thereman's Profile
The Spiciest Mexican Dish in Austin
Thanks for these suggestions! Adding everything that is new to me to the list. Re: the habanero sauce at Habanero Cafe, is this served on anything in particular, or is it more of a special salsa you can request for the table?
The Spiciest Mexican Dish in Austin
Help me, Chowhounds! What can I order that will BURN MY FACE OFF? The fajitas w/ Jalapenos at Habanero Cafe come close to doing the trick, as does Torchy's Diablo Sauce (when applied in sufficient quantity), but I want MORE.
Barbecue Trip Report (Long)
Really? For me, Rudy's has always had its charms. Their extra moist brisket and St. Louis style ribs are consistently tasty (love the rub). They also get points for the banana pudding and that strange hand-washing machine. POKE-JO'S, on the other hand, makes me think of school cafeteria bbq.
Maoz coming to Triangle
Hmm, maybe it depends on how your order. To me, $5.25 for a falafel sandwich that includes unlimited trips to the salad bar for fresh toppings seems like the best healthy eating deal in Austin. Even better if you can catch a warm batch of that sorta fried broccoli and cauliflower mixture.
Stiles Switch BBQ
Stopped by for lunch today. The best part was the great customer service. Not only did they ask how I'd like my brisket and give me a little extra, I heard them ask another guy how he liked his mac and cheese ("Do you want more pasta or more cheese?"). Unfortunately, the fatty brisket was on the dry side today and definitely needed some sauce to get it going. Not at all in the same league flavor or texture-wise as Franklin and running either $13 or $13.99/lb. I also had one of the Jalapeno-cheddar sausages, which was tasty, and the slaw, which used pleasantly little Mayo, but could be improved with more spice. Mainly tasted salt and pepper.
Looks like Elizabeth St. Cafe is open?
I popped in yesterday but didn't end up staying. The hipster hostess said, "I have some other stuff to do, but then I'll be able to seat you in about 20 minutes." Strange choice of words, even if it did look pretty busy. The menu was enticing enough if you can get past paying $3-$6 more than usual for Vietnamese standards.
Birthday Lunch
Thanks for these suggestions! We ended up waiting a bit and hitting up Uchiko's social hour. The food was delicious as usual, especially the brussels sprouts (thankfully a bit less salty than La Condesa's) and the skewers of pork belly (bacon sen). Not a big fan of the Koviche, which they instruct you to scoop up like nachos using crisps that are far too brittle for such a purpose. I also aways feel a BIT rushed by the pacing at Uchi and Uchiko and leave wishing I could order a meal in halftime. This isn't helped at the Uchiko bar where people sometimes stand right behind you waiting to take your place.
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Uchiko
4200 North Lamar, Austin, TX 78756
Birthday Lunch
Hey Chowhounds! Only have one day to plan, but might you have any recommendations for a special birthday lunch in Austin? Maybe somewhere with a prix fixe menu?
Showstopping menu items?
A friend is taking me and another friend out for our bdays this weekend, but it's his bday soon as well, so we're hoping to turn the tables and surprise HIM. Any recommendations for restaurants that have a truly showstopping menu item we could have delivered to the table? Something very special occasion, dramatic, unusual, overboard, ridiculous, on fire, etc.?
Truck thoughts: Not Your Mama's; 3 Little Pigs; Honcho's
Tried the pork belly slider at 3 Little Pigs last night. A bit heavy on the FRIED side for my taste. And the french fries that accompanied were limp/undercooked. Still hopeful that the rest of menu will deliver.
Frosty Malts
Anyone know where I could find an old-fashioned Frosty Malt in Austin? I used to see this classic ballpark treat at convenience stores from time to time, but they seem to have been usurped by pints of ice cream. Here's a photo reference: http://www.udfinc.com/homemade_brand/products/udf_frosty_malts.asp
THEY WANT HOW LITTLE? Reasonable Beyond Belief Food Pricing In Austin Part 1
Buyer beware. I can only speak for the beef and chicken shawarma, but we found the meats to be VERY low-quality. At a time that we were ravenously hungry, we could only get through half.
THEY WANT HOW LITTLE? Reasonable Beyond Belief Food Pricing In Austin Part 1
Ronnie's Real Food Cafe is currently offering an all-inclusive FIVE course meal on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday for only $20. That's appetizer, soup, entree, salad, dessert, coffee or tea, tax, and tip. Ronnie greets you at the door, makes the food, serves the food, and cleans the table after you leave. Kinda like going to dinner at a kindly uncles house.
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Ronnie's Real Foods
205 S Commons Ford Rd, Austin, TX 78733
Uchiko
Is there a way to "crash" the soft opening? Are people making reservations, or just showing up at the door? I would love to get in there while food is still half-price!
Green Mole Sauce at El Meson?
Has anyone else tried this at the new, South Lamar location? Probably my least favorite sauce I've ever had on chicken. It had the taste of warm, unseasoned grain. No tartness, no spiciness. Kinda tasted like the smell of a bean bag filled with rice. If I'm missing out on some subtleties, I'd love to hear different opinions. It probably didn't help that the chicken was a bit undercooked, giving it that slick, slightly squishy quality.
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El Meson
5808 Burleson Rd, Austin, TX 78744
San Francisco foodie LOVING the food trailers!
on the same side as Uchi actually. the donut burger is really tasty, and far more subtle than one might expect. a single donut is sliced in half and grilled. the grilling seems to take away some of the sweetness.
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Uchi Restaurant
801 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
Olivia, La Condesa, Parkside , Aquarelle and Wink - have five reservations and can only keep two
La Condesa and Parkside! I have a vegan friend who fell HEAD OVER HEELS for La Condesa after they made him a special vegan platter.
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La Condesa
400-A W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701
Coming to Austin for New Year's Eve 2009, recommendations?
Parkside is $60 for a 4-course prix fixe. I believe the $100 event is more of a 6th street-style party on their balcony with DJ, drinks, snacks, etc.
What's the deal with Five Guys?
for me, five guys thrives based on their toppings more than anything else. i really like getting their junior cheeseburger (or their jr. BACON cheeseburger) "all the way." they load it up with lots of great caramelized onions and mushrooms that mix really well with the deliciously gummy bun. add some free peanuts and you've got a cheap and filling meal.
Review of Lambert's
For me, the best bets at Lambert's are either the weekend brunch or the Frito Pie off of the bar menu. The brunch lets you try out a lot of their specialities for not much more than an entree costs at dinner. I think the price used to be $18, but it's gone up to $26. I like that it combines a small buffet with selections that can be ordered from a menu and made fresh. And the frito pie is only $10 and is probably the most decadent thing on the menu... hunks of chopped brisket, goat cheese, queso, pico, etc...
The worst possible Mexican food ever!
i can second the awfulness of this Arandas. visited about 2 years ago, and it was truly the most depressing food i've had in austin.
Spicy Bulgogi at Burger Tex?
That's the one. Thanks for the reply, Mr. Wiggins. Gotta admit that I'm a little tempted to add swiss cheese...
Mandola's Redo
It seems to me that selected items have changed, but lots of the favorites remain. I was a little disappointed to see my favorite soup missing (the one with the hunk of bread in it), but it's been replaced by a wonderful, chock-full of veggies minestrone. The Antipasto platter has been downsized to a $9.99 version. Some new pizzas, sandwiches, etc...
Best Chicken Fried Steak in Austin and the Hinterlands
The CFS at RO's outpost (on hwy 71) is tasty. Part of the effect comes from the extreme hunger that develops as you wait 35-40 minutes for it to pan fry. Also, for a quick and cheap fix, dare I say... LUBY's? A LuAnn platter is down to $5.99 on weekdays, even less if you're a senior.
Spicy Bulgogi at Burger Tex?
Can anyone report on the spicy Bulgogi burger at Burger Tex? That place has always looked a bit sad to me, but they have a new paint job and seem to be pushing the Bulgogi, which has me curious.
Best Fajitas in Austin?
Yum! Thanks for the tip about the Fajitas Guajillo at Polvo's. It's at the top of my list of things to try. One recommendation for the budget minded: Santa Rita Cantina on 38th St. offers Fajitas for 2 for the price of Fajitas for 1 every Monday night. And seriously, it's so much food that you can easily share it between THREE people. Nothing especially innovative, but the beef does have a nice charred and seasoned flavor.
Dim Sum, Lamar Blvd.
i checked it out this afternoon. i'm no dim sum expert, but the food was pretty tasty and a the place has an interesting concept. it's owned by a very friendly woman named Foo who also owns Satay. she introduced the chef as the "king of dim sum." he's from Hong Kong by way of San Francisco and is adjusting to making the food in much smaller batches than he's used to. you fill out a checklist-style menu and then place your order at the counter. you can order dim sum a la carte or choose from several combos. one of the combos gives you one choice of dim sum + a serving of the entree of the day + your choice of rice or chow mein. another combo gives you two choices of dim sum + a steamed bun + a sesame ball. both are $7.50. the entree of the day today was red curry, which was okay (could have used a bit more KICK), but next time we'll probably stick to the dim sum. my partner loved her dumplings and I thought the pork bun had a great flavor, even if the sauce to meat ratio leaned a bit heavily towards the sauce. i also enjoyed the spinach dumplings wrapped with bright green skin. the chewy sesame ball with bean paste filling was a nice capper for the meal. since i live in the neighborhood, i'm sure this place will become a constant temptation. hard to beat the convenience of 30+ types of dim sum available from 11am-9pm each day...
Austin for 3 Nights - Lamberts, Parkside, Uchi. Correct or incorrect?
yes to parkside!
yes to uchi! (try showing up a little before 5 to get in w/o a reservation)
the best deal with lambert's is to hit their weekend brunch buffet: all kinds of good bbq and breakfast treats to try... most of the egg items are made to order and delivered right to your table.
Who has the best authentic Mexican torta in Austin?
for some reason the mention of tortas made me think of gorditas, so if you'll pardon a slight tangent: the best gordita i've had in austin BY FAR came from a little trailer just past 51st and Airport, near Casey's Snowballs. It's called La Caneria. plan on waiting about 10 minutes for the masa to cook on the griddle. a warm pocket of lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, and your choice of meats awaits. I'd go for the al pastor: red and rich and tough to beat.
Special Wonton Soup at Ming's
Through a vague tip on Yelp, I've been ordering an off menu item called the "Special Wonton Soup" at Ming's on Guadalupe, and it's quickly become one of my favorite guilt-free dishes in town. It's a clear broth with a bit of a kick, plenty of vegetables, wontons, and usually a little chicken and pork. Tastes blissfully fresh and nourishing. The owner called it "Hong Kong-style wonton soup." Also, I recommend adding an egg roll to your order; they're like the eggrolls i remember in the 80's and have thick, almost pastry-like, shells.
