hankston

during a visit, i ate at Venus for brunch and was really blown away by how well-done it was. perfect eggs and lemon ricotta pancakes that blew me away [how does something so ephemeral in the mouth even stay together on the fork? amazing.] Venus, brunch, yum.

i was visiting from texas over the thanksgiving holidays and had a simple and magnificent meal at L'Osteria del Forno. two of us enjoyed 4 of the antipasti with wine and it was more like an osteria meal that i could have in tuscany than anything i've had in the states. we had roasted carrots and fennel bulbs, roasted tomatoes au gratin, speck and white beans [the beans were cooked perfectly], and the beef carpaccio, which was both rich and delicate. really beautiful food. also, it was a very charming space [try to get one of the seats in the window].

also, regarding austin cocktail joints and manhattans: a visit to the longbranch, also on the east side, yielded a manhattan with cointreau instead of vermouth. not good, not at all. make sure you mention to your longbranch bartender that you want that manhattan sans cointreau. even better, order a martini and avoid the insanity. NB: East Side Pies, best pizza in austin, will deliver to Longbranch drinkers.

blanche, i'm sorry to see that, though i have had a similar experience there. when i was confronted with an ice-bound manhattan, i said, "oh, no, i ordered a manhattan." i was informed that the manhattan/rocks was the way most of the clientele ordered, but was made an up manhattan promptly. for what it's worth, that was the 10th or 11th manhattan i had enjoyed at the peacock and the first time it had come on the rocks. since then, i haven't run into that issue. one key element, i imagine, is that i am almost exclusively a post-work patron. it is not uncommon for me to be the only person in the bar or one of less than 10 on a friday. also, i usually have Slim as my bartender, and she always makes the drinks just right. luck of the draw, i guess. i have had a bartender there who didn't seem to care, but most of the bartenders i've had there were very attentive to the quality of the drink they served. one, i don't know her name, would even take a bar straw and suction a little of the drink up to taste before she served it. anyway, long rambling blurb to say: give the peacock's cocktail knowledge and skill another chance. go when they aren't all hipped to the gills to have some of the cleanest classic cocktails in town. also, i see that they are doing a cocktail of the week now. this week's is the rob roy. viva! hank

i've seen them at both the sunset valley and the downtown market at different times. with patience and diligence, you'll get your eggs. viva, hank

also, for a generous pour of booker's [or one of many other boozes], try Casino el Camino on 6th street. i wouldn't ask one of the just-on-the-happy-side-of-surly bartenders for a cocktail beyond a highball, but they are consistently heavy pourers. NB: The Casino el Camino has the best hamburger in austin.

my favorite cocktail bar in town, by far, is the Peacock. if you like classic cocktails that highlight the hootch, like an old-fashioned, a manhattan, or a martini, this is the place. they make my drinks just right. you can find it on pedernales between e. 5th and e. 6th.

this morning, i spoke to someone at laidback manor who said that the restaurant is closed as of yesterday, 9/12/06. he said that it may be relocated to uptown Houston in 3 months. having just had my first food of this sort at wd-50 a couple of weeks ago, i was excited to come back and try this restaurant, but i missed my window. are there any other restaurants in texas that are working with molecular cuisine? viva, hank