Opie's Barbecue

It's been a minute since I have sung the praises of Opie's Barbecue out in Spicewood, about 40 minutes southwest of Austin. Why go stand in line at a well-known place in town for 4+ hours when you can take a nice drive instead? 

The meat "coffin" is right inside the door; the meats are smoked adjacent to the main building. In addition to your Texas standards (brisket, beef + pork ribs, sausage), they have turkey, chicken, pork chops, and sometimes specials like prime rib.

The massive beef rib was my friend's, and the rest is mine (pork ribs, jalapeno sausage and brisket)!
 I always get food for at least 3 meals!

If you are into butterbeans, you will die for Opie's! Friday, Saturday + Sundays only.
Do not miss out on these! 

Not only are the butterbeans killer, the tater tot casserole and zesty corn are delicious too!

And they are super-nice people too! Opie's is on Hwy 71, right by the turn to Krause Springs in the Texas Hill Country.

Lucky Robot

Last week, I caught up with a friend at Lucky Robot on South Congress; for a weeknight at the end of June, the area was buzzing (Netflix was filming something next door at the Continental Club) and the restaurant was full! We were fortunate to snag a table without a reservation. 

Brussels tossed in a lemongrass soy marinade

Tako (octopus) and pork belly "sashimi" bites

Summer cebiche with white fish, baby corn, watermelon, jalapeno with a watermelon
leche de tigre broth. Gorgeous plating, delicious and super refreshing!

Hira hira (yellowtail tuna) maki roll 

A lovely glass of Gruner Veltliner. And see the wooden bud vase?
That's an elegantly designed QR code!

The interior of Lucky Robot is certainly what you would call Instagrammable. (Or sensory overload, lol.) As June represents Pride/LGBTQ+ rights/visibility/equality, this bench seating is loud and proud and I loved it! (The photo also belies the crowded restaurant! This was taken right after the table next to us left.)

Side note, a friend and I had gotten carry out from Lucky Robot last summer that was also delicious!

Stunning carryout chirashi bowl from last year; a version of this is now on their brunch menu.

Also delicious were these pork belly buns

All in all, a successful venture out into the real world! What are your current summertime faves?

Aba: The Greatest Hits

Passion fruit gin + tonic. Yes, please! 

In the past month, I have been fortunate to go to Aba twice for lunch. The first visit was quite good, and the second trip even better! Aba is a Mediterranean spot on South Congress in the new Music Lane (read: upscale) development; the original restaurant is in Chicago and this is now their second location. Here's a rundown of our foods with a little commentary. 😀 

Whipped feta with pistachios and pita bread. If you only order one thing at Aba, make it this. OMG. So creamy, not overly salty, and a basket of  warm pita which is doughier + fluffier than your standard pita.

Hummus with short ribs was quite tasty.

I believe this was the farro salad with sunchokes; gorgeous presentation but to me it didn't have all the flavors the menu promised. (I actually don't see this version on the current menu.)

Grilled chicken kebabs with wonderfully juicy chicken. The zhoug sauce (like a cilantro pesto) was a bit flat and needed more acidity to really shine.

Frozen Greek yogurt with strawberry sauce was a refreshing palate cleanse at the end of our meal.

On to my second visit:

This ahi tuna tabouli was outstanding, and I am not one that gravitates to raw dishes. The tuna was like velvet, the pomegranate seeds offered the perfect texture and acidity along with a light bit of yuzu, and I like the mouthfeel of pearled couscous rather than cracked barley for a tabouli.

Very crispy potatoes, which I loved, served with a scallion crema.

Big Brussels sprouts, with almond dukkah (a sumac-based seasoning) and honey harissa for a touch of sweetness. Great flavors.

Slow braised leg of lamb wrapped in eggplant. I love lamb and would eat this again in a heartbeat! It was very tender, the tomato sauce full of cinnamon, which may sound strange (though very typical of Mediterranean food), but so good!

Plan your visit ahead as getting a reservation can be challenging. Both times, we went for an early weekday lunch and were able to get seated in the outdoor breezeway with no problem. The design of the place is beauitful with a huge deck with lounge areas, tables, and a full bar; the majority of the seating is outdoors, nestled between old trees and new buildings. My photos of the exterior don't do it justice and hence not posted, but take my word for it. They also have a gluten free menu, and to-go parking in the below-ground lot.  The scope of South Congress is changing, loosing its once funky vibe, but Aba is a welcome and VERY delicious addition to the scene. 

Have you been? What foods did you enjoy?

The Best New Restaurants in South Austin: The 2021 Edition

Check out the entire City Guide here!

There have been a lot of ADJUSTMENTS in the restaurant world this past year. Many places unfortunately have closed, most places have pivoted, and a new generation of spots to stuff our faces with have opened. And KUDOS to all of those who have survived, thrived, and opened during a global clusterfluffage! 

If you blinked, or in many cases, didn't really eat out much in the past year, here's the link to my 2020 best new South Austin spots guide; please give them some love too!  The link in the above logo will take you to the entire City Guide with over 70 posts for top Austin eating. And if you're looking for places in far South Austin, check out Phat Phoodie's guide!

In alphabetical order, here are my picks for best new South Austin restaurants.

Aba, 1011 South Congress Ave.

Open in the Music Lane development on South Congress + Academy, Aba is beautifully designed with lots of outdoor space, and the Mediterranean foods were great, especially this whipped feta. *swoon*

Aba's whipped feta + incredibly soft pita bread

Easy Tiger, 3508 South Lamar Blvd.

While not new to Austin, this is the first one south! Big outdoor beer garden. (The former Red's Porch location.)

Jjims, 1100 South Lamar Blvd. (in Lamar Union)

Specializing in Korean braised meats, for the most part, they don't have your traditional Korean menu items. The ribeye bulgogi was incredibly tender.

Jjim's tender ribeye bulgogi

La Tunita 512, 2400 Burleson Road

This trailer is where I first learned about the birria-style taco trend.

Mumtaz Market, 1816 South First Street

From the Garaj Mahal people, Mumtaz opened in the former Alcomar space in the fall of 2020. Modern Indian foods, along with some traditional curries. Their lamb burger is one of the top things I have eaten all year. 

Lamb burger from Mumtaz Market

Nala's, 4894 Hwy 290 West

I was clued into Nala's by an Instagram acquaintance who is originally from South India, which is the type of food they do. Extensive menu, and many dishes that were unfamiliar to me, but their lamb biryani (they call it mutton) was extremely tender and flavorful. Large portions.

Lamb biryani from Nala's

Phantasma Kitchen, 3403 South Lamar Blvd.

Cracker-thin crust pizza coming from this ghost kitchen.

Phantasma Kitchen pizza

Spicy Boys, 440 East St. Elmo Road (at St. Elmo Brewing)

A pivot from the original Soursop trailer, these are  delicious spicy fried chicken sandwiches with an Asian twist! And as much as I loved the sandwich, I REALLY loved the roti chicken curry!

Spicy Boys chicken sandwich

1618 Asian Fusion, 1618 East Riverside Drive

Big Asian menu in a booming area (Riverside + IH-35/Lakeshore Drive), primarily Thai and Vietnamese focused.

24Pho7, 601 West Live Oak St.

OMG. This French dip sandwich with Vietnamese flavors on the most perfect bread -- it's killer!

Places on my radar but I haven't yet been to: 

Pho MPH, 3715 South First Street

Tiny Market, 1718 South Congress Avenue (new grocery in the former Farm to Market space)

Word of Mouth Bakery, 1506 South First Street

What are your favorite new spots in South Austin? Where else should I check out? Drop me a note!

The Top Sweet Shops in South Austin

I rarely met a dessert I didn't like!  Here are my picks for best dessert shops in South Central Austin. Updated February 2022.

Dolce Neve, 1713 South First Street (also on E. 5th Street)

A crazy-good Italian gelateria run by Italians! They've embraced South Austin culture, and "do it" in

front of everyone. Lots of traditional (chocolate, salted caramel) and unique flavors (roasted pistachio,

lemon creme).

La Patisserie, 602 West Annie Street (also on Burnet Road)

French pastries like croissants, eclairs and a rainbow array of macarons. The morning bun is a favorite, especially slightly warmed in the toaster oven so the sugar caramelizes.

Sugar Mama's Bakeshop, 1905 South First Street

Not just cupcakes, but cakes, pies, muffins, bars... sugar heaven! Also, owned by good, socially

conscious people.

Thoroughbread, 1709 Bluebonnet

Probably best known for their sourdough bread (which is delicious), but I love their giant cookies!

Confituras, 2129 Goodrich

Comfort food: fresh, warm biscuits and house made jams.

Haleycakes and Cookies, 1700 South Lamar, #316

The most adorable decorated cookies in a ton of designs. They ship anywhere too!

The Salty Donut, 2000 South Congress

Your eyes will glaze (get it?) over upon entering the shop and seeing the stair stepper of holy donut offerings. The over the top ones like dragon + passion fruit were delicious, but I am exceedingly content with the brown butter glazed cake donut or the Texas chocolate sheetcake. 

Vivian’s Boulangerie, online 

Killer almond + chocolate croissants, tiger paws, and more. All online, order delivery or pick up with is a South Austin secret location. As of January 2022, owner Kendall Melton says she's hanging up her apron, but keep an eye on her hilarious social media for any updates.

Other spots of note: 

-- Teal House Bakery at 2304 South Congress Avenue for cinnamon rolls + kolaches

-- Word of Mouth Bakery at 1506 South First Street for cakes, baked goods and light lunches

-- Manolis trailer at 603 West Live Oak for frozen treats

-- Easy Tiger at 3508 South Lamar for bread, pretzels + baked goods

This should hold your sweet tooth for a minute!

Check out the AFBA website for MORE city guides! #ATXbesteats