Dr. Tima Honey Ginger Ale

Don't let the fact that I'm too lazy to take or find a picture of the bottle mislead you--this is a wonderful drink. It has a honey sweetness, balanced by a slight fruity tartness, good ginger flavor, and a balanced amount of carbonation. It comes in a clear bottle, with the label pictured wrapped around it. Apparently Dr. Tima has other honey sodas--being a lover of honey as well, I'm intrigued.

This was a good drink on which to end the gifted ginger ale reviews. I plan to continue this, though. I'll post reviews up of ginger ales that I come across, as well as ones I've had before but have never documented how I feel about them. Maybe I'll include other sodas as well.

Cock 'n Bull Ginger Beer

Clearly a provocative name, and an attractively designed label, the bottle also says "Since 1946, The Extra Ginger Soft Drink." This is a pleasant, bold, and balanced soda. The good strong ginger taste goes with the heavy (for ginger ale) carbonation, and sweetness.

Blenheim Ginger Ale

This is a lovely drink, all around. It's nicely sweetened, with a healthy amount of fruity tartness, and a good ginger bite that shows up more after you swallow it than when it's in your mouth. It almost tastes Jamaican, but it would have to have a stronger ginger and fruity flavor, and probably be sweetened with honey.

It's also a beautiful bottle. I wouldn't have expected something in a clear bottle to be so flavorful, because they say beer (and other beverages) in clear bottles degrade over time because of the molecules' exposure to light. Maybe that's part of their process? Regardless, a really nice drink, and I'll definitely have another when I can.

Fogo de Chao

Melinda and I went on a "meat date" last night to Fogo de Chao. We called it that because that's the main attraction of this place. You pay $45 a head and flip over your 'cue card' to green, and waiters bearing various cuts and varieties of meat come by your table and slice off servings onto your plate.

It was awesome!

We started off at what appeared to be the world's largest salad bar, then sat down to await the meat purveyors. I sampled pork ribs (which were mouth-wateringly good), chicken wrapped in bacon (yum!), and savory beef and lamb. There were also little sausages, but they were over-seasoned for my taste.

Our waiter was very nice and explained how everything worked. He was prompt and checked in with us often but wasn't obtrusive. Three sides come with your meal, mashed potatoes, plantains, and fried polenta (which I simply couldn't get enough of!). We also ordered a half-bottle of wine to wash everything down. The selection we enjoyed was a Merlot from the vineyards of one of the Coppolas.

This place is certainly not cheap and had Melinda not had a gift certificate, we probably would never have been able to try it; however, I enjoyed every minute! I would go again if I had the cash just lying around. The service was excellent and the food was so tasty. We stuffed ourselves so we didn't order dessert; but the fried plantains were sweet enough to serve as an after-dinner treat.

Conan's Pizza: A review

Actually, I won't be reviewing the pizza. I will be reviewing the best salad of all time: the Conan's Salad.Just look at it!! The mound of cheese, the black olives, the Club crackers. The only thing that is missing are the pepperoncini peppers and the anchovies, available on request. From their website:
"The original, a mix of Romaine, Leaf and Iceberg Lettuce with black olives, onions and green bell peppers, topped with shredded mozzarella cheese."
I've ordered this salad at least half a dozen times and nary an onion or bell pepper has made its acquaintance. That's o.k..you don't need them, especially if you add the peppers and the anchovies. I also recommend you get either the Bleu Cheese or Caesar dressings. Both are great and very creamy.
I usually get two salads and that is more than enough for a meal. As you can see by the picture, the salad is overflowing the bowl so we usually dump the salad onto the plate. It's a little bit more manageable.
Conan's itself is an interesting restaurant. I've been to all three locations and I have to say the one up north is the nicest. The south location is o.k...just small-ish. And the booth seat was weird. The central location has barely any seating and lacks in the decor part in a major way.
The decor...what can you say??? The decor is comprised of mostly fantasy themed posters, keeping in line with the Conan the Barbarian tradition. I have noticed that the ladies bathroom always has the same dolphin posters...not sure what is up with that.
Bottom line: go try this salad!! You could also get the pizza...I don't even remember it so that's not saying much. But since I get the salad every time I go, it's easy to see why I would forget the pizza.
Tip: you can make this salad at home. Just procure all the ingredients (I got deli-slice mild peppers). I bought Newman's Own Creamy Dressing and it was pretty good. The only complaint: incredibly salty. The whole salad is incredibly salty. But worth it...so very worth it...

Taverna: A Review

Taverna is a restaurant in Austin's trendy new 2nd St section of downtown. It was Easter Sunday and we weren't starving so we went in knowing we'd nosh on appetizers and share a bottle of wine. We didn't have huge expectations, and I think that attitude served us well. We ordered these three dishes:

• Tagliere ($12 for the table) Mortadella, Prosciutto, Sopressata, Parmesan, Speck & Polenta Crostini. The meats were delicious, as was the fried cheese. The Parmesan chunks were too hard to chew, so I didn't finish mine.
  
• Bruschetta ($6) Chopped fresh tomatoes on three large pieces of bread soaked with Garlic & Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It was delightful and filling. The toast was crusty on the edges, soft in the middle....just like I like it.
• Fritto Misto ($9) Calamari, Shrimp, Shallots, Zucchini & Carrots with Spicy Tomato Aioli in a ramekin. These were lightly fried and delightful. The shrimp were large and juicy. I think this was my favorite.
  

All of the food was delicious the presentation was also nice-- the Tagliere arrived on a wooden chopping board covered with butcher paper. The Bruschetta was in a large bowl and featured huge servings. The Fritto Misto came heaped on a big platter with a healthy side of aioli for dipping.

For dessert we had

• Balsamic Ice Cream ($6) Sauteed Strawberries & Biscotti. It sounds weird, but it was actually quite nice. It was a sweet ending to our trio of savory dishes, but the balsamic gave it a pleasant edge. The strawberries complimented the flavor quite nicely and the two chocolate biscotti did not overwhelm.
  

The restaurant itself is pleasantly decorated in traditional Italian-style dark wood, with the walls done in burgundy and gold paint. The main room is not large, but the high ceilings and the open kitchen make it feel bigger than it is. The bathrooms were okay -- nothing to write home about, but at least there were no holes in the wall or any tacky wallpaper.

Our waiter was really the only bad thing about our dining experience. He was overly chatty and flirted openly with the three of us. I don't mind a little flirting, but this guy just wouldn't shut up. He didn't know anything useful about wine and he over-explained the dessert tray. After sharing his life story sprinkled with many DOA attempts at humor, we learned he'd been there since the morning, had served the brunch crowd, and wasn't getting off work until much later. (We arrived for our meal at 7pm.) I got the distinct feeling he was either high or had one too many cups of coffee. While our waiter's stream of consciousness was quite quick, the service was unfortunately pretty slow. After we ate, it took a long time to get our check, then even longer to get processed as the credit card machine was down. They had to make a physical impression of my card.

This place isn't cheap, but it isn't outrageously priced either. We ended up spending $82 (before tip) for one bottle of wine ($40), three apps, and one dessert. Taverna isn't exactly a place I'd go to regularly, but I'm not against trying it again. Hopefully Chatty McChatterson won't wait on me next time.

Shoal Creek Saloon

Shoal Creek Saloon offers up delicious Louisiana-style cookin'. Fried seafood, piles of boiled crawfish, and gumbo. We went to this cajun place last Saturday night and found a table by the bar. The room was crazy packed because of the annual seasonal crawfish boil so service was exceptionally slow. The food was quite tasty, however. They had run out of shrimp earlier in the evening so we split a basket of fried oysters, crawfish and catfish. The four accompanying hushpuppies went fast. Mark had a huge serving red beans and rice with sausage. He cleaned his plate easily and hungrily. We shoveled satisfying spoon after spoon of garlic mashed potatoes and Southern-style green beans into our mouths.

Shoal Creek Saloon has a full bar, but we opted for the cheap and wonderfully cold cans of Pearl for $2 a pop. It was a hot night for February, even by Texas standards and I welcomed the perfectly chilled Pearl sliding down my throat. There's something about cheap American beer that really hits the spot sometimes.

I would like to go back when there isn't such a huge crowd. SCS is a laid-back kinda place that caters to all kinds of folk. There are multiple TVs so no matter your favorite team, they're probably on one of them. The waitstaff, although slow when we went, were really nice guys. I give this place a thumbs-up.

Oaxacan Tamaleo: a review

Mr. Wonderful and I decided to try out another Farmer's Market favorite: Oaxacan Tamaleo.

This place hardly needs more publicity (a quick Google search yielded many hits from foodies of a professional and amateur nature) but when I'm impressed, I'm impressed. And I can't keep my mouth shut.

Tamaleo's story is a feel-good, only in America type story with a happy middle (which I hope is what is occurring right now). It's family run with local food and authentic flavor. We were greeted by Leo's stepson greeting us and her husband taking orders from the other tables. It's small and only three people were working on Wednesday night (no dine and dash for this place!). But the reason everyone loves Tamaleo?? The food! My God, the food.

I had a chicken mole tamaleo. Tamaleos are Leo's specialty. It's a tamale, made with less lard and some other things her stepson told me but I have forgotten :(, wrapped in a banana leaf. The banana leaves are huge and I asked her stepson if I was supposed to eat it. He said "no, it's indigestible" and we all laughed at my ignorance. Hey, I was willing to try anything!

Mr. Wonderful had lamb barbacoa. Fall off the bone wonderful!

We both got rice and beans and they were as flavorful as the meal. My only regret was that I did not order two tamaleos with my dinner. I thought they would be really big but they weren't incredibly huge. Next time: I'll order two.

The great thing about this place is that it's authentic. I couldn't put my finger on it but everything is flavorful and simple. I feel like Tex-Mex is too much sometimes, especially compared to this. Like they have to outdo themselves by deep frying this and refrying. Tamaleo didn't need to do that. It is perfectly able to let each item taste magnificent in it's own way.

I highly recommend Oaxacan Tamaleo. It's less than the price you would pay for Tex-Mex and you feel better after you leave it. Not only do you eat some outstanding food, you just supported a local business!!

Special note: Mr. Wonderful doesn't like rice and beans. He ate every last scrap of the ones at Tamaleo because he enjoyed the flavor so much :0)

Simply Asia: a review

Melinda turned me on to these microwavable noodle bowls. I love the Roasted Peanut variety. Everything you need comes in 1 package: the bowl, lid, ingredients, and even a fork! You mix the noodles, a splash of water, and the sauce together, microwave for 2 mins and voila! lunch is ready.

Top with peanuts and you're ready to go! I highly recommend Simply Asia noodle bowls.

Star of India

Last night I dined at Star of India over on Anderson Ln. I was starving when we arrived so I went the buffet route and was not disappointed. I had veggie korma and rice, a divine salad with chunky seasoned cucumber, and 3 wedges of naan, my most favorite bread in the world.

Now, this isn't the best Indian food I've ever had, but it was still very tasty and falls neatly into my comfort foods category. The server was excellent, save for her shy quiet voice. She refilled my water glass four times! Yay! I left her a nice tip.

The buffet is $10. Not bad for a spread that includes salad, multiple main dishes, and choice of dessert. (I had the perfectly-sweetened rice pudding --- it was lovely.) Check this place out!

Dripping Springs Vodka

Last night at Grapevine Market, I saw a new vodka in the aisle: Dripping Springs Vodka. It was sitting next to the Tito's and it was $14.99. I thought, "Hell, why not?" I bought a couple bottles of Dr Pepper to get trashy with and headed home.

This is not sippin' vodka. It's got a clean but mean punch. The nice thing about it was it had no funky aftertaste like Tito's vodka sports. (No, I'm not a Tito's fan...) The not so nice thing was it kicked my ass. I'm no stranger to vodka, but this stuff is well-worth the money in terms of chemical escapism. You want a martini? Stick with the good stuff, your Grey Goose, your Belvedere (that's for you, Angela!). You wanna sing karaoke with your friends? Get some Dripping Springs.

A locally-produced vodka that's cheap and enjoyable? Sign me up!

My Sunday Brunch at Bull & Boar

What can I say? Booklahver's review of Bull & Boar made my mouth water. She and her husband invited me to brunch 2 Sundays ago and I of course said yes! The restaurant resides in a quaint, remodeled building on Pearce Road.

We arrived around 11:30. We were greeted at the door by smiling faces and led to a table in the back by the buffet, next to three other tables of diners. The buffet stretched out over a long white tablecloth covered table, ending with an omelet and waffle station.

I chose links of locally-procured sausage and strips of bacon, a serving of Eggs Benedict (a new steaming-hot tray of which had just been added to the table), and some plump strawberries. I also got some Texas toast and covered with it with homemade mixed berry jelly. The Eggs B were a delight! The Hollandaise sauce was delicate and flavorful and the pork was perfectly chewy and salty. The sweetness of the strawberries and the jelly balanced the savory foods quite well. The coffee was lovely, too. My cup was refilled multiple times without my having to ask or wait.

After finishing my plate, I requested a waffle from the made-to-order station. A few moments later the cook signaled it was ready. I was directed toward the bar to choose from a variety of toppings including strawberries, blueberries, chocolate chips, butter, and whipped cream. If ever breakfast had dessert, this was it! I covered the waffle with the fruit and its juices and hurried back to my seat. The soft waffle with crisp edges soaked up the juices and it melted in my mouth.

Overall, I rate Bull & Boar highly. They know how to put out a spread of delicious locally-grown foods that satisfy. And for $15, it's an experience well worth the drive to Del Valle.

Dog Almighty: a review

We had dinner at Dog Almighty last night. We went to the Guadalupe location because the Burnet one was closed. I had two Deep Eddy dogs (the plain dog with either ketchup or mustard) and I nibbled on Melinda's fries. I also had a frosty $2 beer (a perk of that location) to wash the delightfully tasty and completely satisfying hot dogs down.

Melinda had one of their corn dogs. These are awesome -- they're battered and fried with a corn and buttermilk batter when you order. Mark and Stef finished their specialty dogs and went back to order corn dogs for themselves. I can't recommend this place more! It's filling, delicious, and cheap! Oh, and you can get the veggie-version of any of their menu items if you're not a meat-eater.

LOVE IT!

Kenichi: A Review

The Austin branch of Kenichi is a chic little place downtown. The host was quite gracious to us when we entered and he sat our party quickly, even though we all looked pretty haggard (we'd just walked 5 blocks from Flugtag and were hot, cranky, and sweaty). The decor was very modern and warm and the other patrons were well-dressed and sipping expensive-looking drinks. I honestly felt out of place, but none of the staff seemed to notice, which speaks really well of their professionalism and hospitality.

At the table we were presented with steamed paper towels instead of cloths. (Am I too much of a traditionalist to want cloth?) We also had to wait a little longer than we expected to be greeted by our waiter and have our drink orders taken. I had a Metropolitan, a mix of raspberry vodka and berry liqueur. It was refreshing, and most importantly, it soothed the frustration headache Flugtag had given me. For an appetizer we had spicy edamame in the pod. It arrived steaming hot, coated in what I assumed was a spicy hoisin sauce. Delicious!

Kenichi offers a wide variety of food, including Pan Asian entres and a long roster of sushi choices. For my entre I ordered some fairly standard stuff: sweet potato tempura, spicy tuna rolls, and shrimp tempura rolls. I usually get 3 rolls when dining for sushi, but since each roll cost at least $9, I held back in favor of getting a refill on my $10.50 drink. The sweet potato was great --- the tempura was light and crunchy. The dipping sauce was nothing to write home about so I pushed it aside and favored the soy sauce instead. The two maki rolls I had were tasty, but not the best I've ever had. Certainly not for $9 a pop.

So for $61, I got some decent food and a mildly pleasant experience. Not bad, but not mind-blowing either. This is not a good first date restaurant --- it's very noisy and busy, especially on Saturday night. While the food is good, you can get the same quality or better for less money elsewhere. The staff is neat, accommodating and professional, which is really the only reason I would return, as Austin is full of restaurants that treat customers poorly "just because." Oh, and the ladies room is the last door on the left. There are no standard men's and women's room signs on the doors, only 3 fish, pointing in meaningless opposite directions.

Torchy's: One Incredible Roach Coach

Perhaps you are offended by the endearing term "Roach Coach," but that's how I have come to recognize some pretty unique fare. That said, don't dare drive to South Austin for another meal (and certainly not to El Mercado) until you check out Torchy's Tacos on South First.

The milieu: a cute trailer setup in a parking lot, creekside; tables and chairs scattered around under pretty electric string lights. Screams "South Austin." Don't dare go across the street to crappy El Mercado when Torchy's awaits.

Alamo Drafthouse: a review

I love going to Alamo Drafthouse to see a movie! Where else can you share a pitcher of cold beer, a basket of fried pickles, AND watch the latest flick or see a cult favorite? The menu is your typical American-fare type stuff, but it's usually expanded with yummy specialties for certain movies. (For example, when we saw The Simpsons Movie, Buzz Cola was on the menu.)

Last night we saw Stardust, a fairly entertaining film adaptation of the book by the same name. There were no fairy-related food stuffs*, so Mark and I split a frosty pitcher of Shiner Bock and Melinda helped us nosh on a basket of fried pickle spears. Alamo's pickles are quite tasty. For my meal, I ordered the "Over the Top Dog" which is a 1/4 lb hot dog in a toasted hoagie bun. The dog was great, but the bun was wayyy too big. I ended up eating only half the bread. Ketchup, mustard, and relish come on the side so you can dress it how you like. The fries were crisp and potato-y, just the way I like them. Overall, a very filling meal.

*What do fairies eat, anyway?

Wink (Theresa's take)

Last night we dined at Wink, a little restaurant tucked away behind Whole Earth Provision Co on Lamar. The place is tiny, but since we had reservations, we walked right in. The tables are very close together, so if you're claustrophobic, you'd best eat elsewhere.

Our server was a very knowledgeable woman who happily suggested wines and provided tastings so we could choose which wine we liked best. We decided on a bottle of chardonnay. I'll let the other gals go into detail about the wine, as I'm not really an oenophile, I just like what I like. Needless to say, I really liked this wine.

For starters we had cold gulf shrimp on a bed of Fuji apple, fennel, and minted cucumber. It was delightful. We also had four plump grilled sea scallops (1 each) that melted in my mouth. Warm square rolls and butter kept us sated until our main courses arrived.

I ordered the hanger steak with potatoes and fennel in a caramelized butter sauce. The meat was a delicate medium-rare and it disintegrated into a flood of flavor in my mouth. The potato wedges were tiny browned delights, especially when paired with the wilted greens. After, I was quite full, but we decided on dessert.

We enjoyed a piece of El Rey chocolate cake surrounded by whipped cream and zinfindel-infused cherries AND a wonderful orange lavender risotto tart. The chocolate was divinely rich but the orange lavender confection won me over with its sweet and delicate flavors. Yum!

OVERALL OPINION: I rather enjoyed Wink. The service was good, the food was better, and the lighting was nice. However, the bathroom was kinda crummy; I expected it to be nicer since we had just dropped $250 on our evening. The close nature of the dining room can be off-putting to those of us who don't like to be elbow-to-elbow with our dining neighbors. But if that's the worst of it, Wink should be around for a very long time!