Austin Chef Profiles: James Ramsey of Fore
Welcome to the inaugural entry in our new series: Chef Profiles. The idea is to give you an up close and personal look at some of your and our favorite chefs in Central Texas. Our first subject is James Ramsey, exec at Fore in Lakeway. I am somewhat responsible for James’s hiring since I provided […]
Sunday Brunch at the Famous Broadmoor in Colorado
The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs has been one of America’s top destination resorts for years and is well known for its many dining options. I got to try the Sunday Brunch at the Lake Terrace Dining Room on Father’s Day and it was packed! Over 600 covers according to the GM. It’s a lovely room […]
Austin-area BBQ Wars: Part 2
In this second installment of our BBQ wars, we’ll venture beyond Austin into Elgin, Lockhart, Luling, LLano and other hot spots cherished by locals. And for those of you who missed the first installment of our BBQ treatise, again let me again unequivocally state that I am convinced that central Texas has the world’s best […]
Austin BBQ Wars: First Edition
Let’s clear up one thing before we begin: the BBQ in and around the Austin area is without question the country’s best. Forget Memphis, Kansas City, the Carolinas and other over-hyped BBQ meccas. We have it hands down here in Austin, Elgin, Lockhart and the Hill Country. Now that we’ve got that out of the […]
Austin Burger Wars: First Edition
Breathes there a man with soul so dead who never to himself hath said, “Man, I am craving a burger.” With apologies to the famous poem by Sir Walter Scott, it’s hard to deny that each of us has been touched, some more than others, by serious burger cravings. So in this inaugural installment of […]
Rob’s Best Dishes: The Best in Austin
After 14 years of dining and wining around the River City. I’ve become very partial to a number of great dishes at a variety of restaurants. To me, these offerings are the best in category. Of course, the list is subjective: no attempts at the various “polls” (and I’ll take that word under advisement) that […]
Pictures at an Exhibition: Chisos Grill
I couldn’t resist the artful pun in the title, and after taking a look at some of these dishes I hope you’ll agree. Chisos Grill at Galleria may look like a chain, but it is most definitely owner-operated. They’re scheduled for an upcoming review, but we wanted you to have a quick look at some […]
First Bites at Swift’s Attic
Got a chance to finally try the new Swift’s Attic on Congress at the site of the former Kyoto. There’s been a lot of hoopla about this opening and on a first tasting, we were quite pleased. I loved their take on the Korean classic Kimche and absolutely adored the Onion Rings (interesting presentation). There […]
Dan Haverty Takes the Helm at Bistro Mirabelle
I was pleasantly surprised when I heard that Dan Haverty, for many years the exec chef of The Shoreline Grill, had taken over the kitchen at the new Bistrot Mirabelle on Mesa. I can’t ever recall a bad meal at Shoreline and I still remember the time that I first tasted his amazing Mediterranean Shrimp […]
Rob’s Favorite Dishes – Appetizers
The smashed Guacamole at Jack Allen’s Kitchen. The flavor in this is augmented with pumpkin seeds and cilantro and it’s so good I often eschew the chips and just eat it with a fork. The Charcuterie Platter at Vince Young Steakhouse. I get this every time I go to the restaurant and it’s never disappointed. […]
Rob’s Favorite Mexican Restaurants in Austin: Part 1
One thing we lack no shortage of in Austin is tasty Mexican restaurants: both the simpler Tex Mex and the more complicated tastes of Interior and Coastal Mexican cuisines. I do have some favorites in both genres and in no particular order, here they are. Azul Tequila A great little joint on Ben White near […]
Tony C’s Coal Fired Pizza Introduces Left-Handed Pizza, Apr. 1st
In an effort to increase sales by 15 percent, Tony C’s Coal Fired Pizza, Austin’s Original Coal Fired Pizza, today announced that it will target the 15 percent of the often left out left-handed community of Austin by introducing the left-handed pizza available beginning this Sunday. According to Scientific American, about 15 percent of the […]
Lakeway: The Hottest New Dining Scene in Central Texas
I can remember just a few short years ago when dining anywhere near Lakeway meant Hudson’s on the Bend, The Oasis, Rosie’s, and Ciola’s and Pao’s. Wow, has that changed. While Hudson’s still holds forth as the area’s ultimate fine dining destination, it’s gotten a stiff challenge from the newly reenvisioned Soleil adjacent to the […]
David Burton Sanchez Revitalizes Soleil at the Oasis
When Soleil first opened several years under the helm of famed Texas chef Robert del Grande, there was genuine excitement in the Austin foodie community. Here was a Mediterranean restaurant high atop Lake Travis with fine-dining sensibilities and a kitchen that was fired up and ready to deliver. The only problem was in the delivery […]
How Healthy is the High End Dining Scene in Austin
The relative health of a cosmopolitan city’s high-end dining scene speaks volumes about the discretionary spending inclinations and overall financial condition of that city. So key question: how does Austin measure up to other cities comparable to our population and demographic profiles? And the answer, despite some recent high profile closings, is pretty darn good. […]
