austin Restaurant Week was founded by RARE Magazine and Taylor Perkins, the Executive Director of Austin Restaurant Week, to celebrate Austin’s unique and amazing culinary fare and strengthen the relationships between Austin restaurants and it’s local non-profits. Austin Restaurant Week is an exciting event for everyone in the city, offering budget-conscious foodies the opportunity to dine at lavish restaurants at discounted prices. Charities win by receiving a portion of the proceeds.

The Sustainable Food Center is Austin’s beneficiary, a local organization that builds a healthy community by strengthening the local food system and improving access to nutritious, affordable food.

Taylor Perkins, Executive Director of Austin Restaurant Week and Publisher of RARE Magazine, has been a driving force behind Austin Restaurant Week. “The restaurant scene is such a large, vibrant part of Austin. Restaurant week spotlights them, recognizes local chefs, and offers everyone an opportunity to get out and visit some amazing spots in the city.” said Perkins. “Whether you’re re-visiting an old favorite or getting out to sample one of the exciting newcomers there is something for everyone’s palate this fall.”

Austin Restaurant Week has quickly grown into a dazzling bi-annual culinary showcase with beloved favorites and new additions, a cross-section of Austin’s vibrant restaurant scene. Fresh faces on the fall lineup include Uchiko, Chef Tyson Cole’s long anticipated project featuring a pan-Asian menu with composed dish­es and sushi.

Neighborhood picks include the addition of Rosedale’s wildly popular La Sombra Bar & Grill offering a variety of Latin American dishes; and East Austin’s recently opened Zandunga Mexican Bistro.

Austin Restaurant Week past favorites include the historic Paggi House, noted as having one of Austin’s best patios, boasting a stunning view of the downtown skyline paired with an equally enticing menu.

Noteworthy chefs like Shawn Circkiel of downtown’s parkside, crowned one of the “Hot 10 New American Taverns” by Bon Appétit, and Josh Watkins of The Carillon, which recently prompted a four-star rating from the Austin American-Statesman, come back on board with menus that invite and delight every urban diner.

Each restaurant will feature three-course fixed price dinners from $25 to $35 and some will offer three-course lunches for $10 to $15. Select locations will offer gluten-free and vegetarian options, as well as wine pairings. For reservations, a complete list of restaurants and the chance to win gift certificates on Facebook and Twitter, visit www.restaurantweekaustin.com.

About RISE, the Presenting Sponsor:
RISE is a free conference for entrepreneurs of all types, providing a forum where you can connect and exchange ideas that inspire the entrepreneurial spirit. Since its inception, RISE has enjoyed rapid annual growth, fueled by the incredible energy of Austin’s entrepreneurs. In 2009, 1,600 entrepreneurs attended 122 RISE sessions. Venues ranged from Jo’s Coffee and FINO, to the boardrooms of Enspire Learning and GSD&M Idea City, to the classrooms of the Acton School and community spaces like Leadership Austin, Tech Ranch, the Mexican American Cultural Center and Austin’s greenest boardroom at the Lance Armstrong Foundation. RISE serves as a proud symbol of Austin’s collaborative culture and its national reputation for being the entrepreneur’s capital. RISE is a non-profit program of the MPOWER Foundation. It is free and open to the public and is made possible through the generous support of partners and sponsors. http://www.riseaustin.org/

About the Sustainable Food Center:
The Sustainable Food Center cultivates a healthy community by strengthening the local food system and improving access to nutritious, affordable food. SFC envisions a food-secure community where all children and adults grow share and prepare healthy, local food. From seed to table, SFC creates opportunities for individuals to make healthy food choices and to participate in a vibrant local food system. Through organic food gardening, relationships with area farmers, interactive cooking classes and nutrition education, children and adults have increased access to locally grown food and are empowered to improve the long-term health of Central Texans and our environment. http://www.sustainablefoodcenter.org/

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