Old School BBQ Spots: Salt Lick and Opie's

In the past month, I have been to both Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood (where I hadn't been in years) and Opie's BBQ in Spicewood (where I go a couple times a year).

You've probably heard of Salt Lick Barbecue. What started fifty years ago in Driftwood, about 30 minutes southwest of downtown Austin on FM 1826 now has multiple locations and legions of fans.

I'll admit, I was not really one of those fans. Until now. I hadn't been to the actual Salt Lick restaurant in probably ten years because it was never my favorite barbecue. And while I think I'd still pick Opie's as my pick for 'cue AND their sides are killer, I was really extremely pleased by a recent venture out to Salt Lick for a friend's birthday gathering on a Saturday afternoon in early June. I did learn, that if you're a group of ten or more, you can make a reservation and bypass the crowds. And there were crowds waiting, even at 3:30 pm, though I think many were there for the wine tasting room. But we didn't have to wait at all for a table! We were seated in the main building with this amazing meat pit by the entrance.

Salt Lick's iconic meat pit

Salt Lick is like a regular restaurant where you order off a menu. I had Thurman's Plate, which comes with brisket, sausage, and a pork rib, along with cole slaw, warm potato salad, and pintos. While I didn't love the sweeter glaze on the ribs, as you can see it's got a nice smoke ring, and it was really tender. All the meats were good and the sides underwhelmed me. Not a lot of flavor to the slaw or potatoes, but it's really about the meats, right? A couple of us talked about how we hadn't been there in ages, and we were all pleasantly surprised. You can buy meats by the pound, but mostly, they sell plates like this. Keep in mind too, Salt Lick is CASH ONLY and BYOB.

Thurman's Plate at Salt Lick

Many people aren't familiar with Opie's, and I like to think of it as my hidden gem. It's as good as the Lockhart places and even the Driftwood one, and it's the place I always recommend to people seeking barbecue around Austin. Nothing against Franklin BBQ, but why would I stand in line for a minimum of three hours when I can take a nice drive out Hwy 71 to Opie's, about 45 minutes to the northwest of downtown Austin.

While Salt Lick sells mostly prepared plates of food, Opie's meat is all by the pound. When you walk in the main door, you are right by the huge meat vault/locker and there's a board above it listing cuts and prices. They always have the standards, and usually have some more special cuts like pork chops or fancy beef cuts. I stick to the basics, and ever since Artz Ribhouse in Austin closed, Opie's is my go-to place for baby back ribs. You tell the man with the large knife what meats you want and he grabs them for you; if you're eating there, they can slice up everything before wrapping them in butcher paper. Some things are by the pound like the brisket, others like the chicken are sold in half-chicken quantities only.

Opie's meat vault

Pictured here is a half rack of baby backs, a sausage link, and smoked chicken, along with spicy corn and the most amazing butter beans you've ever had! (Only available on Fridays and Sundays as far as I know, and they are free, on the condiment bar along with the pintos, pickles, onions, and bread.) This ended up being food for three days for me.

Baby back ribs, sausage, + chicken along with spicy corn and butter beans

One of the things that my friends and I like about Opie's is the quality of the sides, not just the butter beans. The spicy corn has a lot of zip to it; there's tater tot casserole which are shredded potatoes and cheddar cheese. But really, the butter beans are so velvety tender, it's hard not to fall in love. They have great cobblers and brownie bars for dessert too. I digress from the meats though! The baby backs are always tender with a black pepper rub on them. The sausage is a fairly fine grind, has a nice casing on it, and isn't greasy. This is the first time I have had the chicken in a long time, and it's just so moist and flavorful. Would make a great chicken salad.

So there you have it folks, lots of meaty goodness. Texas is all about barbecue, and everyone is bound to have their favorites and their opinions, I am no exception. And while barbecue joints are always going to be all about the meats, it never hurts to find a place where the sides are winners too. Grab a friend, take a little drive, and maybe you'll discover your new favorite barbecue spot.

EurAsia Sushi Bar in Oak Hill

If you've lived in Austin for more than a minute you know that our fair city is rapidly growing and changing. No part of town is immune to development and gentrification, for better or worse. The far southwest part of town, known as Oak Hill has become a trafficky mess due to the convergence of Highways 290 and 71, with William Cannon, Southwest Parkway and Mopac also nearby. Fortunately for area residents and those stuck in traffic on the way to outlying areas now have more meal options.

On the Highway 71 side of things, across from the HEB is a sprawling shopping center (or is it two centers? three?) with a gym, Goodwill, and what's rapidly becoming a cool selection of restaurants. Slab BBQ has already moved in on the northern side (and I hear good things!). Jim's has renovated. Pluckers is coming. And EurAsia Sushi Bar and Seafood is (mostly) booming.

I went for lunch last month, and even though we were on the early side, it still wasn't very busy especially given the number of employees working. But I have heard from a few different people that in the evening, the dinner wait has been upwards of an hour. (So go for lunch!) Very modern and clean inside, clearly there was some money put into this place. A gorgeous water feature runs along the banked seating. The sushi bar is in the rear of the restaurant and they have a camera directly on one of the sushi chefs so you can watch them prepare the food on TV! If I had to guess, I would say EurAsia is owned by Indonesians, as there is an Indonesian section on the menu and the sushi chefs were wearing Indonesian head cloths.

With a very extensive pan-Asian menu, there is something for every palate, including your standard Chinese and Japanese (non-sushi) dishes, and things like Kobe beef or salmon burgers for lunch. And for those who are there for the sushi, there are a multitude of options, including sashimi, rolls, and chef's specials.

I went with Sushi Combo A, with your choice of two of the classic rolls, so I got unagi (smoked eel) and the veggie tempura. All the plates we saw coming from the kitchen looked beautifully plated, and the orchid was a nice touch. The menu said the veggie tempura included sweet potato, asparagus and broccoli, but instead of broccoli it was taro root. We didn't mind the change, but asked the waitress about it later, who sent the manager over. He didn't really seem to know, but apologized and took it off our bill, even though we weren't complaining! (I do see that the online version of the menu has taro listed, so I don't know if the printed menu was an error or if they have changed it to taro since our visit.)

My Thai friend (the one who turned me on to Thai Taste across the street) has now been a few times and partial to the Indonesian pho, which was really good, though certainly not very photogenic. It's traditional name is Bakso Sapi, but is also listed on the menu as Obama's favorite, as President Obama was said to have enjoyed this soup on a trip to Indonesia.  The broth isn't quite as flavorful as a good Vietnamese pho broth should be, but there's a bounty of meatballs, meat-wrapped hard-boiled eggs, tofu, veggies, and noodles, plus it is a large bowl and good for sharing if you're in the mood.

My friend loves squid, and also in the Indonesian section is a grilled squid dish called Cumi Bakar Pedas. Granted she asked for the spicy sauce on the side, but the squid was fairly dry and tough, and you could tell it had been previously frozen. Has potential though.

EurAsia is located at 7101 Highway 71; they DO take reservations and you also can order food online. They have late hours (open til midnight)  with two daily happy hour from 4:30 - 6:30 pm, and a reverse one from 10 pm - midnight. So if you need a place to wait out some traffic, pull into EurAsia and eat in or get it to go.

La Dolda Pasta

Editor's note: La Dolda closed January 2018.

I am a confirmed carboholic, so when I first heard about La Dolda Artisinal Pasta shop opening up in Westlake, I was excited! I have always enjoyed the fresh pastas from Pasta + Co on Kerbey Lane, but I just don't get up to that part of town too frequently, though they can be found at a couple farmer's markets too. So to have a new place -- owned by Italians -- south of the river is awesome. And while I didn't originally intend to write a blog post about La Dolda (and hence the photos aren't great), here we are. :)

Only open since the third week of May, the word of fresh pasta is quickly spreading. La Dolda (Facebook page) is located at 4238 Bee Caves Road; as you are headed west on Bee Caves towards 360, they are on the right, just a bit past the light at Camp Craft Road. Inside, there are a few tables and fresh and dried pasta all around. A nice glass case highlights the days offering of freshly made pastas, from the familiar linguine, tortellini, and raviolis to fun corkscrews and some tiny bean-like offerings. Plus a variety of sauces (pesto, ragu, pomodoro) to take home as well. Prices range per pound.

Two walls have shelving of nothing but bags of dried artisan pasta, and another wall had a big case of Italian condiments like balsamic vinegars and truffle oil.

If you're there between 11 am - 4 pm, you can eat a meal there; here are some of the offerings.

I got two different fresh pastas, plus a dried pasta as a birthday gift for a friend.

With the paparadelle, I tossed it with some mascarpone, fresh lemon juice, parmesan cheese, sugar snap peas, a bit of basil and toasted pine nuts. It was thick and hearty, and next time, I would do it with a ragu.

The tortellini I choose was filled with prosciutto and parmesan. I just tossed this with olive oil, parmesan, and wilted spinach. Owner Matteo said not to salt the pasta water, because the pasta was salty enough. Valid point! And I am sure he has all kinds of tidbits about preparing his different pastas.

This is not your average grocery store pasta; everything is hand made and the prices and quality reflect that.  And absolutely worth it! Benvenuto a Austin, La Dolda! Buon appetito!

Taste of Ethiopia + My 500th Blog Post!

This marks my 500th blog post! I have been blogging in South Austin since September 2008, and it's been interesting to see how social media platforms have changed the last few years, especially with the rise of Instagram. I strive for substance in my work, and will continue to provide honest feedback on the places I eat. Onward!

I have been to Taste of Ethiopia at 3801 South Congress Avenue twice in the past couple months; their other location is in Pflugerville. The first time was for lunch, where I had the lunch buffet and the second time was dinner with a group of foodie friends and we ordered off the menu, for a typical communal Ethiopian meal. I am hardly an expert in Ethiopian, though I have had it many times throughout the years. It's a great way to literally share a meal and expand your cultural horizons, and many vegetarian options (and I'd guess gluten and dairy free as well). I found a blog, Uncornered Market, that has a good primer on the basics of Ethiopian foods.

Somehow Girl Eats World's hand ended up in my picture! Foodie is the New Forty was also snapping shots. ;) 

The interior of the restaurant is spacious and includes a bar area. Most of the seating runs parallel to the windows along the South Congress side, and there are nice Ethiopian touches throughout, like these baskets, or mesob, that the food is served in.

The lunch buffet is almost all vegetarian, with a variety of lentil, vegetable, and rice dishes. I think this doro wat chicken dish was the only meat item on the buffet. Doro wat is chicken simmered in berbere spices, which can include savory ones like chile and fenugreek and sweeter notes such as cardamom, cinnamon and clove; like curry powder each family has their own recipe! I love the flavor of the chicken!

The roll at the top of the picture above and what's in my hand below is called injera, and it's the tortilla of Ethiopian food. Made from fermented teff flour, it has a spongy texture and also a lightly fermented flavor; I totally dig it, but not everyone does! Typically in Ethiopia, you eat with your hands and can use in the injera to help scoop up your food. Now I am entirely curious to know what injera would be like if toasted like tortilla chips! I may have to get some extra on my next visit and try this at home. And from reading the Uncornered Market referenced above, as in India, it's considered impolite to eat with your left hand. I will say I only ate with my left hand for this picture so I could use the camera with my right hand. Apologizes if I offended anyone!

This appetizer from our dinner visit is called minchet abish, and it's finely chopped beef, seasoned with spices (garlic, ginger, cardamom), sauteed in berbere sauce and served with bread. A touch oily, but I really enjoy the flavor.

If you take a look at the photo at the top of this post, you'll see the lamb tibbs on the platter at the 6 o'clock position, and items from the veggie sampler arranged around the platter. These included gomen (collard greens), two different lentil dishes, tikil gomen (cabbage), and fesolia (green beans + carrots). They bring an empty platter and place it in the mesob basket with some injera as the base layer, and they they spoon the lamb and other vegetable dishes onto the injera, leaving some rolls of fresh injera behind for eating with. It's a fun, communal way to eat. The lamb and lentils were my favorites.

Both times, the service has been warm and friendly, and the staff is happy to answer questions about the food, which they are very proud of. They will also bring forks upon request. Again the meat and lentil dishes have been my favorites, and there's a few more on the menu that I'd like to go back and try!

Just a note about parking: there is space available behind the building, turn east on Alpine and then an immediate right into the parking lot, up the hill. When I was there for lunch, there was no problem parking there. For dinner on a Saturday though, the lot was completely filled at 6 pm. I kind of think a lot of the spots were being used by people at the apartments there, because neither the restaurant nor the rest of the complex was all that busy. From the parking lot, there's a wall sign indicating stairs, but things are not well-marked. The door closest to the stair sign was the first I tried, and it was unlocked, but it lead directly into the residential area and I am guessing this door shouldn't have been unlocked. The next door I tried did lead to a stairwell, which does lead to the street level, and the restaurant is straight ahead on the right when you exit the stairwell. It would be nice if the property management company marked things better! Let's just say I was glad it was daylight when I first went.

Home Cooking: Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

I am a relative newcomer to crock pot/slow cooker cooking. My mother didn't use a cooker when I was growing up, and it's only been in the last 5 - 7 years that I bought myself one. But I definitely appreciate the time advantages to using one, and actually now I have two: a big six quart one and a baby two quart. They are both REAL handy!

My friend Sharon Chen of Delish Plan has written a slow cooker cookbook. Disclosure, she was offering some advance e-copies at a discount to members of our food blogger group (Austin Food Bloggers Alliance) for critique and to review on Amazon, which I provided. I was not monetarily compensated otherwise, and all opinions are my own. This link here will take you to her web page for the cookbook; or click here to go directly to Amazon to purchase either an e-book or paperback copy. There are a lot of creative recipes from meats to vegetarian dishes to dessert.  And one of the beautiful things about using a slow cooker, it doesn't heat up your entire kitchen the way an oven does in the Texas summer! But back to pulled pork!

Available on Amazon

I bought a small pork shoulder from Whole Foods, that was about a pound and a half; I decided to make half the recipe and use my smaller cooker. While Sharon advocates for using plastic liners for ease of clean up, I don't care to cook in plastic, so I sprayed the cooker well with non-stick spray. An onion, the meat, and a mixture of ketchup, hard cider (I used Crabbie's, which is more of an alcoholic ginger beer than hard apple cider, but the flavors lent well), Dijon mustard, brown sugar, salt + pepper, bay leaf, and chile garlic paste all went in the pot. I cranked the heat all the way to low and let it work it's magic overnight.  My house smelled good in the morning! Here's what it all looked like still in the pot.

And below, with minimal shredding, you can see how the meat just fell off the bone.  One thing I did though was to reduce the remaining liquid from the pot; I poured it all into a skillet and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. It reduced somewhat, but definitely thickened.

One night for dinner, I made some polenta and brussels and had an easy meal, adding some of the reduced juices.

And this was my favorite, the pulled pork with a great pasta, goat cheese, fresh basil and some of that reduction.

Without a doubt, I would make this pulled pork recipe again! In addition to what I made, there's so much you can do with the pork, like make tacos or pulled pork sandwiches. Easy and versatile. I can happily recommend Delish Plan's cookbook!