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The Woodland Serves Up Down-Home Lunch

The Woodland Serves Up Down-Home Lunch:
Classic Comfort Food Hits Home with Lunch Patrons

(July 2008) Austin, TX - The Woodland, Austin's chic comfort-food restaurant, is giving hungry diners the perfect opportunity to indulge ­­- and they don't even have to wait until dinnertime. This neighborhood eatery, known for its hearty meatloaf, spicy sloppy joes, freshly grilled Angus beef burgers and unforgettable homemade pies, is now open for lunchtime service.

The decision to open the restaurant during lunch hours was brought on, in part, by customers' requests and neighborhood demand. "We have seen the daytime traffic increase in this neighborhood, and in the 18 months since The Woodland has been open, the demand for lunch offerings has really grown," says Michael Terrazas, owner of The Woodland.

Serving up the classic comfort-food staples that have made the restaurant's dinner menu so popular, Executive Chef Joe Hanus is bringing the same delicious flair to The Woodland's lunch menu, focusing on seasonal flavors and fresh, organic ingredients to create sophisticated dishes that soothe the taste buds and the soul.

"It's comfort food, but we put a classy little spin on it," says Daniel Northcutt, director of operations for The Woodland. "For our new lunch menu, diners will be able to find the same burgers, salads and sandwiches they've come to love on our dinner menu, but we've added a few new dishes that we think will become lunch favorites, too."

The star of The Woodland's new lunch menu is the homemade Meatloaf Sandwich ($9), a variation on the eatery's popular dinner entrée, served with marinara sauce and melted provolone cheese on freshly baked buttermilk bread. Also new for lunch is the Shrimp Po Boy ($10), a whale of a sandwich piled high with lightly breaded and spiced shrimp, lettuce and tomato on a flaky French baguette. All sandwiches are served with a choice of fries, coleslaw or potato salad, though no comfort-food experience would be the same without a side of The Woodland's decadent Beer-battered Onion Rings ($5).

Lunchtime diners looking for lighter fare won't be disappointed in The Woodland's ample salad offerings, including the signature Woodland Salad ($8), a flavorful mix of greens, marinated chick peas, roasted beats, sunflower sprouts, red onion, sunflower seeds, ricotta salada and balsamic vinaigrette - a salad that pairs particularly well with the restaurant's Fresh Lemonade ($2.50) or Ginger Cherry Limeade ($3). And no dedicated foodie will want to miss out on  The Woodland's flawless desserts, including an abundance and varierty of made-fresh-daily pies ($5 per serving) and homemade ice cream sandwiches ($3.50).

Offering a chic but comfortable atmosphere, The Woodland embraces guests in a cozy, cheerful dining room, where a life-sized tree centerpiece and colorfully shingled walls provide a stylish yet unpretentious vibe. The restaurant's ambiance is aided by a flood of soft sunlight through the large front windows, creating a pleasant treehouse effect that lends itself well to The Woodland's comfort-food menu.

The Woodland is located at 1716 S. Congress Ave., and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sundays for brunch and dinner service. For more information about The Woodland, call (512) 441-6800, or  visit www.WoodlandAustin.com.