Austin Style
Breakfast/Brunch
1. Habanero’s (S. 1st and Oltorf)-
2. Borrego de Oro (Ben White and South Congress)– whether it is breakfast tacos on the run (outstanding huevo y chorizo on maiz) or sitting down to chorizo migas, the Golden Ram is awesome. Top 3 corn tortillas in Austin. They are also now serving breakfast all day if you add a reasonable tariff of $1.00 US. I am flabbergasted that ever place that serves breakfast doesn’t do this.
3. El Meson – (Burleson) Again, top-
4.-
120. Kerbey Lane – Seriously, don’t ask to go there if you come in town.
121. Magnolia – See #120
Lunch
1. Phoenicia Greek Market on S. Lamar – Get the roast chicken sandwich with a side of hummus or tabouli.
2. Madam Mam’s Thai on Westgate – Best Thai Food in Austin
3. Spec’s Deli (Brodie Ln) – There aren’t many good deli’s in Austin and there really aren’t any good ones in effing Oak Hill. Spec’s is good and cheap.
Dinner
1. Parkside –(6th and San Jac) Everything they have raw is innovative and delicious. One of the most varied and interesting dining experiences in Austin.
2. Zax – (Barton Springs and Riverside) This is the only place in Austin that serves good food between the Taco Cart Level and Fine Dining. Plus, they have good beer.
3. Sugar’s (Highland Mall) – I generally object to mixing my metaphors like this (Sugar’s is not so named because it is a confectionary), but they have the best steak in town, bar none, no qualifications.
419. III Forks – They aren’t even good enough when you eat there free.
420. Sullivan’s – See #419
Dessert
1. My favorite desert is Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla, so until the Japs bomb Brenham, they win.
2. Parkside – They serve cinnamon donut holes in a brown paper bag. Unbelievable deep fried goodness.
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1. I am German American. I don’t buy French things. I step over the Maginot Line as if it was a very small, shallow puddle, kick Pierre in the nuts, hope to avoid the falling rifle because it may bruise my foot and disturb an otherwise effortless invasion of a supposed major power, and take what I want. Or, after chasing my German cousins out of the country, I take whatever I want (including the weeman) and call it scrounging.
Italian
1. Enoteca/Vespaio (South Congress) is technically two different restaurants in the same location, and the gold standard for Austin Italian food. It is also the only remarkable italian food in town.
American
1. Arkie’s Grill (E. Cesar Chavez) – is a shady, but formerly typical American diner that serves very good typical diner food. It is amazing that these places no longer exist.
2. Galloway’s Sandwich Shop (12th and Chicon) – ironically does not serve sandwiches, but does serve outstanding and cheap soul food (or southern comfort food, I don’t know the difference, but then neither do you )
3. Casino El Camino (6th) – is the best hamburger in Austin, but don’t go there if you are in a hurry. It takes awhile.
Mexican
1. Oaxacan Tamaleo – Outstanding Pozole and Hondureño style tamales (huge and wrapped in banana leaves)
2. Bejuco’s – (Pleasant Valley and E. Cesar Chavez) refers to itself at the “Catedral de Mariscos” which is funny. Best corn tortillas I have eaten. As a bonus, if you are a white guy and you walk in there they look at you like they expected a wooly mammoth to show up for pozole before you.
3. Angie’s – I haven’t been to the new location, but this was the best carnitas that money could buy, and they served it every day.
A moment of silence for La Regiomontana. This E. Riverside staple has been taken down by fascist, soccer mom, city health inspectors from there cozy perch in Westlake that think cleanliness is next to Godliness. I have news for you, bitches. Tacos Bañados is next to Godliness with their delicious barbacoa beef filling and spicy tlaquepaque sauce. I don’t care if I get an occasional side of Montezuma’s revenge. Nobody has to eat there! It is a choice, fascisti! Damn, gubbermint.
479. Guero’s. I hate this place so much that I am omitting the umlaut out of spite. Most overrated restaurant EVER.
Bonus – There is a Mexican market that serves tacos in Downtown Sealy. I don’t know its name, but there can’t be twelve solvent businesses there, so figure it out. They have outstanding carnitas, tasty faux pastor, and pretty good barbacoa.
Asian
1. Asia Cafe – Best authentic Asian food in Austin. I don’t know crap about Asian, and I have yet to order anything bad or anything that I knew what it was before I ordered it. It is in the back of a grocery store off Spicewood. Those looking for General Tso’s chicken or Kung Pao something or other need not apply.
2. Din Ho -
3. Tam’s Deli – Outstanding bahn mi on North Lamar.
Other aka BBQ
1. City Market (Luling) – I do not have the capacity to imagine better brisket. I eat it by itself and dry (you can shove the sauce up your ass, Nawth Klina)
2. Smitty’s (Lockhart) – Very good brisket, and the best ribs I have eaten that did not involve Winegar.
3. Louie Mueller’s (Taylor) – A moment of silence for Mr. Mueller who passed away this year. His son has taken over (3rd generation) and not missed a step.
Irony Bonus
1. Chaba Thai Cuisine (Beaumont) – I appreciate the irony of the four words that preceded this sentence. That said, Chaba (inhabiting the former 31 Flavors on E. Lucas, ironic, no?) has the best Thai food I have ever tasted. Tom Kha Gai (do not leave without ordering a bowl for the table), Pad See Eeuw, and Pad Kee Mao were the best examples that I have had of these dishes. I can’t even remember the name of the spicy fish dish (#32 maybe) that I had and it was out of this world. As a bonus, they are BYOB and located next door to Sam’s Package Store (they don’t sell packages there, irony). The proprietors of Chaba have asked the proprietors of Sam’s (Joe and Gerard Parigi) to stock a single $9.99 bottle of Columbia River Valley Gewürtraminer to recommend as an inexpensive pairing for their dishes. Sweet German wines (Gewürtraminers and Rieslings) are common and outstanding pairings for spicy Thai dishes. Mas irony, señor. Please ask Gerard or Joe for a recommendation because this wine (being unrepresented by a distributorship in the area) is located in the refrigerated section right next to Mad Dog 20/20. That is because irony is a glass best served cold.