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/

2012

Friends, as a new year begins I think I'm going to change the focus of the blog a bit. 

2011 was full of amateur reviews, critiques, and overall bullshit. 

I think it's time I let my hair down and stop taking things so seriously. What do you say?

Aviary: Not your typical wine spot

I love living in a city where you can sip on wine, enjoy some cheese, and shop yourself silly - all in the same spot.

I went to Aviary with my Latin girls and fell in love.

Their menu is small but inviting. A little cheese plate and Malbec and we were happy.

Luke: a Chef John Besh Restaurant

I love chef John Besh. Not only is he a James Beard winner, but he's a down to earth family man who also loves to help out the community . I had yet to try Luke (his first venture outside of Louisiana), so Italianini and I made our way to San Antonio's river walk.

Getting a table was no problem, the place was empty. There were maybe four tables in the huge dining room, and not a soul in the also large mezzanine or in the patio.

Service was formidable, didn't miss a beat. 
Here's the food:

Pâté of rabbit and quail livers
truffle-perfumed. And get this-- watermelon pickles, pickles, mustard, and nopalitos gelee. It was amazing.
I really enjoyed the sharp pickled bites mixed with the subtle and smooth flavors of the pate.

Jumbo Gulf shrimp “en cocotte”
McEwen and Sons creamy white corn grits. One of the more pricey items on the menu. Rich, soulful, filling, and delicious. Definitely feels like you're in Louisiana.

I had the Texas raised herb roasted chicken. It's served over whipped potatoes in its natural jus with bacon. Seriously? Do I even need to say anything else? 


The feel of the restaurant is not my favorite. The decor is really lacking, I just think the space is too big for what they are trying to accomplish... and, let's get real here, it connects to the Embassy Suites lobby. 

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).