I had a bunch of errands to run yesterday (pick up Rx, vote, Target....), and my intention was to stop at Torchy's or Shuggies on my way back home. After Target, I went to Half Price Books on South Lamar to find some paperback reading material for the upcoming plane rides (found The Omnivore's Dilemna.....so soon we'll see what all the fuss is about!), and was reminded of Dog Almighty.
The names of their items on the menu board is definitely a reflection of Austin. I ordered a Broken Spoke Dog named for the legendary honky tonk bar, which sits about 50 yards south of Dog, and a side of fries. The dog comes on a nicely buttered (oiled?) and toasted bun, and it's a great grilled beef hot dog. It's got a good snap to it when you bite into it, and is very juicy. The appropriate amount of onions, and a bit of BBQ sauce completed it. The side of fries is a very generous order, and mine were just out of the fryer, so very hot, but not at all greasy, and fairly well salted but not overly so.
There were a handful of eaters in there at 12:30ish, and during a lull, the guy who I am thinking was the manager was on the phone with one of his employees, who apparently has strep. Overhearing the conversation, I was impressed with how the manager was telling his employee not to worry about it, he'd cover the shifts, and just take care of yourself. It's a more compassionate side not always exhibited in businesses today. Kudos.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Andrew Zimmern
Here's why I love Bizzare Foods with Andrew Zimmern on the Travel Channel... he's really good (better than me!) about always tasting something, even if it's disgusting, twice. (Watch the Moroccan episode, where he ate putrid mystery meat (his words) packed in it's own fat, and left at room temperature overnight....) He's also generally good about giving a real taste description about what it is he's eating -- not just "it's really yummy" but about the flavor profile and texture of the item. This is important in really understanding your food!
But a recent episode, he visited a famous Parisian cheese maker, and got to see how the cheeses age in the underground affinage. As he went down the stairs, he describes the smell alone as "rotten eggs trampled by the unwashed feet of a thousand teenage boys." Hahaha!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Lulu B's
** Editor's note: closed in 2016
Finally. Finally!!!!
1) I went to Lulu B's.
2) It rained!!!
More on #1 in a sec. After the promise of rain by the local weather forecasters during the passage of 4 hurricanes this summer & fall (Dolly, Felix, Gustav & Ike), and how they were wrong EACH time, we finally got measurable rain today! I think I may have close to an inch at the house. Now, if only the humidity would go away, and we could really have a "fall."
Back to LuLu B's. I basically pass it twice a day on my way to & from work. It is a trailer, serving a limited Vietnamese menu, that is literally sandwiched between Austin Quality Tires and Office Depot, just south of the Lamar & Oltorf intersection. The trailer sits under a giant live oak tree, which provided me coverage as the drizzle started up again just after 2 pm today. Their menu consists of bahn mi -- the legendary (and elusive in South Austin) sandwich of French influence; bun, or vermicelli bowls, and summer rolls. I had the Chinese BBQ pork sandwich, and after asking the guy at the counter for his recommendation, he suggested the chicken lemongrass vermicelli bowl. They've got several gently used tables and chairs out under the live oak, each with bottles of sriracha and sambal oelek for the heat-seekers. I got my food, and headed home, getting a bit of a free carwash in the process.
The bahn mi was simply fantastic. Tasty pieces of beautifully char grilled (but not burnt) pork, which have a nice subtle sweetness to them. I could eat that pork every day! The relatively tender (as in, not too crusty) French bread is stuffed with the pork, thin strips of carrots, daikon radish, cuke, cilantro and either a jalapeno or serrano (it was fairly hot!). Absolutely stunning in looks and taste, and at $4.50, extremely worth it! The picture you see here is the other half of the sandwich, which I am about to eat for dinner!
The bun was good, though not as outstanding as the bahn mi. The lemongrass chicken has nice flavor (props to the guy at the counter); often you order a lemongrass dish, but it barely has a lemony flavor, much less lemongrass. This hits it. The chicken is on a bed of romaine and vermicelli noodles, with cilantro, maybe some basil (?), chopped peanuts, and a fish sauce dressing on the side. Overall, it's missing a pop though.... I think it needs lime juice. But it's very fresh, quite healthy, and I will happily return!
Finally. Finally!!!!
1) I went to Lulu B's.
2) It rained!!!
More on #1 in a sec. After the promise of rain by the local weather forecasters during the passage of 4 hurricanes this summer & fall (Dolly, Felix, Gustav & Ike), and how they were wrong EACH time, we finally got measurable rain today! I think I may have close to an inch at the house. Now, if only the humidity would go away, and we could really have a "fall."
Back to LuLu B's. I basically pass it twice a day on my way to & from work. It is a trailer, serving a limited Vietnamese menu, that is literally sandwiched between Austin Quality Tires and Office Depot, just south of the Lamar & Oltorf intersection. The trailer sits under a giant live oak tree, which provided me coverage as the drizzle started up again just after 2 pm today. Their menu consists of bahn mi -- the legendary (and elusive in South Austin) sandwich of French influence; bun, or vermicelli bowls, and summer rolls. I had the Chinese BBQ pork sandwich, and after asking the guy at the counter for his recommendation, he suggested the chicken lemongrass vermicelli bowl. They've got several gently used tables and chairs out under the live oak, each with bottles of sriracha and sambal oelek for the heat-seekers. I got my food, and headed home, getting a bit of a free carwash in the process.
The bahn mi was simply fantastic. Tasty pieces of beautifully char grilled (but not burnt) pork, which have a nice subtle sweetness to them. I could eat that pork every day! The relatively tender (as in, not too crusty) French bread is stuffed with the pork, thin strips of carrots, daikon radish, cuke, cilantro and either a jalapeno or serrano (it was fairly hot!). Absolutely stunning in looks and taste, and at $4.50, extremely worth it! The picture you see here is the other half of the sandwich, which I am about to eat for dinner!
The bun was good, though not as outstanding as the bahn mi. The lemongrass chicken has nice flavor (props to the guy at the counter); often you order a lemongrass dish, but it barely has a lemony flavor, much less lemongrass. This hits it. The chicken is on a bed of romaine and vermicelli noodles, with cilantro, maybe some basil (?), chopped peanuts, and a fish sauce dressing on the side. Overall, it's missing a pop though.... I think it needs lime juice. But it's very fresh, quite healthy, and I will happily return!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
12 more days!
I leave on Oct 26 for a trip to Morocco.... I just bought a baby laptop (Asus eee PC -- it's adorable!), and I am trying to figure out all the ins and outs..... Here you see my assistant.... notice the size of the cat versus the size of the laptop.
S. 1st Street
South First Street is gradually turning over, and trying to make itself into South Congress. Still a long ways to go, but progress is being made.
The lovely local taco shack Torchy's has moved its trailer, and added a new one, Shuggies, in what's being called the South Austin Trailer Park Complex. A dessert trailer is supposed to be added too! A big open air lot, picnic tables, moderate parking, and really good food. Went with friends two weeks ago.... why am I not blogging about it until now???? Ooops. On the Shuggies side, I split a burger, which was huge, bacony, and delicious, and onion rings, which were slightly disappointing, but tasted my other dining companion's fries, and they were good. Their menu promises other fried delights that I must go back for!
Torchy's has an actual restaurant further down 1st, a bit south of Oltorf. Hit that today for a late lunch -- were we hungry by 2 pm! I had the green chile & pork taco and the beef barbacoa called the Democrat. Two GENEROUSLY filled tacos cost $7.04. Well worth it. The pork carnitas was tender and flavorful, and incredibly moist, though the roast chiles, and addition of green salsa didn't help with the messiness factor, and I was creating a small lake of pork drippings in my basket. The barbacoa came with an avocado slice, cilantro and queso fresca. The barbacoa was a bit greasy, but it must not have be too bad, as there haven't been any digestive issues this afternoon! Great local places!
And heading back north on 1st, we made a quick stop at Sugar Mama's, as my dining companion had never been. Today's picks: The Odd Couple (chocolate cupcake, with salted caramel cream cheese frosting) and theļ¼„lvis (banana cupcake with peanut butter buttercream). Oh yeah! And, new offerings, as of today: a "shot" of frosting, available for purchase (only 75 cents!) in a little sample cup. Then, they'll top it with your choice of choc chips, pb chips, sprinkles, or coconut (I think I got those right....). Got the peanut butter w/ the mini choc chips, and it was worth every calorie! Brilliant idea! :)
The lovely local taco shack Torchy's has moved its trailer, and added a new one, Shuggies, in what's being called the South Austin Trailer Park Complex. A dessert trailer is supposed to be added too! A big open air lot, picnic tables, moderate parking, and really good food. Went with friends two weeks ago.... why am I not blogging about it until now???? Ooops. On the Shuggies side, I split a burger, which was huge, bacony, and delicious, and onion rings, which were slightly disappointing, but tasted my other dining companion's fries, and they were good. Their menu promises other fried delights that I must go back for!
Torchy's has an actual restaurant further down 1st, a bit south of Oltorf. Hit that today for a late lunch -- were we hungry by 2 pm! I had the green chile & pork taco and the beef barbacoa called the Democrat. Two GENEROUSLY filled tacos cost $7.04. Well worth it. The pork carnitas was tender and flavorful, and incredibly moist, though the roast chiles, and addition of green salsa didn't help with the messiness factor, and I was creating a small lake of pork drippings in my basket. The barbacoa came with an avocado slice, cilantro and queso fresca. The barbacoa was a bit greasy, but it must not have be too bad, as there haven't been any digestive issues this afternoon! Great local places!
And heading back north on 1st, we made a quick stop at Sugar Mama's, as my dining companion had never been. Today's picks: The Odd Couple (chocolate cupcake, with salted caramel cream cheese frosting) and theļ¼„lvis (banana cupcake with peanut butter buttercream). Oh yeah! And, new offerings, as of today: a "shot" of frosting, available for purchase (only 75 cents!) in a little sample cup. Then, they'll top it with your choice of choc chips, pb chips, sprinkles, or coconut (I think I got those right....). Got the peanut butter w/ the mini choc chips, and it was worth every calorie! Brilliant idea! :)
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