Adam Weisberg Turns Zen on South Congress into a Full-Service Concept: The Lucky Robot
Adam Weisberg has been successful staying ahead of the curve in dining trends. He spotted an opening for self-serve Japanese fast food and hit a home run with his Zen stores across the city. Now, he’s at it again and has changed the South Congress Zen into the Lucky Robot. Customers will have a more […]
This Little Piggie Went to Market…
Austin’s current fascination (some might say obsession) with all things pig-related probably had its genesis in Bryce Gillmore’s Odd Duck Trailer on South Lamar (which morphed into the brick and mortar Barley Swine), and prior to that with Will Packwood’s amazing pork bellies at the late and lamented Cibo on Congress. I for one am […]
Food We’ll be Checking Out this Weekend at ACL
You gotta give credit where credit is due. The food offerings at ACL took a serious step forward when Hudson’s on the Bend impresario Jeff Blank first introduced the Mighty Cone. Finally, a finger food that you could eat with one hand and still have room for a beer in the other. Since that momentous […]
For Those who Might Have Missed It — Austin Pizza Wars: 2012
Welcome to the 6th installment of the recurring series we have fondly come to know as Pizza Wars. This has evolved from a rating of both chains and locally-owned joints to almost exclusively a detailed report on owner-operated spots in Central Texas. The reason: the chains are what they are. No need to take up […]
Complete Text of Rob’s Most Recent Q&A Program on KVUE-TV
One of the really neat opportunities regarding my association with KVUE-TV is the opportunity to do a monthly Q&A show where we answer questions both from readers of diningoutwithrobbalon.com and from viewers of KVUE. We thought it would be fun to share the questions and answers with all of our readers. This is something we […]
Our Best New Austin Restaurants in 2012
Every time we do a Food Friday show on KLBJ-AM, the common thread from listeners is that we are so fortunate to have so many new, good restaurants in the Austin area. While some of these, alas, don’t make it, many do and the point of this piece is to highlight my favorites from the […]
Fore Mixologist Brandon Tuner Wins Z Tequila ReZipe Rumble
The bartender at Fore in Lakeway is $1,000 better off tonight than he was last night: Brandon Turner beat out seven other finalists to take down the first prize in the 1st Z Tequila ReZipe Rumble at Republic Live. As I judge, I tasted some very interesting and creative cocktails. But Brandon was the consensus […]
Dining in the Dark Austin Style
I once attended a charity dinner at the old Alamo Drafthouse downtown. Jeff Liu of the late Bistro 88 was the chef and the attendees watched Eat Drink Man Woman, a foodie classic movie along the lines of Big Night and The Grand Buffet. As usual, we were a bit late arriving and it was […]
Vodka Fest Rocks at Cool River
As a guy with a strong background in marketing and market research, I am constantly amazed at the seemingly unending parade of new brands of vodka that hit the market each year along with established brands that add new flavored products to their lineups. What makes it interesting is that vodka is, by definition, “a […]
Winner Picked at Vodka Fest for Cool River Dinner with Rob
One lucky entrant from Rob’s table at Cool River’s Vodka Fest last week has won the dinner for two at Cool River. If you are the entrant, an email from Rob will be on its way. Congratulations and enjoy your dinner with whomever you choose and Rob at Cool River. These dinners are always a […]
Hunan Lion in Brodie Oaks is Sold to Former Exec of Chinatown Bee Caves
Learned that one of my long-time favorites in South Austin, Hunan Lion at Brodie Oaks, has been sold to Eddie Chao, Linda Cheng’s head chef at the much-loved Chinatown Bee Caves. Chinatown is now closed but Eddie brought over much of the kitchen and wait staff from Chinatown and also performed an extensive renovation. The […]
European Bistro Owners to Unveil New Concept!
When I first met Anna and Piroska, two stalwart Hungarian ladies who believed that Pflugerville was ready for Eastern European cuisine, it was 11 years ago. They took that passion for great food and launched the European Bistro on a side street across from a biker bar. Location? Well, in retrospect not so good. Service? […]
Dining at Sea on Alaska’s Inside Passage
According to the latest travel data, vacations for Americans on Cruise Ships are growing in popularity. One of the acknowledged leaders in the industry is the Norwegian Cruise Line. As you read this, we’ll be aboard their Norwegian Pearl for a return visit to Alaska’s Inside Passage. And as you might expect, the focus on […]
Austin Sports Bars Becoming More Upscale
Time was when Austin sports bars pretty much had loads of beer, popcorn, burgers and fries, queso and chips and of course, massive and abundant TVs. And that was about it. Well, that was then. The times have changed. Where did it start? Probably when Matt Dodson and the boys from Z’Tejas launched Cover 3 […]
So You Want to Open a Restaurant?
I was the keynote speaker four years ago at a small business seminar hosted by the City of Austin. Attending was an audience of 125 prospective restaurant owners. About a third of those people opened ultimately either a food trailer or brick and mortar restaurant. And about 80% of those failed within the first three […]
