ret3's Profile
"Simple" Tacos
Another vote for Taco More. It's up north at Rundberg Ln & Parkfield Dr. Very friendly, very cheap, extraordinarily tasty, and food aside, their restrooms meet my wife's rather high standards, which gives them the trump over taco trailers in my book.
Need a place for book club
Mongolian (in name at least; Wikipedia tells me "Mongolian BBQ" originated in Taiwan) would be easiest, with Mongolian Grille on US 183 and the new Kublai Khan on IH 35 & Parmer Ln springing to mind.
European Bistro in Pflugerville has some Russian & Hungarian dishes; I'm not sure where else to find those cuisines hereabouts.
Besides Amaya's, who has crispy tacos?
I like the crispy tacos at La Morada; they're not in conventionally folded tortilla shells, but rather in tortilla cups, like miniature taco salad bowls.
Bruegger's Bagels
Glad to hear they're back! I always used to enjoy their bagels before they left town a decade or so back. I would stop at their location on the drag between morning classes for a plain & plain. That location became Madam Mam's, hence the pink bagels on the cornice of the noodle shop!
Any good Greek food in Austin?
Here's a previous discussion about where to get good Gyros hereabouts: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/826288
I like Pars Mediterranean Supermarket on Burnet Rd near US 183, but I'm not a connoisseur of the form.
"Supper" Barbecue?
Mann's is good, too. The only disappointment I ever faced there was the Brunswick stew, and I think that's mostly because I had no idea what it was that I was ordering.
"Supper" Barbecue?
Texas Rib Kings is open until 8 during the week and 9 on weekends; they usually have most of their meats available until closing, although the beef ribs have been known to run out.
RIP part 4
Looks like Player's days are numbered; UT is buying it, but I somehow doubt they're going into the burger-flipping business: http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/highereducation/entries/2012/02/08/ut_regents_authorize_purchase.html
Hillside Farmacy to open in March
Perhaps a broad-menued place named Generally Hospitable, or The Cardiac Ward, in the vein of the famous Heart Attack Grill?
Sprouts closing most stores
If it's imported for sale in the US and labeled organic, then it is required meet the US standards for organic produce, in much the same way as imported electronics, toys, clothes, etc., must meet US standards for safety, truthfulness in labeling and so forth.
Where to buy oak chunks?
Being a Texas business, and therefore not so deluded as to think (as some out-of-state concerns do) that barbecuing and the like are "seasonal" endeavors, I certainly hope Academy knows well enough to keep 'em in stock all the year 'round.
Gyros
I favor Pars on Burnet near 183. Everything tastes fresh, and the service is wonderful.
Stiles Switch BBQ
Indeed, I'm curious about their selection of brews. Was it in the Dozen Varieties of Budweiser category, the Shiner Is Local And Heineken Is Imported league, the New Belgium & Sam Adams class, or better?
NEW CONCEPT"S AND CHAIN'S IN AUSTIN!!!!
I humbly submit that the Chamber of Commerce is not actually a government agency funded by tax dollars, but rather an independent organization of business owners and entrepreneurs interested in promoting commerce.
roll with me here: best egg roll in austin?
I had always kinda wondered how that turned out; I loved their cheesy-turkey-pocket...thing, which I occasionally indulged in when I was an undergrad waaay back when.
And now you know...the Rest Of The Story.
Good Day!
Tamales at Costco
I'll second the Tamales Leo at Pablito's. Reasonably priced, the chicken are good and spicy, the pork are appropriately but not excessively greasy, and the chile & cheese are mmm cheesy.
Best Supermarket In USA: your nominations
Normal Supermarket: H.E.B., specifically the Tech Ridge location in Austin
Premium Supermarket: the original N. Lamar Blvd Central Market
Needed:Chinese Delivery in North Austin
Rice Bowl Cafe offers deliver through eat24hours.com, which take a $3 fee. A bit slow in my experience, but well worth the wait for sinus-clearing Szechuan Beef Noodle Soup and the like.
El Taco Rico trip turned into sandwich discovery
Sounds like you got to sample some pizza fritta, although I've never seen it with fruit sauce. Actually, I've never seen it produced outside of my family's kitchens. Sounds tasty!
4 days tacos + brisket tour report
That was a 1970s innovation hit upon when they wanted to increase the number of lanes, but the right-of-way was too narrow for lateral expansion. I think San Antonio has a similar arrangement on their downtown stretch of IH35. Just to make this food-related, I wish an enterprising taco truck would start sending guys out on motorcycles to sell to folks stuck in the gridlock. Rush hour Moto-tacos!
4 days tacos + brisket tour report
I had to smile when you mentioned that Rosita's has free chip & salsa. It's a very rare tex-mex place that doesn't start you out with complimentary chips & salsa; I hadn't realized how much I had taken that fact for granted!
I'm curious as to what you mean about a dual highway system: are you talking about the dual transit backbones of Austin, MoPac & IH35, or perhaps the upper and lower decks of IH35 downtown?
Upscale lunch around UT Bookstore?
Alas, the Carillon is open only to UT faculty for lunch.
Need Pizzelle maker opinions.
My grandfather gave me his 1950s-era polished aluminum press several years back, but about a year ago it started a rather alarming habit of sparking when I plugged it in. I bought a nonstick CuchinaPro from Amazon to replace it (the heirloom has since become a kitchen decoration). The only complaint I have is that the pizzelles are not quite as insanely thin, but they beat the Villaware I had used for a while about a decade ago.
Hard Hat Report Vol 8
I saw the Cover 2 sign and wondered if the two were somehow related, or if there was going to be an interesting legal showdown in the near future.
Decent quiche?
I've always enjoyed the ones the Soup Peddler delivers, but you have to order them the previous week, and they don't freeze well in my experience.
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Soup Peddler
501 W Mary St, Austin, TX
Hard Hat Report Vol 8
The Goodnight sounds interesting, especially since it's really close to me. However, I had to laugh at this:
"The Goodnight will be a one-of-a-kind hot spot, perfect for everything from happy-hour cocktails to the late-night party scene," general manager Stan Smith said.
A "boutique" bowling alley, bar and restaurant near an Alamo Drafthouse? I think The Highball got there first, Stan.
BBQ Beef Ribs
Texas Rib Kings on the SE corner of Burnet Rd & Research Blvd (US 183) has some tasty beef ribs. It's never too crowded, but they often sell out of beef ribs before the night is through. The value is good, about 3 ribs and 2 sides for $12-ish. I don't care for their potato salad (the Salt Lick is my ideal in that category) and don't care for cole slaw in general, so I can't speak to that. Good beans, though.
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Texas Rib Kings
9012 Research Blvd, Austin, TX 78758
Red Wine and BBQ [moved from Austin board]
Of course, the traditional crimson beverage pairing with BBQ is Big Red. Perhaps conditioned by this paradigm of sweet with smoky, when I go upscale with my brisket and sausage at home I like to serve Messina Hof's Beau, which is not sickly sweet as the red cream soda of my youth, but does have an easy, smooth and summer-fruity character to it that compliments the salty/creamy/crisp elements of central Texas 'que.
Searching Austin's best reuben sandwich
There was a competition organized earlier this year regarding this particular question. The result had Frianco's coming out on top, but there were only 5 competitors: http://www.mannysuptownkitchen.com/?p=218
