Austin
Foodie
By: Taylor Baker
FOOD IS OUR COMMON GROUND, A UNIVERSAL EXPERIENCE. JAMES BEARD
Inside YOUR GUIDE
Luxe for Less Juliet Ristorante Queen of the Foodies You Are What You Eat Five Austin Brunch Spots That Won't Break the Bank It's Booze-O'clock Everywhere About the Writer
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Luxe for Less: Juliet Ristorante Being a college student usually means that you don’t get to enjoy the finer things in life unless the ‘rents are in town. However, it is possible to get fancy without breaking the bank. I recently visited Juliet, an Italian restaurant on Barton Springs, and was able to enjoy a lovely dinner without having a panic attack at the price. In fact, my date and I spent less than $30. Juliet’s menu offering promises a Texas take on Italy, as well as locally sourced ingredients. The décor portrays a swanky date spot with modern chandeliers, pure white chairs, and a tasteful wooden bar. The outdoor dining space is dreamy, and makes you feel as if you’ve stepped into a romantic Italian garden party. The ambiance is enough to make anyone melt into a puddle of design heaven, and the food doesn’t disappoint either. Executive Chef Jacob Weaver gained his inspiration from the Italian countryside, and Juliet’s menu is perfectly crafted in every way. The trick to having the most affordable and wellrounded experience is to go during happy hour, and luckily their happy hour runs daily from 3:00 7:00pm. We can hopefully all agree that spending $30 at a swanky place is
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Executive Chef Jacob Weaver gained his inspiration from the Italian countryside, and Juliet’s menu is perfectly crafted in every way. The trick to having the most affordable and wellrounded experience is to go during happy hour, and luckily their happy hour runs daily from 3:007:00pm. Thoughts on pricing will vary between individuals, but we can hopefully all agree that spending $30 at a swanky place is a good deal. They have fabulous drink prices during happy hour. I ordered a glass of white wine for $5, and my date got a local draft beer for $4. They have a fantastic selection of wines, cocktails, and beers. Don’t skip the appetizers. We ordered the Frittelle di Mais, which has four corn fritters (similar to hush puppies) over herbed goat cheese, and topped off with a watermelon radish salad. The happy hour version of this appetizer costs $5. Next, we tried the Basilica pizza, which includes tomatobasil sauce, mozzarella, and basil. They have artisan pizzas cooked to order in a woodfired oven, and they are divine. Plus, the happy hour Basilica pizza is only $7. Dessert should always be part of the equation when eating out because it is often where some of the chef’s most culinary creative ideas come into play. We ordered the Torta di Olio Oliva olive oil cake with a peppering of candied orange zest, vanilla mascarpone cream, and sided with a light blackberry thyme sorbet. It was very wellbalanced with components of sweet, creamy, and fruity. Overall, we spent $28, and tipped our waitress 18%, so the total came out to $33. We both left feeling satisfied from the entire experience. The food, atmosphere, and service were exceptional. Juliet Ristorante is a place that should be included on everyone’s goto list. They are currently only open for happy hour and dinner, but they will soon be adding lunch and brunch to their hours. Here’s proof that eating lavishly doesn’t have to cost you your entire paycheck.
QUEEN OF THE FOODIES If there’s a restaurant worth visiting in Austin, you can bet that Jane Ko has been there. I met Ko in a hip, yet cozy coffee shop on the east side called Figure 8 that she had suggested. I arrived early, ordered a cortado, and found a small table in the side room. Jane arrived shortly after. She greeted me, grabbed a latte, and sat down. Before our conversation began, she whipped out her phone and took a quick iPhone shot of her latte. I suspect that this is a regular practice for the seasoned blogger. Jane sees food as more than just nourishment; it’s a form of art, and blogging about food is her art. Jane Ko is the editor for her blog, A Taste of Koko, and if you’ve ever skimmed it, you can see that it’s truly an accurate reflection of her personality. Even after only spending an hour with her on a Monday morning, I got a sense of how she’s made a name for herself as a successful food blogger in Austin. I asked Jane how she decided to be a food blogger. “I didn’t expect to fall into this. All of my friends wanted to be doctors, dentists, and lawyers. I love what I do, and I think I’m very lucky that I can eat and write and photograph.” Jane started her blog while attending the University of Texas before
blogging was even popular, and she has now been writing A Taste of Koko for six years. The blog received almost no action for the first three years, but she stuck with it, and her consistency has resulted in a large and loyal following. She also just happened to have a great idea at the right time, being that social media was a fairly new concept when she first began. "I've always been the type of person that's different from what everyone else is doing,” Jane expressed. She proves that going against the tide can certainly pay off. When I asked Jane what her favorite thing is about being a blogger, she really lit up. “Showing people my perspective of how I live and see things is one of my favorite parts of this blog.” “You know that feeling when you fall in love? That’s how I feel when I walk into a new restaurant for the first time that I really like. Being able to share with people what I see and think has really opened my mind for when I work with bigger brands as well.” Jane proves that you don’t have to be the biggest to be the best. “Even though I don’t have the biggest following compared to other blogs, brands still choose me because their clients like my voice and how I photograph.”
“I am not a food critic,” Jane clarified. She would much rather talk about what she loves, rather than what she dislikes. This was confirmed when I asked what she thought was the most overrated restaurant in Austin. Whereupon, she unapologetically replied that Franklin's BBQ is the most overrated. "I just don't think it's that great. When you need sauce on your brisket, it's dry." My tastebuds agree with this.
"I love what I do, and I think I’m very lucky that I can eat
and write and photograph.”
I felt a gleam of pride when I asked Jane what the most underrated restaurant in Austin is, and she replied that nobody had ever asked her that before. Silence fell as she thoughtfully considered this question, and stated that East Side Pies and Turf N’ Surf Po Boy are underrated because they don’t get enough recognition for how delicious they are. I can imagine that having to constantly churn out new material can be difficult, so I asked Jane where she sources the most inspiration. She replied that the majority of her inspiration comes from conversations or eavesdropping. For instance, she was at an event, and overheard someone say, “Did you know there are over 100 restaurants opening in Austin?” She spent a week with an excel sheet, recording every new restaurant opening in Austin, and sure enough there were over 100. A blog post was born. Surprisingly (or not), she said a lot of inspiration comes from new people moving to Austin asking her which restaurants they should go to. Being a professional in her field, she has a truly open-minded approach. I think this is part of what makes her so likeable, she’s not a know-it-all. Jane genuinely wants to share her experiences and ideas with others. I was curious about which blogs or publications Jane was inspired by as well, and she confessed to spending about two hours a night reading blogs on her Feedly app. She said some of her favorite blogs are A Beautiful Mess, Brit & Co., Sugar & Cloth. and
Refinery 29. She also mentioned that she doesn’t read a lot of food blogs, but rather draws inspiration from fashion blogs. Jane’s reply to my question about what her favorite restaurant was did not surprise me at all. “It’s always changing,” she laughed. “Every time someone interviews me, I say something different. I go through obsessions. I have honeymoon periods with restaurants, and three months later I’ll move on to something else.” I can definitely relate to this in more areas of my life than just food. “Liberty Kitchen is my current favorite for a variety of reasons being their fresh oysters, lobster, king crab, sandwiches, seafood tower, and burger bowl. Austin is having a seafood moment, we’ve recently had so many restaurants open that are just seafood based.” Listening to Jane talk about food is such a delight, because she gets so excited, and you can hear the passion in her voice. She speaks with such ease, it’s like the words just fall out of her mouth. When I asked what it’s like to go to a restaurant with her, she coyly responded, “I can be a little bossy when ordering.” Being a foodie myself, I was dying to know what Jane’s best meal in Austin has been thus far. “For me, its not even about the food. When I eat, it’s more about how the experience was, who I was eating with, and how I felt when I walked into the restaurant. I think one of the best meals was the Omakase at Uchi. It was with another startup from
New York, and it was my first fancy meal out in Austin. I would have never ordered the Omakase on my own. It was a community dinner, focused on sitting around enjoying really good food, and that made it a memorable experience for me.” Jane was originally born in Taiwan, and moved to Texas when she was just 3 years old. When I asked what Austin is missing in the restaurant scene, she replied that there is a definite shortage of authentic Asian food in this city, and I thoroughly agree. “I don’t eat Asian food often. The restaurants just aren’t very good, and I don’t really cook it at home either. Asian Café is the most authentic.” Coming up next for Jane, she wants to branch out to including more home décor articles on her blog. She said that she’s actively trying to get new ideas for her house, and work with new brands for her blog. “I think that’s what makes this industry so fun, because it’s constantly changing.” We can rest assured that Jane Ko will be ahead of the curve, and we’ll be paying attention to find out all of Austin’s best new gems.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT “Perrier, please!” said my 2 year old self as I sat next to my mother on a flight to France. “Perrier was the Coke of my childhood,” spoken by my mother. Culture, environment, people, expectations, and interaction make a child into who they will become as a person. However, food plays a bigger part in what kind of person we become than we may realize. It always brings people. In one way or another, what we do or do not eat, shapes us and speaks volumes about who we are. Food shapes us physically, emotionally, and socially.
My mom was a health buff and my dad was a foodie, so I developed a strange palette at an early age. My mother drank soy milk before most people knew what it was. I’m a more healthy and active person to this day because of many things that she taught me. My father played a big part in how food shaped me. He is the “foodiest” foodie anyone has ever met. Every time I speak to my dad on the phone, he will mention a meal, what he made for dinner, or some fancy new restaurant he visited. He sends me photos of meals he has prepared, or new restaurants he’s tried. His career is not in the food industry, but he would have made an excellent food critic. I remember when we went to Australia and spent nearly an hour walking from restaurant to restaurant until he settled on a menu. My grandparents played a part as well because I lived with them for three years. My grandmother uses food as a way to bring people together. If we get together it is usually to cook a meal, go out to dinner, make cookies, or something surrounded with food. She inspires me to be creative in the kitchen, and not be afraid to take risks with new recipes or ingredients.
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I was taught from a young age to “try it once before you claim that you don’t like it.” In fact, I crave new things in all areas of life. I moved to Ne Zealand for six months after graduating high school, and had no fear o unknown. I love to travel. I am also the friend in my group who sugges the “weird” restaurants. I constantly want to discover something new, rather than what is comfortable. I’m not afraid to try something just because I think I won’t like it. A few years ago I tried yoga, with the min that I probably wouldn’t go again. To this day I go to yoga at least once week.
Many of my memories as a child are connected to food. When I was tw years old eating baguettes with my parents in France, they would give m the whole thing, and I’d teethe away at it. My grandmother told me th when I was younger, I always wanted to help her cook, and she would l me, even though I often proved to be more of a nuisance than of assistance. This simple transaction of my grandmother letting me help connected us and built our relationship up in a special way. Cooking b people together.
Food is healing. If I’m feeling stressed, walking around the grocery store extremely therapeutic for me, which is strange because most people fe the opposite. I even love listening to people talk about food. The Splen Table with Lynne Rossetto Kasper on NPR is my favorite radio show, an could literally listen to it all day long. She interviews different chefs, farm and various food people on her show. Oftentimes, she will also give rec or talk about her own experiences, and it is so wonderful and soothing way to listen to.
Food shapes us largely in a social way as well. I remember when I was a child, and had moved to a new school in a new city. I didn’t know anyb and I felt very vulnerable and nervous. My grandmother packed gumm bears in my backpack, and I swear those gummy bears were my lifeline brought them on the playground, and by the end of the day I was the m popular kid in class.
Food connects people in a unique way, similar to how music connects people. It’s a language all its own, and there are many different dialect asked my grandmother about her memories with our family when it comes to food, and she mostly spoke about tradition. She said we wou always cook turkey, dressing, cornbread, and pecan pie on Thanksgiving because it was traditional. She also mentioned that the women would all the cooking, while the men sat around and caught up with each oth My grandfather is Cajun, so it was traditional that for Christmas Eve, we would always make sausage and duck gumbo with French bread. Traditions are important in my family because they keep us tied togeth in a way. However, it saddens me because I have noticed some of our traditions dwindle. For instance, last year our family was scattered on Thanksgiving, so it was just my grandparents and I together. It felt emp and I missed the usual chatter and chaos. Similarly, for Christmas Eve a years ago it was only my grandparents and myself. We decided we wan to do something different that year, and give love to our community. W put homemade cookies in boxes, wrote different phrases such as “Than you for all that you do for our community!” and dropped them off to firefighters, policemen, and other businesses that were open.
I am thankful for the many ways that food has shaped me, nourished m and helped me grow closer to people. As I have lost some of the tradit that my family used to have, I look forward to building new traditions w I have a family of my own. Over the years, I have learned that food shou be used as a tool to grow and reach out to others. We are fortunate to in a country that has no shortage of food, and we should be generous w
Five Austin Brunch Spots That Won't Break The Bank There’s one meal that trumps all else, and that would be brunch. Its divine combination of breakfast, lunch, mimosas, bloody Mary’s, and everything in between makes it queen of all meals. Looking for something sweet? You got it. Interested in something a bit savory? Done. Brunch is the best friend you ever had. This list will feed your soul without burning a hole in your pocket.
Toaster
Contigo
If you’re looking for a brunch spot that’s under the radar, then you need to visit Toaster. It’s located outside of the east side bar, Stay Gold. Their menu is eclectic, unique, and mouth-watering. They have a breakfast corn dog with breakfast sausage in blueberry pancake batter, and served with maple syrup (Wait, WHAT?!). Their take on the Scotch Egg is a boiled egg wrapped in sausage, fried, served with sour cream & avocado crema. If you’re looking for the brunch item to send you to the moon, look no further than their Peanut Butter & Jelly French Toast Bananas Foster which is essentially a peanut butter & jelly sandwich dipped in batter and cooked like regular French toast, and topped with bananas foster. Visit Toaster for affordable food with a laid back vibe.
Oh, Contigo, how I do love thee. This farm to table hotspot is located off Airport Blvd. They serve dinner as well, but their brunch game is strong. Despite it’s popularity, the wait for brunch is never too excessive. The atmosphere of this place is really open, outdoorsy, and eclectic. My favorite item on the brunch menu is the Quiche, it's super creamy and has tomato, onion, jalapeño, & cheddar. Their house-made bread assortment is also a winning choice, and their smoked trout with fingerling potato, horseradish, & fennel cracker will always hit the spot. Grab a grapefruit mimosa and sit at one of the outdoor community tables to soak up the sunshine and snag bites off of everyone else's plate.
Veracruz All Natural
Bouldin Creek Café
Taverna
For those mornings that you don’t feel like getting fancy, but you just want some good grub, Veracruz is a great choice. Their tacos are authentic, and their ingredients are fresh. They have a few locations, but my favorite is the one right outside of Radio Coffee & Beer. You can order a latte, grab a taco, and bask in the sun with your favorite book. Order the La Reyna, which has egg whites, spinach, avocado, carrots, mushrooms, red bell pepper, pico de gallo, and cheese. The Chicken Mole taco is also a great choice; they have some of the best mole in town. Beware, they aren’t messing around with their salsa, so if you can’t handle the heat, go easy on it. However, if you have tastebuds made of steel (like I do), then go ahead & slather it on, because it’s delicious.
For the inner hippie in all of us, Bouldin Creek Café is the jam. Their brunch is delicious and affordable. They have a rad outdoor patio where you can bring your pooch and eat outside, or they have plenty of seating inside. You can expect to wait a bit if you get there at primetime, but you can order a Nutella mocha and read the Austin Chronicle to pass the time. The Tamale Breakfast is to die for, and comes with two sweet potato pecan tamales, cage-free eggs, tortillas, and salsa. The Renedict is their version of eggs benedict, and it’s scrumptious. The Inner Sun Omelet is also a no brainer, and comes packed with basil, locally grown tomatoes, crushed red pepper, feta, & jack cheese. You wouldn’t know it, but Bouldin is actually a vegetarian restaurant. Trust me, you won’t be missing the bacon at this spot.
This Italian bistro is the place to be for the young professional crowd. Nestled in the second street district, it is always hopping and aims to please. If you’re in the mood for mimosas or Bellini’s (a lot of them), then this is the place for you because they’re only $1 each. This might be the only spot in town with mimosas and bellini’s for only a buck each, so it’s definitely worth putting on your radar. Order the Vanilla French Toast, Taverna Beef Hash, or the Vegetarian Omelet. They also have the most melt in your mouth beignets I’ve ever tasted. They’re not on the menu, but if you ask for them, you will not be disappointed. Taverna is also a great spot for big groups, but make sure you get there early because it fills up fast.
BRUNCH TIPS FOR EVERY AUSTINITE 1. PICK YOUR PLACE 2. RALLY THE TROOPS 3. MAKE A RESERVATION 4. GO SOMEWHERE PETFRIENDLY 5. TAKE PHOTOS 6. TRY SOMETHING NEW
IT'S BOOZE-O'CLOCK EVERYWHERE
The craft cocktail is a hot commodity in Austin at the moment. It seems that they are almost overshadowing the ever-growing Austin food scene. Everywhere you look, articles are popping up about this chef’s new cocktail or that restaurants new libation menu. There is no doubt that it’s the cocktails time to shine. Craft cocktails are basically the superhero version of a regular drink, where every element is handmade or tailored specifically to the drink. They’re usually served in custom glassware, poured over special ice cubes, mixed with house-made syrups, and finished with a dash of housemade or small-batch bitters. There is a very real following to this trend, and a lot of creative elements go into the art of making a cocktail. While a good cocktail could always be found in Austin, the trend really kicked off in 2012 with a burst of several new cocktail bars opening. Many of Austin’s cocktail bars that are still popular today opened in 2012, such as Midnight Cowboy, Weather Up, drink.well., and Workhorse Bar. Whole Foods also opened bars inside their stores around this time. There are several reasons for the rising popularity of libations and mixology. Austin is already a trendy city, and therefore its food and libation habits naturally follow its character and personality. Johnna Guidry is in charge of the culture department at her company, and I asked what she thinks makes our city such a mecca for the cocktail scene. She mentioned that it could have something to do with the “growing variety and competition amongst all of the restaurants”, and the fact that “the scenery and vibe of Austin allows for a cocktail to feel appropriate at any time.” It’s true that on any given day in Austin, there is a swanky event, music festival, art show, and more than one reason to celebrate with a beverage. Maybe Austin is becoming the city of celebration.
The people who are all about this trend also reflect its creative trendiness. When looking around an Austin cocktail bar, you will most likely find a sprawl of hipsters, young professionals, musicians, entrepreneurs, emerging techies, millennials, and more. They will most likely be attractive, smartly dressed, artistic, fashionable, and unique. This cocktail scene is not for the person who will order a vodka sprite, and if you do that, prepare to be laughed out the door. Not that this scene is judgmental, but it’s all about appreciating the art of the cocktail. I would consider myself a keen advocate of the cocktail scene as a social 20 something living in Austin. Whenever I get together with friends, we usually choose to meet up at a place that serves craft cocktails because it has more of a laidback vibe than other bars that are more geared towards partying. The goal of craft cocktail bars is not to get wasted, but to enjoy a high quality drink (or two) while socializing. They are made more potent individually, so you really don’t need a lot. Plus, Austin is a city of thinkers, innovators, and creators. We don’t have time for hangovers. Many of the new drinks listed on menus are created by Austin’s “celebrity” bartenders. Weather Up owner, Kathryn Weatherup, describes her best bartender’s technique in the way that, "she lavishes attention on her cocktails, which she approaches with the punctiliousness of a lab technician and the purity of a nun." That’s pretty intense to just be talking about a bartender, but with this scene, they are much more than bartenders…they’re artists. However, some of these fancy bartenders seem to have egos bigger than Texas.
I spoke to a few friends that love the cocktail scene, and they mentioned that bartenders usually act like they don’t wantto be talked to. Gone are the days of the bartender pouring a glass of whiskey and chatting it up with the customers. These days, bartenders are more focused on the quality of the drink than the quality of their service. This is an interesting phenomenon that is catching the attention of people beyond our city. Many new bars opening up are coming from owners who previously had successful bars in other cities, and they recognize Austin’s potential in this scene. An article came out from the Wall Street Journal recently titled, “The Texas Cocktail Scene Goes Big”, where it describes the Lone Star State becoming the hottest place to find the best cocktail joints. The writer spoke about the new bar Half Step on Rainey Street being one of the best new craft cocktail joints in Austin. Coming from experience, it is actually a divine place to get an incredible drink. The space inside is covered with dark wood from ceiling to floor, and there are cozy booths scattered throughout with fancy lighting on the ceiling. The bar itself is surprisingly small, but has a display area with all of their housemade syrups, bitters, and liquors. They have refreshing items on the menu such as Floradora, which combines gin, lime, ginger and house-made raspberry syrup. If you’re looking for something a bit more potent, Remember the Maine includes rye, sweet vermouth, cherry heering, and absinthe. Local jazz music can often be found during most nights of the week at this joint. Austin’s Culturemap recently did a piece highlighting Austin’s best bartenders, which included Carley Dunavant, who has been behind the bar at treasured spots such as Whisler’s, drink.well., and Odd Duck. The fact that so many cocktail bartenders hop around to different spots shows a healthy amount of warmth and appreciation for the various bars throughout town. Carley also made it onto the finals of GQ’s Most Inspired Bartender competition. These bartenders are not messing around when it comes to crafting the perfect drink. We can’t talk about the Austin cocktail scene without giving a nod to renowned bar, East Side Showroom. The atmosphere of East Side Showroom makes you feel as if you’ve stepped into a time machine back to the 1920’s. Their drinks are always on point. A favorite on the menu right now is the Brown Derby, which includes bourbon, grapefruit, honey, and lemon. Walking into this bar can transform anyone’s day by making you feel as if you’ve stepped into an entirely different world. Maybe that’s another reason the cocktail scene in Austin has such a raving audience; our thriving 20 something’s are stressed out, and kicking back with pals in a trendy spot, drinking delectable beverages is just what the doctor ordered. My personal favorite cocktail bar in Austin is an unassuming spot on the east side called Whisler’s. Everything about this place is spot on from the vibe to the cocktails, and the bartenders are pretty nice too. They even have a secret mescal bar upstairs that you almost have to stumble upon accidentally to find. Their Old Fashioned is definitely the best in town, with a balanced combination of rye, demerara syrup, and angostura bitters. They also get really creative with their drinks, and they change with the seasons. This fall they have a drink called Down the Rabbit Hole, and includes vodka, velvet falernum, carrot, lime, and orange bitters. With this rising cocktail scene, you can’t be afraid to try to things, or jump beyond your comfort zone. It’s almost representative of our new generation of young professionals who are branching out on their own, full of entrepreneurs, fresh ideas, and innovative creativity. One thing is clear, this trend is
Taylor Baker An Austin-based freelancer, Taylor has contributed to Localeur, where she wrote “It’s Always Happy Hour Somewhere in Austin” and “The Best Spots to Feed Your Mouth & Ears in Austin.” She a Senior PR/Marketing major at St. Edwards University, and will be graduating in Spring 2016. She is also a published songwriter with her band Taylor & the Wild Now.