From Dallas With Love: 2 New Hot Spots Expand In Austin

AUSTIN, TEXAS — As Austin grows, so do the number of restaurants and cocktail bars opening to accommodate an ever-expanding influx of new residents. This week, a pair of high-profile restaurant openings provided testimonial to this trend.

At The Domain, True Food Kitchen’s highly anticipated second Austin location officially opened on Wednesday. The award-winning, seasonally inspired restaurant co-founded by integrative medicine expert Dr. Andrew Weil joins the rapidly growing retail district with a vibrant space, seasonal menu and new fast-casual extension of the brand, TRUE to Go, officials said in a press advisory.

And in the popular Rainey Street entertainment corridor, The Tipsy Alchemist is posed to open its doors. Located on the second level of 70 Rainey, the elevated cocktail bar will offer Austinites the same popular cocktail menu from the Dallas location, in addition to a more casual patio setting with an outdoor stage for local music acts and an extended menu complete with local craft beer and a selection of shareable cocktails.

True Food Kitchen provided Patch with menu details:

THE MENU: QUALITY, CREATIVE INGREDIENTS

"True Food Kitchen is rooted in the philosophy that delicious dining and conscious nutrition can go hand in hand without sacrificing flavor, creativity or indulgence," restaurant officials described. "Its healthful, flavor-forward menu rotates regularly to showcase the freshest, in-season produce and nutrient-dense ingredients."

Guests are invited to enjoy lunch, brunch, dinner and cocktails, with signature dishes that include the Organic Tuscan Kale Salad, Inside Out Quinoa Burger, Spaghetti Squash Casserole, and flavorful bowls like theAncient Grains and Cashew Pad Thai. Following your meal, guests can enjoy antioxidant-packed desserts such as the Flourless Chocolate Cake and Chia Seed Pudding. For brunch, favorites include theSmashed Avocado Toast, a Vegan Chorizo Bowl and Gluten-friendly Banana Pancakes.

Photo courtesy of True Food Kitchen

But wait, there's more: Behind the lively scratch bar is a selection of beer and wine, freshly-pressed juices, organic teas, natural refreshers and cocktails featuring organic and gluten-free spirits. Signature cocktails include the Citrus Skinny Margarita and Forbidden Root Martini.

Photo courtesy of True Food Kitchen

Officials said The Domain restaurant is the first location to launch TRUE to Go, the dedicated fast-casual extension of the brand, with a custom menu that features an all-new lineup of warm bowls, signature salads, daily rotating soups and more – all made from scratch in the chef-led kitchen daily. The menu also features refreshing beverages that rotate daily – from organic teas to infused lemonades and limeades made in-house daily using fresh picks of the season and natural, flavorful ingredients.

"TRUE to Go was created to fulfill the brand’s mission to make healthful, delicious food available to everyone," restaurant officials said. "The new space is perfect for any guest looking for a convenient, quicker way to enjoy a better way of eating, on the go."

The design of the place reflects its healthful offerings. True Food Kitchen at The Domain is housed in a 6,112 square-foot, eco-friendly space with an exhibition kitchen and lively dining room designed with natural woods, greenery and vibrant, hand painted murals by local artist Andrew Manning. Situated behind the bar and next to the patio is an intimate private dining room with enough seating for up to 26 guests, providing the perfect setting for a variety of unique private events or gatherings. Outside, the 1,517 square-foot patio welcomes guests for al fresco dining with garden basins filled with fresh herbs and mural artwork by Austin-based artists Jason Archer and Josh Row.

True Food Kitchen at The Domain is located at 11410 Century Oaks Terrace, Suite 100. Its hours of operation are: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Brunch service on Saturday and Sunday is offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Tipsy Alchemist coming to Rainey Street

At the Rainey Street entertainment corridor, SBBC Hospitium and Austin-based Operating Partner David Nguyen are poised to open a new location of The Tipsy Alchemist this summer, officials told Patch. Located on the second level of 70 Rainey, the elevated cocktail bar will offer Austinites the same popular cocktail menu from the Dallas location in addition to a more casual patio setting with an outdoor stage for local music acts and an extended menu complete with local craft beer and a selection of shareable cocktails.

“When we decided to open The Tipsy Alchemist in Dallas, our mindset was to break the rules, have our own style, and elevate people’s nightlife experience,” Dallas Managing Partner Stephen Underhill Jr. said in a prepared statement. “After two years of support and thinking outside the box, we are finally ready to grow, and I can’t think of a better city to open our second location of The Tipsy Alchemist than Austin."

Officials of the new offering describe an unmatched attention to detail, and the creation of cocktails with a touch of science, art, and technique. The cocktail menu features a diverse list of libations, including The Edison, made with rum that is blended with nitrogen-frozen mint and lime and then served in a light bulb on ice, and The Mad Hatter, which is created with vodka, vermouth, lemon, cucumber, and watermelon and then placed into a pneumatic tube transport system—similar to the pneumatic tubes one used to deposit checks at the bank—which encircles the bar so the cocktail is mixed via transport and then served at the other end of the bar.

It's hard to describe these concoctions with mere words. Here's what the The Edison drink looks like:

Photo courtesy of The Tipsy Alchemist

"Designed by Coeval Space Design and Concepts, The Tipsy Alchemist will bring a fun and energetic atmosphere to the Rainey Street bar scene with lounge seating spread throughout the 2,269 square-foot interior and 3,271 square-foot patio," officials described. "Seating will be comprised of high-tops and modular furniture that is easily moved around to accommodate any type of private event."

The Tipsy Alchemist is located at 70 Rainey, Suite 200. For more information, click here.

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>>> Top image: A rendering of The Alchemist site, courtesy photo