It’s Christmas! Holiday Stories and Musings Around the River City
The Austin holiday season is one of my favorite times of the year. There are multiple dinners, events, parties and just the general boatload of good cheer that seems to permeate our very cool city.
We went to the Cantina Laredo event on Dec. 10th. How cool is a Christmas dinner hosted by Don Julio tequila? The Shrimp Quesadillas and the Potato soup laced with jalapenos were absolutely delightful. And how about Lobster tamales? Each course was accompanied by a special Don Julio based cocktail and then we had a progressive tasting of the Silver, the Anejo, the Reposado, and then finally the Don Julio. Now that was a cool idea! Julio Gonzales revolutionized high-end tequila in Mexico. The “Don” is a sign of respect for what he contributed to the enhancement of the drink that is sweeping North America.
Attended uber Divorce and Family Attorney Becky Beaver’s suaree on the 13th. It’s always fun to mingle with lawyers. But the crowd was very eclectic and on the artsy and hospitality side as well.
Becky is a force to be reckoned with as many formerly well-heeled divorced husbands can attest. And she can still bring it on the basketball court says my daughter and DOWR marketing director Lauren Balon. Lauren and Becky play in an East-side league and according to Lauren, the blonde barrister holds her own with women half her age and then some!
Saw former Austin mayor Lee Cooke looking feisty as ever along with Sharon Watkins from Chez Zee and Peggy Weiss from Cipollina.
I also met a very interesting guy who plays the sitar. I asked him where he played and he said one of his primary gigs was playing mood music for a nude yoga class in Hyde Park. Nude yoga classes? Well, this is Austin!
The event was catered by Pasta and Company and they did an excellent job.
Also, since it is the season, the scammers are out and about as well. There’s a new one making the rounds in the restaurant community. Someone will call and place a large order (say 90 stuffed pork chops) and offer a credit card for payment. Then they’ll send a shipper to pick up the order. The scam comes in when the restaurant is asked to pay the shipper. Not only does the order disappear but the cash as well. The credit cards are usually well crafted fakes or stolen. Sounds hard to believe but several restaurants have already fallen for it.
Went to dinner with some dear friends at Ciola’s in Lakeway which was as snug and Christmas-like as one can get on a cold night. Not to mention it was Frank Sinatra week. Old Blue Eyes had some favorite dishes and Chef Louie was all over them for the week. Like the little neck clams in a sumptuous marinara sauce or the Veal Milanese. Frank also loved a creamy parmesan risotto mixed with artichoke hearts. Needless to say, the evening was a smash. We also had a killer bottle of 2004 Marchesi di Bariolo which, after it opened up, was sensationally smooth with an abundance of fruit. The mood was so nice we broke into an impromptu albeit an a cappella round of Christmas carols on the way home. And why not after a meal like that?
Looking forward to a Dec. 16th for a wine dinner and art festival at the Oasis. Knowing owner Beau Theriot and how he loves holidays, I expect nothing less than Christmas overlooking the lake. I think that’s why the Oasis has ultimately succeeded despite setbacks that would have crippled other places. I think the owner genuinely believes in Santa or at least in what the jolly old dude symbolizes. Beau is one of the most optimistic and nicest people I’ve ever met.
Also stopped into the European Bistro in Pflugerville on the 12th for some Christmas cheer. The owners, Anna and Peruschka are two Hungarian sisters who have a restaurant that looks like Christmas every day. I am still mystified why they opened this place in Pflugerville but if you ever get a chance to go, the food is exquisite. They will be open Christmas Day and you can bet that the menu will be exceptional. The offer Hungarian, German, and other eastern European delights. Anna has to take her sister back to Hungary January 12th for some surgery to relieve a nerve problem. If any two women deserved your support, it is these two. So between now and January 12th, make it a point to head out to East Main St. in Pflugerville to one of the coolest little Christmas-type restaurants you’ve probably never been to.
And on a personal note, may I say that I want to thank all of you for your ongoing support of diningoutwithrobbalon.com. It’s been a pleasure these past eight years and we look forward to many more years of providing you with reviews, blogs, menus, openings and closings, recipes, and of course our always insightful take on the central Texas food and wine scene.
