Elizabeth St. Cafe

I love sandwiches and, as most of you know, my favorite sandwich in the world is Banh Mi so I had to try it at Elizabeth St. Cafe.
I'm used to having a simple grilled/bbq pork banh mi that's been in brine overnight with the slightly pickled daikon radish, carrots, and cucumbers. Deeeelish!

However, Elizabeth St. served up something that had more of a pork belly feel to it. Lots of fattiness on the edges that made it juicy, but chewy. The mayo was excellent, and I got a side of the chicken liver mousse to smear on top of each bite. The tables come outfitted with plenty of sriracha, so my heat-fix was covered.
The decor in this place is darling and cozy.
So cozy, in fact, that it was hard to squeeze my Mexican hips in and out of our table without pushing my neighbor's food...oops! Loved that. NOT.

The pho and the bun are both huge portions. The pho was great, but the bun was a bit dry for my taste. One of my friends even referred to the bun as "food for horses, all lettuce and carrots". The spring rolls come with sauces that are sure to make your taste buds dance and giggle, including a ginger-jalapeno that was my total fave.

The sweets were a total hit. I had the daily macaron (chocolate) and the girls shared an eclair.

I'd recommend waiting til the hype dies down a little...the wait is entirely too long.

http://elizabethstreetcafe.com/

Tam Deli

Totally a menu picture

 We finally did it! We ventured out of our tiny Zilker/Bouldin/Downtown comfort zone and went to 183 and Lamar to try the scrumptiousness that is Tam Deli.
We had way too much food and I loved it.

I think this will be a monthly outing. For sure.

Spring rolls, fried rolls, and Banh Mi

Lucy's Fried Chicken

It's here! A good, legit, fried chicken joint. 

James Holmes (Olivia) has opened Lucy's Fried Chicken on the super south part of South Congress and it is finger-lickin' good. Also, it's super chill, but beautiful.

We started with these gorg grilled oysters called "Lucha". Apparently, their wide selection of delicious molluscs are the creative genius of several local chefs...and the Luchas come via Rene Ortiz of La Condesa.

We ate a bucket of fried chicken and rocky mountain oysters. Oh yeah and Sweet Tea pie. 

http://lucysfriedchicken.com/

La Sombra

 

After much debate (with myself) we went to La Sombra for dinner not too long ago. 

I'm not sure what I was expecting...a Peruvian slap in the face as I walked in? Papas a la Huancaína?

The decor is simple and cozy. The space is small, but the proportions are smart. We were in a booth in the back corner, next to a table with a large party... and I never felt crammed, overwhelmed, or like I couldn't hear myself think. It was well done. 

The food is good overall. We stuck to the apps, but I've had many of their dishes through my Leadership Austin class since they have catered dinner twice! (I love generous, philanthropic people).

El Alma

Well friends, another restaurant has "opened" in my 'hood. El Alma, formerly El Chile, has re-opened with a new face and a new-ish menu on Barton Springs.


Joel Mozersky re-decorated the interior, but the changes are minimal. It's a cleaner space, with great colors, but the same old tables and chairs which are hideous. 

For drinks I ordered a michelada and Italianini and LiveSTRONG man got the house margarita. The michelada was the best I've had in Austin simply because I don't like mine too spicy and with lots of lime, but the marg was just bad!

We were greeted by complimentary chips and salsa.The green salsa was really good (I'm pretty sure it's avocados, tomatillos, serranos, lots of lime and prepared raw). Then we ordered apps. We started with the Gringas (with Pastor) and the classic ceviche. The gringas are not worth the calories, the pastor was chewy and not properly seasoned. The ceviche was good, a little dry and too chunky, but a nice refreshing bite in this unbearable heat. 


I ordered the Camarones a la plancha: Shrimp with garlic ancho butter, corn relish, and avocado. The shrimp were good and cooked perfectly. The relish was sort of a slaw and it didn't impress.


LiveSTRONG man ordered theParrillada Gringa: Grilled steak and shrimp with melted cheese, rajas and guacamole.The meat was so tender and who doesn't love anything smothered in cheese and rajas?


Italianini tried the Roasted duck enmoladas: Shredded duck with pasilla mole and almonds. The mole was good and not too strong; however, it tasted EXACTLY like the Doña Maria mole my roommate and I used to 'make' in college.


The price point is perfect for a chill dinner with friends if you don't want the hussle and bussle of downtown. Their happy hour is longer than most (3-7p.m.), the prices are pretty cheap for drinks and bites, and you can enjoy their patio if you're up for this ridiculous summer heat.


No working website. Happy eating.

TRACE at the W Austin

You know the saying 'don't judge a book by its cover'? So true when it comes to restaurants...

The W Austin finally bridged the two main sections of 2nd street district, sure, but it also brought a new restaurant, bar, spa, and a shiny stage for us to play in.

Having had the opportunity to tour it and played in it early on, let me give you a couple of pointers on this new playground.

The bars are nice and spread out. The service sucks. The people are pretentious and remember it is a hotel bar, so you will still see the douche bag trying to score some local fresh catch with his flashy Ed Hardy shirt and Ferragamo loafers along with the unassuming couple wearing bermuda shorts. The pool is small and very shallow (designed to show off those fake tatas you paid $3000 for) complete with private cabanas (like 4) and wet bar. The spa really is amazing, you should check it out.

And then there is TRACE. Ambitious people work in this kitchen. Not only does it serve the restaurant and bars, but it also serves rooms and residences for 24/7 Whatever, Whenever service. Maybe that's why the flavors and quality are seriously lacking here? Who knows, the point is, drink all you want, splurge on the $15 glass of prosecco, but if you like good food, don't bother eating at TRACE.



Also, glass has STOPPED falling from the skies, so it's totally safe to venture into one of their watering holes.

Homemade Spam?

Italianini and I grabbed mid-week dinner at Uchiko (to show support and that we're not afraid of "radiation" by eating their Japanese fish, pfff). 

Chef Paul Qui sent us two dishes we were super surprised by. 

One was 'homemade spam': terrine of pork belly and other delicious parts of the pig grilled over a mustard emulsion and pickled ramps. This was one tasty bite. Strong flavors, great texture, and definitely NOT Spam. 

The other dish (I apologize, no photo) looked like tangled, thin branches topped with tiny greens sitting on a black puree that was intriguing. They were fried enoki (?) mushrooms over a huitlacoche puree and fava beans topped with sunflower sprouts. It was a bizarre sight and a wonderful dish. I think we were the guinea pigs... and I think you will soon see it on the menu.

SFC Chef Series: Spring Bounty

SFC Chef Series: Spring Bounty took place this past Sunday eve at La Condesa.

Following tradition, chefs hit us with a delicious array of dishes that are seriously worthy of better quality pictures... so, please be sure to check out La Condesa's Facebook album.

Ned Elliott (Chef and Owner) of Foreign & Domestic kicked the night off with Richardson Farms Pork Liver Custard with piquillo syrup, nasturtium salsa, and sherry caramel.

It was subtle and amazing...and a healthy serving for each person at our table.

Paul Qui (Executive Chef) of Uchiko surprised us by going vegetarian...or so I thought...

Spring onion dashi, spring vegetables (squash blossoms, baby zucchini, baby carrots), goats milk ricotta..... AND dehydrated Uni.

It's hard to describe what I experienced as I ate this dish. The ribbons of vegetables were light and crunchy, while the broth was thin yet flavorful. The Uni was the perfect seasoning and the bowl was NOT big enough. Seriously, I could have eaten 5 more.

Shawn Cirkiel (Chef and owner) of Parkside gave us Sloan Farms Crispy Rabbit with green garlic, pecans, glazed spring carrots, and red wine sauce. Isn't this plate gorgeous? A great display of Spring ingredients...and colors!

Bryce Gilmore (Chef and Owner) of Barley Swine --and Odd Duck Farm to Trailer--served a Milago Farms Soft Egg with elephant garlic puree, and pancetta shitake vinaigrette danube. I really enjoyed the runny yolk all over my pancetta. Is it because I love breakfast?

David Bull (Executive Chef) of the trio of restaurants at the bottom floor of the Austonian (Congress Restaurant) gave us Grilled Lockhart Quail with red romaine, candied orange, and cardamon yogurt. The quail nicely cooked and the yogurt gave a nice balance to the charred romaine.

Zack Northcutt (Head Chef) of Haddingtons and Mulberry ended our savory courses with a Windy Ranch Osso Bucco with polenta. This blew my taste buds away. I was very glad this powerful, flavorful, succulent dish came last! Delicious.

Laura Sawicki (Pastry Chef) of La Condesa served her most complex dessert yet-- Soncrest Farms smoked egg parfait with marcona almond, Oakhill Farms strawberry, quinoa, pickled mustard seed, and smoked sea salt. 

I have to say that this is one of my favorites (top three with her James Beard House dessert and the pie she served at Outstanding in the Field) 

Every dish was paired with a magnificent wine or beer, but this dish was paired with this: Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal, honey liqueur, cream, and house-made Froberg Farm strawberry soda. Kudos to Nate Wales for an amazing cocktail.

It was an outstanding meal. I think my favorite yet. It's amazing how much talent grazes the kitchens of our very own Austin's restaurants. I feel very lucky to have witnessed and tasted such delicious morsels. 

Red House Pizzeria

Thank you Art Alliance! For not only providing me with awesome volunteer opportunities (which totally give me the warm and fuzzies), but also for feeding my hungry belly. 

Last night I met the ladies at Red House Pizzeria, which I'm ashamed to admit I had only drank at...never eaten. I was late, of course, so the ladies had already ordered. 

Risotto Balls appeared in front of me... oozing with pesto and fontina and covered in marinara. I was skeptical, but with the first bite I was in heaven. Seriously, delish!!! Soft and creamy on the inside, perfectly fried and crispy on the outside.

The Greek Salad was good, but lacking. It was just a way to get our veggies in the midst of carb land.

***Also, on a side note, what is up with all Pizzerias serving Greek Salad?***

The Margherita Pizza was not very good. No sauce, very little cheese, the crust was soggy, and the flavors were quite bland... don't worry, I still ate two slices and the tip of another one... I was hungry!

Great thing about this place is that it mixes Italian comfort food with booze. Head over to the bar behind the restaurant and enjoy a merry little cocktail! 

http://www.redhousepizza.com/home.html

SFC Chef Series: Autumn Harvest at La Condesa

 Last year I had the pleasure of attending the Sustainable Food Center first ever Chef Series dinner at La Condesa. I missed the one they hosted in the Spring, but as soon as I saw tickets on sale for the Autumn Harvest, I jumped on it!


This year was different. We started in Malverde for passed hors d'oeuvres, courtesy of Chef Zach Northcutt and some awesome cocktails by Nate Wales and Bill Norris. It gave us a chance to chat with fellow diners as well as sample the fare of Mulberry and soon to open Haddington's. 

I was also excited for Paul Qui to take Tyson Cole's spot in the kitchen (nothing against Chef Cole, it's just a great chance for a young chef, you know?) and the menu seemed more playful and fun...oh, and I was seated at the wives' (and significant others) table!! So, before each course, the Chef would come out and explain the dish, what inspired it, and then swing by our table to give us some love.


We started with a Catfish Terrine by Jesse Griffiths. This thing was KILLER. He served it with crostinis and raw jalapeños. I literally almost stashed it in my purse...classy, eh?

Todd Duplechan gave us the 'surf and turf' as boar boudin topped with butterflied gulf shrimp and apple rosemary. 


Rene Ortiz served caramelized pork hock and crispy belly, beetroot chili mermelade, creme fraiche, watermelon radish and basil salad. The drink was a sort of sake concoction that was perfect against the bold flavors of the pork. 


James Holmes' creation was crispy braised lamb, bison bresaola, yaupon honey and turnip puree, garden greens and mustard tuile. 


For his first SFC Chef Series, Paul Qui gave us quail, fuyu persimmons, fried cashew miso, marigold. 


Shawn Cirkiel's dish was interesting...to say the least. He called it 'Season of the Witch'. Imagine all of the seasonal veggies on one plate. It was almost like an aerial view of a produce fairy land. 


 



To end the night, Laura Sawicki gave us a goat's milk marigold cremeux, apple and quince confit, marcona almond brittle, pedro jimenez sherry gastrique. 




This was a meal like no other. The diversity in the chef's taste, inspiration, technique, and play on Autumn flavors was so fun to experience. 

You should definitely go to this in the Spring! 
P.S. - sorry for the pic quality ... oops!

Blue Dhalia Bistro

I guess it had been about 4 years since the last time I had been to east 11th. Me and some LatinWork-ers had gone to Longbranch to grab a drink. I had no idea how much development had gone on since! 

I had a lazy sunday lunch with Morritow at Blue Dhalia Bistro, nestled between a super cool design studio, and an electronics store that made even me want to buy super cool headphones, or a real quality amp...I don't even l ike going to Best Buy!

The place is cute and VERY cozy (tight squeeeze). The ceiling is low and covered in wood paneling. Very french cafeteria. Large tables are shared with other parties, loud conversations, and a very loud accordion cross paths in this tiny eatery. 
There is a small patio out front, but the cutest and roomy patio is out back. 

The menu is extensive and has something for everyone. Morritow ordered the tuna salad sandwich, and I had the nicoise salad. While we waited for our order, a nice wooden board with pate (Duck), cornichons, and baguettes came to the table. It was beautiful, and really, who can turn down pate? So, I dug right in... then our server said, "sorry, they delivered it to the wrong table"... I've been taught that it's rude to spit out your food, so I finished the whole thing.

The Tuna Salad was served open-faced with basil, capers and sun dried tomatoes. It's a very generous serving...We totally could have shared. 


The Nicoise Salad with seared Ahi tuna was very filling, and I certainly felt like I got my veggies for the day; however, the flavors left much to be desired. 


Overall, you get what you pay for. The space is worth checking out and it's great for a simple little lunch.

http://www.bluedahliabistro.com/

Foreign and Domestic

It's officially Austin Restaurant Week, kids, and the Italianini and I ventured over to Foreign and Domestic. 

First, let me tell you that parking SUCKS. they have a couple of spaces right out front, but the rest is across the street in the neighborhood. Which wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't raining.

Second, this place is tiny, and always busy, so you'll have to wait--- it was a Monday at 6:30 and we waited 20 minutes.

Third, if given the choice, sit at the bar. It was the coolest experience. 

The kitchen is right there in front of you, exposed, raw, the heat, the smells, the bar is covered in jars with garnishes and wonderful herbs. 

While we were originally going for the ARW menu, we saw Chef Ned Elliot (owner) was cooking, so we had to skip the $30/person deal. 

 We had Popovers- Huge rolls with gruyere cheese. Incredible flavor, soft  and gooey on the inside, flaky outside, beautiful.

We also tried an app that was on the menu that night (menu changes constantly) called something Lardo. Sorry, horrible memory these days. Imagine pig's back fat, put in their meat grinder until it becomes like a pate, and then layered with balsamic jelly over toast... It was flavorless, gross, and the bread was soggy. The balsamic jelly was intense. It was like eating pig fat french toast. I'm all for being adventurous with food, but don't be the hero, save yourself!

I had the Ditali and Cheddar with oxtail topped with bread crumbs and a soft egg.

I think this is by far the best interpretation of comfort in a bowl. The sharp flavor and heaviness of the pasta and cheese are well complimented by the sweetness of the oxtail. This was lick-the-bowl-clean good! 

Italianini had a special of the night. Grilled octopus with scallops, topped with ink foam served over potatoes, and shishito peppers. 

It was delicious. The foam was tasteless and useless. The dish would have been fine without it. Trying too hard? Although, I must admit that I didn't expect this place to be so gastronomic. I expected something more rustic, but instead I was witness of  some serious cooking techniques.

It was really fun to watch the Chefs work in harmony in their little assembly lines.  

We almost ordered some sweets, since I know the Chef's wife (and co-owner) is the pastry chef, but that would have just been gluttony.

The service was FABULOUS. Our server was patient and lovely. 

We had a great experience, I hope you do too!!!

http://www.foodanddrinkaustin.com/

Lambert's

After volunteering for a few hours at Charity Bash, the Argentinian and I grabbed a late-ish meal at Lambert's. 

Typically I get pulled pork, or a little bit of brisket, and pretty much drown it in their house sauce... but tonight was different. 

I decided if I was going to let myself have a whole plate of mac 'n cheese, I had to eat lighter... So, I decided on the baby bibb, avocado, and pine nut salad. 
This salad was good! I loved that the avocado is at the very bottom of the lettuce. It's almost like opening a present? Ok, maybe not that exciting, but it was still very good. 

Of course the mac 'n cheese didn't disappoint. However, I have recently learned something that I MUST share--- one of the cheeses in Lambert's version of this comforting American staple is VELVEETA!!! grroooossss!!!! Oh and Tabasco sauce. So, I closed my eyes and imagined I was frolicking around with cows and giant blocks of aged cheddar and still ate every last bite. Gotta find what works for you~~~ Happy place, happy place~~~A girl's gotta have her mac 'n cheese, ok? 

Who would of thought that in the land of heavy meats I'd find such a refreshing salad??

Here's the one thing about eating at Lambert's, you end up smelling like smoke even if you just go upstairs for some drinks and live tunes. 
Despite my healthy entree, I still left smelling like a pit master.

Botticelli's

Living on SoCo is really high on my 'things that rock my world' list. I have everything a stone's throw away, including work and my Italianini's place! However, lately I've been getting together with all my peeps in the neighborhood and realized we are in DIRE need of new restaurants and watering holes in the area. I have had enough tacos al pastor and overpriced margarita's from Guero's to last my life time, been to home slice (although, I really just love it there) about 700 times, Hotel San Jose for a refreshing adult beverage at least once a month, I'm so over the spraying, misty fans at Perla's that make my hair look like a lion's mane, and can't even stand the smell of Zen anymore (although I heard it may be closing????), I don't love the food at Snack Bar, am not a huge fan of Continental Club or Vespaio, and South Congress Cafe doesn't come to mind when picking a place for a meal.

Anyway, making the most of our pretty afternoon in the 'hood the Persian, the Argentinian, and I went to Botticelli's for happy hour to enjoy a cheap glass of wine and apps. 

We shared the Boticelli bread (the only $7 item on the HH menu)  “the original”—grandmother’s own homemade bread stuffed with prosciutto, coppa, mortadella, salami, mozzarella, parmesan, and roasted bell peppers. 
I had always heard people rave about this bread, and with the long list of Italian ingredients that live happily inside of it, I figured it had to be fantastic.... Wrong, it totally lacked pizzazz and flavor. It's also very dry, maybe a little sauce would be nice? Maybe a little spice? I don't know, but I won't be ordering it any time soon.

Persian got a caesar salad, I got the mussels, and Argentininan had the calamari. 

The salad was very simple, don't really need to go into detail for that one. 

The mussels were tiny, and the broth was o.k., way too many things going on. They had capers, brown butter, lemon (LOTS of lemon), bread crumbs, and some red pepper flakes.  For $5, they were o.k. 

I liked that the calamari's batter-It wasn't overwhelming. It's cooked just enough to avoid the rubbery effect. The Arrabiatta sauce was not spicy, but it was decent. 

Overall, it was a good deal, but the food is not award-winning or even worth full price... so, only go for HH :)

And, restaurateurs, please bring more options to SoCo!!!!!
http://www.botticellissouthcongress.com/index.php

Imperia

I caught up with my Argentinian (or is it Argentine?) friend this past Saturday at Imperia for some sushi.

I wasn't very impressed last time I had their sushi, but Argentinian's main squeeze was working that night and she totally hooked it up!

We started with edamame and seaweed salad. The edamame had fresno chiles, sea salt, anda little lemon love. It was really good, but then again, it's just edamame. 

We had some rolls:

Red Devil: Tuna rolled with black sushi rice and bell peppers topped with spicy mayo and white angel sauce. - This was intriguing, spicy, and addictive.

4138: Tempura shrimp with avocado, topped with tuna and salmon and spicy peanut sauce. (So good we ordered a second one!!!)

Bank: Unagi and cream cheese, fried in cilantro tempura with spicy teriyaki.

Hamachi POPO: Yellow tail, fresno peppers, yuzu, and POPO sauce. (Don't get freaked out by the name).

We had a couple of pieces of salmon and uni, and then the staff sent over a special:

A small piece of watermelon topped with miso candied bacon, and crumbles of feta on top. It was poignant, but so good. The strong flavors contrasted AND complimented by the watermelon so perfectly. Oh.My.God. 

I was afraid the service would have suffered since C.K. left, but I was impressed at the care and attention the entire staff treated us with.

Uchiko for my 25th

Gotta love birthdays (Aren't my flowers pretty? Thanks loved ones!). I had my big 25th this past Monday and the Italianini took me to Uchiko to celebrate.

We were trying to start a diet that day to prepare for our upcoming Mexi trip (poor choice of start date, I know) so we tried to stick mostly to sashimi and such.

You'll have to forgive me if I forget to mention some of the things we ate, but there was so much, I have to stick to the items that stood out, right?

First of all, I have a new favorite snack: Shishito peppers. Forget edamame! Shishito is where it's at. These little peppers are green, long, skinny, and hard to find (not even at Wholefoods, my friends). They have a little kick at the end, but overall they're just addictive and fantastic. Second, I can't stay away from their Take Nabe. Talk about Japanese comfort food!

The rest of the meal went a little like this- Golden Beets with skyr yogurt, sake toro, the George, the P-38, the Avofry, a little Bacon Sen (pork belly with fried apple puree and apple kimchee), and the akami te (big eye tuna, water­melon, cilantro, coriander). 

It was a lovely, very romantic, very sloooowww meal, but in the end, it was awesome. 

Thanks to my Italianini for another fantastic eve.

Paggi House (Sunday Brunch)

My 25th is fast approaching!!

So, the parents came in to take me to Sunday brunch at Paggi House. 

It's a buffet, but you can also order items until you wish you had wore your fat-pants. 

I went for the berries, potatoes, bacon, quiche, smoked salmon, and goat cheese with pistachios. 

Dad chose ceviche shrimp, salmon, bacon, and the cheese. 


Mom had a lot of the same, except she tried the bread pudding and wouldn't stop mmm-ing.

Mom and I ordered eggs benedict and loved them. The hollondaise wasn't overwhelming, just dressed the dish beautifully. 


Dad ordered two different kinds of omelets (all you can eat!). He said they had nice flavor, but didn't wow him. 

We all were curious to try the chicken and waffles since CK (as in Chin) kept saying how fabulous it was. I really liked that the portion was small since the sweet flavor of the maple syrup was very strong. The waffle itself was delish! But I think I like 24 hour diner's better. Overall, it was a good and sweet morsel to finish off the meal with. 


The service was excellent, and I was surprised to see it half-empty at 1 p.m. on a Sunday. We didn't try the $1 mimosas, but that's enough incentive to make me go back. The patio was quite warm, but there was live music and plenty of umbrellas and trees for shade. There is a sunroom(?) bar in the back. It's pretty cute, just really really warm- the fans in there don't really cool it down. 

Blue Star Cafeteria

The time has come for one of  my besties to walk down the aisle. 

Now, don't judge me, none of my close friends are married, I have never been to an American wedding, much less been in the wedding, so I know NOTHING about this life-changing ritual. 

However, I will be co-maid of honor at J&B's April wedding, so when her day came to shop for wedding gown, I was ready. No one told me how mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausting this process would be, or how hungry I'd get!!

Knowing me far too well, she built lunch right into the schedule in between bridal shop appointments.

Blue Star Cafeteria, another one of Eddie Bernal's hit-or-miss restaurants (Santa Rita --gross, and 34th Street Cafe--$$$$), hosted the Bride-to-be, mother-of-the-bride, and the bridesmaids. The decor is simple, but very cute, the service was good, the prices were moderate, and the bubbly drinks were delish. Oh btw, Mr. Bernal is too cheap to get a liquor license, so you can bring your own "hooch" and save some $$ at 34th Street and Blue Star. To the left are the sparkling grapefruit and the poinsetta-- cranberry juice, sparkling wine, and lime juice.

I had the Waldorf salad with mango, jicama, candied walnuts, gorgonzola, turkey (I subbed with chicken), and a honey dijon dressing. Now, don't freak, but mine had a hair in it... so along with my freshly made second salad, came complementary desserts for the whole table! :). Good service.

J&B, her mom, and KT had the Asian Chicken salad (a.k.a the Hack salad at 34th Street Cafe). They were all super disappointed. Not enough dressing, it tasted different, the lettuce was not crisp, etc, etc, etc. 

DR and HS had a turkey burger and turkey sandwich respectively. The fries were excellent!

Then we all went a little bananas with the sweets. We ordered two Italian Cream cakes, one chocolate chip cookie pie thing with ice cream on top, and a key lime pie. All of the desserts were amazing and in very generous portions.
They comped my salad and $17 worth of desserts. Cha-ching. 

Austin Restaurant Week

http://restaurantweekaustin.com/

Homeslice

Sometimes you just really need the comfort of a slice and a glass of red wine.

I'm no Italian (that's why I date one), I'm no pizza expert (I've never been an official resident of NYC or Chicago), and I can't even cook pizza out of a box... soooo... I rely on the wonderfulness of Homeslice.

Although I love their dining room and bar, I love that they added the umbrellas and a free standing uber cool metal roof to their back patio. Oh yeah,  and the new smaller space next door...Imagine that, More Homeslice! Sweet!!

These people aren't messing around, they know what they're doing with a little dough, tomatoes, some toppings, and a paper plate. 

Also, if pizza is not your thing (YOU WEIRDO!), they have the most kick a** Italian meats sandwich. Get it with the little cherry peppers, it's tremendous!

But please, do yourself a favor and try this pizza -- any topping, any time, I swear people, it soothes the soul.

P.S.- They totally have late night. Forget the disgusto pizza trailers downtown, yuck!

http://www.homeslicepizza.com/index.php