The Space Needle at Dusk

As a food lover, any opportunity to travel is an opportunity to have new and fun food experiences. I usually spend as much time (okay more) planning what I’ll eat on a vacation as I do where I’ll stay or what I’ll see. I love exploring a city through a foodie’s eyes because it’s such a unique view. And it’s not just about prepared meals for me. I look beyond restaurants to specialty food shops, cookbook stores, markets, and more.

In years past I had to rely heavily on guide books and asking the locals about their favorite spots to guide my adventures, but now with the explosion of food blogging, I’m able to get help from local food lovers by simply asking. When people ask me where to eat in Austin, I wax rhapsodic about our many and varied options, and I’ve found the same to be true of bloggers in other locals.

Given how much time I spend chasing good food experiences when I travel, I thought it might be helpful to share not only my research but my actual experiences on the blog. My goal is to write my posts real-time, a virtual travelog if you will, and post at the end of each day. Hopefully my record of my adventures can be a jumping-off point for other food lovers visiting the same cities in the future.

First Stop: Seattle, WA

I love Seattle. While I never thought I’d want to live anywhere but Austin, any time I get near Seattle there’s a serious chance I simply won’t leave. I like rain. A lot. I’ll take it any day over the hot and sticky summers we have in Texas. I like trees and oceans as well. And, as you might imagine, the second I set foot in Pike’s Place Market, I was a goner. I’ve been amazed by the fresh and local foods all around California, but there’s just something about the market that stole my heart. The food culture here is incredible. The local respect for sustainable practices, the creative and progressive chefs, and the access to local ingredients make Seattle a foodie paradise.

If one day I just disappear from Austin, you know where to find me.

We’re only visiting Seattle for 3.5 days this trip, a quick but much-needed vacation after a hectic start to the year. Even so, I plan to make the most of every second I’m here, and it’s with that attitude that I began my food lover adventures when I stepped of the plan last night.

Transportation: Light Rail Rocks

When we visited Seattle last time we made the mistake of renting a car. It was just a bad experience all around. The car rental company was a national brand we’ve had luck with in the past, but the Seattle branch was sketchy at best. Because Seattle is so walkable, we ended up leaving our car parked at the hotel for almost the entire trip. The parking cost almost as much as renting the car and I can absolutely think of better ways to spend that kind of money here in Seattle (say on fresh seafood or cheese at Beechers).

Eschewing a car this time, knowing we could easily acquire one for a day trip outside of Seattle if necessary, we were prepared to take a taxi into downtown. However, I had enough forethought to tweet at our hotel, the Hyatt at Olive 8, to ask for advice on the best way to get to the hotel from the airport. They responded almost immediately and suggested the light rail. They also included specific information on where to get off and how to get to the hotel. (I love brands that use Twitter to deliver great customer service. )

The light rail was easy to find, the tickets were easy buy, and the ride comfortable and fun. Because we were going to the last station the ride in took about 30 minutes. Sure, a cab might have been faster but the ride was relaxing and but for a combined $5 for two people, it was well worth it. I saved $25 or so to use on food adventures later (or possibly at the Nordstrom that is connected to the light rail station where we exited the train).

I can’t recommend the light rail system enough, at least as an easy way to get from the airport to downtown.

Lodging: Hyatt at Olive 8 – Green and Luxurious

An Outside View of the Hyatt at Olive 8

There really aren’t words to describe how much I hate shopping for hotels online. The hotel marketing folks go out of their way to cast the best possible light on their accommodations (which is their job), but the glossy brochure pictures usually don’t represent my actual accommodations. Site like Trip Advisor help take some of the guess-work out of the process by segmenting user reviews by type of visit (personal vs. business) and by highlighting traveler photos of their actual accommodations. Before I get too attached to any hotel’s description of their rooms or location, I reality-check myself with a visit to Trip Advisor.

I settled on the Hyatt at Olive 8, a relatively new hotel in Seattle, because it was a good value, looked cool, and was in the right location. Thus far it hasn’t disappointed. As the city’s first LEED certified hotel, it’s a green as green can be, but that doesn’t mean we’ve had to sacrifice comfort or ambiance. The staff has been attentive and informative since we arrived and our room is comfortable and well-appointed. One of my favorite features of the hotel is a key-based lighting system that helps us avoid wasting electricity. When we enter the room we put our key in a small holder near the door and that powers all of the lighting in the room, which we can further turn on or off at each fixture. When we leave, we take the key with us and the lights go out. I really appreciate not only the hotel’s initial commitment to being environmentally friendly, but their ongoing commitment to helping guests serve the environment as well.

Olive 8 is smack in the middle of downtown, and just 3 blocks from the light rail, so we’re within walking distance of major attractions and restaurants. When we visited last, we stayed at the Hotel 1000, which is a wonderful hotel in a great location, but it’s absolutely a splurge hotel. Hotel 1000 mixes the best of Zen and tech into a serene retreat and I hope to visit them again on another trip. Other hotel recommendations made to me for this trip by people I trust included the Hotel Max, the Four Seasons, Inn at the Market, Mayflower Park, and The Westin Seattle.

Good Eats: Wild Ginger – Revisiting a Favorite Spot

I’ll apologize now for not having any pictures of the great food at Wild Ginger. The lighting is dim and I felt like the shots I did capture simply didn’t do their food justice. Be sure to visit their website for a look at their beautiful food.

We touched down in Seattle in the evening, about an hour after my stomach started making noise about wanting dinner. I hadn’t actually contemplated our dinner plans for after we arrived, shocking I’m sure, but hey, I was still recovering from late evening travel. As I sat on the light rail train and perused the map of our hotel’s location, I realized we weren’t far from a restaurant we’d thoroughly enjoyed on our last trip: Wild Ginger. While I try not to replicate dining experiences in cities I don’t visit often, in some cases known quantities are the best, and this was one of those cases. It didn’t disappoint the second time around, which is saying something given that our last visit was two years ago. The travelog snapshot of Wild Ginger looks something like this:

• What they serve: a plethora of dishes inspired by the owners’ travels through Southeast Asia. The menu is expansive and includes a satay bar with 13 different offerings (try the boar). Their main dish selections feature a wide assortment of fish, fowl, and livestock in a variety of preparations from curries to traditional stir-frys. You can treat yourself to your own tour of Southeast Asia right from your table.
• The ambiance: Wild Ginger is a fairly large restaurant, with two different dining rooms on the first floor and a third dining space on the second floor. The interior is well-appointed but not stuffy, and you will be equally comfortable there in business attire or just nice casual dress. The lighting is muted to convey a sense of intimacy and huge floor-to-ceiling windows offer a lovely view of downtown Seattle.
• How I heard about it: One of my co-workers recommended Wild Ginger to me based on a recommendation from a friend and from an advertising agency she’d worked with in the past who said the entertain clients there often. In my experience, client-worthy restaurants are always a safe bet, but validation by a second source sealed the deal.
• Why we like it: We’re fans of Wild Ginger not only because of the good execution of a really diverse menu, but because almost all dishes are available in two sizes to make it easier to share and taste more. Instead of having to order and split one large entrée, we can generally order three small dishes for two people and experience more of the menu in a single visit.
• Must-try dishes: The Black Pepper Scallops were outstanding. The soy sauce and black pepper balance the richness and sweetness of the scallops perfectly. Also, as unassuming as it sounds, the Coconut Gelato was terrific. It had a deep, rich coconut flavor and wasn’t too sweet. The topping of toasted coconut was a nice compliment, and two scoops were just right for sharing.

What’s on Tap for Tomorrow

With our first full day ahead of us, we’re planning a trip to the market and a walk along the waterfront. We don’t have concrete plans for any meals yet, but I have a wonderful list of possibilities from local blogger Frantic Foodie, so I know we’re sure to have some great food experiences before the day is done.

To that end, several local bloggers have worked together to produce a series of posts designed to provide a comprehensive guide to food and wine in Austin. Whether you are an Austinite on the hunt for new experiences or a visitor looking for guidance as you plan your time with us, we’re excited to help you navigate the best that Austin has to offer and expand your food horizons.

Food lovers one and all, I present to you the Food Bloggers’ Guide to Austin.

Food, Pure and Simple

• Asian Food in Austin – Foodie is the New Forty
• BBQ – Man Up Texas BBQ
• Breakfast Tacos – Taco Journalism
• Gluten-Free – ATX Gluten-Free
• Pizza – Austin Epicurean
• Tacos – Citizen Taco
• Vegan – Lazy Smurf’s Guide to Life

Unique Austin Experiences

• 24 Hour Eats – Tasty Touring
• Boiled Down List of Awesome – Boots in the Oven (and they KNOW awesome)
• Breakfast Joints, Austin Style – The Cosmic Cowgirl
• Dining Out Sustainably – Austin Farm to Table
• The Newest Food Trailers – Tasty Touring
• Local Favorites – The Rebeccamendations
• Street Food – Austin Food Carts
• Upscale Dining – Foodie is the New Forty

Beer, Wine, and Cocktails

• Drinks Around Town – Fabulous Drinks Austin
• Happy Hours – Misohungry Makes it with Moonshine
• Where to Whet Your Whistle – Misohungry Makes it with Moonshine
• Wine Wednesdays – Fabulous Drinks Austin

A map of the Austin Food Bloggers' Gowalla Trip

More Resources

• For those who are Gowalla inclined, we created a special trip with our top 20 must-visit spots. It’s a quick and easy way to find good dining options right from your phone.
• Every blogger who contributed to this guide is on Twitter, and as a group our tweets offer great insight into what’s hot in food and wine in Austin at any given moment. I’ve created a Twitter list to make it easy to follow all of us at one time.
• Each post in this guide is the creation of a local food blogger and is only a sampling of the kind of information you’ll find on that blogger’s site. After you’ve read their post, spend a few minutes exploring their blog for more interesting and tantalizing information.
• This guide is a living and evolving entity, so we’ll be adding posts to it. Is there a topic you’d like to see added to the guide? E-mail me at Natanya {at} gmail {dot} com and I’ll look for a volunteer in the group to write about it.

• Yesterday I launched the newest incarnation of this blog, an entire section called the Austin Food Lovers’ Companion. My hope is that this new resources will bring those in Austin who love all things related to enjoying food and wine together with those who love providing great food and wine. If you haven’t taken a moment to browse the site, please do.
• Restaurant Week continues through this week and into next. If you haven’t made your reservations, you should do so now. If you’re not sure where to start in making your plans, consult my hand-dandy guide to Austin Restaurant week. You’re sure to find an option (or two or ten) that fits your tastes, your budget, and your desired driving distance.

And now, on with the events.

Be Spontaneous: This Week’s Events

• [NEW] March 2: Republic of Jack Patio Party – Jack Allen’s Kitchen is expanding their operation to include a fantastic outdoor patio, and they are celebrating its grand opening with an all-night happy hour, melon-infused Don Julio Silver Tequila Margaritas, music, and a radio broadcast. If you haven’t been out to Jack Allen’s yet (or really, even if you have) now’s a great time. Bring a sweater and enjoy the clear early March evening. 4pm – close.
• [FREE] [NEW] March 3: Whole Foods Gluten-Free Store Tour – Whether you’ve made a gluten-free lifestyle choice or have a specific dietary need, you may need support to learn all the ins and outs of your gluten-free diet. Whole Foods is ready to help. Tour the store in search of the best gluten-free products with knowledgeable guide, Anne Allen, of the Austin Chapter of the Alamo Celiac Support Group. 6:00pm. Sign up at the Concierge Desk or call 512.542.2243
• March 3: Ironstone Wine Dinner – Jack Allen’s Kitchen continues their fabulous dinner series this week with a pairing of Ironstone wines and 5 courses of Jack’s tasty food. During the dinner Jack will share background on each flight and provide insight into Ironstone’s sustainable viticulture practices. 7:00 pm. $65/person. Call 512.852.8558 or e-mail info@jackallenskitchen.com to reserve your spot.
• [NEW] March 3: St. Germain Dinner – Our good friends at FINO are hosting another in their series of dinners, this time with a focus on the tastes of St. Germain. The event begins with a cocktail reception followed by snacks and a 4-course dinner that ends with cupcakes from good friend Jenny Chin, aka Misohungry. 6:30 pm. $75/person. Call 512.474-2905 for reservations.
• [DO GOOD] March 3: Louis Jadot Burgundy Dinner – Jacques Lardière, one of the most brilliant winemakers in Burgundy, is joining the Wine and Food Foundation of Texas and Mirabelle Restaurant in a fundraiser to benefit the Texas Sommelier Association. Enjoy a reception and 5-course dinner featuring Mirabelle’s fantastic food and expert parings from Jadot’s portfolio of wines. 7:00 pm. Mirabelle. $85/person. Reserve online.
• March 3: EDMEADES Zinfandel Wine Dinner – Siena is pairing their Tuscan dishes with several Zinfandel offerings from EDMEADS. This 5-course dinner features Carpaccio di Bresaola, risotto, wood grilled medallions of Broken Arrow Ranch Nilgai Antelope, and other luscious offerings. $69/person. Call 512.349.7667 to reserve.
• [FREE] [NEW] March 4: Meet Tal Ronnen, the Veggie Chef – Tal Ronnen, celebrity Veggie Chef and New York Times Best-Selling Author of The Conscious Cook will be signing copies of his book and cooking up a tasty plant-based food called Gardein (garden + protein) at Whole Foods. Learn more about his blend of vegetables and grains with a meaty texture that is an ideal source of protein for any meal along with other vegetarian cooking techniques. 11:00am – 3:00pm. Whole Foods North Lamar.
• [FREE] [NEW] March 4: March Slow Session on Sustainable Sourcing – Seeing the words “local” on a restaurant menu and understanding exactly how much of a dish and which ingredients are local are two very different things. Join Slow Food Austin for this unique opportunity to start an ongoing community dialog about sourcing. The session will be moderated with a panel of three local food industry professionals: a farmer, a chef, and a buyer/forager. Please bring your questions and if you like, a dish to share. 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm. Flatbed Press. RSVP online.
• [NEW] March 5: Ch Picque Caillou Evening – Pauilin Calvet, owner of Ch Picque Caillou in Bordeaux, will lead a seated tasting that will include wines of different varietals and from different years. Experience the terroir of Graves, situated just at the gate to the town of Pessac-Leognan, and considered as a historical birthplace of Bordeaux vineyards. 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm. Twin Liquors Hill Country Marketplace. $20/person. Buy tickets online.
  
• March 6: Farm Tour of Johnson’s Backyard Garden – Slow Food Austin invites you to join them on a Farm Foraging Tour of Johnson’s Backyard Garden, a certified-organic produce farm and greenhouse operation. As a tour participant you will receive farm-grown Ark of Taste vegetable transplants to grow in your own garden. You’ll also learn more about a local Austin garden became the largest member-subscription farm in the southern U.S. 10am – 12 pm. Johnson’s Backyard Garden. RSVP to education@slowfoodaustin.org to coordinate ticket purchase.
  
• [FREE] [NEW] March 6: Moet & Chandon Oscar Tasting – Its Oscar time and Twin Liquors is ready to help you find the perfect bubbly for your watching party. Moet is the exclusive Champagne of the 2010 Oscars, so what better to serve at your party? Visit either the Twin Liquors Marketplace Galleria or Marketplace Hancock to have a taste of the same Brut the celebrities will be drinking. 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm.
  
• March 6: Throwdown Challenge – Do you have what it takes to cook under pressure? Sign up for this class at Central Market and find out. You’ll compete in a three-course meal cook off, complete with mystery baskets with themed ingredients and critiques from guest judges. Then, sit down to enjoy the fruits of your labor. The losing team will serve a seasonal dessert. 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm. $65/person. Central Market North Lamar. Reserve online.
• [NEW] March 6 & 7: Singin’ in the Rain Brunch – Enjoy a filming of a beloved Hollywood musical along with special dishes crafted by Alamo executive chef (and Singin’ In the Rain fanatic) John Bullington. The Alamo’s standard brunch fare will also be available. Saturday showing at 1:00 pm. Sunday showing at 12:00 pm. $6.75/ticket + cost of food. Buy tickets online.
• March 7: Get Healthy with Whole Grains and Vegetables
  – Recent studies have shown that Americans should eat more vegetables and whole grains and less meat. So whether you are vegetarian or just looking for some delicious recipes that feature flavorful food that just happens to be meatless, you won’t want to miss this cooking class featuring private chef and author Robin Asbell. 6:30 – 9:30 pm. $65/person. Central Market North Lamar. Reserve online.
• [NEW] March 7: Red Carpet Feast at Alamo South – Join the Alamo Drafthouse in their yearly Academy Awards Party paired with a specially prepared five-course feast inspired by Best Picture nominated films. The menu features oven-fired artichokes, fois gras, braised lamb, and more. 6:00 pm. $60/person. Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar. Buy tickets online.
• [FREE] March 7: Getting’ Sauced BBQ Sauce Contest – The guys from the Man Up Texas BBQ blog and Franklin BBQ are giving everyone a chance to taste some of the best BBQ sauce Central Texas has to offer. At this free event you’ll enjoy sauce tastings, live music, beer from Saint Arnold Brewing Company, and more. 5:00 pm. Franklin BBQ. RSVP to manuptexasbbq@yahoo.com.
  

Plan Ahead: Events in the Next 3 Weeks

• March 8: Thai Fresh Flavors (Cooking Class)
  
• March 9: Café Josie Wine Me, Dine Me
  
• [NEW] March 9: Alice in Wonderland 5-Course Feast
  
• [NEW] March 11: Great Food & Wine Series I: California (Cooking Class)
  
• [NEW] March 12: Dumplings Around the World (Cooking Class)
  
• [FREE] [NEW] March 13: Grand Tasting – March Madness
  
• March 15: Seafood Amore (Cooking Class)
• [FREE] [NEW] March 17: St. Patrick’s Day Tasting with Bailey’s and Bushmills
• March 18: Slow Food Happy Hour @ Wink
• March 20: Uchi East Meets West Fest
• [NEW] March 24: Kenichi 5-Course Sake Dinner
• [NEW] March 27: Stryke Dairy Farm Tour

• Content organized by category: One of the interesting things about blogs is that they are very focused on today’s posts, making older content harder to find. To make it easier to see what sorts of resources are on the site, I’ve organized my posts into categories and feature multiple posts on the homepage now instead of just a few. Explore the categories and let me know what other kinds of content you’d find useful.
• A refined category scheme: While I was porting all of my content, I decided to reorganize it. My goal was to make it easier to find similar content across the site, so please take a few minutes to explore the new categories and find content that might be new to you.
• Share and enjoy: if you like what you’ve seen in a post, you can quickly and easily share it to a social networking site like Facebook or a social bookmarking side like StumbleUpon. Look for the sharing widget at the bottom of each post.

Today’s re-launch of Fête and Feast is really just a first step toward making my blog a more useful tool for all visitors – I’ll be adding new features and design elements over the next several weeks. Please let me know what you think of the new design and how I can continue to make this space a useful resource to everyone interested in cooking and entertaining.

Welcome to the Austin Food Lovers’ Companion

Austin is chockfull of lovers of food and wine. Some of us throw ourselves into cooking and entertaining, others enjoy dining out and cultivating amazing food experiences. (Truth be told, many of us do both.) Austin responds beautifully to our desire to eat great food and drink great wine. From exceptional restaurants to artisan food purveyors and a regular collection of food-related events, there’s always something interesting going on in the Austin epicurean world. Chasing down all of the food and wine goodness out there can be time consuming for the bon vivants among us, and getting the word out about events and experiences can be difficult for those offering them. My goal is to create a place where lovers and purveyors can easily connect for amazing experiences.

The Austin Food Lovers’ Companion will include content that falls into four different categories:

• Food & Wine Events: I will continue to publish Austin Foodie Bits each Monday as a way to corral the many food and wine goings on about town, but I will branch out to cover some of those activities in more detail. My Guide to Austin Restaurant Week is a good example of the kind of additional information you can look forward to in this category. I’m also plotting a food and wine events database to release later in the summer to make finding events even easier.
• Sources & Resources: Austin has some amazing shops and foodie resources, and I want to let everyone know about them. Posts in this category will highlight local gems like Anotonelli’s Cheese Shop and Dai Due.
• Favorites: While I don’t plan to turn this site into a restaurant review site, there are plenty of great sources for that sort of information already, I do want to share my favorite restaurants and eateries. These posts will let me celebrate what I consider to be the best of Austin. There are some great chefs making some amazing food in our town these days and I want as many people as possible to know about them.
• Food Trailer Friday: I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that my Food Trailer Friday posts are popular – Austin’s food trailer scene is a fantastically popular place and I’m happy to be able to write about it. I’ll continue to post about new trailers and old favorites as long as there are food trailers to be visited.

The site is brand new so I’ll be tinkering with it in the days and weeks to com. I also expect that Austin Food Lovers’ Companion will grow and mature over time to offer new features, so please keep the feedback coming. I want to know how to make it a useful and usable resource, so comments and constructive criticisms are always welcome.

Antonelli's Cheese Shop - the New Cheesemonger in Town

I love cheese in just about every possible incarnation. What’s better than a great bite cheese paired with a lovely bite of bread or fruit, or even a nice sip of wine? In Austin we’re lucky because we have good resources for cheese in both Central Market and Whole Foods. Not only are their cheese selections extensive, but they are dedicated to matching their customers with just the right cheese. And just when I thought being a cheese lover in Austin couldn’t get any better it did.

Enter Antonelli’s Cheese Shop.

A Couple with a Passion for Cheese

Back at the end of 2009 Alanna and I visited the Pure Luck Goat Farm on a tour set up by Jodi Bart of Tasty Touring. While we were there we met John and Kendall Antonelli, a couple deep in the throes of opening their own cheese shop. When I talked to them about their approach to cheese, they talked extensively about wanting to help Americans develop a love of American-made cheeses. It’s not that they don’t respect (and sell) cheeses from Europe, but they wanted to share the best American-made cheese offerings with Austin cheese lovers. Their plan was to open a shop in a small spot in Hyde Park, near Austin favorite Captain Quackenbush’s and Asti, a personal favorite of mine.

From that initial meeting, I (and my fellow Austin food bloggers) followed the build-out of the cheese shop with great expectation. When they hired Kelley Sheehan, the same cheese expert who helped me write my post on building a cheese plate, I knew they were setting themselves up to be one to the top sources for cheese in town. John and Kendall shared their adventures with us on Twitter and Facebook, and when they opened on February 11, Alanna and I visited them at the end of the first day. We arrived just before they closed, and it was very cool to be there as they celebrated their first full day of business. They let us taste a broad selection of cheese and worked with Alanna to understand what kinds of cheeses she likes and then patiently helped her expand her cheese horizons. A woman came into the store looking for some cheese for a basket, and they worked with her to understand the recipient’s personal style so they could craft a unique gift.

Before they opened I’d e-mailed them asking for some advice on building a cheese plate for a Mardi Gras dinner party I was hosting (more on that specific plate later). Not only did they give me great advice, they special ordered a cheese from Louisiana to have when they opened so I could have it for my party two days later. It’s that personal service and true passion for supporting cheese lovers that I think will make them successful. They are also truly nice and good people – just the sort of entrepreneurs that will make our community a great place to live and eat.

Not Just Cheese

In addition to carrying a wide variety of cheeses from around the US and from Europe, they also offer olives and charcuterie selections. They will special order any cheese and go out of their way to help their customers meet any cheese need. Their extensive cheese knowledge and their commitment to personal service make them an amazing resource for Austin Food Lovers. Next time you are in the Hyde Park area, stop by, say “Hi”, and taste their wares. I’m pretty sure you won’t walk away empty-handed.

What Others Are Saying

Antonelli’s has generated some good buzz among local food lovers. Take a gander at what others have to say about them:

• Relish Austin: Antonelli’s Cheese Shop brings artisan cheese to Hyde Park
• Austin Food Journal: Go Get Cheese Now
• Thrillist: Diary dreams do come true
• Left-Field Leguna: Fantastic Fromage at Antonelli’s Cheese Shop
• Stetted: Antonelli’s
• Foodie Girls: Antonelli’s Cheese Shop
• Yelp

Old School BBQ & Grill School Bus

Recently a whole slew of Austinites turned out for a Trailer Tour organized by Jodie Bart of Tasty Touring and Addie Broyles of The Statesman’s Relish Austin. I joined a group of my friends and we visited five trailers that some or all of us hadn’t previously visited. It was an interesting day because we had to be ready to try food from several different places over the span of several hours, so while I feel like I got a great taste of each spot we visited, I promised myself I’d return to each before I wrote about them in Food Trailer Friday. Without having a full meal at a given trailer, it’s hard for me to really decide what I think about it. I’m happy to report that of the five spots we visited I truly enjoyed four of them, so I’ll be adding them to my Food Trailer Friday collection in the coming weeks.

The first spot we visited, and fittingly my first post in this series, was Old School BBQ. Unlike many trailers that are in more-or-less permanent installations on their various lots, Old School is run out of a fully functional school bus. The staff drives the bus two one of two standard locations and they can actually smoke meat as they drive along (but not heat oil for the fryer). Old School is collaborative adventure for Danny Parrott and his father. Both have extensive restaurant experience and wanted to open a spot together. After looking at other locations in Texas, they settled on Austin and eventually plan to open a more traditional restaurant in addition to their trailer enterprise. Their BBQ is inspired by experiences in the south, Texas, and California, and let me tell you, they make some really tasty meat.

Old School BBQ & Grill Brisket Sandwich

On our trailer tour visit and on my subsequent visit I tried the chopped brisket sandwich. The brisket is fall-apart tender and full of rich, smoky flavor. While it is tasty with their slightly sweet sauce, the brisket stands along beautifully. To go along with the brisket I can recommend either the fresh-cut fries or the macaroni and cheese wedge. The fries are crisp and perfectly seasoned. They leave the skin on for a little extra flavor. We missed the macaroni and cheese wedge on our trailer tour trip but started to see all sorts of Twitter noise about it after we’d long left. When I visited them again I made a point of trying the wedge and it lived up to its Twitter hype. A combination of creamy and sharp cheeses leads to a creamy mac and cheese that stands up to the rich BBQ. I suppose you could share the wedge with a friend, but I’d recommend hoarding it for yourself.

In addition to BBQ, Old School serves burgers, ribs, sausage, an Italian sandwich and a chicken breast sandwich. They have a collection of “Family Feedings” packages on the menu like a brisket basket that includes 2 lb. of brisket, two sides, and four drinks, or a complete BBQ basket that includes 1 lb. of brisket, ½ slab of ribs, four links of sausage, four sides of fries, and four drinks. Whether you want to grab lunch with friends or dinner on the way home, Old School has something for just about any BBQ need.

Word on the Street

This trailer is new enough that there aren’t many posts or reviews of it up yet, but there are a few to consider:

• Thrillist offers a fun and informative look at Old School
• Fox News Austin has a fun video interview with Dan Parrot that gives you a look inside the bus.
• The Yelp reviews are looking positive thus far.

As I see more out there, I’ll add them to the list.

Know Before You Go

• Because Old School’s school bus is fully-functional, they move about. They have two main locations so double check their spot before you visit them:
  • Monday 11am – 3pm
    3001 E. Cesar Chavez (in the East Side Lumber & Decking parking lot)
  • Monday 4p – 7 pm, Tuesday – Saturday 11am – 6pm
    MLK & Clifford Lane
    
• Unlike many trailers Old school takes credit cards, but small merchants always appreciate not having to pay credit card processing fees, so cash is preferred.
• As I mentioned earlier, they can’t drive around town with hot cooking oil, so it sometimes takes them a few minutes to get the fries up and going after they open. If you have your heart set on fries, visit them after 11:30 or so.
• Danny and his dad don’t skimp on the portions. Bring a big appetite or a friend to share your meal with.
• They don’t have a website yet, but you can become their friend on Facebook for updates on times and location.

Restaurant week runs for eight days total over two weeks:

• February 28 – March 3
• March 7 – 10

A complete list of restaurants, their menus, notes about special offerings like gluten-free or vegetarian, and information on how to make reservations is available on the Austin Restaurant Week site.

The Best of the List

If most of the restaurants on the are new to you, or you’re a visitor to our lovely city during Restaurant Week, I’d recommend three restaurants from the list of those participating as the standouts you shouldn’t miss. To me these spots represent what’s exceptional and unique about Austin dining right now and if you haven’t been to them yet, now is the time to go. I’ve listed them in alphabetical order because they are all equally great in my humble opinion:

• The Carillon – I’ve said before in many venues that I think Chef Josh Watkins is making some of the best food in town and I’ll say it again here. His menus are exquisite and his presentations unforgettable. While the Carillon is a bit of a hidden gem, located in the AT&T Conference Center at the University of Texas, don’t let the setting fool you. You’ll have a meal to remember when you put yourself in Josh’s hands.
• Parkside – Chef Shawn Cirkiel combines fresh ingredients with simple yet refined preparations to serve up an amazing meal any time you visit. His raw bar offerings are extensive and his main dishes creative. Don’t forget to try the doughnuts for dessert.
• TRIO – If you follow me at all on Twitter you’ll know that I love TRIO in almost unwholesome ways. Chef Todd Duplechan creates amazing menus and the entire experience from the time you leave your car with the valet to the last sip of wine expertly paired with your dinner by sommelier Mark Sayre (one of the most accessible wine experts in town, by the way) is all you would expect and more from the Four Seasons. Their view of the lake is beautiful, so if the weather permits, be sure to arrive early to enjoy a drink on the patio.

Narrowing the Options

There are ~60 restaurants participating in this year’s Spring Restaurant Week and only 8 days during which to take advantage of their special menus, so experiencing them all probably isn’t particularly practical. When faced with the dilemma of too many great restaurants and not enough time to enjoy them all, I narrow down my list with this approach:

• Try new spots or old favorites I haven’t been to in a year or more. While many of my regular favorite restaurants are on the list this year (Eddie V’s, Truluck’s, FINO, and Bess Bistro just to name a few), I’m very familiar with their chefs and their offerings. Rather than go back to what I know well, I want to branch out. Most restaurants take a tasting menu approach to their Restaurant Week offerings to give guests a real feel for their style, so I’ll use this time to investigate new spots or re-acquaint myself with former favorites I’ve recently neglected. My short list for this year includes:
  • Aquarelle
  • Fabi & Rosi
  • Green Pastures
  • Paggi House
• Don’t forget about lunch. A few of the restaurants participating in this event have special lunch menus in addition to their dinner menus. Lunch during restaurant week is more budget-friendly approach to trying a really great restaurant and it’s another dinning opportunity on any given day. I currently have these restaurants on my possible lunch list because I haven’t visited them before and they have lunch offerings:
  • Garrido’s
  • Perry’s Steakhouse and Grill
• Explore your own part of town. While many restaurants are downtown, there are several options in the Arboretum and Domain area (Cru Wine Bar Domain, Daily Grill, Eddie V’s Arboretum, McCormick & Schmiks Domain, Roaring Fork Stonelake, Truluck’s Arboretum). Both County Line on the Hill and at the Lake are featured as is Fortune Chinese Restaurant on North Lamar and Chinatown on Mopac, so if they are in your part of town, consider staying close to home. The standouts for me in my neck of the woods (Steiner Ranch/Lakeway area) include:
  • Mizu
  • Ciola’s Italian American
  • Hudson’s on the Bend
• Go casual. Not every restaurant week experience has to be centered on find-dining. Austin has some incredible casual spots, several of whom are participating in Restaurant Week. As an upside, their menus are less expensive both during and after this event, so they are good places to get to know. A few I’m considering are:
  • Bagpipes Irish Pub
  • Cuatros
  • Lakeside Pizza and Grill (in my ‘hood so that’s a bonus)
  • Max’s Wine Dive
  • Somnio’s Café

Clearly I won’t make it to every place I’ve listed here, but at least my collection of possibilities is smaller now. I expect my waistband wll needto be bigger however before Restaurant Week is over.

How do you navigate Austin restaurant week? Which menus on the list are your favorites? Which experiences wowed you? I’d love to hear more in the comments.

As SXSW and Spring Break find their way onto our month-at-a-glance calendars, food and wine events continue to ramp up. From fantastic regional tastings to cooking classes and the Chef Showdown, there’s much foodie fun to be had. Before you dive into the smorgasbord of events, I’d like to throw in two shameless plugs for projects of my own:

• The upcoming re-launch of Fete & Feast: As I mentioned in my Bad to the Bone giveaway post, I’m hard at work redesigning my blog and creating a new space devoted entirely to Austin Food and Wine. Look for the new site and section next Monday, March 1, and between now and then, send me your best vibes as I work through the myriad details associated with relocating and redesigning my blog.
• The Food Bloggers’ Guide to Austin: I’ve asked a handful of my fellow food bloggers to join me in the creation of a unique guide to good eats and drinks on Austin. As bloggers we spend a lot of time investigating food and wine in Austin, and I’d like to harness our combined experiences to bring you a unique view of eating and drinking here in Austin. We’ll have the guide ready just in time for SXSW and would appreciate your support in spreading the word about it once it’s live.
• TECHMuch Food Blogger event at SXSW: I’ve been lucky enough to assist BakeSpace.com and SteamyKitchen.com in the creation of a first-ever food blogger workshop created for food bloggers by food bloggers. The goal of this half-day event is to gather food bloggers together for shared learning and idea exchange. If you are an Austin-based food blogger or a food blogger who will be visiting during SXSW, please consider joining us for this fun and enriching event.

And now, on with the events. Almost everything this week is new, so take a few extra minutes to see what great things are in store for all Austin food lovers this week.

Be Spontaneous: This Week’s Events

• [VALUE] February 23: Tour Through the Rhone Valley Featuring the 2007 Vintage – Join Chris Thomas of Vineyard Brands on a tasting tour of the 2007 vintage from the Rhone Valley. You’ll enjoy six different wines and experience this acclaimed vintage year. Heavy appetizers by the Trading Post. 6:30 – 8:00 pm. $20/person or $30/couple. Twin Liquors Marketplace at the Galleria. Buy tickets online.
• [FREE] February 23: Healthy Cooking 101 – Wondering how to cook all those vegetables, whole grains, and other healthy foods that you know you should be eating? Join Mary, the Whole Foods Healthy Eating Specialist for a special mobile class on how to easily choose and prepare the most nutrient-rich and health-supportive foods. 10 am. Whole Foods Flagship Store. Meet at the Healthy Eating desk in produce.
• February 24: Lemoncello and Wine Dinner at Siena – Enjoy a five course Tuscan dinner paired with offerings and favorites from Paula’s Texas Orange and Paula’s Texas Lemon at the lovely Siena. 7:00 pm. $65/person. Call 349-7667 to reserve.
• [VALUE] February 25: South Africa Evening – Elizabeth Bray, Cape Classics representative and connoisseur of all things South African wine, will present an evening of South African wine. Learn all about this amazing region from Elizabeth who has an uncanny knack for bringing it to life. You’ll taste six wines representative of the region and most likely fall in love with it just like I did a few years ago when Elizabeth first introduced me to it. 6:30 – 8:00 pm. $25/person or $40/couple. Twin Liquors Marketplace at Hancock Center. Buy tickets online.
• February 26: International Wine and Food Bordeaux – Paul and Robert are at it again, bringing you a whirlwind tour of the food and wine of a specific region, in this case Bordeaux. Enjoy Robert’s culinary stylings paired with wines expertly selected by Paul. You’ll feel like you’ve been to France and back for a mere $60. 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm. Reserve online.
• [GREAT VALUE] February 27 – 28: Capital Confectioner’s Cake and Sugar Art Show and Competition – Austin’s annual cake and sugar show promises to be a fun and informative event. Check out beautiful and edible creations entered into the competition, enjoy demonstrations from confectionary professionals, and shop for hard-to-find tools. If you enjoy decorating desserts or just want to enjoy the works of those who do, this event is a great place to start. The Crockett Center. $8/day.
• [FREE] February 27: Parm Cracking – The scene is set: three tables, three Whole Foods Team Members, three wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano. It’s the ultimate cheese smackdown! Join Whole Foods in their Specialty Department to watch as their cheesemongers go head-to-head to see who has the best time in hand cracking a giant wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano in the traditional way. When the wheels are cracked, you’ll get a chance to taste some of this delectable cheese! 2:30 pm. Whole Foods Flagship Store.
• [DO GOOD] February 27: Bad to the Bone Celebrity Chef Competition – Stubbs Bar-B-Q is taking culinary competitions to a higher level by combining star chefs, audience text voting, and live music. Their Bad to the Bone even series launches with a competition featuring three of Texas’ youngest and most acclaimed chefs: David Bull, of Bolla at the Stoneleigh Hotel in Dallas, who was named as one of Food & Wine magazine’s Top Ten Best New Chefs in 2003; Shawn Cirkiel, executive chef of Austin’s Parkside Restaurant, recently named by Bon Appetit magazine as one of the “Hot 10 New American Taverns”; and Paul Petersen, star of TLC’s BBQ Pitmasters, author of Keeper of the Flame Interactive Cookbook, and former executive chef of Café Cenzio at the Gage Hotel. They will battle it out, each choosing a preferred ingredient to stump their competitors’ culinary prowess. Audience participants and a panel of noted culinary experts will sample the dishes and use live text voting to determine the winning chef. Ticket sales will benefit the Sustainable Food Center which helps more than 20,000 Central Texans access healthy, affordable and locally grown food annually. $35/person. Purchase tickets online.
• [VALUE] February 28 – March 3: Austin Restaurant Week – It’s time again to sample the best of Austin’s dining establishments. Try a new spot (or two or three) or visit and old favorite for a new take on their menu. Either way, with menus in the ~$30 range, it’s a deal you can’t really afford to pass up. I’m not wholly sure where I’ll be going yet, but make your reservations soon before the good spots and times are full.

Eat Well, Do Good

• February 27: Art Night Austin – Venture alongside fellow culture enthusiasts through Austin’s in-the-know spaces on this art and culinary trek. Experience and acquire never before seen works and taste complimentary chef-prepared bites paired with select wines. Featured local restaurants include Café Josie, La Condesa, and Kenichi. Wines from wonderful vintners including Liberty School, Treana, and Camelot. Begin at any participating space and hop on and off continuous chauffeured transportation. 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm with an afterparty to follow. $75/person for the main event. $25 for the afterparty. Purchase tickets online.

Plan Ahead: Events in the Next 3 Weeks

• March 1: Chef Tre’s Light Spring Flavors (Cooking Class)
• March 3: Ironstone Wine Dinner
• March 3: Chef’s Challenge Mostly Vegetarian (Cooking Class)
• March 3: EDMEADES Zinfandel Wine Dinner
• March 6: Farm Tour of Johnson’s Backyard Garden
  
• March 6: Throwdown Challenge (Cooking Class)
• March 7: Get Healthy with Whole Grains and Vegetables (Cooking Class)
• March 7: Red Carpet Feast at Alamo South
• [FREE] March 7: Getting’ Sauced BBQ Sauce Contest
  
• March 8: Thai Fresh Flavors (Cooking Class)
  
• March 9: Café Josie Wine Me, Dine Me
  
• March 15: Seafood Amore (Cooking Class)
• March 20: Uchi East Meets West Fest

This week I have two very exciting announcements to make.

Bad to the Bone Ticket Contest

I’m happy to be able to give away two tickets to the Bad to the Bone Celebrity Chef Competition on February 27. As I’ve mentioned in previous editions of Foodie Bits, Stubbs Bar-B-Q is taking culinary competitions to a higher level by combining star chefs, audience text voting, and live music. Their Bad to the Bone even series launches with a competition featuring three of Texas’ youngest and most acclaimed chefs:

• David Bull, of Bolla at the Stoneleigh Hotel in Dallas, who was named as one of Food & Wine magazine’s Top Ten Best New Chefs in 2003
• Shawn Cirkiel, executive chef of Austin’s Parkside Restaurant, recently named by Bon Appétit magazine as one of the “Hot 10 New American Taverns”
• Paul Petersen, star of TLC’s BBQ Pitmasters, author of Keeper of the Flame Interactive Cookbook, and former executive chef of Café Cenzio at the Gage Hotel.

The chefs will battle it out, each choosing a preferred ingredient to stump their competitors’ culinary prowess. Audience participants and a panel of noted culinary experts will sample the dishes and use live text voting to determine the winning chef. Ticket sales will benefit the Sustainable Food Center which helps more than 20,000 Central Texans access healthy, affordable and locally grown food annually.

If you aren’t the lucky winner of my tickets, you can buy your own online for $35/person.

To Win Tickets

Here’s how the giveaway works:

• The giveaway lasts from the time of this posting through midnight, CST on Sunday, February 21, 2010.
• To enter, leave a comment on this post letting me know which chef you want to win the competition and why. Limit one comment per person.
• For an extra entry each day, tweet about this post and include a link to it in your tweet. Come back here and include a link to your tweet in a comment. For this entry to count, you must link back to your tweet from the comments. Limit one tweet per person per day.
• On Monday, February 22, 2010 I will use Random.org to select a winning comment number.
• I will notify the winner by e-mail, so please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you comment. I will never share your e-mail address with anyone for any reason.
• The winner has 48 hours from when I sent the e-mail to respond and claim the prize. If I don’t receive a response, I’ll go back to Random.org to select another winner.

Good luck!

Foodie Bits is Expanding

When I started my weekly Foodie Bits post I was looking for a way to contribute to the Austin community, but I had no idea so many people would find my posts helpful. I’m glad that they have been useful to my fellow Austin food lovers. As I’ve delved deeper into the world of Austin food, I’ve found so very much to celebrate and share with everyone that goes beyond the scope of my weekly Foodie Bits post. I’ve been exposed to fantastic restaurants, specialty shops, food trailers, and more and I’d like to share all of my discoveries with you.

To further our joint adventures into the world of Austin food, I’m expanding my blog to have an entire section devoted to all that is good eats and drinks in Austin. I also want to continue my blog’s focus on food and entertaining, and make it easier for readers to focus on the areas of the site that are of the most interest. Such an endeavor requires a bit of a redesign which will include porting my blog to a new provider. To make that possible by March 1, I’m going to slow down my posting for the next two weeks, but I promise the delay will be worth it.

I’ll publish one more Foodie Bits for February on by this Thursday, February 18, and then, when the March 1 Foodie Bits launches it will be part of my newly renovated site. There’s a lot to do between now and then but I’m very excited about the possibilities.