Cafe Josey and Kirby Lane

[jjasonsmith]

somebody tell me how Cafe Josie is doing. We use to live in Austin. Kirby Lane was a favorite. I worked at Josie. Great chef, Great food.

[Jaymes]

somebody tell me how Cafe Josie is doing.  We use to live in Austin. Kirby Lane was a favorite. I worked at Josie. Great chef, Great food.

Haven't been there for a while, but just read a very favorable review. According to the review, they've enclosed the porch and expanded the restaurant, and kind of found their niche.

The reviewer said, and I'd agree, that they had been kind of wandering around, not sure who they were, but that now they've settled down into one of the most reliable, consistant eateries in town.

You should come back for a visit.

[Jaymes]

We used to live in Austin.  Kirby Lane was a favorite.

Kirby Lane - I really like it there but it's so blessed noisy that I don't go as often as I would. First of all, the place is busy and crowded and the customers and servers are all making noise.

BUT THEN - they actually pipe in this loud rock music. It's soft rock, but still. It's horrible. I like that kind of music as much as anyone in the appropriate setting, which a crowded restaurant is not.

And, I usually think of Kirby Lane when I'm hung over - sometimes late at night when returning home from a party or something - I'll get a craving for migas or tortilla soup.

But when I'm already feeling bad, and have a headache, I simply cannot stand the noise of that damn music.

[NewYorkTexan]

Has anyone lese notice that they do a poor job of cleaning the tables at Kirby Lane. The tables are always sticky and the floor looks like it needs a good cleaning. I find myself going there only because they are one of the few options for a good omelette at 3 in the morning, especially if you live in the North West part of town ( IHOP does not count).

Does anyone know the story of Kirby Lane and Magnolia Café? I heard that one is the spin off of the other, but I have never heard the full story. There are so many similarities between the two that it makes sense there is some shared history.

[frankj]

I don't know of any history between Kirby Lane and Magnolia.

You may be thinking of the Omelettry. Magnolia Cafe is a spinoff of the Omelettry, as I think the restaurants were divided in a divorce of the owners.

[foodie52]

Magnolia Cafe ( on Lake Austin ) was called the Omelettry when it first opened. Then they expanded to the Burnet Rd. location...I don't know if it was a divorce or what...seems to me that the people who own it wouldn't have been married! ( hippies, dude!)

When I want true value and an honest meal, that's where we go. I've never felt ripped off there. I love their pancakes. I haven't been to Kirby Lane in years, because I feel claustrophobic there. Like NYTexan, I feel like it's kinda dirty, too. They have way too much volume for the space, and I hate waiting for a table.

[Jaymes]

I find myself  going [to Kirby Lane] only because they are one of the few options for a good omelette at 3 in the morning, especially if you live in the North West part of town ( IHOP does not count).

Yeah, that's me, too. The location on N183 is halfway to my house, and of course, always open.

So if it's midnight or so and I'm hungry, I think all right, I'll stop in there for migas.

But because of the noise level, I am ALWAYS sorry.

Actually, NYT, the IHOP had never occurred to me. Haven't been into one in years. (In fact, not since the time DECADES ago that I went to the one in Omaha with Peter & Paul after a concert and Mary was sick and stayed in her hotel room and I had long blonde hair with bangs and since I was with Peter and Paul everone thought I must be Mary and kept asking for my autograph and I kept saying, "no, I'm just the waitress from the coffee house" and finally Peter said to me, "Just sign her name; they'll never know the difference and they'll probably throw it away in a few days anyway," so I did).

Thanks for the reminder.....

[frankj]

I went into an IHOP not long ago. Stranded in the neighborhood, I thought "why not?"

It's by no means bad, straightforward pancakes, fried eggs, fried potatoes, etc., and the prices are low. Plus, being in there makes you feel really young!

[fitz]

When I want true value and an honest meal, that's where we go. I've never felt ripped off there. I love their pancakes. I haven't been to Kerbey Lane in years, because I feel claustrophobic there. Like NYTexan, I feel like it's kinda dirty, too. They have way too much volume for the space, and I hate waiting for a table.

Yup, I feel the same... Love Magnolia, especially if you're there on off hours and there's no wait (though the last time, our waiter seemed to have lots better stuff to do than check on his tables...).

Kerbey Lane is miserable when it's crowded; in fact, when W and I stopped in for dinner a couple weeks ago on what seemed to be a very quiet night, they still had a ridiculous wait for tables. (And while whole rooms were unoccupied... I hate that! ) When we finally got our table, we actually went back and asked a couple of folks I'd been chatting with in the lobby to join us, just so they wouldn't have to wait. It was a pretty entertaining evening...