I thought that I knew tacos. I thought that I loved them, but it turns out I didn’t know tacos at all.
Taco Heaven at El Chilito
Say “Hello” to my first real taco. Pulled pork drowned in heavenly Tomatillo Sauce, served in a warm, doughy, flour tortilla. Next in line was the Polla Asada Taco, also pretty damn good. What have I been missing all of my life? I can’t wait to start cooking this stuff.
Our adventures in Mexican Cuisine did not stop at the El Chilito, not by a long shot. Heather’s friend, Sara Holliday, a local from Austin, and a Texas native is a true taco officianado. Her Mom, the lovely Mrs. Holliday, treated us to dinner at her favorite Tex Max place in Austin, Chuy’s. Chuy’s was right up my alley. Not only did they serve awesomely delicious food, and butt-kicking Texas Martini’s, the entire building is Elvis themed. The walls, fixtures, and even the ceilings are completely covered in crazy 50’s/60’s ephemera, and every year on The King’s birthday, they throw a massive party. I predict that Scott and I will put on many a pound thanks to this place.
Deliciousness at Chuy’s
On Friday night, Sara, Heather, and I met up with our sister Sarah, and her boyfriend, Steve for dinner at El Sol Y La Luna, a popular Mexican place on 6th Street. Their guacamole was awesome, but it was totally out shined by the full mariachi band on stage. In Connecticut, a mariachi group usually consists of 2 or 3 guys wandering the restaurant with a guitar, playing La Cucaracha, and La Bamba over and over and over… Don’t get me wrong, I’m into the mariachi, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a trio that could step to the Mariachi Posse at El Sol Y La Luna. There were like fifteen of them, and they weren’t kidding around. Our final stop on our Mexican food tour of Austin was at Fonda San Miguel, known to be the best place in town for authentic Interior Mexican Cuisine. We went for their famous brunch, a spread that will not soon be forgotten. The food was unlike any Mexican recipes I have ever tasted. Had I been blind folded, I might have guessed that I was eating Indian Food while tasting some of the meat dishes. One thing was prevalent throughout the buffet, and that was an abundance of flavor. The sauces were brimming with spices, the salads and side dishes were carefully prepared. Even the dessert table was filled with unique and delicious things, including Creme Brulee, Dulce De Leche, Mexican Cookies, and Bread Pudding. It was a really delicious experience all around, and a pleasant surprise for someone who already thought that they loved Mexican food. Now that I know there is a whole other world to explore, I can’t wait to get started.
Believe it or not, Austin has some other very tasty restaurants that aren’t Mexican. I managed to squeeze a few carefully selected non-Mexican eateries into my visit, which turned out to be a great idea, because most of them were really really good. Our first and last stop (we ate there twice) was The Blue Dahlia in the East Villiage section of Austin. The neighborhood here is an interesting one. It is considered a bit edgy, sometimes even dicey, but it is the home to a growing number of awesome Austin spots, the Blue Dahlia being one of them. This simple cafe offers a small, but tasty menu of fresh baked breads, frittatas, tar-tines, and simple pasta and vegetable dishes. It’s yummy, reasonably priced, and a nice, fresh alternative to the endless stream of crispy, fried debauchery that is all too easily available in Austin.
The Woodland on South Congress was another favorite spot of mine. Their cocktail menu was the first thing that entranced me. With it’s unusual combinations of flavors it’s very hard to pick which one to try first. For starters, we shared a plate of fried corn fritters with spicy chipotle mayo, homemade onion rings, and fried oysters. Yum yum yum. For dinner, I ordered a BLT with fresh slaw. Heather had a Roasted Tomato with Asiago Orzo, and Sara had the juiciest burger ever. I should note, The Woodland is famous for its Chicken Pot Pie. I wasn’t in the mood for Pot Pie that night, but I’ll definitely be back for it.
One evening we trekked out to Lake Travis for dinner at The Oasis. Never in my life have I seen a place so big, and so busy at the same time. We arrived right before sunset, the hottest time of the night at the Oasis. The humongous, multi layered deck looks out over the lake from its perch high atop the mountain. The view was incredible. The food? Not so much. I’d definitely recommend trekking up to The Oasis for a drink (their signature Sunset Cocktail was pretty kick-ass), watching the sunset, and then heading back into town for dinner. The prices and the quality of the food left a lot to be desired, especially when you pit it against the incredible amount of talented cooks in Austin. I guess they can thank the sunset for their immense popularity. They certainly can’t thank their charred, pre-pressed “burgers”. Bleh.
Sunset over Lake Travis
Another memorable spot we hit up was Amy’s Ice Cream on South Congress. Amy’s is a small local chain of ice cream shops that carries a small, but cycling variety of ice cream flavors, and then mashes whatever ingredients your heart desired inside it. Unlike Cold Stone, the big box version of this concept, Amy’s offers a line of slightly more creative flavors and smashable ingredients. Often, there is at least one flavor on the ice cream menu that you can get carded for. That’s right, booze and ice cream together in a cone at last!
Even the tip cups are funnier in Austin
They are crazy for mobile food in Austin. Everywhere you look there is a cleverly named food trailer. In fact, most of the highest rated restaurants in Austin on Yelp are food trailers. This tasty, affordable trend is one that I like very much. Quick, easy, and tasty. Three winning attributes when you need to grab a bite in between the oodles of fun things to do in Austin. My first food trailer experience was at Gourdough’s, a made to order doughnut joint, serving out the window of an Air Stream Trailer. How cool is that?
The Glory of an Air Stream Trailer
These aren’t just any donuts, mind you. First of all, they are huge. About the size of a large saucer. Second of all, they are fried up as you order them, ensuring you a hot, crispy donut every time, but what really sets these bad boys apart are the toppings. Dunkin Donuts, Krispy Kreme, hang it up. How about hot grilled strawberries? Fried chicken and honey? Habanero peppers and cream cheese? Grilled bananas and brown sugar? It was insane.
Seriously, check out this menu. Zoom in, you know you want to.
So that was Austin. My road trip was complete. I flew home last week with a new appreciation for Texas, Tacos, and Food Trailers. I even learned the important difference between Tex Mex and Interior Mexican food. So maybe my jeans didn’t button quite so happily as they did before I left, ah well. That’s the price of eating well, I suppose. A price I’d pay again, and again, and again <hey, where did these cankles come from?> and again, and again…
