Finn & Porter – New Year’s Eve 2013 Menu
500 E. 4th St. Austin, TX 78701 (512) 493-4900 Daily: 5pm-11pm REVIEW finnandporter.com — More Holiday 2013 Options When New Year’s Eve calls for great taste and a touch of elegance, an evening at Finn & Porter is the place to be in Austin on December 31st. Chef Peter Maffei of Finn & Porter, […]
Shandeez on Anderson Mill: Distinctive Persian Cuisine
If you have a occasional craving, as I do for Middle Eastern cuisine, then you should try Shandeez on Anderson Mill. For starters the Hummus is smooth and nicely textured, and the Tabouli has a very fresh flavor and is not too spicy (as can sometimes be the case). The meats are delicious and distinctive. […]
Rob’s Christmas and New Year’s Dining Options 2013 – ARCHIVED
For your convenience, we’ll be compiling many recommended restaurants’ hours of operation for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Enjoy, and don’t forget to generously tip your servers over the holiday season. We’ll be updating this list as we approach the holidays, so check back with us daily for more […]
Due Fornii Opens at 106 East 6th
Hoping to duplicate their success in Las Vegas, chef Carlos Buscaglia and UT alum Alex Taylor have opened Due Forni on East 6th at the former site of Louie’s 106. Due Forni literally means two ovens in Italian: one oven for the Neapolitan style pizza and the other for the Roman style both of which […]
Chinatown on Bee Caves Waiting on Final Permits
This is one reopening of an Austin classic that I’m really looking forward to. Heard from Ronald Cheng that he’s waiting on final permits to begin the remodel. Those should be in any day. When Chinatown first opened in 1983 it was an immediate hit. I expect this 2nd version to be nothing less. Cheng […]
A Memorable New England Christmas Dinner
Yes, even restaurant critics dine at home occasionally, and one of the special days for our family has been Christmas. Since we were brought up in CT, we carried many New England traditions with us for Christmas dining. Stuffing made with oysters instead of cornbread, baked or steamed Maine lobsters instead of turkey, and of […]
Restaurants I’d like to Have Back for Christmas
I was thinking about some of my favorite former Austin restaurants the other day, and how much I’d like to see them back in operation as a foodie Christmas present. C’mon Santa, make some magic happen and bring these back! In no particular order… Cafe Mangu This little Pflugerville joint fused Puerto Rican, Dominican and […]
In-N-Out Burger Opens in Round Rock
Well, the typical hysteria we usually see surrounding the opening of certain restaurants in this area is once again draped all over the debut of California based In-N-Out Burger in Round Rock at 4251 N. IH-35. The chain has many die-hard fans and some detractors along with it, but they do know how to generate […]
Rob Balon’s Reviews Now Available on YouTube!
Rob Balon has filmed restaurant reviews on FOX 7 and KVUE-TV in Austin since 1999. Given the increasing popularity of social media, and the fact that Dining Out with Rob Balon has significantly increased its Facebook presence, we thought it was time to add a YouTube Channel to our media mix. Rob’s reviews are still […]
Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken Coming to 2nd and San Jacinto
There’s an extremely popular little fried chicken joint in Memphis called Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken. They are going to open up a store at the former site of the Mongolian Grill at 2nd and San Jacinto sometime early after the first of the year. I’ve not tried Gus’s yet but long-time Austin restaurant operator […]
Ronald Cheng to Reopen the Original Chinatown Restaurant on Bee Caves Rd. in Westlake
30 years after a brash, young Chinese chef raised the bar for Chinese dining in Austin, that same chef, the brilliant Ronald is going to reopen the original Chinatown in the same location on Bee Cave Road in a small strip center just off Mopac. Cheng and his wife Linda ultimately divorced and both moved […]
Tapasitas to Open on W. 6th Wednesday, Nov. 20th
A very Austintatious kind of concept, Tapasitas is opening at 800 West 6th St on November 20th. The idea is a grand bar wrapped around tapas, cigars, cocktails, desserts and wines. This looks like a fun kind of place. For more information call (512) 436-9633. Those going from 6:30-8pm on the 20th will find complimentary […]
Smoke’n Hops BBQ on 290 Offers Up Some Creative Dishes
Most BBQ joints, when they deviate from the norm, usually do so by adding a whole lot more sides like, say, Pok-e-Jo’s. (And their sides are terrific.) But the new place out on 290 just north of Dripping Springs called Smoke’n Hops has taken ‘cue creativity a step farther. First you have to try the […]
Unmitigated Extravagance and Big Bucks for Austin at F1 Weekend
I’m not and have never been a fan of any kind of auto racing, be it Nascar, The Indy 500, Formula 1 or Demolition Derby. Hence, I was not excited when the breathless announcement was made several years ago that Austin would play host to a Formula 1 race. But the sheer glut of excess […]
