Food/Zilker Area News: Hattie B's Nashville Hot Chicken Coming to Austin

 

I'm fan of (reasonably) hot chicken, and whenever I visit Nashville I try to obtain some delicious Hattie B's.  Thus, I was pleased to learn they will be coming to Austin and opening a location on 2529 South Lamar (the site of the former Maria's Taco Xpress).  Hattie B's has a location in Dallas and plans to open one in Houston.  I do not yet know when the Austin location will open.  

You can read my thoughts on Hattie B's in a 2021 post about visiting Nashville.  

Zilker Area News: Luke's Inside Out Closing

 Sad news: after an 11 year run Luke's Inside Out trailer on south Lamar (by Gibson) will be closing Sunday.   It will be replaced by ChoppdATX which will sell New York style chopped cheese sandwiches (they are described as a cross between a Philly cheesesteak and a burger).  Also, a friend who ate at Luke's recently told me that ChoppdATX will keep the Luke's burger on the menu.  

Food: Crawfish

Crawfish boil season is upon us.  Here's a list of 7 places you can go for boils:  http://austin.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/02-27-20-best-crawfish-boils-austin-texas-restaurants-events-crawdads

Of the places on this list, Shoal Creek Saloon has been the one I typically visit if I feel the need to peel and eat crawfish tails.  Otherwise, I typically enjoy my crawfish tails pre-peeled and delivered in the form of étouffée.   Shoal Creek Saloon's étouffée is good, and I'd certainly recommend it.  Also, I recently had the snapper smothered in crawfish étouffée at Deckhand Oyster Bar (on South Lamar) and enjoyed it.

Speaking of crawfish not served via étouffée: Sushi Zushi's cajun rolls are tasty.

Food: Buffalo Lamb Chop Appetizer

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Recently, Sara and I celebrated our 10 year date-iversary.  We went to ALC Steaks, as we are wont to do for such occasions, wherein we could indulge in our favorite cuts (filet for her, the dry aged/grass fed strip for me).   And indulge we did, which leads me to the raison d'être of this post:  ALC's buffalo sauce slathered lamb chop appetizer is delicious and I wanted to let you know.  

I typically order the shrimp cocktail or the crab cakes when I eat at ALC.  Those are good options as well (though, ALC has never taken up my suggestion of offering bacon wrapped shrimp with remoulade); however, if you (1) find yourself at ALC Steaks and (2) at all like lamb then I recommend ordering the chops before diving into a delicious steak.

ALC's dry aged/grass fed strip steak, served Oscar style.

 

Food: Venison Chili

Here's a checklist:

1. Do you like chili?
2. Do you like venison?

If so, head to The Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen for this tasty meat dish.  I enjoyed said meat dish at The Grove on West 6th; however, you might enjoy any of the three other locations in the Austin area.  I thought that the venison chili deserved a spotlight (it's not the most common item on downtown menus), though everything else I've eaten at The Grove has been good.   Feel free to order other dishes as opposed to just demanding chili and a flight of reds.

If you aren't in the mood for wine, cocktails, and/or food at The Grove: the adjacent Lola Savannah makes a good latte and offers a nice area for afternoon coffee.  I hear the tea is good as well.

And, here is my post scriptum:  after enjoying food and drink at The Grove recently, we ended up at Whistler's on East 6th.  If you like a good Old Fashioned (I do), then you will enjoy the Old Fashioned at Whistler's. 

Food: Top Notch

The #5 from Top Notch

I was at ABOR headquarters all morning for a meeting.  As I drove out of the garage I thought, hey, today is a great day for a Top Notch burger.   Thus a slight detour was made.

Everyone I know who likes Top Notch talks about the fried chicken and how amazing it is.  I wouldn't know, as I stick with the #5 chili-cheese burger.  First of all, I love a good chili-cheese burger.  Second, Top Notch's reminds me of the #4 Fiesta Burger from the former Austin institution that was Holiday House (I'm not making this up: they had a live gator at the Barton Springs location back in the 70's).  Unfortunately, the notorious "Meat Lady" non-renewed the lease for the Tarrytown location and the Holiday House chain died shortly thereafter.  Holiday House was not only only a place I frequented in high school, the #4 Fiesta Burger was the first thing I ate when I moved to Austin (30 years ago, as of next week).   I'm digressing a bit, but it was a delicious piece of flame-kissed goodness I still miss.  Accordingly, this illustrates why I enjoy any burger which approximates the Fiesta Burger.  That is what I get at Top Notch and why I have yet to advance to the fried chicken.

So yes, the detour was worthwhile.  The #5 was delicious as always.  Now,  if Top Notch would just consider getting a live gator...

Not only is the food at Top Notch great, but is it also a fun place for fans of the film Dazed and Confused to visit.  In addition to being at the location of several scenes from the film, one can enjoy an up-close viewing of two paddles from the movie.     

One final bit of Top Notch news:  they are opening another restaurant in Hutto.   No Dazed and Confused connection, but I'm sure the burgers and fried chicken will be tasty.



On the chili-cheese burger note, here are two other restaurants with good options in Austin:

• Waterloo Icehouse
• Shady Grove       

Hopdoddy once had an awesome burger called The Terlingua (topped with chili, cheese, and Fritos) but it seems to have vanished from the menu.  I'm fond of the Buffalo Bill and all, but bring the Terlingua back.  

Food: Prime Rib Friday, Now with Crab

Prime Rib and Crab at Lonesome Dove in Austin

You may have been wondering: how does one improve upon a $16 lunch special consisting of a pound of smoked prime rib and a twice baked potato?  Wonder no longer.  You add the delicious "deviled gulf coast blue crab" appetizer.  I already thought the rattlesnake and rabbit sausage was good, but the crab surpasses it in the flavor department.   Try out out the crab (or try it and the sausage) next time you're in Lonesome Dove.  Also, keep in mind that Austin's Lonesome Dove has 1/2 bottles of wine available during lunch.  Plan your afternoon accordingly. 

Also: are you curious about the difference between prime rib and steak?   Ribeye and prime cut come from the same primal cut of the cow.  There are slight differences in the cuts.   Ribeye is prepared as a steak, which means it is cooked already cut.  Prime rib is prepared as a roast, meaning a larger piece of beef is roasts with the individual servings cut off.   Lonesome Dove goes above and beyond, as they smoke the prime rib.

Food: Bison Burger

The Buffalo Bill, at Hopdoddy

My biggest regret from my recent Colorado trip was my failure to eat any bison meat.   Maybe it's the elevation, but I get a craving for bison (ok, and for elk) when in the mountains.  So, imagine my delight when I discovered that Hopdoddy has a bison burger on the menu.

I hadn't been to Hopdoddy in years.  While the food is great, I did not enjoy the lines I used to encounter at the South Congress location.  Furthermore, when I'm near the Anderson and Burnet intersection I usually opt for lunch at Cover 3.   On Wednesday, though, I was in the area on Floyd Real Estate business and our lunch appointment suggested Hopdoddy.   We arrived at 11:30 to a no line situation.  This made me happy.   Then I noticed my favorite burger (the Terlingua, which was topped with chili, cheese, and Fritos: i.e. a Frito Pie) was off the menu.  The Buffalo Bill made up for this loss.   The bison patty topped with buffalo sauce, "sassy" sauce, and bacon was outstanding.  It reminded me of a burger with bleu cheese and hot sauce which used to me on the menu at Red's Porch.    Thus, if you are craving a great bison burger, swing by Hopdoddy to try out the Buffalo Bill.

It has been a good week for me, burger-wise.  In addition to delicious Buffalo Bill on Wednesday, today I picked up a Top Notch chili-cheese burger on the way home from the Austin Board of Realtors.  I'll note that if you still miss the #4 Fiesta Burger from Holiday House, the #5 at Top Notch will fill its role nicely. 

Dazed and Confused fans will love Top Notch

Food: P. Terry's Chicken Burger

Most people think of beef hamburgers when they think of P. Terry's; however, they happen to make a delicious chicken burger.  Unlike most fast food chicken sandwich options, the P. Terry's chicken burger is made from boneless, skinless chicken breasts which are ground and formed into burger sized patties.   Cooked on the grill when you order it, the result is a juicy and delicious chicken sandwich.   And, if you opt to include the tomato slice (which I don't), you'll be delighted to know that their tomatoes are locally grown and delivered fresh every day.

Of course, it goes without saying that P. Terry's burgers and fries are awesome as well.   If you are new to Austin and haven't yet been to a P. Terry's, I highly recommend a trip.

Food: Steak at Austin Land and Cattle

If there is one thing that you should know about me, it's that I love steak even more than I love pork products.  And, of all steak places in Austin, Austin Land & Cattle is my favorite.  It's an excellent nexus of price and overall quality, in addition to the fact that the steaks alone are excellent.

Last time I ate at ALC was for the Prism Risk Management Christmas dinner.  At that event, I had the 16oz rib-eye (my usual stand-by) along with the appetizer sampler.  The stand-out item on the sampler was the buffalo lamb chops.  The goat cheese stuffed green chilies were popular as well.  On other occasions, ALC's seared Ahi has been very popular as a pre-steak warm-up.  The only item I could suggest adding to the appetizer menu is bacon-wrapped shrimp (esp. something with a pepper, like El Arroyo's "shrimp diablos").

I met some friends at ALC on Friday night, this time deviating from the rib-eye and ordering the 12oz fillet.  That turned out to be an excellent decision, as the fillet was incredibly tender and virtually melted as I ate it.  I don't recall eating a fillet that tasty since my last trip to the Ft. Griffin General Merchandise Restaurant in Albany, Texas.

Looping back to the value aspect: not only are the steak prices reasonable, but each steak dish comes with a selection of included sides.  You can add on shrimp or lobster tail, but the prices are too steep.  Contrast this with Ruth's Chris and Sullivan's, which charge more for the individual steak and then provide sides on an a la carte basis.

I'm not the only person who's fond of ALC.  Their 2008 Zagat rating lists them as "very good to excellent" while highlighting the value that comes with the high quality food at moderate prices.

Food: Shoal Creek Saloon Pork Chop

Pork Chop Dinner @ Shoal Creek Saloon

If there is anything you can deduce from this blog, it's that I like pork products.  I also love beef, although I don't think I've been as outspoken about my love of steak, beef ribs, and brisket in any online fora.

After putting up posts about the pork chop at Perry's Steakhouse & Grille and at The Texas Chili Parlor, I was informed that no survey of pork in downtown Austin is complete without a sampling of said dish at the Shoal Creek Saloon.

I'm already a fan of the Saloon.  I like their étouffée, boiled shrimp, and gumbo.  I especially like to enjoy these items while on the Saloon's back porch (which, appropriately, overlooks Shoal Creek).  And, of course, when crawfish are in season one should make a b-line for the Saloon in order to partake of their delicious boils.

The pork chop at Shoal Creek Saloon is good.  It's juicy and nicely seasoned.  It is one of their signature items (I know this from the mural painted on the side of the building).  I had never eaten one before the chop pictured above as I generally go to the Saloon for the Louisiana-style seafood.  Shoal Creek's pork chop isn't a challenge to one's manliness, like Perry's.  And, it isn't thin sliced for pan-frying, like the Chili Parlor's.  However, as a standard pork chop goes it's pretty damn tasty.

If you decide to get the pork chop at Shoal Creek Saloon, I recommend starting your meal with a cup or bowl of the étouffée.  You really shouldn't eat there without having some.

Note: Apparently, the National Pork Board's new consumer oriented motto for pork is "Pork: Be Inspired."  Pork's former motto, the famous "Pork: The Other White Meat" has been relegated to "heritage brand" status.  If they'd asked me, I would have offered up "Pork: It's Damn Delicious!" along with a "We Make Bacon... You're Welcome" companion website.  

Food: Scallop Taco @ Tacodeli

Scallop Taco @ Tacodeli

Just when I thought Tacodeli couldn't get any better, I rolled in for an early lunch while on my way to the office earlier today.  I had heard rumors of a scallop taco available on Thursdays (at the Barton Skyway location), and the rumor was indeed true.  Here's what's involved:

• pan seared scallops
• red and poblano peppers
• corn
• Mojo Sauce
• a corn tortilla

I can't really say anything else about this taco except that it is exceptionally delicious and that you should buy one next Thursday.  

Also, as a bonus, I found out that I have been accepted into the Austin Bar/AYLA 2012 Leadership Academy while waiting in line at Tacodeli.  Moreover, I was informed by the gf, who is also going to be a member of the 2012 Leadership Academy Class.  

Food: Pork and Bacon

Last evening, we had some friends from Towers Watson in town to discuss the Texas Schools Property & Casualty Cooperative and Oklahoma Schools Property & Casualty Coopertative programs which Prism Risk Management operates.   I decided that a post meeting trip to the Roaring Fork was in order.

I went to the Roaring Fork expecting to order a steak.  Thus, while I was tempted by several menu items, I stayed on mission and went with a 22oz cowboy cut ribeye (with shrimp and smashed yukon potatoes on the side).  While a little tough in the center, the outside portion of the ribeye was tender, well marbled, and very flavorful.  The potatoes were tasty as well.

What temped me, and what will draw me back to the Roaring Fork, was the bacon wrapped pork tenderloin.  Talk about an awesome marriage of pork products.  The gf ordered this, and her report was that the pork and bacon combo was exceptionally good.  I would hope so, as the thought of delicious bacon infusing it's goodness into a cut of port tenderloin is making me exceptionally hungry as I write this post.  Furthermore, just last week I was imagining the combination of pork chops and bacon as I ate at the Texas Chili Parlor.  The gf isn't as bacon obsessed as I am, so if she raved about the bacon wrapped pork tenderloin, then it has to be quite good.

I'll be making a return trip to the Roaring Fork, as well as a trip to the Shoal Creek Saloon for what is rumored to be an excellent pork chop.

Food: Brunch and Bacon

Two weeks ago, I wrote a post about the rapturous experience that is eating Niman Ranch bacon. This morning, I had a post Bar & Grill brunch at Paggi House.  My experience on October 30th was no fluke.  The Niman Ranch bacon is indeed as awesome as I experienced last time.  Also, Paggi House serves up some tasty pork loin in the brunch line.  The only item I've had at the Paggi House brunch which proved to be disappointing has been the chicken and waffles.  While the waffles were good, the chicken was a section of dark meat which contained too much bone.  Not good for me, but good for someone who's in to that sort of thing.  The chicken and waffles served at Lucky J's are more my speed.

Lately, I've been sampling bacon at a few different restaurants.  Friday night, I tried the bacon at Roaring Fork on Congress Ave.  It was thin sliced, wide, and apparently low in fat content.  The outside edge was coated with pepper which kind of overwhelmed the bacon flavor, and the meat was tougher than I expected  Also, I found there to be an aftertaste which reminded me of beef jerky.

Food: Pork Chops in Austin

Pork Chop Plate @ Texas Chili Parlor

Reading this blog, you may think that bacon is the only pork product that I love.  This belief could not be farther from the truth.  I love ham, Canadian bacon, pork ribs,  and pork chops as well.  Last week, I made the excellent decision of meeting a friend at Perry's Steakhouse in order to enjoy the Pork Chop Friday lunch special for which the restaurant is known amongst circles of pork fans.  For about $12, you get a massive pork chop cut into three distinct parts: the "eyelash," several ribs, and the loin.  The eyelash is the most tender and flavorful cut, the ribs are a close second, and the loin is less tender and fat infused but is still succulent (add applesauce, of course, for extra flavor).   The lunch sized serving is huge, and I've heard that the dinner portion is even larger.  I don't know yet... I'm a little intimidated by any serving of pork which is larger than the pork chop lunch special.  I can only imagine that if I consumed the entire alleged pork chop dinner, then I'd need to stumble over to the Stephen F. Austin Hotel to sleep off the inevitable meat coma.  Not that this sounds like a bad way to spend an evening; I just haven't yet risen to the challenge 

Pork is on my mind because last night I enjoyed The Texas Chili Parlor's delicious pork chop dinner.  Famished after tech rehearsal for Bar & Grill: Double Feature, I stopped by the TCP before heading to Dogwood to meet the gf.  The TCP serves a sweet, tender, and juice grilled pork chop for about $9.  You get two thin cuts of pork (this lets the flavor get seared in nicely) which are tasty enough to not need any sauce.  The plate comes with rice and beans, but I decided to swap the fancy sides for a more appropriate serving of potato chips.  It turns out that Ruffles and pork chops complement each other quite well.  Potato chips benefit by soaking up some pork juices, and the salt from the chips adds a little zest to the meat.  Plus, the disturbed looks from witnesses to this meal only enhance the experience.  Most people don't expect to see this sort of combination outside of a truck stop in the Deep South.

Now that I'm on a roll with pork, the pork chop special at Shoal Creek Saloon is next on the list.