Home > Forklore > Archives > 2008 > December > 15
Monday, December 15, 2008
The hosts of Christmas present
(Mighty Fine Burgers is sponsoring an exhibit at the Trail of Lights to feed your spirit this year. On Christmas Eve, they’re open to feed your body until 3 p.m. Photo by Mike Sutter.)
Following up on an earlier post about restaurants that will be open on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, here are some more options. If your restaurant is open Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, post a comment below and let Forklore readers in on it.
OPEN CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY
Chon Som Thai & Sushi Bar
2013 Wells Branch Parkway, Suite 109. 989-5559, www.chonsom.com.
Open 4 to 9 p.m. Christmas Eve, noon to 9 p.m. Christmas Day.
Asian food and a movie part of your Christmas Day tradition? You’re in luck.
El Chilito Tacos y Cafe
2209 Manor Road. 382-3797, www.elchilito.com.
Open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
A casual stop on Manor Road’s restaurant row for soft tacos filled with cochinita pibil, puffy tacos with picadillo and coffees to warm the spirit.
SWB
208 Barton Springs Road (at the Hyatt Regency Austin). 480-2035, www.austin.hyatt.austin.
Open 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Christmas Eve, 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a Christmas Day buffet.
The Christmas Day Buffet at the new Southwestern bistro at the Hyatt will include a dozen antipasto, cheese and salad choices, a seafood station with crab claws and sushi, a carving station with prime rib, pork loin and ham, plus desserts, a glass of champagne and more. $52 for adults, $27 for children 5 to 12. Reservations required.
Threadgill’s
6416 N. Lamar Blvd. 451-5440
301 W. Riverside Drive. 472-9304, www.threadgills.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Home cooking (chicken-fried steak, pecan-crusted chicken, fried catfish, meatloaf), with dozens of vegetable options, including jalapeno cheese grits and San Antonio squash.
Trio at the Four Seasons Hotel
98 San Jacinto Blvd. in the Four Seasons Hotel. 685-8300, www.fourseasons.com.
Call for hours and reservations.
An upscale steakhouse with a dizzying array of chops and seafood dishes, many starting in the low $30s and going into the high $40s. One lower-cost avenue is the $27 braised short ribs, which are out of this world.
OPEN CHRISTMAS EVE, CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY
Blue Star Cafeteria
4800 Burnet Road, C-300. 454-7827, www.bluestarcafeteria.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
Comfort food with a fine-dining pedigree: shrimp cocktail, filling desserts and a decadent pork chop with macaroni and cheese.
Ciola’s
1310 RM 620 S., Lakeway. 263-9936, www.ciolas.com.
This reliable Italian restaurant in Lakeway is hosting dinner on Christmas Eve called “The Feast of the Seven Fishes,” with a four-course seafood menu to celebrate the Italian tradition. The cost is $50 per person (a limited version of the regular menu, plus the kids’ menu, will be available as well). Seating begins at 4 p.m., with the last seating at 8 p.m.
Cool River Cafe
4001 W. Parmer Lane. 835-0000, www.coolrivercafe.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Christmas Eve. Closed Christmas Day.
An enormous space with an equal appetite for a boisterous bar scene and a refined menu with steaks and seafood.
Eddie V’s Edgewater Grille
301 E. Fifth St. 472-1806, www.eddiev.com.
Open 4:30 to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
One of Austin’s strongest seafood restaurants, with a bar scene to match.
El Chile Cafe y Cantina
1809 Manor Road. 457-9900, www.elchilecafe.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
A nuevo-hip clientele packs the place for shrimp and beef fajitas, the chile relleno stuffed with pork and the shrimp in a chipotle barbecue sauce.
Hayashi Modern Japanese Cuisine
1335 E. Whitestone Blvd. 986-7176, www.hayashigrill.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
Cedar Park is becoming a growth corridor for restaurants modest and fancy. This falls into the latter category.
Kenobi Restaurant and Sushi Bar
10000 Research Blvd, Suite 138-A (at the Arboretum). 241-0119, www.kenobiaustin.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
Upscale Asian favorites and sushi in a welcoming embrace of earth tones in the Arboretum.
Lamberts Downtown Barbecue
401 W. Second St. 294-1500, www.lambertsaustin.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5:30 to 11 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
Upscale barbecue in the Second Street District, with desserts that include chocolate friend pie with sour cherry bourbon sauce.
Mighty Fine Burgers
10515 N. MoPac Blvd. (Loop 1), No. 205. 524-2400, www.mightyfineburgers.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
Having been through a few burger-stand Christmas Eve rushes myself, all I can say to the mighty fine Mighty Fine burgermeisters is good luck trying to close at 3 p.m.
North
11506 Century Oaks Terrace, Suite 124 (at the Domain). 339-4400, www.foxrestaurantconcepts.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
The Domain’s Italian presence scores with grilled artichokes, a pizza with gig and proscioutto and short ribs “osso bucco” style.
Roaring Fork
701 Congress Ave. 583-0000, www.eddiev.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
Steaks and drinks beside a fireplace in an upscale rendition of Texas ranch-house chic.
Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q
2451 S. Capital of Texas Highway (Loop 360). 329-5554, www.rudys.com.
Open 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
There’s plenty of country kitsch to go along with the regular sausage, which has a little zing, and the smoked pork loin with its distinct peppery coating.
Santa Rita Tex-Mex Cantina
1206 W. 38th St. 419-7482, www.santaritacantina.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
In addition to its central location in the 26 Doors shopping center, folk-art ambience and patio seating, Santa Rita offers top-notch Mexican food.
34th Street Cafe
1005 W. 34th St., 371-3400, www.34thstreetcafe.com.
Open 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
Executive chef Justin Raiford’s creative and beautifully prepared menu includes duck confit pizza and an exquisite plate with beef tenderloin, a short rib and a deconstructed cauliflower au gratin.
III Forks
111 Lavaca St. 474-1776, www.iiiforks.com.
Open 5 to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day.
The beauty of the prime steaks here is that they arrive on a fully loaded plate. Freedom from a la carte can be a gift in itself.
Wink
1014 North Lamar Blvd., Suite E. 482-8868, www.winkrestaurant.com.
When I spoke to them last week, Wink still had seats available for Christmas Eve. The last seating will be at 8:30 p.m. They change their menu all the time, but you can count on top-quality seafood and American-bistro dishes anytime.
