Hopdoddy Burger Bar

My friend and I met for lunch today at Hopdoddy Burger Bar. I have been meaning to check it out, and it is walking distance from my office, so it was the obvious choice. The burger bar is really huge. The seating area is all in front around the bar area, and you walk down a corridor to the back where the kitchen is to place your order. A little unusual, but it seems to work.

I order the Buffalo Bill. I would ordinarily order a regular cheeseburger, but this baby has me eating all kinds of adventurous things. So I went for it, and man, was that a damn good burger! A thick patty on a homemade bun with just the right amount of sauces and blue cheese to make it so messy and yummy. All the burgers are dressed with tomatoes and onions, and I even ate the onion, which I usually discard.  Pretty much all the stuff they say about Hopdoddy is true. After I have this little guy I want to go by and try out the hop part of Hopdoddy, because the beers looked especially delicious. The fries were nothing to write home about, but they were crispy and not overly greasy, and I got the rest of them in a to go bag, so they obviously were good.

Yeah, nothing but praise for Hopdoddy.  It's a $10 burger, but understandably so.

2nd Bar + Kitchen

So a friend and I tried out this place last night, after hearing a lot of hype about it and its upscale counterpart, Congress. We went in the middle of the week, thinking it might be quieter, but it was bustling with people. Granted, the space is smaller than I anticipated, with most of the seating reserved for the patio. This is Austin, though, and we are known for our outside eating areas. Nevertheless, we were escorted to a nice table inside not too close to the bar.

Now, the only thing that really irked me about the experience was that I asked for water with lemon. It was a specific request for something simple that I know all restaurants have. Lemon. Our waiter looked at me like I was crazy, and then never provided a lemon. We were, however, provided with the trendy little decanters for our water that I equate to an Absolut Vodka bottle, minus the label. That's fine, just bring me a tiny plate with some lemon wedges. But nothing the entire time we were there. It probably would have been less of an issue for me if I wasn't so incredibly preggo, but I am, and it was upsetting.

But the food compensated. We had the buffalo fried pickles. They were thin cut strips deep fried and lathered in buffalo sauce and then stacked high so you can play Jenga with them. There was a light ranch sauce on the side, I think. Honestly, they were so spicy I wasn't sure if it was a ranch sauce or very thin blue cheese. All in all, they were good.

For an entree, my friend had the grilled radicchio and escarole with flank steak.  I had the spicy veggie pizza. The pizza was too large for one person, so I brought the second half home. But this gal wanted pizza, and many of the entrees had either pork or beef as the protein, which I am not particularly interested in these days.  So pizza it was! And it was spicy. After the buffalo fried pickles, I must have drank our entire decanter of luke warm water. All in all the pizza was good, but I think next time I would like to try the chicken or the burger if I am feeling like eating beef again. My friend said her salad was good, but a little on the sweet side.

The ambiance is nice, bustling with customers and waiters with a nice view of the 2nd street area. I would recommend it for a nice lunch or for drinks.

Jeffrey's

We decided to give Jeffrey's a go for my birthday dinner this past weekend. Jeffrey's has been a forerunner in fine dining establishments for the past 30 years, so I thought it was a safe bet. For the most part, it was.

Now, I am wicked preggo right now, so I can eat the side of a house, and I am pretty much always uncomfortable in some way, so I tend to be a little less forgiving in my dining experiences at the moment. Things like slick floors and tiny bathrooms are a bit irksome. But, Jeffrey's had such a cozy intimate ambiance, I couldn't hold a grudge. It was so romantic for me and my hubby, so I handled the slip and sliding to the bathroom with as much grace as possible and forgot about it.

Now the drinks, according to my husband, were excellent. He had a Manhattan made to his specifications, and he said it was delicious. There is a lot to be said for good drinks at a restaurant. I had water, and I will say that it was average. Probably the exact same water I would have at any other dining establishment. For an appetizer, we had the Oyster Octavia and the Oyster Original. I think both of us preferred the Oyster Original, with its honey-habanero aioli. I'm a sucker for a good aioli.  The Oyster Octavia was a little heavy on the sun-dried tomatoes. But the oysters were fried to perfection. 

For entrees, my hubby had the venison medallions on a bed of broccoli, eggplant and other vegetables. I had the rack of lamb on a bed of swiss chard and lamb jus over a bed of grits. The grits were fantastic, but the swiss chard was a bit too slimy and the lamb jus was barely present. A shame, because as well cooked as the lamb was, I think the chef was a bit heavy handed on the salt that night, and I could have used the bitter sweet sauce to balance out the savory lamb. But all in all, a delightful meal. I had a bite of venison from my husband, and in hindsight, I would have ordered it. But we always want what our husband's have, right? 

We passed on dessert but our waiter brought us 2 delicious macaroons from the local deli, and that was a perfect way to top off the meal. Jeffrey's was overall a romantic and comfortable experience. In the future, it might serve as a good place off the beaten path of downtown to grab a couple cocktails, and maybe an appetizer. 

Bits and Druthers

My husband and I went to London for our Honeymoon last November, so it stands to reason that we ate fish and chips more than once. In fact, I finally became totally sick of them. When we came home, I was off the fried food for a while. But recently, an impromptu trip to a little food court on the east side of Austin brought us to Bits and Druthers. Now, it was 106 degrees that day, so we were the only people stupid enough to be outside at the time. It made the 8 minute wait seem like an eternity. But when I did hear my name called, I was pleasantly surprised.

For a little over $5 you can get a small fish and chips, wrapped in a lovely piece of paper with the log stamped on it. You have a choice of vinegar or tarter sauce. I know vinegar is traditional, but trust me, go with the tarter sauce. I am not sure if it is homemade, but it is delicious and that is all that matters. The fish was perfectly crisp and the inside was a beautifully cooked white, flaky fish.  The chips were chips, but better than some, and warranted sitting in sweltering temperatures to eat them, so I would say definitely above average.

My bold statement is going to be, I liked Bits and Druthers fish and chips better than anything I got in London. Seriously, these guys put love into that food.  So if you are craving the English staple or you just want some good ol' fried fish, I highly recommend this place.

Izzoz Tacos

An Austin restaurant review would not be complete without peppering in food trailers. They are plentiful in Austin and serve everything from tacos to Vietnamese sandwiches. One in particular that I had been itching to try was Izzoz on 1st street. Recently I saw a piece on this food trailer on the Food Channel and curious as to why they had not received more press as compared to other similar establishments. I had forgotten about them until we were in the area the other day and decided to give them a go. Sure enough, everything I had heard was true.

I am a sucker for anything seafood. So of course I went for the tempura shrimp taco. DELICIOUS. Surprisingly, the cole slaw and cilantro lime aioli took center stage over the shrimp.  I actually thought to myself 'I wish there was more cole slaw on this' and there is a lot!  I could have eaten a cole slaw taco, but the perfectly tempura fried shrimp were a delicious compliment. I will definitely be back for that one. My husband had the Slowrider, composed of braised machaca beef, caramelized onions, cotija cheese, and cilantro. Yum! I'm not a big beef taco eater, but his was so tender and perfectly seasoned. 

The menu also consists of a classic pulled pork taco, fried avacado and a roasted chicken with spinach and pico de gallo. I will definitely be back to try all of these out, and you should too!

Annie's

So have you been to the place? What do you mean, you haven't been there yet? Well, stop what you are doing, get in your car, and drive down to Congress right now and grab a cozy table with a bench seat for two. Trust me, it is worth it.

After announcing yesterday morning that I was dying for a huge breakfast served to me, my husband asked 'hey, do you want to go to that place on Congress, Annie's?'  what what? Do they have eggs and waffles? um, yes please. So we hopped in the car and headed up towards the capital and found a nice parking space within distance from the little cafe nestled on the not so bustling sidewalk of this major Austin thoroughfare. To my delight, there was sweet little tables with white linen table clothes outside underneath a shade tree, giving this place a sidewalk cafe feel that you see so often in Europe. Inside, a flurry of activity in the brightly lit cafe with sleek but cozy interior that transports you to Manhattan.

But that's not even the good part! Initially I was all excited for a large stack of french toast covered in strawberries and powdered sugar, and I almost caved after seeing the glistening pile on my neighbor's plate, but then I saw the eggs Benedict. I have a rule that you can judge the quality of a restaurant by their sauces. Hollandaise is at the top of that list. And I'm a sucker for it every time. Well, people, Annie's will not disappoint. The hollandaise was perfect. Perfect, I tell you. Creamy with a slight tart of lemon juice, but not too overpower the savory dish. The eggs were so light and fluffy for a minute I truly thought they had put whipped cream cheese on the top. Perfectly poached with a runny center, over a thin salty ham that was the perfect contrast to the gooey, light eggs and hollandaise. All on top of a beautifully toasted English muffin. There was a beautiful side of new potatoes with sage, that I shamefully dipped in ketchup, but were delicious all by themselves. My husband had an egg sandwich with bacon, which he exclaimed was the best he had ever eaten. I guess I will have to try it when we go back!

BJ's

So I'm blogging about yet another chain restaurant, but this is one of my husband and I's favorites. Plus the stock in this growing chain has grown steadily this year, making it one of the top 10 new companies to invest in. And I know why. BJ's has everything.  First is the amazing service. They bend over backwards to serve you. The few times that they haven't were negligible because we typically always get great service, and you cannot judge a restaurant by individual employees. Because let's face it, if you did, you would just have to stay home! And if your house is anything like mine, there are no refills and you have to wash your own dishes. But 9 times out of 10, bad service is not even a concern at BJ's.

One of the most notably awesome things about BJ's are their in house brewed beers. My husband loves the Jeremiah Red. Delicious!  It has all the body and flavor of a good imported beer without being too heavy.  Now that I am pregnant, I have switched to their pomegranate Italian soda, and I think I might stick with it after our little future BJ's patron is here.

But what about the food, you ask? Well, what do you feel like having? There pastas are amazing, without the oily overly salted sauces that you find in some establishments. The parmesan crusted chicken with lemon cream sauce is perfection. Tender and lightly breaded, with just enough rich creamy sauce. Healthier options are a crisp Caesar salad or shrimp lettuce wraps. For appetizers we tend to go for the avacado egg rolls, but the spinach and artichoke dip is good too. We haven't tried too many of the desserts, but I feel that we probably will in the coming months. Truly if you are looking for a good restaurant with a menu that offers options, you cannot go wrong at BJ's.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

We stumbled upon this little gem this past weekend when I had a craving for cheeseburgers. Initially we intended to go to Red Robin, but to our chagrin, it had been closed. So we are driving around this shopping center, trying to think of another burger joint, and lo and behold, there is Five Guys. So out of curiosity we stopped in. Let me tell you, they did not disappoint.

                My biggest argument with most burger joints is the dry hamburger patty that gets smothered by other ingredients and the massive pieces of bun. Not at Five Guys. They make your burger to order, which I love.  But mainly, the meat is the star of this burger. One or two nice juicy beef patties seasoned perfectly are centered between whatever fresh ingredients you want. Yum! It was so juicy and delicious; I had to use all my napkins and then my husband’s.  Perfect amount of ketchup and mustard, too. These guys now how to serve a burger.

                Their fries were also fantastic, and with any lesser burger, might have stolen the show. Cut with the skins on and fried and salted to perfection. Not too fat and not dried, frozen excuses for fries. These are hand cut and perfect. The staff was friendly and even upsized my husband’s drink for no reason! The delightful oldies station playing in the background made a ‘let’s grab a burger’ night into an impromptu date. We will definitely be revisiting this little burger joint.

Perla’s

              On a whim, I decided that I wanted to finally try this place out. Newer than some on the restaurant circuit here in Austin, Perla's offers fresh fish and seafood along with a nice cocktail menu. We went on a Friday night, so it was crowded with an almost two-hour wait. I do not mind waiting, though, especially on weekends. Waiting indicates to me that the restaurant is good. My husband is not so convinced, though, so after waiting about 20 minutes, we decide to eat at one of the smaller bar tables. Great choice. Our waiter was just as attentive and the ambience mirrored the dining room floor. I highly recommend it if you can snag one of the few tables or do not mind sitting at the bar.

                My husband had his classic drink, the Manhattan, which was served with a bing cherry at the bottom which was a nice surprise. I found a lovely Rose on the menu, which was perfect with my food. For dinner I had the red snapper, which was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and then laid on a bed of lemon spinach and spicy sofrito (basically a tomato gravy or stew, for my southern friends). It was excellent! I can still taste it and I am determined to try and recreate the dish at home. My husband had the Bluebonnet Farms salad with mint, almonds, radish, and lemon vinaigrette. Yum! We also shared sides of the shells and cheese and wood grilled asparagus with hollandaise. Let me tell you, the shells and cheese might be one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth. Seriously, this is not your Mom’s mac and cheese. The shells and cheese were perfectly cooked, and then a breadcrumb crust was baked on top. I could eat this every single day.

                We were totally satiated after the amazing dinner, but decided that we had to have dessert, in light of the fantastic meal and drinks. The compromise was a lemon tart with fresh blackberries and chocolate sorbet. First let me say, the tart was amazing, probably one of the best I have ever had. BUT, the chocolate sorbet was the stuff of dreams. This sorbet was a dark chocolate with just the right amount of sugar added to make you want more. It was so rich and creamy; we almost thought we were eating ice cream. It had such an affect and my husband and me that we are buying an ice cream maker this week.

                Perla’s is a can’t miss. If you love seafood, you have to check it out. It’s not your crab-shell napkin kinda place, though, so I would wear something snazzy and take your girl or your guy on date night. We are already planning our next visit, but this time, we are going to try out their fresh oyster bar and the fried blackberry pie with candied basil!

A Foodie Philosophy

Welcome!  This is my food blog. I am, like many before me, a self-proclaimed foodie. This is convenient in a city like Austin.  Austin is a hot bed of new and upcoming restaurants and a haven for independent establishments.  Sadly, it seems more and more chains are muscling their way onto prime real estate, but so far the strong community support for the small business has kept them at bay. Yes, the restaurant landscape may change over time, but one thing that will remain the same is the plethora of choices. Austin has a multitude of cuisines to choose from, too, and in this blog, I intend to tell you about some of my favorites.

A few things that I want to start off with are that:  1. - I like to make lists 2. - I strongly believe that if you cannot afford to tip, then you cannot afford to eat out.  3. - Food reviewing should be a positive experience. No one wants to hear about a restaurant they should not go to, only the one that they must go to. 4. - try anything once. You would be surprised how delicious a conch sandwich can be. 5. – opinions are free, and everything is subjective.

So I hope you enjoy my thoughts and hopefully I can introduce you to places that might become your favorites too!