Porter Ale House and Gastropub Drawing the Late Night Crowd
Mention pork belly sliders to me, and I’m yours. Mention Cheese Pierogis, and I am even more committed. Thus my passion for the Porter Ale House and Gastropub 3715A South First. It seems like we have a plethora of gastropubs these days around Austin. You know what? It’s fine with me. I love neighborhood joints […]
Foxhole Culinary Tavern Opens on 183
A new restaurant has just opened at 13995 North 183, and it’s called Foxhole Culinary Tavern, located in the building that used to house Bennigan’s. After looking at the menu however, I’m sure that this place will soon erase all memories of Bennigans. I see everything from wonderful looking Short Ribs to Lobster Mac and […]
Kenichi Closes
The restaurant that the late Billy Rieger and Kenichi Kenada turned into the hottest place downtown for some time is calling it quits. This is a sad one. Always admired the work of Shane Stark and those amazing Dynamite Shrimp. As much as I enjoyed Kenichi, I don’t think it really ever was able to […]
A First Dinner at laV
Since the demise of Aquarelle and Mirabelle, Austin foodies been pining for an elegant and beautifully appointed French restaurant. The recent debut of laV on East 7th should make a lot of those foodies happy. As many of you know, I don’t like to rush to a new restaurant. So our first meal at laV […]
What Are Your Top Ten Pizza Places?
A lot of people read our Pizza Wars 2014 story over the weekend. You saw Rob’s top ten list. The list is obviously a function of his tastes and dining experience. And because tastes in pizza can be quite subjective, we’d like to know what your top ten list is in Austin pizza. Email us […]
Shahi Delivers Middle Eastern Fix on North Lamar
Who doesn’t like a great Gyro or some Shawarma or a smooth Hummus? But Shahi Cafe on North Lamar just south of Parmer is much more than that. They have a Lamb Shank that will purse even the tightest pair of lips, and the traditional Gormeh Sabsi that features a fragrant herbed stew with lamb, […]
Umami on Barton Springs Closed
As we prepare the final touches for Pizza Wars 2014, it came to my attention that Umami Pizza on Barton Springs closed over four months ago. Sorry for the delayed notice, but I simply hadn’t gone back after a few less-than-stellar tastings when they opened last June. That’s been a tough location (Romeo’s), and Umami’s […]
Homespun Kitchen and Bar Introduces Sunday Brunch
Man, am I glad to see this. Dripping Springs is not exactly awash in a sea of quality weekend brunches. So the recent addition of a Sunday Brunch from 10am-3pm at Homespun Kitchen and Bar is great news. I’ve grown to really appreciate this mother/daughter-operated place at 131 Mercer just off 12 and 290. The […]
Rodney Henry Bringing Dangerously Delicious Pies to East Austin
Rodney Henry is a pizza fanatic (who isn’t these days?) from Baltimore who has fallen in love with the increasingly cooler and hipper side of East Austin. He will open a permanent trailer for his Dangerously Delicious Pizza brand at the Lost Well, a bar and music venue on the East Side in September (according […]
7 Characteristics of Highly Effective Restaurateurs
Stephen Covey wrote a book over twenty years ago that revolutionized the business world and advanced the notion that success in business and in life were interdependent. I reread the book earlier this year, and began to think again of the applications of its principles for the hospitality industry. Here’s my take on it with […]
Brad Meltzer Podcast
This week’s podcast guest is Brad Meltzer who is the owner of Sumo Japanese Steakhouse, a teppanyaki restaurant on I-10 in San Antonio. Brad has owned teppanyaki spots in Austin in the past, and is a serial entrepreneur who dabbles in many businesses, but teppanyaki is what really floats his boat. From what I’ve […]
Do Presidential Perks Extend to BBQ Lines?
Big brouhaha yesterday when President Barack Obama, after finishing up a DNC fundraiser and speech at the Paramount, decided to jump the line at the intergalactically famous Franklin Barbecue on East 11th. The hue and cry on social media was immediate and in many cases, downright vitriolic. Of course, Obama made a gesture by paying […]
