Austin

(From November 2010) Francophiles in search of the best croissant this side of the Atlantic need look no further than this tiny bakery in West Austin. Versailles-born pastry chef Chi-Minh has not only tinkered with the perfect flour-and-butter ratio for a flawless, flaky French delicacy but also delivers on bistro classics, including quiche lorraine, buttery omelets, savory buckwheat crepes filled with anything from ham to cheese to spinach, and simple delights such as chocolate mousse and crisp-on-the-outside, spongy-on-the-inside baguettes. C’est magnifique!

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(From March 2011) This popular Houston fast-casual restaurant initially developed by renowned chef Robert Del Grande has made its way to Central Austin (it occupies a former La Madeleine location, utterly modernized and transformed). The bright, cheerful setting makes for an inviting lunch or dinner stop, especially for those on the go. We got off to a shaky start with watery baked potato soup and an overdressed Greek salad, but the bacon blue cheese burger on a toasted kaiser bun hit the spot. So did a warm and gooey molten chocolate–cream cheese cupcake. Beer & wine.

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Photograph by Brian Birzer

(From June 2011)

Smoke is wafting into the air again from the site of the former Ben's Longbranch. But the occupant of the revamped old building is a young'un, namely Aaron Franklin, who had quite an avid following at his barbecue trailer. Acolytes at this altar of 'cue start the vigil hours before the the door opens, and the Last Man Standing sign (sold out!) has reportedly appeared as early as 12:30. Happily, the move into cinder-block-and-mortar hasn't changed the meltingly moist brisket or the fluffy (yet crusty-edged) shreds of pulled pork. We can't attest to the pork ribs; they were gone by the time we reached the counter. A nice touch: Wife and partner Stacy Franklin sometimes comes around to offer a Mexican Coke while you wait. Beer.

Saturday, October 1st, 2011, 1:19 pm
bill says:
First time there today. The brisket was tender and melt in your mouth. Portions were great.

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(From January 2012)

You gotta love a brand-new restaurant that takes it upon itself to go ahead and print up a few T-shirts. Such is the instant cachet of the East Austin enterprise. And despite its rather corporate-looking logo, this half pool hall, half gourmet sandwich shop is distinctly Austiney, run by neighborhood residents and housed in the former El Lobo Night Club. The bill of fare includes, of course, sandwiches (like the excellent Foghorn Leghorn, a garlicky chicken salad with pepperjack cheese and lightly fried avocado), salads, and soups (potato-bacon, broccoli beer cheese) served up in adorable bread bowls. If that’s not enough to draw a crowd, surely the all-day drink specials (Margarita Mondays, Wine Not Wednesdays) will. Bar.

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(From February 2011) Beer and burgers go together like love and marriage. The matchmakers behind this counter-service joint are many, primarily Moonshine chef Larry Perdido. Revamping Cissi’s Market, the partners wisely left the bar intact for mom and dad but added colorful, kid-friendly booths. A selection of Angus burgers—the basic ones cheap by SoCo standards—come with set toppings (by the way, “doddy” is Scottish slang for a breed of cow). Our Llano Poblano, with bacon, pepperjack, and green chiles, was nicely pink, and the house-made bun was thankfully not too sweet. A cholesterol-conscious ahi burger, rare and topped with sunflower sprouts and pickled ginger, needed only a bigger hit of wasabi. Hops, brewed into beer, arrived in giant schooners that we hefted to toast huzzah! Bar.

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(From November 2011)

What a delightful find, in South Austin but far from the SoCo hipster scene. In this quaint cottage (exuding just the right amount of country French atmosphere), we found ourselves struggling to choose from the tempting array in the deli case. We finally settled on a Hope Farmers Market Salad (fresh and crisp) and a scrumptious tomato-and-cheese tart, which sated our appetite but didn’t leave us stuffed. Thank goodness our willpower failed at the prospect of a lemon curd tart. 

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(From February 2011) Sometimes after a long day, a tiny, cozy, ultracasual neighborhood joint is just what the doctor ordered, especially when said joint serves up a handful of sensational specialty pizzas with perfectly crisp crusts. Not only that, there are deli sandwiches, such as toasted pastrami on rye (we’ll soon be back for the chicken salad, which we hear is to die for). The Greek salad has a fresh, herbal dressing with just the right hit of salt, and the carrot cake is a dreamy layering of spongy cake and rich cream cheese icing. Seating is limited, so lots of folks order to go. BYOB.

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Photograph by Ben Pickle of CreativePickle.com

(From August 2011)

Now in an air-conditioned space, this hot-dog-stand-turned-pared-down-diner speaks to the frankfurter freak in us all. Our favorite was the unconventional Greek dog, a flavorful lamb sausage with tangy tzatziki and kalamata olives, plus tomato, cucumber, and crumbly feta. The Texas-size chili dog was tasty, even though the chili was a bit dry, but the corn dog could have used a second dip in batter. A sure bet was the Abe Froman classic Chicago dog: a Vienna beef frank and the obligatory mustard, onions, relish, tomatoes, peppers, pickle spear, and celery salt. Postmeal antacid optional. 

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(From September 2010) Start with the broccoli Veg Lollipops at this new no-fuss, no-muss Indian fusion joint. The crispy ginger batter is addictive, especially when you dip the pop in the accompanying spicy-sweet Szechuan sauce. Skip the parchment-like naan (disappointing, to say the least), but enjoy Indian with a Tex-Mex flair in the tandoori chicken quesadillas served with a refreshing mint chutney. We savored the creamy fresh saag paneer but were less impressed with lamb durbari, served in a watered-down version of India’s classic almond, cashew, and sweet onion gravy. BYOB.

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(From January 2011)

If you see a school bus parked on the road billowing smoke from its roof, don't call 911. Pull over and get in line. We thought we had ordered a small amount of grass-fed Angus brisket, but we were over-whelmed with the enormous pile of melt-in-your-mouth meat (attached to generous portions of velvety fat) that arrived. An unusual sauce, with caramelized red onions, only heightened our bliss (note: must like sugar). Contributing too were thick, hand-cut fries (doused with salt and whole peppercorns) and spicy jalapeño sausage. And don’t get us started on the steak burger. Piled on a fluffy, grilled bun, the monster dripped with goodness.

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