Food and wine fest

I had to post an update since things got much better with last nights VIP event. There were waitresses everywhere roaming with wine, beer and cocktails. There were still long lines for the 9 or 10 food tents. And while they only had California white wine (blech), they had lots of beer choices and didn't appear to run out of anything. They also spiffed the park up a bit with more seating and made it more of a party atmosphere. The music was fabulous and everyone seemed to be having a great time. Much happier crowd then the night before.

Today started out a little rough since the bun run had the street in front of the event shut down. So that "VIP reserved" parking was now pain in the butt prepaid parking. The event organizers should have told us about the problem and told us an easy solution for getting there.

The event had a long line to get in with no VIP line. And once we got in and went to our first cooking demo, the event staff on hand didn't see to on know anything about the VIP passes or the VIP registration. It all worked out in the end and we had a great time today.

We wouldn't splurge for VIP tix again given what we now know. But the first impressions were so awful and our expectations were so lowered that we wound up being pleasantly surprised any time things went off smoothly. I will say that the VIP lounge was very nicely appointed and once someone asked the staff hogging a table to move so that we could sit, we had a great time there as well.

BarkNFly in Austin

Food and wine fest

Thought I would post a review of the f&w fest so far in case anyone cares.

We splurged for the VIP pass. Not so thrilled with that decision at this point, but the jury is still out. We had to schlep downtown to the driskill to pick up our tickets. Absolutely no reasonable excuse for this. No gift bag provided, no celebrity chef to meet, just picking up our tickets the same as everyone else who got their's mailed to them.

Last night's event was underwhelming. It was pretty crowded, and there were few food providers there. The wine situation was so much worse. 6 choices of wine at a few bars, yet they are pouring tasting portions requiring you to get back in the long line to get more of the same. They only had two white wine choices and they ran out of white wine when the event was only half way through!

VIP reserved parking was just prepaid parking open to the general public. One parking pass for two tickets purchased, retail value of parking is $7. Not a bargain.

The events today were good. We heard some complaints from folks saying the av was screwed up at some of the events. Jonathon Waxman was awesome! Andrew Zimmern was also great. Tony mantuano seemed to not know where he was when he introduced his employee Sarah (loser on Top Chef) and said she was robbed. He evidently didn't watch the show this season either.

BarkNFly in Austin

Gusto

I had the misfortune of dining at Gusto last week. To keep this brief: I was served RAW chicken, only half of the cost of which was comped, the owner was unappologetic and unconcerned and frankly a major ass. With food and management like this, this place should fail.

BarkNFly in Austin

Coal Vines Pizza and Wine Bar

I got dragged here several months ago. I expected it to be bad, and it was worse than expected. Poor choices for pizza combinations and poorly executed pie. We built our own with prosciutto, arugula and truffle oil, a combination I have had at Delfina in SF many times and LOVE. But when it is made with sub par flavorless ingredients and put atop a crust that is undercooked, it is awful. They are evidently known for their zucchini chips, which are a very poor copy of the sme thing at North. I'll never waste calories at this place again.

BarkNFly in Austin

Second Bar & Kitchen / Bar Congress

Have been to Second twice. First we went to Congress and had a fabulous experience. So when we tried Second we expected good, casual food at much cheaper price. The food was awful. Simply, awful! We were so shocked that we felt this terrible meal must have been a one off, so we tried it again. Awful again. There won't be another chance to disappoint us. We'll save our pennies for Congress.

BarkNFly in Austin

Has anyone been to Le Bec Fin lately?

My husband and I ate at Le Bec Fin last week for my birthday and were very disappointed. The food was the least impressive meal of our trip and not in the same category as Lacroix at all. The room itself was lovely, but the atmosphere was awful. Half of the restaurant was wearing jeans, many with t-shirts, despite the fact I was told "denim was not permitted" in the dining room when I made my reservation and, there was a loud table of drunken LSU alumni whose yelling dominated the dining room and the evening. It was simply an awful way to spend a special occasion. A waste of money, calories and a birthday.

BarkNFly in Philadelphia

Attire - Lacroix?

Thanks for all the help Hounds! We actually ate at both Lacroix and Le Bec- Fin. We did not wear jeans, though we would not have been the only ones in denim at either restaurant if we had. I definitely agree with everyone's recommendation to blow off Le Bec-Fin for Lacroix. The food and service at Lacroix was fabulous. Though I would recommend blowing off the "cheese course" which was actually a very weak cheese dish and was not even close to the added supplement they charged for it.

Le Bec- Fin was a comedy of errors. I called in advance to inquire about the dress code and was told that no denim was permitted in the dining room. I was evidently the only one this rule applied to since no less than half the dining room wore faded jeans with untucked shirts or t- shirts. And let's not forget the drunken geek wearing an LSU turtleneck and jeans. He and his drunken dining companions screaming about LSU all night will be the only memorable portion of the evening for everyone in the dining room.

The room is beautiful at Le Bec- Fin. The accolades end there. The food was just okay. Fish was a bit overcooked. Meat was tough. Service tried, but seemed they didn't quite get it. Why was the butter rock hard? Kind of like the entire evening, they tried but didn't really know what they were doing. Most disappointing is the lack of enforcement of the dress code, or a code of decorum, for the dining room. When you have a table of 8 who are drunk and disorderly, you ask them to leave. When they are not dressed appropriately, as is half of the dining room, you just demonstrate that you wish you were something other than what you are. From everything I have read and heard, Le Bec - Fin used to be the place to dine. I wish I had taken the always solid recommendations of the Hounds and realized that those days are long gone.

BarkNFly in Philadelphia

Attire - Lacroix?

Austin Hound in need of help. I'm packing to head to Philly and need to figure out what qualifies as "business casual" there. Le Bec Fin said no denim, so that helps, but Lacroix just said biz cas. Austin is super casual, so jeans are always okay in restaurants here. Are nice jeans and a nice top and jacket okay for Lacroix? Is Le Bec Fin very dressy?

Thanks!

BarkNFly in Philadelphia

Chef's tasting menu?

I'm bringing hubby to Big D to watch the rangers beat the Yankees to celebrate his birthday. He loves trying tasting menus at phenomenal restaurants. Are there any tasting menus not to be missed in Dallas? We did Le Bernardin in NY a few months ago and David Bull's new restaurant Congress here in Austin recently, just to give you an idea of what I am talking about. Anything like that in Dallas that is we should not miss? We aren't tied to that idea if that isn't the way to go in Dallas or if there are much better restaurants where we would be better ordering off the menu ourselves. Thanks in advance for the help.

BarkNFly in Dallas - Ft. Worth

David Bull's Congress is open

Rang in NYE last night with dinner at Congress, the fine dining spot in the Austonian. David Bull was in the kitchen and the food was very good. Not the best meal I have ever eaten (Le Bernardin has that title for now) but a fine meal that I will certainly look to repeat. They had a special menu for NYE that was supposed to be 7 courses, but once you add in the amuse and the special course that Bull himself delivered to our table, it was 9 courses. The regular menu will be a choice of a 4 or 7 course tasting with choices for each course. The NYE price was $155 pp including free flowing, good quality, sparkling wine. Not sure what the price point will be for the day to day menu. The restaurant itself is an attractive space that, while modern, doesn't have the din of most modern concrete and steel spaces. The menu was very unusual without trying too hard to be different. I have a copy of the menu that I can attempt to post here if anyone cares.

The menu at second and kitchen looked very good with tons of variety. They also have a great patio and a fabulous second level deck.

BarkNFly in Austin

Headed to Waco for 3 months

The chicken bulgogi at Kitoks is also worth a try. And Waco now has a Chuy's, a "local chain" that started in Austin. Get the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom enchiladas. And ask for the creamy jalapeno dip. As for sights - you have to go check out the Waco Mammoth Site. Really amazing that this is in Waco!!

BarkNFly in Texas

Gloria's Restaurant in The Domain Is Open

I have been eagerly awaiting Gloria's opening at the Domain. I used to frequent the location in Dallas on Lemmon and have been dreaming of their black bean dip since I heard they were opening an Austin location. The dip was as good and addictive as I remember. Hubby had the brisket tacos and said they were very flavorful and tender. I had the tacos al carbon and was very impressed with how tender the meat was. And it had great flavor. Service was fabulous. All of the employees were clearly busting their butts to make sure all of the guests were very well taken care of. It will be interesting to see how much of that slacks off as time goes on. Service could be much less attentive and would still be outstanding. My drink was never completely empty before being replaced by a full glass and the water stopped by frequently to check on us. There was a decent number of folks in for lunch on a Friday but it wasn't crowded by any means. I do think that noise will be a problem when the restaurant is full. Lots of hard services. This seems to be the way all new restaurants are. Do the architects who design restaurants not actually eat in restaurants?

The price point was a little high for Tex Mex. But I will definitely be back for Salvadorian fare. And of course to fill up on the black bean dip!

BarkNFly in Austin

NOLA for Thanksgiving - please critique my plans

Hey hounds,

I'm a Tulane grad who has been gone from "home" for many years and am coming back with my husband for Thanksgiving. We are planning on eating ourselves silly! I want to hit a few of my old favorites but also want to make sure I get some of the quintessential New Orleans Grande Dames that I couldn't afford when I lived in NOLA and that I didn't make it to on any occasion when the parents were paying. We are planning on driving in on Wednesday and that night we'll eat at either Frankie and Johnny's, Jacque Imo's or maybe Luke if we could just walk in. We'll be in the CBD at the Roosevelt and I'm sure we'll be tired from the drive. Dinner for Thanksgiving is at Commander's. No idea for lunch since we want to save room for our fabulous dinner and I just don't know what might be open. We might see if we could get in to Mr. B's mid afternoon for a bowl of gumbo ya-ya and split some BBQ shrimp. Friday lunch will be down by campus either at Camellia or F&J's if we haven't been there already and then we'll arrive at Galatoire's for drinks and hours of grazing around 4:30 or so. Saturday will be either Herbsaint, or Brigtsen's for dinner and Casamento's or Parkway for lunch. We need to grab something for the ride home on Sunday and since Central Grocery is closed on Sunday we need help there.

So - what have we left out? Will we be able to get a table at Galatoire's on the day after turkey day? Are we hosed if we don't have reservations for Saturday night? Thanks in advance for the help! I know what it means to miss New Orleans and am very excited to get back and help my husband understand why I love it so.

BarkNFly in New Orleans

Commander's on Thanksgiving--what to order?

Just updating this post since Commander's updated their website just today with a copy of the Thanksgiving menu. I'm hungry already!

http://www.commanderspalace.com/menu/thanksgiving_2009_menu/

BarkNFly in New Orleans

Commander's on Thanksgiving--what to order?

I'm a Newcomb girl who is now an Austin hound heading back to NOLA for turkey day. We got super lucky and got reservations at Commanders for our dinner on Thanksgiving! Can anyone tell me if this will be their normal menu with a turkey option thrown in or a set special turkey dinner? I am hoping for turtle soup, bread pudding souffle and loads of that great garlic bread, but I fear hubby might want some turkey. I know it will be great regardless, just want to make sure I set expectations accordingly. Any details would be appreciated!

BarkNFly in New Orleans

Roaring Fork or Roaring Fork?

Gotta correct something - the guys that own Roaring Forks are Austinites. Not from Arizona as a previous poster stated. They own a ton of restaurants all over the country - but they call Austin home.

BarkNFly in Austin

Dining and Picniking on the Northern Oregon Coast

Yummy wine bar looks great! We'll definitely try that out. I wish they were open on Wednesday so I could get some picnic supplies there. Unfortunately we are doing the coast first so we won't get a chance to get picnic supplies in Portland. How about Gower Street Bistro for picnic fare? It looks like an option from the website. Crab cocktails sounds like the perfect addition - thanks for the Ecola Seafood tip. How about Newmans at 988 or The Bistro for dinner?

Thanks for the help!

BarkNFly in Pacific Northwest

Dining and Picniking on the Northern Oregon Coast

Hey Portland Hounds,

I'm taking my husband to Portland in two weeks for his 40th birthday. We'll also be spending a couple of days in Cannon beach. I need advice on some great restaurants around Cannon Beach as well as a place to pick up some picnicking fare for a picnic while hiking in one of the state parks near there. The picnic can be sandwiches - but we would prefer wine, cheese and tapas type nibbles. On the restaurants, price isn't an issue, but it also doesn't have to be anything fancy - just great food. We love everything from taco trucks (here in Austin) to diners to fine dining. I have been perusing your boards and am confident that I have a list of more great Portland restaurants then we have time to eat in them all, though if anyone wants to throw me some don't miss advice in the city, I'd love that too.

Thanks in advance for the help!

BarkNFly in Pacific Northwest

Suggestions for a romantic anniversary dinner?

We've had some great dinners with romantic ambiance and fabulous food at Jeffrey's and Zoot. Starlite, and the restaurants in the Driskill and the Four Season's also qualify - but not quite as romantic from my experience.

I would have to disagree with the Aquarelle suggestion. I had one of the loudest dinners of my life there. We couldn't hear each other talk. Very unromantic. The food was good, but we'll never go back. A drunk at the table next to us covered us in red wine when he knocked over a bottle. Threadgills would have been more romantic.

BarkNFly in Austin

The Grove Wine Bar and Kitchen

I've been there several times and won't be going back. Like most places in Westlake - it is just a step above Chuck E Cheese as far as the romper room factor goes. Kids everywhere - screaming, running around, skating around the patio. It IS NOT a wine bar. You can't sit at the bar and have a glass of wine because the bar is filled with kids. Literally every bar stool taken up by a kid. There were a few weeks there when they first opened that were blissful - an actual wine bar in Westlake! But now it is just like all of the other places in Westlake that open up saying they'll be different, fall into the kid trap, and close. See Ruggles, Rock Fish Grill, Austin Cheesecake Kitchen, Red Bud Bar and Grill, Time Out for Burgers, Holiday House, Cafe Brix, and the list goes on and on. Dare to be different - or dare to close while Macaroni Grill and HangTown stay in business forever.

BarkNFly in Austin

Sushi Kyu

I don't think you are talking about the same place. Mikado isn't across the street. This place is in a shopping center on Anderson. Haven't tried it yet - but have been to Shogun (the owner's other restuarant in South Austin that has been here forever) and I love their rolls! Very imaginative and great flavors. I'm looking forward to checking out Sushi Kyu

BarkNFly in Austin