Food Fun at Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot!

I don't eat at many chain restaurants, much less write about them, but three of us had so much fun recently at Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot that I feel it warrants a blog mention! Located at 24th and Seton, they are three blocks west of Guadalupe near the UT campus; a small parking lot is available and they are open seven days a week for lunch and dinner.

Warm soup was just the thing we needed on a recent (rare) blustery winter day here in the ATX. I should have taken more photos of the set up, but I didn't so you'll just have to trust me. Each table is has it's own built-in hot plate. And this is designed to be communal food. If you don't like sharing your food or eating family style, this may not be your thing. You do have your own individual bowls to portion your items into, but my friends and I are comfortable enough with each other that we just picked things out of the hot pot with our individual chopsticks (read: double dipping) half the time.

First you have to decide if you're going to order a la carte or just do the all you can eat price of $21.99. We decided to do a la carte and ultimately may have been a bit over-zealous in our ordering, because the total came out to exactly $21 each before tip. No regrets though! They have these handy menus where you just check off the items you want.

Then you need to decide on a soup base (original or spicy), or they have these nice ying yang pots so you can try both! We were also impressed by the ladles as they have a hook on the backside that latches over the sides of the pot so it doesn't get lost in the broth. Genius!

And upon closer inspection of the broth, it was chock full of all kinds of things, like longan nuts, goji berries, black cardamom pods, and of course chiles in the spicy one.  According to their website, the broths are made from the colonel's secret recipe of more than thirty ingredients.

For meats, we went with the lamb shoulder (pictured in the back) which was my favorite, and the pork belly. They slice the meat while frozen to get these paper thin slices which cook in a flash when you dip them in the simmering broth.

And being the hearty eaters that we are, we went for THREE kinds of noodles! In the white bowl are the Korean-style sweet potato noodles, as well as fresh noodles and the thicker Japanese-style udon in front. The leafy greens are called tong ho, and they have a really nice taste to them, but it's not one I could really verbalize. We looked it up and discovered it's chrysanthemum! Other items include tofu, luncheon pork (aka Spam), beef tendon, and a trio of meatballs (beef, fish, and lamb), and sweet corn on the cob which proved to be a bit difficult to eat once immersed in very hot broth. Everything was very fresh and came out beautifully presented, particularly the sliced meats.

Then there's this loaf of bread that's called a sesame pancake.  I got excited seeing it on the menu, because I thought it might be like the thin, flaky green onion pancakes that I adore. Clearly this wasn't that. The crispy parts on top with the seeds were delicious, and the fairly dense, bready, yeasty insides were plain, but good for sopping up the broth and saucy bits. But at 4 - 5 inches tall and about 8 inches wide, I'd hardly call this a pancake!

Apart from just having a great meal with friends and bonding over a shared love of food, what's so fun about a hot pot meal like this are the options. There's tons of them! And if you're not a huge fan of beef tendon like me, then you just avoid it and let the others enjoy it or get over there and try new things. It's just a fun way to share a meal, call it breaking bread or slurping soup together, it all brings us a little closer.  Food and friends, what more do you need?

Cane Rosso + Cow Tipping Creamery

Updated October 2017

Pizza.
Soft serve ice cream.
It doesn't get much better than that for kids and adults alike.

The Elena, Honey Bastard, and Ella pizzas

The latest pizza player in Austin is a Dallas import. The well-regarded Cane Rosso Pizza which has several spots in the DFW area, was so impressed with the ice creams at Cow Tipping Creamery, that they bought the Austin-based food truck and have installed CTC storefronts. Conveniently for those of us in Austin, CR just opened in the old St. Philip in Sunset Valley with CTC going next door, in the old bake house spot.

These 900 degree ovens cook a pizza in about 90 seconds.

CR was packed on a Saturday evening at 5:30 pm, but fortunately our group of seven was able to snag a table fairly quickly. Five adults and two kids demolished four pies and a salad -- Margherita (pictured below), the Elena, Honey Bastard, and Ella above. The HB is an off-menu pizza, a white pie with soppressata, bacon jam, and habanero honey.

These are Neapolitan-style pizzas with a soft crust due to the use of Italian "00" flour, and they consider it to be a fork and knife experience, according to the waitress. My one critique is that the toppings are not evenly dispersed, particularly the bacon jam on the Honey Bastard.  And I 'd say the Elena doesn't have enough of local BBQ spot Valentina's Tex-Mex BBQ brisket on it to justify it's cost, but both are still delicious.

A Thursday lunch at 12:30 pm, it was only about half full. So if you can get there for lunch, it was a little more relaxed and a lot quieter. Three of us split the Honey Bastard (but note the uneven distribution of the bacon jam) along with a Capra salad; both times the salads were nice and fresh.

October 2017 update:
New chef Josh Healy has unveiled some new menu items. I was invited to a media tasting to check things out. Great happy hours, Monday through Friday, 5 - 7 pm, where several pizzas are only $5!

Crispy potatoes with a fabulous green sauce, which adds a lot of brightness.

Wood-fired St. Louis ribs; very tender, Asian flavors. I enjoyed them but our table was sort of split on these.

HUGE burrata! Super creamy and nice with balsamic drizzle and cherries. This thing was a monster, but we ate all of it! 

The Honey Bastard, still my favorite pizza there, with soppressata, bacon jam, and hot honey. 

The Metro Pizza, a three-foot long creation with your choice of toppings. Here we have Margherita, the Street Taco (with Valentina's Tex-Mex brisket and mole sauce), and arugula + prosciutto.  Great for a crowd!

The lovely and decadent truffle carbonara. Supple pappardelle pasta with loads of truffle flavor.
 By far the best of the pasta dishes we tried that night. 

Chef's special: butternut squash puree + goat cheese tortellini with beet puree and beet "dirt". Pan-toasted which gave them a great texture. Chef explained that he wanted the nightly specials to be plated differently so they stand out.

Cow Tipping specializes in soft serve and makes sundaes known as stackers. Fortunately, they have a kiddie size, which is still plenty of ice cream! I've also had the mint chocolate chip milkshake which was heavenly! Pictured below are the milkshake and a kiddie stacker.

Check out both Cane Rosso and Cow Tipping Creamery at 4715 S. Lamar Blvd, which is really the Hwy 290 eastbound frontage road, between Kohl's and the Toney Burger Center. While I don't see anything mentioning it online, on both visits to CR, I've seen people picking up to go orders, so it appears you can get your pizza to take home. Likewise, CTC has a freezer door with pints ready for take out. Make the kid in you happy with pizza and ice cream!

Crepe Crazy

I walked into Crepe Crazy on South Lamar at 6 pm on a Thursday evening. My friend Linda of Girl Eats World was stuck in traffic, so I sat down to wait. As I was checking my phone, I realized the restaurant was busy, but silent. Then I actually looked around me and took in my surroundings. The staff and what appeared to be all of the patrons were deaf, and were speaking in sign language. And then I noticed the sign above the counter:

"Point, And Ye Shall Receive"

A few minutes later when Linda arrived, I felt like we should be whispering. It seemed weird to be using our "normal" speaking voices, as there was something so peaceful and serene in just hearing the sounds of food cooking and other kitchen noises, as opposed to the cacophony of voices or Muzak. So we sort of quietly poured over the menu board, which is nicely divided into savory and sweet options.

Linda got one of the chicken crepes which was tasty, and a good-sized portion, especially for $8.99. All the savory crepes come with a side salad. We liked this one (the Southwest?), but both felt it was lacking a little something special, especially compared to the next.

I ordered the prosciutto and apricot jam, which we both loved! I am sucker for all things sweet and savory together, and this combo was perfect. The jam is not too sweet, and has enough contrast to go well with the lightly salty pork. The savory crepes also come with a small side salad

For dessert, we got the brown butter and sugar crepe, which is quite delicious. It was hard picking just one (Nutella? peanut butter? s'mores? dulce de leche?) for dessert, but perfect for splitting!

There were a couple of groups of teenagers sitting in different areas, but I concluded they were all together, as a teacher/adult who had come in with the second group was also talking with the other group; probably students from the nearby School for the Deaf. They were definitely teens: having animated conversations, checking their phones, laughing. I noticed a man Skyping on his phone, all in sign language. I can only imagine how advances in technology have made the lives of  so many people easier. For the second time in the past few months, I've gotten to experience just a little bit of what the world of someone who is visually or hearing impaired is like. Back in November, I attended a dinner by The Blind Cafe; you can read about my experience here. (Serendipitously, Linda and I have been together for both of these.)

I liked these reflective ball-shaped lights!

I also noticed at least four food delivery service pickups during our hour there. I just think crepes would get soggy if not eaten right away when they are filled, but apparently Crepe Crazy is a popular choice. Also, at this writing, the restaurant is a little hard to find, especially when it's dark out. They have a banner above the doorway, but no neon sign to draw the eye. Located at 3103 South Lamar, they are in the ground floor of the 704 apartment building; it's the building due north of the Broken Spoke, and if you turn into the driveway by the Spoke, it leads to retail parking underneath the apartments. Crepe Crazy is at the north end of the building, bordering the Torchy's parking lot to their north.

I have since learned that Crepe Crazy started out as a food truck, and also has a brick and mortar location in Dripping Springs; the owners of the business are deaf. The location on South Lamar is open 9 am - 9 pm daily, except Sundays when they close at 4 pm. That means crepes are available for breakfast, lunch and dinner, which "sounds" like heaven!

South Austin Restaurant Updates 2014 (plus other rec's as well!)

Oh what a year it has been! We've seen some great new spots open up in South Austin; here's a look at what's new this past year.

Flour + Vine -- I've only been for a tasting, but was very impressed with the food; they haven't really figured out how to use social media to their advantage. My previous post is here. South Lamar and Riverside.

Beef Wellington with purple mashed potatoes

Odd Duck -- The former trailer that started it all for Bryce Gilmore of Barley Swine; they opened in December and I hear great things about the food, but haven't been yet for myself. South Lamar and Gibson.

Barlata -- Genuine Spanish tapas on South Lamar! Charming spot, very modern/industrial architecture; good food, though the paellas have tended to be on the greasy side. Happy hour (in the bar area only) is a great value, with select dishes and drinks being $5. Amazing crema catalana for dessert! (I've had it several times and it's always velvety smooth.) My post is here. South Lamar and Collier.

Mussels with sofrito

Crema catalana

East Side King -- The latest from Paul Qui's empire, and his first foray into South Austin. ESK stems from his Asian fusion food trucks on the east side, each with a different menu. South Lamar and Goodrich.

Austin Beer Garden Brewing (ABGB) -- House-brewed beer and house-made pizza. Both fine. West Oltorf and Thornton (one block east of Lamar).

Winebelly -- Another small plates restaurant, Winebelly has a shabby chic feel, and seasonal menus. I'd go back in a heartbeat! My post is here. South First and Oltorf.

Cauliflower soup with smoked trout

Panzanella salad

El Chile -- Once just a Manor Road favorite, South First and Mary Streets can now claim El Chile as their own too. Casual Tex Mex, with lots of good food and not a lot of grease. Patio seating too.

Dolce Neve -- A true gelato shop, owned and operated by three Italians. They use the traditional method of making gelato and utilize local and seasonal ingredients whenever possible. Deeeee-licious! South First and Annie.

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Little Barrel and Brown -- Haven't heard too much about this one yet, but it replaced The Woodland and is in a great location  in the heart of trendy South Congress at Annie.

And of you're looking for some recommendations for vegan, vegetarian fare, and other cuisine in South Austin (and all around town), check out some friends of mine!

Lazy Smurf's SXSW Vegan Guide
Aneelee's South Austin Vegetarian Guide
Mad Betty's Indian Food in Austin
Foodie is the New Forty's Upscale Dining
Mary Makes Dinner Pizza Guide
From Maggie's Farm BBQ East of Austin
From Maggie's Farm Cajun/Creole 
Craft Taste's Craft Beer Guide