A not-so-short list.

Earlier today, I found out that a friend of a friend is headed for Austin and in need of some recommendations for the eating and the drinking and such. I've been itching to do a "My Favorite Austin Stuff" post for a while now (You can see all my Austin posts right here.), and so I'm glad to have the kick in the butt. Shall we begin at the beginning? (By which, of course, I mean breakfast tacos.)

Breakfast Tacos
Taco Deli
Austin is easily the breakfast taco capital of the world, and everyone has an opinion. My favorites can be had at Taco Deli, where the Jess Special and Vaquero are tops. My friend Louisa is especially fond of the Otto, and you can't go wrong by combining the chorizo with the Mexican mashed potatoes for one perfect, indulgent start to your morning.

Torchy's
Special mention to The Dirty Sanchez at Torchy's (pictured above), which is my other favorite Austin egg-based taco, though the rest of their menu - save the queso - pales in comparison.

Other Breakfasty Stuff
Magnolia
Go here. Order the migas and a side of sausage. Or the cornmeal pancakes with chocolate chips. (But, actually, just order the migas - and make sure they're of the Spicy Love butter variety.)

24Diner
Actually, 24Diner is open, well, 24 hours, and serves all meals. I'm partial to their breakfast, though, where I typically order the hash - veggie or non-. Their veggie burger is delicious, too, especially when topped with a fried egg. (Notice a theme?)

Elizabeth Street Café
They serve lunch and dinner here, too - and Louisa assures me that the banh mi rock - but I've only been for breakfast. The menu has French pastries and savory Vietnamese specialties (the sticky rice with ginger sausage is heavenly), and the coffee is out of this world.

Lunch and Dinner
Uchi
Uchi is possibly my favorite place on Earth to eat right now, for reals. It can be hard to get into, so be prepared to wait for a table. (If you're lucky, you'll wait next to Elijah Wood, like we did last time. And then Dominic Monaghan showed up. Really.) I can't tell you enough times to order at least one piece of the scallop sushi - and the foie gras ngiri isn't to be missed. Sounds odd; tastes amazing.

Uchiko
Uchiko is Uchi's younger sibling, but is just as awesome. They have sushi on the menu here, too, but they feature what they call Japanese farmhouse cooking - things like grilled shishito peppers, crispy brussels sprouts and eggplant tempura. (All of which must be ordered.)

Madam Mam's
Some of the best Thai food I've had, hands down. They particularly excel at grilled meats, so order anything that comes from, well, the grill. Especially if it's served with pickles, lettuce or any kind of sauce. And the special beef curry is to die.


Justine's
Justine's is at the center of the East Austin explosion, and for good reason. It's a tiny little bungalow with as many tables inside as out, and the food is classic French brasserie - but with good, American-style cocktails alongside. I love the steak, the ratatouille, and the salade de crevettes, with butter lettuce, snap peas, and shrimp, all tossed with a creamy tarragon dressing.


La Condesa
Make sure you order the chicken salad. (The other food is great, too, but the chicken salad is magic.)

Barbecue
Franklin Barbecue
I don't really have anything to say, other than 1) you must go, and 2) get there crazy early, like 10:45 early.

Coffee, Booze, Movies, Ice Cream & Massages
Alamo Drafthouse
When I try to explain how awesome the Alamo is, people never have the reaction I want. So, you should probably just go and see what all the fuss is about. The beer is great, the food is terrible for you and delicious, and you get to watch a movie to boot. Try to go to a special show, like a Sunday brunch musical, or a Princess Bride quote-along. Oh, yes.

Jo's
They have a few spots around the city, and all feature the Turbo, which is possibly the only frozen coffee drink worth having, ever. It's insane. (When they showed up at the SXSW convention center concession stands this year, I nearly cried with joy.)

Amy's Ice Creams
Amy's is like Cold Stone - all the mix-ins, but with good ice cream, the kind that doesn't coat your mouth with that nasty sticky crud. It's delicious. And the hot fudge is insane. It's worth getting a cup of it on the side.

Midnight Cowboy
This Sixth Street cocktail bar used to be a rub-and-tug joint up until very recently - this winter, to be exact. It's since been power-washed and turned into a teeny, very dark spot for interesting booze. I didn't love all the cocktails, but it's worth a visit just for the atmosphere. Also, you could always just order a Manhattan - I'm sure it would be beautifully made. (You need a reservation, which you can take care of online.)

Milk & Honey
Consistently the best massages of my life. Truly. And way cheaper than comparable treatments in New York. Make a booking if you can squeeze it in; you won't be sorry.

Lately.

A few drinks I've been enjoying recently. No particular order, but there is a theme: delicious, delightful booze. (Yum.)

Lemonade shandy, courtesy of Nick. Louisa's patio, Austin.


Applejack sidecar, courtesy of me. My living room, Manhattan.


Tawny port. The Vanderbilt, Brooklyn.


A Plantation cocktail (grapefruit, gin and basil). Frank's, Austin.

Feasting.

On my last night in Austin, Louisa invited our friends Joel and Ted over for dinner. We decided it would be the perfect opportunity for some Italian-style feasting. Joel agreed to make a salad and bruschetta, and we agreed to make a pasta, a meat, and a vegetable side. The games had begun.

For the meat course - well, actually, for all of our dishes - Louisa and I took inspiration from one of my very favorite places, Frankies Spuntino. (Every recipe mentioned here can be found in their cookbook.) Their rib eye roast is a garlicky delight, and they serve it sliced cold. Make-ahead steak with garlic and herbs? Sold.

We bought a 2 1/2 pound rib eye roast, had it deboned, and rubbed it all over with garlic, parsley and thyme. We let it hang out in the fridge for 24 hours, then roasted it slowly in the oven, where it browned gorgeously all over and rendered just the tiniest amount of fat. I resisted temptation and popped that baby back in the fridge, where it stayed for another five or six hours.

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, Louisa worked her magic on a sweet and sour baked eggplant dish. See, what you do is make a caramel in the bottom of a sauce pan, then deglaze it with vinegar. In go the hand-crushed tomatoes - along with a healthy amount of salt and garlic - to simmer for half an hour.

In the meantime, Louisa roasted some sliced eggplant. We then layered the eggplant with the sauce (saving some of it for pouring later) and roasted it again. Before we served it, we topped the whole thing with ricotta salata and mint. It's eggplant parmesan re-imagined for summer, folks. (And, apparently, Sicilian.)

For the pasta course, I made Frankies justly famous fresh pasta (we used penne) with hot sausage, browned butter and sage. It was damn good, as always.

And then, then - we sliced the roast. Pink all the way through, redolent of herbs and garlic, and a worthy companion to the eggplant. Add in Joel's delicious salad (dressed with his new obsession, white balsamic) and amazing bruschetta with grilled kale and tomatoes, and it's clear. This is how you do summer, Italian-style, kids.

Bacon.

Texans are serious about their bacon, if this display at Central Market is any indication.

Obviously.

During my most recent visit to Austin, I made not one but two pilgrimages to Magnolia Cafe for their Love migas, which are cooked in spicy garlic butter. I'll never be done with these, as they are, simply, amazing. To the point that I honestly don't even want to try and recreate at them at home, because what would be the point?

Some things are best left to the professionals.

A breakfast. Or two.

My last two mornings in Austin were, as always, bittersweet. There's something about those last couple of days of vacation that shock you into doing really wonderful things (long walks along Town Lake with the dogs, grabbing breakfast tacos with your best friend, lounging by the pool with a cocktail) instead of messing about with shopping or doing anything that requires you to adhere to a schedule.

The last two days of this trip were particularly so, because Louisa introduced me to a seriously amazing thing: breakfast at the Elizabeth Street Café.

Elizabeth Street is a French Vietnamese restaurant and boulangerie, and they serve three meals a day, seven days a week - not to mention coffee and pastries to go at any hour. It's a delightfully airy space, all black and white tile on the floor, calming white on the walls, and pops of teal in the banquette and chairs. Saigon and Paris mix in the space as well as in the food: cane chairs, burnished metalwork edging the communal table and a giant fern bring Vietnam, while white-painted wrought iron and black-and-white striped Louis XVI chairs bring the France.

The coffee - I chose French press both mornings - is fantastic. I was unsurprised to discover it was Stumptown, and couldn't help but enjoy upwards of three cups per visit. So sue me.

And then, of course, there's the food. You can order a pastry (Nick loved his almond croissant) or a French crepe, but I went savory and Vietnamese both mornings, figuring it was the best way to use my limited visits. My first choice: Saigon noodles with peppers, roast pork and fried eggs. The noodles were short, skinny and full of delicious curried flavor. The roast pork was rich and tender, with a wonderful balance of sweet and savory. The eggs were just runny enough to sauce things up, especially when I added a dollop of hoisin and a squirt of fish sauce. And man alive, were they spicy.

That first morning, we gathered up a few pastries to try later, at home. I snagged a butter croissant, a Nutella éclair, and a canelé. I really enjoyed the croissant, which was flaky enough to be authentic, but not so flaky that ended up wearing it. The butter was sweet, the pastry was tender, and the whole thing was just about perfect smeared with some strawberry jam.

The éclair was good, but not great. The filling was straight-up Nutella, so it was an incredibly rich treat, and I loved the hazelnuts on top. But the pastry was a bit gummy - possibly my fault for letting it sit for a few hours before enjoying it.

The canelé, while awfully pretty, was disappointing. It was undercooked, with a not-crunchy-enough exterior and a too-gummy interior. The vanilla flavor was nice, though, and canelés are super tricky to make, so these could definitely improve with time.

All canelé-related sins were forgiven the next morning, though, when we returned for breakfast number two. I ordered the sticky rice with poached eggs and ginger pork sausage. This bowl of perfect goodness arrived, topped with a tarragon and parsley salad. The eggs were perfectly poached, and their yolks mixed with the hot sauce on top of the rice to make a rich, tangy sauce. The pork sausage patties were spicy in both senses - gingery and hot. An ideal bite included a little of everything, and was, truly, perfect.

So, you know: go to there.

Elizabeth Street Café
1501 South First Street
Austin, Texas

Chillin'.

A cocktail (a signature Queenie's Gimlet) and a pup - not a bad way to spend an afternoon or two, don't you agree?

I knew you would. Look at that punim!

Priorities.

My first day in Austin, I took care of business. I got down to the convention center good and early to grab my badge, which came with a super-cute tote bag - a huge improvement over last year's thoroughly creepy number. And then, my friends, then - then, it was time for tacos.

Before my two weeks were out, I would sample many a taco. Some good, some bad, some somewhere in between. But few (save for Taco Deli's Vaquero breakfast taco, which is remarkably delicious) can touch Torchy's Dirty Sanchez. It's a giant, ridiculous thing, filled with scrambled eggs and topped with pickled carrots, a fried poblano pepper, guacamole and a smattering (more than a smattering, really) of cheese. It. Is. Heaven. Something about the pickled vegetables and the contrasting textures just takes it to the next level, something not many of the tacos at Torchy's manage to do.

Their queso, though, is pure, trashy goodness. It's just messed-with-enough to pass for more than Velveeta, and the hot sauce makes it extra awesome. There's guacamole in there, too. Oh, yes.

Queenie's Treasury: Texas-bound.

It's that time of year again, folks. Time for me to head down to Austin for SXSW, where I'll be staying with Nick and Louisa, cuddling with their dogs - and, most importantly, soaking up the sun on their patio. (Oh, and learning a whole lot of work-related stuff at the Interactive conference, and listening to awesome music, and eating a ton of good food.)

All of these activities demand, of course, serious preparation. Here are a few of the things I'm eyeing in anticipation of the balmy Texas springtime.

First up, a new swimsuit (or two). Lounging by the pool requires a wardrobe update. I can't decide between this floral number from Boden and this striped one from J. Crew. Both are winging their way to me right now, and I don't quite trust myself to send either back.

My toes will be getting the post-winter treatment with this juicy new color from Essie. It's called Ole Caliente, which seems just right, especially as I plan to consume many a plate of migas and many a taco.

Lastly, I'm in need of a little dress to wear as I gallivant from concert to concert (and bar to bar). This bright blue linen dress from Old Navy fits the bill: cheap, cute, and the shape I'm loving now. And it'll look awesome with sandals, flats or even flip flops. Sold!

Austin, here I come!

Austin, Texas. Monday, October 3.

Go to Justine's. Order the salade de crevettes and the ratatouille. Thank me later.

In which I finally get it.

As is clear from many an earlier post, I love barbecue. My visits to Austin have never failed to include some example of the form, and for that, I am grateful. But it was only on my most recent visit that I've finally come to understand the obsession with barbecued brisket.

The brisket at Franklin Barbecue (widely believed to be the best in Texas, and therefore the world - this being Texas and all) helped me see the light. It's unbelievably tender, and the spicy crust is actually spicy and crusty. Unlike so many other briskets, the meat chunks off, as opposed to coming apart in anemic strings. It was, for me, a revelation.

And for those of you who insist your barbecue come with something tasty alongside (I am among your number, to be sure.), I should say: get a double order of the coleslaw. It's creamy and light. The barbecue sauces served alongside (one vinegary, one molasses-y, one coffee-y) are marvelous, as are the all-you-can-take vats of pickles and onions.

A visit to Franklin's is a time commitment, and occasionally a gamble. We waited in line for an hour, and they ran out of food by 1 PM. But it's well worth the effort. You will be rewarded with the best brisket of your life, and with some pretty darn tasty sausage, too.

Sheepishly yours.

Hello, my dear, darling, wonderful readers! I know there's been quite a bit of radio silence around these parts of late, and I heartily apologize. It's been a busy summer/early autumn in Queenie land, and I'm just now back from a ten-day trip to one of my favorite places - Austin, Texas.

There's lots to report on (barbecue, a homemade Thai feast), but for now, just enjoy these adorable pictures of dogs.

Back soon with lots more, I promise.

Pool time is the best time.

So, the weather in Austin was pretty insane. While the mornings would start off foggy and misty, the clouds generally parted by lunchtime to reveal a sunny sky and 85-degree temperatures.

Pretty much the most perfect pool weather on earth, and we'd be fools not to take advantage of it.

And we are no fools.

Bloody Marys for the beer lover.

While I'm not normally much of a vodka fan, I do love a good Bloody Mary. And by "good," I mean spicy, salty and preferably garnished with a wedge of lime and at least one pickle. I also love all things bubbly - soda, seltzer, champagne and beer. And so the idea of a Michelada - essentially a Bloody Mary made with beer instead of vodka - appealed to me immediately.

While I'm sure that Micheladas have a healthy, rewarding life outside of the city of Austin, I'd never seen one on a menu before my visits there. I can't help but hope that they'll somehow magically catch on here in New York before the summer sets in (Twitter campaign, anyone?). I can't think of a better summer brunch drink, especially if you factor in local August tomatoes.

The ones we drank at South by San Jose (a free mini-festival sponsored by the amazing women behind the Hotel San Jose and the folks at Jo's Coffee) were delicious: salt-rimmed plastic cups filled with peppery tomato juice and topped with cans of Modelo. A squeeze of lime and they were good to go.

Like Bloody Marys, Micheladas are really all about personal taste. (Here's Rick Bayless' recipe, for inspiration.) How spicy, salty or peppery you make yours is entirely your business. Will you make yours with Tabasco? Sriracha? Cholula? Worcestershire sauce? Do tell!

Remember The Salt Lick?

My favorite Austin barbecue? From this post? Well, we went back.

And this time, we brought beer.

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.

Always open.

I was raised for a healthy appreciation for restaurants that serve breakfast all day long. Diners have always been some of my more favorite places, especially when they rise above their giant menu and deliver a few true specialties. (Even if that just means they have seriously excellent coffee and fries.)

Austin, no doubt, has many of these kinds of diners. It is, after all, a city obsessed with both food and late night live music sessions, so there has to be somewhere to caffeinate and chow down after midnight. 24 Diner, the one I visited (twice) on this most recent trip isn't quite like the diners of my childhood (which featured neither local produce nor grass-fed beef), but it has something of the same ethos.

Witness their 24 Hash. It's made with potatoes, jalapenos (this is Texas, after all), sausage and bacon, and topped with two eggs cracked right onto the hash and cooked over-easy. It manages to be crispy and chewy at the same time, the dark edges of the potato segueing into bits of sausage brightened by the tiniest specks of pepper.

The egg is rich and a bit gooey, and I found that the whole thing benefited immensely from a healthy pour of Cholula. That bit of spice took the hash from rich and sinful to perfect - so perfect, in fact, that I ordered it on both visits. Don't judge.

Oh, by the way: they also have chicken and waffles, if that's how you roll. Cholula doesn't hurt here, either. Trust me.

Austin, so far.

Snuggles.

Sherry and apple liqueur cocktail.

 

 

 

Gold boat shoes.