SpaceAgeNinjaCowboy's Profile
Good eats in area of Brodie / Slaughter / Wm. Cannon / Manchaca
I can't remember the name of the place, but one of my fav hidden locales in this area is a gas station on the corner of Pleasant Valley and Wm Cannon that has a hidden Mexican restaurant on the other half of it that has some of the best damn B-fast tacos around. I think MPH and Scrumptious have mentioned the place as well.
Burgers - Carl's JR in Austin
Wow,
You got back to Top Notch just in the nick of time there Chef. Considering the unfortunate passing of the restaurant's owner last week, it's doubtful that they will be open anytime soon.
Burgers - Carl's JR in Austin
Hey,
Long time, no post.....I know. That pesky thing called work (3 jobs currently) has prevented me from posting much in here as of late. But I simply had to make a quick post about my favorite fast food place finally coming to Austin. I know, I know...there are a great many better Burgers in and around Austin. Namely Casino, the Driskill, Poodie's, Houston's and even (shudder) Bone Daddy's. But Carl's JR has a special place in my heart as being a childhoold favorite of mine when I lived in SoCal. I feel especially joyous in that they are building it not even 5 minutes from my house! Anyhoo.....
It's on Slaughter Ln, right between Manchaca and Congress in a small new Business Park.
Ciao!
Moroccan?
Heh,
The closest I can come to a recommendation would be the Moroccan crepe from Fliphappy. Sauteed vegetables and tender pork in Morrocan spices in those tender, heavenly blankets of goodness. I'm salivating just thinking about them.
The best of the best of the best...
Yep, scratch that word. It was exactly that. It's what I get for typing that last statement on the way to a meeting.
The best of the best of the best...
Another good choice is the new restaurant, 'Imperia' for Asian Fusion. The food here is excellent and the service is top notch. I had a Kobe (confirmed it was a unique 'Kobe' beef and not 'Wagyu' which is often the case) grilled lean steak filet with a mushroom ragu on top. It was superb and the missus had the Miso Chilean Sea Bass which she devoured.
http://www.imperia-austin.com/
New Restaurant opening soon-Mooyah Burgers
Heya folks,
Just wanted to give a quick heads up that new restaurant is opening soon called Mooyah Burgers. It's on the corner of Burnet and 183, almost next door to Chili's and Benihana. Apparently, they just offer burgers, shakes and fries.
Chile con Queso in Austin
The queso flameado at Angie's is outstanding and drool worthy. I love the spiciness of the chorizo mixed in. The Mag Mud is a really satisfying dish. The Kerbey Queso leaves a bit to be desired. I will say that I'm secretly a fan of the queso compuesto at Waterloo.
Does anyone have Chicken Sizzling Rice soup in Austin?
Wow,
Not much longer did I leave my reply when a friend of mine that frequents these boards but never replies sent me this link. I usually forget about the food here mainly because I love the Dim Sum. But this might be exactly what you're looking for Sundrops.
http://www.tienhong.net/menu-dinner.htm
Does anyone have Chicken Sizzling Rice soup in Austin?
Wow,
Sizzling rice soup is definitely one of my favored soups and it's typically fantastic only if done right. This combined with Paper Wrapped Chicken usually makes for a fantastic meal. Unfortunately, neither of these of these 2 dishes have turned up for me yet in Austin but I would definitely love to hear if someone has found something on this dish.
Gordon Ramsey coming to the Bakehouse?
LOL,
I would so watch that. Bakehouse is a place I used to love when I was a kid (Crocket HS). But after my tastes 'matured' and I learned what good food was, I just stayed away from this place.
Best Thai in Austin
Mama Fu's is definitely a place I will never step foot into again. We ordered a split chicken lemongrass soup of theirs and an entree. The soup was cold and even worse it tasted like someone poured an entire salt shaker into it. It was inedible and atrocious. We flagged down management and informed them and they went away to test the soup and confirm and he came back and apologized profusely and comped our entire meal. We then had the same soup but were told that this soup was fresh and although it wasn't loaded with salt like the previous it was still pretty nasty. Interestingly enough, even though the receipt showed that he 'comped' our meal, it still went through to our bank and we never did get our money back. To each their own I supposed but I will gladly steer anyone away from the horrors at Mama Fu's and towards the likes of Little Thailand (yummmm!!!!) Madame Mam's and even Thai Passion.
Sambets?
Phenomenal, the roast beef is very tender and it has a semi-thick gravy that is just divine. Probably one of my favorite roast beef po-boy's I've had in Austin.
Estancia Churrascaria is open. Who'll take the plunge?
Amy,
I just went there not too long ago and they indeed had their liquor license. We actually tried version of a Mojito and it was quite tasty. However, things change so you may want to call them to make sure. I'm sure they can arrange a party of 20 guests, although I'm not sure if they have a specialized room for such occasion. And regrettably, I'm not sure about the salad bar although I would say that the salad bar is definitely not the star 'attraction' there. It's all about the meat.
One Last reservation needed...Mexican
I'd agree with Amy on Habanero and hangover Sunday. As a person that lives 10 minutes from that place and a frequent patron (looooove their fajitas), I can tell you that it's a great little spot. The scenery however isn't that great as there's ton of construction going on and it's smack dab by the heavily traveled Oltorf.
Java Noodles in Austin
I so love Jave Noodles. That place has a special place in my heart as it was one of the very first restaurants I tried in Austin when I first moved here from Seattle many moons ago. I highly recommend them and anyone that thinks they are anything less than great obviously has a passion for store bought Chun King frozen foods and Buffet Palace.
Chicago 'Hound Visiting for 30th Birthday
Personally,
I would highly recommend South Congress Cafe. The food there is exceptional, the atmosphere is very much in tune with 'South Austin' and the prices are extremely agreeable. As an added bonus, the area is a great locale for those that have never experienced 'South Austin' or 'SoCo'. My favs are the duck and oyster gumbo and the 5 spice pork. The creamed spinach is divine as well.
http://www.southcongresscafe.com
Feed Me Feed Me Feed Me Feed Me Feed Me Feed Me
As far as consistently keeping me drooling and delivering whenever i need a 'fix', I'd have to say both Taco Deli,Flip Happy and Hoover's have both done outstanding jobs on keeping me satisfied. Great topic btw Chef.
Chowhound Assignment:Go A Place Never Reviewed On This Board Part II
Chief's BBQ 7811 S 1st, Suite 104 Mon-Sat 1030a-9p, Sun 11a-6p
Chief's is located in a small business park almost on the intersection of Dittmar and S 1st. The big smokestack and BBQ contraption outside of the building kind of give a slight hint as to what is in store for you.
I was on my way to find a tasty sandwich of some kind when I saw this place and it sparked my curiosity so in I pulled. Outside, there are a few wooden picnic tables with wooden bench seats. Nothing of notice really. There were a few people already dining on some vittles so it looked like I wasn't alone on my gastronomical adventures. Inside is a bizarre mix of a barely working color TV, some newspapers, a Trash receptacle and some small wooden tables here and there with sparse seating. The counter to order took me some time to find as it's tucked away on the far left side of the place with huge boxes of napkins, cups and other necessities blocking the view into the back of the restaurant.
I took in the smells and noticed that were barely any smells inside, apparently all of the cooking is done outside on the huge BBQ contraption. I read the menu and my choice, a sandwich called the 'Homer' with a side of fried okra and a root beer soda (guilty pleasure of mine to have root beer and BBQ). I grab a seat and wait for my order to arrive while reading whatever was available.
After a few minutes, some more people arrived and ordered some food and my order came out. The 'Homer' is simply a mixed BBQ sandwich of brisket, sausage, pickles, onions and BBQ sauce over everything. The fried okra actually looked promising and it delivered. In my opinion, their fried okra is actually better than most other places I've tried in Austin as the okra is bright green like it's almost fresh, the batter mixture is very crispy with hardly any 'sogginess' to it at all. I pour on some of the BBQ sauce from my container and am surprised to see that their sauce is actually the vinegar kind of sauce, rather than the usual messy ketchup variety in most other place. It's simple enough with visible spices mixed and a little heat to it. Nothing of remark however. Next, I tried the sandwich. The bread itself was the typical white bun bought from grocery stores and and the sandwhich itself was decent. The brisket was overcooked however and tough to eat in some parts. The sausage was better with a slight spice to it and cooked rather nicely. They had the vinegar sauce poured over everything on the sandwich to complete the meal. My main complaints were that the brisket could have been cooked better and the sandwich itself could have been a bit hotter in temperature when served.
This place is definitely not the best BBQ I've had in or around Austin (love me some Smitty's and Kreuz). However, for being within walking distance of my house in S Austin, I can't complain at all. It's a nice alternative from the other fares around where I live and gives a decent menu that can be picked through for some time to come. I plan on going back and trying their signature 'beans' dish. Beans with choice meats, sauce, cheese and onions and jalapenos.
New New Italian Options in Austin, Which Ones Stack Up?
I got dragged to Cannoli Joe's two weeks back and I figured I'd share in my experience and my overall severe disappointment. When you first walk into the place, you are given a tour and believe me, it's needed. The place is huge! There are different rooms that are styled in different 'themes' with names attached to each room. It's cute enough. But enough of the decor, onto the food and beverages. This place is one of those place that I just didn't want to acknowledge but after much pleading and poking, I was taken there. With tears in my eyes, I sauntered up the first part of the buffet and I will say this, I've never seen so much food! It baffles me in what they do with the food that is tossed but then again, I probably would be better off in not knowing at all. I'll break their choices down into categories:
Wines and alcohol: Their selection is absolutely horrible and beyond that, the reds we asked for had actually soured and you could actually taste how bad they were. We sent these back and got two carafes of a more palatable Red wine. I'm more of a good Bourbon drinker (Bulleit, Jefferson's and Basil Hayden's being my preferred) and all they had were they atypical garbage of Jack, Jim and other 'would rather have a glass of water' choices.
Pastas: The pasta on almost all of the choices were done well enough but there was definitely no 'perfection' in any of the dishes, the taste alone was enough for me to not even bother going back for all of their selections.
Salads: Their salad selections consisted of the typical Garden, Italian and even a Caprese salad. Their cheese they use is abosultely vile. It's hard, it barely has any flavor and worst of all, it's comes 'cubed' onto all of the salads which makes it a chore to actually break it up yourself and disperse according to your style. The dressing is definitely lacking on their Caesar (I am still in search of a good Caeasar in Austin) and their vegetables are a bit on the wilted side from sitting out too long.
Pizza: Don't even get me started. Even their 'special' of a fontina and mushroom selection was indigestible. The dough was chewy and not done properly, the sauce was 'Ragu with even more sugar' which I didn't think was possible.
Meats: Dried, baked too much, not enough variation on spices.
Sides: Their Garlic Mashers with Rosemary Gravy were just ordinary, nothing special, their vegetable primavera was acceptable enough.
All in all, avoid this place like the plague UNLESS you are looking for a place that caters to the youngish crowd that likes to party with big drink vessels and crazy colored straws. They definitely cater to the 'Olive Garden' niche large family crowds which is fine, it's definitely not for me though.
Fun fact: The best part of the meal was actually the Mocha Latte I ordered to help me digest the stuff I swallowed whole so I wouldn't have to taste. It was the perfect temperature with a nice mild smoothness to it and the sprinkles on top added a nice semi sweetness to the drink overall.
Where should I take a California relative to eat in Austin?
Since she's from CA, I would recommend Hudson's on the Bend. It's a rather long drive but the food is superb and very 'Austin-y'. Awesome service but be prepared to spend some dollars on this meal as they aren't exactly cheap.
http://www.hudsonsonthebend.com/main.php
Recommended Deli and thanks
Well,
It's only been a few days and I have to say that I'm truly a believer in this site and first off, wanted to say thanks to MPH and Scrumptious and Anne and Tom and countless others who seem to be the 'guardian citizens' of this site. Your tips and articles have led me already to a BBQ locale that offers a great dish called the TMAN (Bert's BBQ). In turn, I offer a hidden spot of my own that I haven't seen anyone post about that I think truly shines in the world of 'mundane sandwhiches' from the likes of Thundercloud, Subway and all the other ones.
Garden Spot Deli is truly a small hidden treasure of a place. I just happened to stumble upon it with a friend of mine from a previous employer's. I'll say this, I've been to New World on Guadalupe and the Little Deli on Woodrow and I Garden Spot just has me coming back for lunch all the time. The service is excellent, the choices superb and the daily specials are just fantastic offerings for the daily pilgrimages called 'work'. I highly recommend the Itallion Stallion and the King of Clubs. These sandwiches were what really got me hooked on this charming little spot. Most sandwiches come with 'The Works', which is a varied mix of typical sandwhich toppings, salt and peppers, oil and vinegar. Then it can get tricky, they offer several different types of mayo (which includes a chipotle mayo), a few choices on mustard, an out of this world sun dried tomato cream cheese spread (which is fantastic on their version of a BLT). You then have your choice of homemade cookies, chips, several different sides (admittedly, I've only tried their green chile chicken stew which is heavenly). Beyond this, they either make or have someone make their bread and it's fantastic for holding up to the piles of ingredients, it's neither too hard or too soft, the meats and cheese are all Boar's Head quality or better, all viewable in the glass case where they make your sandwich to order. The bacon is thick and peppery and the veggies all taste like they are picked from a garden that same day.
This place is a great locale for us folks that work up North and I highly recommend them with two big thumbs up. It's on the right hand side of Burnet Rd going N just pass 183 in a business park. Feel free to check them out and come back to me with any news or if I've overlooked any posts on them previously then I apologize initially. Here's a link on them and their foodstuffs.
www.gardenspotcafe.com
The hunt for Austin's best Biscuits and Gravy
Hello fellow Chowhounds,
I'm rather new here to the boards but I've seen some great posts that have led me to some fantastic spots and I hope that some of the info I've posted in turn has been used for advantageous culinary explorations. I'm rather curious though in my personal endeavor to find one of my alltime favorite Southern classics. Biscuits and Sausage gravy.
To date, I've tried all the chains (boring and lacking spice imo). Thus far, I've unearthed what I consider to be some of the best in Austin and was hoping for some feedback in this scrumdiddlyumptious package of flavor. The reason for my quest btw is that my Dad used to make these for us every Sunday almost but I've since been reduced to fixing my own breakfasts on Sunday and I cannot get his recipe right!
These are favs so far:
Hoover's on Manor:
This is one of the better ones thus far with visible pepper and spices in the gravy and the color is just right. You can get the taste that the gravy is made from the drippings which is the way it should be and that the gravy is not too thick and not too thin although it can range on the heavier side at times. There are a few minuses however on this otherwise awesome plate. Usually, the plate comes and it's rather warm, never 'piping hot' as I've always craved. The sausage used in their biscuits and gravy is good but not great as well. Still, I find myself ordering this plate almost every single time that I head to Hoover's for a Sunday brunch.
The winner for thus far is Dan's Hamburgers on Ben White. These guys truly have a great dish on their hand with the sausage just right, the cream gravy not too thick and it's always hot. The spices in their gravy are exactly on spot with what I usually look for. The price also is fantastic for such a great dish. I've always loved the fact that Dan's always has that 'greasy spoon' feel to it which is something I've come to adore on weekend meals.
Thoughts/discussions on others?
M I A in Austin???
I'm not big believer in purist breakfast items since I'm always eating breakfast on the run and I'm not a big believer in bakeries and eggs benedict, however:
I really love Cura's for good Mexican although it can be off at times. Polvos is usually the winner for me though.
Best fish tacos imho are over at Taco Deli. Their mojo fish tacos are just too good for words. Be prepared for long lines if you there for lunch.
Best wishes on your search.
MUST EATS?
Hey NDL,
I'm rather new to these boards but I praise myself in having tried a lot of different places here in Austin and I have narrowed certain places down to my 'favs'.
Chinese - Din HO BBQ is a fantastic place that I love going to that is not your typical 'Americanized' Chinese. This place is a great place to eat, but don't expect the best 'service'. I highly recommend the Chinese BBQ pork.
Italian - A lot of differentiating votes on this one but some of my favs are:
Siena Ristorante on 360
Romeo's on Barton Springs (although this place has gone downhill quite a bit over the years due to changes in ownership)
Reale's on 183N is a great little catch if you're up that far north.
BBQ - The Luling and Lockhart info is pretty much what I agree with
Seafood - Heh, no comment
Steaks - Eddie V's and Sullivan's are the only two places that I can think of that offer really cuts and choices of meats although, I prefer Austin Land & Cattle at times simply because of the delicious sauces and those damn mushrooms.
Tex Mex - The afore mentioned tidbits of Chuy's, Trudy's and Guero's and others are perfect must eats.
Lastly, if I were to tell you two place that you HAVE to eat at before you leave Austin even moreso than what I've listed already would be:
Hoover's Restaurant on Manor Rd:
This place I consider an Austin 'institution' simply because of the approach to food, price and atmosphere. You pay for no frills here, you will not get a band interrupting your food, you won't get 'dazzling ambience' either. What you will get is an out of this world dining experience that centers around 'soul food'. Think of food that you would typically eat after church on a hot summer Sunday in the South and this is what you would get. I HIGHLY recommend the smothered Pork Chops (although they are limited as to what day they are served :P). The sides are oustanding as well, especially the jalapeno creamed spinach and black eyed peas. The deserts are pretty good as well from what I've heard. Additionally, they have an applewood smoked chicken quesadilla for an appetizer that is out of this world.
Lastly, if you are craving some true 'Austin' tacos. I recommend Taco Deli. There are 2 locations and I've been to both and the only thing I can say is that I actually have 'dreams' about their tacos. Every single person I have ever sent there is ALWAYS satisfied from their food. Good stuff.
Have fun in Austin!
