Rob Returns to Talk Radio Wars on KLBJ
From December 22nd through December 31st, you can catch Rob in his talk-radio mode on the Jeff Ward show on 590 KLBJ-AM. The discussions will be topical for the most part, stressing Rob’s take on current issues. But there will be, at some point, the inevitable discussion of what going on with area restaurants and […]
Are You a “Locavore?”
Austin is a city with a predisposition toward passionate endorsements of trendy, especially Green issues. So not surprisingly, I am getting feedback from a number of restaurant owners that we indeed could be at the cutting edge of the national “locavore” movement. A locavore, by common definition, is someone who is totally and some times […]
Rob’s Favorite Cheeseburgers in the Austin Area
In the FAQ category, I get “Who’s got the best cheeseburger?” probably more than anything. I don’t know if that’s a reflection on our overall tastes here in Austin or just the fact that we dearly love our burgers. Well, there are so many excellent burger choices in our area, but let me narrow it […]
Notes on my Alleged “Chugging” of Rudy’s BBQ Sauce
I got more than a few emails this morning from folks who had heard that that I chugged an entire bottle of Rudy’s BBQ asking how I could have possibly managed to accomplish thatat the conclusion of my TV review of the Rudy’s 183 store. One guy commented that, “I can’t imagine this would have […]
The Top Five Ranking TV Spots for National Restaurant Chains
I just came across a press release discussing the relative popularity of some of the TV commercials rolled out this year by national restaurant chains. Are you ready for the Top 5? A research firm called ACE Metrics has ranked the best of these spots and at the top is the Starbuck’s “Big Picture” campaign […]
Food at ACL Fest: Best Year So Far?
The Austin Eats food court was a thing to behold at this year’s ACL Festival. Of course Jeff Blank’s Mighty Cone (Hot and Crunchy Shrimp and Avocdo) was there, as it has been since day one. But lots of other interesting new players were on the scene. Aquarelle, my favorite French restaurant had a tasty […]
Teams from Lehman and Travis Duke it Out: Gazpacho vs. Heirloom Tomato Soup
I got a chance to visit with some of Austin’s future chefs Thursday night as teams from Lehman and Travis high schools dueled to see who could make the best soup. Coached by Austin mega chefs David Bull and Josh Watkins, the kids prepped, chopped, and blended and came up with an excellent gazpacho as […]
Austin Restaurants: Watch Out for ROMEO!!!
I recently had lunch at Freda’s Seafood grill on Pecan Park off 620. As I enjoyed the accent of New Orleans that Freda presents, I couldn’t help but overhear the lively conversation from a group of white-haired men behind me.They laughed frequently and appeared to be having a great time. My curiosity got the best […]
Perry’s Shines with Silver Oak Wine Dinner
It didn’t take much for me to agree when we were invited to the recent Silver Oak wine dinner at Perry’s Steakhouse. Silver Oak is one of my favorite California cabs although I think it’s gotten some unfair press recently by being linked to overrated and overpriced products like Opus 1 Silver Oak has been […]
Rob Survives Another Cool River Vodka Fest
When I first started drinking vodka back in college there were only a few brands that I remember: Gordon’s, Smirnoff, Absolut and Stolichnaya. Whether we actually consumed these brands or not is another matter: the recollections are understandably fuzzy, but those names at least come to mind from the primordial days. In truth, it probably […]
Rob Gives the Lowdown in New KVUE-TV Q&A Feature
We started a new feature last week on KVUE-TV. It’s a Q&A segment that airs on various Tuesdays during the Midday (11am) newscast. I appear with co-anchors Olga and Melissa and answer questions that viewers of KVUE or readers of DOWR send in via email. The first one ran last Tuesday (August 16th) and was […]
Michael Vilim Hits the “Streat”
I was chatting with the chef and owner of Los Pinos, Margarito Maldanado, the other day and he mentioned that his old boss Michael Vilim (Mirabelle) had opened a new place at 32nd and Red River called The Streat. So we stopped by on Saturday night and did a sampling. The concept is interesting. The […]
Dining at the New Gold Class Cinema at the Domain
The idea of shelling out $29 per person to see a movie is not immediately appealing. But if you like to indulge yourself a bit, I must admit that an evening at Austin’s Gold Class Cinema can be intriguing. Each screening room is limited to forty seats max. All are huge, overstuffed, and can recline […]
Tino’s Greek Cafes Have Credit Card Problems
First off, I don’t think the owners or managers of the Tino’s Greek Cafes had anything to do with the recent credit card fraud suffered by some of their customers. I know several of the owners and they are decent guys. I think they and their patrons got victimized by one of the processing agencies […]
Thai Food in Austin: Explaining the Inexplicable
I have long wondered why so many Austinites seem to be either indifferent toward or uncomfortable with Thai food. It may simply be that the predominant cuisine icons around here: steak, BBQ, burgers, and Tex Mex are so deeply rooted in Central Texas dining attitudes and habits that something relatively unfamiliar has a hard time […]
