Austin's culinary scene is set to get even hotter this spring with Zoé Tong, a modern Chinese eatery branching out in an unexpected direction. According to Eater Austin, the South Austin restaurant is spinning off a new food truck that brings together the flavors of Southeast Asia and Texas-style barbecue, aptly named Si Baby-Q. The truck plans to park and up-tempo serve food at the restaurant's 1530 Barton Springs Road location starting in April.
There's a backstory to this bold culinary venture. Simone Tong and Matthew Hyland, the co-owners, struck gold when they moved into the Barton Springs space and found themselves with an on-site smoker left by a previous tenant. They soon began to experiment with smoky flavors in their dishes. Hyland affectionately refers to Tong as "Si Baby", which became the namesake for the new truck clad in bright pink and festooned with playful cartoons. But they wanted to further explore this avenue — and through general manager Travis Vergara, they connected with Jonathan Lagos, a part-time pitmaster from the well-regarded Terry Black's Barbecue, who was aiming to launch his own food business. The collaboration sparked the birth of Si Baby-Q.
Lagos, of Mexican American descent, and Tong, originating from Singapore, infused their heritage into the menu. Si Baby-Q is expected to serve up brisket seasoned with a blend of salt and Indonesian long peppers, smoked chicken paired with Hainanese chicken rice, and esquites jazzed up with ssamjang paste. As reported by Eater Austin, customers can look forward to non-traditional sides like queso cacao e pepe and roti instead of the usual white bread slices.
Hyland and Tong's journey to Austin began with their love for the city's unique energy, recounted The Austin Chronicle. "I want it to be fucking hot. I don't want to be cold. I don't want snow anymore," shared Hyland on his first impressions of the city. They have never looked back since. "This is a Chinese love story for people in Austin," Tong professed to The Austin Chronicle, expressing her dream to cook for the city she has come to adore. Their vision is deeply rooted in a desire to push beyond stereotypical perceptions of Chinese cuisine, developing dishes that marry Asian and Texan flavors in a novel manner.
Their restaurant, Zoé Tong, which opened in the fall of 2023 after they relocated from New York City, was already breaking boundaries with a diverse menu including items like quail with Peking duck sauce and roast duck served with homemade tortillas. With Si Baby-Q, the duo intends to continue redefining the food landscape in Austin, inviting locals and visitors alike to taste a hybrid of cultures deeply reminiscent of their personal and professionally blended journey.
