NewYorkTexan

It was one of Holly Moore’s posts (or maybe a posting from his web site) that gave me the courage to try deep fried Oreo cookies at a regional fair --the Wurst Fest in central Texas. On a conceptual level, it sounded disgusting, the cookies are dipped in batter and fried to a greasy golden brown. They were delicious and somewhat addictive. The frying process changes the texture and the cookie becomes almost fudge like. It is the type of food you will only see in a fair type setting and worth trying.

Maybe I am just not used to the humidity yet, but when in Houston be prepared to sweat. I like Otto’s on Dairy Ashford. A simple unpretentious place that serves very good q. Goode Company BBQ on Kirby lane is also pretty good (pun intended). Not as consistent as Otto’s, but quite tasty. Goode has several places on that block, Goode Hamburgers, Goode Seafood and maybe one more place. All of the restaurants are casual and very good (once again, pun intended).

What is fruit fresh?

No specific recipes, but peaches and pork loin sounds like a good combination. I could not get Pork and peaches off my mind so I found a few recipes: Bon Appétit recipe one from gourmet Mark Miller has a dessert of baked peaches with Cinnamon and Vanilla Natillas (a meringue cookie) He bakes halved and pitted peaches with cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar for 8 minutes at 325. He serves the peaches over a bed of vanilla crème anglaise with the natilla placed on top of the peaches. There is a simplicity to this dessert that I love.

I do a slightly altered (lazier) version of this. I dip the strawberries once in very good dark chocolate and let them set in the fridge. I then melt a small amount of white chocolate and then do a quick drizzle--more of a splatter action--of the white chocolate over the entire sheet pan of once dipped berries creating random design. This desert is so easy to make and tends to impresses my friends.

I would second Mark’s, a really nice restaurant. I always order the quail and froie gras appetizer, it is wonderful. Not sure what it is about Café Annie, but it does not do it for me. Their menu is closer to southwest comfort food than exciting dishes that you will not find elsewhere. I have never had a bad meal there, but I do not find myself really excited about going back. I have been to Aries twice with mixed results. Once I had a wonderful meal, the second time the meal was ok. The fish entrée was overcooked served with an extremely bland sauce. Adding to the list is Aldo's Dining Con Amore. It is one of those restaurants where after a business meal with clients, you cannot wait to go back with your wife and friends. The menu is extensive with traditional northern Italian to some very interest wild game dishes. Aldo’s has an intimate ambiance that is very appropriate for a special night out.

Seth Kunin grew up on the Upper East Side and my wife has known him since they attended Birch Wathen prep together. I’ll try to encourage Seth to make some posts. He can address the new world vines vs. old world vines question.

Our friend who started Kunin wines followed that strategy. He focused on getting his wines on the wine list of top NY restaurants and select restaurants in major markets like Trotters, Radius and the French Laundry. Leveraging the cache factor of being on those wines lists is a cheap and extremely effective marketing strategy. Even though Kunin wines is based in Santa Maria, it is probably easier to find their wines in NY than California.

Completely off the topic, has everyone seen the latest trick by that wacky landlady who kicked out Formosa? In a storefront window she installed a huge pig (fiberglass I believe) that has vegetarian and anti-meat slogans plastered all over it. I am not sure what her goal was but all I could think about when I saw it was about having a BLT for lunch. She also kicked out that small grocery store that had a wonderful butcher.

Wild Ginger has a traditional Chinese menu, but usually offers eclectic daily specials. It is no P.F. Chang I have heard really good things about T&S, but have not made it there myself yet. I am told that with their late hours and good food, it is a favorite of local chefs.

I live in the arboretum area and they’re a couple of respectable and fun options in the neighborhood. In addition to the ones already mention, the places I go to regularly include: Mirabelle on Mesa Drive – the sister restaurant to Castle Hill. Interesting menu with a reasonable and well-put together wine list. Wild Ginger on Mesa Drive – They are only open for dinner and may be the best Chinese restaurant in Austin. The chef used to be at Formosa in Tarrytown (downtown area) before they closed due to a dispute with that wacky landlord. Lucky Dogs on Spicewood Springs Road - If you like Chicago style hotdogs (hard for a NY'er to get used to, but they are good). Taco Shack on Spicewood Springs Road – One of the few places that do not overcook their eggs in the breakfast tacos. Chez Zee on Balcones Drive– Go there for the desserts if nothing else. Alamo Draft House on West Anderson Lane – a wild combination of movie theater and bar. Good list of beers and respectable burgers/pizzas that are severed via waitress service during the movie. Café Spiazzo on Parkcrest Drive– nice casual Italian restaurant.

Tommy- What.....no mention of a dry rub? Are you going to put the ribs on the grill naked?

We only ate the Wahoo on board as sashimi. Amberjack being a bottom-feeder, I was not about to eat it raw. Liza-Can you give additional details about how to slow roast the Wahoo. I’d be happy for a hands-on demonstration if you find yourself in Austin.

After a weekend of deep-sea fishing, I now find myself with a mountain of Amberjack and Wahoo fillets. Anyone have creative suggestions for recipes? We had sashimi on the boat along with each night having them simply grilled, sautéed and fried. How else should I prepare them?

Great write-up. Just added Lola to my "need to visit" list. Any thoughts on their wine pricing?

There have been numerous articles about how good the 2000 port will be. A friend offered to go in with me on pre-arrival case. Anyone have thoughts on if the 2000 will equal the 1994 vintage? Are there specific houses that are going to be exceptional?

I was in Greensboro last month and stumbled upon a wonderful little restaurant, Lucky 32. The décor was similar to an upscale diner with a menu that was eclectic continental. My first impression was that it was similar to the Buckhead diner in Atlanta or Fog City Diner in SF and Phoenix. The menu was straight forward with most entrees priced between $9-20. What made this restaurant special was the attention to details. Your meal started with a breadbasket filled with warm bread baked in-house. The salad was served with a choice of several salad dressings, also all made fresh in-house. My wife and I chose the ultimate comfort food----- burgers. The hamburgers were big, juicy and cooked as requested. The only weak spot was the french fries that had an unusual and disturbing spice coating. There was also a wide selection of excellent local beers. After spending the day hiking through furniture stores the size of small towns in nearby high point, this was the perfect restaurant to end the day with.

I think I mentioned previously that we named our dog fluffernutter. I have not met a single person in the state of Texas that has ever heard of the fluffernutter sandwich. I usually just get a blank stare when I tell people the dog's name.

In terms of accommodations, the Quail Mountain B&B in Calistoga is a great value. It is small with only three rooms so sometimes hard to get a room. The inn offers great views of the valley. The owner’s son is an architect and designed the inn to take advantage of the great views. I have to check my records to remember the names of the owners, but they are also wonderful guides to the region. They arranged for us to get a private tour of Clos Pegase a decade ago before it was open to the public. Quali Mountain B&B

I agree with you. It always annoys me when people try to compare Austin to major cities like NY or SF as it does a disservice to Austin. For a city the size of Austin, it offers a wide variety of dining options at many price points. It is weak on the high-end of the spectrum, but so is every city of comparable size. In the four years I have lived in Austin, the growth in quantity and quality of dining options has been incredible. It is encouraging to see new and exciting restaurants opening despite the current economic turbulence. Those are some great lists. I would also include: Mirabelle - My neighborhood favorite Girasole – wonderful tasting menus Wink – best desserts in town Roy's Las Manitas Z'Tejas - Sunday Brunch on the deck Bitter End - mostly for the beer (it would be a tragedy if they tear it down for a new hotel) Four Seasons Cafe - worth repeating Emilia's - Have not been there since the shake-up in the kitchen Hoovers Reale’s Ray’s – for the times I just feel like having a big piece of red meat. On my list to try, but have not been to yet. Would love to hear about anyone’s experiences. Flemmings – Are there any interesting wines on their list of 100 wines offered by the glass? Curra’s Grill Starlite – just got 4 stars in the statesman Eddie V’s Y Bar and Grill

Simon- I thoroughly enjoyed your post. I was amazed at how many of the high points of Austin you hit in a short period of time. There are several descriptions of migas under Steven’s Austin thread, but in essences they are tortillas strips, peppers and onions (sometimes tomatoes) sautéed with eggs, served scrambled, covered in meted cheese. The usual sides are beans and more tortillas. The reason I am found of the migas at Maudies is because they use serrano peppers. While the cheese balances the heat of the peppers, it is a true wake-up call.

With all of the new Austin members, I thought I’d start a thread for favorite places for migas. My favorite is the migas with sausage at Maudies and Las Manitas is a close second. It is hard to find a restaurant that does not overcook the eggs. Where does everybody get their migas fix?

About 6-8 minutes in a 325 in a convection oven. It does not take long for the french toast to puff up like a soufflé.

I finish my french toast in the oven after starting it on a griddle. Using very thick slices of bread, I let the french toast really soak up the egg mixture. Finishing it in the oven creates an almost custard like texture. Fresh nutmeg is also a must for me.

Tough city to find a decent meal, really tough. I usually end up at St. Elmo’s steakhouse. Has some character and a good yet overpriced wine list. The cocktail sauce served with the shrimp cocktail is good yet potent. It is heavy on the horseradish and will clean your sinuses like you would not believe. St. Elmo’s is somewhat formal, although I am not sure if jacket/tie is required. From a foodie’s perspective, Indianapolis is very conservative and boring (IMHO). St. Elmo's