Austin Way Magazine - GreenGale Publishing - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/461140
2 1 // BUZZWORTHY // PHOTOGRAPHY BY TREY JENKINS (DRINKS); SHUTTERSTOCK (WINE BARRELS); MELISSA SKORPIL (APIS); COURTESY OF CASEY DUNN (CHEF) NEW MICRO-RESTAURANT COUNTER 3 FIVE VII opens this month. The intimate eatery offers 26 seats, all at a counter around the kitchen area, with an upscale selection of three-, fi ve-, and seven-course meals. "We max out at [around] 72 covers per night—that's nice as a chef," says partner Lawrence Kocurek, formerly executive chef of Trace at the W Austin. "We don't have service staff in the traditional sense; we spend time with the guests to explain the food." The daily-rotating menu also incorporates microgreens grown in-house. 315 Congress Ave., Ste. 100; counter3fi vevii.com Power Players THE TEAM THAT RESTORED THE DRISKILL AND BROUGHT CONGRESS TO DOWNTOWN PREPARES TO OPEN BOILER NINE BAR + GRILL IN THE SEAHOLM POWER PLANT. Long a magnet for the majority of the city's tower cranes, the historic Seaholm Power Plant's restoration and redevelop- ment is nearing the finish line for its Boiler Nine Bar + Grill. On track to open in May, the 11,000 -square-foot space will comprise three parts: the basement-level Boiler Room bar, ground-level Boiler Nine restaurant, and rooftop "cocktail garden" Deck Nine, which "has the feel of a beer garden but with a more developed cocktail program," says Jeff Trigger, president of La Corsha Hospitality Group, the organization set to run the new establishment. Executive Chef Jason Stude has been developing all three menus with mentor and partner David Bull. "We're incorpo- rating concepts from the power plant into our menu items," Stude says. The kitchen will focus on wood-fired g rilling—a t ribute to the Power Plant's long-dormant smokestacks. La Corsha is also working on opening a second location of Second Bar + K itchen at The Archer, a 171-room luxury hotel projected to open across from Whole Foods at The Domain in late Summer 2016. Once that project is complete, Trigger says the company will begin developing a new boutique hotel on East Sixth Street. 800 Cesar Chavez St., 512-827-2764; boilernine.com EATING WITH THE CHEF sneak peek drink up Pleasant Storage Room is gone, but fans of its rum drinks and island menu can take heart: The group behind Péché has taken over the space and is going with a similar concept with Isla, which opens in March. "The drinks are meant to capture the lively spirit of rum," says Trey Jenkins, general manager, who is curating the bar program to complement the island menu by Executive Chef John Lichtenberger. The bar puts a personalized spin on classic tiki recipes, incorporating house-made ingredients such as spiced rum and blue curaçao. "We're firm believers that if you have a rum drink in your hand, it should be both fresh and fun." 208 W. Fourth St., Unit C; islaaustin.com Isla's aged-rum Ankle Roller and Captain Kidd cocktails, and the light-rum Blue Hawaii. RUM DIARIES Executive Chef Jason Stude sought inspiration from the power plant's smokestacks for his menu at Boiler Nine. GRAPE EXPECTATIONS This spring The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas toasts to 30 years of its black-tie Rare & Fine Wine Auction, which has raised nearly $2 million for local charities. Benefi ciaries include the Dell Children's Medical Center and scholarships and funding for vineyard research. Winemaker Anne Moller-Racke will host the weekend's kick-off party on April 10 at Franklin BBQ. Saturday's gala features table service and a spirited live auction as bidders fi ght over exceptionally rare vintages to add to their collections. April 11, 5:30 PM, Four Seasons Austin, 98 San Jacinto Blvd.; winefoodfoundation.org SHOW ME THE HONEY Set on the Pedernales River, the newly opened Apis Restaurant and Apiary has the Hill Country buzzing over its world-class comfort food, such as its hamachi (SHOWN ABOVE). Chef-owner Taylor Hall culls honey for many of his dishes from the six-acre property's 20 beehives. 23526 Hwy. 71 West, Spicewood, 512-436-8918; apisrestaurant.com 76 AUSTINWAY.COM TASTE Spotlight