Austin’s culinary scene offers a number of great international cuisine options, and Komé is just one of the impressive restaurants that are worlds away from traditional Texas barbecue. This stylish eatery’s owners started Komé because they cooked so frequently for other people in their home, and they use the same techniques for home-style Japanese fare in every dish on the menu.

The restaurant’s atmosphere is casual and comfortable, with warm wooden fixtures, a sleek sushi bar and ample accommodations for large parties. There are also intricate examples of craftsmanship throughout the interior. The menu consists of traditional food including sushi rolls, dumplings, meat skewers and grilled fish. Komé also offers sake and Japanese beers. With affordable prices and friendly, knowledgeable service, Komé is a must-try restaurant for Austin area foodies.

Komé closes between lunch and dinner, so check the hours before planning a visit from Elan East.

Komé
4917 Airport Boulevard
Austin, TX 78751
(512) 712-5700
www.kome-austin.com

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/ultrakmi

Young children are curious and creative, two traits that are oftentimes endearing, but ones that can also make it hard to keep them entertained. Let them learn, build, imagine, play, and get creative at Thinkery. This Austin children's museum near Elan East encourages kids to learn and explore.

Families can spend hours at Thinkery checking out the many exhibits on display. At the Innovators' Workshop, guests can take part in engineering and science activities. Venture to the Light Lab so the kids can learn about shadows, color, and light. In the Kitchen Lab, visitors can take part in activities that have to do with science experiments and food prep. The Let's Grow portion of the venue teaches children about motion, balance, and nutrition.

Thinkery also hosts a number of special events. Visit the website to see a list of upcoming events and workshops.

Thinkery
1830 Simond Avenue
Austin, TX 78723
Phone number(512) 469-6200
www.thinkeryaustin.org
www.yelp.com/biz/thinkery-austin

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/pboyd04

Located just a short trip from Elan East, El Sapo Botanas y Burgers is a garage-turned-Tex-Mex burger place. Once the home of a gas station and auto shop, this Austin eatery serves some of the best burgers around, according to guests. Aside from the regular beef patties, the menu features fish, shrimp, chicken, lamb, and pork burgers.

There’s much more on the menu at this restaurant, which is a part of the Carlos Rivero’s El Chile Restaurant Group. Once you're settled in, take a look at the impressive drink selection. The folks behind the bar serve Texas wines — (these pair well with the burgers) — ciders, Texas craft brews, and signature cocktails with a kick.

You can start your meal with chips and guacamole, salsas, and chile con queso. When it's time for the main course, one popular choice is the hearty Angus beef burgers or a super-sized all-beef hot dog. Don't forget to load your dog with chile con carne, pico de gallo, Mexican cheese, fire-roasted jalapenos, and guacamole for extra flavor. For dessert, you can even enjoy a milkshake or an ice cream sundae!

El Sapo Botanas y Burgers
1900 Manor Road
Austin, TX 78702
(512) 366-5154
www.elsapoatx.com/
www.yelp.com/biz/el-sapo-austin

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Steven Depolo