Best Chicken Pot Pie, Shrimp Enchiladas, Vietnamese Pho… Part 2 of Rob’s Best in Austin
Thank you for making the first installment of our “Best of Austin” series one of our most downloaded stories of the year. But we’re just getting started. We have a lot of favorites and we’d like to share more of them with you. Again, this is completely subjective: no polls were attempted or even contemplated. […]
Dining at Caeser’s Palace
The word is out among foodies that Las Vegas has arrived as one of the most desirable dining destinations in the country. Red-hot chefs are falling all over each other to follow in the steps of Wolfgang Puck who hit gold with Spago and Postrio ten years ago. One of my favorite places to dine […]
Sesame Hill Ramps Up Chinese Takeout in Oak Hill
I had driven by Sesame hill, which used to be occupied, I think, by In and Out Burger, probably a dozen times. From the outside, it looked, well, unusual. But then one day I pulled over and met the owner Annie Jiang. She walked me through the menu and I sampled a number of dishes. […]
Rob Samples Apatite Café
Had my first tastes at David Sanchez’s Apatite Café at the Galleria behind Mandola’s Thursday night. This is a thoughtful, intimate and highly sensual dining experience. Sanchez, who hails from Vail, opened this with his wife. I thought the name Apatite was a play on “appétit,” but no. Apatite is actually the name of a […]
Harvard Study Pisses Off American Potato Association
One of America’s favorite vegetables, the ubiquitous potato has been dissed by a new Harvard study that essentially implies that regardless of whether it’s boiled, baked or fried, the ingestion of a spud is bad for your health on virtually all counts. The American Potato Association immediately responded by citing the American Heart Association’s finding […]
Back by Popular Demand: Pizza Wars 2011, Tony C’s Hits the Top Spot!
Welcome to the recurring series that we fondly refer to as Austin Pizza Wars. This is the 5th installment and it’s interesting to see how much has changed since we published the original Pizza Wars some years ago. Many of our readers know that I am originally from New Haven, CT, the birthplace of Neapolitan-style […]
Memorial Day Weekend Dining Tips
The Memorial Day weekend is upon us. And with the temperatures soaring, our thoughts go to the lakes, water, food and libations. Of course, we are happy to help with recommendations regarding the latter two. Lake Travis has an abundance of neat places on, near, and above the water. On the water we love the […]
More of Rob’s Favorite Appetizers
By popular demand, here are some more of my favorite soups and appetizers from the Austin restaurant scene.They are unfailingly tasty and have achieved “go to” status for my family and myself. The She Crab Soup at Steiner Ranch Steakhouse is a low country chowder that’s flat out tasty. It’s made of cream, lump crabmeat, […]
Japan Radiation Issues Concerning U.S. Sushi Restaurants
We’ve all heard the stories about radiation levels in the ocean near several Japanese cities hitting dangerously high levels in the aftermath of the March 11th earthquake and subsequent tsunami. The resultant worries about what this radiation can mean to marine life, specifically fish and seaweed (nori) have worked their way across the Pacific to […]
South By Southwest 2011 Dining Suggestions
Well, it’s that time of the year again. The sprawling, dynamic bundle of creative energy known as South by Southwest has once again brought it’s unique array of music, film and IT folks to Austin. Now, recognizing that SXSW does change the dynamic of downtown dining a bit during its tumultuous 10-day run, here are […]
First Dinner at Vince Young Steakhouse Very Encouraging
We had dinner at Vince Young Steakhouse on Saturday night. It was our first full meal at the recently opened restaurant at 3rd and San Jacinto. The place was almost full and it seats a goodly number of diners. The dinner was quite good. I had the Charcuterie Platter that featured Duck Prosciutto, House Made […]
Snacks with Jeff Trigger at “2nd”
I first met Jeff Trigger when as the new manager of the Driskill Hotel, he had the good sense to bring chef David Bull to Austin. Well, now Trigger runs the La Corsha Hospitality group and he and Bull have reunited at the two restaurants in the new Austonian high-rise: “Congress” and the more casual […]
The Chef at Trattoria Lisina is in Fine Form
Chef John Lichtenberger doesn’t sound like he should be at the helm of an Italian restaurant like Damian Mandola’s Trattoria Lisina in Driftwood. But the New York native loves Italian food and he loves to cook it. And he’s one of the key reasons why Trattoria Lisina has gotten off to such a strong start. […]
Silver and Stone Sizzles in Georgetown
Silver and Stone in Georgetown is the work of one extremely creative chef, James Ramsey. His restaurant’s name suggests class and elegance and that’s exactly what the discerning diner gets there. It’s located on the 4th floor of a nice building at 501 S. Austin avenue across from the Monument Café. The Roasted Duck Flatbread […]
2009 Restaurant Year in Review
Austin was not exempted from the national malaise that swept across the restaurant industry in 2009. But we were in high cotton compared to other cities like Miami, Las Vegas, Providence, Rhode Island or even Los Angeles. Dining in those cities and many others was down over 40% from 2008. Let’s just say this: I […]
