Old Flavors, New Rules
Chinese restaurant Old Thousand dials up the taste with twists on classic combos.
Words by Jessi Devenyns Photos by Eric Morales
When Old Thousand first opened its doors and brought “dope” Chinese food to East 11th Street in 2016, diners were enthralled by the off-beat rhythm that this fusion cuisine demanded of their palates.
With a foundation in Americanized Chinese food, a flair for Texas meat (smoking their own meat in-house), and a strong back beat of 90s hip-hop, the surge in flavor that this establishment brought to the Eastside food scene has grown into a neighborhood fixture where patrons hustle through its doors to the beat of laughter and bass drums.
While Old Thousand won’t serve up generational favorites like sweet and sour chicken, the remixed Chinese-American dishes that are the hallmark of this restaurant continue to strike a chord with diners in Austin. In fact, they recently opened a second location on Burnet Road with an extensive menu of specials that is overseen by Executive Chef Jeff Brown with Sous Chef Brendan Nomura.
However, dialing flavors up to dishes like dumplings and fried rice that are traditionally known for their restraint is a double-edged sword, grins Brendan Nomura. “The very bold flavors make [some] want to return … but the people who love authentic, mom-and-pop restaurants that are very subtle and very Asian, they’ve dragged us a lot,” he explains. However, the three-person team behind this modern Chinese restaurant continues to hold ramped-up nostalgia as their guiding light and pursue off-the-wall flavor combinations, themed dinners, and a bar program imbued with creative flair because, well, they like it.
From naming the restaurant after the Mah-jongg tile with the same number as the establishment’s address to selecting flavors and décor that shanghais the senses from the familiar, the personality of Old Thousand can be encapsulated by the idea of a “rowdy grandma or grandpa,” laughs Brendan. He points to the 1940s-esque dusty pink floral wallpaper and explains that the name Old Thousand, which is Chinese slang for a hustler or a con man, is emblematic of the line between kitsch and elegance that this re-imagined Chinese restaurant straddles. And that’s exactly how they want it to be.
“I’ve kind of felt like we were the, you know, misfits of the block,” says the restaurant’s sous chef Rhys Davis with a wink. “You have fun with it — and no rules.”
Native Knowledge: Keep an eye out for popup feasts around town from Old Thousand’s chefs. Previous events include a Gothic night and a vegan concept called Szechuan Palms.
Contact:
737-222-6637 (Option 1)
1000 East 11th Street & 4805 Burnet Road
oldthousandatx.com
@oldthousandatx
