Dining Kosher with the Sagers
There are few people on the planet that I am fonder of than Susan Sager. Born Susan Hawkins, she fell in love with my long-time friend Alan Sager and formed a lasting bond that produced four lovely children. And, she converted to Judaism from her Protestant upbringing. And like everything Susan does, she handled the […]
Rob Has a Lithuanian Feast
One of the occasional pleasures that comes along with being a restaurant critic is to enjoy some ethnic cuisine that is not commercially available in Austin. Such was the case last weekend as we dined at the home Audrey and Dan Lunecki in Barton Creek West. Audrey’s mother Lydia had once owned a Lithuanian restaurant […]
Food Network Canada Shooting the Austin Trailer Scene
Austin’s recent surge of food trailer openings has not gone unnoticed by the national media. But the international media? That’s right, the Food Network Canada was in town this past weekend filming trailer chow. And they called me down to 6th and Waller for an on-camera interview in front of Lucky J’s new location. The […]
A Quick Dining Tour of the Heart of the Warehouse District: 4th Street
Ironically, the restaurants that pioneered the emergence of Austin’s Warehouse district, Gilligan’s and Mezzaluna, no longer exist. But the area has continued to attract a number of diverse and interesting restaurants. Let’s take a quick walk down 4th St. and look at some of the attractions. 219 West This elegant little bar and restaurant has […]
High End Restaurants Across the US Selling “Sex”
Fast food and fast casual chains do it on a regular basis, but it’s rare to see locally-owned restaurants hooking up with movie premieres in cross promotional efforts. But the lure of the sequel to “Sex and the City” is apparently irresistible to high-end restaurants across the country. Some of the more frequent ideas: Come […]
Is the Fine Art of Dining Conversation Disappearing in Austin?
PBS talk host Charlie Rose recently keynoted at the National Restaurant Association convention in Chicago. And he said that “restaurants are a wonderful place for conversation.” Clearly, from what some of you have to say, he hasn’t dined much in Austin where we have a reputation for acoustic Armageddon, even in our finest dining restaurants. […]
City Raises Regulatory Issues Regarding Food Trailers
In case you haven’t noticed, there’s been a tremendous growth in the number of food trailers dotting the landscape of Austin. The number has grown so rapidly that in my 2009 Year in Review, we dubbed it the “year of the trailer.” And the number is only going up. You can get almost anything from […]
Great New Spots around the Hill Country You Should Try
Zinger’s: Out at the Galleria on Highway 71 in southwest Austin, this is a Sports Bar and quintessential family restaurant. The Patty melt is an exercise in classic tastes and seriously thin and crispy fries. I have a hard time passing this sandwich up. Likewise for the tortilla soup. It has rich flavors with just […]
Another Austin Icon Bites the Dust
I am sad to hear of the closing of Louie’s 106. This is the kind of restaurant that gives a downtown a sense of class and vibrancy. It drew a mix of business types and ladies who lunch at mid-days and a diverse group of foodies for dinner. The most recent chef, Frank Bellino, had […]
Food Network to Celebrate Austin’s Trailers, Street Vendors
For those who have read our 2009 Food Year in Review, you’ll note that we dubbed last year the “Year of the Trailer.” That trend toward street fare has not been lost on the Food Network. They’ve commissioned a TV production company from Vancouver, Canada to produce a series featuring the best street vendors and […]
Rob’s Inside Scoop on the Travel Channel’s “Food Wars” BBQ Showdown in Lockhart
The only problem I had with last week’s Food Wars show on which I served as one of the judges of Smitty’s and Kruez’s brisket and sausage is this nagging certainty that Lockhart is NOT the BBQ epicenter of Texas. But that’s TV for you. And as Bob Cole delivered his tie-breaking ballot to a […]
SXSW and Fine Dining Usually Don’t Mix
Once again as the “live music capital of the world” celebrates the annual orgy of music, musicianship and technology that is known as the South by Southwest Music, Film, and Interactive Festival, those who enjoy finer dining have cause to lament. And while few restaurant owners will come out and say it lest they seem […]
Casserole Queens Get Jobbed by Bobby Flay
Okay, it may have aired for the first time last year. But I just saw it last week on the Food Network. Bobby Flay, the master of just about everything there is the food world these days, came to Austin to “throw down” against Sandy Pollock and Christy Cook, Austin’s self proclaimed “Casserole Queens.” They […]
Will Oscar for Sandra Bullock Swamp Bess?
One thing Austin has never had is an actress who has won an academy award for Best Actress. Congratulations Sandra Bullock. But Austin has also never had an academy award winning actress who owns a fairly visible restaurant on 6th St. called Bess. You think it was bad before when celebrity gawkers would turn away […]
Rob Joins KVUE-TV as the New Food Critic
It’s funny how time passes. One minute I had gotten a phone call from GM Danny Baker at FOX 7 TV asking me if I’d like to do a version of my new KLBJ-AM restaurant reviews on FOX 7. The next minute ten years and more had gone by. As anyone in the business knows, […]
