Menu melds classic Italian dishes with a Southern touch
I love a good Italian food restaurant so was excited to here of La Volpe's opening. The menu sounds amazing along with craft cocktails to please any palate. Happy Hour info and official press release below. Hope to see you there soon!
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Longtime local restaurateurs Steve and Heather Potts, the owners of the city’s beloved Cedar Door, are bringing a Southern take on Italian to Austin with the opening of La Volpe. At this chic space, located in Austin's Central Business District, executive chef Will Eason blends traditional Italian with ultra-fresh ingredients and Southern flavors. Nestled right next door to the Cedar Door on Brazos Street, La Volpe opened to the public Friday, September 21.
“We have a very talented team and everyone was ready to expand on their cullinary expertise,” said Steve Potts. Leading the new restaurant venture—Executive Chef Eason, sous chef Josh Wilson, pastry chef Amanda Neber, bar manager Kristen “KK” Kleypas. “This is a great opportunity to show what we could do from a different perspective,” said Steve Potts. “La Volpe is all about the food and the experience in a very intimate setting.”
Eason has created a smart, food-forward menu that melds his Southern background with the traditional flavors of Italy. Eason’s culinary career began at Revival Grill in Greensboro, North Carolina, under the tutelage of Chef Robert Pearse, who had lived and trained in Italy. Eason landed his first executive chef position at Poe’s Tavern in Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. He then moved to Austin in 2013 and worked at Second Bar + Kitchen before taking the helm at the Cedar Door in 2014. At La Volpe, Eason is sourcing as much as possible from local purveyors—cheeses from Antonelli’s, microgreens from Bella Verdi Farms, nose to tail pork from Tender Belly, to name a few.
The menu includes starters such as fried baby artichoke with shaved fennel and limoncello crema; an assorted cheese board with honeycomb from Kelley’s Honey Farms; and chicken liver mousse with fried house-made focaccia and pickled carrot; and entrées like white truffle lasagne with porcini mushrooms and nearly 15 sheets of thin handmade pasta; HeartBrand ribeye with Texas cabernet compound butter; and grilled Heluka pork chop with femur jus; and small plates such as charred okra with smoked tomato and mustard green purée; and seared scallop with pork caramel and goat cheese.
Neber graduated from the University of Texas at Austin then attended the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. She has honed her skills in kitchens all over Austin, notably at Olive & June and Foreign & Domestic. For La Volpe, she has put a Southern twist on her desserts, creating interpretations of classics, such as charred corn panna cotta with cinnamon cornbread croutons; lavender and goat cheese semifreddo atop lemon balsamic cake; and sweet tea tiramisù.
The bar—a focal point of the restaurant with its dynamic floor-to-ceiling shelving housing exotic finds and cleverly positioned lighting that emulates the face of a fox (La Volpe means “fox” in Italian)--features Italian and Texas wines, craft beers, and handcrafted cocktails infused with fresh herbs and spices. Vintage Italian ties are showcased in a custom-built frame with the Italian phrase “legare uno su,” which means “tie one on.”
The same level of attention to detail is seen throughout the space, which was designed by Jennifer Long, who also did the interiors of C’ Boys Heart & Soul nightclub in Austin and Otra Vez Cantina in Denver. A film and set designer by trade, Long’s sexy style adds a note of playfulness throughout the restaurant, which features intimate dining nooks, exposed brick and beams, a vintage teardrop chandelier from Italy, and an outdoor courtyard lush with olive trees. The vibe is smart and sophisticated yet local and welcoming.
La Volpe is located at 201 Brazos Street, Building B, in downtown Austin. Dinner is served from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; and from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Happy hour is offered Tuesday through Friday from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with $2 off select cocktails, beer and wine. Sunday brunch is coming soon. For more information about La Volpe, call (512) 501-6713 or go to www.lavolpeaustin.com.
Visit La Volpe on social media:
Facebook: Facebook.com/lavolpeaustin
Instagram: @lavolpeaustin
I love a good Italian food restaurant so was excited to here of La Volpe's opening. The menu sounds amazing along with craft cocktails to please any palate. Happy Hour info and official press release below. Hope to see you there soon!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Longtime local restaurateurs Steve and Heather Potts, the owners of the city’s beloved Cedar Door, are bringing a Southern take on Italian to Austin with the opening of La Volpe. At this chic space, located in Austin's Central Business District, executive chef Will Eason blends traditional Italian with ultra-fresh ingredients and Southern flavors. Nestled right next door to the Cedar Door on Brazos Street, La Volpe opened to the public Friday, September 21.
“We have a very talented team and everyone was ready to expand on their cullinary expertise,” said Steve Potts. Leading the new restaurant venture—Executive Chef Eason, sous chef Josh Wilson, pastry chef Amanda Neber, bar manager Kristen “KK” Kleypas. “This is a great opportunity to show what we could do from a different perspective,” said Steve Potts. “La Volpe is all about the food and the experience in a very intimate setting.”
Eason has created a smart, food-forward menu that melds his Southern background with the traditional flavors of Italy. Eason’s culinary career began at Revival Grill in Greensboro, North Carolina, under the tutelage of Chef Robert Pearse, who had lived and trained in Italy. Eason landed his first executive chef position at Poe’s Tavern in Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. He then moved to Austin in 2013 and worked at Second Bar + Kitchen before taking the helm at the Cedar Door in 2014. At La Volpe, Eason is sourcing as much as possible from local purveyors—cheeses from Antonelli’s, microgreens from Bella Verdi Farms, nose to tail pork from Tender Belly, to name a few.
The menu includes starters such as fried baby artichoke with shaved fennel and limoncello crema; an assorted cheese board with honeycomb from Kelley’s Honey Farms; and chicken liver mousse with fried house-made focaccia and pickled carrot; and entrées like white truffle lasagne with porcini mushrooms and nearly 15 sheets of thin handmade pasta; HeartBrand ribeye with Texas cabernet compound butter; and grilled Heluka pork chop with femur jus; and small plates such as charred okra with smoked tomato and mustard green purée; and seared scallop with pork caramel and goat cheese.
Neber graduated from the University of Texas at Austin then attended the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. She has honed her skills in kitchens all over Austin, notably at Olive & June and Foreign & Domestic. For La Volpe, she has put a Southern twist on her desserts, creating interpretations of classics, such as charred corn panna cotta with cinnamon cornbread croutons; lavender and goat cheese semifreddo atop lemon balsamic cake; and sweet tea tiramisù.
The bar—a focal point of the restaurant with its dynamic floor-to-ceiling shelving housing exotic finds and cleverly positioned lighting that emulates the face of a fox (La Volpe means “fox” in Italian)--features Italian and Texas wines, craft beers, and handcrafted cocktails infused with fresh herbs and spices. Vintage Italian ties are showcased in a custom-built frame with the Italian phrase “legare uno su,” which means “tie one on.”
The same level of attention to detail is seen throughout the space, which was designed by Jennifer Long, who also did the interiors of C’ Boys Heart & Soul nightclub in Austin and Otra Vez Cantina in Denver. A film and set designer by trade, Long’s sexy style adds a note of playfulness throughout the restaurant, which features intimate dining nooks, exposed brick and beams, a vintage teardrop chandelier from Italy, and an outdoor courtyard lush with olive trees. The vibe is smart and sophisticated yet local and welcoming.
La Volpe is located at 201 Brazos Street, Building B, in downtown Austin. Dinner is served from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; and from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Happy hour is offered Tuesday through Friday from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with $2 off select cocktails, beer and wine. Sunday brunch is coming soon. For more information about La Volpe, call (512) 501-6713 or go to www.lavolpeaustin.com.
Visit La Volpe on social media:
Facebook: Facebook.com/lavolpeaustin
Instagram: @lavolpeaustin
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