Austin Food Journey

Changes Are Afoot

2010-03-13T00:31:00.000-06:00

So, who else is cranky? Despite the fact that it was a gorgeous day today, I'm in a wicked funk. It might have to do with spending too much time in the Social Security office, getting lost on the way there, or forgetting about Wednesday night's reservation at Aquarelle...Okay, there it is. The root of my crankiness. Wednesday night was the last night of Austin Restaurant Week and where was I? At home on my computer, not eating delicious french food.

I have a confession to make. I've suffered a blogging setback that has me rethinking the direction of Austin Food Journey. The setback isn't really a setback, but more of a consequence of my own stupidity. Without going into detail, my choices are:

Change the title of Austin Food Journey, which is basically starting over with a new url
Keep the same url, but redirect to a different domain name (That's the cyber equivalent of fixing it with chicken wire and duct-tape.)
Start a completely new blog with a new focus (I'm liking that option the most.)
Give up on blogging altogether and live my life

As I've been pondering the situation over the last few days, I realized that I'm in kind of a state of mourning. I really enjoyed my life as a "food blogger." I liked having a focus and feeling a part of a community, even if I was just barely part of it. But now it's time to use what I've learned and move on. I don't have the details together quite yet, but when I figure it all out, you'll be the first to know. And, trust me, it's going to be a lot more fun than food. In fact, I just bought a new pair of shoes with the money that I would have spent on fine dining at Aquarelle. I'm feeling better already. So, stay tuned...

Restaurant Week Vol. 1: Hudson's on the Bend

2010-03-02T22:48:00.001-06:00

I eat meat. Yeah, I eat meat like nobody's business. ~ Tina Fey in Baby Mama

My sister and I kicked off Austin Restaurant Week with a Sunday night dinner at Hudson's on the Bend. The last time I ate at Hudson's was in 1986 when I met my soon-to-be husband turned ex-husband's parents for the first time. Despite the nerves and the free flowing alcohol, I remember enjoying a fantastic meal. I don't know why it's taken me over a year since moving back to Austin to give it another try, but ARW offered the perfect excuse.

Between the two of us, we ate bits and pieces of a menagerie of wildlife that included duck, buffalo, deer, rabbit, boar, fish, and quail. I'd say we were only a frog and a cat shy from eating the entire Beatrix Potter collection. I would feel guilty, except that I don't, because all of these adorable creatures are just so yummy. R.I.P. Jemima Puddle-Duck.

My sister and I both chose the lobster bisque as our appetizers. Before we even tasted the bisque we were impressed with the porcelain Bernardaud china upon which it was served. Stupid me, I didn't take a picture, but, this is what the bowls looked like.

Back to the food. The bisque was served with a bit of fanfare. The bowls were served empty save for a hunk of lobster claw and a slice of Asiago cheese. Then, the server poured the hot soup over everything in the bowl. It was a little heavy on the tomato base, but had a good kick of chipotle spice.

For the entree, my sister ordered the mixed grill, which accounted for a good portion of the animal products. The mixed grill was a sampler of grilled venison, rabbit, house-made sausage and grilled buffalo all topped with different sauces. It was a perfect dish to highlight what Hudson's does best, preparing wild game for civilized people who secretly yearn for the taste of a fresh kill.

I ordered the pecan smoked duck, shingled with diver scallops.The duck was prepared very well as were the scallops, but the combination seemed kind of pointless. The pairing of shredded sweet potato and wild boar confit as a side dish, however, was inspired.

The menu listed the dessert as Chambord Chocolate Mousse with Legs of Fudge. Served in a large wine glass, chocolate fudge lined the bottom with chocolate mousse filling up the rest of the glass. The "legs" were created by mimicking the way swirling wine forms petal shaped streaks on the inside of the glass. The fact that I ate all of it and tried to scrape the chocolate off the sides of the glass indicates that I liked it a lot. Because, I eat chocolate. Yeah, I eat chocolate like nobody's business.

Walton's Flaky and Stupid

2010-02-27T13:24:00.001-06:00

That title might sound a bit harsh, but after my experience at Walton's Fancy & Staple, it's accurate, if not a bit too kind. Question: What's the most unforgivable mistake that a restaurant can make? It's not bad food. Any kitchen can have an off day or night. The worst mistake, in my opinion, is ignoring your customers.

Walton's is another Sandra Bullock project, a combination cafe/gift shop/florist, which means it does none of those things very well. The FTD flower arrangements are nothing you couldn't buy at HEB at half the cost. The gifts are a hodgepodge of overpriced candles and vintagey things. The counter service cafe offers hot sandwiches and bakery items.

We arrived on a Saturday at 11:15, just before the lunch rush. We ordered a monte cristo and a ham and cheese sandwich, got our number and sat down. After waiting for 30 minutes, we saw a guy bringing soup to another table and asked him to check on our order. After waiting another ten minutes with no word from the guy, we went up to the counter to find him behind the cash register ringing up orders. No eye contact. In fact, no one in the place made eye contact or noticed our empty number 8 table as they walked by.

We finally got someone's attention and asked for a refund, since we had an appointment and had been waiting for 45 minutes. She went to the back to fetch a manager who came out and opened the cash register to retrieve our refund. No one offered us an explanation regarding the delay so we still don't know if they forgot to put in our order or if it's typical for them to take an hour to make two sandwiches. We'll never know. Oh, and they never apologized for wasting our time. Question 2: What's the most unforgivable thing that anyone can steal from you? The answer? Time. We'll never get those 45 minutes back. Then again, they'll never get our business back, so I guess we're even.

Austin Foodie News & Events

2010-02-26T19:20:00.000-06:00

Maybe you don't spend as much time on the webs as I do, in which case, you should be proud of yourself for making wise lifestyle choices. That doesn't mean you can't benefit from some of the information I've picked up along the way. Things are happening in the Austin food world. Important things. Things you need to know.

Antonelli's Cheese Shop at 4206 Duval in Hyde Park opened earlier this month and is well on it's way to attracting a loyal following of local cheese lovers. The shop features cheese (including local varieties), charcuterie, beer, wine, chocolate and more. The owners and staff are friendly and knowledgeable, so you don't feel overwhelmed with all the choices. Check out this great write-up on Thrillist.
That Takes The Cake! Austin cake show and competition will be held Sat. Feb. 27th from 10:30 to 6:00 and Sun. Feb. 28th from 9 to 5 at the Crockett Center, 10601 N. Lamar. Cost: $8/day or $14/weekend with $1 off for donation to the Capital Area Food Bank. Entries are brought from all over the country and are on display throughout the weekend. Entries include all skill levels from children to masters and all types of decorating techniques and themes. I'm hoping this show will inspire my daughter, Ally, that means you, to start using some of her extensive cake decorating supplies.
Bad to the Bone Chef Smackdown, Sat. Feb. 27th 6-9:30 pm at Stubb's, admission $35. Celebrity chef challenge to benefit the Sustainable Food Center. Great food and live music.
Austin Restaurant Week starts this Sunday, Feb. 28th! There are 60 restaurants participating, but some of the more popular ones fill up quickly, so make your reservations early. I've reserved spots at Hudson's on the Bend, Aquarelle and Green Pastures. You can view all the menus on the ARW site and I must say, they are drool-worthy. Rabbit Ravioli with walnut cream, or Chipotle Lobster Bisque? Puhleez! At $25 to $35 for a fabulous meal, who can resist?
The prestigious James Beard Foundation recognizes Austin's culinary mojo with nominations in three categories. La Condesa was named a semi-finalist for Best New Restaurant in the Southwest along with Uchi's Executive Chef, Tyson Cole as Best Chef and Philip Steer, also of Uchi as Outstanding Pastry Chef. Read about it on the Forklore blog.
Learn more about the Slow Food movement in Austin by attending the Slow Food Austin session on Thursday, March 4th, 7-8:30 pm at Flatbed Press, 2830 E. MLK. The session will be moderated with a panel of three local food industry professionals: a farmer, a chef, and a buyer/forager. Bring your questions and, if you like, a dish to share.
Happy Hour at Wink, March 18th, 5-7pm. A portion of the proceeds to benefit Slow Food Austin.
Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival is coming April 15-18. Wine tastings and food pairings are scattered among venues all over the city and priced individually from $25 to $150 per event. But, if your discretionary funds are lacking, you can do like me and sign up to be a volunteer. There are a variety of volunteer duties available from taking tickets to pouring wine. I've never done this before, so I can't offer a qualified recommendation, but I will report back to let you know how it went.
Sometimes my food journey takes me far from the real world. In the real world too many people are hungry. Sadly, hunger exists, not as a metaphor, but as a burning, day in and day out desperation. Here is Michael Ventura's poignant look at what many of our neighbors are experiencing right now. One way to help, volunteer for the 2010 Crop Hunger Walk, Mar. 6th & 7th.

Writer's Block Awareness Week

2010-02-20T03:39:00.001-06:00

When I started this blog I vowed to never begin any post with the phrase, "I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while..." So, I won't say that. Besides, nine days isn't really that long, right? Hello? Where did everybody go?

Rather than make excuses, I've decided to dedicate this past week to Writer's Block awareness. Coincidentally, one of the best cures for writer's block is perusing the Official Calendar of Awareness Days. Okay, it doesn't really cure the block, but it adds another diversion to my online adventures, while giving me a full week of content to lure you back into my Google Analytics lair.

I have compiled an Austin dining guide to help you observe these important days of national awareness:

February 20 - Clam Chowder Day!
Austin is pretty far away from New England, Boston and Manhattan making it a challenge to find clam chowder. There are a few options, though.

San Francisco Bakery & Cafe - 2900 W. Anderson Lane Voted Austin's best New England chowder.
Manny Hattans - Gateway Shopping Center Serves clam chowder on Fridays and Sundays which is kind of a problem since Feb. 20 is a Saturday. You'll have to figure this out on your own. Altering time is not within the scope of my blogging responsibilities.
Quality Seafood - 5621 Airport Blvd. Serving clam chowder as the soup of day. Call and remind them that it's Clam Chowder day and they will probably make up a special batch.

February 22 - Single Tasking Day!
This is open to interpretation, but why not honor this day by hitting up Austin's one-hit-wonder restaurants. I've listed some of my favs, but if you need more ideas, check out the dish roulette feature at Dishola.com.

Etouffee at Shoal Creek Saloon 909 North Lamar
Pork Belly East Side Showroom 1100 E. 6th St.
Tenderloin Sliders Cover 3 2700 W. Anderson Ln.

February 23 - Curling Is Cool Day!
Watch the extensive Olympic coverage of the women's competition at one of these fine establishments.

Cool River Cafe - 4001 W. Parmer Ln. Cocktails, curling and cougars at Cool River. Too bad it's not Alliteration Day.
That's all I got.

February 24 - Inconvenience Yourself Day!
The three biggies when it comes to inconvenience - crowds, driving distance and expense can be met with these Austin spots.

Jack Allen's Kitchen - 7720 Hwy 71 W. Located at the Y in Oak Hill, it's a bit of a drive from Northwest Austin, but judging by the crowded bar and the hour long wait, it must be worth the inconvenience.
Justine's Brasserie - 4710 E. 5th. Drive to far east Austin, wait two hours for a table in a crowded bar and you will have paid tribute to this auspicious day. Expense-wise, it's not too bad. Unfortunately, that applies to the food, too.

February 25 - National Chili Day!
When I think chili, I think chili dogs.

Frank - 407 Colorado Choose a chili cheese dog or chili cheese waffle fries. Don't forget the cold beer.
Man Bites Dog - 1311 S. First St. Chili Cheese Dog
Texas Chili Parlor - 1409 Lavaca Pick your poison; Mild, Spicy or XXX chili. No dog.

February 26 - National Personal Chef's Day
What a great excuse to try a different type of dining experience. Austin has lots of personal chef and meal delivery services. Try one of these.

Chef Veggie - Happy and healthy eating by Cristina Carolan
Bella Food - Catering, personal chef service, and meal planning.
Urban Gourmet - Personalized menu plan and chef service

February 27 - Open That Bottle Night
Plenty of options for this one. Take your pick.

Apothecary Wine Bar - 4800 Burnet Road. A great addition to SoBur. Coffee and wine bar with wi-fi, live music and sandwiches.
Simplicity Wine & Eats - 4801 Burnet Road. Right across the street, serving wine and excellent tapas.
House Wine - 408 Josephine St. Great wine and cheese plates.

Dear Parkside: I Really Like You, But...

2010-02-11T21:45:00.011-06:00

I must have been drunk the first time I went to Parkside, because I don't remember any details about the eating part of the evening, but I know I had a great time with my three awesome kids and their various significant others. It wasn't until I was finishing up a second dinner at Parkside that my son refreshed my memory with details about our first disappointing experience. My son has a sophisticated palate, so I trust his account of our first Parkside dinner which apparently included one selection from the raw menu, a soupy green concoction that tasted as unappetizing as it looked. He also reminded me of the cucumber & rosemary cocktail that was pretty much the worst thing ever.

Denial

It's possible that I buried the details of that first night at Parkside because I so desperately wanted to like the place. Parkside is like that guy you agree to go out with a few more times because he looks like John Cusack, even though he already committed a deal-breaker on the first date by ordering his steak well-done and then complaining to the manager that his steak sucked. Feel free to insert your own deal-breaker in this analogy, although you'll be hard pressed to find anything worse than ordering a steak well-done.

There are so many things to like about Parkside, starting with the Michael Hsu designed interior, a perfect pairing of urban style and casual comfort. The ambiance created by this design is what makes me want to love everything about Parkside. With the high ceilings, captains booths and great lighting, it just feels good to be there.

Parkside's Sixth Street location is a drawback for me as I tend to avoid areas that smell of urine and cliche. But besides the obvious advantage of a constant stream of foot traffic, Parkside's choice of location makes sense in an ironic kind of way.

Conceptually, Parkside has everything I want in a restaurant - great ambiance, a chef-inspired menu with a focus on using locally-sourced ingredients, friendly and competent service, a creative cocktail menu, and it has received high marks from respected critics, including Buon Appetit which included Parkside in its 2009 picks for "Top 10 New American Taverns." The only thing it doesn't have is great tasting food.

It's Not You, It's Me

I could attribute my Parkside disconnect to the high prices. That was one of the details I failed to remember about my first Parkside experience. Again with the tricky ambiance. The low-key atmosphere makes it easy to ignore the fact that this is upscale dining with upscale cocktails that result in upscale charges to your credit card. The cost-to-benefit ratio certainly has something to do with my attitude toward Parkside, but I can't say that cost alone is the issue.

The problem might be me. My expectations are incompatible with the Parkside agenda. Maybe I haven't ordered the right thing. My recent entree selection was based on the waiter's suggestion of pork jowls with polenta. I love all things pork, but I'm not so fond of polenta. So, was it wrong for me to intentionally order something I don't like with the expectation that the chef would make it taste like something entirely different? Isn't that the equivalent of marrying a Hugo in the hopes of turning him into a Sawyer? Or, was it reasonable for me to expect the pork jowls to be deliciously crispy and flavorful as to render the polenta obsolete? If so, my expectations weren't met as these were limp and bland. Hey, there's that dating metaphor again.

I had a similar problem with my drink order. I'm typically a wine drinker, but the cocktail menu enticed me with descriptions like this one for a ginger rollins - Bombay sapphire, lime, pineapple, Peychaud bitters & ginger ale. It looks great on paper, but do all these things really belong in one drink? You don't know the answer until you order it. It's an $8 crap shoot. Which I lost on the first round. So this time I thought I'd go with the Old Fashioned, because the menu mentioned muddled fruit. Another dumb decision. It was somewhere in between bitter and crappy and bitter. Then again, I'm not familiar with how an Old Fashioned should taste, so how do I know that this one wasn't a perfectly good version? It's this kind of second-guessing that keeps me from giving up on Parkside.

I sampled some of the other orders at our table and found them similarly disappointing. This might have had less to do with the quality of the food than with my own taste preferences. The macaroni with guyere and cheddar was a hit with everyone but me, because I've never understood the joy of macaroni and cheese anyway. The fried okra was pretty good, but, again, not my thing. My son ordered the grilled bar steak with fries and aoli. He wasn't impressed, but is anyone ever impressed with steak frites? It is what it is. The steak was cooked to a perfectly acceptable medium rare, but like everything else, it just didn't have that special something that one would expect at these prices.

Can We Still Be Friends?

I just don't see this working out. It's not for lack of trying on either of our parts. We were both invested in this relationship. My investment was mostly in dollars. About $300 worth. But hey, at least we enjoyed a happy ending dessert of fresh maple cream-filled sugar donuts and vanilla ice cream, finished off with a delicate ornament of spun sugar. Perfection. I guess that's why dessert always comes at the end of a meal, so you're left with only sweet memories. And lingering thoughts of what might have been. Damn it, I can't quit you Parkside!

The Single Girl's Guide to a Fairly Enjoyable, Mostly Uneventful, Highly Forgettable Valentine's Day

2010-02-09T01:24:00.003-06:00

First, let's clear the air. You don't need advice on how to survive Valentine's Day as a single woman. If you're single and you're reading this, then I'd say you're surviving just fine. Do you really need to read another article advising you to celebrate Valentine's with a weekend getaway at an expensive spa resort or a night out on the town with five of your closest single girlfriends, as if your life is one long Yaz commercial? If you've recently ended a long term relationship, it's unlikely that you have a gaggle of single women friends with the means and the desire to spend Valentine's Day sipping wine in Sonoma and talking about PMDD. If you do, that's great, but, again I must ask, why are you reading this?

If you live in the real world with the rest of us, read on for some tips on having a fairly enjoyable, mostly uneventful, highly forgettable Valentine's Day.

Sleep Late

Your bed is warm. You have the covers all to yourself. The pillows are positioned just right. What's that sound? Well, that's the rare and beautiful sound of silence. It's the sound that snoring husbands make after you divorce them. You don't notice the beautiful silence, though because you're still asleep. And you should stay that way for at least another hour or so.

Practice the ancient art of Feng Shui

You don't need to get out the bagua map or overhaul the entire house just yet. To get the chi energy flowing, you can start by clearing that pile of clothes and random junk off the bed. Removing clutter allows new things to come into your life. Dangerously effective when de-cluttering the side of the bed where a man might someday want to sleep. Results may vary. If nothing else, at least you discovered where the can opener has been hiding. Nope, don't need to know how it got there on your bed. Just put it back in the kitchen drawer where it belongs.

Take Control

Stretch your legs a bit, saunter on out to the living room couch and grab the TV remote. Get re-acquainted with this powerful device. Behold the magic of random channel selection. Exercise that power often during the constant stream of eHarmony commercials. You'll need to be quick to avoid becoming another victim of eSmarmy's compatibility matching algorithm. Don't even think about signing up with eHarmony today. You're in a weak and vulnerable emotional state. Chances are, you won't pass the compatibility test today, or ever. Better to invest your energy in more interesting online endeavors, like this or this.

Join An Imaginary Club

Begin watching the first season of Glee and consider becoming a Gleek. Practice making the L on your forehead. Wait, is there a problem with your DVD player? Warning! Do NOT try to fix it! This will only remind you that you don't have a man in your life to perform simple electronic repairs. On the other hand, you also don't have a man in your life to cause your electronics to break from overuse. It's a yin and yang kind of tradeoff. See, that feng shui is already starting to work.

Take A Little Trip

Now is a good time to venture out of the house. Throw on some old sweatpants and a hoodie and go to the nearest Walgreens. Regardless of where you live in the contiguous United States, there's probably a Walgreen's within easy driving distance. Not only will perusing the shelves of the Walgreens seasonal Valentine's aisle give you a lesson in blatant commercialism, it will also provide you with fodder for criticizing the "happy" couples who show their love by giving this crap as gifts. Does anything say "I love you" more than a HoMedics Pedicure Spa Salon Footbath? Probably.

Your main goal for taking this little trip to Walgreens is to pick up a cheap box of chocolates, some hair dye, a teeth whitening kit, and maybe some spray-on self-tanner. Back at home, begin the process of discovery with the chocolates. Bite into random pieces to see what's inside and then put what you don't want back in the box. Free yourself of the need to follow the rules of eating chocolates. These are your very own chocolates, bought with your own, hard-earned $3.49, so you are free to enjoy them as you see fit. Insert power to the single people fist pump here.

Okay, but, if your single status still bothers you, plan to start using the hair dye, tooth whitener, and tanning spray on a regular basis between now and next Valentine's Day so you won't have to refer to this guide next year. Oh, and if you're offended by the superficiality of this bit of advice, then you're either a) already in a committed relationship, therefore delusional or b) single and waiting for that special someone to instantly fall in love with your inner beauty, which also makes you, what? That's right, delusional.

Exercise Your Memory Muscles

Try this mental exercise. Conjure up some Valentine's Day memories from your former relationships. Did any of those occasions resemble a De Beers commercial or a Nicholas Sparks novel-turned-movie-blockbuster- pukefest? That's what I thought. Guess what? No one you know is having a De Beers worthy Valentine's Day. It's more likely to be of the Walgreens variety with the all too familiar American Greetings card/ Whitman's Sampler/Paris Hilton perfume last-minute gift trifecta. Rejoice and be glad that you're no longer on either end of that gift exchange.

Be Charitable

Emotionally charitable that is. Maybe it's time to give all those happy couples a break. Think of it this way. Relationships require a lot of hard work. After two failed marriages, I personally can't stress this enough. Valentine's Day is a time for couples to celebrate their achievement of getting through another year alive. I mean in love.

As single women, we get to do pretty much whatever we want every day of the year. Which is awesome. The least we can do is let couples have this one day to help them forget about the harsh daily reality of maintaining a relationship. Because, let's be honest, there's nothing sexy or romantic about shared finances, unapologetic flatulence or morning breath, which is part of the everyday stuff of relationships. At least that's been my experience. Which explains a lot.

It's Baaaack! Austin Restaurant Week Starts February 28, 2010

2010-02-06T11:09:00.001-06:00

Woo hoo! You can have your Mardi Gras, my favorite time of year in Austin is Restaurant Week. This is the time when Austin's best restaurants offer fixed price tasting menus ranging from $15 to $35, so regular folks like me can afford fine dining at establishments that are normally out of reach.

Unlike Mardi Gras, however, restaurant week happens twice a year in Austin for a full eight days each Fall and Spring. Hosted by Rare Media, the Spring 2010 event is scheduled to start February 28, and will run from February 28 to March 3rd and March 7 to March 10th.

There are more restaurants than ever participating in Restaurant Week this time, offering more variety and affordability with plenty of lunch and dinner options. Rather than list all the participating restaurants, I'll give you a brief overview of some of my top choices.

The Carillon
$35 dinner
Located at the AT&T Executive Education & Conference Center, Executive Chef Josh Watkins brings culinary artistry to American cuisine with dishes such as coral sea prawn confit and duck breast with huckleberry demiglace.

Perry's Steakhouse & Grille
$15 lunch and $35 dinner
Perry’s is famous for a mouth-watering pork chop, dried, cured and roasted, then caramelized and topped with their signature herb-garlic butter sauce. There is nothing like this pork chop, which will leave you with enough leftover to feed a family of four. Perry's is offering both a lunch and a dinner tasting menu this time. The $15 lunch menu features a chopped salad, signature pork chop, and a dessert trio. The $35 dinner menu offers more choices, but I would still urge you to try the pork chop. It's one-of-a-kind.

Green Pastures
$25 dinner
An Austin institution for 60 years, Green Pasture's offers French-inspired gourmet cuisine, fresh regional specialties, and a decadent selection of our own desserts make dining a green pastures a true occasion. At just $25, the Green Pasture's tasting menu is the best value by far. Check out this review at Boots in the Oven.

Aquarelle
$35 dinner
Located in a romantic turn of the century cottage in the heart of downtown Austin Texas, Aquarelle is one of Austin's premier gourmet restaurants. Though the menu is French-inspired, Aquarelle's chefs strive to feature as many local products as are available.

Parkside
$35 dinner
Located in the heart of downtown on Austin's famous Sixth Street, Parkside's talented Head Chef, Shawn Cirkiel uses only the freshest ingredient to produce complex and unexpected flavors.

Perla's Seafood & Oyster Bar
$25 and $35 dinner
A swanky, modern restaurant located in trendy SOCO, Perla’s features fish and oysters flown in daily from both coasts with an emphasis on the freshest catch from the Gulf of Mexico and simple, clean preparations. Perla's was featured as one of the Best New Restaurants in America by Esquire Magazine. If the tasting menu offers Coriander Grilled Ahi Tuna with Celery Root Puree, don't hesitate, just order it. You'll be glad you did.

How to Participate?

It's easy to participate in Austin Restaurant Week. Simply peruse the extensive list of participating restuarants on the website and look over the sample menus. After narrowing down your choices, finalize your plans by making an online reservation. Then start dreaming about the spectacular meal you'll be enjoying soon. With 5% of Restaurant Week sales benefiting the Sustainable Food Center of Austin, you can feel good about eating great.

Sweetheart Specials for Valentine's 2010

2010-02-01T20:25:00.000-06:00

~Climb Aboard the Love Train~

Austin is a great place to be on Valentine's Day. The weather is mild, your choices are varied and with V-day falling on a Sunday this year you can enjoy an entire weekend of romance. In typical Austin fashion, the city's best restaurants are offering great specials to make your Valentine's celebration extra sweet. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Wining & Dining

Perry's Steakhouse & Grille - February 14, 2010 Offering a prix-fixe menu which will include 3 courses for $54.95 for reservations 5:30pm & earlier & $69.95 for reservations after 5:30pm. 114 W 7th St. (512) 474-6300

Trio - February 14, 2010 This swanky restaurant/lounge located in the Four Seasons Hotel on Lady Bird Lake is offering a 4-course prix-fixe Valentine's menu. ($95/person) 98 San Jacinto Boulevard 512-478-4500

Driskill Hotel

February 12 & 13 Cupid's Menu. Austin's historic Driskill Hotel Grill is offering a special Cupid's menu the 2 nights leading up to Valentine's Day. The dinner includes a romantic 5 course Cupid's menu. Many courses tickle the pallet with "aphrodisiacs".

February 14, 2010 take your sweetheart to the Driskill for the His and Her 5 course dinner. The Driskill will provide roses, champagne, and truffles for each table. Each course leads you down a romantic road of flavorful combinations and subtle "aphrodisiacs". Reservations Limited: 391-7162

Finn & Porter - All weekend
Enjoy a 4-course prix-fixe menu ($65/person). Expect a variety of champagne offerings by the glass & complementary parking. 500 E. 4th St. 493-4900

Hudson's On the Bend - February 14, 2010 Enjoy inspired hill country cuisine in a romantic setting with an extravagant 6-course romantic dinner with selections to choose from. Seating is limited. $200/couple 3509 Ranch Rd 620 N 512-266-1369

Andiamo Ristorante - February 14, 2010 Have an Italian Love Affair. Valentine's fixed priced menu featuring entree choices with such romantic descriptions as...Dal Porofondo Del Cuore (From Deep in the Heart) Cupid's arrow piercing through roasted large prawns stuffed with crab meat a wrapped with potatoes intertwined in a hypnotic potion of tarragon lemonsauce...2521 Rutland Dr. 512-719-3377

Melting Pot Northwest

February 13, 2010 Dancing and Dinner with Arthur Murray Dance Studi One hour dance lesson followed by 4 course dinner. 12 pm dance lessons 1pm lunch - $110 per couple4 pm dance with 5pm dinner - $120 per couple (Dinner will be a group event in the party rooms with your new dancing friends.)
Sunday, February 14th - Noon - 11pm Noon - 4pm - Choose from any of our Four-Course Big Night Out Menus (start at $82 per couple) 4pm- 11pm - SET MENU: Cupids Combination - Choice of Cheese Fondue, Salad,Surf & Turf Entree Fondue (Lobster Tail, Filet Mignon, Marinated Shrimp, Chicken, Ravioli and Vegetables with your choice of cooking style) and choice of chocolate fondue. $130 per couple plus tax and gratuity. 13343 Research Blvd. Austin - Northwest, TX 78750 (512) 401-2424.

Austin Steam Train

February 13, Sweetheart Special Dinner Train
February 14 - Sweetheart Special Lunch Train 2/14

Celebrate Valentine's Day with dinner on board the Sweetheart Special and you'll have a date to remember! Lounge passengers enjoy a full service meal, while excursion passengers enjoy our fun buffet. Complimentary beer, wine, entertainment and a special gift for each passenger are all included in the ticket price. Price range $50-$75 (512) 477-8468.

Fall Creek Vineyard

February 13, 2010 Wine Lovers Pique Nique Luncheon with 11:30 and 1:30 seatings. French menu with Fall Creek wine pairings. $30 per person.
February 14, 2010- Wine Chocolate Pairing class with Miss Jane. 1:00 and 3:00 pm $18 per person. 1820 County Rd. 222 Tow, Texas 78672 (512) 476-4477

Central Market Cooking School - February 12, 2010 6:30 pm. $60 Sensuous Valentine Dinner with Chef Gina Burchenal. Couples prepare a romantic dinner. Menu includes:

Oysters in Champagne
Lush & Creamy Asparagus Soup
Fig, Prosciutto & Arugula Salad with Parmesan Shavings
Swiss Chard, Date & Pine Nut Stuffed Quail with Red Wine Demi-Glace & Fregula Risotto
Sumptuous Chocolate Banana Tart with Toasted Almond

Treats!

Amy's Ice Creams - Choco-Berries Chocolate Covered Strawberries. Fresh strawberries hand-dipped in dark, Belgian Callebaut chocolate, then drizzled in white chocolate. Packaged in whimsical pink cartons. $16/dozen. Pre-order or take purchase in Amy's store locations Feb. 12, 13th & 14th.

Austin Cake Ball - Valentine's gift boxes. See online ordering page for pricing.

Viva Chocolato - Chocolate Truffles & gourmet wine pairing gift such as the Malbec and European Dark Truffle collection for $80.95.

Okay, that's all I can take of that. Truth is, I can't stand Valentine's Day. But, hey, all you romantic types, enjoy!

January Food Blog Round-up

2010-01-31T16:12:00.002-06:00

My new Kellogg's alarm clock which is completely irrelevant to this post

It's that time again. Time to share my favorite blog post discoveries of the month with you, my favorite readers.

Soup Delivery: The Soup Peddler - Hungry Engineer
A great post about an Austin icon

East Side Showroom - Maggie's Austin
This is just one of many great restaurant reviews by Maggie's Austin. The reviews always feature beautiful photos of the food and the atmosphere so you get a real sense of the place.

Eggs (White and Yolks) in Cocktails - Serious Eats
I've been obsessed with classic cocktails lately and this post offers some great recipes.

the post where I talk about new york city, martha stewart and her hateful brat daughter - She's Becoming Doughmestic Hilarious blogger that I just recently discovered.

Food as Art-Beat the Bleak Party - Foodie is the New Forty
Makes me want to seek out some new neighbors so I can go to awesome parties like this.

Go UT! Austin's Pedicabbers Are Behind You! - Year of the Pizza
This was the first post of the year for blogger, Seth Mazow, who won Homeslice Pizza's Hands on an Eggplant Sub contest for the 2nd year in a row. As the winner, he gets a year of free pizza which he shares with friends, new and old, and blogs about his experiences.

How to Host a Petit Soiree - The Rebeccammendations
Inspirational post to make you put aside all your lame excuses for not entertaining.

Return to Olivia

2010-01-25T22:30:00.001-06:00

photo via www.olivia-austin.com

Talk about extremes. On Saturday, I started the day off with breakfast at Star Seeds and ended with dinner at Olivia. That's the cultural equivalent of going from Branson to Monte Carlo. Although the food wasn't bad at Star Seeds, I'll spare you the details. Let's just say Star Seeds is a greazy spoon diner without the slightest hint of irony.

Olivia, on the other hand, is always worth talking about. This was our second visit to Olivia. Although it was a Saturday night at the peak of the dinner rush, we were able to find plenty of open seating at the bar. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that we could order from the full menu rather than being restricted to bar food. I love a low key, easy breezy dining experience, especially when it happens at one of Austin's best restaurants. Another advantage of sitting at the bar is the face time you have with the bartender who is also your server. The bartender can't ignore you when you're right in front of him. That doesn't mean things can't go wrong, though.

While sitting at the bar we learned that Olivia only serves beer and wine, no liquor. While I don't know exactly why the owners chose to operate this way, I can see some definite advantages. Without a full service bar, the focus stays on the food, which is where it should be at Olivia. The wine serves to enhance the experience, not detract from it.

While sipping on a nice rose wine recommended by the bartender, we perused the menu and ultimately decided on salads along with an entree of grouper and another of lamb liver and onions.

Our salads arrived promptly. We had a caesar salad with fat, white anchovies and another mixed green salad with an excellent mild bleu cheese, thick chunks of bacon and fresh grapes. All the flavors melded perfectly.

After the salads, we entered into a frustratingly long wait for our entrees. The bartender was apologetic and continued to refill our wine glasses at no charge while we waited. And waited. We started to get suspicious when the couple next to us, who had ordered at least 30 minutes after us, got their entrees and finished them before ours had arrived. When our entrees finally did arrive, they were excellent, especially the fresh grouper that was served on a bed of lightly buttered cappellini, pecorino and broccoli. The lambs liver with caramelized onions and brandy sauce was served atop mashed potatoes and sliced apples. There were five large livers on this one rich dish, so there was plenty left over to take home.

The dinner was excellent, but it would not have been complete without dessert. We ordered the homemade chocolate truffle ice cream and a spicy chocolate pot de creme with bruleed marshmallow. I still haven't quite bought into the whole spicy chocolate craze, but this was the best interpretation I've had yet. The spice was intense, but didn't overpower the taste of the chocolate. And, consistent with our first Olivia experience, the chocolate truffle ice cream was rich and velvety smooth.

When we were about to leave, the chef came out to personally apologize for our food taking so long. Considering we hadn't really complained, it was impressive that he took the initiative to offer an explanation. It's understandable that things don't always go as planned in a busy kitchen. The only time I have a problem in these situations is when I feel ignored or forgotten. That wasn't the case at Olivia. It was obvious that the staff was doing the best they could. Of course, it doesn't hurt when the food is worth the wait.

True Confessions of the Pioneer Woman

2010-01-20T19:04:00.005-06:00

If you’re ever in the position to need information on the history of pioneer women, maybe for a 6th grade report or something, don’t expect to find your primary authority on the first page of a Google search. Instead, you’ll find links directing you to Ree Drummond’s wildly successful blog, Confessions of a Pioneer Woman, and to hundreds of sources where you can buy her best selling cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks.

Green Acres Meets Harlequin Romance

Drummond’s rise to fame has all the makings of a modern cyber fairytale. Or as the Pioneer Woman herself puts it, Green Acres Meets Harlequin Romance. Former big city gal marries “Marlboro Man,” moves to a ranch in Oklahoma where she lives the life of a ranch wife and home schooling mother of four. She started the blog, Confessions of a Pioneer Woman, in 2006 as a way to share photos, stories and recipes with her long distance friends and family. After posting instructions on how to cook a steak with step by step photos, the blog started to build some serious traffic. Soon after that the site won top honors at the Weblog Awards (also known as the Bloggies) in 2007 and 2008 and last year it took the top prize for Weblog of the Year. Drummond's first cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks, was published in October 2009 after reaching the top spot on Amazon's preorder list.

The story of Drummond’s “accidental” success is a continuation of the unassuming and accessible writing style found on her blog. We all want to believe in fairytales, whether it’s about getting swept off our feet by a prince in tight wranglers or getting swept into the center of a media frenzy. In real life, even cyber life, fairytales with 13 million page views don’t happen by accident.

If I had to choose one word to explain what makes the Pioneer Woman blog a success, it would be inspiration. The internet is loaded with sources of information that we can search in specificity, but the most successful sites are reader destinations. Readers go to these sites to be inspired by whatever they happen to find. As I was researching PW’s site for this post, I happened upon a recipe for cinnamon rolls and...

2 Hours Later…

Now my kitchen is buried in flour. Had to reset the smoke alarm. And, I’ve consumed about 5000 calories of delicious cinnamon rolls. Thanks Pioneer Woman.

Black Heels to Tractor Wheels

Ree paints a picture of her life as a big city gal who traded urban life to marry a cowboy and live on a secluded ranch in the boonies of Oklahoma, a/k/a Green Acres. Marlboro Man happens to be a fourth generation cattle rancher. The Drummond ranch is one of the biggest in Oklahoma and at one time, the Drummonds were listed among the country's top 100 landowners. This Green Acres comes with running water, indoor plumbing and a kitchen that looks like this.

photo via thepioneerwoman.com

Ree actually grew up in Bartlesville, OK, population 34,914, which is located just 25.5 miles away from Pawhuska, the nearest town to her Green Acres utopia. While she might adore a penthouse view, her hometown is nowhere near Park Avenue.

Ree declares both on her blog and in the introduction to her new cookbook, that while she wishes otherwise, she does not employ a staff of assistants to help her manage her blog, write her cookbook, cure cancer or whatever else she's up to. So, that would officially make her better than Martha Stewart. Unlike Martha, however, it’s impossible to hate Ree Drummond. I want to hate her. I should hate her for setting the bar so ridiculously high and making it all look so easy. But, then I go to her site and see that she’s added a printable photo archive so her readers can download her photos for free. Does Martha give away free stuff? I don’t think so.

Given the Pioneer Woman’s popularity, it would be almost blasphemous to find fault with her. That doesn’t mean I haven’t tried to dig up some dirt. So far, my in-depth research has yielded nothing more on Ree or the Drummond family than a few traffic tickets. Seems her father-in-law has a bit of a lead foot. He also has more power than God in Osage County, so the authorities, for the most part, look the other way as he travels the county roads at warp speed. Big woop. If anything, I'm disappointed in the Drummond family's upstanding behavior as it fails to perpetuate the ranching family persona portrayed so accurately by J.R. Ewing.

She Cooks With A Laser Beam

Absent any skeletons in the Pioneer Woman’s ample, walk-in closet, and without any proof that Ree has a full staff on the payroll, I can only conclude that Ree Drummond, aka Pioneer Woman is, in fact, a gynoid. Similar to a cyborg, a gynoid is a humanoid robot designed to look female. Her (its) purpose is to attain perfection, making her (it) among the most dangerous and feared non-human species in the galaxy. I believe the name Ree is actually an acronym for Remarkable Efficiency Engineering. You want evidence? Here it is.

Photo via thepioneerwoman.com

See? Replacement parts. You heard it here first.

Fun With Food Advertising

2010-01-16T01:21:00.003-06:00

Remember when advertising mattered? Before Google, Craigslist and Yelp, it was advertising that told us what to eat, what to wear, what to drive. It was a simpler time, a time when the endorsement of 4 out of 5 doctors was all the consensus we needed to make our buying decisions. Imagine how easy it was to sell ad space back in the day when advertising mattered? Selling print advertising today is like trying to sell typewriters or Polaroid cameras; there's still a market for it, but no one really needs it. Except maybe American Apparel.

At least my job ~~not~~ selling print advertising allows for plenty of free time to do things like search for vintage food ads on VintageAdBrowser.com. Looking through several decades of ads is like getting a history lesson in American culture. Themes emerge through advertising that reflect the collective mindset of the society of the time. For example, the ads from the 1940's had an overall serious tone referencing patriotism, thrift, working women, and of course, the war. Moving into the 1950's advertising focused on convenience foods, children, homemaking and, for the first time in history, dieting.

What I find most entertaining about vintage food ads is how unappetizing the food looks. We have definitely come a long way in the art of food photography.

Since I don't really understand the rules for attribution, let it be known that all of the following images were found on VintageAdBrowser.com. These are actual ads that you can buy if you're into that sort of thing.

Why ARE the Campbell kids always rosy-cheeked...

I'm guessing it's from ingesting the sodium bomb you call soup.
Shouldn't we be asking why the Campbell Kids have sausages stuck to their faces?

There they are again. Seriously, has she been vaccinated?

He's got other plans for that sandwich wrap. She's about to become a Total Woman

If only Gay Johnny could get his hands on a bedazzler and some sewing notions,
he would sass that outfit right up.

Only 4 cents? How much would a big bowl of blood cost in today's market?

No matter how you serve it, red tide shrimp + salmonella = bloody diarrhea.

He hates you

The difference? Crack

3 out of 4...what? Clowns? Poodles? Unemployed copywriters?

Meet the original Baby Boomer. Pure evil.

The Boomer's got a hatchet! Just hand over the pie and slowly walk away.
(You can punish him later by depleting his Social Security benefits.)

Little Jeffrey Dahmer

The Burnaissance: Sarah's Mediterranean Grill & Market

2010-01-11T20:05:00.001-06:00

As a native Austinite, my ability to travel to almost any part of town without accessing Mopac, 183 or I-35 is part of my birth right. That's why my daily route to work from Northwest Hills to I-35 takes me down the south end of Burnet Road.

Since this stretch of Burnet Road has sprouted so many vintage shops and new restaurants, I've tried calling it SoBur, but my sister will have none of that. I argue that the area is at the south end of Burnet Road, but she maintains that it isn't south of anything, so we're left in a deadlock. In lieu of a proper moniker, I've at least created a word to describe the changes going on in that area, which I shall refer to as the Burnaissance. Cute? No? Well whose blog is this? Oh yeah, MINE.

Anyhoo, the scenery along Burnet Road has been vastly improved by recent openings of Apothecary Wine Bar, Simplicity Wine & Eats, and Hat Creek. (I would have included Lucky J's Chicken & Waffles, but they're in the process of relocating.) These new spots fit in with the vibe that was started not too long ago by Phil's Ice House, Amy's Ice Cream, Sampaio, Pacha, Blue Star Cafeteria, Hey Cupcake and Sarah's Grill & Market. But it's the old standbys that make SoBur (yeah I said it) unique - places like the Omelettry, Phoenicia, Upper Crust Bakery, Austin Diner, Ginny's Little Longhorn, and the strangely popular happy hour/burger dive, Billy's on Burnet.

Sarah's Mediterranean Grill & Market

I went to check out Sarah's Grille & Market mostly to look around and possibly buy some cool spices. It happened to be lunch time (somewhere) and the smells emanating from the Grill were much too enticing, so I ordered some takeout.

It's important to clarify that Mediterranean doesn't always mean Greek. Duh, you already knew that, but you might not have known that many of the dishes we consider Greek, are actually Lebanese in origin. I'm pointing this out because the owner, May Aranki is Lebanese. (The store is named after her youngest daughter.) And so friendly! She greets all of her customers like special party guests, inviting us to taste a sample of her excellent baklava. I ordered a couple of things to go; the lamb kebab plate, (I'm still swooning over lamb from last week), and the beef gyro plate.

While I waited for my order I took a look around the small grocery area. There were some fascinating imported items along with many of Sarah's own brand of products. The spice section was bountiful with large packets of cardamom, sage, basil seed, caraway seed and the most incredible thing of all, a large bottle filled with saffron for $4.99! (Paella anyone?)

Sarah's market stocks a variety of packaged olives or you can choose your own combination from the olive bar. The refrigerated items included Sarah's own brand of sauces, hummus, cheeses, frozen pita and frozen fish and all kinds of mysterious ingredients for creating Middle Eastern style cuisine. I was particularly impressed by how clean and orderly the place was. There's a lot of inventory packed into this little space, but it was easy to navigate since everything was where it should be.

My order was ready in less than 10 minutes despite that it was grilled to order. The lamb kebab plate included six good sized chunks of lamb, a side salad and a generous portion of hummus. The gyro plate included about the same number of beef portions, flattened and seasoned as for a gyro, with a side salad and generous portion of tzatziki sauce. Freshly made pitas were also included which I used as a make my own pita sandwich. All of this was $17 and some change.

Are you detecting a pattern here? It doesn't cost much to eat or shop at Sarah's where you can find unique ingredients and fresh, grilled to order quick food. Plus, they don't even charge extra for making you feel important. Even if you're not. Especially if you're not. Oh, but YOU, imaginary readers are very special. And, that's on the house. Thanks for stopping by and come back soon!

Restaurant Seating; Mafia Connections; and a Fable

2010-01-06T20:16:00.008-06:00

I'm not a demanding person. I tend to be pretty flexible and easy going about most things. But when it comes to restaurant seating, I can be pretty territorial about staking my claim to the power seat; the chair that offers the most unobstructed view of the restaurant. My aversion to sitting with my back to the public makes me behave, somewhat uncharacteristically, like a little ~~bitch~~ brat.

When challenged, I'll use whatever means necessary to intimidate my dining companions into forfeiting their right to the coveted seat. With vague references to former mob connections, I use the “old habits die hard“ excuse. I tell them I'll watch their backs from my lookout position, because surely they wouldn't want the responsibility of watching mine, what with my dangerous past and all.

This doesn't work with everyone. My son doesn't fall for it and since he has an equally strong preference for the out-facing chair position, I have to resort to the intimidation-by-guilt method to get him to concede. Didn’t I endure 16 hours of hard labor to give him the gift of life? And, since I'm probably going to be the one to pick up the tab for this meal, the least he can do is grant his poor mom this one feeble request. This method only works about half the time.

As one of many functional elements in a restaurant's ambiance, seating should essentially go unnoticed. Like background music; it’s only noticeable when it’s annoying. But, even subtle annoyances can have a negative effect on a customer’s experience. I discovered this a few months ago at Hoovers north Austin location. While the food and the service were both good, for some reason I had no desire to go back again. I didn't give it much thought until a coworker mentioned how much he loves Hoover's food, but he only orders takeout since the chairs are so uncomfortable. So, that was it. The reason I had no desire to go back to Hoover's was because the chairs were painful to my delicate hindquarters. While I didn’t initially identify seating as the cause for my discomfort, the message got through to my brain where it was filed under the don’t go there category.

In my search for data on the subject of restaurant seating, I was surprised to find very little information regarding the importance of comfortable chairs. There were plenty of resources on table layout and interior design for maximum efficiency, but little reference to actual comfort. In fact, one report mentioned that less desirable tables, meaning those offering less overall comfort, were quite often the most profitable, encouraging higher turnover and a better spending per minute ratio. A restaurant like Hoovers relies on moving tables quickly and that goal is reflected in the ambiance with bright lighting, the open dining room and hard chairs.

As long as we’re discussing restaurant seating, we should look into the reasoning behind bar stools. What possible benefit is derived from supplying bar patrons with alcohol while forcing them to balance atop extra tall, backless, three-legged bar stools? The original bar stool design just seems unfinished. Maybe some poor medieval bastard was working in his carpentry shop, trying to finish up a custom order for the local grog purveyor, when he fell over dead from a latent plague related complication. His untimely death left the incomplete chair with no back, only three legs and several loose bolts under the seat, a legacy known today as the swivel bar stool. At least that's the way it could have happened. I imagine the chair maker's last words were something along the lines of, “this chair is taking forever to finish.” Well, at least he got that part right.

Call me naïve, but what good is a high spending per minute average if you’re having to spend more on advertising to keep bringing in new customers? And why do restaurants offer tables of varying quality anyway? If there exists an architect who can design this then surely one could design a seating arrangement where no one is forced to sit with their back to a crowded room. Priorities, people. This is a matter of national security.

Cooking With Glamour

2010-01-04T11:27:00.004-06:00

Over the holidays, I needed to buy some fruit to make mulled wine, so I thought I would step it up a notch by buying Meyer lemons and blood oranges instead of the typical lemons and oranges. It made such a difference that I realized how easily we can elevate a simple dish with special ingredients. Chefs do this all the time, taking something mundane, like a grilled cheese sandwich, substituting Guyere for the cheddar, adding some prosciutto and arugula, and voila, what was once a plain old grilled cheese has now been elevated to a croque monsieur.

A good chef often lets the ingredients dictate the menu. He or she orders ingredients based on the season, availability and price and then creates the menu to make full use of the inventory. At least that’s what Anthony Bourdain says and I believe everything that my beloved Tony says. I'm hoping to apply the same practice with my new weekly Greenling delivery.

Paying attention to menu descriptions is a great place to get ideas for glamming up your home cooking. I experimented with this concept recently, taking my cues from some of Austin’s most inventive restaurant menus. Olivia, East Side Showroom, Paggi House, Chez Nous, Jeffrey’s, and Bess Bistro are just a few of the restaurants using fresh, local ingredients in unique ways. Below are some of the unique ingredients used by these restaurants, most of which are readily available for the rest of us to use in our every day cooking.

Bosc pears

Yaupon honey
Baby arugula
White anchovy
Meyer lemon
Black kale
Sea salt
Local cheeses
Burrata
Taleggio
Pure Luck Chevre
Persimmons

Fingerling potatoes

Purple potatoes

Apple Wood Bacon

Red chard

Niman Ranch lamb, pork, and beef

Figs

Shallots

Duck eggs

Pure vanilla

Boggy Creek Farm rapini

Curly endive

Lavender extract

Brussel leaves

Cipollini

Parsnip

Marcona almonds
Brassicas
Lychee
Fennel
Celeriac
Brandy
Cornichons
Nicoise olives
Saffron
Porchetta
Stilton bleu cheese
Candy-striped beets
Proscuitto
Dates
Capers
Sun-dried tomatoes

Oh, and don't forget to serve it up on something pretty. What are some of your chef secrets?

El Greco Grill

2010-01-01T12:41:00.002-06:00

My recent visit to El Greco Grill marked the end of a self-imposed seven year moratorium on all things Greek. I admit to having developed an irrational prejudice toward an entire cuisine based on the fraudulent behavior of one Dimitri Sofias. I’ll spare you the details, because, though broke and bitter, I’ve moved on, and as of yesterday have embraced Greek cuisine once again. I couldn’t have picked a better landing for my re-entry than El Greco.

At first glance El Greco looks like just another gyro place. The non-descript university location and counter service style belies the high quality and true authenticity of its food. While the two-sided menu is extensive, the cashier taking our order was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about guiding us in the right direction.

We ordered the moussaka with tabouli on the side and the lamb chop special with a side of Greek salad. The moussaka was rich and delicious and nearly impossible to finish. (Nearly, meaning, I did, indeed, finish it.)

Moussaka notwithstanding, I blame the lamb chops at El Greco for re-igniting my love for Greek cuisine. These chops were so good that I followed up the meal with a trip to Central Market to buy lamb chops in the hopes of re-creating such deliciousness. I’m under no illusions, however, regarding the limitations of a George Foreman grill in this capacity. Still, if I can’t go back to El Greco right away, I’ll settle for a poor substitute if only to incite a more vivid memory of those lamb chops.

Wait a minute. I just found out El Greco delivers. Dimitri who?

December Foodie Round-up

2009-12-27T11:26:00.004-06:00

Among the many things I’ve learned in the short time since I started blogging is that Austin has a great food blogging community. This talented network of writers, photographers, foodies and cooks are incredibly welcoming and encouraging to newbies like myself. I’ve decided to start a monthly link round-up to share some of the best posts of the month from Austin’s best food bloggers. I’ll also include a few links to interesting food related information that I find on my strolls around the interwebs. Enjoy.

Austin Foodie Blogs

Review: Snack Bar Maggie's Austin

Review: Jack Allen's Kitchen: Local Savory Flavor-y The Rebeccammendations

Review: Eastside Kings. Go There. Boots in the Oven

Review: 24 Diner A Total Win This Is Life In Austin

Best of ATX: What’s New Austin Is Delicious

Umami: 2009 Food Word of the Year Tasty Touring

In Other Food Related News...

The Year That Was: Memes, Themes, and Schemes of 2009 Serious Eats

Sorry, Vegans: Brussels Sprouts Like to Live, Too by Natalie Angier for the New York Times

Ode to Tradition - Christmas Eve at the Frisco Shop

2009-12-25T01:45:00.003-06:00

You may have noticed that my profile pic, the one I consistently use to identify my blog, shows the Frisco Shop sign in the background. The Frisco Shop sign symbolizes everything that the Austin Food Journey is about. An Austin landmark, the Frisco Shop has managed to hold on to the past while adapting to the demands of a changing world. Like the city it has served since 1953, the Frisco Shop's appeal defies explanation and yet it endures.

Yesterday, Christmas Eve, I had lunch at the Frisco Shop with my daughter and my son and my son's girlfriend. We were all a little cranky and stressed out trying to finish our last minute holiday shopping. After we sat down at one of the booths, I mentioned that when I was growing up, it was a family tradition to go to the Frisco Shop on Christmas Eve. I told them how I will always associate the Frisco Shop with the feeling of anticipation and excitement of knowing that Christmas is almost here.

This moment offered a brief respite from our bickering, but the story was apropos of my Austin journey. Moving back home to Austin after twenty years away has been a lesson in dichotomy. Finding my place here means embracing a newer Austin while accepting an older me. I have great memories of growing up in Austin, but even great memories are formed out of something that was lost. The problem with nostalgia is that it also serves as evidence that even the best things in life are temporary. I think that's why we call them treasures. Merry Christmas!

New Year's Eve Dining Event Guide

2009-12-24T02:30:00.011-06:00

So you don't have a significant other to kiss when the ball drops on New Year's Eve. You're a lightweight who passes out after two glasses of champagne. You don't have $500 to spend on a night out. You might as well just stay home on New Year's Eve, right? Wrong! Romance, drunkenness and debauchery aren't the only ways to celebrate New Year's Eve. This is the night when Austin's best chefs show off their talents by offering their most inspired tasting menus at fixed prices that are surprisingly within reach. Let the amateurs have their New Year's Eve crunk fest. You're about to have better plans.

Highball

Event: Party like it's 1961!

5 course meal with cocktails, live jazz, dancing and champagne toast at midnight.

Price: $120 per person includes 15% gratuity

Parkside

Event: 4 course dinner with optional wine pairing

Menu Features: braised lamb shanks with dried cherry couscous; gala apple diver scallops; sheep's milk ravioli

Price: $60 per person + $35 optional wine pairing

Restaurant Jezebel

Event: 5 course dinner; 2 Seatings 5:30 and 9:30

Menu Features: Maine lobster bisque with nutmeg oil & Johnny Walker black crème frâiche, Challah French toast with wild flower honey – lavender goat cheese, homemade cinnamon ice cream & Vermont maple syrup

Price: 5:30 seating: $89 per person; 9:30 seating $125 per person. Optional wine pairing $49

Bess Bistro

Event: 6 course menu

Menu Features: grilled Lockhart quail over butter pecan cornbread, "green eggs and ham" manchego over tenderloin, crispy prosciutto sunny side up quail egg and salsa verde

Price: $60 per person

Flemings

Event: 3 Night Event

Menu Features: Wagyu filet mignon and cold water lobster tail; Maine lobster and seafood

Price: $69.95 or $75.95

Shoreline Grill

Event: Prix fixe menu

Menu Features: Tuna tartare, seared scallops, pumpkin flan. Free glass of bubbly

Price: $50 per person

Primizie Osteria

Event: Prix fixe 2 seatings, 7:00 & 8:30

Menu Features: Gnocchi w/roasted butternut squash & sage brown butter. Chianti espresso braised beef. Tuscan yogurt cake w/meyer lemon marmalade, pomegranate & toasted almond gelato

Price: $45 per person

Olivia

Event: Special NYE menu

Menu Features: nebbiolo risotto, perigord winter black truffles, cippolini onion “gravy”, arugula (tba) “reef & beef”, tomato braised octopus, fresh herbs, veal marrow butter, pasta al ceppo, garlic-fried breadcrumbs; half duck a l’orange, herbed mashed potatoes, grand marnier gastrique

Price: A la carte

Hudsons on the Bend

Event: 5 course tasting menu

Menu Features: Lobster risotto and venison Wellington

Price: $125 per person

Trio at the Four Seasons

Event: Prix fixe menu 6-11pm with party in lobby to follow

Menu Features: Grilled quail, stuffed malpeque oysters, roasted suckling pig and roasted lobster.

Price: $95 per person

Paggi House

Event: Prix fixe tasting menu
Menu Features: Lobster cake, pork belly and foie gras terrine. Entrees beef tenderloin, coffee brined duck breast, short ribs with lobster crepes and lots of desserts.
Price: $75 per person

Lambert's

Event: Riverboat Casino Party 9pm-2am Open bar, buffet, casino

Menu Features: Buffet
Price: $135 per person

Stephen F's

Event: Live Music, Hors d’oeuvres, Mini Desserts and a Champagne Toast at Midnight

Menu Features: Assorted Hot and Cold Hors d’ oeuvres, An Extravagant Selection of Chef's Petit Desserts

Price: $50 per person

Alamo Ritz

Event: NYE Bash, The Apartment! 5 course menu

Menu Features: Lobster Rickshaw Boy, Garlic and valpolicella braised lamb shank atop spaghetti in a fresh tomato sauce with gremolada

Price: TBD

Phara's Fine Mediterranean Cuisine

Event: Prix fixe menu, live music, belly dancing, fire dancers and Phara herself.

Menu Features: Roasted lamb & mediterranean chicken BYOB
Price: $50 per person

Green Pastures

Event: Prix fixe tasting menu

Menu Features: Seared Duck Breast and Black Pepper-African Prawns with Apple-Brandy Jus Truffled Potatoes and Red Chili Cabbage, Winter Lamb Duet* Grilled Rack of Lamb, Candied Lemons, Guajillo Chutney and Peppermint Pesto Braised Lamb Shoulder Cassoulet with Edamame, Blackeye Peas, Garbanzo, White Beans, Rosemary, Roasted Garlic & Shiraz

Price: $50 per person

Asti Trattoria

Event: 3 course or 5 course tasting menu

Menu Features: Gnocchi Alla Romana, Braised Lamb Sugo & Vin Cotto Grilled Rack of Lamb Fregola, Escarole & Tomato Calabrese Currant & Pine Nut Salsa, Chiffon Mascarpone Cheesecake Red Wine Roasted Grapes & Sugared Rosemary

Price: 3 course: $55/person 5 course: $80/person

An American Girl Goes Global on the Christmas Dinner Menu

2009-12-22T21:46:00.009-06:00

I care about you Readers. I really do. So much so, that I'm planning my Christmas meal around what you might find interesting.

My super spectacular sister has purchased a lovely rib roast from Central Market to be picked up on Christmas Eve. Other family members are pitching in with important things like stuffing, desserts and under-the-sea salad (a superfluous side dish that is rarely eaten, but which will incite loud protest if omitted.) With most of the traditional elements taken care of, we are free to go crazy with the rest of the meal. Sounds like a great time to go global, wouldn't you agree?

Eating tamales on Christmas Eve has become almost as much a Texas tradition as a Mexican one, but I'll include them as Mexico's contribution to our ethnic inspired meal. No, I'm not going to make them myself. Why would I do that when I can just go pick up a dozen or so from the nice people at Jorges.

As for the rest of the meal, I'm flying without a net here. I'm a little ashamed by my ignorance regarding Christmas traditions around the world. I'm only vaguely aware of the Swedish tradition of young girls wearing a crown of candles on their heads, and I recall something about the Dutch putting wooden shoes at the end of their beds. In fact, if it weren't for American Girl dolls, I wouldn't even know this much.

So, it's for your benefit that I'm opening up my mind and adding to my workload. I can't say that my choices are highly representative of well-known Christmas traditions around the world, but, at the very least, I'm attempting to step outside my own borders of tradition. I hope to follow up after the big day with some awesome photos showing the results of my efforts, but that is contingent on whether or not Santa brings me this.

Voila, le menu.

BEVERAGES

Glogg - Swedish or Norwegian, (depending on which diacritical mark is used), is a warm red or port wine mulled with cinnamon sticks, orange slices, cloves and sugar.

Innisfree Cabernet Sauvignon (2005) available at Twin Liquor

APPETIZERS

Oysters are supposedly a French Christmas tradition, so I think oyster cocktails with fresh oysters from Quality Seafood Market would be tasty.

Fig and Mozzarella Salad seems foreign enough

SOUP

Sardinian Clam and Fregula Soup
OR

Butternut Squash Bisque

BREAD

Weihnachstollen - German sweet bread from Central Market

SIDE DISHES

Braised Russian fingerling potatoes with pearl onions, cremini mushrooms & rosemary sauce.

Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts Are brussels sprouts from Brussels? Let's say they are.

and possibly...

Sicilian Style Sauteed Chard

How 'bout you. Do you have any unusual or ethnic traditions you would like to share? Go ahead and leave a comment. Comment like you've never commented before.

Austin Dining Tour Guide: Best Bets For All Types of Guests

2009-12-19T12:22:00.005-06:00

Most of us, regardless of where we live, feel a sense of ownership and pride in our city, especially when entertaining out-of-town guests. We want to show our visitors the best that our city has to offer. But that can mean different things to different people.

I discovered this recently when my son-in-law and his friend came to town for a brief one night stay. I wanted to impress them by taking them out for a great dinner, but I couldn't think of the perfect place. As I drove aimlessly down Lamar, they were getting weak and cranky from hunger, suggesting I stop anywhere that looked remotely like a restaurant, including Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home. I ended up choosing Shoal Creek Saloon, and it couldn't have been a more perfect choice. Sipping beer on the patio and eating good ol' chicken fried steak gave them the quintessential Austin experience I was after.

I decided to do a little forward thinking, so the next time I'm required to entertain some out-of-towners, I'll know exactly where to take them. I've created a personalized dining tour guide geared toward several different fictional characters. I included possibilities for eating out for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Maybe you'll recognize someone you know among these fake people. If so, you'll have some ideas on where to take them so they will leave Austin feeling satiated.

Your Daughter and Son-In-Law Visiting from Oregon

Breakfast/Brunch: 24 Diner
Lunch: Chuy’s
Dinner: Parkside

Your Dazed and Confused Ex-Boyfriend from Colorado

Breakfast/Brunch: Austin Diner
Lunch: Top Notch
Dinner: Highball

Your Former Partner-In-Crime-Drinking-Buddy-Turned-Vegan-Yoga Instructor

Breakfast/Brunch: Blue Dahlia Bistro
Lunch: Casa de Luz
Dinner: Paggi House

Your Two Roommates From College Whom You Haven't Seen In 20 Years

Breakfast/Brunch: Max’s Wine Dive
Lunch: Garridos
Dinner: Perla’s

Your Former Co-Worker From Denver Who Made Fun of You For Moving to Texas

Breakfast/Brunch: Kerby Lane Cafe
Lunch: Curra’s Grill
Dinner: Olivia

Your Wealthy, Jet-Setting Aunt and Uncle With a Fondness For Cocktails and Picking Up The Tab

Your 20-Something Niece With A Masters Degree In Art History and Keen Sense of Ironic Style

Breakfast/Brunch: The Woodland
Lunch: Piranha Killer Sushi
Dinner: Eastside Showroom

2010 Restaurant/Dining Trends

2009-12-16T06:14:00.012-06:00

I love trends. Let me clarify that. I love the study and forecasting of cultural trends. Staying ahead of all the latest trends seems like a fascinating occupation. And a powerful one at that, since forecasters who are privy to the inside scoop on upcoming trends are also influential in igniting those trends.

What we had before we had the modern phenomena of cultural trends, was, well, survival. When man first discovered that dropping a hunk of mastodon rump into the fire pit rendered the meat more palatable and easier to digest, he made an important contribution to the advancement of our species. This discovery did not, however, incite a culinary trend involving seared meat preparation. That came later with the invention of the Coleman Charcoal Grill and the beer belly.

As a sophisticated, modern society, we have access to more food and more varieties of food than any previous generation. For the first time in history we can choose to eliminate entire food groups from our diets based on how they reflect our political, religious, social or personal beliefs and yet we still have enough food choices left over to ensure our survival. These days, our sense of hunger factors vaguely into the personal decisions we make regarding the food we eat.

Trends might appear to exist on their own as naturally occurring phenomena, but that isn’t how it works. Trends are too powerful to be left to develop and grow on their own. Like gremlins after dark, a trend must be carefully tended to by experts within the industry that stands to benefit most from its survival. Culinary trends are the manifestations of the restaurant industry’s ongoing attempt to satisfy the ever changing demands of a savvy consumer culture.

Why the long-winded introduction you ask? Well, I originally set out to find and regurgitate a simple list of food trends for 2010, but there was so much information on the subject that I’ve had to resort to aggregating this huge, disparate volume of information into a condensed version of only the most essential findings. A lengthy introduction was my way of illustrating to you the weighty importance of this incredible work of genius on my part. You‘re welcome.

Let’s start by exploring the underlying themes that are popping up everywhere in America right now.

Economic survival
Reassurance
Intimacy & friendship
Feeding their knowledge
Feeding their emotions
Artisan, hand-made
Neighborhood, local
Authentic, real
Comfort & safety

These themes are pervasive and affect most behavior by American consumers, but especially decisions that involve dining out.

According to a study by Joseph Baum and Michael Whiteman Co., the country’s leading experts on the restaurant industry, consumers have grown weary and somewhat skeptical of the overuse of words like organic and all-natural, which is why next year’s trends will be defined by the following three words:

FRESH
LOCAL
HAND-MADE

The hottest restaurant trends for 2010 include trends that are already well-established by Austin area restaurants. Such trends include: onsite culinary gardens; upscale versions of humble menu items; dining out, in; classically simple dishes; regional ethnic cuisine; communal/shared dining; and food as entertainment and education.

Some of the more interesting items that you’ll find on next year’s table will be:

Culinary Cocktails

Such as Lara Nixon‘s winning entry in Edible Austin’s drink local event, the
“We’re In it for the Corn” cocktail

Food Preparations

Will include more techniques like liquid nitrogen, braising, sous vide, smoking and oil-poaching/confits

Bite Size Mini Desserts

Cardamom Spice

Small Plate/Snacky Menu Options and Flexible Portion Sizes

Fried Chicken

Using inventive spices and ethnicity, particularly Korean.

Upscale Comfort Foods

Kobe beef burgers, house-made sausage dogs

Regional Ethnic Dishes

Newly Fabricated Cuts of Meat

Nostalgia

Creative Interpretations of Nostalgic, Feel-Good Foods like PB&J, Cookies & Milk or Coffee & Donuts (a la French Laundry)

Umami

Lots of weird Umami

Breakfast Round the Clock

More Offal!

Look for more tongue, beef and pork cheeks, chicken gizzards, tripe, etc.

Tart Flavors

Lots of pickled veggies

Super fruits

Like Mangosteen and durian

Made-to-Order Ice Cream

Bahn-Mi Vietnamese Sandwiches

Unusual Vegetables

Because funny-looking food tastes better?

No trend report would be complete without a list of trends that will soon be fading into the ether, such as:

Unlikely Ethnic Fusions like Asian/Latin

Bacon and Pork Belly I‘ll miss you guys

Flavored water

Energy drink cocktails say goodbye to the classic oxymoron Red Bull & Vodka

Cupcakes I think we all saw that coming

Sea Urchin

Bottled water

Couscous Finally!

Typical Mexican appetizers like quesadillas and nachos

Persimmons

Miso Miso not like miso

and finally...

Ostrich/Emu

Because, seriously, who would want to eat this?

People Behaving Badly

2009-12-13T14:15:00.004-06:00

Irrational and evil thoughts that came out of my mouth last night at Justine’s when my sister and I were forced to stand for 2 hours waiting for a table.

“Check out that douche bag, moving in on the only open barstool.”

“Could you people be any taller?”

“Well aren’t you special with your hipster bangs. Of course you deserve that spot more than we do.”

“Looks like Baldy over there is about to have a threesome with Eighties Hair and Serial Killer.”

“Umm, I don’t think so, Princess. Ordering soup at the bar, means you have forfeited your right to a table in the dining room.”

“Call me Sullen.”

“Oops, did I spill my drink on you?”

“Unless you’re proposing marriage, Asshole, pay the tab and move along.”

“Tell me that bitch didn’t just order espresso.”

“Is every table in this shit hole ordering dessert?”

“We’re definitely ordering dessert.”

“When I asked for escargot, I think he heard, ‘please just go.’”

“God, how I hate the French.”

Drive-Thru Happiness: Hat Creek Burger Co.

2009-12-12T11:34:00.002-06:00

Every time my daughter goes to Chili’s, she orders the same two things; skillet queso and boneless buffalo chicken wings. It’s comforting for her to know that wherever she goes, be it Denver, Dallas or Detroit, she can go to Chili’s and get the same exact skillet queso and boneless buffalo chicken wings that make her so happy. While I don’t share her fondness for Chili’s cuisine, I’m at least starting to understand where it comes from.

People, like my daughter, like the comfort and predictability of chain restaurants. While trying out all of Austin's best restaurants along this food journey is fun and exciting, comforting it's not. So, I'm starting to hit a wall. Fortunately, I've found one new, local place that offers all the comfort I need with this...

This juicy burger from Hat Creek is no culinary match for Wink’s Caramel Bread Pudding Foie Gras, but I’m telling you, it can be every bit as satisfying.

What makes comfort food comforting is more about what it isn’t than what it is. Sometimes comfort means not waiting for a table, not spending a fortune, and not getting out of the car. A great drive-thru cheeseburger feeds my hunger in a primordial way, like a lioness on the Serengeti, capturing her prey, ripping it to shreds and devouring it before it has a chance to get cold. Where fine dining satisfies my taste buds, there is nothing that feeds my hunger more completely than a big, fat juicy burger from Hat Creek.

Hat Creek is the only burger joint in Austin to offer fresh, never frozen, all natural PGA beef. PGA is naturally cultivated without hormones or antibiotics. You might laugh at the recycled Arby’s sign at the new Hat Creek location on Burnet Road, but if you live nearby, that sign is a welcome beacon for the feining carnivore in need of a fix.