El Chato

If you've recently spotted a bus on e. 7th that looks it drove straight out of a Putumayo World Music CD, that's no accident: Austin's first "bustaurant," El Chato, is open for business as of this month. Here, you'll find interior Mexican cuisine, which uses more shredded meat and white cheese than Tex-Mex (which typically favors ground meat and cheddar cheese), fish and shrimp empanadas, and chocolate flan. The kitchen tucked inside El Chato is darling, and the outdoor eating area is like a poor man's Contigo, with flowers, bright umbrellas, and kids/dogs happily running amok.