Open: The Russian House, the long-awaited Russian restaurant at 307 E. Fifth St. from former college basketball players Narrie Anderson and Varda Sulkey. The two became friends while playing for Georgetown, but went their separate ways after graduation. Sulkey and her chef husband, Vladimir Gribkov, who are both from Russia, wanted to open a Russian restaurant in New York City, but Anderson, a Swede living in Austin, suggested they open one in here. Over the summer, they transformed the large space downtown into a restaurant with various themed dining rooms that are filled with Russian knick knacks, dolls, books and art. In addition to extensive menus for lunch, dinner and brunch filled with specialties including shashlik kebabs, caviar, blini, soups and salads, they also offer dozens of infused vodkas and traditional cocktails. 428-5442, russianhouseofaustin.com.

Open: GoodFellows, a gluten-free grab-and-go eatery at 8863 Anderson Mill Road specializing in prepared meals and ingredients, including seven gluten-free flour blends that are milled in house, that are suitable for people who cannot or choose not to eat gluten. Owners Greg and Janine Ray, who also sell wholesale to other restaurants that are looking to expand their own gluten-free offerings and rent out their gluten-free commercial kitchen to other business owners, are hosting a free grand opening tasting party from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 2. 351-9294, GoodFellowsFoods.com

Opening today: Pinthouse Pizza, a brewpub at 4729 Burnet Road that will be open for both lunch and dinner and will serve more than a dozen pizzas and an array of beers brewed in house, including the Man o’ War IPA and the Iron Genny Pale Ale. You can get a feel for what went into the restaurant by watching a video with co-owners, including Ryan Van Biene, at facebook.com/PinthousePizza.

Opening Oct. 31: Gourdough’s Public House, the brick-and-mortar restaurant at 2700 S. Lamar Blvd. from the folks who run the doughnut trailer on South First Street, will open on Wednesday, with both sweet and savory menu items. 912-1070, gourdoughspub.com.

Opening Oct. 31: Restaurant Jezebel, the fine dining restaurant from Parind Vora, whose original location on Congress Avenue burned down in 2010. The new Jezebel, at 800 W. Sixth St. next to Vora’s newly opened Bar Mirabeau, will serve only prix fixe dinners, in four and seven courses ($85 to $125, respectively). Chef de cuisine Bill McGrory, formerly of Taste, will join Vora in the kitchen. Reservations are recommended, and Vora has also instituted a policy that requires men to wear jackets for dinner service. 436-9643. The restaurant’s website, restaurantjezebel.com, was under construction at press time, so visit facebook.com/JezebelAustin for details.

Moving: Food trailers Collie’s Burgers and Honky Tonk Hot Dogs are moving to 415 Jessie St. after getting the boot from their South Lamar Boulevard location.

Closed: Mesa Ranch on Mesa Drive in Northwest Hills has closed.

Chef changes: Jeff Martinez, the founding chef of El Chile Café y Cantina on Manor Road, has returned to the culinary helm of the restaurant. Richard Lee has joined the staff at Kenichi, 419 Colorado St., as executive chef. Lee will teach a hands-on sushi and cooking class at the Silver Whisk Cooking School, 1501 RM 620 North in Lakeway, from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday. Tickets ($79) and information at silverwhiskcooking.com.

UPCOMING FOOD AND WINE EVENTS

• Candlelight Ranch, a nonprofit on North Lake Travis for kids with special needs, is hosting its fourth annual Dress by Candlelight fundraiser gala from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday at Saks Fifth Avenue at the Arboretum, 9722 Great Hills Trail. Tickets ($75, $125 for VIP) and information are available at candlelightranch.org.
• Wine & Swine, the pig roast fundraiser from the Austin Food & Wine Alliance that nearly sold out in its debut last year, is back, this time from 1 to 5 p.m. Nov. 4 at Pioneer Farms, the living history park and museum in Northeast Austin. A dozen chefs, including Josh Watkins of the Carillon, Alma Alcocer-Thomas of El Alma, Noble Pig’s John Bates, Jason Dady of Bin 555 in San Antonio, Andrew Wiseheart of Contigo and Rebecca Rather, who is opening a new restaurant called the Pink Pig near Fredericksburg in coming weeks, will each prepare whole Berkshire pigs, which will be served alongside wines, beers and cocktails. Live music from Warren Hood and the Goods. Tickets cost $75 online ahead of the event at AustinFoodWineAlliance.org and $95 at the door.
• Halloween festivities abound, but East Side Show Room’s Paul Hargrove has something especially wicked up his sleeve. From 5 to 7 p.m. Friday through Wednesday, he’ll be offering a special $25 happy hour offal tasting menu that will feature brains, cheeks, tongue, heart and feet from various animals. For menu details, or information about the restaurant’s Hollywood-themed Halloween bash, go to eastsideshowroom.com.
• Judges’ Hill Restaurant, 1900 Rio Grande, is hosting the second annual Haunted Mansion Ball from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday to raise money for the Sustainable Food Center’s new building in East Austin. Tickets ($60) and information at sustainablefoodcenter.org.
• Urban an American Grill, the restaurant inside the Westin at the Domain, is hosting three-course Farm to Urban dinners every Thursday night to highlight produce and meats coming in from local farms and ranches. The menus for the dinners, which cost $30 a person, will change every week. For details, go to urbanatthedomain.com.