toripowell's Profile
Hard Hat Report
I saw this just today. There was also a sign that said parking in back, which looks helpful considering their location.
Anniversary Dinner Sunday Recommendations Needed
Olivia is open for dinner on Sundays now!
Baby Greens
Do you happen to know if their dressings are house-made? I've been curious about this place but don't often trust people to make my salads (or dressings) for me.
Brunching on Eggs Benedict in Austin
Olivia has a fantastic eggs benedict during their Sunday brunch. This is what the menu reads:
olivia benedict, braised short ribs, poached farm eggs, hollandaise, biscuit 16
The portions are large and all items local and fresh. I'd suggest giving it a shot.
Olivia (S. Lamar near Oltorf)
We went on a Monday night at 7:45 and there were plenty of tables full, plenty of tables empty.
Where to get a steak sandwich in Austin?
Foodheads has a sirloin steak sandwich for $8.25 on their menu. I'm still trying to head over there and haven't tasted their sandwiches yet. I've heard we should all steer clear of the soups but that some of their specialty sandwiches are fantastic. If you try it, let us know how it is!
Hummus made Here
Like a couple other people who posted, I make my own. Sometimes if my beans are too dry I add water to help with consistency. I would avoid the HFCSs at all costs but a little water is, in my opinion, acceptable. (Does it help that I learned this trick from the son of a Lebanese man who makes it regularly?) I add lots of oil to mine but sometimes you really need some water.
Soups in Austin
I haven't noticed Por Tabla yet, but I'm intrigued. What's the pricing on these soups?
Olivia (S. Lamar near Oltorf)
Olivia had some ads for kitchen help posted on Craigslist a couple of weeks ago. I wonder if some staff newness had anything to do with your unfortunate experience. I haven't talked to anyone who had the lamb tongue but I have heard excellent things about the duck confit risotto. Maybe things will stabilize soon and offer you a better close-to-home dining experience.
Ground Breaking Chef in Austin Texas
Where are these Portuguese bakeries? Do they have Portuguese prices? A helpful Portuguese woman in Lisbon once responded after many "what's that?"s and pointed fingers, "Everything orange in Portugal is made of sugar and eggs."
Also, what is the new Spanish place on Lamar and where is it?
Knife-cut Noodles in Austin?
There is a place called Pasta & Co just north of W. 35th on Kerbey Lane that claims to be Austin's only fresh pasta producer on their website (austinpasta.com). The site doesn't detail the process they use to make the pasta and I haven't tried it yet, but they do give you a list of links to places that use their pasta or sauces.
Soups in Austin
Does anyone know of some other consistently good non-Asian soups? In the town I come from, I worked at a bakery that was also famous for its soups, so a cup with a roll was always an exceptionally healthy and tasty lunch. I really miss this. Today I got spinach lentil with a seeduction roll at Whole Foods, thinking surely this was a safe bet, but overall there was little flavor in the soup and too much salt in both. I'm sad. If I don't find anything by fall, I'll be devastated.
ps: are Wheatsville's warm soups good in the cooler months? Do they have any fresh rolls?
Thinking of moving from Brooklyn, NY to Austin--what would I be in for, foodwise?
I just moved here from Corsica, which is a pretty tight-laced island, so to me there are tons of options and variety. I want to add that there is more pizza by the slice here than anywhere else besides New York and Bologna. It's not all good, but it's not all bad. We also have a great Ethiopian restaurant here, and accessibility to authentic Cajun is nice. And if you want to open a cheese shop with me, just call.
Clueless about fudge
No worries on the construction. I live at 37th and Guadalupe right now and haven't seen any construction on Guadalupe itself.
Best Margaritas in Central Austin?
Thanks, everybody. Tomorrow's Friday and I get to test your advice!!
Food Festivals--Where do I get the info?
You guys are amazing! I can't wait to see one of these go down!
Water Ice in Austin??
if anyone DOES decide to go sno-cone, the stand on Guadalupe just a few blocks north of Wheatsville offers a jillion flavors, really generous servings, umbrellas for while you hang out, and no corn syrup.
Best By The Glass Wine Lists?
Someone mentioned Vino Vino--I want to say that once I went in there and the owner and bartender had all the time in the world to chat with my not-so-knowledgeable self about all things wine. It was a really great experience, and when we all decided they didn't have what I needed, instead of taking advantage by selling me a bottle that was "comparable to what I was looking for" they sent me to a different wine cellar encouraging me to hold out for my original goals and assuring me I'd find it at this other place.
I love this town.
Food Festivals--Where do I get the info?
Sorry for flooding chowhound with my questions, but they've got to be answered. I want to know how to find out about food-related festivals (or other ones, if you want) in advance. Is there a website that lists them? Or if you know of a particularly good one, I can start compiling a list of my own. I'm interested in things as broad as a "Taste of Austin" type festival (not sure if that's a Chicago thing or if everyone does it) or as narrow as a rare species of catfish festival.
Foodheads-- Why bother
I don't eat out a lot, but I like to sit with my laptop and a latte for a while. Can I do this at Foodheads or is it purely a dining joint? Also, can I order just half a sandwich?
Beer Lover's Paris?
I realize you're back from your trip by now (probably) but for the sake of discussion, yes, try Pietra. It does vary from batch to batch, but hopefully you'll get a good one. The Pietra brewery also makes Colomba, which has the local Corsican herbs called maquis (a general name for the flora in certain areas). Colomba is sweeter and lighter and not made from chestnut flower like Pietra is. The third beer, Serena, is nothing special. If you got really attached to any of this while you're in France, corsica-colis.com ships Corsican goods worldwide.
Driving From Austin to Tyler-Then to College Station & Back to Austin
When was the last time you were at the Shed? I heard it got new owners a couple of years ago and isn't as good anymore.
Clueless about fudge
Personally I think it's fun to find a place he might not find...but if you run out of luck, there's a whole chocolate creations station at Whole Foods. I actually don't like chocolate very much, and definitely in large amounts, but they have lots of creative items that really intrigue me whenever I walk by. The only other thing I could suggest is call Quack's and see if they've got any. Someone recently posted on another board about some bite-size chocolate cake covered in fudge frosting from Quack's for 50 cents each.
The stuffed avacado challenge
I'm new to Austin, but Chuy's sounds familiar. Is it a chain? I gotta know. and where is it?
Best Margaritas in Central Austin?
Tonight I tried Cedar Door. The waitress told me they just got the machine to do their Mexican martinis frozen, so I got one (salted) and was pretty into it. However, they tasted a little mixed-based. Just reporting back.
The state of coffee in Austin
Anderson's is great coffee, but where I bought it, it was $8 for half a pound. I'm used to a max of $11 for a whole pound of fresh, micro-roasted coffee, so this felt pricey to me. I'll have to go back to buying my bulk coffee at Wheatsville.
As far as coffee shops go, I want to encourage people who are new to the area to do some footwork. Austin seems to have funny zoning and there might be a house-turned-coffeeshop right in the middle of what seems to be a mostly residential area. I really love this about Austin. Unless the coffee is really awful, I care more about atmosphere if I'm just getting drip anyway. Clementines had good stuff and great atmosphere if you like incredibly busy.
What is that place on San Jacinto near UT? It's mostly glass walls I think...I'd like to know if it's good before I go over there b/c it's a bit out of my way.
Best Margaritas in Central Austin?
I'm new to Austin and want to marg my way through town. I love that this place is packed with good food and drink but if I don't start small and basic I'll never figure things out. I know all about Mexican martinis, but let's stay focused here. Margaritas. I need real lime, I need to avoid W 6th, and I need to stay in central Austin. Please help me. I've been to Guero's and Trudy's already, so what's next???
Best Tres Leches cake in Austin
I've not sampled many tres leches cakes in the area, but the one at Whole Foods was AMAZING. Anyone who's never tried it needs to.
