Everyone knows that a city hasn’t really made it big until it stars in a fast food TV commercial–amiright? So if Real World Austin or the controversial Austin-centric McDonald’s mural didn’t make us cool enough, a new commercial for Wendy’s might help finally put Austin on the map. Stitching together hip things like vintage clothing, a retro catchphrase, and consumer-friendly trendy South Congress, the commercial shows that not only is Austin probably the coolest city in the US, but that Wendy’s understands Y-O-U!!

Check it:

If you’re the type that skips commercials, here are the meaty bits:

Some waifish (maybe German?) tourist is visiting Austin. Trying to fit in, he visits New Bohemia on South Congress and looks for a vintage tee. To NewBo’s credit, I’ve never seen a cardboard box of discounted clothing.

The German dude probably hasn’t seen the 80′s commercial from which this quote came; rather, he chooses the shirt because he thinks the words are funny.

As he buys the shirt, the cashier is the first in a series of folks to ask the dumbfounded dude,”Where’s the beef?” For the record, This girl’s outfit is too mainstream for NewBo. Them folks have style and class.

As he crosses Monroe heading north on South Congress, the dude ditches his dreary duds and puts on his new, hip shirt.

I can’t help but notice that there are no cars parked on South Congress. Apparently no one wanted to be caught on video trying to awkwardly back-in park.

This shot confuses me. First off, when did Allen Boots start selling vintage clothes and antique spinning wheels? And second, is this business guy propositioning the tourist?

Seriously: Fellas, how would YOU interpret a guy ogling your bare midriff as he says, “Where’s the beef?” To be honest, depending on how drunk/stoned I was, I might just head over to the parking garage behind Hopdoddy and make a few extra bills–naw mean?

Oops, he’s heading south now. When did Off the Wall, a clothing store, or Big Top, a candy store, start serving salads and burgers?

What’s more confusing: Having everyone you encounter shout your shirt at you OR walking down South Congress and then magically being teleported to 6th and Congress?

(Side note: Some coworkers and I were walking on the opposite side of 6th when they shot this! OMG! ALMOST FAMOUS, Y’ALL!!)

Now he’s down at the end of Rainey Street at the Mexican American Cultural Center. One too many drinks at Clive bar? And again, another awkward encounter with a lonely man. Get a clue: Just walk around the corner, show him your beef, take the money and run.

Man, this commercial is more geo-temporally effed up than an episode of LOST. For realz: He’s back walking alongside of the South Congress Baptist Church!!

After a few more blocks, he discovers the Wendy’s at SoCo and Ben White. In lieu of showing the actual Wendy’s store from the commercial, we present you with this close-up of plastic-looking cheese.

Insider’s tip: There’s now a P.Terry’s right across Ben White. It’s healthier and local.

Gotta give Wendy’s some props: It takes balls to shoot a commercial in the heart of Whataburger territory. And while it’s nice that y’all shot a commercial in Austin, Wendy’s, in the end, no matter how many commercials you shoot here, I’m gonna keep hittin up my local burger places, like P.Terry’s and Hopdoddy. And if I’m feeling really like I need some fast food, I’ll be hittin up Texas-based Whataburger.

A couple of reasons why P. Terry’s and Hopdoddy kick ass:

• P.Terry’s uses “All-Natural Black Angus beef; hormone-free, antibiotic free while raised on and all-vegetarian diet.” Their chicken burgers come from locally-raised chickens. Plus, P.Terry’s is about the same price as the big chains.
• Hopdoddy, to me, is the future of restaurants. Not only do they source all of their meats locally, but they also bake their own buns (including gluten-free) daily, and compost or recycle everything.

And that, friends, is why Austin is cool.

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Not only is the drought taking its toll on my lawn, it’s also destroying my summer plans. No fireworks in Austin on the 4th. No lake. No greenbelt. No reason to keep starving or torturing myself at the gym to get the perfect summer body. For those of you who wish to join me in throwing off the oppressive body image that forces us to have nice abs, you can find me at the following locations.

5 best places in Austin to destroy your summer body:

5.Barton Springs Saloon, 424 South Lamar, 78704

Nothing says, “I don’t give an eff about a bathing suit,” like a nice round beer belly. And the fastest way to a beer belly is by drinking lots of, well, beer. With $1 Lonestar, High Life and Keystone Light, Barton Springs Saloon makes it affordable to fill up. Plus, its outdoor seating keeps you from feeling like you’re pissing the summer away inside a dimly-lit bar.

(photo from ActiveRain.com)

4.Holy Cacao, 1311 S 1st St, 78704

In college, I tried gaining weight by drinking a milkshake with protein powder and peanut butter 2-3 times a day. Instead of getting ripped and massive, it made me a little fluffy. But my goals have changed since then.  Protein has the potential to build lean mass, so let’s take the protein powder out and toss in piece of cake instead. Introducing the Cake Shake from Holy Cacao:

(photo from Miss Austin)

3. Gourdoughs, 1219 South Lamar, 78704

No denying that donuts make you fat–and those are just the common Johnson’s, Shipley’s or Krispy Kreme varietals. But when you make them the size of a plate and cover them in brownie bites, ish gets real big, real fast. Heck, “Gourdough’s” actually sounds like the Spanish word for fat, gordo!

(photo by Mike Sutter/American-Statesman.)

2. Hopdoddy, 1400 South Congress, 78704

A place that makes its own buns, grinds its own locally-sourced meats and churns its own ice cream might seem like it belongs on a different list–but Hopdoddy is just too damn good. With a nice variety of gourmet burgers, it’s pretty easy to eat two in one sitting. Add large fries and a liquored-up adult milkshake, and you may need to be rolled to the car.

(Photo by Jason Anderson/Austin Chronicle)

1. The W Pool, 200 Lavaca St, 78701

Shards of glass raining from the sky make it easy to destroy any hard work you’ve put into your body…ever. But you’ll have to get there fast: The W seems to be working double time to replace all the faulty glass balcony panels. Once those are fixed, you’ll only find body image busting eye candy–and all that’ll do is make you want to hit the gym.

(photo by Amber Gugino from Downtown Austin Blog)

Where do you go when you want to pack on the pounds?

What Austin restaurant makes your inner fat kid quiver with giddy excitement?

Where’s the best place to find baggy board shorts and a triple XL white t-shirt?

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In Berlin, I used to go to the Winerei, a wine bar near my house that operated under the honor system. Kind of like a Beer Bust, you pay 1 euro for a glass, and then drink the nightly sampling of wine. At the end of the night, you pay the equivalent of what you think the wine was worth–or you don’t pay anything.

Despite serving expensive wines to poor artists, somehow the Winerei managed to stay open–but that wasn’t the amazing thing. For me, the Winerei takes the snobbery out of wine by making good wine accessible to everyone. And while we’re never gonna have an honor system-based wine bar in Austin, Aviary off of South Lamar comes pretty close to duplicating the casual atmosphere you often find at wine bars in Europe.

Sandwiched between Birds Barbershop and Black Sheep Lodge, Aviary has quickly become my number one chillout spot. It’s stumbling distance from my house, and after being in foggy San Francisco for work for almost 2 months, all I want to do is just enjoy late “spring” in Austin. Over the last few weeks, that means hanging out on Aviary’s porch, drinking wine and watching the colors change as the sun slowly sinks below the horizon.

Originally a home decor shop that sold wine, Aviary has grown into a wine bar that happens to sell furniture. Not surprisingly, walking into Aviary is like walking into a super chill gathering at someone’s home. Plus, there’s zero pretense, just people drinking wine and having a good time.

Originally from Buenos Aires, the owner, Marco Fiorillo, brings an Old World charm that sets the tone for the experience. Authentically friendly, Marco introduces himself as if you are a friend of one of his buds. He also has the ability to size you up and guess what type of wine you’ll like.

For summer, I love anything with bubbles. Reds are too heavy. Whites are too sweet. But something about adding bubbles to either, and it helps beat the heat.

This is a Canals & Munné Cava. It’s not too sweet. It’s also not too dry.

This is a Montmarte Rosé Sec. A sparkling rosé, it’s also not as sweet as its pink label suggests. It has more of a cranberry flavor with a bit of a mineral finish.

And this is a Rabaso Fiore. A red with tiny bubbles, it’s effing amazing.

Open Tuesday through Sunday, they’ve got damn fine drink specials every night. My favorite is Wednesday for half-off bottles of wine. And unlike other South Lamar hot spots, Aviary has its own parking lot.

Oh, and if you’re lucky, you can meet Marco’s son, Enzo. He’s quite possibly the most brilliant 5-year old I’ve ever met.

DEETS ABOUT AVIARY:

• WHERE: 110 South Lamar,  78704 (near Oltorf), 512.916.4445
• WHEN: Tuesday – Saturday: 11A-Mid; Sunday: 1P-10P

Have you been to Aviary?

What’s your favorite wine bar in Austin?

What’s your favorite summer wine?

Living in Austin, we tend to take our food scene for granted.  I mean, how great it is to get gourmet donuts from a trailer? Or what about having farm fresh, seasonal food available at tons of different restaurants all across town?

On a recent trip to Houston, I wanted to give the emerging Houston farm to table scene a try. One of my favorite things is to try a chef’s tasting at local restaurants. Almost like a private dinner, you get to sample 6-8 different, specially-prepared dishes. In Austin, I’ve had some unforgettable meals at Wink and The Carillon.   In Houston, we chose Haven, a self-described “seasonal kitchen.”

When we walked in, the host took us to our table. Seated directly on the firing line, we heard the sous calling out orders to the cooks, dishes clanking as entrees were plated, and a general hum of activity as waiters scurried by.  Executive Chef Randy Evans greeted us, explained the layout of the kitchen and the function of each station. To see if any last-minute menu changes would be necessary, he asked if we had any food allergies or dislikes.

As each dish came out, Chef Randy described its elements and told us which local vendor supplied the produce and meats. 3 of the 6 dishes contained locally-sourced seafood. Deviled eggs with Louisiana bowfin caviar, gulf fish served over cabbage, and shrimp corndogs all creatively expressed Houston’s proximity to the Gulf.

According to Chef Randy, not enough Houston chefs get their food locally, often times flying fish in from the East Coast and getting produce from Mexico. Through his unique dishes, Chef Randy hopes to transform Houston restaurant goers’ palates and help them understand the importance of sourcing food locally. Part of that is working with local fishermen and vendors to further map the regions of the Gulf from which they source their seafood. By establishing distinct regions within the Gulf, he hopes to allow customers the ability to order fish from their favorite Gulf regions in the way the currently do for East Coast seafood.

As even more of a testament to his passion for local foods, Haven sponsors a weekly farmers market, and Chef Randy participates in the coolest local food event series I’d ever heard of Houston Culinary Tours where local chefs take foodies around to some of their favorite off-the-beaten-path restaurants in the city.

Overall, Haven was a truly amazing experience. One of my favorite dishes was the shrimp and crawfish gnocci served with a delightfully garlicy butter sauce.  Definitely bowl-licking good!  Another favorite was a surprisingly simple twist on a cheese plate: a piece of blue cheese, hunk of honeycomb, and slice of toasted bread. When all three elements combined, there was a perfect blend of sweet and savory couple with a delicate balance of smooth and crunchy textures.

Can’t wait to visit Haven again. For the sake of Houston consumers, I hope Chef randy can spark the taste buds and community support that we enjoy here in Austin. Check out more pictures from the dinner below.

What do you think about Houston dining scene?

Are there any lessons Austin can learn from Houston?

Light jazz plays in the background. A gentle spring breeze blows through the trees. And waitresses scurry past with trays of bite-sized chicken quesadillas that are quickly snatched up by hungry party goers.  This was the scene this past Thursday at the kick-off to Austin Restaurant Week hosted by Garrido’s. More trays appeared (and disappeared) filled with pork carnitas, beef tostadas, and chocolate sauce drenched bread pudding which are all a part of Garrido’s three-course Restaurant Week menu – a steal at $12.

Beef tostadas from Garrido's

For a gal on a budget with a terrible addiction to fine dining and trying new restaurants, Austin Restaurant Week is a dream come true.  Over 50 local restaurants have created special three-course menus for $35 or less, and for some of these restaurants, their typical dinner entree can cost you at least this much!

Restaurant Week menus are offered Sunday-Wednesday this week, April 10-13, and next week, April 17-20, for lunch, dinner. New this year: brunch (check the website to see which menus each restaurant is offering).

Guacaomole from Garrido's

The list of Austin restaurant’s participating runs like a who’s who of Austin’s fine dining scene: The Driskill, Trace, La Condesa, Uchi/ko, Parkside, The Carillon, Aquarelle, and more.  Unfortunately, there just aren’t enough days to check out all our favorites.

Hey, organizers,  take a cue from Houston and next year,  have a restaurant week “month”!

Have you mapped out your plan for restaurant week?

What restaurant is on your list for Restaurant Week?

Check out more pictures from last Thursday’s event.

This weekend I had the honor of being a judge at the first Austin Restaurant Throwdown. Held up north at Manny’s Uptown Kitchen, my job was to choose Austin’s Best Reuben. Joining me on my quest for perfection were Matthew Odam (The Statesman), S.L. McDonald (Texas Monthly) and Rob Balon (KLBJ, Fox-7).

Despite the beautiful weather (or maybe because of it), the turnout for the event was massive–but then again, who doesn’t love a good Reuben. And having the chance to sample four Reubens from Austin’s top delis–well, that’s downright irresistible.

A deli classic, the Reuben is traditionally a grilled sandwich composed of rye bread, layered Corned Beef (or Pastrami), sauerkraut, swiss cheese and a tangy sauce. And there’s nothing quite like the combination of the sour from the kraut and the savory from the meat/cheese combo.

As a kid, I was horribly conflicted about the Reuben. Part of me loved the grilled-cheese nature of the sandwich, but I couldn’t stand caraway seeds. And by the time I’d plucked them all from the bread, the sandwich was cold. As an adult, however, I’ve learned to really love caraway seeds, making the Reuben one of my favorite sandwiches.

After the silver platter of sandwiches was served, I couldn’t help but chow down. In fact, judging by these pictures, it might as well have been a Reuben EATING Contest:

All I can say is: Thank God someone got pictures of me eating. Hopefully they will help dispel the anorexia rumors currently slamming me in the tabloids. Heck, if it worked for Paris Hilton, maybe it will work for me. Now to release that sex tape…

So on to the sandwiches. They were served with only the letters for reference. The names came later.

Sandwich D, NeWorlDeli

This Reuben has a super-sized serving of sauerkraut–which I love. The bread was a little soggy. I would have liked it to have been more grilled. Overall, it was a tasty sandwich. And although I rated it 4th place, it was a standup, very traditional Reuben.

Sandwich B, Garden Spot Cafe

This sandwich was actually a Rachel. A healthier variant of the Reuben, a Rachel substitutes turkey for corned beef and cole slaw for sauerkraut. This was an incredibly good sandwich that I could see myself eating everyday. My head, however, was in Reuben mode. That’s why this sandwich was my 3rd place pick.

Sandwich C, Manny’s Uptown Grill

With the sauerkraut sandwiched between the meat, the Reuben from Manny’s Uptown Grill was kinda like a sandwich within a sandwich. The effect was kind of like an explosion of sauerkraut. The sauce was nice and tangy–but the bread felt a tad dry to me. Plus, I like a lot of kraut on my sandwich. Overall, the taste and texture were really nice.

The crowd favorite, two of the judges on the panel chose this one as numero uno. It was my 2nd place Reuben.

Sandwich A, Fricano’s Deli

Man oh man, this sandwich rocked my world. The sandwich has the perfect layer of crispy, grilled goodness, which helped seal in all of the flavors. Also, the meat was grilled separately, giving it a unique taste. And the sauce was tangy but not overpowering.

Rob and I chose this as our 1st place sandwich, making it the overall winner. This Reuben is what they serve at the delis in heaven.

This is the complicated form I had to fill out.

Me trying to explain why the meatiness of the grilled beef was effing amazing.

Fricano's Deli took home the trophy.

Not only was the event fun, but proceeds went to local charities. 60% went to Hospice Austin’s Christopher House, Fricano’s Deli’s choice. The remainder went to Meals on Wheels (Manny’s Uptown Kitchen), National Alliance on Mental Illness (NeWorlDeli) and The Chrohn’s and Colitis Foundation (Garden Spot Café).

All of these Reubens were top notch! Try them yourself and decide.

The aftermath--well, before I gorged myself.

Who serves your favorite Reuben in Austin?

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In the last week, two totally dope Pizza-related pictures came my way that make me realize Austin is probably the coolest city on earth. And since we humans always have to have an alpha dog, I’d like to pose the question: Which Austin pizza joint is most badass? Tossing taste, flavor and service out the window (because seriously, do those things matter?), we will be judging EVERYTHING based on these two pieces of art.

CONTESTANT #1: Home Slice Pizza Tattoo

In this corner, hailing from the heart of Austin’s SoCo district is Home Slice Pizza with a fan tattoo:

Aww, the splendorous red of a new tattoo. And while this is one of my favorite logos, it’s not nearly as badass as the tranny “Queen of All Pies” pizza girl that graces their signs.

Let’s hope he doesn’t give up wheat*..or diary…or carbs any time soon; otherwise, he might have to get this one covered up with a stalk of celery or whatever non-pizza eating folk eat.

CONTESTANT #2: Austin’s Pizza Bear vs Unicorn drawing

In this corner, we have Austin’s Pizza from, well, all over our great city with this totally amazeballs drawing (via Reddit):

In case you can’t read:

Dear John,

My name is Chad from Austin’s Pizza Call Center. We received your online order earlier this evening. We saw your note, “Please draw a unicorn fighting a bear on the box.” Unfortunately, our stores are not equipped to fulfill such a request. They simply do not posses the required skill. I, however, took it upon myself to draw out the picture you requested on a post-it note. I hope this suits your needs.

Sincerely,

Chad Frierson
Austin’s Pizza
Asst Call Center Mgr

I think that is probably the most amazing customer-service thing I’ve ever seen in my life. And the art work is legit. Chad, if this Call Center thing doesn’t work out, you may have a future in graphic design. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if that ends up on a t-shirt or album.

[UPDATE: Reader Sym Prole sent us this message: "You can get your own $5 doodle on a post-it note drawn by chad at http://www.scabfarm.com/"]

Does that unicorn look like the Austin Chronicle’s Gay Place Blog mascot Dandy Unicorn to you? Wonder if he’s metaphorically fighting off the onset of Bears invading town for next week’s Bearracuda weekend.

RESULTS: TIE

Yeah, yeah, it’s a cop out. But I like both places for different reasons.

Seriously: Home Slice is a great place to take friends–especially those with kids. Plus, they put on a mean Carnival of Pizza. Austin’s Pizza is top-notch and perfect for those night you just can’t get off the couch.

However, now that I’m gluten free*, I’ve been hitting up Southside Flying Pizza.

And in the end, would you see pizza art like this from Dallas?

*Gluten-free peeps: The good folks over at the ATX Gluten-Free blog are having a Gluten Free Pizza Fest in February.

At the first of the year, I flipped it up and moved across Congress over to Bouldin Creek. The hippier part of South Congress, I’m just a couple blocks from La Mexicana, Polvo’s and the new Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse. Yup, N-E-W Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse.

For those of you who were out of town for the holidays, the old Bouldin Creek Coffeeshouse, located at Elizabeth and S 1st, moved a couple blocks south from a rustic, almost hillbilly-esque building to a very modern, semi-commercial looking building at Mary and S 1st. One of my top 5 coffeeshops in the city, the old Bouldin Creek was known for rocking some amazing vegan food AND for having the highest concentration of fixed-gear bicycles west of I-35.

Ever skeptical of commercial looking buildings, I was initially hesitant to visit the new location. I’m glad I did. The space is a good 5 times larger than the old location. With wide open spaces and a big front porch, there’s plenty o’ people watching to be had. The entrees are all healthy, tasty and under $10. And they still have my favorite drink of all time: an iced lavender mate sour.

The one draw back was that it took an hour to get our food and another hour to get our check. Granted, this was New Year’s Eve Day. My friend and I thought it was peculiarly slow, thinking maybe the kitchen just wasn’t ready for the massive surge in clientele. Well, according to the photo (below) sent in by an ROA reader, we were right: Their brand new (and actually quite beautiful) open kitchen has some sort of problem with the layout.

Check it:

The photo was snapped last week, and we’ve heard that BCC has rearranged their kitchen for maximum peak efficiency. Love the new Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse and their super-dooper expanded vegetarian menu. If they get through these hiccups, I’m pretty sure this is going to be the hottest weekend brunch spot in the ’04.

I especially love how they’ve decorated the place. Although the new building is super modern, the walls art painted with old-timey graphics. This mustache looks like it should be over on the East Side:

Check out a couple of photos from Jeff Campbell of the new coffee bar and huge indoor seating area (via Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse’s FB Fan Page):

Also digging on this pic from Marc Savlov (via the BCC Facebook Fan Page):

So this weekend, go check it out. Be sure to be patient. Or skip the crowd and go during the week. This is truly one of my most beloved places, and I commend them for making the transition from counter service to full-service restaurant.

DEETS ABOUT BOULDIN CREEK COFFEEHOUSE:

• WHERE: 2100 S 1st at Mary St, 78704
• WHEN: M-F 7A-MID; SA and SN: 9A-MID
• PRICES: Good-sized portions for less than $10
• OVERALL: A- (love the atmosphere; food was great; price is great; PLUS for huge vegan and veg selection!!) [A+ once the kitchen probs get solved]

Have you been to the new Boulidn Creek Coffeehouse? What’d you think?

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When it comes to Austin’s growing food trailer culture, one of the biggest challenges is making a decision about where to eat. Depending on where you live or work, it can be easy to overlook some of the latest rolling fare.

This weekend at Auditorium Shores, the Gypsy Picnic Trailer Food Festival gathers the best trailers in one location and takes the pain out of having to decide. Grab the dogs, bring the kids and put on your eatin’ dress because from 11am-8pm you will have the chance to sample from over 30 food trailers all in one location. Admission is free and every trailer has at least one item to sample for $3 or less.

With that I give you the 5 Stop $15 Trailer Tour featuring the top 5 ways to sample your way to bliss, try something new and not spend more than $15. Some of these items I have enjoyed before, while others I decided I must try after cross referencing other blog posts and Yelp reviews. Check back next week to see how my festival experience went down.

The Gypsy Picnic 5 Stop $15 Trailer Tour

Stop 1. The Peached Tortilla: Banh Mi Taco ($3)

Vietnamese braised pork belly, pickled daikon and carrot salad, sriracha mayo and cilantro on your choice of a flour or corn tortilla (If only they were serving it on their Hawaiian Sweet Bread as a slider).

The Peached Tortilla -- Photo by Meghan Heller

Stop 2. Cutie Pies: Betty Lou’s Award Winning Buttermilk Pie ($3)

I don’t know who Betty Lou is but I don’t doubt her melt in your mouth Buttermilk Pie has won many awards. You will certainly find me in line for this one.

a buttermilk pie (from Cutie Pies trailer) for Pi Day - photo by Kristen Taylor

Stop 3. The Mighty Cone: Chicken, Avocado or Shrimp Cone – ($3) -

When I think of trailer food, The Mighty Cone is the first thing that comes to mind. I usually live off of this staple at ACL and see no reason to leave it off the list (especially if you haven’t tried it). Breaded chicken, avocado or shrimp wrapped in a tortilla and topped with mango-jalapeño slaw and ancho sauce served in a paper cone. Vegetarians can opt for the avocado which I can attest is very tasty.

The Mighty Cone - photo from The Might Cone

Stop 4. Kate’s Southern Comfort: Crawfish Pie ($3)

Kate says she serves up Southern hospitality in all of her dishes and I plan on sampling the Crawfish Pie. A flaky pastry filled with spicy crawfish etoufee sounds like cajun goodness to me.

Kate Bellinger at Kate's Southern Comfort - photo by Mike Sutter/American-Statesman

Stop 5. The Jalopy, Rotisserie and Press: The Original Rotisserie Chicken Sandwich ($3)

The owner Nic slow cooks the rotisserie chicken in all the menu items overnight to give it a high quality flavor. This rotisserie chicken sandwich with demi and onion marmalade is the original but one of many rotisserie based creations on their menu.

The Original Rotisserie Chicken Sandwich from the Jalopy -- photo by Jodi Bart at Tasty Touring

Still hungry? Top off your experience with one of these:

Bonus. Man Bites Dog: My Big Fat Greek Dog ($5)

This not your after school hot dog. Their motto is “more meat, better buns and bigger ideas” and this one does not disappoint.  How can you go wrong with Merguez lamb sausage, tzatziki, tomatoes, onions, olives and feta on a fresh bun?

My Big Fat Greek Dog from Man Bites Dog - photo by Linda over at Girl Eats World

Bonus. Gourdough’s Big Fat Donuts: Flying Pig ($6)

A $6 donut you may ask? It is not just a regular donut; it is a big, fat, fresh donut covered with bacon and a delicious maple syrup icing that everyone should try once in their life.

Fly Pig Doughnut from Gourdoughs - photo by Shaung C on Yelp

Hope this helps you map your day! If you haven’t already, check out the Gypsy Picnic website, which might look a little familiar if you are an ACL fan. The same way you pick bands, you can go in and design your custom food menu and then compare them with your friends. Speaking of bands, the festival will feature live music throughout the day from Noise Revival Orchestra, English Teeth, Ruby Jane, Gary Clark Jr, J. Roddy Walston and the Business and Junior Brown.  See you there!

• EXPERIENCE: “Gypsy Picnic  Trailer Food Festival” (Saturday, 11.06.10); Auditorium Shores; 11A-8P; FREE Facebook Page

What are you looking to try?

Any of your favorites at the festival?

How are you gonna map out your day?

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Since we’re all pretty much broke, Austin Restaurant Week is one of our favorite events of the year. For 8 days spread out over 2 weeks (September 19th – 22nd and 26th – 29th), top restaurants throughout the city offer pre-fixe menus with prices ranging from $25 to $35 for a full dinner. Proceeds also go to one of our favorite non-profits, the Sustainable Food Center. For a full list of participating restaurants and menus, check here. Oh, and don’t forget to make rezos, because many of these places fill up fast.

Hold up, stop reading and call Green Pastures NOW for reservations during next week’s restaurant week. Trust me on this.

Ok, you off the phone?

Like finding a lost $20 bill in your pocket while doing laundry, Green Pastures during Austin’s Restaurant Week is one of those little forgotten surprises that makes your heart burst with joy. Not that it’s easy to forget the stately Victorian home, the peacocks strolling the grounds or the food, but if you’re living mostly check-to-check, the $30+ per entree might cause a case of instant amnesia. During Restaurant Week, however, this fine dining experience is open to the people. And let me tell you, it’s amazing.

Tucked in the heart of Bouldin Creek, Green Pastures is truly a unique experience. When you drive onto the ground–grounds, not parking lot!–the fully-restored, two-story Victorian home instantly transports you back in time. Built in 1894, the house was one of the first houses south of the river. In fact, the owners slowly sold off their land to create what is now the Bouldin Creek neighborhood.

In 1946, after being purchased by new owners, the downstairs of the home was converted into a restaurant, leaving upstairs for the family residency. 64 years later, the restaurant is still in business, owned and operated by the same family–but instead of grandma in the kitchen, Chef Charles Bloemsma mans the helm, serving up a sophisticated (somewhat Southern) take on French food.

Chef Bloemsma’s food has all the austerity of the house combined with the grace and elegance of the peacocks that have roamed the grounds for decades. But it’s not stuffy. As you’ll see in the photos, the presentation is thoroughly modern and his food combinations match the spirit of the times. Plus you’re eating in a room in a house with real silver cutlery. Simply put, he knows his surroundings.

The appetizer was really 3 appetizers served during one course. It was a bit of a surprise, kinda like finding three little presents at Christmas instead of one big one–and I loved it. Unwrapping each package was like taking a little flavor trip. At one point, I couldn’t think about anything but the avocado soup with goat cheese. I literally stopped talking mid-sentence to let the full experience wash over me. The creamy fresh avocado with the tangy goat cheese transported me to a Paul Gauguin painting. The poached egg had a delicate crispy shell with a fluffy inside. And the fig-balsamic reduction on the stromboli turned tasted like some sort of savory dessert.

The entree was a filet mignon that totally melted in my mouth. This bad boy usually costs $37. It paired perfectly with special Restaurant Week wine, a Sangiovese that was the taste equivalent of the most amazing fireworks ever–it totally set everything off.

Port is like the exclamation point to an amazing dinner…

And if the dessert is amazing, than it’s that much better. This pecan-rolled ice cream scoop with homemade fudge sauce hit we with all the wonder of my 6-year old self.

During dessert, Chef Bloemsma chatted us up. He told us that they go out of their way during Restaurant Weel to create the full Green Pastures experience for everyone. Based on the meal I had, it’s totally true. Apparently, they’ve also got an amazing Sunday Brunch ($35 includes a slew of specialty drinks) and an affordable lunch.

Rating: A+++

SO treat yourself. Dress up (you’ll want to!). And make those reservations NOW. Seriously, I waited until the last minute last year and ended up getting left with zilch. Oh yeah, and if you go in the evening, look up in the trees and you might find the peacocks roosting!

What do you think of Green Pastures?

Did you try the pre-fixe menu ?

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