amfreed's Profile
New Latin American Bistro in my north central hood - Al Sur
I've been to lunch at Al Sur twice in the last few weeks with a group of co-workers, and found it well worth the time and (very reasonable) money.
Service was a little on the slow side both times, despite the restaurant being relatively empty, but nothing extreme. The sopa de camaron seemed very popular with my peers (tons of shrimp, I'm told), as did the empanadas; as a vegetarian, my options were quite limited, but the sandwich vegetariano managed the remarkable task of making eggplant not just palatable, but downright tasty. The fried plantains were the only real disappointment, without quite as much plantain flavor as I was hoping. Portion sizes were all generous.
Definitely worth a shot if the menu appeals even slightly. Hope it lasts--good food and very friendly staff, and I'm looking forward to going back.
(As an aside--can anyone speak to the quality of their horchatas? I found it tasty but definitely on the sweet side... but I have no idea how an horchata is SUPPOSED to taste, so as far as I know, it may have been perfect.)
Ginger Ice Cream in Austin?
It's summer, and I've been having a craving for ginger ice cream--anyone know of a place in Austin that sells the stuff? (Grocery, ice cream shop, anything!)
The only national brand I'm aware of is Reed's, which I've never found stocked. Haagen-Daz used to sell a surprisingly decent version, but they no longer produce it.
Or do I need to get myself a proper ice cream maker and do it myself?
Comic-Con 2010 -- New and improved!
I'm not a local, but:
One of the highlights of my visit last year was Chopahn, a pleasant walk from the convention area. It's now high on my list of priorities for this year. Good Afghan food should not be missed.
(Another highlight was breakfast at Cafe Chloe--lovely place.)
Weekday Lunch Spots Near the Domain?
So, my workplace just switched offices, and--though our old lunch haunts are still mostly within reach--it seems like a fine time to examine our new options. Looking for suggestions for places that are reasonable priced and reasonably paced (no hour-and-a-half waits, please!), within a quick drive of the Domain, and can comfortably seat a small group of hungry co-workers; otherwise open to whatever brilliant ideas Chowhounds have in mind. Vegetarian-friendly options are always appreciated.
Favorites at the old office included Sunflower (Vietnamese), El Chile (Mexican), Torchy's (tacos), Madam Mam's (Thai), Mooyah / Geaux Burger (burgers), Pars Deli (Mediterranean)... we never did find a strong Chinese candidate (Tien Hong was fine before it closed).
(And of course, if there's a previously existing thread I should be looking at, please point me to it. I searched the boards, but didn't come up with anything quite on target.)
BEST MAC AND CHEESE???
Somewhat to my surprise, I've really enjoyed the baked mac n' cheese at the Alamo Drafthouse, which comes with a nice (if a little mild) green chile sauce. Good breadcrumb crust on the top, consistency isn't a gooey mess but actually tastes like macaroni, and the green chiles add an extra bit of interest.
comprehensive list of trailer food?
Okay, that's a pretty neat link.
So while we're asking for things, what about a map of all the food trailers in Austin? I don't imagine it exists, but you can do fancy things with Google maps and maybe someone knows...
Mooyah - A Proper In-and-Out Replacement
One thing I will say for Mooyah--I was very pleased with the quality of their veggie burgers. They used black bean patties, which is always a plus for me--and though on the greasy side, I enjoy them as an occasional trashy treat. Very useful to have a place to go with burger-desiring carnivorous companions.
Most of the Austin semi-fast food burger places don't seem to bother with veggie burgers at all, so I can't compare to many; better than Fuddrucker's, at least, which has acceptable patties but nothing worth seeking out. Haven't tried Terra Burger yet, though I'm very curious.
Anyone know if Geaux Burger is using the same veggie burgers as Mooyah? If so, I'll be back. If not, alas...
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Terra Burger
2522 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX
Flavor Tripping in Austin!
I'm in--just bought my ticket. I'm terribly excited... been wanting to try this for quite a while.
And yeah, it's pricey, but it looked too fun to pass up.
Anyone else?
ATTN: Comic Con Attendees (San Diego)
I've picked through the threads... mind if I ask a few specifics? I'm very excited about trying Chopahn (I'm an Austin, TX resident at the moment, and I've been deprived of Afghan restaurants for too long), but I was hoping for additional suggestions.
In particular:
Vegetarian-friendly (i.e., has at least one vegetarian dish) choices?
Uniquely San Diego experiences? (I don't even know what this would mean, granted.)
Good Indian restaurants? (I see there are a few around the convention center, but what's worth trying and what's overpriced, under-spiced and Americanized?)
Anything else worth trying that hasn't been mentioned?
Also, although I plan to be on foot around the convention center most of the time, if there's a must-go spot, I'll gladly take a cab.
What to order at Teji's Indian restaurant?
I've found Teji's inconsistent from dish to dish--I've yet to find anyone in Austin who makes a better malai kofta (which is enough to keep Teji on my to-go list on its own!), but I've been disappointed in the samosas and (though it's been a while) I seem to recall being unenthused about the dum aloo. Anyone have any other recommendations for vegetarian dishes at Teji's?
(For context, my other preferred Indian restaurants are Madras Pavilion and Swad--I realize there's a lot of debate about favored Indian on these boards...)
