I always stop by to tell my fellow Southwest Austin folks about new retail and restaurants on our area, and here's another example of our growing neighborhood.
In late summer, Austin diner stalwart Kerbey Lane Cafe will open a new location in the spot on William Cannon formerly occupied by DiMassi's and Village Inn right between 24 Hour Fitness and Costco just West of MoPac.
Outside of the Jim's at The Y, a diner was one thing our community didn't really have close by, so this seems like a great move by the Kerbey Lane owners. I suspect there are already people putting their names on the clipboard for Saturday breakfast.
Kerbey Lane joins a parade of restaurants headed to the exploding William Cannon area: Chuy's, P. Terry's, Torchy's Tacos, Yanagi Sushi, Jersey Mike's Subs, and Cypress Grill are already there, with Mandola's Italian and Five Guys Burgers to follow later this year.
Happy eating, Southwest Austin!
Tom Thornton is a Broker Associate, ABR, CRS, and GRI specializing in Central, Southwest, and East Austin residential properties. His neighborhoods of focus include Tarrytown, Rollingwood, Westlake, West Campus, Hyde Park, Downtown, Mueller, Travis Country, Circle C, Legend Oaks, Village at Western Oaks, Lantana, Loma Vista, Travis Heights, Bouldin Creek, Sherwood Oaks, and Barton Hills. Tom has experience and/or specialty designations for buyer agency, green properties, and investment properties. Contact him at 512.636.0672 or visit tomsellsaustinrealestate.com.
With the rapid growth of communities like Lantana, Travis Country West, Covered Bridge, and Brodie Springs, there's a concurrent retail and dining expansion afoot in Southwest Austin. In our last post, we covered some of the new options on William Cannon. Today, we'll discuss four new(ish) options at the intersection of 290 and Brodie Lane.
Tarka (Indian) - 5207 Brodie Ln, 78745 - (512) 892-2008
From the team that brought you The Clay Pit comes this counter-service, fast casual Indian kitchen located in the former Cosi space. The decor and layout are warm and inviting, but Indian food is the real reason you're here. Thankfully, the spot delivers in an area short on Indian food options. Samosas are delicious but not too heavy, Saag Paneer is creamy and spicy, and the chicken vindaloo is spicy and fresh. Additional options are available for late lunches and dinners. Warning: call ahead from noon to 1pm - it's packed.
CK Thai - 5207 Brodie Ln, 78745 - (512) 892-2744
While Madam Mam's does some pretty good takeout Thai in SW Austin, it's a bit on the heavy and unhealthy side. CK Thai seems like the counterpoint to this - the ingredients are lighter and fresher, somehow, and the prices are just as reasonable. On our initial visit, we ordered a fried rice, a curry, and a vegetable dish to sample the range on offer, and nothing disappointed. Particularly good were the fried rice and the spicy eggplant dishes - watch out for them. Most lunch entrees run in the $7-$10 range.
Mighty Fine Burgers and Fries - 5601 Brodie Ln, 78745 - (512) 735-2800
This new local chain from the owner's of Rudy's takes that BBQ feeder line concept and applies it to burgers, fries, hot dogs, and shakes. Price are on the high side for a burger ($5-6), but the meat is all-natural, with no hormones or preservatives. While the standard size is a whopping 1/2 pound, we prefer the "Jr." that's half that weight. The milkshakes are also delicious if you're feeling particularly indulgent.
Spec's Finer Foods - 4978 Hwy 290, 78737 - (512) 366-8260
I know what you're thinking: it's a liquor store, not a deli. Actually, it's both. Spec's has attracted lunchtime traffic for years with their mix of deli counter items, chips, snacks, and candy, and the same is truw for their Austin locations. We hear great things about the Pastrami and the Reuben.
Anywhere else in SW Austin you'd like to see covered? Anything I've missed? Let me know in the comments.
For your Southwest and Central Austin real estate needs, please visit tomsellsaustinrealestate.com. Tom Thornton is a Broker Associate and Realtor specializing in Central and Southwest Austin residential properties. Tom has been awarded the Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR®) designation (the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation) by the Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council (REBAC) and is a Graduate of the REALTOR® Institute (GRI). He is a graduate of both London Business School (MBA) and Baylor University (BBA).
The explosive population growth in Southwest Austin is proving to be a positive development for many long-time residents. As the population increases, the options for food, shopping, and entertainment continue to multiply in the area. In the last six months, here are a few of the new developments in the William Cannon and MoPac area:
P. Terry's Burger Stand - 4220 W. William Cannon - (512) 358-0380
If you haven't been to P. Terry's, it's a classier spin on a drive-thru burger. The thin burgers are made by hand, and toppings like tomatoes, lettuce, and the optional jalapenos are sourced locally when seasonally possible. They also do hand-cut fries, shakes, and both chicken and veggie burgers. Prices are low, and crowds are likely.
Torchy's Tacos - 4301 W William Cannon - (512) 514-0767
Torchy's is pure Austin - overstuffed, bad-for-you tacos with creative fillings. The consistent winner is the green chile pork taco - the pork is full of flavor and totally messy. Other solid options are the Brushfire (a chicken and mango taco with tear-inducing hot salsa) and the turkey mole special taco. Prices are high for a taco ($3-4/each), but portions are large, so 2 is plenty! They also have a frequent diner card (buy 10, get one free.)
Yanagi Sushi - 4404 W William Cannon Dr - (512) 891-0989
Like so many neighborhood sushi places, this has been hit or miss. But it's a Sushi restaurant on William Cannon and MoPac, which is one more than we had last year! The lunch Bento boxes are a bright spot price-wise, with many options of sushi and a roll for around $12. Fish quality is solid overall but occasionally bland, as we've seen with the tuna and yellowtail on multiple occasions. Service is friendly. For dining in, wine markups are quite high, so you might go with beer instead.
(Coming Soon) Mandola's Market - 4301 W William Cannon - No phone yet
After successful launches in Hyde Park and Bee Cave, Mandola's is hitting the Costco are of Arbor Walk in Spring 2010. The counter-service restaurant will offer pizzas, hoagies, salads, and pastas, along with Italian desserts and select groceries.
If none of these strike you the right way, you could also stop by the pleasant and shiny Lux Bakery and Cafe at 3601 W William Cannon Dr, which isn't brand new, but has great sandwiches and bubble teas at reasonable prices.
I'll return soon with another post about goings-on in other parts in SW Austin.
If you're an Austin, Texas first-time buyer who has questions about the stimulus package tax credit, here are a few basics and resources for finding out more.
FEDERAL HOUSING TAX CREDIT (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) FAQ:
- The $8,000 is a tax credit, not a tax deduction.
- To qualify, you must be a first-time homebuyer or you must have not owned a property for three years.
- To retain the credit, you must maintain ownership of the home for three years after closing.
- To receive the credit, you must close on your property by December 1, 2009.
- There is an income maximum of $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for couples on the credit. Those earning more may be able to receive a portion of the credit, but not the whole thing.
- The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home's price up to a maximum of $8,000.
- Condos and townhomes do qualify for the tax credit!
- The home purchase must be for a primary residence, not an investment property.
- The tax credit is refundable - you do not need to have paid in $8,000 in income tax to get the credit back!
For more information, see the great site http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com to get answers directly from the government about the credit.
I have worked with a number of first-time buyers this year who are taking advantage of this program, and would be pleased to help you if you're trying to find an Austin, TX home. Please call me on 512-636-0672 and let me know you saw this post on ActiveRain!
The agents in my office have been batting around a number of emails about the new City of Austin Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure Ordinance. Our main questions and the answers we've found as of today:
Ultimately, the Audits should prove to be a positive change for Austin home marketing, and should help reduce both energy waste and Austin's net power consumption by educating consumers about cost-effective home energy improvements. Best of luck to everyone!
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Tom Thornton specializes in Central, Downtown, East, + SW Austin homes. His focus neighborhoods include Downtown, Hyde Park, Clarksville, Barton Hills, Tarrytown, Circle C, Lantana, + Travis Heights.
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