Serious business.

Austin is pretty serious about queso.

In Austin-speak, queso translates to "cheesy dip served with tortilla chips, often garnished with or served alongside particularly tangy salsa." It's somewhat reminiscent of Velveeta (but is way better), and is arguably the city's signature food - certainly its signature snack. In my two trips there I've sampled many a version.

My favorite thus far is made by Torchy's Tacos, a small local chain that started (as many Austin and New York restaurants now do) as a food truck. While Torchy's makes a perfectly solid taco (see my review of them here), it's their queso that I crave. It's creamy but not too thick, and coats the warm tortilla chip just enough. It's also the spiciest version I've found; its zest comes from the toppings (salsa, guac and peppers), but also from within. It's well-seasoned, is what I'm saying.

And nothing goes better with a cold Mexican coke.