Travel and Leisure June 2009 Austin, TX:

Ranch 616

The Burger: Ranch 616 is a South Texas–style diner that skews south of the border. The Chili and Fritos burger is quite the Tex-Mex mix: it’s an eight-ounce beef patty stuffed with crunchy corn chips, homemade chile con carne, pico de gallo, and tomatillo crema. But it’s the Framed Burger that takes the prize. It’s filled daily with different fixings—Maytag blue, cremini mushrooms, jalapeño peppers—on the short-order cook’s whim. And it’s worth stopping by on performance nights for live country by Lucas Hudgins & the First Cousins. This is Austin, after all.

Best Sides: The Texas Gulf Coast crab-and-fish cake and the fried fruit pies with Mexican vanilla ice cream.

Tasting Room

Tito and Ranch 616 present
"The Ring of Fire"
Wednesday, July 8, 4:30 PM-6 PM
Hotel Monteleone, 214 Royal Street, Bonne Carre Room
Free Admission
Sponsored By: Tito's Vodka
Alongside Kevin Williamson, the critically
acclaimed owner of Ranch 616 in Austin, (who won The Official Drink of Austin2008 contest with this recipe) Tito Beveridge (founder of Tito's Handmade Vodka and #1 party ring-leader of Austin) presents the Ring of Fire shot chased by a Lonestar Beer. The Ring of fire is a hallowed out jalapeno with a chili salt rim
and a Tito-Rita inside it. It is a spectacle to build and a real live Austin
ritual to experience. We will decorate our room like it's Ranch 616-The central
symbolizing home of Austin's cultural dé cor complete with wild Texas taxidermy,
santa ria candles, cowboy pop art and live music. (Johnny cash style of course)
Heck, Tito might even play his guitar and grace us with his own songs or at
least we'll make him learn the Ring of Fire song. (Beware!)The Austin Convention
and Visitors Bureau are sending CDs full of Austin's own original music for
everyone and we will be giving out our signature swag, including our very
special Sheriff's star Tito's logo belt buckles designed by rock n roll poster
artist, Austin's infamous Billy Bishop. This room brings you the soul of Austin
from Tito and his Ring of Fire crew!

NEWSMAKERS

Star Bar on West Sixth Street to see

transformation; Gretchen Wilson, Sony part ways.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

ANOTHER STAR IN WEST SIXTH LINEUP

Ranch 616 owner Kevin Williamson wants to put stars back in West Sixth Street's eyes. He recently purchased the Star Bar and plans a thorough redo. "It will be a sort of 1950s Palm Desert bungalow style," Williamson says. "A glass box."

Before a late fall reopening, he'll move the bar to the center of the room and expand and clean up the patio. Williamson will keep the name and the iconic sign, adding a decorative star to the roof. Food from Ranch 616 next door will be available.

After that's completed, Williamson will revive plans for a Western dance club in the empty spot just to Star Bar's west. Called Rattle Inn, it already has been sketched out by designer Joel Mozersky. Asleep at the Wheel's Ray Benson has signed on.

Given Williamson's triplex, the Womack brothers' plans for the Mother Egan's s

pot (next to their renovated Molotov) and Sandra Bullock's growing eatery empire on both sides of the street, West Sixth has become the city's fastest-growing entertainment district.

— Michael Barnes


Ranch 616 featured in the premier issue of Eat & Drink Austin! check out the article at http://www.eatanddrinkaustin.com/3dsum09/pageflip.html