Photo by Brian Birzer

MEATLIFTING. It’s nothing new. The 2010 arrest of Austin’s Ronnie Allen Brock provided Texas Monthly with one of our trademark never-ending punny Bum Steer headlines (as if “Bum Steer” itself wasn’t enough).

But meat fencing? With an undercover sting called “Operation Meat Locker” to catch local restaurants buying cowntraband? (Sorry.)

It sounds like something out of Adult Swim’s new procedural parody NTSF:SD:SUV. But it happened yesterday in Austin, with East Side institution Sam’s Bar-B-Que getting nailed. Also charged was Willie’s Bar-B-Que and the Mexican restaurant La Morenita.

KUT appears to have been first to post the story: (more…)

Tagged: austin, bbq, brisket, Health Department, KUT, La Morenita, Meat, Sam's, Shoplifting, Statesman, texas, Travis County, Willie's

Let’s face it. Vegetables aren’t usually a part of the trailer experience. So I was pleasantly surprised to find grilled veggies on the menu at Trey’s Cuisine, the newest trailer next to Odd Duck and Gourdough’s, on South Lamar.

Despite the truck’s unfortunate and puzzling Celtic logo, Trey’s Cuisine serves up some fine meat and vegetable kebabs (it used to be called Pick Up Stix but changed its name after a messy legal entanglement). My favorite was the flavorful blackened pork, served with a skewer of red bell pepper, mushrooms, pineapple, and sliced onions. Each kebab comes with a thick slice of buttered wheat bread and your choice of sauce from four categories of worldly dips, from Asian and Mediterranean to Spanish and “Cowden Weird” (thirteen sauces total). I ordered my skewer with the intriguing (and recommended) honey mustard ancho, but instead I was presented with an overly sweet sauce that I think was actually the sesame glaze.

I wish that the lamb had lived up to the pork’s high standards. But the meat was tough, and the mint-and-sweet-soy marinade was sticky and saccharine, without a trace of mint. I had been reassured that it would mesh well with the chimichurri, but even a good garlicky chimichurri couldn’t save the lamb. The vegetables, on the other hand, disappeared quickly.

Now, now, don’t get too worried: There is plenty of creative junk food on the menu too. Take the Steak Mac croquette slider. Just in case mac and cheese with New York strip wasn’t enough for you, the trailer fries it up into a delicious crispy patty and serves it on two thick slices of toasted white bread. Drunk food paradise, my friends.

The Greek Chick croquette slider, on the other hand, not so much. I was expecting an oregano-and-thyme-marinated chicken croquette sandwich, dripping with feta and tzatziki sauce. Instead, it was a bland fried round of rice and cream cheese, with a few chunks of overcooked chicken thrown in. The white bread might have been the best part.

The trailer claims to be mostly Mediterranean, and I can see the influence in some places. But though there wasn’t much opa! in his pierogis, they were delicious: a blend of creamy mashed potato and cheese with prosciutto, hand-rolled in homemade pasta and deep-fried. The sour cream dipping sauce was hard to resist.

So perhaps I should retract my earlier statement about vegetables. Sure, they made a rare appearance at Trey’s Cuisine. But it’s near impossible to beat a deep-fried mac-and-cheese sandwich.

1219 South Lamar Blvd (512-234-2103). Open Tue–Sat 11–3 & 5–10. Closed Sun & Mon.

Posted by Megan Giller. To read more from Megan Giller, visit her website at www.megangiller.com.

Tagged: Mediterranean, sliders, Trailer Thursday, Trey's Cuisine

It’s hard to be in a bad mood when you’re eating at a place with a silly-fun name like “Yummy Bowl.” Of course, I’ve always been a big supporter of such onomatopoeic interjections and have been known to order sushi rolls solely because they came with “yum-yum” on top. I’m also an unabashed fan of Asian fusion, and Yummy Bowl, which offers an array of Malaysian, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese dishes, was right up my alley.

I liked the good old-fashioned Vietnamese summer rolls, with fresh shrimp, vermicelli noodles, and cucumber with a peanut dipping sauce. Nothing earth-shattering here, just a cool appetizer on a hot day.  The French grilled beef sandwich was also a nice surprise. Long touted as the only good thing to come of colonization, the bánh mì is a delicate art (and now, unfortunately, a favorite food of hipsters nationwide). Yummy Bowl’s satisfied my craving, with a good baguette, marinated sliced beef, pink pâte, sliced cucumber, carrots, and plenty of fresh cilantro, though I missed the kick of the marinated jalapeños that are served on many bánh mì (at least in Texas).

As much as I wanted the signature Yummy Teppanyaki to live up to its name, it didn’t quite make the cut. A twist on the Japanese grilled cuisine, the enormous portion featured a smorgasbord of meats mixed with rice noodles and a few zucchini in a somewhat bland sauce. The beef bulgogi thrown into the mix was tender and flavorful, but the pork and chewy shrimp felt like overkill. The dish looked impressive, but as my lunch buddy wisely proclaimed, it tasted more like college food (as in, it’s food and it’s here, and there’s a lot of it).

No visit to a trailer is complete without something fried, and the rice bowl with a bread-crumb-encrusted pork loin chop more than did the trick. In fact, the fall-apart pork, crunchy crust, and sticky-sweet sauce were the highlight of the trip. Alongside a giant heap of coconut-flavored jasmine rice, it wasn’t the most balanced meal. But was it yummy? Indeed.

Longhorn Food Court, 610 W. MLK Blvd (512-436-4319). Open Mon–Sat 11–close (Call for hours). Closed Sun.

Posted by Megan Giller. To read more from Megan Giller, visit her website at www.megangiller.com.

Tagged: Asian fusion, Trailer Thursday, Yummy Bowl

This time of year, when the daily heat index hits triple digits and walking outside feels like getting punched in the face by a convection oven, I like to keep a chilled wine on hand at all times. It’s usually a rotation between three or four wines including a crisp German Riesling, the Vermentino from Duchman Family Vineyards, or the Rosé of Syrah fromMcPherson Cellars. Well ok, truth be told the McPherson Rosé is almost always in my fridge. It’s a refreshing showstopper wine that is delicious with hints of summer berries without being sweet; it’s beautiful in the glass with a deep strawberry color that makes an average blush wine blush; and it’s a steal at most large grocery and wine outlets for under $15. Oh, and it’s a Texas wine!

I love breaking this wine out when a friend stops by for an early evening chat over cheese and crackers—and somehow that seems to happen a lot now that I’ve started sharing this wine. (Note to self: keep a running supply of cheese and crackers on hand at all times.)

It never fails to impress. It’s a happy medium for even the most stubborn of wine drinkers; those who claim they only drink red wines regardless of what time of year it is, and those that swear by their buttery California Chardonnays or syrupy sweet White Zinfandels. Somehow Kim McPherson, owner and winemaker of McPherson Cellars, has managed to please everyone. (Note: He may have achieved this with wine, but don’t ask this fiery, outspoken, and often zaney character to go into politics just yet.)

And I’m not the only one who thinks so. Texas sommelier, Devon Broglie, who coordinates all wine, coffee, and a number of other specialty items for the Southwest Region of Whole Foods Market, is a fan too. Which is why this month’s Texas Wine of the Month isMcPherson Cellars Rosé of Syrah, 2009.

Having spent the past decade honing his palate with a stint in harvesting and wine production Bodegas Costers del Siurana in Spain, the distinction of having passed the Advanced Level Exam for the Court of Master Sommeliers in 2007 and as the winner of Texas’ Best Sommelier Competion for 2006 at the Texas Sommelier Conference, Broglie is passionate about wine. And he’s proud of where Texas wine is going, particularly with winemakers like Kim McPherson.

“What Kim McPherson doesn’t know about Texas grape growing and wine making isn’t worth knowing,” says Broglie. “Kim has a modest, clean cellar operation in an old Coca Cola plant in Lubbock and access to some of the best grapes and vineyards in the Texas High Plains.  His Rosé of Syrah has fresh, crunchy red fruit with cherry, strawberry, raspberry, Rosé petal and spice.  It is delish and crisp and perfect for the summer heat.”

You should also soon see McPherson’s latest Rosé of Grenache-Syrah 2010 release. “I got lucky in 2010 with a good supply of Grenache and used it for this Rosé,” says McPherson. “It turned out to be really good. Next year I may add cinsault to the blend, but either way, I’ll probably always make a rose each year, if only because I like drinking them so much!”

So before the dog days of summer run out—don’t worry, there’s no sign of that happening any time soon—do your best to stay cool, always be prepared for last-minute visitors to drop by, and by all means, keep a McPherson Cellars Rosé of Syrah (or Grenache-Syrah) in your refrigerator!

Winery: McPherson Cellars

Retail Price: ~$13

Availability: Most Texas grocery chains including HEB, Central Market, Whole Foods as well as Spec’s and Twin Liquors.

- Jessica Dupuy

Tagged: Devon Broglie, Duchman Family Winery, Jessica Dupuy, Kim McPherson, McPherson Cellars, McPherson Cellars Rose of Syrah, TexSom, Whole Foods Market

(Dallas winner Ashley Scalf with Baker’s Ribs)

You probably know the drill by now. Look for the TM BBQ Hunt team tomorrow (July 16) at the Pearl Farmer’s Market information booth (near La Gloria). Three lucky winners will score pork ribs from The Smokehouse, and one person will win two general admission tickets to this fall’s Texas Monthly BBQ festival. The drawing will be held around 11 a.m.

Eater.com has just posted this picture, sent by a reader, of someone who most definitely looks like chef Paul Qui, of Austin’s Uchiko, in a photo shoot allegedly at Whole Foods San Antonio, dated July 2. They’re saying the time frame coincides with previous speculation about Qui being chosen. Does this mean the rumor is nailed down? Well, no. Eater doesn’t claim it is, but they’re having a lot of  fun with it in the meantime. Check it out.

Don’t know Uchiko from a hole in the ground? Here’s what I said about it when I named it the best new restaurant of the year in Texas this February.

Clever puns are to Austinites what baker’s yeast is to bread: an essential ingredient that never fails to get a rise out of the crowd. (For example, the annual O. Henry Pun-Off, in May.) But sometimes, the puns go a little sour. That seems to be the case with two trucks in town: Coat and Thai and Naan Stop. But how did the food compare to the wit at these punning Asian trailers?

At Coat and Thai, I started with the pork dumplings. Served scaldingly hot, they were above average, with tender pork centers and slightly doughy wonton wrappers, served with a dark soy dipping sauce. The red curry was surprisingly rich and a little spicy, its broth thick with coconut milk. I liked the flavorful zucchini, bamboo shoots, and bell pepper, but the chewy shrimp lacked flavor.

The concept of the trailer — a homegrown Asian restaurant owned and operated by Austin musicians — is appealing, and it’s hard to beat a South Congress location with picnic tables. The only real disappointment with my lunch was the overly sweet pad thai. A good pad thai has a complex flavor. The rice noodles are soft and rich, the meat is fall-apart tender, the stir-fried egg is a nice surprise, and the sauce is sweet with a generous kick. Sadly, Coat and Thai’s version was one-dimensional and dry.

Just as a Thai restaurant’s fate lies in its pad thai, an Indian restaurant’s rests in its naan. Naan Stop’s was soft and thick, with a generous dusting of flour. It was missing some fluffiness as well as the crispiness from a tandoori oven, but I saw said oven in the trailer and, given the blazing temperature outside, was impressed.

Based on its downtown Red River location (and the, um, partiers that go with the territory), Naan Stop serves mostly to-go wraps and other handheld foods. The samosas had a nice flavor, although the overall texture was mushy. But dipped in the made-from-scratch cilantro chutney, they were a perfect late-night snack. I also loved the sweet tamarind chutney, made fresh with coriander and cumin. Same for the variety of naan wraps: the spicy (and I mean spicy!) chickpeas (i.e., chana masala) were great, and the shredded chicken wrap had a nice flavor as well. I also liked the chicken tikka masala, with big, tender chunks of chicken in a tomatoey sauce, although the sauce itself lacked the creaminess of a traditional tikka masala.

So what’s the problem? I didn’t order the chicken wrap, but I did ask for a keema naan plate that never arrived, despite repeating my order multiple times. I wish I could say that it was because they were busy, but I was almost the only patron while I was there. To their credit, the husband and wife team just opened Naan Stop less than a month ago and were incredibly friendly and nice. I have faith that the kinks will be worked out in the coming weeks. Confession time: I kind of like the name “Naan Stop,” anyway.

Coat and Thai: SoCo Food Court, 1603 South Congress (512-970-2154). Call for hours.

Naan Stop: Twin Liquors parking lot, 519 E. 7th (512-537-6226). Open Wed–Sat 7:30–3 a.m. Closed Sun–Tue.

Posted by Megan Giller. To read more from Megan Giller, visit her website at www.megangiller.com

Tagged: Coat and Thai, Indian, Naan Stop, Thai, Trailer Thursday

Here’s the thing. Not only is it summer in Texas, but it’s the hottest, driest summer we’ve seen in, well. . . Maybe ever. My husband and I had such grandiose plans for this summer. We’ve lived in our house for about one year now, and we were bound and determined to grow most of our own veggies in the backyard by way of some painstakingly lovingly built raised beds. We started the summer with the best of intentions: by June 1, little baby corn stalks, tomato starts, and pepper plants dotted our beds.

They began growing, and I started telling everyone I knew, “Come over in about 65 days! We’ll have so much great home-grown produce to share!”

Ever heard of the phrase, “Under-promise, over-deliver?” Well, I over-promised and under-delivered. The heat hit. And the drought continued. And now, it’s a sad, sad little garden out there. We can’t coax the watermelons to fruit or the cucumbers to get any bigger than a gherkin. Yesterday I pulled my crispy tomato plants and fruitless, sad little corn stalks. But there’s one thing growing—and in surplus, too!

Basil. I have more basil than I know what to do with.

It likes the shade (if yours has bitten the dust, try again in a spot that’s covered in the way-too-hot afternoon) and it’s in a pot so I can water it a little more efficiently. And the great thing about this basil recipe I’m about to share with you? Absolutely no heat is required (unless you want to be all fancy and toast the pecans or baguettes, that is).

Pesto is a quick way to use up surplus basil, but here’s the trick: Pecans are a little easier to come by in Texas than pine nuts are, and their flavor is pretty delicious with this particular herb.

So beat the heat and make good use of the one thing flourishing in your garden. And if you have more things flourishing in your garden, just don’t come braggin’ to me!

Quick Basil-Pecan Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
1/2 cup Texas pecans
1/4 to 1/3 cup grated parmesan, to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 to 2/3 cup olive oil, to preferred texture

Using a food processor or a blender, mince together the basil, pecans, parmesan, and garlic until finely chopped. With the machine running, slowly pour in olive oil until the pesto is at your desired thickness.

Serve on baguette rounds (toasted or not) with sliced tomatoes, or use as a pasta sauce. If you go with a thicker pesto (less olive oil), this works well as a sandwich spread. If you’re feeling toasty, toast the pecans just until they’re brown before blending them with the other ingredients (like this recipe). If you want to make a larger batch to freeze, you can freeze it in ice cube trays for smaller, easily-accessible portions. Once they’re frozen, you can pop them out of the tray and into a plastic zipper bag.

Have any other fun ways to enjoy a surplus of basil? Do share!

You know you’ve lived in the southern part of the country for too long when you’re seriously disturbed by a lack of cream gravy.

Now, don’t get me wrong, SoCo to Go’s Southern comfort trailer food did exactly that: It comforted. But when I uncovered my chicken-fried chicken, I was expecting a slathering of that white, peppery goodness, or at least a to-go container of it. But there was none to be found. (For the record, they do offer gravy. Just be sure to ask for it.)

Poor me. I had to suffer with a tender, juicy chicken breast breaded in thick, crispy golden batter. I’m almost certain that the crust crunched loud enough to scare off the neighbors.

It’s too bad, because I had enough food to feed all of them. For example, the Frito pie: a generous helping of crunchy Fritos topped with spicy beef chili (no beans, of course), chopped tomatoes and onions, lettuce, and a pile of grated cheddar cheese. Or maybe they would have been interested in the jalapeño mac and cheese. Less spicy than creamy, it reminded me of everything I love about Luby’s.

I wish I could say the same for the Ultimate Tacos, but sadly, they were far from ultimate. Both the fried tilapia and fried avocado varieties were bland and slightly fishy, the tortillas floppy and thin. Even the peppery breading, crunchy carrots, and red cabbage couldn’t revive the entrée.

Thankfully, they were served with a side of cilantro ranch. And here’s where SoCo to Go really shone. Both their garlic ranch and cilantro ranch were good enough to make a northerner scream, “Yee-haw!” The fried pickle rounds were crisp-fried perfection by themselves, but dipped in garlic ranch? Look out!

In other words, what Daisy Mae, SoCo to Go’s Daisy Duke lookalike “mascot,” lacked in gravy, she made up for with ranch.

Keep in mind that the brand-new trailer is definitely a to-go place (it used to be a brick-and-mortar kitchen). They have picnic tables and shade, but the food comes in plastic containers with lids. For example, the Frito pie is deconstructed into several neat little containers.

Of course, there’s an upside: Daisy Mae delivers. If you live or work near downtown, you can order by phone or online and have your comfort food delivered to you by a cheerful attendant without your even breaking a sweat. In this summer heat, that’s worth a pretty deep-fried penny, cream gravy or not.

1209 South First (512-970-8646). SoCotoGo.com. Open Mon 11–2, Tue­–Thur 11–2 & 6–9, Fri 11–2 & 6–10, Sat 12–10. Closed Sun.

Posted by Megan Giller. To read more from Megan Giller, visit her website at www.megangiller.com.

Tagged: chicken-fried chicken, Frito pie, SoCo to Go, Trailer Thursday

Ok folks, it’s time to talk about the debate over what is and what is not a Texas Wine. For our last Texas Wine of the Month, we selected the Becker Vineyards Iconoclast Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009. It’s a good wine. And Luke Restaurant’s Stephen Jeffcoat was wise to select it—it’s a consistently good cabernet sauvignon for a reasonable $10. But, a few shrewd Texas eonophiles were quick to point out that this particular wine, though produced in Texas, is actually made with California grapes.

The truth is, many other wines are sold by Texas Wineries that are made with grapes grown outside Texas. The reason? There just aren’t enough grapes in Texas to meet consumer demand.

Wineries will purchase their grapes from California to meet that demand, or, especially for new wineries, to begin selling wines representative of the winery’s style while they get off the ground to begin using their own native grapes.

Becker Vineyards winemaker Russell Smith has a hand in every wine produced, including the Iconoclast. But as Becker Vineyards General Manager Bret Perrenoud comments, the Iconoclast line has been the backbone for propelling the vineyards’ commitment to making Texas wine with Texas grapes. “Our ability to buy as many Texas grapes as we do is because of the fact the Iconoclast line has been so popular,” says Perrenoud. “Becker crushed almost 1,000 tons of Texas grapes last year from our own vineyards and all the others we bought from within Texas, which is roughly 70,000 cases of the 82,000 that we bottled.”

Purists feel the use of grapes outside the state disqualifies the wine as a “Texas wine,” which is certainly a meaningful point. Meanwhile, others believe the growing industry has to make these kinds of sacrifices until there is a larger availability of Texas grapes.

So how do you tell the difference? Here’s a breakdown of the various descriptions you’ll see on a label:

Texas Estate Bottled: 100 percent of the wine came from grapes grown on land owned or controlled by the winery, which must be located in a viticultural area. The winery must crush and ferment the grapes themselves, and finish, age and bottle the wine in a continuous process on their premises.

Wines with a viticultural area: 85 percent or more of the wine was produced with grapes from that viticultural area or American Viticultural Area (AVA). A viticultural area is a defined grape-growing region in the United States, distinguished by geographical features. In Texas, there are 8 viticultural areas including Bell Mountain, Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country, Texas Hill Country, Escondido Valley, High Plains, Davis Mountain, Mesilla Valley, and Texoma.

Wines with an appellation: at least 75 percent of the wine is produced from grapes grown from the place named, such as county or state. i.e. Texas Hill Country or High Plains.

Texas on the Wine Label: at least 75 percent of the wine is produced from grapes grown in Texas, while 25 percent of the grapes could come from somewhere else.

Wines with a Texas vineyard on the label: 100 percent of the wine came from grapes grown on this vineyard.

Wines with For Sale in Texas Only (FSITO): 25 percent to 74.9 percent of the wine is made with Texas grapes and, for legal reasons, this wine can only be sold in Texas.

Wines with American or AVA on the label: Less than 25 percent of the wine is made with Texas grapes.

With wines from around the world competing for precious shelf space at the grocery store in the affordable $10-$15 range, most Texas wineries can tolerate making the sacrifice to include out-of-state grapes in their production if it means building their brand, honing their craft, and gaining enough traction to produce or buy only Texas grapes in the future.

The Texas wine industry contributes $1.7 billion to the state’s economy. And while our hats go off to the wine makers and grape growers who represent Texas terroir by producing wines with in-state juice, there is the sense that the industry wouldn’t be where it is without a mix.

“Texans need to know that without the out-of-state wine bottled in Texas, our wine industry would be so small nobody would know we had one,” says Gary Elliott owner/winemaker for Driftwood Estate Winery and President of the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association.  “The problem is that we have too many wineries for the number of acres of grapes.  Until we can increase the number of acres of grapes in Texas we need that wine from out of state to keep our wineries open.”

Regardless of where you stand on the debate, we all want to see a healthy, growing Texas wine industry. So the next time you are at the grocery store or liquor store, go try some Texas wines, whatever the semantics of that term means to you.

Cheers!

- Jessica Dupuy