Jul 8, 2026 | 6:18 pm
As Austin’s longest-dominant upscale Italian restaurant, L’Oca d’Oro surely has plenty of regular customers. But longtime customers Tom and Cathy Pham have an outsized impact on the business this summer as the restaurant embraces Southeast Asian flavors in their honor. The Vietnamese and Thai-inspired menu is available now through August 2.
A press release explains that executive chef Jess Simpkin loves Southeast Asian cooking and talked to the Phams about their culinary experiences to create this menu. It highlights similarities between those tropical cuisines and those of Southern Italy and Sicily: fermentation, strong fresh herbs, bold umami flavors, and foods that help cool eaters when it’s hot outside.
The à la carte menu is divided up between starters and small plates, mains, and two desserts: Vietnamese coffee tiramisu and mango sticky rice pudding. The influences from each region are immediately evident in dishes like grilled eggplant with acqua pazza (poached white fish), Thai basil sesame, and pickled peppers; five spice guanciale made with meat from Peaceful Pork, a Texas open range family farm; and tagliatelle larb with mushrooms, vegan fish sauce, lime, herbs, and chilies…