Kerbey Lane's back-to-school season specials

Maybe you want to drive to Kirby Lane this morning. That's never a bad idea. We were actually there on Saturday having breakfast. They're getting ready for the back-to-school season with local Pancake Partnerships, AISD students, Created Dishes, and more. I love all of that. Tiara Newbaum's live out at the South Austin location to talk about it. Hey, Tiara. Good morning. Yeah, there's always something going on at Kirby Lane. It's always just a staple in our community. So many locations now that you can come in, enjoy some breakfast, lunch, dinner, whatever it may be. And we've got quite the spread here in some Austin high school culinary students that are joining me. But before we get to their superstar dish, I want to talk with you, Ethan, about back-to-school and what's going on here at Kirby Lane. Yeah, absolutely. So we're really excited about our summer menu and back-to-school especially. It's Tuesday. Kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entree. You get a free kid's meal. And we're just excited to be serving up some pancakes and some fresh meals like the salmon scampi that these guys created. Every Tuesday, kids eat free. So is this all day? How does this work? I mean, it's a good deal. Yeah, absolutely. It's all day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Come in for every meal. Purchase of an adult entree. You get that free kid's meal. And the kids get to enjoy themselves. We know where we're eating on Tuesdays. Okay. And it's been a fun summer here at Kirby Lane. You guys had a competition, local high schoolers making some dishes to potentially get on the menu at Kirby Lane. And we've got Zach and Josiah, Austin high school culinary students that are the winners of this competition. So, Zach, tell me about the competition. How did it work? And then about your dish. So I guess it all started a couple months before like the actual competition itself. They reached out to us and they were like, we're putting this competition together. You know, here are our parameters for a dish and the grand prize is a spot on the Kirby Lane menu. So, you know, we were super excited about that from the get go. That's like, that's awesome. So that is awesome. I mean, that's a big deal to have a menu item on the menu at Kirby Lane. Josiah, what went into coming up with the idea of this dish? How did you guys decide on the salmon scampi and then making it come to life? Finding out like which protein we want to use, finding out like which carbs, which veg and what sauce we want to combine together. We're kind of looking for like gaps in the menu, you know, like places that we could really slot in and fit with the summer theme. Like, you know, there's not a whole lot of pasta on the Kirby Lane menu. There's not always a ton of like different kinds of summer veggies. So like for the summer theme, we were like, let's fill this need, you know. I see the squash. I see the zucchini in there. Great for summer veggies. What else is in the dish there? Yeah, so we got angel hair pasta, you know, during our process where we were in the kitchen every day making it over and over with Chef Hannah's help. We were making changes like slimming down the pasta from like spaghetti to angel hair, adding on more veggies, figuring out how we want this soy glazed salmon to get cooked like in a pan. And, you know, we just had to make little tweaks until we kind of honed in on that perfect recipe for the big day of the competition. So proud of you guys on the day of the competition. What was it like, Josiah? It was amazing to see all the teams from all the schools just like come together to have a competition. It's like see who gets on the menu. And you guys were the winners. Yeah. So cool. What does this mean to you? You said you came to this Kirby Lane growing up and now we're here on Good Day Austin and talking about your dish that's on the menu. I mean, it's amazing. You know, I live right down the street. I've been coming here my whole life. I love Kirby Lane. It's probably one of my favorite restaurants and like it's just a dream come true. Totally. They got our faces on the menu. I got all these people reaching out like, like, oh, this is your dish was awesome. Like it's just like really been amazing. So proud of you guys. That is really, really cool. Why was this such a fun, you know, good fit for Kirby Lane to incorporate our local students into the menu and all that you guys are doing here? Yeah, absolutely. So Kirby Lane is all about community. I mean, our core purpose is to be a place where everyone feels welcome and to include the community and ideas for new dishes. I mean, what's more exciting than that? So for the community to be a part of it, us to be a part of the community, it's just the perfect symbiotic relationship. It's really special. What are some of the other summer specials that we have on the menu here this morning, Ethan? Absolutely. So we have a blueberry mint matcha here. This is actually created by one of our team members. We have our caramel mint mocha, a bone in pork chop, but this is definitely one of my favorites here. Paprika dusted pork chop, chorizo, asadero mashed potatoes with the chipotle cream sauce, oven roasted carrots. We have our famous lemon poppy pancakes on the menu as well as a Kirby queso, can't have a meal without Kirby queso. Of course, it's a staple for us. And then of course our August pancake of the month, the peach cobbler pancake, which the proceeds go to benefit our Kirby kindness beneficiaries. I know this is just good stuff. You guys love what y'all are doing here. Congrats again, guys. Thank you for waking up early to hang out with us on Good Day Austin and share this beautiful spread for breakfast over here at Kirby Lane today, guys. We'll send it back to you in the studio, check back in, in just a bit when we fill up on all this. Yum. I'm so proud of those students too, but I was there, I was telling y'all, and I was asking them, when are the pumpkin pancakes coming? Ah, okay. He's like, soon. Any of them. Did you get an answer? You can't. I'll find out for you. Yeah. You can't go wrong with any of them. True. Those will be a fine starter while we wait for everything else. Thanks, Tiara. Kirby Lane's getting ready for the back-to-school season with local pancake partnerships, AISD student-created dishes, and more. Our new bomb joins us live from South Austin with a closer look. Hey, Tiara. Hey, guys. Good morning. This is kind of the epitome of Kirby Lane, if you ask me. Just the spread of pancakes here, this is what I think about when I think about Kirby Lane. Ethan, we're getting ready for back-to-school. What a great way to celebrate back-to-school, then, with a variety of pancakes here. But what's going on at Kirby Lane? Yeah, so every month we feature a new special. So currently, we're with our Peach Cobbler Pancake. And what's so exciting about our special pancakes is that a portion of the proceeds go straight back into the community with local nonprofits and organization. Right now, we're partnering with the Ronald McDonald House. So if you come in and enjoy a Peach Cobbler Pancake, you also get to support the community, which is a huge, huge thing to do. Can you tell us about the campaign behind this? And this is something that's been near and dear to y'all's heart for a long time. Yeah, absolutely. So we call it Kirby Kindness. Every quarter, we pick a local nonprofit and organization that we can give back to. So with the special pancakes that rotate monthly, guests come in and enjoy one, and they automatically benefit the community. Fantastic. And like you said, the Peach Cobbler, it's so good. We tried a bite of it earlier. It's going back to Ronald McDonald House of Central Texas. Arden, how does this pancake support all of the work that you guys are doing? Yeah, this is so incredible. It really means so much to our families, and we're so grateful. We at the Ronald McDonald House serve families who have a child in the hospital, ill or injured, so that we provide them with everything they need. It really means a lot for us because our families are wrapped with warmth and kindness. We're located in the Mueller neighborhood, right next to the Mueller Kirby Lane. And so Kirby Lane has been so generous to allow us to send families over for lunch and dinner and breakfast and really to enjoy. And so it's really more than just a pancake. It's really a partnership. Absolutely. A really special partnership. How can our community support the Ronald McDonald House of Central Texas? Of course, come to Kirby Lane, enjoy a pancake for a good cause. But what else do you guys need this fall? Yeah, back to school season is so busy for us. We've got families traveling to us from around the country and around the world, even. And so wishlist items are always in need on our website. You know, donations for K-Pods, for individual snacks, for juice boxes, things like that. And then donations to help us power the work, exactly like the ones that Kirby Lane provides from the Pancake of the Month. Absolutely. What else is happening with Ronald McDonald House? I know you guys are expanding. You just opened a new location up at Texas Children's. There's a lot going on. We're renovating our existing house on the Mueller campus to refresh our rooms and add four new rooms there for families to stay. We're working to alleviate our waitlist. There are families who need us every single night. We don't want to say no to a single one of them. And so this expansion is so crucial for our Place Like Home campaign. We're also working to build a brand new building in the Mueller campus, another 38 rooms. So again, just expanding our capacity to care for families in need. We are so lucky to have Ronald McDonald House of Central Texas serving Central Texans and beyond. Okay, we talked with some AISD students earlier. They have a menu item on the Kirby Lane menu, and they were so excited to be on Good Day Austin and to talk about that a little bit. But it's Tuesday, and kids eat free on Tuesday. What else do we need to know? What's happening at Kirby Lane throughout the next couple of months? Yeah, absolutely. So like you said, kids eat free, and that's every Tuesday. As well as if it hits 100 degrees, we got tinnies for the parents. We have handshake and margaritas, take a little bit of the edge off, getting back to school. And then of course, yeah, we just have these great pancakes, all options available. That peach cobbler pancake, just so delicious and ready for everyone to eat. Through August, and what's happening in September? Yeah, so we have this one through August, and then in September, we'll have our peanut butter banana Nutella pancake right there. I mean, put Nutella on anything, it's going to be delicious. We got a little sneak peek of that. And then Kirby Lane, since 1980, you guys have been serving the Austin community. Community is ingrained in all that you guys do. 10 locations. You know, what do these partnerships mean to you guys, and why is this something that's just so important and is really never going to leave? Well, without the community, we wouldn't be here. So getting an opportunity to support the community and give back to them, I mean, that's the mainstay for us. We want to be a place where everyone feels welcome, and that expands beyond our doors, right? So getting to partner with the Ronald McDonald House to benefit the kids, having that kids eat free. I mean, the kids are the future. So it's important that we keep them fed and we support the community. And they get to come eat for free today. Okay. So come on into Kirby Lane. 10 locations around Central Texas. Thank you guys both so much. We'll send it back to you in the studio. Talk about a pancake stack. Look at that. I wouldn't know where to start. I know, right? But you can't go wrong, wherever you start. Thanks, Tiara. Oh, it's so good. Blueberries. Yes. Cinnamon swirl. I like that one. Thanks, Tiara. Kirby Lane's getting ready for back-to-school season with local pancake partnerships, AISD student-created dishes, and more. Tiara Newbaum joins us from South Austin this morning with more on that. In Austin-Staple since 1980. Let's take it back to the roots, Ethan, for somebody not familiar with kind of how Kirby Lane got started and what it hoped to be in our community. Can you tell us about that? Yeah, absolutely. So, like you said, we started in 1980. We've been an Austin original on Kirby Lane, which is where we get our name, right? Started in the house with our owners, David and Patricia, had a dream. And now we are 10 locations across Central Texas. We have great comfort food all day, of course, breakfast for dinner, dinner for breakfast, whatever anybody wants. We have something for everyone. An all-day cafe. You can get whatever you want. Kids eat free on Tuesdays, too, so what else is going on this summer and this fall as we head back to school? Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, it gets hot here in Texas. So, if it hits 100 degrees, we're actually offering a promotion for Dollar Teenies or Handshaken Margaritas. I have our Watermelon Splash Teenie right there, which is totally a fan favorite, refreshing with a little bit of tajin, so a nod to that spice and the heat. But yeah, it pairs perfectly with any of our items, like our classic Eggs Francisco, our Chicken and Pancakes, our Paris, Texas, and it wouldn't be Austin if we weren't featuring Miga, so we definitely have those on the table. And it wouldn't be Kirby Lane if we weren't eating some Kirby Queso. This is a staple. So, yeah, how has this restaurant evolved over the years and what have been those menu items that will never leave? Yeah, so, I mean, Kirby has evolved to just something for everyone. We're a place where everyone wants to feel welcome, and we have stayed tried and true to that. So, we try to offer something for everyone of all dietary needs, gluten-free, vegan, if you just prefer something lighter, heavier, soul food, whatever, we got you. And some of those that have stood the test of time are like our Eggs Francisco, actually created by a team member named Francisco. It's an open-faced English muffin, scrambled eggs, sliced tomato, avocado, crispy bacon, and then, of course, our signature queso right on top. Our Chicken and Pancakes, which is a play on chicken and waffles for us, has a buttermilk crispy fried chicken, cinnamon swirl, hashtag pancake, so it gives that illusion of waffles, topped with a maple buffalo sauce, it's the perfect meeting of sweet and savory. We heard from some of the Austin ISD students that created a dish, it's now on the menu, you guys had a big competition, but that's just one example of how ingrained you guys are within this community, putting some students' dish on the menu, giving back to our community each month. Why is community so important, and what are you guys doing in August to give back? Well, in August, we are featuring our special pancake, it's a peach cobbler pancake, which benefits the Ronald McDonald House directly, so if guests come in, they enjoy a peach cobbler pancake, they also get to support a local non-profit through our Kirby kindness. And that's a huge part of the community right there, we wouldn't be Austin without the community, and so it's important that we give back to them. Kids eat free on Tuesdays, is that all day, they can show up at any location, what else do we need to know? Yeah, all day, any location, breakfast, lunch, dinner, hang out with us for all three meals, and hey, your kids are eating free, it's awesome. And if the temp hits 100, which it feels like every day, teeny's are $1, I didn't even know you guys had alcohol here, so people can come in and enjoy an adult beverage alongside their dinner. Yeah, absolutely, we have plenty of hand-shaken cocktails, as well as mimosas, and those teeny's, the dollar teeny, watermelon teeny, or hand-shaken margarita, if it hits 100 degrees, I mean, you're gonna cool off right here with us, right? Absolutely, 10 locations since 1980, this has been a staple in our community, Ethan, thank you so much.