amykragan's Profile
Foiled by Fonda San Miguel again.
The Grove Wine Bar is not far from One World Theater where you must be going and they have great food and cool decks (also indoor ac areas) and good food. Pizzas too if want something the group can share.
What are your current faves in the Round Rock area?
Gumbo's is clsoed to relocate. French Quarter Grill is great, HO HO Chinese is super and Main St. Grill is really good too. Louisiana Longhorn is much more casual but great food too!
Suggestions for Mother's Day Meal?
If you check Opentable.com, several local places are offering special menus for Mother's Day.
Pao's mandarin in lakeway
ask for the Chinese menu when you go. even better than the regular one
even the wonton soup is better broth is full of flavor
they also do dim sum on weekends...
Need Restaurant Suggestion for Bachlorette Lunch
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/800645
Here's a start
Taverna does a great brunch with $1 mimosas if it's on a weekend.
Fish Skin Fish Dumplings at Ivy's Deli; Xiao Long Bao (XLB) Too
I think another post has a rumor about Ivy's opening near the IKEA in Round Rock? Maybe they moved?
what not to miss in the Austin area
If you search this board there are extensive discussions of BBQ. If you tell us what part of town you'll be in, do you have transportation, price ranges, etc. we can be more helpful. If you stay this vague you won't get much response.
Some Places that reall make Austin unique include Uchi and Uchi with Tyson Cole and Paul Qui who just won Top Chef. Must have reservations though.
Tomo on Palmer...any new reviews & is it still open? Website down.
I love Sushi Nini and their HH specials are great. Their albacore is my favorite and they've added a ton of new rolls to the menu along with both hot and cold appetizers.
Need a place for book club
We read a new book each month and try to tie in the food. Our next book has the character traveling to Budapest, Mongolia and Russia.
Any ideas on where a group of 8-10 ladies could go for food from those regions? Doesn't have to be all of them, could just be 1
Chowhound Dinner Group
Evite went out today for our May outing. Please join our yahoo group if you want to be included.
Austin Chowhounds
Chowhound Dinner Group
I'll try to start organizing group dinners again in May via the yahoo group (per Chowhound rules) and Evite.
Tell me:
1. What night of work is your preferred (Monday & Tuesday seemed to work best last time)
2. Where do you want to go?
We need a place that lets us do separate checks or does counter service or is a set price that we can collect in advance. (Been stuck with the check too many times)
Places we tried last go round included:
Ventana (closed now but at the Culinary academy)
Cafe Bleu
Olivia
Uchi
Uchiko
Jeffrey's
Thai Passion
If you want to join the group please send a request so I can add you.
Clay Pit
getting married in belize in a few days, but will try to put something together for May
Ladies' Luncheon/Tea
Depending on the size of the group, probably. They will also work with you to customize menu/prices.
Their brunch is a lot of fun too though I think it's about $40/person but has everything you can imagine choice wise.
Ladies' Luncheon/Tea
Green Pastures would be an awesome venue for that. Love the peacocks strutting around the yard under the rolling live oak trees
Clay Pit
I used to organize monthly Chowhound dinners (through a yahoo group per Chowhound rules) but participation dropped off so I stopped.
Homefield Grill Beer Parining Dinner
Apparently, this is a monthly event (3rd Thursday of the month typically)$50 and very educational for beer fans (I know there are several on this board). Five course meal with 5 beers. The beer guru talks about each beer and then the executive chef, Scott Reed talks about the food and why they paired them together.
Went for my first time and will definitely do this again.
We were in the private room with a bathroom just for us which was a plus so you didn't miss any of the "presentation".
First Course: Caribbean ceviche with fresh mint and basil & South Austin Brewing Saison D'Austin
Ceviche had red onion, tilapia, shrimp and another fish I couldn't distinguish. The men at the table thought this was the best pairing of the night as the citrus in the beer really matched the citrus in the ceviche.
Second Course: Callaloo soup iwth potatoes, leeks, okra, carrots and shrimp & Breckenridge 471 IPA
This was a hearty portion of what the chef called "tropical gumbo". Very nice texture and creamy flavors though mine didn't have any shrimp at all..poor luck of the draw as everyone else at my table had shrimp in theirs. Spinach was used in place of the hard to get callaloo.
The ladies at the table thought this was the best pairing of the night and the IPA brought out the spice of the soup.
Third Course: Spinach salad with tomatoes, bacon and cashel blue tossed with mango vinaigrett & Sam Adams Alpine Spring.
Not too bad for a salad which often bore me. I loved the blue cheese and the mango dressing went well with the beer. I would have liked more dressing on my salad. I left most of my salad knowing there was more to come and I wasn't enthsued about spinach salad.
Fourth Course: Slow roasted jerked pork shoulder in banana leaf with carmelized star fruit over coconut pineapple rice & Alaskan Amber.
The best food of the night. Great spice and served out of the leaf so we could eat it much easier. Again, large portion and everything worked well together.
Fifth Course: coconut custard with a light rum sauce & 512 Whiskey barrel Double Pecan Porter
HUGE serving of dessert after a very filling meal. LOTS of sugar but oh so good. The beer was a new one for me and very rare. Not for a the "lite" beer drinker for sure. The whiskey flavor really dominated the beer!
I learned a lot had a great meal and will definitely go back.
Crawfish Catering
I agree, it's just be challenging to host the wedding reception and man the boiling pot at the same time, but being cajuns, we'll make it work! :)
Coal Vines Pizza and Wine Bar
I believe it's on 2nd street near City hall in the bottom of a big office building CSC maybe?
Crawfish Catering
I know they serve boiled crawfish on Thursdays, but that's not the same as travelling to a private venue to do a boil. Most likely we'll boil ourselves and buy the jumbo selects from them.
Austin Restaurant Week 2012 experiences
Went to Green Pastures last night and was very pleased. We had:
Appetizers:
The Balcones Lobster:Tellicherry Tempura Lobster Tail, Garlic Butter Potatoes, Crispy Kale, Sweet Corn and Baby Blue Balcones Nage: large tail lightly tempura battered served over mashed potatoes and garnished with fried kale. Very tasty and well cooked. This was the hit of the night!
South Side Sampler: (MEAT FEST)-this included 2 small jalapeno stuffed, bacon wrapped quail breasts, Five-Spice Ribs with Sriracha Glaze,Wild Boar and Cheddar Sausage, Wasabi BBQ Pork Belly --very tasty
Entrees:
Treaty Oak Steak
Green Peppercorn and Brown Sugar Cured Flat Iron Steak, Dijon, Treaty Oak Rum,
Pecan Broccoli, Shiraz Spiced Apple and Pork Cheek Hash.--this was good but not great, meat was a bit tough but cooked exactly as ordered (rare of course!)
Redfish and Creole Pudding
Garlic Red Fish with Crawfish Bread Pudding, Herb Butter, Green Beans, Crispy Onions--this was light and tasty and presentation was a stunning tower
Desserts:
Peanut Butter Fluff
Blonde Brownie, Peanut Butter Mousse, Orange Caramel and Toasted Marshmallow--definitely felt like a little kid with this fun dessert served in a smores presentation and reminded me of a reese's peanut butter cup, the orange caramel really added some depth
Hot Chocolate!
Mini Chocolate Habanero Creme Brulee, Shortbread and Cacao Brittle--this was better than I expected but very rich. more of a super mousse than a creme brulee and the habanero gave added excitement..first bites were super rich and sweet and then the heat would sneak up on you brittle was flavorful but too hard to eat in a ladylike manner
Wedding Cake: Italian Cream Cake, Coconut, Pecans, Cream Cheese this was less exciting. Tasty, but nothing special..could have just as easily been store bought
$36 and great service. They also had a featured cote de rhone for $25 (normally $45). I would go back to Green Pastures for ARW for sure!
Foodie Celebrating. Need help!
Second is great especially if you can go during HH where the prices are more affordable. My favorite is the bacon and eggs which has a magically poached egg and a large portion of pork belly. Pork fat rules you know!
Crawfish Catering
That's who we always buy our live from. We tried Stuffed since the location is better for us, but are back to Quality. Lee is our seafood go to guy. Definitely want them boiled on site (they don't do that) so most likely we'll order from them and just do it ourselves.
Crawfish Catering
I've eaten their and thought it was pretty decent chow. I think they serve crawfish now too. I went in the summer and had the etouffee and was pleased.
Live Crawfish finds and price check for 2012
HEB is doing boiling demos at all stores Saturday & Sunday at 11AM. Live (by the sack) is $1.40/lb or less than a sack for $2.49/lb
Austin Restaurant Week 2012 experiences
Trying Green Pastures for ARW and my birthday tonight and will report back. Menu sounds pretty good!
