Lawrence has sent me a long list of restaurant closings (which he promises to blog soon) but he doesn’t give a flying flip at a rolling doughnut about this one. On the other hand, I find the closing of Mother’s Cafe slightly interesting.
I ate at Mother’s a few times with friends who wanted to eat there: at the time, I valued their company more than the food. And I feel sorry for the people who are losing their jobs. But even those friends stopped eating there eventually. It seemed like the food kept going downhill, and as Austin grew, there were other better vegan/vegetarian options popping up.
I’m not alone in that feeling, if this Reddit thread is any indication: the general consensus seems to be that, in addition to the food steadily declining, Mother’s didn’t grow or change with the times. What might have been a great place to go 40 years ago when Austin was a small town got superseded by newer offerings with more variety. Even non-vegan restaurants started offering vegan entrees, while Mother’s (as one poster put it) was stuck in the Moosewood cookbook era.
On the other hand, it does look like you can still get your windows tinted.
No, not Gabbo, Garbo’s.
By way of Austin Eater, we have discovered that Garbo’s is moving into the old Opal Divine’s Marina space (12709 North Mopac Expressway, in the same parking lot as the soon-to-be-defunct Fry’s).
This is great news from our point of view: Garbo’s makes excellent lobster rolls. While we’ve had them from the trucks more than once, we’ve only managed to get into the current sit-down space one time. That space is over in the Wells Branch area, and has actually been the home of many excellent restaurants (including the original location of Gumbo’s). The problem is, that space is just too darn small. With the expansion into the larger old Opal Divine’s space, and especially if they maintain the outdoor seating, this could be a whole lot more fun.
(Side note: you know who else has a really good lobster roll? Shore Raw Bar and Grill. This is an unpaid endorsement.)
That’s what Luby’s is doing.
Luby’s Inc. said Tuesday that it plans to liquidate its businesses and distribute the proceeds to its existing investors.
The Houston-based company had said in June that it was looking to sell its restaurants and assets.
Assets to be included in the proposed sale include Luby’s Cafeterias, Fuddruckers, real estate and the company’s culinary contract services business, it said. The company projects that it would receive between $92 million and $123 million in proceeds from its liquidation operations.
Luby’s said it values its property and equipment at $104 million. It had long-term debt of $57.3 million and obligations on operating leases of $22.7 million.
I missed this last week, but the Luby’s Cafeteria on Brodie Lane is closed.
Good.
Three more restaurants fall victim to the Wuhan coronavirus:
Austin Java will close three locations in Austin and Dripping Springs, including the cafe’s City Hall, Met Center and Dripping Springs locations, according to an Aug. 4 social media announcement that referenced coronavirus as the reason for downsizing.
“It’s been a rough few months for us,” read the post. “We intend to keep serving up your favorite java and eats at our Menchaca location and find some new spots to rebuild post-COVID[-19].”
With the closing of Austin Java’s City Hall location at 301 W. 2nd St., Austin; its Met Center location at 7701 Metropolis Drive, Austin; and its location at 3799 Hwy. 290, Dripping Springs, only the company’s 5404 Menchaca Road location in South Austin remains.
Not to be confused with Cafe Java, which is still open…
Yes, it is a bowling alley. But:
The Dart Bowl Cafe is one of the attractions that has always made Dart Bowl unique and special. Sure, you can get a burger and maybe even a chicken-fried steak at bowling alley diners across Texas, but how many offer enchiladas covered in chile con carne and served with homemade toast?
The cafe, which at times might have an even bigger crowd than the actual bowling alley, helped define Dart Bowl as a one-of-a-kind Austin cultural institution, one that was featured in Richard Linklater’s film “Boyhood” and the TV show “Friday Night Lights,” and its weathered wall features an array of graffiti and autographs from Ethan Hawke, Lance Armstrong and at least one Texas governor.
Never ate there, though.
Well, darn: “It is with a heavy heart that we must announce we have decided to permanently close both of our Austin locations at Four Points and Austin Commons as of today, June 22.”
A shame, as they made a very tasty burger, and have the mad scientist soda fountain machines that are probably frowned on in the current climate.
Most of their Houston locations are still open (though the Sugar Land location is temporarily closed).
Added by Dwight: their breakfasts were pretty good as well. I’d go so far as to say I liked them better as a breakfast sport than a lunch/dinner spot.
Be More Pacific, a Filipino restaurant on Shoal Creek, has shut down.
We never ate there, but we’ve eaten at other restaurant incarnations in that space. Could this be another spot of the damned?
