Fried Pickles at Hole in the Wall

http://www.holeinthewallaustin.com/

2538 Guadalupe St
Austin, TX 78705
(512) 477-4747

A few weeks ago Jenn and I found ourselves near the UT campus with an hour and a half to kill, so we decided to spend it at the Hole in the Wall on Guadalupe. I haven’t been there since I was in college, and even then I wasn’t a regular. As an engineering major, my appearance was required at the north end of campus and my drinking time was mostly split between Posse and Crown and Anchor. This is why I didn’t even realized what a fantastic patio and drink prices they had.

After two beers at the beautiful price of $2 each, we found ourselves looking over the food menu, and that’s when I pointed out to Jenn that the menu contained… fried pickles. Being the fried pickle connoisseurs we are, we knew what we had to do.

We ordered and paid the $3 for the pickles and went out to the patio to enjoy the daylight. We had some massive confusion about where we were to pick up our salty fried treats and spent the next few minutes looking around quite bewildered. Eventually after asking about 4 people, we found the kitchen pick up area in the back.

The pickles were of the thinly sliced variety, as opposed to the spears you get at Pluckers and Katz’s. The concoction was a beautiful clumpy fried mess that came with a side of ranch dressing. Upon taking a bite, my tastebuds were overcome by the greasy goodness and extremely salty flavor. The salt complimented the beer and I could imagine the more inebriated one to be, the better the treat. We dubbed the concoction “Chicken Fried Pickles,” although this is a bit of a misnomer since the batter was more of a tempura style.

Jenn said it was the best $3 she had spent in a long time. And even though we were huge fans, we were unable to finish the basket between the two of us. At one point I had to push them away citing that I liked them but continual gorging would change that.

Bottom line: Do it with beer. Don’t do it alone. Ask for extra ranch.

Laura - Recommended.

Melting Pot

305 E. 3rd Street

Austin, Tx

(512) 401-2424

13343 N Highway 183

Austin, TX

(512) 401-2424

http://www.meltingpot.com/

Being the good daughter that I am, when Mother’s Day rolled around, I tried to plan a special day to celebrate how awesome my mom is (and I’m not partial, she really is). My mom has done everything in her power to help me succeed in life. Everything from putting me through college (thanks again mom and dad), to driving me half way across America (while I had pneumonia no less) so that I could go on my grade school field from Chicago to Virginia. She always cooks me yummy dinners and had the forethought enough to make me do my own laundry when I was a teenager so I wouldn’t screw it up once I got to college. I could go on and on extolling the virtues of my mom, but I’m sure you don’t want to hear those; you want to hear about where we went for Mother’s Day. We went to, what in my opinion is now, the greatest place to celebrate Mother’s Day – The Melting Pot.

Now when I lived in Fort Worth, high end chain restaurants like The Melting Pot, Simply Fondue, Fogo de Chao (as mentioned in the previous review), etc were de rigueur. Places like that aren’t too bad, in fact they’re usually pretty tasty, but I much prefer my experiences at unique (and non-chain) Austin restaurants. But (and here comes the but), I LOVE fondue. Its one of those foods that’s fun to eat, tasty, and is a great way to spend a long meal with someone (and trust me, when you eat fondue it’s a loooong meal – but more on that in a minute). But more importantly, my mom loved fondue. When she would come to visit me in Fort Worth, we spent many an evening at one of DFW’s many fondue places enjoying a hot of melty cheese or chocolate. So when I heard Austin finally had a fondue restaurant, I immediately knew I had to take my mom there for Mother’s Day. I called up to make reservations the Tuesday before Mother’s Day thinking there wouldn’t be any reservations left. Surely everyone else, unlike my procrastinating self, would have the foresight enough to call ahead weeks in advance to make reservations. Apparently not. I had no trouble getting us a table, I was even able to get us a special table (more on that in a minute too), AND they even offered to put a vase of fresh roses on the table that Mom could take with her. And here’s the best part, because we wanted to have a late lunch, they were offering all this at a special Mother’s Day discounted rate. How cool is that!

The Melting Pot is rather conveniently (or inconveniently) located in the new Convention Center Food District. It’s on the same block as the other quality national chains that broker for Convention traffic: Roy’s, PF Changs, Fogo de Chao, and to a lesser extent Dona Emilia’s. So with all those other options, why would you choose the Melting Pot? Three words: Chocolate Cookie Fondue. But I'll get to that in a minute.

Let me describe how the Melting Pot is layed out. The inside is dark and cavern-like, but tastefully decorated as all high end small chain restaurants are these days. Lots of dark wood and silver. That makes the Melting Pot really special, however, are the individual rooms. Yes, that's right, call ahead for reservations and you too can reserve one of a dozen or so totally private tables. Each room has its own table, complete with fondue burner, and a frosted glass pocket door to separate you from other other low-brow restaurant go-ers (I mean seriously, who wants to associate with those schlubs??). I highly recommend that if you eat here, you reserve one of these rooms just for the novelty of it.

Normally, the fondue operates on a per person prix fix pricing scale. The table chooses one type of cheese fondue, chocolate fondue, and in the middle, the type of entree cooking style. The cooking style is normally oil or a flavored broth. The oil is fun because they bring out a host of batters to cover your meat in, but the broth is healthier and just as tasty (and won't leave you smelling like you just deep fried your clothes). I think they normally have some sort of beer broth, and a more flavorful broth - when we went, it was coq au vin. Mom (who got to choose) went with the coq au vin. Once the table chooses a cooking style, everyone chooses their meat plate. They offer a mixed plate of tenderloin, chicken breast, sausage, shrimp, scallops and veggies that I normally recommend to fondue beginners. But, they also offer more steak, lobster, and veggie options.

Once you have the general outline of the meal figured out, you pick fondue flavors. For the cheese fondue, we chose the "Wisconsin Trio." Having grown up an almost cheesehead, I was most delighted with that choice. The trio was a rich blend of fontina, butterkase, and surprisingly blue cheese with some garlic, wine, scallions and sherry thrown in for good measure. The coolest part about the cheese course is they make it right in front of you. Your server brings out a large tray covered in cheese, and other delectable ingredients, starts the fondue burner and mixes up the cheese while you drool at the smell. Once its warmed up and melted, they bring you bowls filled with a variety of breads, fruits and veggies to dip in the cheese. It was incredible. There's nothing better than cheese, especially if its hot and melty and on top of a crisp green apple. The dippers as we'll call them were all fresh and tasty. No dry, stale bread and drippy cheese like at Cru. This fondue's the real deal.

Once you've gorged yourself on cheese, the server brings out a scalding hot pot of your chosen broth style. When it first comes out, its covered with a clamped on lid and looks something like a medieval torture device. Stay clear of this until your server tells you its safe. You wouldn't want to be a "hot coffee" lap casualty. But once it's safe, you grab your handy color coded skewer - each person gets their own color so you know who's is who's - spear a piece of meat, and start cooking. It generally takes about 2-3 minutes for each piece to cook, so you get a rhythm going, and rotating out through your 3 skewers so you always have tasty food on your plate. Oh, they also bring 4 or 5 different sauces to dip your meat into. The yogurt Curry is the best but stay away from the sweet and sour. Its pretty gross. This was probably the weakest part of the meal. After cooking quality meat in great smelling broth, you want something interesting and savory to dip your meat into. Not just a crappy teriyaki or horseradish sauce.

Added Note: After seeing Lee's comment, it reminded me of the funniest part of the fondue experience. When you lose a bit of food in the fondue broth, you use this big slotted spoon to fish it out. Now this slotted spoon isn't called just anything, it's called the "David Hasselhoff." So we all got a good giggle when we'd lose a piece of chicken in the broth and would have to ask someone to "Pass the Hoff."

Just when you think you're so full you could hardly eat anything else, they bring out.. The chocolate. You're table has to agree upon one type of chocolate fondue, but when you have such choices as Bailey's Milk Chocolate Fondue or Smores Fondue, is anyone really a loser? My mother, in her infinite wisdom chose Chocolate Cookie Fondue. It was a rich dark chocolate swirled with marshmallow fluff with bits of Oreo cookies mixed in. It was incredible. You get a plate of the most decedent desserts to dip in said fondue. Anything from angel food cake to marshmallows to brownies to a slice of cheesecake. Yes you read that right, a slice of cheesecake. I can't think of a more perfect dessert.

The plus about a fondue meal is also the minus. All this extravagance takes about 2-3 hours to complete and really do it justice. Cooking meat in broth in is a time consuming endeavour. But if you've got the time, I suggest you try it at least once. Its fun and tasty and a great way to connect with your family.

Bottom Line: Fun to eat food that tastes great

Mariah - 9.5

Twin Peaks

701 E. Stassney Lane
Austin, Texas 78745
512-383-9699

100 Louis Henna Boulevard
Round Rock, Texas 78664
Phone: 512-238-7325

http://www.twinpeaksrestaurant.com/

Have you ever been cursed before? I mean really and truly cursed? I'm talking the kind of metaphysical malediction originating from the occult...all packed with bad ju-ju. I'm talking about being the target of a mal-aligned spiritual energy, the likes of which you only see on afternoon documentaries on the Discovery channel. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I've been cursed. I just know it. I don't know how it came about. I must have slapped a gypsy or cut off a witch doctor in traffic a couple of weeks ago, but something strange and supernatural has been happening to me. (For any gypsies or witch doctors reading this, I mean no offense here. So, no need to retaliate against me....one damnation at a time is plenty, thank you.) What's really bothersome, though, is that I think it might have been someone I know because the effects of this spell have been so personal---hitting me right where it counts...in my dining experience.

Let me back up a couple of steps. A couple of weeks ago, Mariah and Laura gave me an opportunity to guest blog about a somewhat bad dining experience I had at Ms. B's here in Austin. Little did I know that was just the beginning of things. Since then, eating out about 4 times a week, I have had nothing but incredibly bad service at restaurants here in town. Trust me, if there has been a bartender, waitress, hostess, manager, table busser, or cook who was a trainee, having an off day, or was just dumped by her boyfriend; you can bet your butt that person was going to somehow be involved with my dining experience. The effects have ranged from small to large. From being double charged for entrees to given the wrong order to having my order lost altogether. I've seen it all lately. Hell, on two occasions, I've even had the hostess give away my table to another party AFTER seating my son and myself. There was one humorous occasion where I had ordered a salad. I was served the wrong one and kindly asked my waitress to correct the order. She brought me back the same salad plate with the correct salad order simply layered over the wrong one. If that isn't the sign of some weird restaurant-based jinx, I don't know what is.

Well, the curse reared it's ugly head again last night. My kiddo and I went to see the new Indiana Jones movie with my buddy Bo. (Great movie, by the way). It was about dinner time after the flick, so we decided to go grab something to eat. Bo deferred the selection to me given my foodie status. So, after carefully accounting for the tastes of who was going, the time, and location, I chose Twin Peaks in Round Rock. I'd like to say that I just made a bad choice, but with this jinx hanging over me, I just can't be sure...

Austin and I get to this restaurant before Bo and are seated immediately. Let's cover the restaurant itself first. It's very much a Hooters-esque type of estabishment. Lots of gorgeous (and not so gorgeous) waitresses in short shorts and plaid tops tied just below the bustline. I'm not typically one to notice someone's shoes, but they were all wearing furry bootlike shoes...I guess to compliment the restaurant's mountaineer type lumberjack theme. Since I had arrived before Bo, I had a few minutes to check out other qualities of the restaurant. The music selection played over the speaker system was decent...mostly 80's top 40 type stuff, but it was almost uncomfortably loud. They've also got free wireless there, too.

Well, enough about that. Onto the curse. My waitress stopped by to take drink orders for Austin and myself. I simply order a Coke for him and a Dr. Pepper for myself. Minutes later, she brings back Austin's soda and says, "I'm sorry. I don't remember what you ordered." I know. I know. With the curse going on, I should have taken this as a sign to leave. But, for some reason, I thought that was as bad as it was going to get. Nope. Time to order food. I asked for the Kid's Nachos for Austin and the Sirloin Chili Nachos for myself. 5 minutes later, the waitress brings Austin's order and says, "I'm sorry. I don't remember what you ordered." OMG!!!! Are you kidding me?!?!? It was at this point that Bo showed up to discover a smiling Austin eating away and me with my face buried in my palms.

My next request was a new waitress to whom I explained the situation of the curse and told her how I had ordered a kids nacho for a Sirloin Chili Nacho. This young lady was quite nice and very eager to help right any wrongs. But, alas. She was just another mere mortal doing battle with an unseen and unimaginable force. The poor girl never even knew what happened.

The menu listed two types of soup, which Bo ordered one of each...a bowl of each. He ordered the Sirloin Chili and the Corn Chowder. Our new waitress brought him 2 different soups of the wrong size. Great. The spell is no longer just affecting me, but it's decided to badger my dining companions as well. On the bright side, Bo said the Corn Chowder was great. His preference is for a thicker soup and he didn't find the soup too watery for his tastes. The Sirloin Chili on the other hand, had great flavor he said, but he was really expecting large chunks of sirloin, not something with more the texture of ground beef. Still, he gave it a thumbs up.

I did eventually get what I wanted, but I couldn't eat too much of it. It wasn't that the food was bad. I had just loaded myself up on a second order of the kids meal (that showed up unannounced somewhere along the course of the meal) and I was pretty full by then.

Mariah and Laura, I'm sorry ladies, but I am not going to give this restaurant a rating at this time. I couldn't in good conscience rate this place while I'm still fairly convinced that the service I experienced was due to an unexplained cult phenomenon. I will say that the food (that I got to experience) was of a decent caliber for this type of restaurant. I will also add that I'll be going back once this hex has been broken. In the meantime, I'll be stockpiling lucky rabbit's feet, avoiding black cats and walking under ladders like the plague, and might even consider weaving myself a necklace out of wolfsbane and garlic. I don't plan to let any mirrors within a football field's length of my person; will keep an eye out for any pennies heads up; and if I have anything to say about it, the upcoming Friday the 13th will find me curled in a fetal position in my bathtub covered with blankets rather than venturing out for food and drink.

Bottom line: Never eat out when there's some strange curse affecting you. It's just bad mojo.

Lee - ??

OK, as I mentioned in my latest comment below, I feel that my curse is finally over. I still don't know what caused it or how I ended it, but I'm not going to question it. I feel that I can finally venture forth in Austin again to enjoy the great food and restaurants that our wonderful city has to offer. Of course, it doesn't mean that I'm still not going to be wary. I plan to be on the best of terms with any supernatural entity I should meet from here on out. Now, I have been back to the Twin Peaks in Round Rock since the spell got lifted, and I'm able to give a rating. I rate it with a 4.5. Mediocre service and food. Thanks to my anonymous friend from the comments, though, I've decided that in order to give this place a really objective opinion, I'll have to hit the South Austin location sooner or later....

Cafe Java

11900 Metric Blvd # K
Austin, TX 78758
(512) 339-7677

2051 Gattis School Rd # 120
Round Rock, TX 78664
(512) 238-0700

http://www.cafejava.info/

My good friends Leslie and Joel are getting married in July. After picking out the awesome bridesmaids dresses on Monday night, Leslie was about to head up to Pflugerville to pick up her invitations from her friend Sarah of the stationary company, Icing on the Paper. Seeing an opportunity to be a super bridesmaid, I volunteered to save her a trip and pick them up for her, as I would be heading up north the next day anyway.

I arranged to meet Kyle, Sarah’s husband on our lunch breaks. I let him pick the place and he chose Café Java. I had never been there before, so he gave me directions and told me it was in the Randall’s parking lot.

I pulled into a rock star parking spot in the front row and made my way inside. There were a good number of tables and they were about at 75% capacity. This was a good sign.

I found Kyle and sat in the booth next to him across from a corporate couple (i.e. husband and wife team from the same company) Kyle works with. They were very friendly and after the initial introductions and business dealings with Kyle, they began to extol the virtues of Café Java. As Wells Branch area residents, they were regulars. The wife was very excited to announce that the café serves breakfast all day long. This definitely scores big with me. Sometimes you just want breakfast at 2 in the afternoon… perhaps this is because you didn’t get up until 2 in the afternoon, but hey it happens.

I looked over the menu and was pleased by the amount of options included on it. I was even more pleased when I noticed that there were options for those with vegetarian diets. They had lots of different coffees, usual breakfast fare with pancakes, omelettes, migas, huevos rancheros and various meats with eggs, hashbrowns and toast. Oh, and also Corn Beef Hash (Mariah I know you appreciate that). The meals included burgers and sandwiches, soups and salads and tacos.

I debated between a grilled garden melt (like a patty melt with a garden burger), a veggie sandwich (white swiss-american cheese, sprouts, tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms, onions, cucumbers and ranch dressing on grilled whole grain bread) or the avocado grilled cheese. I’m a sucker for grilled cheese, but I’m even more of a sucker for avocado. In the end I ordered the veggie sandwich because I had my eye on the vegetable of the day as my side item. The vegetable of the day was spinach casserole, and I suspected that was going to be heavy with cream/and or cheese and I wanted to balance my meal out with the lighter sandwich option.

Kyle ordered a cheeseburger and was extremely disappointed when the waitress said they didn’t have fries (not just that day, but ever) and he settled for chips. The wife ordered the 1x1x1, which is one egg, one pancake, and one serving of bacon. The husband went with the chicken cheddar melt- a chicken breast smothered in cheddar cheese with lettuce and tomatoes on grilled hoagie.

I listened as the table discussed life in the suburbs (which highways are best to live next to, etc etc) and the wife pointed out that the café was very Austin. I stopped to think about this and look around the room. Yes, there were vegetarian options, yes there was local art, and it had a mildly funky feel to it. You wouldn’t confuse this place with IHOP or Denny’s. But the décor seemed very vanilla when compared to Magnolia or a few other places I’ve been. Granted, I hadn’t tried the food yet but it seemed more like a normal cute coffee shop/café to me. I’ve been to equally charming cafes in San Antonio, Houston, DFW, Tucson, Seattle.. and well yeah. Just about every major city. I think she could tell that I was thinking too hard so she threw in that the other location (the one on Metric near ACC campus) was more funky and that this was Round Rock afterall, and that the Round Rock answer to the Keep Austin Weird slogan was “Keep Round Rock Mildly Unusual.”

The food arrived and I was disappointed to find that the spinach casserole was littered with pieces of bacon. The waitress was very nice and offered me another side item choice. I went with potato salad (which by the way had egg in it for any of you vegans out there.) My sandwich was pleasing. The bread was grilled as promised and tasty, and not soaked in olive oil like the sandwiches at Caffe Panini. The vegetables were fresh and the cheese and ranch dressing brought just enough smoothness to the sandwich. The potato salad was pleasant as well, but not the spinach casserole I had been pining for.

The breakfast plate and cheeseburger looked a little bleak, but the chicken cheddar melt looked amazing - the colors from the vegetables were appetizing and the cheese melted across the chunks of chicken and bread oozed of tasty comfort. Kyle complained that the food was too healthy, but I have to argue with that. I think he was just jaded from the absence of French fries and that you can go unhealthy there if you wish.

We finished our meals and paid at the counter where I got a chance to examine all of the pastries. They looked delicious, but so did the rest of the dessert menu and sadly I was too full.

The cashier was a little bit weird and went into a rant on how she thought drinking water without ice was nasty. I thought that was odd commentary on my ordering habits. (I order it that way because I chipped my front teeth as a kid and despite having them fixed, I now have very cold sensitive teeth.)

I was asked by my dining partners if I enjoyed my lunch. I responded that I did and that after seeing the chicken cheddar melt, I will definitely try the garden patty melt for sure next time.

And yes, there will be a next time. It’s nice to have a place like this in far north Austin.

Update: So I went back and ordered the soup and sandwich - not the garden patty melt as I had promised. I chose the grilled cheese and avocado sandwich and the tomato basil soup. The grilled cheese was not what i expected. Instead of a super cheesey flattened sandwich like your mom used to make, it turned out to be just a sandwich on toasted bread. But, I must say, it was good, and much healthier for me. In addition to two slices of cheese and half of an avocado, it had sprouts and tomato. When combined with the soup, it was just the perfect amount of lunch. The only thing that bothered me was that the waitress came by to snatch my plate away while I still had my mouth full. When I told her no she couldn't have it, she gave me an odd expression and looked at my empty plate. At that point I had to mutter through a full mouth that I was on my last bite. Maybe it's just me, but I need the sense of security of the plate until the end. Also, I tend to save the best bite for the last, and sadly i had to swallow it up really quick so that I could defend my plate. There's something odd (and not Keep Austin Weird weird) about their waitstaff...

Bottom Line: A charming café that doesn’t rock the boat in north Austin with a good range of options and all day breakfast.

Laura - 7.5

Ms. B's

1050 East Eleventh Street
Suite 100
Austin, Texas 78702
(512) 542-9143

http://www.msbscreole.com/

There is just so much hustle and bustle in the world today. Sometimes, it's hard to keep from getting caught up in the things that need to be done and focus on the things that truely matter. For me, the most important thing that truely matters is my son and spending time with him. He's 5 right now and in those crucial years where he's developing and you don't want to miss any of it. It's also a good time to try to instill qualities in them that you, as a parent, would love for them to carry into adulthood. So, one of the ways that I try to accomplish all of that in one fell swoop is to make sure that at least once a week, if not more, Austin (my son, not the city) and I get a father-son night that always includes eating out somewhere. Ahh, it's great. During the dinner portion of the daddy-son night, we get to have our conversations about what happened at preschool and who his friends are. I get to learn about all of the new games and songs that kids learn nowadays. But, what's more I get to slide in some valuable life lessons like how to keep good manners, etc. when we're in restaurants. Anyhow, dinner for Friday Night's father-son dinner was at Ms. B's, a little upscale Cajun place on E. 11th Street.

Walking into the restaurant, I had high hopes. It looked great. About a dozen and a half tables all neatly set. There appeared to be a more private room in the back of the place, but I couldn't tell for sure. The bar looked clean and well stocked. A Jazz trio were playing some nice background music off to the side. I looked around and I saw "classy". So, after quickly reminding Austin that we were in a nice restaurant and he had to use his big boy manners, we were seated by the hostess. Now, is when I hit the first speedbump for the place. I'll digress on what happened with the seating arrangement and chalk it up to honest human error, but I will add that I wasn't happy.

Anyhow, Austin and I were promptly seated at another table, and I began to peruse the menu while Jazz music played. Now, at an upscale restaurant, one of the things that impresses
me the most is when the establishment has a children's menu. This place did. The children's menu had 5 items on it which seemed to cover a wide variety of tastes for picky child
eaters. The kiddo lit up when I told him that Pasta tossed with Butter was on the menu because it's his viewpoint that noodles and butter are probably the greatest single food items
our world has ever seen. You can imagine his excitement to discover them together in the same dish.

We ordered our drinks and our appetizer, the Oysters and Bacon En Brochette. You know, as quickly as Ms. B's had me going with their kids menu, they lost me just as fast with drink
service to a five year old. Other upscale restaurants I've been to still manage to bring him a smaller glass with a lid on it, but Ms. Bs served Austin's soda in the same large drinking glass I had. Oh, well. I'm not going to complain. At least I don't have to wash their cloth table linens after that mistake. Anyhow, the appetizer arrived and was delicious. The bacon and oysters were perfectly cooked along with some button mushrooms and served with a very tasty remoulade. I'll tell you how good it was, too. A five year old dug into the oysters like they were....well, butter. The only problem with this dish was the bread that accompanied it.

Now, I guess my expectations are pretty high, but when I'm out in a nicer restaurant, I expect some decent bread, not the Mrs. Baird's machine-sliced, mass produced, HEB-bought sliced bread that I saw. Wait a minute... Ms. B's...Mrs. Baird's. I don't know if there's a connection, but I wouldn't be surprised, I tell you. Speaking of more bread, we also received a table service of rolls. We got two rolls, one more of a corn bread muffin and the other along the likes of a true dinner roll. I was pretty amuzed to see how small they were...and that we only received one of each.

OK, so we weren't off to a great start at Ms. B's, but Austin and I were still enjoying each other's company, and the Jazz music was very nice. Every time the sax player started a
little improvisation, Austin played his own air saxophone to help out. It was incredibly cute. Our view from the table also afforded us the opportunity to see out onto 11th street
and watch the traffic and pedestrians pass on by. I'll grant this... Ms. B's had some very nice atmosphere. But, atmosphere and ambiance doesn't satisfy your hunger, so onto the
entree.

Austin's Buttered Pasta showed up in a generous looking portion and he dug in immediately. I couldn't help but taste as well. (It's my privilege as a Daddy). For such a simple
dish, it was VERY good. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente. But, what really got me going was the Smothered Pork Chop laid before me. It had to be 5 inches in diameter, and
at least a 2 inch cut...and covered in a very dark brown gravy that looked packed with flavor. I dug in immediately, not the slightest bit discouraged when my fork clanged loudly
against bone. Attempt number 2...more bone....and the same with #3. The thing was 75% bone! Well, what about the side? Red beans and Rice. Now, Mariah would argue that no self-
respecting cajun restaurant will ever leave fried gator tail off the menu. I'd argue that no self-respecting cajun restaurant would ever serve anything but the best Red Beans and
Rice possible. Ms. B's fails on both accounts. The Red Beans seemed like little more than a can of kidney beans with some sausage and maybe a bay leaf heated up briefly.

So, I sat and stared longingly at Austin's pasta dish while I waited for a waiter to correct the issue wuth my pork chop. The waiter was less than helpful and enthusiastic when I showed him
the chop served to me. I told him I was surprised that a restaurant that nice would serve such a horrible cut of meat and just received an "I'm sorry, sir" before I was asked if I was ready for dessert. So, by the time that the dessert menu arrived, I already had enough of the food. We passed on dessert in favor of going to Primizie just down the street where Austin flirted with
the waitress enough that he got an extra cookie for his dessert.

All in all, I'd have to say that particularly because of the Jazz band, Ms. B's has above average atmosphere, but doesn't entirely follow through on the food. I'm not all that hyped
on the service, either.

Mariah and Laura, thanks for the guest blog spot. It was a blast to write for y'all.

Lee - 4

The Oasis

6550 Comanche Trl

Austin, TX

(512) 266-2442

http://www.oasis-austin.com/

So my crazy week of dating continued on Sunday with Bachelor #4. After the late night with Bachelor #3 the previous evening and the late night with Bachelors #1 and #2 before, I was psyched to sleep in on Sunday and recover. I was glad when Bachelor #4 suggested a quiet afternoon.. at a kids birthday party! Apparently his co-worker's kid was turning 3 and they were having a BBQ. And being the food whore that I am, I will always readily agree to eat someone else's tasty homemade BBQ. We made our way up to the ends of the Earth or Cedar Park, who's mayor I happen to work with (remind me never to move to Cedar Park). You know when the tollway ends, you've reached parts unknown. I swear I saw a dragon somewhere around Avery Ranch Rd.

All through college and even into my mid-twenties I was very ambivalent to children. I liked them alright, but I wasn't sure if having offspring was the right path for me. I figured I would get to it later. Well now later has arrived, and surprising, when I turned 28, something crazy in my brain (or my ovaries) switched on. My biological clock started not just ticking, but screaming at me. So the party was nice but there were noisy kids everywhere. It reminded me again why I don't have any little rugrats yet. I am at least temporary inoculated from the crazy hormones my womanly parts and spewing into my body.

We made our excuses after eating the yummy BBQ chicken and headed back to our original destination the Oasis. Since I live at the south end of 620 and the party was at the north end of 620, we figured we'd take the opportunity to see the sunset at The Oasis. Now I don't know if you've ever been to the Oasis or if you've been in the past 2 years, but its TOTALLY different. They've expanded about 2,000% into a totally new building. The new Oasis is like a catacomb of staircases, landings, patios, and crazy bronze statues. And it is Spectacular. Perched atop Lake Travis, The Oasis probably has the best view in the State of Texas. Seriously. The network of patios allow you the perfect vantage point to watch the shimmering water and the sunset over the Hill Country. I can't express to you in words how amazing the location of the restaurant is.

The food, however, is another issue. The food is awful. Practically inedible. I've had overcooked, undercooked, and just plain tasteless food there. The menu consists mainly of staple Tex-Mex bar food. Nachos, burgers, enchiladas, fajitas, that sort of thing. I chose to have my birthday dinner there, mostly to enjoy the view and I was thoroughly unimpressed. But, man, that view was spectacular. It makes you forget how awful the food is. What the Oasis does do well, however, are margaritas. They make a pretty tasty Cazadores margarita. Totally drinkable while you sit on the patio and watch the sunset.

Bachelor #4 and I happened to go on Sunday. We opted not to eat as we'd both had the food and decided we weren't THAT hungry. So we went up to the bar on the top floor. The bar isn't just any old bar, its an entire dance floor, seating, a huge stage, and a large patio section. The band was playing great salsa music and people were dancing away. Made me wish I had remembered my salsa lessons from when I was bored in Fort Worth. We sat by the huge glass windows overlooking the lake and watched the sunset while drinking margaritas, and listening to the peppy salsa music. That's the way the Oasis should be enjoyed.

Bottom Line: Crappy food, INCREDIBLE atmosphere, and the margaritas rock

Mariah: 8.5 (A 5 for food and a 12 for atmosphere so lets split the difference)

Eastside Cafe

2113 Manor Rd
Austin, TX
(512) 476-5858

So my week of dating continued the next night after the debacle at Marakesh. This time it was with a gentleman we’ll call Bachelor #3. I was actually really excited to go out with Bachelor #3. We’d had a great first date at Habana (oops, forgot to write that review) and had spend hours talking on the phone all week. So when Saturday rolled around, I put on a sexy black dress, cleaned up my place, and sanitized the cat. I was also really excited that my date had suggested going to Eastside Café. I had eaten there several times as a teenager when visiting my grandparents (who had lived in Austin since the 1950’s) and had fond memories of the fresh food and eclectic vibe the place had. Despite being a co-blogger with a vegetarian, I hadn’t managed to make it back to Eastside Café since I’d moved back. So after our obligatory hey-how-YOU-doin make-out session, my date and I made our way to Eastside Café in his ginourmous pick-up truck (before you pass judgment, I’ll tell you he’s an antiques dealer and apparently a big truck is required).

Now I’ll tell you the parking lot to Eastside Café isn’t very large and we had a hard time finding parking. There’s a small lot in front that never has open spaces and a larger (but still small) lot in back. We drove his monstrous truck around the block a few times trying to find any spot we could wedge that crazy beast. Finally someone pulled out of the parking lot and we were able to maneuver the truck in (while cutting off an old lady who tried to steal the spot from us while we were maneuvering). I had called in reservations, but remembered as we walked up to the hostess that they had forgotten to ask my name. But despite the lost reservation, we were able to be seated immediately. Apparently Eastside Café is an old house that’s been converted into a restaurant. The place is like a catacomb of dining rooms. We were seated in the farthest back rooms, but it was cozy and quiet, unlike most restaurants in Austin which always seem a little too loud for my tastes (particularly when on a date).

Before I went, I had been instructed to order the baked brie appetizer, so when it came time to order appetizers, we readily ordered it. I also decided to order the ruby trout entrée and my date ordered the nights special a pork chop. The brie arrived quickly and we dug in with zeal. The cheese appeared to be a quarter of a brie wheel that had been cut and baked. Nothing special there. The cheese did, however, come with a spiced apple topping and the most amazingly wonderful crackers. It appeared that the crackers were actually biscuits that had been thinly sliced and baked. They are light, crusty, and were the perfect foil to the cheese. The spiced apple topping though good wasn’t anything amazing. It tasted like a fresher version of the Stouffers spiced apples you can get in your local freezer section (if you want to try this at home). The trout wasn’t too bad. It was fresh and covered in a béarnaise-like tarragon sauce. But they had grilled the trout and it definite char marks on it. Now I’m one of those people that doesn’t like char on my food. I don’t eat marshmallows that turn black, I don’t eat the black bits at the edges of brisket and fajitas, so the charred trout was kind of unappealing to me. The trout came with a baked sweet potato with brown sugar which I normally love, but again my food preferences got in the way of enjoying the meal. I usually prefer my baked potatoes, sweet or otherwise, to be cooked until soft but there is still some firmness to the flesh. The baked sweet potato at Eastside Café was sooo thoroughly cooked through that the inside was over-pulpy and had the consistency of mashed carrot baby-food. Now some people might like that texture, but I found it unappealing.

My date’s meal was equally unappealing. His pork chop, through skewered with a rosemary stem - one of my favorite grilling/presentation methods, I found the flavor of his chop rather unsavory (no comments from the peanut gallery). The pork chop was covered in a cloyingly sweet glaze that left the lingering flavor in my mouth of over-ripe tropical fruit. The texture of the chop wasn’t too bad. It was cooked well and through and wasn’t tough, but I just couldn’t get past the flavor.

We were going to try dessert there, but decided to get gelato instead. After just a lackluster meal, we felt we needed a light and yummy known quantity. We went to Puciugo, my favorite gelateria from Dallas that just opened at the new Hill Country Galleria (conveniently only 5 minutes from my apartment). We went back to my place, ate gelato and snuggled on the couch. A really great second date.

Which is why I was so amazed when Bachelor #3 never called back. A sent a text message saying how much I enjoyed the date and made the obligatory Wednesday post-date “Hey how are you” call, but never got a response in return. What’s up with that? I do know one of the cardinal rules of dating is if you’ve gone out less them a month (or a half dozen dates, whichever is less) you don’t owe them a call, a “break-up” talk or anything really. It’s a rule. However, when I break things off with a guy, I usually always let them know that a connection just isn’t there, or some other acceptable excuse. Becky said this was karma coming back to bite me in the ass for the gentleman a few months ago who seemed quite devastated when I broke it off with him (and I have to say I’m very nice, but firm, when I break things off with guys). And while I was very nice when I broke it off, I may have been rather callous by asking myself (and possible others) how could this guy have responded so poorly? We’d only been out a few times, we obviously didn’t connect (or at least I didn’t think so). but now, here I am in the same situation, mildly pissed, and wondering why this guy never called. Oh well, onto Bachelor #4.

Bottom Line: Fresh food though the execution could use some work

Mariah: 7

Baby Greens

2316 S 1st St

Austin, TX 78704

512-462-1697

http://www.ilovesalads.com/

Some of you may not know this about me, but I’m a belly dancer (and no I WON’T do a private show for you, so don’t bother asking). I’ve been dancing for about 6 years now and was even in a troupe in Fort Worth. We did Gypsy style belly dancing, complete with crazy costumes, skirts, coins, bells, scarves; the whole 9 yards. We performed at local festivals, other dance shows, and even at the State Fair every year. It was awesome and is probably the ONE thing I miss about Fort Worth. But when I moved to Austin I couldn’t find anyone teaching Gypsy style belly dancing, so I decided to try the next best thing, Tribal Fusion style belly dancing. Tribal Fusion dancing involves lots of crazy costumes but the dancing has a more intensity than the vibrant energy of Gypsy.

Anyway, my new teacher is on south Lamar and when I’m done with class at 8:30, I am usually starving. Usually I head home and forage through my fridge for a snack, but this week I was heading out to Christine and Tess’s to do some eyebrow grooming (Tess is a fabulous aesthetician, I’ll gladly recommend her to anyone). So I drove down Oltorf intending to get one of those Fresco tacos at Taco Smell (I know it sacrilege, but I think they’re kind of tasty) when a fabulous idea popped into my head, why not try Baby Greens! The notion of healthy fast food fascinates me and I’ve been meaning to try this place for ages, but they never seem open. Every time I drive by they always look dark and uninviting, so I keep on driving. But this time my stomach was grumbling and I was feeling rather proud of myself for the good work-out I’d just gotten, and wanted to continue the healthy streak I had going that day.

I drove by slowly to ascertain whether they were open. Again, I felt daunted, the place was dark and there weren’t any cars in the lot. BUT there was large neon sign in the window that said Open. So I cautiously crept into the drive thru thinking maybe those crazy hippies had forgotten to turn the sign off. When a pulled up to the intercom a friendly voice spoke up “Can I help you?” Apparently they WERE open! The menu wasn’t very large, there are really only 6 major salad options to choose from: cobb, greek, caesar, southwest, spinach, and something called Sharon’s. You can choose any of these salads with meat or without AND you can choose to have them as a salad or a wrap. Whatever salad/wrap you choose, you get a further choice of 10 or so dressings to go with it. I went with a chicken cobb wrap with blue cheese vinaigrette dressing. I was already salivating as I drove up to the pick up window. The friendly hippie greeted me again and took my $6 (seriously, it was only $6). I sat at the window for slightly longer than I would at Taco Smell before my wrap was handed to me.

The wrap was tightly packed in white paper and the dressing was in a separate plastic container. Since I was driving, I figured I’d dig into the sandwich as-is to avoid a dressing mess. From the first bite, I was in love. All of the veggies were fresh and crisp. The romaine and cucumbers had a substantial crunch, the carrots slivers were still firm and shapely, and the avocado was creamy and still tasted green! The chicken and bacon was not at all overwhelming and the whole wrap was flecked with the pungent hit of blue cheese. These meaty “extras” in no way detracted from the real star of the sandwich, those fresh veggies. The whole sandwich together was so creamy, fresh and perfect that I didn’t even feel the need to add the fattening dressing. I did decide, for the sake of you readers, to try the dressing, just so I could review it (of course). It had a slightly over-mayonnaisey taste, but was overall very pleasant. It wasn’t very greasy and had a subtle blue cheese flavor. It didn’t particularly add or detract from the wrap, so I decided to finish it without; who needs those extra calories??

Overall: Awesome wraps and salads with fresh greens

Mariah: 9

Laura's note: After Mariah's glowing recommendation, I decided to try the place myself. I love the idea of actually having a healthy option when it comes to getting something on the go.

When I first arrived, the hipster working the drive through acted really annoyed with me. I couldn't figure out quite how the whole thing worked fast enough for him. After he snottily explained that the left top portion of the menu listed choices for tortilla types, I debated in my head just driving off. But cooler heads prevailed and I explained to him that it was my first time at Baby Greens, and he seemed to soften considerably. I hurried up with my choices and ordered Sharon's veggie in a tomato basil tortilla with green goddess dressing. Sharon's veggie contains romaine lettuce, baby spinach, pecans, avocado, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers and red onions. I received my order quickly (and for about $5) and drove home.

In the safety of my own house I decided to dig in to the wrap. My first thoughts were awful as all I got was a large mouthful of tortilla, as you do in the first bite of most wraps. However, as I peeled some of the tortilla away, I was left with a very delicious vegetable treat. The pecans were a bit difficult as they seemed to shake loose and fall out every time I picked up my dinner, but such is the nature of the wrap, and I do not fault Baby Greens for this. The avocado was evident but not plentiful, and served as a suitable creamy fusion device for the rest of the vegetables. The green goddess dressing was creamy as well and complimented the ensemble. I finished every bite and then went back and sopped up the remaining dressing with the tortilla.

Overall: A very tasty healthy meal for a great price, but don't be fooled, you will be treated as a fast food customer.

Laura ~ 8

Brooklyn Pie Co.

2711 La Frontera Blvd. Ste. 330
Round Rock, TX 78681
512-255-1414

8127 Mesa Dr.
Suite B-202
Austin, TX 78759
512-346-1414

http://www.brooklynpie.com/

My friend Natalia recently moved to Brooklyn. I asked her how the pizza was and the response I got went like this:

“Actually, I live above a Mediterranean cafe (good hummus and falafel) that has a delicious lamb pizza. The cafe also makes the apartment smell of garlic at times, when we open the window and they happen to be cooking outside in the back. But hey, that's how it goes.”

So yeah, you know where else you can get lamb on your pizza? Brooklyn Pie Company.

They make a really awesome pie. The crust is thin but not cracker crispy and if you order by the slice, the slices are huge! Like an entire 4th of an 18 inch pizza. The cheese they use is yummy, but if you don’t like mozzarella, you have 7 other cheeses to choose from, including goat cheese, le gruyere and Gorgonzola. You also have a whole lot of toppings to select from. The topping selection ranges from the normal pepperoni, sausage, extra cheese, mushrooms, onions, black olives blah blah blah boring Pizza Hut toppings, to the really interesting stuff like fresh minced garlic, portabella, broccoli, zucchini, bean sprout, artichoke hearts, chorizo, and baby clams.

My favorite topping is spinach. I think the green on top of the cheese and bread tricks my brain into thinking what I’m eating is healthy and makes me not feel guilty. Anyway, the spinach is fresh. The only wilting is what’s caused by the natural heat of the pizza. Trust me, it really works. Although one time I actually got asked by another customer why I had lettuce on my pizza. What can I say? Round Rock- not exactly the culinary or cultural epicenter of the universe.

They also have good salads (including Caprese and Greek) and desserts (think Baklava) and really decent prices. A slice of pizza and a drink will run you about $6.

The staff is cool. They are always nice, and I think that the size of the establishment probably has something to do with this. It’s tiny… exactly like I imagine a pizza place in Brooklyn to be, well you know except that it’s in a small strip. And I say imagine because I’ve never been to Brooklyn.

There are high tables and stools if you want to eat in. Or you can sit on the picnic benches outside if you prefer. People often get pizzas to go or for delivery too if that’s your thing. And if you go alone, they stock Austin Chronicle, so you can plan your weekend out over your lunch break.

Overall: Really good pizza for super decent price. Try the spinach.

Laura ~ 9.5

Caffé Panini

Caffé Panini
1105 S Mays Street
Round Rock, TX 78664

http://www.caffepaninitx.com/

My coworkers were all headed to Whataburger, so my work friend Joel (not to be confused with Joel of Kenobi fame or Galaxy Café Joel) suggested we head to Caffé Panini instead. Caffé Panini is a sandwich shop in Round Rock that insists on spelling café with two f’s. I was grateful to try a new place, so I quickly agreed. We made the short drive from our cube farm down to Mays Street in Round Rock and found ourselves parking in a small ugly strip.

We walked into the restaurant, and I was pleasantly surprised by the stylish and up-to-date non frou-frou interior. There were couches at the front of the shop and rows of tables that lined the square simple space all the way to an ordering counter in the back. A look at the website promises patio seating in the future, but I think in the future I might prefer avoiding the strip mall atmosphere by sitting indoors.

The lunch and dinner menu is small. It contains 9 appetizing paninis, a few specialty coffees, Italian sodas, (iced tea and regular sodas of course), pastries, white chocolate bread pudding and brownies. For breakfast you get the option of an egg poblano panini or a sausage kolache. All lunch and dinner sandwiches are served with either pasta or bistro chips. The soup of the day was Broccoli Cheese.

I chose the Veggie Panini. It contained portabella, artichoke, sun dried tomatoes, sweet balsamic onions and swiss cheese. I decided on chips instead of pasta since the pasta was littered with pepperoni bits. Joel had the Trio (Turkey, ham, bacon, tomato, provolone with dijon mayo) and he went all out with the pasta.

The staff was friendly and cute. The food was quick and a girl walked around asking if everyone was alright. This was hilarious to me because every request Joel made was rejected, but yet the girl felt it seem necessary to help us in some way.

Cute Staff Member: Is everything OK today? Could I get you anything else?
Joel: Well, I could use some Tabasco sauce.
Cute Staff Member: I’m sorry we don’t have any Tabasco sauce but I think we might have some Louisiana Hot Sauce.
Joel: OK, sure, that’s fine.
Cute Staff Member leaves and returns 2 minutes later: I’m sorry we don’t have any Louisiana Hot Sauce, but perhaps I could get you some banana peppers.
Joel: OK, sure, that’s fine.
Cute Staff Member leaves and returns 2 minutes later: I’m sorry we don’t have any banana peppers, but perhaps I could refill your drink?

And so on and so forth.

My sandwich was tasty, but please do not be fooled by the word “veggie.” It was in no way healthy. The bread was soaked in oil (exactly what was making it taste so damn good) and the vegetables were smothered in cheese. The artichoke and sundried tomatoes were very tangy, and immediately dominated my taste buds. The bread became the necessary taste bud escape. The chips were plain old chips and can only be described as salty and crispy.

We tried not to talk too much about work as we finished our sandwiches. Joel seemed to like his sandwich, but I didn’t see him touch the pasta.

Overall: A decent sandwich shop in Round Rock that doesn’t look suburban on the inside and has a really friendly staff. A lot better than Schlotzsky’s, but with a much smaller menu.

Laura ~ 7 (It was a 7.5 but I rethought the menu size)

Cru

238 W 2nd St

Austin, TX

(512) 472-9463

http://www.cruawinebar.com/

Laura: My good friend David has been recommending Cru for months. Yes folks, it is a chain. I looked at their website to find that they had locations not only in Austin, but also in Dallas, Denver, Plano and the Woodlands. Knowing that it was a big success in Dallas, I wasn’t quite sure it would be my kind of place, but I wanted to find out.

Mariah: I’m still recovering from my 6 years in DFW and haven’t quite been able to wash the stink of that place off me. I generally avoid places that are popular in Dallas but the lure of wine is strong. Probably stronger than my dislike of Dallas.

Laura: Mariah picked me up and we drove down to the ultra trendy and ultra expensive second street district. And if you don’t believe me that it is ultra expensive, consider this- Cru is right next to the clothing store Estilo. I once won a $50 gift certificate there off the radio. When I went to redeem it, I could not find a single decent item I could afford, even with the gift certificate. However, I did find a really awesome designer dress that I had to call my grandmother to talk me out of spending my rent money on.

Laura: Anyway, we get down there and we are looking for parking. I, ever the Eagle Eye, spot a car exiting a spot, so Mariah speeds across three lanes of traffic to swoop in for it, getting flipped off by a rightly pissed off driver in the meantime. My deepest apologies to that poor guy and the sad explanation that neither of us had enough cash to pay to park.

Mariah: Yeah I’m an awesome driver. I had to dust off some aggressive driving skills I learned while living in Chicago. Laura didn’t give that maneuver justice, we were stopped in the far left lane at a traffic light, there were cars in the other two lanes to the right of us. I inched forward and as the light turned green, I sped up quickly (as quickly as my junky Mazda can go) dodged up and around the two other cars in the middle and right lane, into the far right lane, and braked to snag the spot. All in the space of 100 feet. I rock.

Laura: As we walk into Cru and are faced with super swank bar, décor and staff, we notice what an awesome patio they have and request to be seated there. We get a couple of funky glances and are seated in a two person table in between another crowded table, a walkway for the wait staff, and a large back of a sofa chair that is making me extremely claustrophobic. When I express my concerns, what seems like the manager turns very passive-aggressive. One second he apologizes kindly, and the next minute his voice turns arrogant as he explains that there are no other tables available. Then he turns back to Dr. Jekyll as he offers to let us scoot our table and chairs over, and then after I explain to him that we would be in the walkway of the wait staff if we did that, he again changes to Mr. Hyde and tells us we will have to sit inside if we are uncomfortable with our chairs and explains that some customers like the privacy the side of the couch provides.

Laura: “I can deal” I say. It’s too nice of an evening to be inside. A really sweet and really cute waitress comes over and offers beverages and food. Its half price champagne night so Mariah and I go for a bottle of Perrier-Jouet, something we’d never choose normally, but at half price is so reasonable.

Mariah: The patio here is really nice. It’s more of a fenced off portion of the sidewalk. But the inside of the bar and the patio are open to each other creating a nice airy effect. It reminds me of a Paris sidewalk café. After we were seated, I looked over the wine menu. I had already eaten at Chez Nous (the review is forthcoming) so I didn’t bother long with the food menu.

Laura: But I was in need of some grub, so I start scanning the food menu. They have a few pizzas, a few meaty entrees, a couple of salads, and some interesting looking cheese flights. I was feeling extremely indecisive, so I eenie meenie miney moed and ordered White Truffle Oil Cheese Fondue with apples, carrot and rustic bread.

Laura: The clientele was varied. Mariah had a better look at all of this than I did, as I was being sequestered by the sofa wall. She explained to me that people were going between tables inside and that the place seemed very friendly. But the patio seemed full of girls with fresh highlights and $1000 Fendi purses. And not the knockoff ones my friends (Mariah) have.

Mariah: Whatever. My knock-off Fendi is awesome. I definitely see how this place works though. If you don’t have a seating preference they put the young good looking people out on the patio and the older less trendy people inside. Thats probably why the host looked a little nervous when we asked to sit on the patio (despite there being 6 or 7 open tables) and why were were seated behind a large couch. Apaprently we don't look cool enough to sit on their patio. Its filled with young 20-something (some looked even younger though) with short skirts, flat ironed hair, Abercrombe& Fitch polos, and way too much hair gel. The people inside looked normal and were clearly having a good time. There was a lot of laughing and table hopping. I’m guessing the place has quite a few regulars. But I wonder if they see the lipstick segregation.

Laura: I didn't notice the segregation (thanks again, Sofa Wall). And I don't understand it. So what I was wearing flip flops and don't have an expensive purse? We're two really cute girls! And this is Austin damn you. Flip flops here ARE couture. Anyway, the champagne was young but not send back worthy, although at full price ($70) I would have been horribly disappointed.

Mariah: It was really green. It was very acidic and didn’t have a good balance of flavors. I’ve had better bottles of $40 champagne (Nicky Fou Rose or Moet White Star)

Laura: A waiter or waitress came by every minute and a half to refill our glasses. This tactic kept us drinking at a quick pace. The fondue arrived and I went in for a bite. Initially, the cheese was very liquid (as expected when warm) and the apples and carrots were fine, but the bread was hard as a rock. Even after soaking it in the fondue, it still did not give.

Mariah: Seriously! That bread was stale! It was disgusting. I don’t know if that’s the effect they were going for. I understand there’s a time and a place for stale bread (bread pudding, yum!), but not normally when you’re just eating it plain.

Laura: As time passed on, and the fondue cooled, it never thickened in the least bit and did not adhere to the apples or carrots. We used our scientific reasoning to deduct that it was heavily diluted with milk and wine. At this point my tongue started to swell a bit. Guys, I’m about to admit something. I’m mildly allergic to cheap wine. I found this out on a trip to boyfriend’s dad’s for Thanksgiving when they busted out with the notorious bang for buck bottle of Two Buck Chuck and my entire mouth swelled. When my tongue started swelling at Cru, we had long finished our bottle of champagne, making me think that the wine in the fondue was scraped from the bottom of the grape stomper’s feet.

Mariah: We also noticed the previously ever present (and pouring) waitress disappeared the second we finished our bottle and decided we weren’t going to order another. We literally sat there for 10 or 15 minutes waiting for her to come back so we could settle out bill. Finally we had to flag down Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde to get our check.

Laura: We asked for our check and found that they had charged us full price for the champagne. Kind of cheeky, eh? After having the problem corrected by Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, we left, vowing not to return.

Overall: Cheeky attitude of restaurant staff/management. Full price bottles are overpriced. Fondue sucks. But goddamn that patio is nice… if you can avoid the $30k Millionaires and lumbering furniture.

Laura: 4
Mariah: 5 (The patio IS really nice)

Magnolia Cafe

1920 S. Congress Ave.

Austin, TX 78704
512-445-0000

2304 Lake Austin Blvd

Austin, TX 78703
512-478-8645

http://www.cafemagnolia.com/

Hello my fellow foodies. I hope the weekend found you eating well. I found myself eating very well.. in Seattle.. I flew up Thursday night to visit my friend Kasie and immediately threw myself into the local cuisine. Friday morning I was having shrimp and crab benedict at a warfside diner, Friday night I had 5 different types of chowder (yes there are that many!), Saturday I got thoroughly toasted at 9 local Washington wineries, Saturday night I had the perfect hang over food – fish tacos, and Sunday I had fresh salmon lox and banana french toast all the while glutting myself on fabulous Seattle coffee. Yum! But Sunday afternoon came around and I had to make my way back to Austin. I managed to successfully transport the 11 bottles of wine I had drunkenly acquired at said local Washington wineries through American Airlines checked baggage (yes it can be done foodies, and for future reference, they make suitcases specifically for transporting wine, seriously, only $386 and its yours). I managed to make it back to Austin only 2 hours later than the intended arrival time (thanks American), and when I finally landed I was STARVING. Not just any kind of hungry, the kind of hungry you get from being tired, hung-over and traveling 2000 miles. The kind of hungry only pancakes can satisfy.

I met up with my friend Ben and headed for Magnolia, my favorite Austin late night dining spot. I’ve been coming to Magnolia on and off since 1999. And how can I pinpoint that year? It was the year I got a car and could leave the confines of campus eateries. A whole new world of culinary delight opened up to me in that year. And one of the first places I ended up was Magnolia. The lure of 24 hour queso and pancakes is strong when you’re 21 and hopelessly drunk. And this is one restaurant that is so quintessentially Austin. Like Hula Hut, Magnolia is one of the places I always recommend to people from out of town. The interior is the perfect blend of crunchy granola and Austin funky chic. The wait-staff appear all rough and pierced but are in actuality very friendly and helpful.

Since I’ve started going there I haven’t strayed too far from the few favorites I started eating back in 1999. The first is the Eggs Zapatino. Its amazing. Fluffy yellow scrambled eggs on a crisp toasted English muffin covered in spicy, cheesy queso. It was incredible hang-over food then and it still is now. I got it last time I was at Magnolia (the day after my awesome Mardi Gras adventure on 6th at the 80’s Sing Along). I sometimes get the Love Migas. Picture it, regular migas, but made with a garlic & serrano infused butter. They’re nice and spicy, a real zinger of an egg dish. Magnolia also has awesome omelets. My favorite is probably the #15 Popeye. A huge monstrous omelet stuffed with spinach, bacon, cheese, onions, and sour cream. Not the healthiest breakfast in the world, but damn tasty.

This particular time I ordered a breakfast taco. I seem to be having quite the breakfast taco cravings lately, and this one fit the bill. The tortilla was perfectly toasted while the eggs, sausage and cheese inside were a lovely blend of all the wonderful things a quality breakfast taco should be. It wasn’t as good as the excellent and apparently aberrant (check out the SAT vocab) breakfast taco from Kerby Lane. But considering the Kerby Lane taco was a fluke (as I discovered on my second trip) I consider this taco to be superior.

What Magnolia is really known for are their pancakes, and not just any pancakes, their gingerbread pancakes. At Magnolia, you don’t order a stack of pancakes, you order them one at a time. Yes, they’re really that big – they fill up a whole dinner plate! Really! They’re always griddled (if that’s even a word) to perfection. Slightly crisp exterior and cakey interior. I’ve never had an over or underdone pancake at Magnolia. And the taste is always excellent, a hint of spice from the gingerbread, but not enough to overwhelm you. Covered in a glob of melty butter and maple syrup they’re spectacular.

Bottom Line: Fresh diner food with funky Austin charm

Mariah – 9

Cafe Mundi

1704 E Fifth St

Austin, TX 78702
Phone: (512) 236-8634

http://www.cafemundi.com/

Saturday morning the boyfriend and I went out in search of some breakfast. After flipping through a book of Austin restaurants that Mariah gave me for my birthday for recommendations, we were eager to try Azul on the east side. So we got in the car and drove over to East Cesar Chavez to find a cute but empty little building with a fun patio and a sign in the window announcing that the establishment was closed- for good. What a shame, it looked fun.

We consulted the book for other east side places - we were already there afterall- and chose Cafe Mundi on East Fifth Street. I started driving north towards East Fifth, and was a little bit curious when i turned down a narrow road bordered by a graffitied railroad track. As I drove down the street, I started to notice people wandering around outside. Something was definately going on.

We parked at the Cafe Mundi sign and got out of the car. We then realized that there was a bike fair in the area between the cafe and a hair salon and that the place was crawling with granola biking hipsters.

We made our way through the terrifically landscaped garden full of banana trees and flowers and into the actual cafe itself. The menu was limited for a restaurant, but extensive enough for the coffee shop vibe we were getting from the place. We scanned through the sandwiches, migas, bagels, coffee and beer selections and ordered a double latte, a plate of migas, and a lox bagel plate from a severely spastic barista. I repeated my order three times to her upon her request, and tossed in a fourth confirmation at the end- just to make sure.

Lach was feeling a bit queezy, so he went outside to find a table while I continued to deal with the barista. The latte was delicious. We drank it outside while soaking up the sun in the calming beautiful garden that reminded us of our recent trip to Mexico and began people watching. Trust me- there was some interesting people watching to be had. The 50-something massage therapist wearing a grateful dead shirt, dreadlocked ladies intensely focused on notebooks, a Canadian couple with one of those daddy over the shoulder slings for their newborn and the yuppie friend that accompanied them. Girls that looked very normal, save a streak of purple hair, or prominant tattoo. And bikes all around.

Our food arrived, and well. Damn. Lach's lox plate looked so much better than my migas and corn chips. They were out of bagels so they substituted foccacia bread for his plate to accompany the lox, cucumbers, cream cheese, tomatoes, olives and capers. He ate every bite, save a few cucumbers and olives that I stole. My migas were edible, but mildly stiff and uninspiring.

We got a second coffee to go (Hey, we split the first one, so really that's just one a piece!) and left feeling just a little too corporate for the place. I loved the atmosphere- I was just afraid someone was going to ask us what we did for a living!

Overall: beautiful garden, hipster atmosphere, great as a coffee shop but wouldn't come here for a meal. Avoid the migas.

Laura ~ 8.5 as a coffee shop, 6 as a restaurant.