Table of Contents
6 8 12
Inside the Migas Taco The Ups and Downs of Journalism
Page 4
Letter from the Editors The Perfect Taco
What are we Tacoing About
14 16
20 22
The Doughgraph Living the Life (As a Baker)
26
A Trip Around the Austin Food Scene
Mexican food in Austin Map of Austin Restaurants
30 32
Hello, fellow foodie! We’re the editors behind this magazine. If you’re reading this, you probably share our love of food! In the process of creating our magazine, we tasted food around Austin in search of the best tasting donuts, tacos and more! In addition to this, we interviewed chefs and entrepreneurs on their experiences in the industry, and gained insight from some of the top restauranteurs in the game. We then compiled our findings over the course of a semester. It wasn’t an easy task! Our final draft is in your hands. Bon Appetit!
Page 6
I’m Annabelle Davis, a freshman at LASA. I love my dog and craft projects! In my free time I like doing horseback archery. My favorite food is either cookie dough ice cream or anything from HopDoddy.
I’m Cooper Matz, a freshman at LASA. Some of my favorite rappers include Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat and Britney Spears. In my free time I like playing volleyball with friends. I love the Migas Taco from Veracruz!
Hi! My name is Summer McCurdy and I am a LASA freshman. I toss rifles in the fall and play oboe in the spring. After school, I listen to Release Radar on Spotify and run. I love my mom’s homemade mac and cheese!
Hey! It’s Emiliano Holubetz. I’m a freshman at LASA. I love travelling, trying new foods and playing with my dog! In my spare time I enjoy watching cooking shows. My favorite food of all time has to be ramen.
Page 7
Hand holding a taco. Photo courtesy of Freepik
Seated at a small wooden table, on a turquoise metal stool, outstretched hands pass you a plate with a carefully made tostada. A blue corn tortilla, just out of the oven, acts as a vessel for the sashimi grade yellowfin tuna, the main star of the dish. The tuna is cured with citrus and soy, adding a tang to offset the buttery smooth fish. Then comes the heirloom corn, a mixed blend of corn sourced from small farms outside of Oaxaca City. Fanned out on top are pieces of thinly sliced avocado.
A
nn
ab
e ll
eD
avis
Microgreens drizzled with hybrid olive oil and a pinch of salt came next, contributing a fresh splash of flavor. The finishing touch is furikake, a Japanese blend of toasted sesame seeds, nori, sugar, and salt, completing the delicious meal.
: y B
This taco is the pride and joy of Sara Mardanbigi, the co-owner of Nixta Taqueria in Austin, Texas. Her small scale restaurant, located on the east side of town, is run by Mardanbigi and her
beau, Edgar Rico, the head chef. Nixta combines Mardanbigi’s Iranian roots with Rico’s Mexican recipes. Mardanbigi, who grew up in Arkansas, was introduced to the hospitality business by her dad. After working around the country for many years, Mardanbigi and Rico settled down in 2019 to create Nixta, a tiny, homey taqueria “He had a little cafe called Friendlies and that’s really where I learned a lot of my hospitality from,” Mardanbigi said. “I was 10 years old, helping my dad with tables and chatting with guests.” “It feels like you’re walking into a grandma’s house, it’s not fancy. It’s very casual.” One of the main principles of Nixta is the quality of the food. “What we do is we source heirloom corn,” Mardanbigi said “And it’s the difference between eating a tomato that you would find at the farmers market versus a tomato that you find in the grocery store.” These high quality ingredients take the tacos to the next level. It’s not just the restaurant that’s small. “We only have five staple tacos and tostadas, we did two seasonal items and then a nightly special and that’s it,” Mardanbigi said. “There’s a lot of thought and intentionality in what we do.” Nixta isn’t the only taqueria focused on creative recipe curation and impeccable quality. Rene Ortiz has been in the restaurant industry for 34 years and now is the manager and head chef of Fresas in Austin “I was a dishwasher when I started as a 14 year old, now I’ve become a restaurateur,” Ortiz said. The main difference between Fresas and Nixta is in the scale. “I run a team of almost 300 employees,” Ortiz said. “It’s Page 9
always changing. We’re running pretty much 24/7.” Ortiz has a big job, hundreds of hungry customers come in every day and he manages to present the perfect meal for each of them. Inventing new recipes is no easy feat, sometimes the meal will take a few days to perfect, and other times it takes many months. “I’m not a chef that’s used to cooking hamburgers. That’s just not part of my pedigree,” Ortiz said. “The challenge was to make the best burger that I could possibly make. It took me two months to do this.” His process for making a new menu item usually begins with a visit to the grocery store. “If I’m interested in one thing, whether it’s a fruit, vegetable or protein, that’s the main focus,” Ortiz said. Ortiz is no stranger to fancy tacos, but his go-to is quite simple. “My favorite tacos ever would be Tacos Al Pastor,” Ortiz said. He tops his homemade corn tortilla with grilled pork, bacon, spices, and a pineapple Page 10
salsita. The real kicker is the tomatillo salsa, a fresh kick of spice to balance out the other heavy ingredients. Ortiz enjoys collaborating his Mexican heritage into casual Tex-Mex. The third restaurant in our trifecta of delicious tacos is El Alma, owned by Alma Alcocer. Alcocer graduated culinary school 14 years ago and has worked in the industry ever since. She was born in Mexico City, and now incorporates her cultural background into her recipes. Every day is busy at El Alma. Alcocer works around the clock, doing numerous jobs that aren’t even in her repertoire. “Today we are moving one of our other restaurants into a new space. I had a meeting at this space where we’re finishing equipment in the kitchen with the other chefs,” A decadent Alcocer said. taco from Nixta “After that we loaded high with are working on fresh ingredients. remaking our Photo courtest of menus a little Jody Horton bit. Usually the fall tends to be very busy. Then we have a little bit of a break during the holidays.” The menu at El Alma has quite the variety. From mouth watering braised duck legs to lamb barbacoa, these dishes truly show Alcocer’s expertise in the industry. When asked about her perfect idea of
Two tacos piled high with vegetables and sauce. Photo courtesy of the Nixta website.
taco, Alma said, “My favorite taco in this restaurant is the fish taco. It’s so simple,” Alcocer said. “It’s just redfish that’s mari nated and an avocado on top.” Alcocer has a very strong connection to her Mexican upbringing which becomes very evident in her food choices. “I eat corn tortillas almost exclusively, again, because I'm from Mexico City,” Alcocer said. “My mom didn't buy any [flour tortillas], because they're not nutritionally valuable. But also because we were just brought up eating corn tortillas.” She shares what was ingrained in her over many generations with the public through her food. As far as the hospitality culture, Alcocer, Ortiz, and Mardanbigi all share the same view. “It's all about culture and being great to your employees. These people, they're amazing. I appreciate them so much,” Ortiz said.
When asked about his future in the industry, he replied, “I would say that it's probably the same thing. I enjoy people. I enjoy customers and my staff,” Ortiz said. “It's hard to give that up. That's all I know. It's what I do. It's what I love doing.” A mindset like this keeps chefs in the industry and fuels the creative whirlwind that is the adaptation of food. Green onions adorn this blue corn taco from Nixta. Photo courtest of Pam Diaz-Lopez
From what these three chefs have professed, sometimes the beauty of a meal is the simplicity. Trendy foods with bucket loads of ingredients can’t top a high quality fish taco.
Although each of these taquerias differ in their exact menu items, the classics, such as Tacos Al Pastor, remain a fan favorite. High quality ingredients and a good chef together form the magic that is made in each of these restaurants. The bottom line is that there is no perfect taco. It’s the little nuances and unique ingredients that make each taco special. No taco is better than another. It's like a wand from Ollivanders, the perfect one for you may be completely unrelated to someone else’s. Page 11
1
What Are We Tacoing About ? By: Annabelle Davis
MIGAS TACO - VERACRUZ Holy cow was this taco good. The Migas Taco from Veracruz was quite the powerhouse. It had amazing flavor blends and texture variation. The soft tortilla shell paired with the creamy cheese and avocado made something truly exquisite. The crunchy taco crisps were delicious. But wait, it gets even better. This taco is VEGETARIAN. 10/10.
2 Page 12
CAULIFLOWER TACO - NIXTA I was surprised that this taco ranked as high as it did! The flavor pallete was so unique and bizzare but infatuating. Although I’m not usually a fan of wacky flavors, I couldn’t get enough of this taco. I highly reccoment Nixta because, for a small shop to compare to Mexican food giants like Torchy’s, the tacos have to be pretty damn good. 9.5/10
BACON, EGG + CHEESE - El TACORRIDO Simple but classy, this breakfast taco is a delicious meal for seasoned taco lovers and young children. With a few simple ingredients and a bit of seasoning, this taco becomes a reliable staple in an Austinite’s breakfast routine. A classic favorite among many, and one of the first tacos I’ve ever eaten; a solid 9/10
3
THE DEMOCRAT - TORCHY’S Their slogan wasn’t lying when it said “Damn Good Tacos.” I’ve been ordering this taco for years from Torchy’s and not once has it dissapointed. The delicious blend of perfectly spiced barbacoa plus the tart lime is *chef’s kiss* The recipe may be simple, but why would you change perfection. On the plus side you can load it up with lots of toppings for a more complex flavor. 8.75/10
4 SUADERO TACO - SUERTE The delicious taste of smoked brisket with the avocado and cilantro was so delicious and well curated. The “Black Magic” Oil was the cherry on top. I think this taco was simple and delicious. My only critique was that the price is quite steep for a fairly simple type of taco. Nonetheless, the taco is still fantastic. 8/10
5
Page 13
Avocado is the perfect item to add creaminess to any taco but in the Migas taco it adds a certain creaminess that goes well with the crunchy tortilla chips.
Scrambled eggs are a must have in the Migas taco. The creaminess of the eggs blend perfectly with the soft tortilla.
Any good taco needs cheese. Montery jack is the perfect cheese for this taco because it adds a certain texture and flavor you dont get without it.
Any taco needs a shell but a soft tortilla is the best on the Migas taco because its texture is unmatched to hard shell tortillas.w
Tortilla chips add crunchiness and a little salt to give the Migas taco extra pizzaz.
Not everybody likes tomatos. The freshness tomatos as well as the chewy texture they give makes a perfect match for any taco.
Inside the Migas Taco The Migas taco is one of verzcruz’s most fmous tacos. Here are some of the ingrideients in the taco and what they each bring to the table.
Cilantro is good on anything because it adds flavor adds falvor but also tones down the overpowering flavors like onion.
A white onion is a taco must have because it adds a spicy flavor and lets other flavors really express themselves.
Page 15
The Highs and Lows of Journalism From being backstage at concerts to exclusive dinners with the princess of Denmark, journalism can be a wild career. Being a writer can get you places other jobs can’t, but there are downsides to the job. Erin Russell and Madeline Hollern are journalists in Austin, Texas. Currently, Russel is a writer for The Eater, an online food blog. Hollern is an editor for The Austin Monthly which is a magazine with many topics, but Hollern specifically writes for the lifestyle section. Journalists have a tough job that is not meant for everyone. They educate people about current events and they also have fun in some articles such as food and lifestyle. Journalists might not get paid that much, but they do get perks like free concert tickets and access to exclusive events. From interviewing people and sharing their stories to having their stories critiqued, journalists might have one of the most stressful jobs in the world Page 16
Photo of Erin Russell. Courtesy of her instagram
because they are constantly running on deadlines and have their work harshly criticized.
“I feel there’s this attitude that, ‘Oh, you can’t be a writer,’ or ‘That’s not a real job.’ And then, once I stopped resisting that idea in my head and started to actually do it, it was the greatest thing,” Russell said. Many careers have a stigma that makes people think it can’t be a real job. Journalism is one of those careers because of the wages, but once people get past that stigma, it’s something they love doing.
“He said I could come backstage with the EDM band called Cow,” Russell said “That was pretty sweet. Even if your salary is not amazing there’s a lot of add-on bonuses,” Russell said. Being a journalist also allows you to get to do things regular jobs don’t allow you to. For example you could get free tickets to the ACL music festival or backstage at your favorite concert. Even if it doesn’t have the best salary there certainly are bonuses.
“Getting edits back is really intimidating,” Russell said. “When I first started, I remember I wrote an article for Andrew Harper, which is a travel magazine, when I got my draft back, it was 80% red and I wanted to cry,” Russell said. Another reason journalism might have this stigma around it is because of the intimidation of sharing your work with other people and getting critiqued. Not a lot of people love having their work criticized, so they feel like journalism isn’t the job for them. “I get to interview people who do interesting things in the city and hear all about the distinctive things that they have going on, ‘’ Hollern said “And getting to write for a living as someone with a journalism background is just such a treat.” As a journalist, you get to interview people you have never heard of, or once in a blue moon somebody famous. Getting to meet new people as a career is some people’s dream job.
“It’s also a little hard for me sometimes to call someone up that I don’t know, and start talking to them or whatever. But definitely after I’ve done all the interviews, and I have all this research, and two hours worth of interviews or whatever, then sitting down and trying to distill that into 1000 words, is very intimidating for me, I do not like it at all,” Russell said.
Even for people in journalism, something they love is still hard for them and that goes to say for any job. After you have done two or three interviews for a story, you have to be able to analyze and turn those interviews into a story which is a very difficult process. Page 17
Photo of Madeline Hollern. Courtesy of Austin monthly
“I love talking to people about the food they make, and you know, their food is such a great way to connect with people. So I love that part of it. But then the actual writing part is sometimes very difficult,” Russell said. There are many types of writing. Erin writes about restaurants and food. No matter what type of writing people prefer, writers always get to connect and meet new people! “I actually don’t like doing phone interviews,” Russell. “I would much rather do email and just email someone and have them email me back the answer. Even through phone interviews, I feel you get a lot more information.” If you don’t like interviewing people, writing might not be the right career for you. As Page 18
Hollern said, everyone has a story to tell and writing is a way to share peoples stories and share your own story. “ If I didn’t like interviewing people, I would probably be in the wrong profession, because I have to do it all the time,” Hollern said “I believe that everybody has a story to tell. Everybody has unique experiences that make them who they are and guide them into, you know, whatever career they choose. So yeah, I mean, I really feel like in general, I love people. I love talking to people and an interview is just a more formal extension of that.” Being a journalist comes with crazy experiences like a celebrity posting you on their instagram. Most people can’t say they’ve
said. Hollern wrote an article on the photographer of the famous Nirvana album cover but the day she was going to promote it, a new lawsuit went through that made the article a little problematic. “One thing that can be incredibly frustrating is sometimes between the time that you ship the issue and sending off the PDFs to be printed. And the time that it actually hits, newsstands, things can change,” Hollern said.
Photo of Austin Montly magazine. Courtesy of Jack Cabrera been on Miley Cyrus’s instagram, which is a really cool once in a lifetime experience. “Miley Cyrus had posted a picture holding up our September issue of Austin monthly, and she posted it on her Instagram. We didn’t set that up,” Hollern said. Deadlines can be very stressful, and when you have them nonstop, it can be even more stressful. If you can imagine having a magazine spread due almost every week, you can imagine a portion of being a journalist.
Madeline wrote an article about the famous photographer of the Nirvana album cover for “Nevermind” before all of the lawsuits happened. The day she was going to announce the article on the news the news got out that the kid was suing the photographer and it was too late to not stock the magazine on shelves so it went out. Journalism sometimes doesn’t always work in your favor for example what Madeline went through. There was also an article on the old bachelor host Chris Harrison that got published and then right before it was released he was exposed for being racist. Now with culture and related subjects, writing an article on a person and then making racist comments a couple months later can be tough and annoying. When writing, you really have to hope that people in your story don’t become problematic, so people don’t make assumptions about you because of an article. But when you’re a journalist you can’t control what people do and say so sometimes you just have to hope for the best.
Even though there are so many downsides to being a journalist that goes with any job. In the end Madeline Hollern and Erin Russel both love their jobs! If you want to pursue an “It’s an interesting mix of having to be creative, amazing career like journalism you just have but also having to be incredibly organized. to put yourself out there and then do it. In the And you’re constantly on deadline. You finish end the highs and lows of journalism shouldn’t one issue, and then you breathe a sigh of relief, define who you are and what you want to do and then you’re scrambling next time,” Hollern and that goes for any job. Page 19
doughchart By - Summer McCurdy
Austin’s most popular doughnuts, explained.
La Patisserie knows austinites too well. They made a macaron with a new modern flavor, estefan. They are selling a macaron sized version and a grande version, both with the delicious piping and gold leaf on top. Information provided by La Patisserie.
I m a ge s
o
monthly
12 o5
Page 20
tin s Au
Monthly, s
Mrs. Johnson’s bakery has got it down with their doughnut-for-breakfast combonation. This new creation was brought into the world on July 30, 2020. (Thank the lords!) Information provided by BakeMag.
of
in
rt es y
o r t e s y f Au s t
Images
, a n d Au t n
ou
o
t.
co u
c
do
and
A u s tin
t.
512
Featuring La Patissrie, Mrs. Johnson’s Bakery, VooDoo, Lola’s and Patika Coffee.
VooDoo doughnuts, always thinking out of the box, created a doughnut straight out of this world! Chololate filling, frosting, and chocolate chips make for a extraterrestrial dessert.
Lola’s doughnuts sells your classic flavors. You have strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla... although they just recentaly upgraded their plain vanilla doughnut to add some imagery, intricate piping.
Patika Coffee, following the trends, put an organic doughnut on the menu. Did you know: 3/4 conventional grocery stores sell organics?! (According to USDA.) Come try in now before they go back to their regular (basic) menu!
Page 21
g n i t he v i L Li fe
as
Yo u r g r a n d mother’s heritage in a tangible form? A childhood dream? Whatever it is, a bakery is always a wonderful place for a c o m m u n i t y t o g a t h e r. R e a d about what these owners do daily and how their businesses became what they are t o d a y.
By -
a
Ph of oto Le co sa urt Ro es ssi y ck
ba
ke r
Su mm
er McCurdy
The Beginning The baker stirs the batter around the floured bowl, then takes a test. Mm, not quite. After adding a little bit of this and a little bit of that, they slide it into the oven. Once the timer goes off, the baker tries the pastry once more, and a warm smile blooms on their face. These pastries will be the newest addition to their shop.
and food journalists have all struggled with the arrival of the pandemic. Lesa Rossick, a food journalist and Fabiola Vergara of V+B Catering have both struggled with the arrival of the pandemic. “COVID was huge,” Rossick said. “It’s taken a huge hit on my business. I used to pay all my interns [and] have three employees.”
Soraiya Nagree, Chad Palmateir and Chab Sobotik are accomplished owners of bakeries in the Austin area. They provide Austinites with the sweet treats they deserve. But, creating something everyone likes is not always a piece of cake; it can always backfire. A baker’s worst nightmare came true in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Somehow, these bakers were resilient, and they kept their shops afloat. The Beginning Soraiya Nagree has made herself a name in the baking business. She first began her baking career by teaching herself to make pastries, then sold them as a wholesaler.
“I didn’t [get to host] anything,” Vergara said.
“I found recipes and I tweaked recipes because I knew what I wanted it to taste like and be like,” Nagree said. “It was just a matter of trial and error, research, figuring out, if I add a little bit more of this, then reduce this amount, maybe it’ll get me the consistency and texture I’m looking for. But, it’s super humid in Austin, and that’s not very conducive to making macarons because of the meringue base that it has.”
“I sold medical devices, completely different,” Rossick said. “But I [was able to] add the piece of social media to my experience with sales and marketing.”
Many things can affect your baking, humidity is just the beginning. Unfortunately, eating out shares germs with other people. Taking a peek into the future, a disaster is in sight. Shop owners, caterers,
Owning a food shop could be a childhood dream come true, but there are always risks from relying only on baking for income. “I wanted to go to college and know that I had a degree,” Nagree said. “Just in case the cooking thing didn’t happen or wasn’t going to turn into what it has been.” Some bakers started with a higher-paying job, then transferred the things they learned to the baking world.
Opening a Shop In order to gain momentum with a new bakery, a baker needs to prove that customers should come to their business over others. They must offer something that other shops don’t. “I got super lucky that things in Austin were at this weird point where lots of coffee shops were opening and there weren’t really too many great bakeries to choose from, so we were able to offer something that other places weren’t,” Nagree said. Page 23
Soraiya Nagree works in her macaroon shop, named La Pattisserie, in downtown Austin. Image courtesy of La Pattisserie.
able to easily connect with both of these flavors.”
If somebody wanted a pastry, they knew to check out La Patisserie, which had a booming start to their shop. Another option to get attention is through social media. People will see something they like, then send it to friends to get their attention as well. Soon enough, a third of Austin knows about your shop.
People move in and out of an area, and the community’s taste changes. So shops need to refresh their flavors every so often. How would a restaurant create a new flavor of their signature food? Well, they start with inspiration.
“We think about what’s in season [or] something we haven’t tried before,” Sobotik said. “From there, I, with the assistance of our team, use our combined culinary “[People on social media] hashtag, I don’t expertise to create various bases, swirls, and know how many hashtags we have at this components (mix-ins) that come together point, but I know it’s in the 100,000s, maybe for the desired flavor.” 250,000 hashtags,” Rossick said. “If it weren’t for all the people that were tagging La Patisserie does the same thing with and hashtagging I don’t think I could do their macarons. They are on the lookout it.” Having community support and free for compatible companies willing to work advertising is major for small businesses. together. The small business pays the community back by creating delicious foods that they “A couple of summers ago, we partnered enjoy. with Lick Ice Creams to do macaroon ice cream sandwiches,” Nagree said.
“If it weren’t for all the people that are taggin and hashtaging I don’t think I could do it.” -Lesa Rossick
“Customers are able to easily connect with [our] flavors,” Anthony Sobotik, owner of Lick Ice Cream, said. “Right now, our Milk and Cookies and Peach Margarita flavors are trending. Milk and Cookies taps right into that nostalgic aspect and Peach Margarita is our take on a classic cocktail using local ingredients. So, customers are Page 24
From deciding on a flavor, a shop will add the compote to their base. For instance, Sobotik from Lick Ice Cream has a basic vanilla ice cream base that they use for all their ice cream. “We start with a proprietary base that I created myself,” Sobotik said. “I wanted something that was still going to be creamy and decadent without being too heavy.” After making a new flavor, the shop will debut their new item and track how many people like their newest edition. If many
people buy the same thing, the baker memorizes the recipe to create the same thing faster.
business by giving information about the shop to the public.
Sometimes it’s not safe to make new flavors, especially for a big gathering or event. Vergara reflects on baking big.
“Normally, I’ll go incognito,” Rossick said. “I’ll have a normal entree. [But,] I’ll have friends with me. We’ll get a bite of each of [each other’s food]. If I’m like, ‘Oh, I really like this restaurant,’ I will go back two or three times before they end up on a top 20 list. Then I’ll have had at least 10 different dishes.”
“For an event, I don’t venture,” Vergara said. “Unless I am very, very sure. I have to try several times before. If it’s new for me, and the client wants something that’s very specific, I ask one of my friends. ‘Teach me how it works!’ Because you have to be safe in this business, you cannot make mistakes. You’re toasted if you [make] mistakes.”
The journalist needs to get the community’s trust by telling them they should go to a restaurant, and then the community enjoys it. Once the reporter gains the community’s trust, people will listen to what the reporter thinks tastes good. So, food journalists have the chance to connect with others and enjoy something they love.
Austinites like to take to their hometown motto “Keep Austin Weird” by trying out of the ordinary foods.
“I feel like I’ve had one of the most blessed lives in... ever,” Rossick said. “Truly, I had a great career. [Now] I’m running a company, I’m having so much fun and I can’t even believe this is my life. This is going to make me cry, [but] I have a life like a five year old. During Christmastime, you run downstairs because you know that there’s going to be gifts by the tree, you don’t know what they are, but you know they’re going to be there.”
“Now we’ve gotten the recipe down pretty precisely to where we know, every day, it’s the same recipe,” Nagree said.
“We’re doing Ispahan macarons, which is rose, raspberry, and lychee together,” Nagree said. “We have it in a regular [and] grande version, which is bigger and it’s bordered with fresh raspberries and gold leaf. Even though those flavors are pretty unique, [Austinites] love the way it looks, and they’re eating it and loving it.”
Reporting the Food
Images courtesy of Lesa Rossick and the Sistine Chapel.
As soon as word gets around to a reporter about a new flavor or shop that is doing well, they
come to review the food. The reporters help the shop get more
These baker’s work became their most beloved passion, although becoming a baker was not easy; the global pandemic hit the baking industry hard. Fortunately, bakeries were able to
bounce back in no time, and bakers could continue to have fun creating new foods for the community. A journalist notices the trend, then comes to review the food. Overall, baking for Austin is a blast! Page 25
A Trip Around The Austin Food Scene
Ramen tatsu-ya east austin location. Photo by Brandon Watson
Page 26
How Ramen Tatsu-Ya, The Salty donut, and Fruta Freeze have transformed the Austin dining scene Exploring popular food options in East Austin
Donut options on The Salty Donut’s menu. Photo by Hayden Walker
Mango flavored snow cone from Fruta Freeze. Photo by Fruta Freeze instagram
By - Emiliano Holubetz Page 27
Ramen Tatsu-Ya menu options. Photo courtesy of austintexas.org
Ramen has become increasingly popular in the last few years.There are a number of options for ramen in Austin, but the Ramen Tatsu-Ya group brings one of the best. The Ramen Tatsu-Ya restaurant in East Austin routinely has a line of customers waiting to get in. A giant Maneki Neko (the good luck cat popular in Japanese culture) brings good luck to all who enter and the waiting chairs are very comfortable. While many menu options are
OL’ SKOOL ramen from Ramen Tatsu-Ya. Photo by Ramen Tatsu-Ya facebook
available for ramen, the waitress recommends the original. The broth is the base where all the flavor originates. In my interview with Jeff Gothard, a Tatsu-Ya partner, said “the process of Page 28
getting a good broth, particularly the tonkotsu pork bone broth, we certainly honor the tradition of using a variety of different bones and cooking them for an extremely long period of time at a very hot boil. It’s very hard to not go through that process, and get the same result,” Gothard said “So a lot of people that have tried to get into ramen, and I don’t know if you’ve had a lot of different ramen, but often you’ll find that the broth just doesn’t have that thickness and kind of viscosity of our broth. And that’s because we take no shortcuts and really put in the time and the effort to put a lot of ingredients in a big pot and boil it for a long period of time.” The Tatsu-Ya brand has become so popular that they have expanded their brand to include Kemuri Tatsu-Ya, Dip dip dip Tatsu-Ya, and Tiki Tatsu-Ya. Ramen Tatsu-Ua is located at 1600 East 6th st. and is open Monday through Sunday 11 am - 10 pm. Reservations are recommended as there is frequently a line to get in. Newer on the scene is a place called The Salty Donut. Located on south congress avenue, The Salty is managed by the same group who run Meteor coffee shop two blocks away. Upon entering the lobby the customer is greeted with a view that begins with the ten gourmet donuts on display and extends all the way back to the glass wall. The glass wall allows customers to see the backers in action. In addition to the gourmet donuts there is a coffee bar offering everything from espresso to cappuccino. The variety of donuts include the following gourmet options: horchata donut, which is a brioche soaked in a homemade horchata mixture and a torch is used to finish the cinnamon meringue. Another favorite is the maple and bacon
about eight to ten working each day.” These are not assembly line donuts made by a machine. One taste of the brioche donuts will make you a fan. According to Taryn “it takes 24 hours to make the brioche dough.” The Salty Donut is located at 2000 south congress avenue and is open from 7 am to 7 pm seven days a week. Donut options from the Salty Donut menu. Photo courtesy of The Salty Donut.
donut even those looking for a gluten free option will not be disappointed at The Salty, ask for the gluten free sweet potato pie donut this donut comes with a toasted marshmallow glaze. Even though The Salty Donut has not been open very long, manager Taryn describes how busy they can be: “We can make Well over 1000, probably anywhere between 1000 and 2000 donuts depending on the day. We also have about 15 to 20 people that work in the baking area in total, and maybe
Horchata donut from The Salty Donut. Photo courtesy of The Salty Donut.
Most snow cones are shaved ice with a sugar syrup poured on top. That’s not the case at fruta freeze. Fruta Freeze is a food truck owned and run by Monique Monica Arriaga. You can typically find the Fruta Freeze truck near the tennis courts across from the muller park hangar in East Austin. Fruta Freeze specializes in snow cones with natural flavors. Monique describes how “The syrup we use is made from real fruit and I’ve lived here my whole life and I’ve never gone to a place that does not have artificial syrups which is what makes us special.” Ordering at Fruta Freeze is simple. First you choose from three bases that have chunks of fruit inside them. The bases include: plain, mango, and strawberry. The next step is to choose from many syrups including: pineapple, strawberry, mango, tamarindo, guava, nanche, and coconut. The final step is adding toppings. The toppings include: condensed milk, tajin, coconut flakes, blueberry jam, and chamoy. In conclusion the food landscape in Austin is transforming with the success of Ramen Tatsu-Ya and their related restaurants within the group. In addition those who enjoy desserts have two great new options including The Salty Donut and Fruta Freeze. Page 29
Mexican Food In Austin .
Taking a look into some popular Mexican restaurants in Austin and finding out the types of items they serve.
Suerte is known for their amazing food and desserts. They serve modern Mexican food and have many unique items on the menu to choose from. Two of their most popular dishes are the suadero tacos and the Cascara dessert. The presentation and quality of the food is also amazing.
Above: Photo of the front of suerte
Page 30
El Tacorrido is a Mexican restuarant that has a drive through and a dine in option. They are known for their horchata and barbacoa tacos. They also have a menu that includes many different vegan options. Above: Logo of El Tacorrido
Garielas Austin
Gabrielas Austin is known for their birria tacos and horchata. The drinks they serve are very refreshing and well presented. They also have many different appetizers to chose from including chips and salsa and guacamole.
Above: photo of the front of Gabrielas Austin
Page 31
Page 33