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/

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.

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.

Hillcountry Food and Wine Festival: Stars Across Texas

It's no lie that I'm a slacker.
Here are some pics from the Stars Across Texas Classic.

Don't worry, I met John Besh.

Oh and fear not, I'm sure Austin Food and Wine Fest will keep some version of this awesome event.

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. 

Arancini

I had never heard of Arancini until one random night I came home to a kitchen full of them.

Native to Italy, they are amazing little balls of heaven. I actually mention here except for Red House calls them Risotto balls....You basically make some meat sauce, rice, and make sure to have fresh mozzarella around. You form the rice into a ball and stuff with a bit of sauce and a piece of mozzarella. Roll it in a little egg wash, dump it in some bread crumbs and fry the heck out of it!

So when a trailer rolls into Austin actually called Arancini, we had to check it out.

The trailer is ADORABLE and the table set up I wanted to have in my own yard. They hand-picked tables and chairs from around Austin and painted them adorable turquoise and brown colors. Cute.

To Italianini's surprise they had sold out of Arancini, so we tried the Meatball Slider, the Roasted Veggie flatbread, and the Fried Artichoke Hearts with Lemon Aioli.

The Meatball Slider was weird. It was a meatball stuffed with Mozzarella and topped with chopped pork? It was charred on the outside and juicy on the inside, but the flavor wasn't incredible. It hit the spot for sure, though.

The Roasted Veggie Flatbread consisted of artichoke hearts, asparagus, onions, and a teeny bit of mozzarella. It was large and could definitely be a meal in itself. The Fried Artichoke Hearts with Lemon Aioli were delicious. It's a great little snack and they totally count as my veggies for the day!

Prices are SUPER reasonable and the owners are lovely people. 

Give this place a try.

http://eatarancini.com/

I'm back

Yes, I have abandoned you for far too long... but I'm back!

I haven't been slacking, promise, but I have been in transition mode. 

I just got a new job, my U.S. citizenship, AND I met John Besh. Yes, I made a fool of myself at the Hillcountry Food and Wine Festival and asked him for a picture. It was great. 

I haven't stopped eating (if you can tell by my Tweets--- oh yeah, and FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER!), and now I'm ready to post again. 

Coming soon: SFC Chef Series Spring Bounty at La Condesa -- TONS OF NEW CHEFS! Get excited. 

xoxox!

Xmas in Mexico

Dearests!
I'm leaving for Christmas in Mexico.

I'll miss you!!!
Besos

-EV 

W: Trace

Dear W, 

Are you FREAKING KIDDING ME? $150 per person prix fixe for NYE dinner? Ha... Only the naïve out-of-towners that are staying in your gorgeous rooms will pay that much. 

Good luck. We're going to Uchiko (yum!!!).

P.S.- Your decision to have a tiny kitchen to service the 135 seat restaurant for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner, AND the 159 residences AND 250 guest rooms for 24/7 Whatever/Whenever® room service surprised me. Only time will tell if that was a smart move. Starwood, what were you thinking?!?!

xoxo
-EV

****Note that I have NOT tried the food... therefore this is NOT a critique****
Image: www.statesman.com

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

Wine & Swine: Pig Roast

This past weekend, in efforts to prepare for the actual Festival in the Spring, the peeps of the Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival along with local Chefs hosted an awesome array of events showcasing the variety of ways to   cook, enjoy, and marvel at a pig.

Yours truly attended the Bridges Ranch to partake in the last event of the weekend and sample tasty swiney morsels.

$35 got you endless (or until each pig ran out) tastings of each Chef's food as well as loads of wine!!! I was surprised to see so many Californian wineries there and only St. Arnold's Brewery to represent Texas. 

Some chefs cooked their little piggies over night, and some began early in the morning. Everyone served a light app, most were cold, and a heartier dish. I tried most of them, and some of them more than once...hehe :)

Chef Josh Watkins from The Carillon served pork belly black beans and a cold tiny cut of some part of the pig with slaw in between a soggy bun. Not his best...

Chef Jon Gelman from The Driskill Grill made Kahlua tamales garnished with chicharron and some sort of delicious salsa thing that was to die for. This tamal was incredible. Kudos for kicking butt at something so difficult to nail.

Larry McGuire from Lamberts served a couple of cold items (which ran out before I got to them) and pulled pork with delicious bbq sauce right out of the smoker with a sweet little bun and a pickled jalapeno. More please!

Chef John Bullington from Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar gave us one of my least favorites- very bland pork, and tasteless, insipid, butternut squash and potatoes as a side. I didn't even finish it.

Chef Rene Ortiz from La Condesa made chicken liver pate topped with tomato jam and later pork tacos with a creamy green salsa and chipotle mayo...I went back twice for apps and then again for tacos. He cooked his pig like he did for Outstanding in the Field  catching a lot of attention from attendees.

Chef Jason Dady- The only San Antonio dude - served head cheese as his appetizer and later just a piece of pork with quinoa, cauliflower, and a  mustard that I find hard to describe. It overpowered all of the flavors, and his pork was poorly cooked -- very dry.

Finally I went to Rebecca Rather's tent...What can I say, when you sell yourself as Rebecca Rather from Rather Sweet Bakery (which I was told she sold and is notorious for its delicious sweets--- try her Mexican Chocolate Cake, yum!!), why the heck would you serve pork tacos? She served it chopped in a corn tortilla with a white balsamic jicama slaw (you can find this recipe in her Pastry Queen Parties book). It was cold, poorly executed, and seriously skimpy...I'm talking two tiny chunks of pork in my taco with a whopping pile of jicama and apples on top.

I think it's safe to bet this is only the beginning of an Austin/Driftwood annual tradition.
Can't wait til the Spring for the Festival :)

http://www.texaswineandfood.org/wineandswine.html

Finally...

Is it gross that I'm FINALLY eating the last of my very non-traditional Thanksgiving leftovers? Am I the only one? 

Don't worry, all of the desserts were gone the following morning.

Our menu: 

Apps: Neufchatel with Fischer & Wieser Raspberry Chipotle sauce, Neufchatel and smoked oysters ball covered in almonds, and an assortment of olives

Meat: Pork tenderloin with port and fig reduction

Pasta n' Cheese: Penne and brie with panko 

Mashed Potatoes: Baked mashed potatoes with pancetta, mozzarella and parsley

Salad: with feta, grapes, almonds, and a balsamic vinaigrette 

Veggies: Brussels sprouts with bacon

Sweets: Apple and Pumpkin pie with some good ole vanilla ice cream (these were bought, but made from scratch from a fantastic pasty chef!)

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!

Lucky's Puccias

Italianini and I needed a quick bite one random weeknight... and decided to make a quick run to Lucky's Puccias. 

The tiny little trailer sits next to Tiniest Bar in Texas (totally no the tiniest! and, they just got real floor, and even a concrete wall to replace their wooden frence) houses a brick oven... yes, for your baked-to-order bread, a fridge full of goodies, and the two people who run this little operation. 

 

I had the Lucky's, which consists of your basic caprese, throw in some prosciutto and sundried tomato pesto. 

Italianini had the Contadina- Turkey, provolone, arugula, tomato, and olive tapanade.

The bread is good, but we had to wait quite a bit for this freshness. The sandwiches are tasty, but very simple. At $8 I could have had two slices and a soda at Home Slice, or a Banh Mi and spring rolls at Me So Hungry. To each their own. 

If you're in the neighborhood (W. 5th) and craving some Italian love between freshly baked bread, give them a shot.

http://www.facebook.com/LuckysPuccias

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.