Little Gems

because they are always so busy!). Sushi is normally quite expensive, but Kura has lots of high-quality sushi for reasonable prices. Kura Sushi is a great place to go to for people who would like to enjoy sushi in a unique way at a reasonable price.

Another popular fan favorite is The Hive in South Austin. This business offers amazing drinks, delicious baked goods, and incredible customer service. But what really stands out is the two-story playscape and garden in their backyard. This beautiful garden attracts our much needed insect friends: bees and butterflies! (They use some of the items they grow in what they make, for example: garnishes in/on their drinks). In an interview with their general manager, Michael Guidry, he said, “I was drawn to this place because it feels like an ‘old Austin establishment’. And my good friends own it so I want to make sure it succeeds.” In addition to an eccentric environment, the restaurant contains a lively, humor filled space. Guidry also said, “There is comedy in this place everyday. Waterlines busting and spraying most of the cafe was pretty funny, recently.” Here, people have such joy in their workplace, and it rubs off on the atmosphere and vibes surrounding it. From customers looking for a cafe to eat at, to students wanting somewhere to study at, The Hive is the perfect place to enjoy a couple drinks and a meal!

Taquero Mucho is yet another unique restaurant in Austin’s diverse culinary scene. The restaurant is mostly known for its eye-catching pink decor which ranges from pink chandeliers and neon signs, to flowers and so much more. Not only his, Taquero Mucho has a fun, vibrant atmosphere and delicious food. The menu has a huge variety of tacos and other Mexican

Imagecourtesyof:Mylani

By Aaliyah Rouin

dishes, some of which are even pink! They also have a wide array of alcoholic beverages like cocktails, beer, margaritas, and wine. Taquero Mucho definitely draws people looking for a night out, a hang out with friends, or an unusual pink treat.

Now, if you like donuts and mochi you would definitely like MochiNut. This is an unconventional dessert shop in Austin that is renowned for their mochi donuts. Mochi donuts are basically a regular donut plus mochi, they use the starch/flour to make the inside chewy, but in such a way that it still has the donut like texture. Their menu has a wide range of flavors ranging from classic green tea to something more unique like lychee and black sesame ( I’ve heard that there could be a hot cheeto one!) Their mochi is made fresh each day, resulting in an extremely soft and chewy taste. They also offer other snacks like shaved ice, taiyaki, boba tea, and yummy Korean Corn Dogs. This place has a lovely and comforting atmosphere that would be great to spend time at and experience.

For people looking for a place that is gluten free, then this is the one!! OMG squee offers gluten free Asian-American desserts such as macarons, taiyaki, mochi donuts (similar toMochiNut), and bubble tea. This shop includes really cute faces and designs on their desserts that are worth the wait. They have wonderful customer service, amazing food, and a really great atmosphere.

Sprinkles Austin is a curious cupcake shop that serves their baked delights in an intriguing way as a cupcake ATM! They specialize in cupcakes and offer a wide variety of baked goods and flavors to choose from. They have quite a reputation for their delicious food and lovely decorations. The way the ATM works is just like any other ATM (only safer because of the cupcakes), they are a bit pricey for cupcakes, ranging from $5$6, but we believe that this is a cute and unique place to try!

Another place, not just in Austin (it travels) has such a unique buisness, its just amazing! This is called The Dinner Detective! This buisness is a place were you go and ‘just’ eat dinner, but you are actually going to witness a murder show! The customers will be included within this amazing maserpiece of a buisness and you can help solve the mystery! The way you would come to do this is you would sign up for a ticket and go to where it is held (hotel service banquet areas) and show up for the show! Hav- ing the pleasure of talking to Whit- ney Axley via email, we learned alot about this buisness. (whitney is the ex- ecutive producer here.) Whitney said “Every show is funny and no 2 shows are exactly the same, I never get bored of it!” Whitney has been working with The Dinner Detective since 2005, it having started in 2004. She has so much to say about it (all positive things of course) she wouldn’t want to change anything about it because she says “I love my work because I get to work with my husband and we are partners and have a common goal to make great experiences for people and it is so fun working together and achieving great things.” Whitney loves her time here and she wouldnt change it. So if you want a surprising, fun, and interesting dinner, take a look at their website and try to stop right by!

Austin has a wide range of abnormal and amazing restaurants to choose from, so whether you’re in the mood for sushi, baked goods, desserts, coffee, or anything more, these could be perfect for you! Austin has quite a diverse collection of local restaurants, some of which only have one or two locations! So maybe, just maybe, branch out a bit, it couldn’t hurt.