renz's Profile
Oak Hill
I've had several nice meals at the Tokyo Teppan sushi restaurant in the HEB strip near the Y. We split the Love Boat (off the menu now, but still available), which is a huge amount of sushi and sashimi with some beef and chicken teriyaki, grilled mushrooms, etc., and a veggie tempura app, for $40. Could esily feed 3 or even 4 reasonable people; we gorge ourselves. Their tako salad is delicious as well.
Lunch btwn San Antonio and Austin
I'm happy for any excuse to stop at the Tap Room in San Marcos and have some of their ribs. Everyone I know likes their wings, too, but I'm not an expert there. The ribs are amazing, though.
Ross Old Austin Cafe in Austin Texas
I went there for lunch during the bar exam this past February. Chicken tenders were good, gravy was good. Baked potatoes were large and generously topped. People who work there are very friendly and overall it's a nice vibe.
El Pollo Regio
Try this recipe from Rick Bayless: http://www.chefs.com/RecipeDetails.aspx?RecipeID=17592
I made it with much less or no cinnamon and it's pretty close. Needs tinkering to be an exact replica, but they are very very similar.
Ultimate BLT
one of the few places I pop in for lunch during the workweek is Sweetish Hill. I always order the BLT in my combo, which is very simple and basic but very well executed: generous crispy bacon, just enough lettuce, decent tomatoes, and mayo on some of their toasted white bread. I only wish their soups were as consistent.
Local source for unusual cooking chemicals?
The agar agar at Whole Foods is in at least 2 different places: powdered form in the bulk spice section, sheet form with the Asian pantry ingredients.
Local source for unusual cooking chemicals?
I got it too! I haven't yet gone out with this book in mind, but I know that most of these ingredients are also sold as nutritional supplements, so I would check with the health food stores (including Whole Foods, but also Sun Harvest and supplement stores). You might need to free them from their capsules, of course.
You can definitely get sheet and powdered agar agar at Whole Foods and Central Market, and you can find many of the gums at Whole Foods in the baking section. Look for the shelf that is devoted to gluten free baking, and you'll finding xanthan gum and many of its brethren eg., guar gum. I think you'll also see sorbitol there but not sure. Xanthan gum is actually widely available because it is very common for gluten free baking.
Glucose is also around in many places, including Hobby Lobby and Walmart, in the cake decorating section (which is not with the food, but with the crafts), along with glycerin. You can also hit All in One Bakeshop as Brian rec'd and support a local shop. There you will also find various invert sugars and acetate sheets.
As for Ultra-Tex 3 and its ilk, I am assuming that will require online purchase.
Shops carrying high-quality turkey parts?
We are only 2, and we're determined not to eat any more industrial meats. I'd really just like to buy a thigh or 2, maybe a split breast half. Does anyone know where I could find free range, responsibly-raised, etc. turkey parts?
Thanks,
lulu b's:vietnamese sandwiches/snacks in 78704!
I finally stopped in for lunch today and don't expect to return. I waited nearly 25 minutes for a single bbq prk sandwich (arrived at 12:45ish, food in hand just after 1:10). The veggies were fresh and the meat fairly tasty, but overall the sandwich was very dry and more difficult to eat than it was delicious. I definitely missed the pork pate--or any kind of spread or condiment--that I like on banh mis. And 25 minutes is just too long. It seems to have gone from family-run establishment to hipster hangout, but I wouldnt care about ambience or wait if the food was good enough. Sadly, it wasn't.
Who's selling local tomatoes?
Thank you for letting me know that, I had no idea (admittedly clueless about all this kind of info). Can you tell me, around when would the second round of tomatoes start, so I know when to be on the lookout again?
Is there good bread in Austin ?
My favorite bread in town so far is the semolina loaf at Central Market. Maybe just because it's the only semolina bread I've had, but every other bread seems like a pale (and literally underbaked) imitation of real bread.
Who's selling local tomatoes?
At the start of the summer I had no problem getting great local tomatoes at Wheatsville, Boggy Creek Farms, and Whole Foods, and got hooked. But the past few weeks (as tomato season peaks, as I understand), I haven't found anything that has the taste and texture of local, non refrigerated tomatoes. The worst, even, were the BCF tomatoes (and I was there first thing in the morning, so should have had decent pickings).
Does anyone know where I might be able to get my hands on the real stuff? The farmers markets are quite difficult for me to make with my schedule, but if that's the only place, then I'll do what I can.
Trouble on the East Side? El Regio and La Regiomontana “Temporarily” Closed
The sign was either painted over or otherwise covered, I noticed today.
Any places that serve good offal?
I had some delicious sweetbreads at Chez Nous.
I haven't had luck finding good sweetbreads to cook at home, only big beef ones.
Bastille Day
I went a couple of years ago when they were just doing a complimentary cold bfufet in the bar of the restaurant. Vegetables a la grecque, pate, things like that. I don't recall any wine specials but we did drink a couple of bottles of rose.
My overall impression: the food was delicious and expertly prepared. The staff was the rudest most condescending bunch of pricks I've ever encountered anywhere (no, they weren't even French). Even if it is one of the only places in town for French food, I will never, ever return.
Can someone please explain chicken and waffles?
To bring it back to Austin: where can one find this served in town?
Brioche in Austin
I've also had so much difficult finding brioche (plain) that I ended up trying to make it at home. If you find a good source, please report back.
I checked Whole Foods on Lamar and, at least on the occasions I was there, they didn't have any (although the Arboretum location said that Lamar carried it, it's an infrequent thing or maybe I have bad timing). I check almost every time I go and never have seen it.
Central Market definitely carries challah; I haven't tried it. Whole Foods probably has it as well.
Any more urban farmstands, etc.?
I know of the big 3 farmers markets, and I've been enjoying Boggy Creek Farms, but I wonder if there are any other farms/farmstands that I've been missing out on. I'm not talking CSAs, but places like BCF where you can buy directly from the farmer, on site.
bahn mi
Just to update, Banh Mi Express has been gone for I don't know how long (sign's still up, though) and Hai Ky took their's off the menu. So one of these day's I'll have to drive over to that trailor everyone's buzzing about.
Best bulk organic grains and beans
The one on the north side seems to have a larger bulk section, but I wouldn't necessarily say it has a wider selection. Hard to tell because it's set up quite differently, with many legumes and grains in barrels that you scoop into Personally I find it easier to use the regular bins that open on the bottom, which is what you'll find at the S. Lamar location.
However, I think Whole Foods (downtown) is the best for legumes and possibly grains, especially if you don't like Central Market. Sun Harvest has a smaller selection than either of them.
Some HEBs have decent bulk sections as well.
What Austin-y gift would you send someone?
If you consider salsa, I'd recommend this one from Texas Texas:
http://www.texastexassalsa.com/v/vspfiles/V4_Backup/store/trad-med.html
I picked up a jar on a whim recently and absolutely loved it, ate it with a spoon. I think I got mine from HEB or Wal-Mart of all places, but it is local, and it's so delicious, just a perfect classic salsa.
Doña Emilias South American Grill
I've been a couple of times with groups and mostly enjoyed it, and I got to sample a fairly wide part of their menu. What I remember particularly enjoying were the calamari (light crisp batter and just lightly fried), goat cheese appetizer (the tostones are a little bland but the cheese and the sauce are very tasty), and the beef empanada. There was a mixed meat appetizer that seemed too blatantly like kitchen scraps, though. It would have been better but some of the meats were a bit overcooked (pork). They do a larger version on the entree side, and the meats were cooked properly, go figure.
For main dishes, my favorite is the shredded beef stew. It comes with rice on the menu, but if you ask for the mashed potatoes instead, it's fantastic. The beef has a great flavor. The steaks are nicely done, but the pork chop is more memorable with a guava sauce. I wasn't impressed with the stuffed chicken breast, though my mom really liked it. She was also a big fan of the blackened salmon. The sea bass was awesome, but I try to avoid ordering sea bass. They also do some potato cake thing for vegetarians that was really good (stuffed with cheese) but really rich (stuffed with cheese).
Out of the desserts, I'd only strongly recommend the plantain flambe. It's delicious. The others were good but not very special (molten chocolate cake, flan, tres leches).
They have an awesome hamburger on the lunch menu, too, served on these sweet-ish buns.
You might sample them at happy hour, see if you like the flavors, before shelling out for a whole meal. The mojitos are good, and they have salsa and jazz sometimes.
Chicken Fingers and French Fries
If you go again, you can ask for the fries well done/extra crispy.
Storing onions
What is the harm in them sprouting? I have 3 that are sprouting like I've never seen before, and I was hoping that I could do the same as with garlic: remove the sprouts and simply use the rest.
Is there something adverse that I should know?
French Bistro
Les Halles is actually the name of an old famous market in Paris.
You should check into Ventana. I haven't been but want to go. It's the culinary school's restaurant, and when I checked their menu online, it was very classic French food. Plus the price is good.
I like Chez Nous, but don't remember seeing coq au vin, etc., on the menu. I went once to Aquarelle and was enjoying their bar offerings on Bastille Day. Unfortunately, the staff was so unbelievably rude and condescending that I refuse to return.
You can also check the Chez Nous catering service, Le Marseillais. The menu changes, but they offer dishes for 3-4 people.
http://www.bistrolemarseillais.com/menu_lm.html
Threadgill's in South Austin
The one time I visited (south location) with my brother and his wife, every thing we had, except for one potato side, was utterly bland and unpleasant in texture, from the rolls to the meats to the sides. Personally I think Luby's has far better food.
I'm eager try Lola's on Rosewood.
