Two Chowhounds’ Road Trip (now in Austin)

[Scargod]

Austin, 4-19: We arrived at The Shady Grove Bar and Grill after 8PM, straight from West Texas. We got off our steeds, brushed off the trail dust and looked for a tall, cold one. OK, we just climbed out of the Miata and stretched…
Our children and GF’s/BF’s met us there. This is a very cool place on Barton Springs Road. They have a large outdoor seating area, some of which is under a giant oak tree. The only negative is sitting next to the street and the slight noise from passing cars.
Drinks and food were good; several of us had margaritas and the tortilla crusted catfish. I can heartily recommend it. There were six of us: Mark, his daughter and boyfriend. Me, my son and his girlfriend. We all had a good time sitting outside the enjoying the food, ambiance and night air.

[Scargod]

Breakfast, 4-21: Our departing meal for our stay in Austin, and then on to NOLA, or for the uninitiated, Sin City, Party Town or just Naw’lins. We had a little party at my son’s apartment after Fonda. He was kind enough to turn over his apartment to us for two nights. We had the company of his ferret, Little W.
Mark, AKA Passman, and I go over to Food Heads and have brekkie (I think that’s Maine talk). Mark had lizard burritos and I had calf fries with brains and eggs. Whoa! In my dreams! I think Marco really had two pork sandwiches, while I had breakfast tacos with eggs, sausage, peppers and onions. I thought my scrambled eggs a tad dry, but I like them almost runny and I did not specify how I wanted them cooked. Again, I cannot stress enough the first-rate ingredients they use. A little more coffee, a hug from my son and we’re off to Smitty’s. Once again, the Gods are smiling on us, the weather is perfect, the Miata hums and we are fit as fiddles.

[Passadumkeg]

I had the hot lamb garlic sandwich, which I had read about last year on the Austin board and filed it away in the back of my brain. I think it is one of Food Heads signature dishes. What I can't figure is how a good son of Texas, like Scarman, can order tacos at such a stellar sandwich shop where no one speaks Spanish. He sure does know good wines, though. And the women sure think he is sweet.

[Scargod]

I'll give you a big kiss later as we move on to the "South" board, Lafayette, LA and soft shell crabs.
BTW, the second pics make my hands look huge. They are large, but not super-sized.
Edit: as to Passadumkeg's response, he meant the soft shell crab, not a kiss. We arrived in Lafayette during five o'clock rush-hour traffic.

[Passadumkeg]

That was worth a traffic jam!

[rudeboy]

Hey - how did I miss this? What an awesome thread! Funny, I only found it after cruising some other boards, remembering Sam Fujisaka from home cooking, and searching Austin to see if he ever posted here.

[Passadumkeg]

I was planning to be back in Austin in Feb again, but my daughter and hub, moved back to Maine for the winter. She had her baby here yesterday! I still thank you for the earlier tip on Pollo Reggio. Best take out chicken ever. We will return when Pamela moves back!

[rudeboy]

Congrats on granpa status! Next time you come, let us know - I'll come meet you for some cold beer and grub.

[Passadumkeg]

Will gladly do.
m

[tokyomonamour]

I heartily recomend Ol' Tyme Grocery po boys in Lafayette, Prejeans or Don's for seafood. Boudin from Best Stop in Scott (just outside of Lafayette), the Boiling Point in New Iberia (head down HWY 90).

[Sam Fujisaka]

You guys are making me break out some tortillas from Mexico that're in my freezer. Will have em tonight with some black beans I made the other day. I'll have go pick up some Mexican beer.

[Scargod]

Pictures of food from our meal at Fonda San Miguel:
Stuffed poblano
Lamb ribs
fish veracruzano
Duck breast (enchiladas), in green sauce

[Scargod]

Dinner at Fonda San Miguel: I’ve eaten here before. The place is beautiful; the building, the art, the food. They have a nice parking lot and beside it is a pretty nice garden. I assume fresh things from it go into our food… Service is fantastic. So…, some complain about the prices… It was well worth it to me. Ditto this second trip!
We started with margaritas: Made with Don Julio Silver and Grand Marinier ($9). Then the chile con queso appetizer. I thought the queso was too much pure cheese and/or not hot enough. From the pictures you can see that it was very stringy from the outset. It was very hard to eat, with any neatness or aplomb; however, it was delicious! We should have each been given scissors.
Once everyone arrived, we had a drink then went to our table. I would say they were about half full on this Monday night, at 8PM.
Pass, AKA Mark, and I ordered Ceviche Veracruzano (ceviche, Veracruz style), Borrego appetizer (grilled, marinated lamb chops) and tamales for the table. Someone had Conchinita Pibil (pork, cooked in a pit), I had Pescado Veracruzano (fillet of red snapper with Veracruzano sauce on top), while Mark had a relleno picadillo (poblano chile stuffed with diced pork), and my son had Pato en Salsa Verde (duck breast with verde sauce).
Mark and I had a glass of Elk Cove, Pinot Gris, while someone else had mojitos. All in all, we did $254 in damage before the tip. Our server, Sven was very competent, though a little stiff and distant. That works out to $42 each. I was very happy! There was not a bad aspect to the meal! I tried many things and liked them all. I ate every bite of my fish. I can’t recall any food going to waste. For those that say this is too expensive for Mexican, remember the whole package: the quality of the food, the uniqueness of the food, the excellent service and the fantastic surroundings! One more huge plus for our trip!

[Passadumkeg]

I must confess, that I have always been a cheap hole-in-the -wall kind of Mexican food guy and pooh poohed upscale Mexican food, but La Fonda San Miguel was exquisite. My daughter's boyfriend also had the duck enchilada w/ a rich green mole sauce. It was the entre of which I was envious and wish I had ordered. The pebil was melt in your mouth and the lamb chops were tender and the mole sauce augmened their rich flavor. It was fun for me to watch my daughter and her friend dine at such a fine restaurant. They are poor working students from modest backgrounds and I know they have never eaten at so fine a restauraant. It was a rite of passage for them, I feel, and for me, maybe the highlight of the trip. Just look at the smile on my little girl's face.

[Sam Fujisaka]

Good on yer, Dad. Cain't say what's purtier - yer daughter or that food!!!!

[Gio]

Your daughter is absolutely beautiful, Passa. I've noticed her lovely smile in the other photos too. It must have been wonderful to have been able to spend time with her during this trip. Oh and the food...... Looks fantastic!

[Scargod]

I can't let this pass without showing some pics of my boy. He will be 26 this month. I used to look a lot like him. We can almost share clothes, but the trip has increased my waistline.
He has a degree in art from UT and has cooked at three or four restaurants in Austin. He will be applying for graduate school soon. He doesn't call me much anymore for cooking advice...

[Gio]

Handsome fella, Scar.... and with his scholastic and culinary accomplishments, it's no wonder you're proud of him. It's rather bittersweet when our children don't need our recipe advice any longer, isn't it .....

[Scargod]

Wheatsville Food Co-Op, 3001 Guadalupe: Went here looking for good brews and found that and more. Cute, pigtailed employee was helpful and then said she wished she could go party with me. Shoot! Perhaps it was “raise an old man’s blood pressure day”…
Really outstanding selection of exotics (brews, not dancers), and prepared foods and groceries. I suggest you check it out if in the area! It’s a mini version of Whole Foods. Their deli looks particularly good if you are vegetarian.

[Scargod]

FYI: I'm tucking this in here so it is more in order of occurrence.
Drive with the top down! Took Mark up to the scenic overlook (of Lake Austin), at Mount Bonnell Park. He had been there once before. He had not gone down the hill (northerly), in a Miata with me driving. He nearly shit when I gassed it down the hill (kinda like going down a blue ski run), and straightening out the turns. He said “uncle” (and it IS his car), so we headed to County Line Barbecue to have a cold one and choke down a Q slider apiece and a Fat Tire, just ‘cause we could! Mark had never been to County Line and it gave me the opportunity to drift around the curves of Ranch Road 2222 as we went there. He puckered a little but didn’t fuss. County Line Barbecue is on Bull Creek, a feeder into the river as it comes down from Lake Travis. It’s real purdy! Lots of ducks, turtles and carp to feed. I really like this place more for the atmosphere of being on the river and it being quiet, peaceful and pastoral. The food's good, too! Not as good a Q as a few others in Austin, or what we had at Copper’s or Smitty’s, but good nonetheless. Which begs the question: Is there bad Q in Austin?

[Passadumkeg]

Pucker, my ass! I just didn't want to leave a Miata w/ a thrown rod at my daughter's to come and fetch at a later date, 3000 mi from home. It was 3 sliders not 2. I ate one while you were flirting w/ the blond at the next table (who took our photos), until her husband showed up w/ a big frown on his face. I really did enjoy all the Texas Q; it is what we can not get in New England. I really want to take my wife and daughter to County Line when we return. It had the relaxed feel of a good lobster pound in Maine.

[Lmoore]

I recommend a newish, innovative restaurant called Parkside at 301 E. 6th Street. Everytime I go to Austin, I make a bee line for the place (and its green-garlic duck confit soup). The owner-chef was trained at the CIA and previously owned a five-star restaurant (that I also liked very much) called Jean Luc's Bistro. The restaurant's decor is what I would describe as laid-back metro. There is a long bar at the street level that serves a very impressive array of oysters and raw bar items (like fluke, lemon and almonds). The menu includes some "homey" dishes (such as bar steak & fries, fried egg sandwich, short ribs and donut holes served piping hot in a brown bag) made in an extraordinary and sophisticated way (as in the dipping sauces for the donuts). If you are there on Wednesday, you should go for the half-price oysters and half-price bubbly!

[Scargod]

Thanks! I'll surely add that to my list. I/we ate lots of oysters and seafood on this trip, once we left the magnetic pull of Texas Q...
The sad truth is, I live in Conneticut now and good seafood is abundant. Good Tex-Mex and barbecue is NOT! When in Texas, I want to gorge myself on those till I am satiated and then I might consider seafood.
Pictures from the "Original Oyster House", just outside of Mobile, AL (this trip).

[Scargod]

Lunch, 4-20 at Food Heads: What can I say (?); my son works here. I believe he heads up the kitchen staff. This is a breakfast and lunch only place in a converted house, with lots of nice, outside eating space. On W. 34th, just off Guadalupe (just north of the campus), it is on a fairly quiet street, so eating outside, on the porch or under the trees, is quite pleasant.
I had a grilled chicken and eggplant sandwich: $7.25, served on a toasted baguette with spinach, tomato, goat cheese and blackberry balsamic vinaigrette. Good food, even if my son made it for me! This has creative, high quality "sandwich shop" type food. No liquor license. They do lots of catering. More to follow about breakfast offerings…

[Scargod]

Breakfast, 4-20: Yum, more Mexican food. Forget the healthy bran cereal with skim milk. Tacos! You could even call them “breakfast tacos” though none of ours had egg in them. Rosita’s Al Pastor is the place. It’s in a small strip center on East Riverside, west of Pleasant Valley. We had very good lingua tacos and tacos al pastor. Red and green salsa; both yummy. Great service! Usted no tiene que hablar español! (You do not have to speak Spanish)
I would liked to have experienced more of their menu, but that was left to Mark, the Passadumkeg, who could not get his fill; he had lunch there the next day. As you can see, it’s kind of an ordinary place, but the food is not. A plus was the unexpectedly nice bathroom.
Don't forget, you can follow our travels and get more info at http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF...

[Passadumkeg]

At The Shady Grove I had bothe a light and dark draft Live Oak Ales, my favorite Austin microbrew.
At Rosita's I also had tripas taco and a Bohemian beer to start the day. The tacos al pastor, I feel, are better at their wagon down the parking lot.
For lunch, my daughter and I went to Artz for lunch BBQ. She loves the place. We both had the lunch special of southern style BBQ ribs w/ the trimmings for $7.95. This was the least good BBQ of our entire trip, but I still enjoyed. The cut of meat was dry and w/ a heavy dry rub. The accompanying cole slaw, potato salad and pinto beans made for a hearty lunch for 8 bucks and the waitress was great. I had a Shiner Bock, whose sweetness seems to go well w/ Q and I taught my daughter to make a wine cooler w/ a lemonade and a glass of white Zin. She is a Margarita girl. Will post photos later.

[Scargod]

Let me oblige and post what I have of Rosita's. I'm still not forgivin' you for leavin' me out on the Artz meal! (Really, we decided to have lunch with our respective children so Marco didn't get to try my tasty grilled chicken and eggplant sammy at Food Heads)
When he got back from breakfast and lunch we went for a ride in the Miata then had some of those mighty-fine ales and stouts from the Wheatsville Market, before dinner at Fonda San Miguel.

[Passadumkeg]

The country rib lunch special.