The April Hit List: Lin Asian, Comedor, Distant Relatives, and More

There was a time when fans of Paperboy’s excellent bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich needed to wait in long lines in an empty lot in East Austin to get their hands on one. Now that they’ve upgraded from a food truck to a storefront, things are a little simpler. Grab a sandwich from their takeout window, or have a seat in the dining room or on the rooftop patio. They even serve lunch now, so you can ride the Paperboy train all day if you want to.

Dining status: indoor and patio dining; reservations recommended. Takeout available.

Tucked away in a gravel lot next to Leal’s Tire Shop on East 7th is Austin’s newest barbecue food trailer. But don’t expect to find brisket or other Central Texas staples here. Instead, Distant Relatives describes itself a “modern African American smokehouse,” pulling inspiration from the West African diaspora in the United States — more specifically, from the African American barbecue roots of North Carolina and Virginia. So you can expect to find things like burnt-end peas and a sandwich piled high with pulled sugarcane pork and green papaya slaw.

Dining status: Food trailer with tables. Takeout available. More info here.

Jjim brings Austin a new style of Korean barbecue to Lamar Union — one that’s been braised, rather than grilled — in a space that’s played host to a number of restaurants over the years. Guests can choose from a few different proteins for the braised barbecue platters, in sizes ranging from 2 to 4 guests, though we suspect that solo diners with a large appetite likely won’t be turned away. And if you want to add even more excitement to your meal, you can add mozzarella cheese to any of them.

Dining status: Indoor and patio dining; walk-ins only. Takeout available. More info here.

For the past year, Salt & Time’s doors have been closed to diners, with the space instead operating as a marketplace for meats, produce, and pantry staples. But now, for the first time since last March, their patio is open for dine-in. Which means you can finally order that wagyu ribeye to enjoy on a patio other than your own.

Dining status: Patio dining; reservations recommended. Takeout available.

Located in the Hana World Market food court, Salty Cargo describes its food as Hawaiian staples with an Asian twist. Which means you’ll find things like a braised short-rib Loko Moko right alongside deep-fried shrimp heads and a tori katsu sando.

But for the full experience, you’ll want to bring along a friend to try the O’hana Style Fried Fish, a whole fried fish served with rice, lettuce, herbs, kimchi, and a sweet chili sauce. On second thought, you might not even need to bring along a friend.

Dining status: Indoor dining. Takeout available. More info here.

There’s rarely a bad bite at Comedor, and the Interior Mexican-inspired menu here never fails to impress, particularly as we all find ourselves slowly emerging from our sweatpant-laden caves, no longer excited by the notion of fine dining on a La-Z-Boy. Of course, their to-go menu is still available if that’s more your speed, though their famous DIY bone-marrow tacos are unfortunately a dine-in only experience.

Dining status: Indoor and patio dining; reservations recommended. Takeout available.

If you’ve made a visit to JewBoy Burgers at any point since they first opened, there’s a good chance that you left with a giant grin across your face. Not because of the food — although the latke-covered burgers are pretty smile-inducing on their own — but because any encounter with owner Mo Pittle tends to end in laughter and a friendly handshake.

While the handshakes might be on pause for the time being, the excitement and energy of the original space extends into their latest venture with JewBoy Subs — a large restaurant and patio with a full bar and, you guessed it, subs. There are a variety of options, both cold and hot, but the pastrami and the cheesesteak tend to be the first to sell out, which should give you some indication on where to allocate your stomach real estate.

Dining status: Indoor and patio dining. Takeout available. More info here.

Austin’s downtown pintxos bar remains open with a pared-down version of their typical tapas-style offerings, instead focusing on a four-course tasting menu. That just means you’ll be getting more a “greatest hits” experience, Basque cheesecake included. Combine that with their namesake cocktail — a frozen red wine-and-cola mix — some excellent weather, and a beautiful patio, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a better way to spend the evening.

Dining status: indoor and patio dining; call 512-333-0737 for reservations. Takeout available.

This Clarksville spot continues to serve some of the best dim sum in town, with a focus on fresh, local ingredients. It’s also the only place in town that we know of where you can get a giant soup dumpling that requires a straw (or a very brave bare-handed individual) to enjoy.

Dining status: Indoor and patio dining; reservations recommended. Takeout available.

Sure, you’ve been to a BYOB food trailer, but have you been to a BYO Tequila food trailer? Texsueño takes a slightly different approach to Tex-Mex cuisine, with a limited menu that includes enchiladas, crispy tacos, and, of course, margaritas — though you’ll need to bring a bottle of your favorite Tequila along for the full experience. Nearly everything here is made in-trailer, from the margarita mix flavors (there’s three of them) to the corn tortillas prominently featured across the menu.

Dining status: Food trailer with tables. Takeout available. More info here.