The Eater's Profile
Central Texas Hot Guts Project
Reading brucesw's response, I'm wondering if the motherlode might be in the southern fringes of the old German/Czech belt between Houston and, say, Gonzales (to wit: Lavaca County). When I was a kid, my grandfather swore on sausage from Bellville -- Waak's, as I recall. I suspect the part of the German/Czech belt more directly west of Austin has been vetted out and the major players have been sussed out.
Just an inarticulate hunch, but the southern fringe of historic German/Czech settlement is little further afield from Austin and may have been more impenetrable over the years to marauding food writers. I know there's a funky spot in Belmont (on 90A) that has advertised hot sausages forever, and there are meat markets in Gonzales and Hallettsville that I've never stopped at that (I'm pretty sure) sell hot links ... then you're not so far from La Grange -- might make a good trip out of Seguin if you go back to Davila's and beyond . . .
29 Hours in Austin
Nice work! It's kind of depressing just how lousy Maria's is.
They're not even TRYING, are they.
I only have 2.5 days and I'm afraid I might just have to eat everything
A few random thoughts . . . mostly about the drinking.
I'm fond of Emo's as I've seen hundreds, if not thousands of loud bands there over the years. But it's really more of a live music venue than anything. If you want to go to a grungy live music venue just to drink, you're better off down the road apiece at Beerland, which feels more like a bar. Casino el Camino is listed as a sit-down place, but make no mistake: it's a bar that happens to have notably large burgers. It is also the only place I would consider drinking on Sixth Street. If you want divey drinks downtown, I would suggest getting drinks (and a burger, if you want to try their burgers) at Casino and walk down Red River to Beerland and then to Club DeVille. These places all have a solid, divey vibe.
The Continental Club (south of the river) is also definitely a live music venue, but I've had drinks there during the day and it could be viewed as an antidote to the rest of South Congress.
If you're a beer person, you definitely need to go to the Ginger Man. I was just at the Black Sheep Lodge and it's really turned into a meat market, but it has a cleaner, slicker vibe than the other places I've mentioned.
If you're into proper Texas-y dives, then Ginny's Little Longhorn north of downtown on Burnet is a must.
I have sympathy for the notion that you have to go to Lockhart (though I would say Luling, which is further down the road), but I think the Salt Lick is perfectly adequate and can be very enjoyable for visitors from the coasts. Just know that it's not the best BBQ in the region by some distance.
I'm from the San Antonio area, so I've never really bothered with the Tex-Mex here and haven't taken it upon myself to investigate the places (though I should follow up on some of scrumptious chef's recs). Anyway, I go to Habanero from time to time because it's convenient and good enough, but their use of french fries for potatoes should be frowned upon.
Friday Afternoon bar-b-que?
Is this really an issue for the Lockhart/Luling places? (running out of meat) I know it's an issue at Snow's, but I've never heard of it happening at Kreuz or City Market.
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City Market
633 E Davis St, Luling, TX 78648
RIP part III: Austin Restaurant Closings
A fair point. I'm afraid I'm showing my age.
RIP part III: Austin Restaurant Closings
I don't know if I would call it a "restaurant," but the (seemingly) troubled Lavaca St. Deli at 14th & Lavaca is closed after retooling their menu a few times. It's a weird location, but they have a captive daytime audience of State workers (on which the Chili Parlor and Texadelphia seem to thrive). Anyway, there's plenty of sandwiches in the area, so we'll see what (if anything) pops up in its place.
First Time in Austin - What not to miss?
Early EXCELLENT work by MPH above, which caused a real shock of recognition. I've never seen the Austin Mexican food dilemma laid out so cogently! I shall redouble my efforts to get to Habanero.
Yankee(s) in Austin and We Need Your Advice
Weikel's, just west of La Grange on Highway 71, has been a go-to place for awhile (though people dispute these things). There are probably a couple of places in Schulenberg as well, but I've never gotten kolaches there. Go old school and get a poppyseed kolache.
Austin Hits the Big Time: New York Times and John T. Edge Weigh in on our Breakfast Taco Scene
The breakfast taco is certainly more fetishized in Austin than anywhere else and there is more variety here than most places. And yet, as someone who grew up eating breakfast tacos south of Austin, I think San Antonio and south Texas get the short shrift here as the story and its narrative are so Austin-centric. I doubt anyone cares in either place, and I think the story has more appeal for the Times as a chronicle of Eccentric Austin, but I can't help resenting it a little bit!
Looking for a place with good food and live music in the 6th street area
Sorry if I caused confusion, there are SXSW events going on, but it's film and interactive SXSW - the real craziness (Music SXSW) will be the following weekend.
Tony Bourdain is coming to Austin: Where should his handlers send him?
One would assume that he's been to the country BBQ places, but last time he was in Austin, he was at Ruby's. Which doesn't make sense. I mean, I like Ruby's fine and all . . .
Looking for a place with good food and live music in the 6th street area
If I go downtown to see bands, it's usually to pretty grungy places, and I almost never eat downtown, so I'll just note that the Continental does not serve food that I'm aware of. But it might be a winning plan to go to a place on South Congress to eat and walk to the Continental -- they also have an upstairs space (the Gallery) that tends to book more laid-back, jazzy stuff and is a little more mellow than the main room, which can get pretty packed and crazy (not necessarily a bad thing). We're entering SXSW pandemonium time so staying out of downtown might be a good move, though South Congress will be plenty crazy as well.
I would be surprised if there's a place with BOTH good food and good music, but I'm pretty picky about music.
Austin Restaurants
It's a pity that the Iron Works was "highly recommended" here. I thought the solid consensus here (and most other places) was that one must travel to Lockhart, Luling, etc. for the BBQ goods.
Looking for a good Carne Asada Burrito
There is no such thing as an "authentic burrito" in south Texas. Those live to the west.
Visiting downtown Austin in March
At the Chili Parlor, you gotta sit in the first room, towards the back half by the restrooms (I'm there every few weeks as I work in the area). Best service at lunch.
Visiting downtown Austin in March
I don't know how the chowhounds feel about it, but the Texas Chili Parlor is a hole-in-the-wall that serves a regional specialty (chili). You could walk there by going north on Congress, crossing the Capitol grounds to 14th & Lavaca. It's on Lavaca between 14th and 15th. Apart from the chili, which I reckon is as good a version of proper Texas chili as you're going to get in a restaurant, it's nothing special but is packed for lunch every day. Get there by 11:30. By 11:45 it's pretty jammed.
I second the Mike's pub recommendation. If you're looking for a downtown hole in the wall lunch joint.
Kolache Shoppe
I was raised in a Central/South Texas Czech/German family and kolaches were a staple. But they NEVER had anything to do with meat of any kind. Always some sort of fruit, cheese, or poppyseed filling. My theory is that these pigs in blankets came to central Texas from Houston via Shipley's. Don't get me wrong, I'd eat one any day of the week. But I'm curious about their provenance. Anyone know the story?
Help me impress my daughter's boyfriend (a foodie from Philly)
Yeah, I wouldn't be so quick to kick Sunflower to the curb!
I would be quick to avoid the Count Line though. Lockhart isn't THAT far (though I would go to Luling, naturally, though that's a little further) . . .
Locally grown pecans
Not as close, perhaps, as the above link. But Seguin is just short of an hour south of South Austin and home to both the World's Largest Pecan and, more relevantly, to Pape Pecans.
http://www.papepecan.com/website1001.htm
