In Search of a Cronut? Head to La Pâtisserie.
It’s scary when you think how social media sites know as much about you as they do. So I wasn’t surprised when I logged on to Google the other day and up popped a story on the second most popular donut in the United States. (So they clearly know I like the occasional trip to […]
The Pizza Cave Introduces Texas Cheesesteak
The Pizza Cave on Highway 290 West has rolled out a new menu addition called the Texas Cheesesteak. What do you think fellow foodies? From the pic it sure looks intriguing. The Pizza Cave2690 E Hwy 290Dripping Springs, TX 78620(512) 829-4157 www.thepizzacave.com
How One Local Restaurant Is Meeting the Challenges of Inflation
As the inflation rate in the U.S. has continued to increase, many consumers and businesses have been negatively impacted. I checked in last week with Joe Cave, owner and operator of the popular The Pizza Cave (one of our favorites) on Highway 290 in Dripping Springs to see how inflation was affecting his overall profits […]
Best Comfort Food Restaurants In Austin Revisited
Our readers have requested this, so here’s a repost of one of our “Best Of” articles. — We all love comfort foods, be it a heaping bowl of Blue Bell Pralines ‘n Cream or a delicious dish of mac and cheese. So for those of you who are looking for the best restaurants for comfort […]
The Balon North Carolina Dining Tour Ends in Hillsborough
One last night on our trip, and one last spectacular meal. No seafood tonight, but instead one last meal at The Nomad, a cross-cultural street food inspired eatery in Hillsborough where I had the most amazing gua bao (shown below.) The pork belly was incredibly tender and the chili sauce was a perfect complement. Three […]
North Carolina Seafood Trip Continued
Last night we visited Kathryn’s Bistro & Martini Bar in Emerald Isle. I began with a low country classic: she-crab soup. The taste was mellow and redolent of all the flavor profiles characteristics of this crustacean. Then came the soft shell crab pictured above. It was a mountain of beauty – each claw absolutely exploded […]
The Balons Head to the North Carolina Coast
We’re literally eating our way through a myriad of locally-owned seafood restaurants on the North Carolina coast around Emerald Isle and Beaufort. And our journey has been rewarding. We just tore through a whole red snapper (above) at a place called The Fish Hut Grill along with some perfectly cooked soft shell crabs. The night […]
Zydeco Music and Crawfish Etouffée: A Night at Evangeline Cafe
The mix of music and food has long been an intoxicating allure to Austinites. Restaurants may not always have the right music or it may be too loud. But we know when it works. And when the mix is spot on, we tend to patronize the hell out of the venue. I was craving some […]
The McRib Is Back: Rob Has the Final Word
After first being introduced forty years ago amidst amazing hoopla, the McDonald’s McRib sandwich is back for one of its periodic rollouts as they continue the cliched strategy of limited availability. Still the endless images on TV eventually piqued my curiosity. Now normally the only reason I ever go to Mickey D’s is for a […]
How Much is an Oyster Worth?
Being from New England where clams on the half shell are the default choice for slurping mollusks, I was always reluctant to try raw oysters. I think we’d all heard horror stories up there about salmonella and other oyster-related health issues. So when we first came to Austin I was still reluctant to try oysters […]
Searching For Poutine in Austin
I first tried Poutine on a business trip to Montreal in the early ’90s. The restaurant was a cozy spot called Moxie’s Grill. I asked my server for a recommendation (a good idea at a place where the waiters actually get to sample the food) and he instantly suggested the poutine. As I learned, Poutine […]
III Forks in Frisco: Rob Reviews the Sister Restaurant of an Austin Favorite
Those of you who frequent this website or who listen to my reviews on 590 KLBJ know that I’m a fan of local Austin steakhouse III Forks. So on a recent visit trip to Justin, Texas (outside Fort Worth) to visit my daughter Lauren and her partner Jade, we decided to head over to Frisco […]
Song La Bursts Onto the Austin Asian Scene With Taiwanese Street Food
If you’ve never had the opportunity to enjoy Taiwanese street food, you are in luck! Song La has opened on 23rd street near the UT campus, and my first bite of the braised pork belly told me all I needed to know. The slow cooking process imparts an amazing texture to this dish. And the […]
The Irresistible, Indispensable, Inordinately Intriguing Chinese Dumpling
The Chinese dumpling is loved and appreciated throughout the world. The origin of this classic snack dates back hundreds of years and possibly thousands if one believes the numerous legends. (Look up Zhang Zhongjing.) Known as Jiaozi in China and dumplings (or potstickers) in North America, these crescent-shaped delicacies begin with finely diced pork, chicken, […]
One on One: A New Series of Interviews With Austin Restaurant Owners
We’re beginning a new series of interviews with prominent restaurant owners who are integrally involved with the growth of the Austin food scene. First up is Ronald Cheng, founder and owner of the Chinatown restaurants. Cheng opened the first Chinatown in Westlake in 1983. Chinatown was an immediate hit and changed the face of Chinese […]
