Rob’s Favorite Food Photos
Since the advent of the iPhone and other devices, we’ve been taking a lot more food pictures. Many are posted on our site while many more are on my Instagram page @robbalon. Here are some of my recent favorites: Marge and I with C.K. Chin at the soft opening of Wu Chow on W 5th […]
Dripping Springs Emerges as a Dining Destination
Back in March some eyebrows were raised when I issued my brand new Top 25 list of fine dining restaurants. There for the first time was a restaurant in Dripping Springs of all places. I had discovered Creek Road Cafe when we moved to a neighborhood north of Dripping Springs after leaving Westlake and doing […]
What Does it Take to be a Restaurant Critic?
One of the most over-served markets these days are people who dine out. Twenty years ago, the reviews on restaurants were almost exclusively the domain of newspapers and some food-specific magazines. These days however, with the advent of user-generated websites there has been an explosion of restaurant criticism. So that leads to the question: what […]
Summer’s Here: Let’s Eat Ice Cream
It’s already been hot as hell for over a month in Austin so the official arrival of Summer is not really that big of a deal. However, it provides your faithful scribe with an opportunity to focus on some lighter and cooler (as in temperature) eats to mark the true arrival of the dog days. […]
The Best Pizzas in Austin:
Pizza Wars 2016 Part 2
Last week we posted my choices for the Top Ten pizzas in the Austin area. There are many more very good places around and we’ll begin Part 2 by going roughly from South to North and listing my favorites in each area. Wimberly The obvious choice here is Brewster’s Pizza a few miles south of […]
The Best Pizzas in Austin:
Pizza Wars 2016 Part 1.
Welcome to Pizza Wars 2016. We started this back in 2000 when Austin didn’t have enough locally owned pizza joints for us to select a Top 5 let alone a Top 10. But my how things have changed. I no longer have to begin these pieces by lamenting my lack of access to Pepe’s and […]
Rob’s Ultimate Movable Feast
Movable feasts have gone in and out of popularity over the years. But they work like this: a group starts at one restaurant for a first course, moves on to a second restaurant for the next course, and so on. Of course a large spacious limo is a requisite (Marriton would be good). Here is […]
Easter Brunch Suggestions
Easter has an early arrival this year. March 27th is just around the corner but seats for Easter Brunch are filling fast. So here are 15 of my favs for your consideration. Enjoy the day! The Russian House This authentic Russian restaurant offers a colorful and historic ambience. The food is good as well but […]
Must Visit Breakfast Spots
I’m a longtime breakfast lover. There’s something about a great breakfast, from an elegant Quiche to a simple Breakfast Taco that literally jump starts my business day or sets the stage for a leisurely weekend. These are some of my favorite breakfasts around the River City. Hoe Cakes at Hoover’s Cooking This is both a […]
It’s Time for Rob’s Favorite Soups
I must admit that given the unseasonably warm weather we experienced for most of this year, I was less inclined than normal to indulge in one of my true food passions: great locally-made soups. But now that it’s gotten a bit colder, my taste buds have begun to percolate and my thoughts run to some […]
Austin Valentine’s Recommendations
Well, it’s that time of year again that all restaurants love: Valentine’s Day. Since the holiday falls on a Sunday this year, rest assured that many restaurants will have official celebrations on both days, Saturday and Sunday. Following is a list of restaurants that are not only delicious but will help you score serious points […]
Rob’s Fearless Food Predictions for 2016
I believe that major changes in Austin restaurants and cuisine are ahead for 2016. So here they are unapologetically presented by your faithful scribe. As is our style some of these must be taken with the proverbial grain of salt. But here’s to a great new year in the River City. 1. Sometime soon in […]
Christmas Dining Recommendations
Believe it or not there are folks who don’t cook Christmas dinner at home. Well, here’s a list of places your family or friends might enjoy for Christmas Day dining out if you are so inclined. Cafe at the Four Seasons The best brunch in town seems to ramp it up even more for holidays. […]
A Pictorial Essay on Rudy’s Moist Brisket
Brisket evokes a lot of passion among BBQ fans. Everyone has their own take and favorites but without question, Texans truly love brisket. Now I’m a long-time fan of the moist brisket at Rudy’s Country Store and BBQ and i got to thinking about the process that a brisket goes through from the time it […]
