Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Ring in the New Year with J. BLACK'S Feel Good Kitchen & Lounge - Austin, Texas




Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Make It a Classy New Year's at Finn & Porter - Austin, Texas

Ring in 2014 at Finn & Porter With An Elegant Dinner on
New Year’s Eve


When New Year’s Eve calls for great taste and a touch of elegance, an evening at Finn & Porter is the place to be in Austin on December 31st. Chef Peter Maffei of Finn & Porter, located in the Hilton Austin downtown, has created a special four-course menu filled with the finest selections from land and sea.

The menu begins with a Chef’s Amuse, provides guest’s choice over the first three courses and ends with a Dessert Sampler (a trio of delectable sweets). Maffei’s menu includes popular dishes such as the Hot Mama sashimi, the Beet Salad with Wateroaks Farm goat cheese and a seven-ounce sirloin filet. The special dinner includes a champagne toast for $85 plus tax and gratuity. Full menu below.  Doors open at 5pm. Reservations are highly recommended by going online at finnandporter.com or by calling 512-682-2885.

Pre-Course Chef’s Amuse

First Course – choice of
Scallop Carpaccio with jalapeno, citrus, Yuzu vinaigrette

Hot Hama – Hamachi, Asian pears, Parmesan flake and shredded coconut with miso vinaigrette and habanero

Beef Cheek Ravioli with Little Neck clam ragout, root vegetable and arugula

Crab Cake with red pepper celery salad, Old Bay hollandaise

Second Course – choice of
Lobster Bisque of poached lobsters, sherry, crème fraiche

Beet Salad with Wateroak Farms goat cheese, pistachios, arugula, beet vinaigrette

Winter Green Salad – locally picked greens, dried cranberries, Shaft blue cheese smoked chestnut dressing

Third Course – choice of
Filet with spinach, chanterelle mushrooms, fingerling potato, foie gras and truffle demi

Glazed Richardson Farms Pork Belly with Asian pear and celery root puree, frisee, tatsoi salad pear vinaigrette

Hamachi with buttered soy broth, daikon, King Trumpet mushrooms, asparagus

Dewberry Farms Chicken with mushroom risotto, roasted heirloom carrots

Dessert
Dessert Sampler: Peanut butter mousse, gingerbread crème brulee and hazelnut bread pudding


Chef’s Tastings & Daily Specials
Finn & Porter offers daily specials, and a sushi happy hour every Monday through Friday from 5 – 7 pm with special drink pricing and half off signature sushi and chef’s tastings. Half-priced bottles of wine on all bottles $100 or less is offered every Friday night.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Whisler's Brewers, Butchers & Bartenders Service Industry Night this Sunday

Whisler’s Hosts a Special Brewers, Butchers & Bartenders Industry Night Featuring Salt & Time Plus a Firkin of ESB from Independence Brewing Co.


Festivities Held the First Sunday of Every Month

Whisler’s, the acclaimed new bar in East Austin, will host a special Brewers, Butchers & Bartenders Service Industry Night this Sunday, December 15th starting at 6pm. Bar owner Scranton Twohey launched what is usually a first Sunday of the month celebration in November to welcome fellow members of Austin’s hospitality industry.  However, Service Industry Night welcomes all industry members’ friends and family to enjoy an evening that includes special drink pricing and guest hosts such as East Austin neighbors, Salt & Time. In addition to a hearty chili and cornbread served by Salt & Time, the Dec. 15th event features a firkin of ESB (Extra Special Bitter) from friends at Independence Brewing Co.

To add more holiday cheer to the December gathering, Austin’s Independence Brewing Co. will serve their seasonal ESB (Extra Special Bitter) for $5 a pint from a Firkin. ESB was formulated to be true to the traditional English style and served from a Firkin, a small wooden barrel or cask.  The term “firkin” is an old English unit of volume equal to around ¼ of a barrel. While the name suggests something very bitter, the beer has bready and toasty caramel malt flavors that balance earthy English hops. The beer will pair well with a hearty chili of wild boar, elk, goat, beef and pork prepared by Salt & Time Butcher Shop and Sulmeria. Chili and cornbread are $5 per bowl.

Whisler’s Service Industry happy hour menu regularly features eight classic cocktail drinks including an Old-Fashioned, Moscow Mule, Bee’s Knees and five other unique drinks for $6. The happy hour menu also includes Goose Island beer for $5 per bottle.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Introducing Kenichi Winter Dessert Menu by Chef Matlock - Austin, Texas


KENICHI Austin, an edgy interpretation on traditional Japanese cuisine, has unveiled its Winter Dessert Menu that will warm patrons' palates and brighten celebrations this holiday season.

Featured items include the Chocolate Fondant with Cinnamon Ice Cream (pictured above) and the Chai Panna Cotta.

Pastry chef, Josh Matlock has sparked new life into the pastry program over the past two years, adding sweet variety to the KENICHI experience. Before joining KENICHI, Chef Matlock worked at Le Saint Julien Restaurant in Singapore and alongside world-renowned Chef and Master Bread Baker Hidefumi Kubota making artisanal bread. In 2008 Josh helped reopen Austin's Paggi House before moving to KENICHI in 2011 as lead pastry chef.

KENICHI Austin
419 Colorado St., Austin, TX 78701
512.320.8883