karrieleague's Profile
UT Eats
The onion cakes at Coco's are my favorite snack in all of Austin. Greasy as hell, and they don't survive more than 10 minutes after they leave the pan, but when they are hot and fresh they are to die for
UT Eats
I really like Boomerangs, but I'm afraid they won't make it because it's empty every time I go. I like to load up on frozen pies and cook them up at home. My favorite is the traditional beef with the chipotle sauce. Makes me think of my long-lost empanandas from the empanada parlor, which cut a hole in my soul when they closed. They have breakfast pies now, which are pretty nice.
Proper Date Restaurant (w/ husband)
What I want to know is why Enoteca Vespaio doesn't serve breakfast. Austin has a serious shortage of breakfast places. There's always a horrendous wait if you want to go out on weekend mornings. I was in Auckland not too long ago, and there was at least one little breakfast cafe in every block. It was great. Enoteca seems like it would be awesome for breakfast, but no luck.
M I A in Austin???
I like the breakfast at East Side cafe, but am rarely willing to wait for a table. Also, a good and vastly underrated place is Azul on E. Cesar Chavez. It's one of the few breakfast places that doesn't have a 30 minute wait on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Hoek's Pizza Shuts It's Doors This Saturday Night
The plans for the Alamo remodel put the kitchen in the front, with one end right at the window. It is likely that the window will stay open, serving Alamo pizza. No word whether they will start cooking larger pies for slices instead of the personal sized pies they normally serve.
Sushi South
I can second the vote for Uchi. Even though you specified "not life changing" and "sushi", I'd say that while their sushi is possibly the best in town, and certainly the best south of the river, the rotating non-sushi specials often qualify as life-changing. They do things with foie gras that I've never dreamed of (in soup! delicious!)
Any recommendations for Neuchatel Switzerland?
I'm going there for one week, and dearly love good food. I don't know if the Swiss are known for their culinary greatness, but the British are stepping up to the plate, so why not the Swiss? It's worth asking.
One Day Visit to Lockhart
I never eat in the dining room if I can help it. I always head straight for the big room off the main entrance with the single lone table. It's always empty, and the atmosphere of the original building is unbeatable.
SF hound visiting Austin, looking for recs
I'm sorry that I can't point you anywhere special up there in North Austin. I don't think there is anything up there, to be perfectly honest.
I second many of the comments about Mexican restaurants here. I have a soft spot for Polvos, although the food is hit-or-miss, and the service can be almost entertainingly lousy. I can recommend Chango's. It's a local chain with a location near UT on Guadalupe and one on S. Lamar towards Ben White. They have great tacos al pastor and an amazing pollo salad. I also can't praise El Regio highly enough. Also a local chain, they are magnificent in their simplicity. They run according to the philosophy of doing only one thing, but doing it well. They have a series of trailers scattered around town that do nothing but roast chicken. Your choices on the menu are a whole chicken or a 1/2 a chicken. It comes with a melting roasted onion, corn tortillas, and a spicy green sauce. You take it away, find a tree to sit under, and rip into the chicken with your fingers to make little tacos. To die for! The furthest north I know of a location is at the corner of I-35 and Rundberg lane.
For barbeque, you are much closer to Mueller's in Taylor Texas than Cooper's in Llano. They are similar in ambiance and food. If you are going to make the trip to Lockhart, don't bother with anyplace but Smitty's. In my opinion, Smitty's wears the crown of Texas Barbecue. I take all my out of town guests there.
For your budget blowing night out, I would recommend one of the following:
the Driskill Grill - elegant and eclectic. One of the best chefs in the country
Uchi - mindblowing Japanese. Chef was voted one of the 10 best new chefs in America by food and wine magazine. Very stylish and while the sushi and sashimi are excellent, it's the cooked dishes that stand out.
Wink - fun and intimate. They do a fabulous tasting menu.
Some of my other favorites are:
The Roaring Fork - sit at the bar, the bar menu is limited but cheap and tasty.
Casino El Camino has the best burgers in town, by far.
There used to be a Bangladeshi hole-in-the-wall on Anderson Lane that was top-notch. I'm not sure if it's still open, though.
There's a new Argentinian restaurant at the corner of Oltorf and S. 1st. I've only been once but we scored 100% on the 4 different entrees we ordered, and there was a delicious rich and flaky dessert that I don't remember the name of.
That's all I can think of for now.
