Austinist: Austinist Recommends: SXSW Chow Down

DSR

Sun, 19 Mar 2006 19:15:15 -0600

Longhorn Po-Boy & Falafel : Medical Arts/Dean Keaton (next to Kinko's). The haunt of the professional lunch crowd/hungry students. People come from all over Austin to session their falafel and gyros... but they also sling out Philly cheesesteaks, sub sandwhiches, and more. Coffee shop attached to it lending it a chilled vibe as well. If you are in the 'hood give it a try.

odam

Sat, 18 Mar 2006 02:09:46 -0600

yea, whataburger not really like the ol in-n-out. p. terry's comes close, relying heavily on their 'special sauce.' but good juicy angus burgers. sandy's is not bad but recently, and sadly, ffound out they are owned by dude who owns shortstop burgers. ah well. but we are focusing north of the river on this one, it seems. thanks for all the comments, folks. we are trying to rev-up, consolidate, etc. our food listing into a composite list. i type well, btw. we just wanted to give some outsiders an idea of centrally located options while they took over our fair city for 10 days. now if they would all just go home! just kidding, guys. we love you all.

Blue

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 22:57:33 -0600

Arredondos I lived behind this place for two years and ate there a lot. Yes, the red sauce cheese enchiladas are boss...but the Chicken Enchiladas Verde are the best I've ever had. Anywhere. Nice job with the compuestos as well.

matt wright

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 15:33:51 -0600

sweet, i've been meaning to try that place.

ultradave

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 15:24:42 -0600

check out P. Terry's....damn good burger and fries. Probably the closest thing I've had here to In-n-Out.

Joe

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 15:14:54 -0600

I've lived in Austin, and now that I live 2 miles from an In-n-Out, I can say with no reservations that there is no way that Whataburger even holds a candle to I-N-O. Whataburger is good, don't get me wrong, but don't try to hold it up as the South's answer to I-N-O. There is no question, so there need be no answer. If you want a good burger in Austin, try Fran's or Dan's.

Kat

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 14:49:38 -0600

La Posada in the Albertsons shopping center at Westgate and William Cannon (greasy, delicious, good service, cheap) Girabaldi's on Congress just south of 290. Several unique Mexican dishes along with the usual cheese/bean/enchilada fair. Also good and also fairly priced. Sawadi at Manchaca and Stassney is another place to get good Thai. Very nice people and, though I've only been there twice now everything's been delicious. I reccomend the Basil Tilapia, tasty and HOT.

Jooley Ann

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 12:40:29 -0600

Once again Odam speaks the unassailable truth WRT food! Frank & Angie's is awesome. As goofy as this sounds, my favorite thing on their menu is a salad: Guido's Garden Salad. It is one of the best salads in Austin. http://frankandangies.citysearch.com/

truecraig

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 12:26:49 -0600

Thai Passion is on Congress. Goddamn it's good.

odam

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 12:04:24 -0600

the best barbeque near downtown is Iron Works, Ceasar Chavez and Red River. I like the Huts don't forget frank and angies on 6th and west or rounders on 6th just west of lamar. thai passion on 7th and lamar. thai tara at 6th near lavaca.

Jonathon

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 11:58:06 -0600

Nick -- Emo kids? Who listens to emo? Do you live in a cave? PS: good new coffee place that opened recently on the east side... http://clementinecoffeebar.com/ If you're not local -- take Dean Keaton (26th st) east of IH 35 -- it'll turn into Manor Rd, look out on your left.

beaglebot

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 11:33:16 -0600

How about: Salt Lick - nice country ranch, lots of screaming kids, crappy barbecue, highly overrated. stay in town and go to Ruby's.

scoop jackson

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 11:28:24 -0600

I heart Huts. I was a vegan until I had one of their tasty burgers. I've never gone back to the non-meat life since.

Nick Mollberg

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 09:47:28 -0600

"Salt Lick - good barbecue, but it's just so damn far away." man, lazy goddamn emo kids. Was this list written by someone local, or just a yuppie transplant douchebag with a penchant for eating assy food?

bulgoki at Burger-Tex

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 07:51:15 -0600

I care.

alison

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 07:36:12 -0600

Since you are so passionate, Johnatrisk, why not write for us? Bring on the mad verbal skills and the passion for food in Austin. You seem to have a lot to say.

Ami

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 07:25:24 -0600

OMG! You're right! How could we have forgotten Applebees?! It's GREAT! My, what vitriol, Johnatrisk! WOW! You're a mean drunk, aren't you?

matt wright

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 03:12:54 -0600

Agree to disagree.

Johnatrisk

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 02:42:13 -0600

Editor's note: in the interest of getting some useful in this space, we're putting the restaurants this dude recommended up above his treatise on why we suck. * Sam’s BBQ - http://austin.citysearch.com/review/10207725 – “actually has the benefit of being open after 10pm”. * Aquarelle – http://www.aquarellerestaurant.com/ – One of Austin’s high-end (entrees $25-40), highly rated restaurants. * Jeffrey’s – http://www.jeffreysofaustin.com/menu.html – Also high-end, highly rated fare. * Red Robin – Nowhere near SXSW events – I think J-trisk is just holding on to some bitterness about our review three months ago (http://www.austinist.com/archives/2006/01/04/biting_into_red_robin.php). * Roaring Fork – http://www.roaringfork.com/ – “the best $6/8.95 burger you can find”. * Dario’s – http://www.foodhawk.com/restaurant.php?155 – “for good enchiladas and music cheap”. * Capitol Brasserie – http://www.capitolbaustin.com/ – ”’cause they’re open late and have fries”. * Mongolian Grille – http://austin.citysearch.com/profile/10202516/ – “right by the convention center for all you out of towners who must avoid fried foods”. * Madam Mam – http://www.madammam.com/ – “if you’re going cheap and closing early”. * Texadelphia – https://austin.texadelphia.com – they “have cheap beer and queso”. ---Eds. This is just pathetic...Eddie V's? Sullivan's? How about a shoutout to all our advertising peeps at Applebees? But wait, at least we're taking some advice from the guy who has recently moved back here, and loves his new friend, the chicken friend steak. And hates pickles, tuna, mayo, mustard, and ketchup. Who cares? What about cream gravy, ranch, bacon, and some sort of melted velveeta...oh yeah, wait, I remember, you just recently moved back here. Well let's refresh... The overrated and expensive category would start with the Live Oak/Real Ale offerings. Last I checked they were about a buck more expensive than the Shiner (draft) at Casino, and that will really add up for me. But then again, maybe I'm not sipping away and displaying the label for all the ladies to lap up. BBQ...at Stubbs? Are you kidding me? Buy the sauce at the Applebees near you and just go ahead and enjoy. Don't get me wrong, it's a great music venue and all, but I've spent about as long as neil young takes to get into tune gnawing on the brisket. While I really understand your need to suck up for some tickets, come on, even you must admit that the swallowing is overrated. After you get up off your knees, maybe you can find your way to Sam's, which actually has the benefit of being open after 10pm. By the way, thanks for pointing me to chez nous and eddie v's...can you at least tell me where this "aquarelle" and "Jeffrey's" place is? I hear that they are a good subsitute if you can't get into those swanky spots. I could just go on and on, but this is about the worst attempt at "local" food writing I've seen since, well, you sent a vegetarian to go review Nighthawk. Sheer brilliance...oh wait, if only we could wait until Ramadan and send someone on a fast to review Ryan's MegaBar...but wait, I'm sorry, you wouldn't even review a CHAIN restaurant, I mean like say, Red Robin. Oh yeah, that's the best burger in Austin. Thanks a lot for the research. I mean who cares about the bulgoki at Burger-Tex? So suppose you stuck with me this far...where would me, a drunk bastard send you? Roaring Fork for instance, for the best $6/8.95 burger you can find. Dario's for good enchiladas and music cheap. At least Capitol Brasserie 'cause they're open late and have fries. The Mongolian bbq place right by the convention center for all you out of towners who must avoid fried foods. Madam Mam's if you're going cheap and closing early, and the various locations of texadelphia have cheap beer and queso, but ok, I understand, are nowhere near as "local" as Whataburger. And don't even get me started on my homeskillets south of the river... And thank god that you pointed out that P.F. Changs is overrated...maybe I'll detour to that other austin local institution, the Olive Garden. I mean, they grow them olives out back right? I'm not really asking that you get it close to right, just that you try...I'm sorry, you're really, well, great. "Pizza is GREAT; salad is GREAT, especially with their balsamic viniagrette; cheeseteaks are surprisingly GREAT;" That's what I call mad verbal skills.