The Austin Crawfish Retrospective

It all started when I was a kid growing up in Michigan. My mother would buy frozen crawfish from the seafood counter every once in a while. When I moved down to Houston, a.k.a. the Dirty South, I learned so much more about crawfish (not "crayfish").

The crawfish boil is a big excuse to hang out outdoors, get messy, eat delicious seafood, and drink a lot of beer. Gotta love the 3rd coast. Crawfish in its real form is a hot, juicy, steamy fresh miniature lobster tail. In fact, the chinese word for lobster is actually "crawfish."

Although Austin is a mere 2.5 hours from Houston, the available of good quality crawfish is like night and day. So I set upon a mission for the best crawfish in town, and this is what I found.

Quality Seafood
Already famous for their, well, quality seafood, we were delighted to find the freshest and the cheapest crawfish in town. Service is fast, you can see them weighing out the crawfish behind the counter so you know you're getting your money's worth. Seasoning is spicy but not too salty. And at $5.99 per pound, it sure beats $6.99, the rest Austin has to offer.

5621 Airport Blvd
www.qualityseafoodmarket.com

Crawfish Shack & Oyster Bar
One of my favorite things about crawfish is that they're high in protein and low in fat. The perfect weight-loss food. Although Crawfish Shack & Oyster Bar, some of this was lost in the greasy boil they used. Butter was unnecessary with their recipe. However, they also had BBQ blue crabs. As you from my "Mama Ren's Blue Crab" post, they are my favorite. Nowhere else have I found such a fare.

2013 Wells Branch Pkwy # 106
www.crawfishshack.net

Fish City Grill
This is the only place in town found that serves crawfish every night of the week. Delicious and convenient, I just wish "spicer" didn't just mean "saltier." At $6.99 per pound you pay for the convenience.

4616 Triangle Ave # 200
4200 S Lamar Blvd
www.fishcitygrill.com

Cypress Grill
Good if you are south of the river, however they only offer on Tuesdays. The crawfish was delicious, although on the light side of weight. Not sure if we got all 3 lbs that we ordered. At $15.99 per 3 lbs., even with the thumb on the scale this was a great deal.

4404 W William Cannon Dr # L
www.cypressgrill.net

Shoal Creek Saloon
It's claim to fame was its cajun food, but the quality of their crawfish says otherwise. Seasoning was on the light side but the biggest disappointment was how many dead crawfish there were in the mix. Approximately half were dead or had crushed head. Not so appetizing. Maybe it was a bad day, but at $6.99 per pound it's not worth it even if it wasn't.

909 N Lamar Blvd
www.shoalcreeksaloon.com

HEB Seafood Counter
It's hard to heat this up to the proper temperature but in a nostalgic way, this reminds me of my mother's crawfish. For the price of $2.49 per pound, this is certainly a good choice when you crave crawfish right now. After freezing the "wang" (crawfish innards) the mustard in the head comes out easier, yet freezing does something to change the quality. Not a bad choice for the price in a pinch.

Various Locations
www.heb.com

Summary: Quality Seafood FTW, as it tends to be. Nothing yet compares to my favorite Houston crawfish joint. Mardi Gras Grill remains #1 in my heart forever.

Kentucky Grilled Chicken

Since moving to Austin, we've been trying to eat healthier and we've largely given up fast foods. But, old habits die hard, and ever the consummate consumer, I was pretty intrigued by KFC's new approach into the trend of healthy eating. 

The commercials certainly looked promising. The colonel's 11 tasty herbs and spices combined with the healthiness of grilled chicken instead of fried? Today I decided to give it a shot finally. 

The results were a bit of a mixed bag as you can probably imagine.  First of all, the pieces are not nearly as big or delicious-looking as the ads (I should have known better). Second of all, "Kentucky Grilled Chicken" is a pretty egregious misnomer-- the pieces are still fried in oil, just not with all the batter.  I have no idea where the "grill marks" are coming from. 

Still, no one can say it doesn't make a difference. A "grilled" drumstick is only 80 calories, as compared to the original recipe (110 calories) or the Extra Crispy (150 calories), and a grilled breast (180 calories) is a HUGE improvement over the original recipe (370 calories) and Extra Crispy (490 calories). 

As for the flavor, it wasn't bad.  Certainly not as tasty as the KFC you're used to, but the fact that it's actually friend instead of grilled was probably redeeming in this regard.  

What got me, though, in the end was the sides.  I haven't had KFC in forever, so I couldn't pass up the usual favorites: cole slaw and mashed potatoes.  Like any dining out experience for the health conscious, the sides can be just as dangerous as the main course, if not more.  Luckily, there are better options on the menu, including green beans, mean greens (whatever that is), and good old-fashioned corn on the cob. 

In the end, this new KGC will not and should not be considered healthy eating by anyone (no surprise there).  But for people with kids who are coerced into eating more fast food than they'd like, or recovering junk foodies like myself, it provides options, and for that KFC should be applauded.  

Now if you'll excuse me, Han and I are getting ready to go get chicken fried steak at Hoover's.  (Which way is the gym?)

The Mighty Cone

Q: What are two things that don't go together at all?

A: Moving and running a food blog.

I know the updates have been few and far between these days.  Stress like this generally leads to stress eating, and I was pretty sure there wouldn't be any interest in reading an entry on the Mueller Center Papa John's.  

Anyways, I did get a chance the other day to try out the new Mighty Cone trailer in the rapidly-developing nouveau-South Austin Trailer Park on S. Congress. (What is it with Austinites and trailers anyways?) 

For those of you who don't know, Hudson's On the Bend has a booth every year at the Austin City Limits food court, and their cones are so popular, the line for the Hudson's booth is usually the longest in the food court by far.  So then some higher up, somewhere, said to herself, "Why not offer these cones up year round?" And hence, the Mighty Cone was born. 

The Mighty Cone trailer offers the same delicious cones that they sell at ACL: chicken, shrimp, or avocado fried in a mixture of corn flakes, nuts, and spices, wrapped in kind of a tortilla ($4.95, $5.45 for shrimp). You can also get deluxe cones that combine chicken and avocado ($5.95) or shrimp and avocado ($6.45). 

In addition, the Mighty Cone also has new sliders, both beef ($5.75) and veggie ($5.25) that come with a side of chili-dusted fries. 

There's limited seating available but if you're lucky to get a spot the tables come equipped with "cone holders," which I really appreciated. 

All in all, I think there's two ways to look at the Mighty Cone. One one hand, the food is, of course, delicious. And eating at the Mighty Cone is certainly friendlier on the wallet than dropping three digits at the real Hudson's. 

On the other hand though, the cones do run on the small side.  I may just be a fat Houstonian transplant but I'm pretty sure most people who want to eat "lunch" will have to order at least two cones.  The sliders, while delicious, only come one per order.  I've never known any place where you can order a single slider. So while the Mighty Cone might be "The Only Place You Can Eat Hudson's for under $10," you could also say it's the only place in town where you can pay $10 to eat out of a trailer. 

I also think that there's something else missing about not eating the cones at ACL that loses its appeal.  It's kind of like eating a hot dog at the ballpark, but if you were to eat that same hot dog in your own kitchen, it's a completely different experience. 

I think in the end I would have to say that the Mighty Cone is a delicious treat, but kind of a one-trick pony.  It's a good place to take an out-of-towner, or to get a periodic fix in between ACL festivals, but I'd have to say my preferred trailer-dining experience would definitely be Torchy's just one street over, where I can spend less and get a little bit more variety.

 

The Mighty Cone

S. Congress and Monroe (across from South Congress Cafe)

http://www.mightycone.com

JP's Java: The Best Cup of Coffee in Austin

About a month ago, I sent out a twitter/facebook request for coffee shop recommendations in town. (Big thanks to Laura Oleson and Kiara Alvarez for providing the bulk of the recommendations!) The idea was that Austin has coffee shops everywhere you look. Some have great live music, some are great places to read or study, and some have the best double-chocolate upside-down lattes you've ever tasted. But who has just the best straight up cup of coffee?

Well I'm ready to call off the search, and let me just say it wasn't even close.

But before I get to it, let me preface this by giving a little of my coffee background. I believe that coffee is like pretty much anything else in the world, and that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so I think it's important to know where I'm coming from. I don't consider myself a coffee snob at all, but I do have distinct likes and dislikes. My preferred cup is brewed at home in a French press, and my favorite brand is HEB Taste of Texas: Houston blend. I do not like flavored creamers, but I do like flavored blends. I prefer a very full body but a taste that is smooth and not acidic. And the best cup of coffee I've ever had was on a sidewalk cafe in Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.

With all that being said, the Ethiopia Siddammo at JP's Java is pretty much as good as that Guatemalan cup, and possibly better. Their secret, of course, no secret at all. It's an $11,000 coffee machine called the Clover. I won't go into the science of how it works (you can read about it here) but from my perspective, it's worth every penny.

The resulting cup (though pricey) is the smoothest, most flavorful brew you can get from an instant machine. I rarely drink my coffee black, but you can easily get away with that here. I can't really describe it any better, you have to just try it for yourself.

After the Clover-brewed coffee, it's really hard for regular drip brews to compete, but the two I liked best as runners-up were of course the famous Jo's on South Congress and a place by my work on Bee Caves called Trianon. Jo's was a great light taste with almost no bitterness, and the Coconut Cream brew at Trianon was definitely the best flavored brew that I had. Definite coconut flavor but not sweet like candy like you might expect.

Upon further research, I found one blogger's take on how to replicate the Clover using your own French press at home. I'm a little skeptical but I may give it a shot. If anyone else out there gives it a try, be sure to let me know how it goes!

Well Austin? What do you think? Am I crazy? Is JP's the best out there or is there something you think I may have missed? Post below!

JP's Java
San Jacinto and Duval
www.jpsjava.com

Austin360 Food and Wine Bloggers Bash

Well first off I wanted to once again thank Addie Broyles of Relish Austin for putting this whole event together and inviting us along for the ride!

Last night, Han and I were lucky enough to be invited to the Austin360 Food and Wine Bloggers Bash. It was an amazing time with great food and wine and we really enjoyed meeting our fellow food bloggers in the area.

The event was hosted in the culinary center of the Whole Foods flagship store, and the gorgeous weather made it difficult to decide between patio lounging and going inside where the actual event was taking place. Gourmet tastings were featured throughout the space, with the favorite dish being the carne asada skewers with chimichurri sauce, and the most divisive dish being the mushroom with goat cheese. From what I could tell people either fell in love with it or wanted nothing to do with it (I was part of the former group).

The event also featured the "Texas Two-Sip Tasting" which faced local Texas wines off against counterparts from Europe, California, and South America. I'm not a wine expert, but I definitely felt that the Texas wines held their own, with my favorite being the Llano Signature Melange ($9.99!).

And of course the main event of the night were demonstrations by Jesse Griffiths of the Dai Due Supper Club and Tyson Cole of Uchi. Chef Cole was kind enough to talk with us (see picture at right) before his demonstration. I was told I swooned a little bit.

Chef Griffiths prepared an herb-stuffed flounder that, to be honest, was a little bit much in terms of flavor. Chef Cole on the other hand prepared a fish-stuffed rice ball that I easily would have had seconds, thirds, or fourths had it not been the first time I'd be meeting many of my favorite Austin food bloggers.

All in all it was a fantastic time, and I can't wait until the next event!

Austin Restaurant Week: Driskill Grill

I know that I said I was going to make it a point to try to cover restaurants a little more off the Austin-beaten path, but in celebration of Austin Restaurant Week and the fact that we were so incredibly stoked to be eating a place like this, may I present to you our review of the Driskill Grill.

As you probably already know, the Driskill Grill sits in the lobby of the historic Driskill Hotel in downtown, and is known for its world-class cuisine, posh interior, and prices that match both. Now, admittedly, we were a bit ambivalent about going in. Obviously we were excited to eat at the Driskill, especially at a fraction of the normal cost, but our last foray into uber-fine dining like this left us with a sour taste. Specifically, we celebrated our 1 year anniversary at Da Marco in Houston, only to receive the worst service I've ever experienced. We were left unwaited for 20 minute stretches at a time, and the waiter even abandoned us in the middle of taking my order to go serve a different table. (Psst - the food isn't even that great!)

We were very happy to see that this was not the case at the Driskill Grill. The food was excellent and both our server and our sommelier could not have been more attentive.

Just to clarify, Han and I are by no means the type of people to normally give two hoots about the level of service of the sommelier. We just think that for that kind of money you should be getting the best dining experience imaginable!

In fact, another difference between the Driskill and Da Marco that we really appreciated was the atmosphere. The Driskill still had everything you'd come to expect -- white table cloths, men dressed in jackets, candlelight -- but the people there were actually lively and having an enjoyable time.

The tasting menu for Restaurant Week included three courses plus a dessert, all for $35. It did not disappoint. In situations like this, we tend to try to "split up" the menu and order as many different things as possible, so we can get a taste of everything, but on that night, our individual greed won out.

For the first course, we both opted for the lobster bisque over the salad (because seriously? a salad? not tonight), although it may have been the evening's only off-note. The presentation was impressive: the waiter brought out big bowls of crab salad, then poured the bisque in to the bowls from sort of a teapot right at the table. But the bisque itself was bit underwhelmed and underseasoned.

For the second course, we diverged. I ordered the beef carpaccio (raw beef, very thinly sliced) which I was very interested to try. I can't even begin to describe the taste. It was very flavorful but the paper-thin slices seemed to disappear immediately in my mouth. It was definitely good, but I will feely admit I was out-Whataburger'd by the Roasted Bandera Quail that Han ordered. The meat was smoky and tender and was served on some of the most delicious mashed potatoes I've ever had.

The third course ended up being the filet mignon for both of us. This was based on the heavy recommendation by our waiter, followed by a subsequent quarrell over who would get to order the filet and who would order something else. Upon first bite, it was pretty clear we made the right decision. I'm sure the other entrees on the menu were more than delicious, but the sight, smell, and taste of the filet surely would have sparked an uncontrollable rage and jealousy in the losing party.

The meal ended with a Chocolate Rasberry Gateau, which I'm pretty sure is French for "Pure Sin sent straight from the Devil himself."

All in all, I think it's safe to say we are big fans of both the Driskill Grill and Austin Restaurant Week. Although even at a fraction of the normal cost, they are still friendly to neither the wallet nor the wedding diet, we cannot wait until next year.

KG Sushi Train

Hello KAT fans! Sorry it's been so long. Han and I have both been preparing special investigative pieces (mine looking into the best cup of coffee in Austin, Han desperately trying to find good crawfish in this city), but above all that, we just bought a house! Hopefully as things settle down, and once we're able to complete our "research" (HA!) we'll have more posts up shortly.

Anyways, let's get back to the food. The KG Sushi Train is actually the latest in-house addition to one of our favorite restaurants, Korea Garden. It's based on a restaurant idea that is very popular over in Asia and parts of California.

The concept is pretty simple. Have you ever been at an airport carousel waiting for your luggage and thought to yourself, "Man, I'd like to take that home too?" Then the Sushi Train is just for you. They seat you at a high bar with a moving conveyor belt that brings by dishes of sushi. Whenever you see something you like, just pull it off the belt and enjoy!

The prices of the dish vary, but are easily decodeable with the color of the dish and the handy-dandy chart on the wall behind you. When you are finished you server will tally up your dishes. Pretty simple, and it's a fun and unique dining experience, although admittedly the gimmick is largely the main appeal.

Now a few things to keep in mind. And maybe this won't apply to you, if you eat with your stomach instead of your eyes, like Han and I do. First off, I would definitely recommend going in with a budget, as it is very easy to rack up a huge bill. Second of all, if you're going on, say, a first date, it is important to pace yourself in order to last for an entire meal. When Han and I went, we went through 13 dishes totalling over $50 in just under 15 minutes (pictured). Our drink orders weren't even back in time before we were finished!

The sushi itself is no different than how we previously reviewed it, and it can be hit or miss. I thought the escolar was excellent, and we went through about 3 dishes of the fried scallops, as they were not only one of the best dishes but one of the cheapest. Also, normally I'm somewhat snobby about California rolls, but the ones they have at KG Sushi Train have made me a believer. For everything else, just use your eyeballs. Everything we tried that looked good, was good.

KG Sushi Train
6519 N. Lamar
http://www.kgsushitrain.com/