More Deliciousness from Arpeggio Grill (Airport Blvd.)

I sat down at Arpeggio again recently and thought I'd share some pics with you. They've added new menu boards and a little chill spot by the fireplace and flat screen TV. They've added some decorations and done a little painting too. Not that any of that was necessary because their food kicks ass. They've got 3 different kinds of baklava. Did you hear that? Three kinds. Ahh, heaven.

URGENT UPDATE: Rafael's (Lumberton , TX)

After posting about Rafael's Mexican Restaurant in Lumberton, I have received numerous responses. As a caring citizen, I believe it is vital that you all know that recently my friend got food poisoning from Rafael's. She said and I quote, "Rafael's gave me food poisoning! It was horrible! Nearly killed me & my unborn child!"

Rafael's has since moved into the negative star status. How dare they kill an unborn child and it's mother!

The Paula Deen of ATX

This post is about my best cook of a friend, Lacey. This girl can turn a bare refrigerator into a seven course meal of goodness. I don't know where she stashes her recipes, but if they were written down in a book, it'd be worth it's weight in gold.

Lacey invited Jesse and I over for dinner and I think I was sitting at her table before our phone conversation ended because I've learned to never pass on one of her meals. I definitely broke the speed limit to get there fast. To put it simply, this bitch can cook!

Steve and Lacey had fired up the grill before we arrived and they were already cooking some shrimp. Now, I have to let you know that I'm kinda scared of shrimp. One bad shrimp experience can ruin a person for a lifetime. I try to stick with fried shrim only, but I knew I couldn't pass on anything that came out of Lacey's kitchen. She grilled the shrimp up with some oil and bell peppers and it was so good I ate them all (well, maybe I saved them one or two). I thought about leaving some just in case someone else wanted one, but I lost control of my hands and just kept grabbing.

Then, we had some grilled pork tenderloin, corn on the cob, potato salad and baked beans. I love you Paula Deen, I mean Lacey.

I give Lacey's kitchen 5 Stars, the highest possible rating, plus two extra stars just because I can. Now get in there and make me some peach cobbler...yummm.

Grand Prairie/Dallas Edition

This blog has been a long time in the making. I know a bunch of you have been sitting at your computers waiting for my next post. I apologize for the amount of time since my last post.

So, these are a few of the places I visited during my work trip to Grand Prairie, Texas.

We started at Spring Creek Barbecue - A Family Restaurant. They had a cafeteria like setting where you grab a tray and push it down the line. You could choose from your usual BBQ classics like chicken and beef and they had baked potatoes. I chose the brisket sandwich. I don't have anything great to say about this restaurant except that it was free because my work paid for it. Oh yeah, there was one cool thing about it. The "waitress" walks around with a big ol' basket of rolls and doles them out at your request.

Spring Creek would be a good place to eat if you are craving a big dose of protein.

Okay, so next we went to Siedos Meditteranean Grill. The coolest thing about this place is that they had a hookah that was taller than me. How cool would it be to have a 7 foot hookah? I'm gonna start looking on eBay right now. Anyways, I had the chicken shawerma with hummus and a baklava for dessert.

I give Siedos a 2.5 for the food and an A+ for the big hookah.

Next, I headed to Dallas with my good ol' friend Ryan Sumner and he took me to a wig party. I met some cool characters including a guy who only wears red shoes, collects pennies and always carries a pair of dice. The party was at a bar called Double Wide and it was all made up to look like an old trailer on the inside. I wore a "Wilma Flintstone" wig and Ryan wore "George Washington".

Last, but not least, and actually possibly the best was that I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express and they have free breakfast and free happy hour. I got bacon, egg and cheese biscuits in the morning and free beer and wine in the evening. What more could a girl ask for?

Jefe's Mexican Restaurant (N. Lamar)

The dive bar of Mexican Restaurants. I suggest you bring your pocket dictionary, because most of the servers only speak Spanish.

This little place is tucked in a strip behind the bright yellow Texas Market gas station. Inside the restaurant the owner also operates his automobile insurance company. I'm sure there's some other stuff going on behind closed doors, but the mystery makes it appealing. Once again, I love bootleg operations.

We split a plate of breakfast tacos. They were $1.25 each. You just don't find food that cheap many places. The bacon was good and crispy and the tacos were rolled in fresh made tortillas. My only complaint is that the chips and salsa were extra...only $1.25, but still.

I give Jefe's a 3.5 for convenient locations, low prices and free Spanish tutoring.

Hill's Cafe (South Congress)

Located in the former Travis County Courthouse, this restaurant is a tribute to Texas. Famous Texans are featured in nearly every picture hung on the wall and if you're lucky yoy might catch a true Texas celebrity on the patio. Each booth is named after a Texas Legend, so you can enjoy your BBQ next to the likeness of Rick Perry or Kevin Fowler.

To a lot of folks, Hill's Cafe is the home of the best burger in town. The buns are made from a sweet roll, kinda like kolache bread and they are delectable. The fries, a mix of regular and sweet potatoes, brighten up your plate with a bit of orange color. Who doesn't love a fred sweet potatoes?!?

The menu features texas classics like big ol' steaks, and chicken fried steak along with southern style sides (mashed potatoes and okra, etc). Hill's is also the "Home of the Sizzler" - the meanest steak in town. But they throw in some quesadillas and salads to keep the menu diverse.

They have a full bar and I suggest sippin' on a Wild Cheri Kool-Aid. It's a blend of Midori, Peach Schnaps, Malibu, Razmatazz and Vodka. Yee-Ha!

La Mexicana Bakery (South 1st)

Viva Mexico! I love the character of this panaderia (bakery). The white exterior is lined with arches similar to aquaducts in Spain. They use the traditional Mexican colors red, white and green to splash the exterior with color. The interior is brightened with a colorful mural. The TV is always playing on a Spanish station. This is a true bakery and they offer everything from wedding cakes to cookies. My #1 favorite is the tres leches (three milks) cake. They've perfected their take on this classic right down to the container. Each serving comes in a plastic bowl that contains all the wonderful, heavenly juiciness of love...um, cake. La Mexicana offers cheap breakfast tacos too. And I'm pretty sure they're open 24/7. Order the tres leches. It's soooo good!

76th Annual Mediterranean Festival (St. Elias Church, 11th St.)

Opa! This post is not about a restaurant, but in my opinion, it is impossible to go without mentioning this 76 year old festival, which is known for it's food.

If you find yourself in Austin during October, I recommend checking this fest out. It's held at the St. Elias Greek Orthodox church, which is an orthodox Christian church. In Christianity there are basically a million sects, but two of the original ones are Roman Catholic, which most Americans are, and Eastern Orthodox. This church is the latter. Many Greeks and Russians are Eastern Orthodox.

If you've ever wanted to have a big wedding and you want to have a practice run, this festival may be good practice. I felt like I had stepped into My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Long tables ran all the way down the streets and huge families hunkered down in their spots to taste all of the delicious treats.

Each tent offered a unique mediterranean treat and I wanted to sample them all. We started with spanokopita, a fillo dough filled with cheese and spinach and it quickly became our favorite treat because we could easily mumble and call it "spankypita" to delight our company. Next we sampled the pita bread and hummus and then moved on to a chicken shish-ka-bob. After the kabobs, we headed over to the dessert tent and sampled one of everything. We had candied dates, a bunch of stuff that I can't remember the name of, a shell filled with cream cheese and the bestest baklava ever. Never tried it? You must! Now! I mean immediately! Go now!

Then we headed over to the first stage to listen to a sampling of some mediterranean music. Large groups joined hands and danced in circles holding hands. I mean, if you've ever seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding it was just like it. Everyone was screaming "Opa!"

I almost forgot to mention the most unique aspect of the festival. In Austin, most festivals only serve beer and wine, but this one is different. Vox Vodka set up a tent with Pama pomegranite liquer. They were whipping up some super duper martinis. Also, Bacardi, Tuaca and Frangelico set up tents. We scored some really cool swag at the liquor tents, like Vox baseball caps, pint glasses, Pama Martini glasses, Bacardi T-Shirts and shot glasses. You could purchase beer and wine too. You could actually purchase whole bottles of wine and take them around the festival with you. Booze Fest!

Last, we stopped off at the coffee tent where we sampled American and Imported coffees and a little marshmallowy treat.

For it's affordability ($2-$20), priests in full garb drinking wine, and fun family feeling, I give the 76th Annual Mediterranean Festival a 4.

Arpeggio Grill/Ya Hala (Airport Blvd.)

Food and Fun.

Food for everyone and fun for 18+. We happened upon Arpeggion Grill after receiving a flyer in our weekly mail. I can describe it in one word - Yummy!

I wasn't sure I'd like it when I first saw the menu, because I didn't recognize most of the fare, but the pizza smelled so good I knew I could get that if I wasn't able to find anything else. I read over the menu a few time and I decided to get the Chicken Shawerma. It was super deelish! Basically they sautee some chicken with squash and delicous seasoning, then throw it on top of some white rice. It comes served with a salad.

They were just pulling some baklava out of the oven, so we split a piece and it was perfect, I'd even say heavenly.

When we were done, we stepped next door to Ya Hala, a hookah bar. We sampled the lemon sheesha and sipped on some sodas. The hookah bar is open late, (5 a.m.?) basically they close when all the customers leave.

I haven't figured out how they are getting around the "No Smoking" laws, but I assume it's all illegal. I love scandal, so this place is perfect for me.

I give Arpeggio and Ya Hala a 4.8 out of 5 because they are owned by cousins and they are bootleg.

Bess (500 West 6th)

It's Sandra Bullock's restaurant!
I never would have found this place if I hadn't been strolling around West 6th Street looking for my next place to blog about. I guess you could say the entrance is quaint.
I heard the music and saw the upstairs patio and it seemed so romantic that I practically drug Jesse in whether he was willing or not. We sat on the candlelit patio and started with the dip sampler. It featured tabouleh, and three other dips.
I realized soon that this restaurant would be hard to classify by genre. A back waiter quickly brought us a basket of fresh made breads (so I was like, it must be french), but the dips were mediterranean...hmmm.
Then we ordered the Friday Special, Fish and Chips (Irish???, English???). Jesse had a bowl of Lentil soup (Italian) and when we asked our server what Sandra orders, she told us she gets the macaroni and cheese (American?) After that I was too confused to pick a genre by which to catergorize this restaurant.
Inside the restaurant the booths are tucked away and seem private. There is one super cool table (see pic) that is the one I would choose if it were a special occassion. I alway like to pick what I call the "celebrity booth". It's tucked away from the main traffic and allows you to get a sense of seclusion and importance.
Each booth is adorned by a crystal chandelier and a colorful array of fish brighten the view near the cool booth.
It's a bit pricey and it the food we had was only decent. I give Bess a 3 out of 5.

Vivo (Manor Rd.)

Love, love, love it.

From the main thoroughfare this restaurant resembles an underpass in Long Beach, but once you've parked and begin walking toward the entrance, you are greeted by the tropical oasis like setting of the plants and waterfalls.

Inside the restaurant, you'll encounter a collection of glowing candles reminiscent of a catholic church. But the artwork is stronly juxtaposed to the religious feelings left by the candles. The walls of this eatery are adorned with artwork that at times reminded me of a super sexy pin-up, pre-crack phase Amy Winehouse. My favorite is an oil painting of a Longhorn adorned with real horns that burst out of the edges of the frame. I've actually been considering getting a tattoo to match the one in the picture above. Hook 'Em!

We sat in the bar while we waited for a table outside. The bar has a private booth area, which is so exciting to me. I love a place that has an "exclusive" seating area. They are great for birthdays or special occassions and make you feel like a celebrity.

Anyways, we had a liter (caraf) of the prickly pear margaritas on the rocks. Yum, yum, yum. I'm loving it even more at this point. And the kicker is that they trim each margarita glass with an exotic flower. I felt like I was in Hawaii and I got "lai"ed.

When our buzzer vibrated to alert us that the table was ready, we went back to the hostes stand to be seated. The hostes was super cute and was wearing her "Palin"esque glasses and the best vintage orange morning jacket I've ever seen.

The salse is good and hot and super fresh. I had the enchiladas verdes, which were good. The rice and beans were top notch. The chicken could have used some more spice, but if you like mild food it was good. I think that out-of-towners and people who aren't into spicy mexican flavors would like this dish. Jesse had the namesake Pollo Vivo and he wasn't really impressed. He thought the chicken was too bland also. Eventually he ordered some flour tortillas and made his chicken into tacos to try to spice it up a bit.

I have a keen feeling this restaurant was designed to appeal to both sexes. Jesse informed me that the men's restroom was tagged with the best grafitti he'd seen in a while. Being curious, I checked out the women's room and it was so elegant. No grafitti, but the sinks were filled with rose petals and the black and white artwork that adorned the walls was fit for a magazine.

And to top it all off, I think the best part is that every lady receives a rose when she leaves. Perfect, right?

I give Vivo a 4 out of 5 for hitting the nail on the head with the fresh flowers.

Mikeska's (Columbus, TX)

Lost in 1978.

Mikeska's BBQ. located just off Interstate 10 at exit 698 seemed like a good place to stop on my four hour road trip. I was craving some sustanance and got more meat than I could handle.

Upon entry, I was greeted by two taxidermied bears. One was wearing a bow tie, which I quickly realized was the trademark of the owner. After we ordered, he made a quick appearance in the kitchen of the restaurant and he was wearing a black bowtie that was surely an original. Mr. Mikeska is pictured in his bowtie all across the walls and alongside him are a mass of animals collected from perhaps an avid hunting life by the owner himself. There were so many stuffed animal heads that I almost became frightened. It was weird to try to eat meat with all those eyes staring at me, but I made it through and the sausage and brisket made me wanna slap my momma it was so good. I shoulda skipped the sides because the meat is where it was at.

For it's 1978 wood paneling and trademark bowtie, deerhead, and BBQ, I give Mikeska's a 3 out of 5.

Rafael's (Lumberton, TX)

The one and only!

Literally, Rafael's is the one and only restaurant in Lumberton. Upon each visit I am saddened at their lack of attention to detail. The server admittedly 'never ate here.' When the waitstaff isn't willing to eat the food or at least minimally familiarize themselves with the menu items, you know the restaurant is going to suck.

The queso isn't all that bad. I kinda liked it, but the nachos were soggy and flavorless.

The murals on the one hand are very intricate and are perhaps the one thing that can distract you from the - and I say this nicely, mediocre attempt at Mexican cuisine. Even as I write this, I am trying to think what they could do to make this place better. It just seems like such a disapointment that the only space in town built to hold a restaurant is being used to dispense this poor quality food and service. I've got my fingers crossed that Lumberton will soon receive the restaurant and knowledgable waitstaff it deserves. Start a restaurant revolution!

Maudie's Cafe (Lake Austin Blvd.)

Location, location, location.

Located next to Goodwill, I consider Maudie's a fun place to eat because when you finish up you can always follow up with a quick trip to one of the best Goodwills in town.

I definitely recommend Maudie's. Take my advice and sit at the bar. Ask for Jose (pictured above). If he's working, you're in luck. Tell him you read about him on my blog.

I like what they've done inside with the wall of bottles. It reminds me of a program I saw on like the Discovery Channel. These people had built their home out of recycled materials and they used glass bottles and an adobe like mixture to build walls. The walls served a double purpose, which I guess was to be a wall and then to let in light. Anyways, they have a bottle wall in Maudie's and it's real cool.

I usually get the chicken verde enchiladas (scrumptious), but on my last trip I chose the hamburger. I wouldn't usually get a burger at a Mexican restaurant, but Jose recommended it, so I knew it'd be good. He was right, the cheese was sooo good. I think they use the same cheese that goes in the queso dip on the burgers, so it's super melty and gets in the crannies of the burger. Each bite oozed a secret hidden cheese surprise of goodness.

I had a frozen margarita, two actually, and they were good.

San Jose Hotel (SoCo)

So fresh and so clean.

Inside the earthy yet upscale San Jose Hotel, we stopped in to check out the small cafe. My first instinct told me it was going to be good because the smell inside was a wonderful clean citrus mixed with eucalyptus.

I was disappointed that they only served beer and wine (no liquor), but was pleased with the bar maids knowledge of the selections. She recommended a nice champagne and it seemed to fit my mood perfectly. We opted for the outside seating area because there's not a whole lot going on inside, considering there are only two tables. The poolside patio on the other hand was full of young adults discussing work and politics, but in a casual and enjoyable way. More Barack and less McCain if you understand what I mean.

A DJ sat in the corner playing 45's on his high tech equipment, but he intrigued me with his beatnic style. The music seemed to come right out a 1965 Playboy magazine. The music was a great time-filler during lulls in conversation, but it was never a distraction.

I like this place because it seems secret. Although it's located in a very trendy spot it seems like you should have to be a dues paying member to get in. The hotel itself offers bungalows that overlook the cafe patio. I'm going to start saving up now so that I can stay there.

For it's beautiful bamboo and cactus displays and fresh smelling soap, I give San Jose Hotel Cafe a 4 out of 5.

Boticelli's (SoCo)

Pretentious? Maybe. Pricey? Definitely. Formal? No way!

At first glance, you'd think Boticelli's (located in the heart of the South Congress shopping district) is a snooty italian bistro. But don't be put off by the appearance, the customers were dressed casual and I didn't get any funny looks for wearing flip flops. The interior design is traditional and classic with a hint of baroque. Candles adorn each table and set the mood in this chef centered eatery. The menu boasts Italian classics such as bruschetta, but be careful to pronounce it correctly (brusˈket.ta) or else you will be mocked by the waitstaff.

Feeling too claustrophobic inside, we chose the back patio. We caught the beginning of the free nightly music. It was a two person band...kinda jazzy. Because of my meager budget, I opted for drinks and apps. I started with the Taylor Street Lemonade w/blueberries...yum! It was made with Absolut Citron, lemonade and big fresh blueberries. It was better than a glass of homemade lemonade and perfect for the lingering summer heat.

Next, we stuck to the familiar road and chose the bruschetta. It was served on toasted baquettes. Each lady finger shaped slice was spread with two flavors - sun dried tomato and eggplant tapenade. I preferred the eggplant (green) halves and wished the tomato (red) halves were gone all together. The food arrived to our table in a stunning presentation that almost made me want to stick around to see what fun shapes my main course would come in.

Based on budget alone, I probably won't be returning too soon. Otherwise I say this eatery is exquisite. I give Boticelli's a 3.5 out of 5.

Just Curious

Is anyone reading me?

Amy's Ice Cream (The Arboretum)

My recommendations for Amy's @ the Arboretum are:

#1 - Only go after dark
#2 - Don't drink before you go

I make the first recommendation based on the location of this Austin original. After grabbing a bowl of your favorite flavor, made with products from other local companies (Goodflow, Kent's cookie dough, etc.), you can take a stroll along the terraced fountain that remains lit at night. Be sure to take a stop at the Cow Field. Four life size cow sculptures grace this garden and you are invited to touch/ride/climb them or whatever else you see fit. Ride 'em cowboy! Don't forget your camera because fun will surely ensue.

Although it's touted as a 'fun for the whole family' place I recommend Amy's late night for couples. Once you make it past the Cow Field you can enjoy a scenic overlook near the edge of the Arboretum property.

My secod recommendation is based on my own stupidity. Realize that although the paths are lit at night, it is still dark outside. All of the outdoor tables are cement and I was enjoying myself so thoroughly that I abandoned all regard for my safety. Very unintentionally, I banged my knee on one of the tables as I sat to enjoy my belgium chocolate with twix crush-ins (see picture).

The menu includes flavors less subtle than Blue Bell's Vanilla (like sweet cream and tequila raisin) and I recommend that you choose an item to mix in. Crush-ins include almost all candy bars, fruits, nuts, etc.

For it's hip austin culture and employee hat selections, I give Amy's @ the Arboretum a 4 out of 5.


http://www.amysicecreams.com/

P.F. Chang's China Bistro (The Arboretum)

To me, Chang's feels like a "first date with an older man" kind of place. It's better quality, but less campy than Magic Wok. Magic Wok has the best delivery and crab rangoon and super late hours.

Anyways, back to Chang's...the spices that are used to season the dishes are fresh and zesty. The servers know their trade and the lettuce wraps are kickin' like Van Damme. The food is affordable and the drink menu gives you a lot of unexpected options, like a key lime martini. I chose the mai tai, which was served with a fresh slice of pineapple. Classy! The portions are big so you can save moolah if you share. I also like that the dishes ae served family style. I give Chang's a 4.5 out of 5.