travisleroy's Profile
Chile Rellenos in Austin
I just had a very good chile relleno at Kirbey Lane (the original on Kirbey Lane), that mostly fits your description. It's on the seasonal menu.
Casual dinner in Austin - help wanted
Eastside Cafe is pleasantly casual, has a varied menu, and serves migas on the weekend brunch menu. Good food in an old house. Much of the food comes from the gardens (and chickens) out back. On Manor Road just a few block east of I-35. Blue Dahlia on 11th east of I-35 is also casual and good, with a fun crowd.
Christmas Eve Downtown. Is it crazy busy or worth the risk?
Back to the original topic: Downtown is pretty quiet Christmas Eve, but don't despair: Just across the River is The Armadillo Christmas Bazarr, with live music, food, and lots of arts and crafts booths. This is a 35-year tradition in Austin, and not-to-be-missed. Like taking a step back into the 70's Austin we loved so much. There are bands playing all day, with the last band taking the stage at 8PM. It closes at 11PM. The food is excellent, mostly hot sandwiches and the like. It is held in the Palmer Events Center, just west of the Long Center.
Any tips on a good restaurant open on Christmas night (day of Christmas)?
A couple years ago when, the Armadillo Bazarr was at the convention center, I discovered that the chain restaurants in the area were open. PF Changs took reservations (and also comped our meal, even though we never complained, when the waiter got our order mixed-up). These places might be a bit better than hotel restaurants.
Riverwalk rec for healthy and tasty food
My cousins will be staying at the Emily Morgan Hotel next to the Alamo on Sunday night. They would like a casual but delightful restaurant within walking distance. Any suggestions?
Healthy prepackaged meal joints springing up... any comments?
I tried the ground turkey and rice at My Fit Foods on N. Lamar. It was bland, not that I minded. But I could not help thinking that for the same price one block north, at Chipotle, I could get an equal amount of rice, more (and better tasting) meat, beans, peppers and onions, four salsas, lettuce, and cheese. I love the Chipotle bowl.
Take-out tamales
Thank you. That's pretty far south for me.
Anyone know of a place in Central/East Austin?
Take-out tamales
Thanks. I called them. They have vegetarian tamales, $10.80/dozen. Might work.
Take-out tamales
I am planning a Mexican buffet for some out-of-state visitors (30 or 40 people). I will cook most the dishes, but I need a source for vegetarian tamales. Inexpensive and tasty. Any suggestions?
Vegetarian suggestions for San Sebastian, Gigon & Santiago de Compostela
Thanks. These sound like just the thing.
Vegetarian suggestions for San Sebastian, Gigon & Santiago de Compostela
Visiting with my vegetarian Domestic Partner. (I will eat anything.) Where can we go and both be happy? He is not happy with no menu options even if the chef will prepare something "special" for him. We are also budget conscious. Help!
24 diner
Ate there tonight and have no desire to go back. Caesar salad in a soup bowl could have used an under-plate, or a better serving dish. Difficult to maneuver without spilling lettuce on the table. Overdressed. The "hash" was greasy and tasted weird, and the accompanying fruit salad was sour. My companion had the house salad and disliked the dressing. He did enjoy his veggie burger, but $12.95 seemed steep for what he got. The small (very small) salad was $5.95. Even if the food was reasonably priced, I wouldn't want to eat it again.
Hoi An with a Vegetarian
We have enjoyed every meal in this town. I don't know what all the complaining is about. The food is terrific.
Our first stop was Triet #1. It is away from the old town. We were sent on a wild goose chase by our hotel, to an all-vegetarian restaurant (or we followed thier directions poorly). We came across this place and had fresh, tasty salads and a good pizza. There is a Triet #2 in the old town, which may be just as good.
Forgive the name but Good Morning Vietnam (102 Nguyen Thai Hoc St) in old town served wonderful Italian food in a beautifully restored ancient house. My partner, who never likes to eat at the same place twice when we travel, insisted on going back here and then ordered the same meal twice: soup and salad. Both were good, as was the pasta.
At Mango Mango we had a green papaya salad, cashew crusted snapper and the tofu bowl. All exceptionally good. We also like the coconut icecream dessert.
The pastries at Cargo (109 Nguyen Thai Hoc St) taste better than they look, which hardly seems possible. We will go there for lunch and then to Brother's for a last night splurge dinner. I expect them both to be good, and will post if I find them to be otherwise.
In short, thje food here is just fine, and every place had ample vegetarian options.
Vegetarian suggestions for Hanoi, Hoi An, Chiang Mai, or Bangkok?
Thanks for the help. Perfect timing, I'll be in Chiang Mai tomorrow.l;
Hanoi with a vegetarian
We are enjoying Hanoi. Our hotel (the Elegance Ruby, which I highly recommend) gave us a list of restaurants and we have liked every one we tried.
We have eaten twice at Tamarind (80 Ma May). It is vegetarian. We liked the soups, salads, brushetta with cheese, and especially the Tower of Babel. Did not like the quesadillas or the falafel, though.
Hanoi Garden (36 Hang Manh) had excellent Vietnamese comfort food. The place was packed and it does take reservations.
Green Mango (18 Hang Quat) was upscale, elegant, and imaginative. I had a spring roll stuffed with shrimp and mango that I liked.
Green Tangerine (48 Hang Be). We tried to go last night but there was a two hour wait for a table, which must mean something. Elegant & expensive. Went tonight and found the food to be innovative, original, brilliantly presented, and not very tasty. Perhaps too much thought. We ate all vegetarian though, and one will probably fare better with meat dishes. The desserts were terrific, if odd and fussy.
We had the buffet lunch at the Metropole ($28/person + tax, drinks, and tip = $40/p) and it was simply the best. Go hungry. Give yourself lots of time. Pace yourself. Leave PLENTY of room for dessert. You won't need to eat again that day. (There was a smaller buffet in The Club at the Metropole for $25./p)
Places our hotel recommended, that we did not try:
Wild Lotus (55A Nguyen Du)
La Vertical (19 Nno Van So)
and KOTO (59 Vaqn Miew)
We also ate at the Ethnology Museum and liked it.
Vegetarian suggestions for Hanoi, Hoi An, Chiang Mai, or Bangkok?
Anyplace exceptionally delightful?
Non-traditional "Austiny" venue for wedding ceremony and reception
How about Green Pastures?
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Green Pastures Restaurant
901 W Live Oak St, Austin, TX 78704
Where can I find the best hot and sour soup in Austin?
Vietnamese hot and sour soup is a different kettle of fish, but worth trying at Sunflower.
looking for a good Mediterranean/Lebanese/Persian Restaurant
Alborz's lunch buffet, and dinner buffet on the weekends, is a deal. Large variety of tasty food.
Alternate for Fabi & Rosi on Saturday
Just came from South Congress Cafe and liked it a lot. Happy hour from 5 to 6. All appetizers half price. I got three good sized crab cakes with salad for $7, and they were terrific. I licked the plate clean. Also enjoyed at our table: yellow tomato gazpacho, angel hair pasta with roasted vegetables, and crab enchiladas. Crab doesn't usually work for me in an enchilada, but these were excellent.
Lexington KY report
Ate at Ramsey's last night. OK, but nothing special. Great fresh tomatoes, but overcooked chicken livers and mediocre meat loaf. Went back to Good Food Cafe tonight with a half dozen friends and everyone was pleased, especially those with dietary restrictions, thanks to the wide variety and excellent quality. Sorry that I'm heading home tomorrow. I'd like to see if I ever tire of the place.
Lexington KY report
We have been staying downtown, at the Hyatt ($45/night on priceline). Walked around our first night and looked at menus. Lots of terrific looking places but out of our price range. Wound up at the Mellow Mushroom where we had to wait for a table, which was a good thing, because looking at the pizzas and salads, we decided not to stay. Just didn't look appetizing, crust too thick, iceberg lettuce, etc. The noise levels were over-the-top. Wound up across the street at Chipotle, my favorite fast food chain.
Had better luck the 2nd day. Lunch at Guiseppi's Italian Restaurant. Terrific salads, sandwiches, pastas. The best thing was the garlic potato chips. Truly delightful. The price was very reasonable, especially considering the elegant setting and excellent service. We were so full we skipped dinner.
3rd day we drove up to Georgetown and tried Fava's, which is celebrating it's 100th anniversary this week. Good diner food, nice atmosphere (happy locals), friendly service. The price was right.
That night we tried to visit the Istanbul Palace for dinner, but it has closed. Used an iPhone ap to locate something popular nearby, and it suggested the Good Food Cafe. WOW! What an amazing buffet. Good meat selections: talapia au gratin, roast lamb. The highlight was the vegetable selection: spinach and carrot loaf, leak and fennel casserole, fresh corn, kale, roasted eggplant, etc, etc. The chef is very knowledgeable. Big salad bar, good looking soup selection, tempting desserts. My dinner was $6.18. The place is packed so the selections stay very fresh and hot.
Today we drove to Berea and had lunch at the Historic Boone's Tavern. I have been avoiding the ubiquitous "Hot Brown" but decided to try it here. Again: WOW! I doubt it is done better anywhere in Kentucky. Tell me if I'm wrong. I suspect it can be done badly a million ways. If you don't already know, a Hot Brown is an open-faced turkey sandwich, smothered in cheese sauce, and topped with bacon and a slice of tomato. At Boone's all of the ingredients were perfect, especially the thick slices of real roast turkey.
This evening we were back to Good Food Cafe, where my afore knowledge of the food's superiority caused me to blow $8.43. Stuffed. The cafe is attached to a very wonderful grocery store, specializing in organic items. (Not to be confused with Whole Foods, which is across town, and wishes it's buffet was half as wonderful.)
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Fava's Restaurant
159 E Main St, Georgetown, KY 40324
Chipotle
345 S Limestone, Lexington, KY 40508
Istanbul Palace
393 Waller Ave Ste 16, Lexington, KY 40504
Gazpacho!
Food! Food! at 2727 Exposition makes a delightful gazpacho, and inexpensive. This is a take-out place, with many other tasty offerings. Here is their menu: www.foodfoodmenu.com
Alborz dinner buffet
I liked the lamb, the beef, and the chicken dishes. Some were stews. The is a surprising variety of offerings. There is enough of a vegetarian selection to please my picky Domestic Partner. He liked the eggplant stew. The rosewater cake was the best dessert on the buffet.
Alborz dinner buffet
Alborz, Persian cuisine, on Anderson Lane just East of Mopac, now has a dinner buffet on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It costs $12.99. We enjoyed it. It provides a large selection of tasty dishes, plus a lovely dessert. And a charming belly-dancer.
Vegetarian Restaurants in Austin?
We LOVE Sunflower Vietnamese on Research next to Target. Many choices, all terrific. Especially try the two kinds of egg rolls, the salad with tofu, the hot & sour soup, the crepe, and the green beans. Bring friends. Closed Tuesdays, I believe.
Eastside Showroom Review
I liked the funky atmosphere, and it looks like a great place to meet friends and drink.
But I don't drink. I eat. And the food leaves a bit to be desired. I had the mixed greens and beet salad, which was quite interesting, but not something I'd crave another plate of. And I had the Cajun seafood pie, which was way too spicy-hot for most people I know, but just within my limits. I would eat it again and again if it were not $18/bowl. Basically a medium sized bow of fish soup (one shrimp, cut in thirds, and maybe five small pieces of fish) with a crust. I had to ask for bread, and it came without butter or olive oil, and was white and tasteless.
Just for comparison: a few days later I was having lunch in a swank cafe (Joe's) on Abbott Kinney in West LA and here is what I got for the same $18:
-three kinds of artisan bread with butter AND olive tapenade
-asparagus and pistachio soup
-grilled shrimp risotto
-chocolate "crunch cake" with home-made ice cream
all if it outstandingly tasty. And in an atmosphere of elegance and chic.
For atmosphere on the Eastside, I will stick to the Blue Dahlia Bistro on 11th. Better food at half the price. Wonderful atmosphere (French Bistro/college crowd), more "foodie" than "drinkie".
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Blue Dahlia Bistro
1115 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702
Chinese buffet?
I have some friends coming up from Mexico, and they want to know of a Chinese buffet. I think they want to eat a bunch of different things (that they aren't getting in Patzcuaro). What's the best?
I will also recommend Alborz' for the lunch buffet, Star of India for the dinner buffet, and Sunflower for just good food. Is Cannoli Joe's any good?
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Star of India
2900 W Anderson Ln, Austin, TX 78757
Today's Austin Food-Related Groupon
I googled groupon and there is a link to the prior bargains. A daily list.
http://www.groupon.com/deals
