If buzz counted for everything instead of nearly everything, Torchy’s Tacos would be Austin’s top-rated restaurant. Of course, it’s not a restaurant: It’s a trailer parked in a vacant lot across from El Mercado at the intersection of South First and Gibson. You’d be forgiven for missing it, or for
I’ve got to hand it to my pal Bud Kennedy, popular columnist for the Fort Worth Star Telegram. Bud specializes in ferreting out fascinating stuff about his home city and Texas, and now he has tracked down the name of the unsung hero who might be called the stepfather of
This is all explained in the Umami post, below. It was just getting too long, so here is Bin 555′s chocolate torte recipe. “White Truffle” Chocolate Truffle TorteServes 20 (4 oz
A recent trip to Rush Patisserie in Dallas’ Deep Ellum district reminded me how much croissants are shortchanged on the breakfast breads list. They are a true breakfast treat; they’re not just for sandwiches, contrary to current trends. And bagels, really, are they that good? My mother notes that
On the heels of discussing Tex-Mex cuisine, let us consider the larger category of Ameri- Mex. I nearly lost my tacos a few weeks ago when I read about Taco Bell’s move into the Mexico market. They tried once before and didn’t make the grade. Go figure. This second attempt
For the love, Mr. Drape, you should have stopped before you even began. Granted, myself being in Boston and in a whole new world of food, I can understand wanting to gush and “celebrate” a less-familiar cuisine. But a few things—okay, a lot of things—about Joe’s M.O. are really confusing.
ESPADRILLES? Since when are espadrilles Texans’ “indigenous footwear”??? In his lead to the most pathetic article on Tex-Mex food I’ve ever read (in today’s New York Times “Dining Out” section), non-native-Texan Joe Drape says espadrilles are our native shoe. Dude: Espadrilles are French.
Back in September, fueled by a diet of mealy apples and concern about global warming, I signed up for a CSA share. CSA stands for “community supported agriculture;” it’s a small farm that sells food directly to, you got it, members of the community. Mine is called Johnson’s
Texas Wines are becoming more well known. The Hill Country is alive with visitors from Austin to Connecticut. And these travelers have many choices, actually 21 of them.As a beginning wine connoisseur, I have knowledge not extensive, but I know how to swirl, to smell, to taste. I forget what
We’re still taken with our little neighborhood wine store, Vinosity (3500 Jefferson, off 35th Street near Mopac, in Austin; 512-420-9111). The space is sleek, the selection diverse, and the prices fantastic. The small plates (read: tapas) are delicious and perfect for nibbling while tasting a variety of domestic and international
. . . salmon roe on foie gras for “color”? Pork bellies at high altitude? Prawns so giant that don’t even fit in the serving bowl? In the season finale of Top Chef, Casey Thompson, of Shinsei in Dallas, had a minor meltdown and started putting
Can a Jersey boy make a good taco? I am afraid so, my dear Texans, I’m afraid so. On a recent Fenway Park outing (how quickly I have earned my Red Sox Nation citizenship), we dropped by the takeout window of La Verdad, an affordable gourmet taco spot recently opened
The corn dog’s birthplace may be disputed among gastronomists, but there is no denying that the corny dog, as the fried delicacy is known in these parts, made its first appearance at the State Fair of Texas. Dallas native Neil Fletcher formulated the recipe in 1942, set up a
There’s something to be said for familiarity and consistency. So when my husband and I stumbled across Castle Hill Cafe on Fifth Street (in Austin, of course), we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to dine at one of our old stomping grounds. And, we were pleased with the
The summer before my freshman year of college, as I prepared to move from New York to Austin, I was shocked to hear Bob, my best friend’s father, say, “Don’t worry, you’ll be right at home. Texas barbecue was invented by our kind, you know.” Bob’s greatest pleasure seemed to
And I thought this was the funniest thing you could do at the drive-thru. Three men in a pickup truck tossed a python through a drive-through window at a Taco Bell worker who is afraid of snakes, police said. Round Rock police say the incident may have been a
I love the food here in Boston, for sure, but sometimes a Texan just has to have a really good taco (for a multitude of ideas, see Pat’s story from the December 2006 issue). Hence, I have set out to find the best taco in town, perhaps a
According to food writer John Griffin in the San Antonio Express-News, a air date has been set for the Food Network episode of “Throwdown” that was taped in San Antonio last May at Hacienda de Los Barrios, home to chef and author Diana Barrios-Trevino. See Bobby Flay and Diana go
Just like pork is the other white meat, El Paso is the other border town. When people think of the Texas -Mexico border, their minds invariably jump to Brownsville/Laredo. Rarely do the far west Texas twin cities of El Paso and Juarez even cross their mental
I realize this blog isn’t called “Drink My Words,” but tequila is like food, right? Business Week just posted a story on its web site about a fight over the ownership of Patron Spirits Co. involving its co-founder, Austinite John Paul DeJoria (a.k.a. the Paul Mitchell guy),
Andrew Weissman and wife Maureen are back from vacation — including a trip to Maureen’s home in Costa Rica to take the baby (born last January) to see mom. Maureen told us before the trip that it would be the first time home since babe was born, a command performance
Though no longer a Texas Monthly staffer or Austin resident, I remain a devoted foodie in my far-away home of Boston. I’ve made some initial explorations here, yet hunger pangs hit me for familiar favorites like Vespaio, Mandola’s–oh, that melanzane pizza!, Din Ho Chinese BBQ, and Fonda San Miguel.While I
Life is too short to enjoy cocktail hour with a bag of Doritos. In Kate Heyhoe’s new book Great Bar Food at Home, we learn that you can have a sophisticated bar atmosphere in the comfort of your own pad. You just have to plan. And Heyhoe is ready to
For those of us who consider a to-go container cooking at home, the folks at Zagat are looking for your restaurant picks and witticisms. They publish a guide focused on Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio with some surrounding areas. If you submit a survey, they’ll send you
With all the hunting news about (northern sector quail hunting starts this weekend, I think)I’ve been wondering about those Bandera quail that show up on menus here and there (Let’s see, I think the last time was at Jason Dady’s Lodge Restaurant of Castle Hills)A quick search through the
Ever wanted to know what exactly you’d learn if you signed up for the 30-week course at the new Culinary Institute of Americas campus in San Antonio? Here’s the scoop.Or maybe you have a chef-in-the-making who’s still underage. Try this link.javascript:void(0)
I want to try every one of the entries in this year’s Big Tex Choice Awards at the State Fair this weekend, but in particular the thought of something called Fernie’s Fried Chili Frito Burrito has awakened feelings that I no longer thought myself capable of. God Bless you
I’m a believer in letting only the experts have their say — kibbitzers, keep out of the kitchen — but I feel duty-bound to report that last night I had what may well be the best meal I’ve eaten in Austin in fifteen-plus years. Pat has written before about
A few transitions we’ve noted lately (in person or in the news):Lisa’s Mexican Restaurant has moved from it’s former location to bigger digs at 815 Bandera. One of my favorite places for caldo — the chicken version is bright, colorful and has vegetables that look like vegetables in it —
Ever wanted to deep-six your boring career and do something totally different, like go to culinary school? San Antonian Chris Dunn did just that–he signed up for the chef’s program at the Center for Foods of the Americas, completed his certificate, and blogged about the whole thing. Since the school
This just in. A well-connected source says that Liberty Bar, famous for its great Texas bistro menu and its slanted floors, is looking for a new location in the King William area. Apparently, the rent is going up dramatically (think about that location just a block or so from the
Definitely pick up the September issue of Gourmet magazine. It’s the Latino issue, with recipes from all over the Hispanic world and some great personal stories (Junot Diaz’s tales of growing up Dominican in New York is a blast). Texas gets its due, with two stories. The first is on
so a comment to a previous post brought this up:Jim said… Let’s start with bar-b-que. The top of my list are Novasad’s Bar-B-Que (lamb ribs) in Hallettsville and Prause’s (brisket) in La Grange. None better! I’m not going to dispute that the Central Texas
Welcome to Eat My Words, TEXAS MONTHLY’s blog about all things edible. In this forum, our writers and restaurant reviewers hope to entice you with tidbits of food lore and gossip, guide you to dishes and dining places across the state that we’ve liked (and steer you away from ones
Five of the best museums in the state have cafes designed to tempt the most refined tastes and sophisticated palates. A few have masterpieces on the menu; others are works in progress.
Ten foods to gorge on in 2007.
Well, first and foremost, Dallas, since four of the year’s ten best new restaurants—including the top three—are there. But if you’re hip and hungry in Houston, Austin, or San Antonio, my list won’t disappoint.
NORMALLY I WOULDN’T DO THIS: mention tripe, tongue, and sweetbreads in the first sentence. No, no, no. The very thought of organ meats makes some people woozy. But here’s my point. A chef who makes a cow’s innards appealing—and Will Packwood emphatically does—can make anything else taste great. At two-month-old
You want to send your granny a grapefruit this Christmas? Your bro a brisket? Your pop a pie? We’ve taste-tested more than four hundred foodstuffs that Texas companies will happily ship to your door, and more than forty are first-class.
Including: the sopa azteca at El Mirador, in San Antonio; the spring-fed pool at Balmorhea State Park; the humidity; elbow room; free advice at White Rock Lake, in Dallas; county courthouses; boots-and- jeans-clad Academy Award–winner Larry McMurtry; and—seriously— quail hunting.
• In Dallas, newcomer Salum has been drawing crowds to its serene white interior (you feel as if you’ve been dropped into a vat of whipped cream—in a good way, of course). Chef and owner Abraham Salum is offering an eclectic Mediterranean menu, from which I’ve quite enjoyed an excellent
AUSTIN Enoteca Vespaio, 1610 S. Congress Ave., 512-441-7672. Open Mon–Sat 8 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun 10–2. Fino, 2905 San Gabriel, 512-474-2905. Open Mon–Thur 11–10, Fri 11–11, Sat 5–11. DALLAS Cafe San Miguel, 1907 N. Henderson Ave., 214-370-9815. Lunch Mon–Sat 11–3, Sun 10–3. Dinner
Our favorite new restaurants of the year—and a few more that almost make the cut.
My father, who had grown up on a farm, used to talk about his family’s killing a pig for the tamales, but this was back in the twenties.
Senior editor Patricia Sharpe, who wrote this month’s feature on home cooking, talks about local opinions and okra.
All restaurants accept major credit cards unless otherwise noted. AMARILLOMontana Mike’s, 4332 SW Forty-fifth Avenue, 806-353-3339. Open Sun—Thur 11—9, Fri & Sat 11—10.AUSTINArkie’s Grill, 4827 E. Cesar Chavez, 512-385-2986. Open Mon—Fri 5:30 a.m.—3 p.m.Dot’s Place, 13805 Orchid Lane, one block south of Howard Lane, 512-587-4222. Open Mon—Fri 11—2.Freddie’s Place, 1703
AustinThe apples in the filling are crisp, the spicing pitch-perfect, the crust reasonably flaky at unpretentious but agreeable Tony’s Southern Comfort, and the restaurant’s smooth, firm sweet-potato pie is equally worthy of a slice. And don’t overlook the peach cobbler, plenty sweet, with cinnamony crusts on top and bottom and
For going on five years, my admiration has grown for the weekly paper in the tiny Panhandle town of Miami (above). The New York Times it ain’t, but it tells me everything I could ever want to know about local births and deaths, windblown mail, bad potholes, and good yards.
AmarilloDecorated with faux-log-cabin walls and outdoorsman ephemera—“Closed till the fish stop biting” reads a chalkboard near the bar— Montana Mike’s is intended to look like a mountain fishing lodge in the heart of the flatlands. Skip the fish and order the thin-cut grilled chops, which come two to a plate
AustinA near-Platonic meat loaf emerges from the to-go window of Dot’s Place; the beefy slices crumble as you cut into them, melding with the tomatoey topping to form a sort of glorious, Southern-style Bolognese sauce. On Thursdays, meat loaf mavens go to Tony’s Southern Comfort for well-textured slices of this
