Latest news with #LeCalamar
Eater
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
This French Bistro Couldn't Exist Anywhere Else But Austin, Texas
Underdog, a buzzy Korean American wine bar and bottleshop in Bouldin Creek, was a beloved part of the Austin dining scene before its closing in March. But married couple Claudia Lee and Richard Hargreave had other plans for the space. Now, in its place, a new neighborhood restaurant is taking shape. Le Calamar, a French bistro reimagined through a Texas lens, opened on Thursday, May 29, offering a menu that's rooted in classic French cooking techniques and driven by Gulf seafood, Texan produce, and global spices. Leading the kitchen is chef Casey Wall, a North Carolina native who's spent the last decade making waves in the culinary scene. He's worked in kitchens around the world, including New York's Le Cirque and the Spotted Pig under the tutelage of chef April Bloomfield, and, most recently, Australia, where he opened his first restaurant, the now-closed Rockwell and Sons in Melbourne and worked at Bar Liberty and Above Board, which was named one of the World's 50 Best Bars. After 15 years living in Australia and forging a friendship with Hargreave for almost as long, Wall decided to move back to the States. Hargreave pitched Wall on opening a new restaurant with him in Texas, and, following five visits to Austin within 18 months, Wall made the decision to move. 'I just fell in love with this city, what a lot of the chefs are doing here, the produce, the approach to food, and I want to throw my hat in the ring and celebrate that,' Wall says. The timeline to opening Le Calamar has been tight. Hargreave and Wall began talking about collaborating in 2024 and decided on a theme for the restaurant just before the New Year. Underdog closed in March, and Wall moved to Austin just a month later. 'Underdog was a great space and viable, and it was a good restaurant, but it was not something I could execute from my skillset,' Wall says, noting that Underdog was synonymous with Korean American cuisine. After operating the restaurant for a little over a year, both Lee and Hargreave decided that the wine bar 'revealed its true potential as a neighborhood restaurant': 'We knew we needed to wait for the right creative partner to execute the vision,' Lee said in a statement, and after finding Wall, Lee and Hargreave moved forward with the idea but as a full-service restaurant. The team made a 'clean break,' implementing new critereon: French cooking techniques serve as a base, spices are sourced from around the world, seafood procured mostly from dayboat catches from the Gulf, and produce and meat sourced from around Texas to create what Hargreave calls a 'living, breathing menu' with around half of its dishes based on 'whatever's available and whatever we're into right now.' 'It's kind of like if Texas were a region of France, or if a French chef moved here before modern society [made everything accessible],' Wall says. Now, the only remaining nod to Underdog is Le Calamar's name, the French word for 'squid,' which is an allusion to Hargreave's dog (Squid also served as the mascot for Underdog). Dishes at Le Calamar include steaks cooked over charcoal; oysters Charentaise paired with homemade Texas hot links; grilled trout made with an almondine sauce fused with salsa macha; Carolina Gold rice with Gulf shrimp and blue crab; and a Lone Star State take on Baked Alaska, appropriately called Baked Texas, that incorporates pecan, banana, and local honey. Le Calamar plans to eventually roll out lunch, what Hargreave says is a more streamlined version of dinner: think a classic French dip sandwich inspired by some of the team's favorite birria spots. The beverages aim to be just as dynamic, focusing on this Texas French bistro theme. Hargreave uses his sommelier chops to curate Le Calamar's wine list, highlighting varieties from small, independent wineries and growers from France, Mexico, and Texas, many of whom are focused on sustainable practices. A majority of the spirits, he says, come exclusively from Mexico and Texas, with a few from France. Though rooted in French bistro tradition, the space is meant to be versatile and just as well equipped for a multi-course meal as it is for a glass of wine with oysters, Wall explains. The 3,000-square-foot restaurant, which features an intimate dining room and 12-seat bar, has undergone a complete revamp. 'It's more transportive than Underdog,' Hargreave says, noting the transformation of the previously brightly lit space. Inspired by Spaghetti Western movies of the early 1960s, local designer Bruce Curtis of Kissmyart reimagined Le Calamar as dark and moody, with glossy olive walls, stained concrete floors, and a cinematic effect set to a Western-inspired instrumental-only soundtrack. 'It feels very Texan without the 'yeehaw' and longhorns,' says Wall. 'It's familiar, but it's our interpretation of what a Texan restaurant could be.' The restaurant's specific parameters have actually allowed Le Calamar's team more freedom, Wall says. Working with farmers for produce has encouraged them to get inventive with what's available during the season. Working largely with Texan and Mexican businesses for beverages, rather than big brands, helps give voice to smaller distilleries and allows Texas wineries to buy more grapes and take more risks, Hargreave says. Take Le Calamar's nocino, for example — a liqueur traditionally made with green walnuts is reimagined with green pecans for a sip that Hargreave says 'tastes like Texas.' Wall says the approach to Le Calamar has stimulated his 'mental pantry,' a growing knowledge of seasonal produce and a playbook for how to use it. In many ways, Wall says it's a French bistro that could only exist in Texas. 'I think it's going to be a lot of fun,' he says. Trout almondine Le Calamar's preparation of trout almondine, a French classic, best exemplifies the restaurant's approach to food, Wall says. While almondine typically combines brown butter, almonds, parsley, and lemon, Wall makes it a point to make it very Texan, using whatever fish is sourced by dayboats in the Gulf (one day it might be mutton snapper, another day it might be yelloweye snapper), and transforming the almondine into a sauce that incorporates local flavors. Wall clarifies brown butter as the base, then uses a Mexican-style salsa matcha with guajillo chiles, almonds, and cacao nibs for added depth, plus a spike of sherry vinegar. Lemon helps round out the butter-based salsa macha, which is poured over the grilled piece of fish. 'It eats familiar, like almondine and salsa macha, but it's neither,' he says. The chicken wing a la Koffman For many restaurants, chicken wings are some of the easiest items on the menu. Not at Le Calamar. The dish is deceptively simple: Inspired by French chef Pierre Koffman's pig trotter-stuffed chicken mousseline at La Tante Claire in England, Wall debones chicken wings and pipes them with a mousseline made first from a combination of chicken, cream, and egg white, that's later mixed with sweetbreads, onion, and huitlacoche, a corn fungus commonly used in Mexico. Wall then steams the chicken wings in the oven and grills the outer skin with chicken jus, creating a sticky, caramelized exterior. Oysters Charentaise featuring Texas hot links Le Calamar serves a simple and classic French preparation of oyster, pairing ice-cold oysters with hot and spicy sausage. 'It's a play on hot and cold, but also on fatty sausage and that clean, oyster brininess,' he says. The Le Calamar team takes a homemade Texas hotlink, first smoking them on a grill and crisping them over the charcoal before serving them alongside an assortment of raw oysters. That and a glass of wine should be enough to beckon diners in, Wall says, and is an accurate snapshot of what he and Hargreave envision Le Calamar to be. 'We just want it to be that whole gamut of what a restaurant can be, and that dish is really fun,' Wall says. Rissole A classic French bistro dessert gets a Southern touch at Le Calamar. Similar to rice pudding, Wall folds whipped creme fraiche into Harvest Grain Mills rice from Anauhac, Texas (his substitute for his favorite Charleston Gold Rice) to create a light base. He uses local plums to create a preserve, then tops the rissole with crushed pistachios. 'I can see that one lingering on the menu for a while,' Wall says. 'It's a fun little dessert, and very simple.' Baked Texas This Texas spin on the popular dessert, Baked Alaska, uses a pecan dacquoise base made from pecans from Chase Pecan Farm in San Saba, Texas. That's then topped with two domes — the inner dome, honey semifreddo made with honey from Keeper's Harvest in Buda, Texas, and the larger dome, an olive oil parfait made with olive oil from Texas Olive Ranch in Carrizo Springs. Le Calamar is open for dinner from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays and Mondays, from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Thursdays, and from 4 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Daily happy, featuring $10 martinis, $3 St. Elmo Carl's, and a menu of bar snacks and drink specials, is held from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; its late-night happy hour is held from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Thursdays, and 10 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Sign up for our newsletter.
Eater
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
Austin Restaurant Openings You Don't Want to Miss, May 2025
Every month, a new crop of restaurants opens in and around Austin. While everyone loves a good sushi spot, food truck, or outdoor patio, this round-up will give you the high-end spots and the low-end spots that are new to town — be they good, bad, or so bad they're good/so good they're bad. Whether it's a locally owned restaurant or the latest addition of a chain, here's what's happening in the world of restaurant openings in Austin and beyond for the month. Send your openings news to austin@ Le Calamar 1600 South 1st Street, Suite 100, Bouldin Creek Claudia Lee and Richard Hargreave, of the now-closed Underdog, opened Le Calamar, a French bistro with some Texan touches, on Thursday, May 29. North Carolina native and chef Casey Wall joins the duo, bringing years of experience from award-winning restaurants and bars in Australia and New York, where he worked under the tutelage of famed chef April Bloomfield at the Spotted Pig.. The menu at Le Calamar features dishes such as chicken wings à la Koffman, steak tartare with pan de mie, oysters Charentaise paired with spicy Texas hot links, grilled trout cooked in brown butter-based salsa macha, Carolina gold rice with Gulf shrimp and blue crab, and an ever-changing menu of steaks cooked over charcoal. Le Calamar plans to eventually offer lunch, a more streamlined version of dinner, including French dip sandwiches inspired by birria. Citizens 4818 Burnet Road, Rosedale An all-day cafe from Australia arrives in Austin. Citizens, which has U.S. locations in Houston and New York City, breaks into Austin with a lineup of breakfast options worth trying. This location, however, is its first all-day spot, open for lunch and dinner. Breakfast is served until 4 p.m. daily, giving diners the choice of an authentic Australian experience with Vegemite flights and the Big Brekkie plate (two poached eggs, multigrain toast, bacon, chicken sausage, smashed avocado, chorizo baked beans, and hash browns). Diners can also choose Texan-style options like banana bread French toast. In lieu of a lunch menu, Citizens has 'deli' offerings such as a Reuben, tuna salad sandwich, or smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on open-faced rye. Dinner, served starting at 6 p.m., features gastro pub-inspired fare, including vodka sauce chicken Parmesan, fish and chips, and short rib ragu pappardelle. In addition to offering a 50 percent off deal for its first month in business, a heck of an incentive to swing by. Citizens will also offer a wings and wine special on Wednesdays, where wings are $6 and wines by the bottle or glass are half-priced. Taginè Moroccan Cuisine 5011 East Cesar Chavez Street, East Austin It's all about the lamb tagine at this food truck in East Austin, which is the star dish by all metrics. The various tagine meatballs, mouthwatering dajaj chicken, and kebabs, all served with sides of rice, french fries, or eggplant and tomato-filled zaalouk, we want to know everything. Moroccan food in Austin is rare, with under 10 restaurants currently open, so all newcomers to the field are a welcome sight to see. Sami Sumeli Georgian European Restaurant 401 East Whitestone Boulevard, Suite A101, Cedar Park Ever tried Georgian food before? Now's your chance. This new Cedar Park restaurant offers a menu filled with Eastern European cuisine, including Sami's take on kharcho, a rich and fragrant Georgian beef stew mixed with rice, tomatoes, and spices; plus grilled lamb and chicken skewers, and khinkhali or 'oversized'. Dessert is also on the menu, in the form of mini honey cake dumplings filled with fresh berries, eclairs, and syrniki — pancakes made from sweet curd cheese, served with a side of raspberry and sour cream. Soul Seoul Sol 2505 Webberville Road, Webberville The team behind some of Austin's most beloved tacos is back with a completely different food trailer. Located next to its Webberville taco truck, Soul Seoul Sol offers a fusion of Mexican and Korean cuisines. Diners will find short rib bibimbap over fried rice that's loaded with spicy kimchi, pickled cucumbers and crowned with a runny egg; a fried chicken sandwich dipped in Thai chili sauce with a pear slaw; and the Instagramworthy Seoul hamburgesa, which has two smashed wagyu patties, topped with smoked gouda, spicy mayo, charred jalapeños, and pickled slaw. Vida Verde Kitchen 4200 West Braker Lane, Balcones Woods Look for a farm-to-table ethos at this all-day Mexican-American restaurant, featuring ingredients sourced from local farmers and ranchers. Vida Verde is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, starting the day with an array of omelettes, skillets, French toast, and crepes; for lunch and dinner, Vida mixes Mexican, Mediterranean, and American cuisines, offering tacos and fajitas with options like shrimp, steak, chicken tinga, mushrooms, and avocado, plus dishes like Greek salads, flatbreads, baby back ribs, and multiple burgers. It's got a little something for almost everyone. One Bite Dumpling 1901 West William Cannon Drive, Suite #115, South Austin This new Chinese restaurant and dim sum spot opened in South Austin in early May. Expect freshly made soup dumplings, potstickers, and other dim sum favorites, served alongside Asian comfort foods, like noodle soups, stir-fries, chow mein, and more. Knuckle Sandwich Ants Beer Cave, 440 East Street, Elmo Road E-2; the Far Out Lounge, 8504 South Congress Avenue, South Austin Don't let the name intimidate you. This food truck, which opened in late April, prides itself on its 'East Coast deli' and laidback bodega vibes, which means you're bound to get a top-notch sandwich. But since it's located in Austin, Knuckle Sandwich switches things up just a little. The Not Boring Turkey Sammie is stuffed with za'atar-crusted turkey, marinated feta, olive tapenade, sprouts, and a red pepper aioli. With gyro-like touches, the lamb sandwich features slow-roasted lamb, tzatziki, and a beet horseradish slaw. The vegetarian mushroom Reuben made with lion's mane mushroom 'pastrami' seems like a must-try. And it's probably not advisable to leave without at least trying the signature Knuckle Sandwich with mortadella, salami, capicola, peppers, 'shredduce,' Parm crisps, za'atar vinegar, and amba aioli. You can make it out with just a bag of chips, but why not try some of its more adventurous sides or starters, like the spicy melon and burrata or the red pepper pasta salad? Catch it when it sets up shop at Ants Beer Cave from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Monday, or at the Far Out Lounge from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Lotz of BBQ 3400 Comsouth Drive, Southeast Austin Owner Roy Lotz's food trailer was stolen in December 2024 and recovered in Elgin, with lots of damage. Now, he is reopening Lotz of BBQ with a new trailer he purchased thanks to fundraising help from the Austin Deaf Club, of which Lotz is a member. To say thanks, he hosted a community cookout for the club on Saturday, May 17, giving away hundreds of free meals, KVU reported. Now that he's back in action, swing by to try his tacos, sandwiches stuffed with brisket, pulled pork, or Cajun turkey breast, or order up some barbecue by the pound. Elsewhere in West Texas San Peter Taqueria 5322 San Pedro Avenue, San Antonio There's a new food truck in San Antonio, with some well-known faces behind it. Chef-owners Gaby Hinojosa and Charlie Gonzalez (of Panfila Cantina and Tutto Pepe), and Hinojosa's brother-in-law Jake Andrews have opened a taco truck that's slinging killer flautas nestled in beef, coated in crema, and served in paper cups; torta-like lonches tamaulipas that use bread shaped like hot dog buns; asada fries with avocado salsa; and more. Pro-tip: if you bring them a bag of chips, they'll fill it up with meats, onions, and cheese that has a Frito pie vibe to it for $10. Petit Coquin 1012 South Presa Street, San Antonio Empty Stomach hospitality in San Antonio has opened this French bistro, serving a prix fixe dinner on Wednesday through Saturday evenings for $65 per person. The menu changes frequently, but the restaurant's sample dishes include country-style terrines, leeks vinaigrette, and poulet vin jaune. Reservations are recommended as the space only holds 24 seats, but bar seating is reserved for walk-ins. Eggrollin' 2327 North St. Mary's Street, San Antonio The owners of Sari-Sari Filipino Restaurant and Stuffed got together to create this eggroll-focused food truck, where customers can grab fusion eggrolls stuffed with Cuban sandwich filling, chicken Parmesan, gyro, chili hot dogs, and more. For sweets lovers, there's also a Nutella-stuffed version. Roll up. Anacacho Coffee & Cantina 300 East Travis Street, San Antonio The St. Anthony Hotel opened a new coffee bar and cocktail lounge on Friday, May 9. Inspired by the Anacacho Ranch in West Texas, the aptly named Anacacho Coffee & Cantina starts the day with coffee drinks made with beans from San Antonio roaster Pulp Coffee. Java heads can expect a full menu of espresso, cortados, cappuccinos, lattes, and iced beverages, including cold brew, iced lattes, and mochas. Food will also be on offer with San Antonio native and James Beard Semifinalist chef Leo Dabilo, formerly of Stix & Stones, serving Mexican street-style corn, bao buns, and his award-winning Big Red & Barbacoa taco, in which Big Red soda is used in the tortillas. At night, Anacacho switches beverage gears, serving drinks that honor the storied ranch, including an Anacacho Ranch Water, and the Alamo City South Side. Wok Wey 9410 Potranco Road, San Antonio, 78245 Jaime Gonzalez, the chef formerly behind Carriqui in the historic Pearl, recently opened a food truck beside a gas station that serves Cantonese cuisine in the Far Westside. Gonzalez tells MySA that Wok Wey pays homage to his heritage. His mother and great-grandfather are Cantonese, and his father is Hispanic (His grandfather often cooked Chinese food for him growing up). Dishes include Cantonese staples like char siu pork, plus fried chicken, fried rice, spring rolls, and blistered beans – all of which can be enjoyed with Wok Wey's selection of sweet teas and agua frescas. Stagecoach Inn 416 South Main Street, Salado Located between Georgetown and Waco, this historic Inn has reopened its restaurant after closing in June 2023, according to Fox7 Austin. The Stagecoach Inn, which opened 80 years ago, now features a revamped menu courtesy of the folks at Monument Café in Georgetown. Diners can still expect to find the hush puppies that have been on the menu since 1947, along with Southern favorites such as a roasted cauliflower puree served with chimichurri, fried chicken salad with honey mustard dressing, chicken-fried steak and chicken, grilled steelhead trout, and an assortment of sandwiches including a burger, patty melt, and BLT. Sign up for our newsletter.
