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 have not done before. Feel free to write us at any time by clicking on our site and going to the “for questions or comments” link.

Q. We love to go to area Bed and Breakfast places. The breakfasts are usually good, but we haven’t run across any that serve dinner. Any suggestions?
–Amy, Round Rock

A. Great question Amy, and I have just the place for you. It’s called Circle H Lodge and it’s on Inks Lake just below the dam. You’d be hard-pressed to find a lovelier spot anywhere in the Hill Country and even better, they DO serve dinner and they have Chef Matthew Weyland, an extremely talented young man, in the kitchen. We had a dinner there a few weeks ago that was outstanding. Very tasty Quail course, and the soup was off the charts. And he made a wonderful breakfast the next morning. We dined out on the patio overlooking the lake. It was a wonderful evening. Again, it’s Circle H Lodge right on Inks Lake. Ask for the El Jefe room. It’s probably the nicest B&B room we’ve ever stayed in.

Q. Saw your review on Home Slice Pizza and I agree with you: they’re terrific. Are their any other spots around town that are comparable? We’re relatively new to Austin.
–Collin, Travis Heights

A. Over the past 7-8 years, Austin has seen the opening of several outstanding East Coast style pizza places. East Side Pies on Rosewood in East Austin is flat-out terrific. They also have a new Airport Blvd. location. And another strong spot is Salvation Pizza on 34th. On 6th St. the enormous pies at Roppolo’s are very tasty as well as capable of satisfying the largest appetite. Out at the Galleria, Austin’s only coal-fired oven at Tony C’s is cranking out some serious NY style pizza. Also, their baked Wings are awesome. And further out on 620, try Saccone’s. They have a sweet red sauce that adorns their New Jersey style pies. This place is the real deal. Also there’s a new player on the downtown scene called Backspace, from Parkside and Olive and June owner Sean Cirkiel. I think that’ll get you started!

Q. I’ve read that Austin is one of the few cities around with a fairly high number of restaurants owned and operated by women. Can you tell us some of your favorites. –Daphne, Austin

A. You’re correct Daphne. We have a lot and that’s just one of the things that’s so cool about Austin. The one who’s been at it the longest (25 years) is Dr. Foo Swasdee, owner of the Thai-styled Satay. She has a PhD from Texas A&M in Food Science, and she’s a force in the kitchen. Another very successful female entrepreneur is Sharon Watkins, owner of the popular Chez Zee off Mopac. It’s a great spot for “ladies who lunch,” and they have a wonderful weekend brunch. Another neat spot is Andiamo, helmed by Daniela Marcone who is from Naples, Italy. And Pam Wang, who is insurance broker by day, runs both Tokyo Steakhouses in Round Rock and on Burnet near 183. Another great gal with a neat restaurant is Freda Cheng who operates Freda’s Seafood Grill just off 620. And that’s just a few!