Dining
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Day Tripping: Not the eating mushrooms kind of way
If you have the inclination, patience, and a handful of cash…
Hop into the car and head east to Round Top, Texas for some antiquing. If you’re a central Texan or have been anywhere near Texas in your lifetime, you’re likely well-aware of this Texas treasure.
If anything, it will be a curious trip to BFE with more people watching and twang listening than you might wish to subject yourself to. All joking aside, it is really fun, just prepare yourself for some traffic woes.
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St. Phillip is Resurrected!
I loved the space that St. Phillip occupied and I’m thrilled that the restaurant is being reopened by new owners.
http://austin.eater.com/2016/1/6/10725540/cane-rosso-opens-austin-st-philip
I’ll be there when they open to see what the fuss is all about. The logo makes me think of Rebel Pizza Bar on Shoal creek and Anderson Lane.
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After Dinner Coffee That Impresses
Blown away. That’s my only comment about Gemelli in East Austin (East 6th and Waller-ish).
The hazelnut gelato was scrumptious and the Amaro amazing. I felt like I was in a completely different city. This coffee shop is wonderful! You simply must visit.
Amaro Pour a bit of Amaro in your coffee or sip it solo, either way it is fantastic.
I think a gift card would make an excellent stocking stuffer.
Gemelli gift cards -
Hotel Van Zandt and Clementine’s, Cocktail Hour
I joined two friends for cocktails on Rainey St. and we decided to pop over to the Hotel Van Zandt to see the new place and check out the bar. Both friends are in the fine dining industry and were curious to see what the Van Zandt had to offer. Of course, good help is hard to find in Austin and there was no surprise in seeing staff migrating from one entity to another. There were a number of familiar faces from The W Hotel who were now at Van Zandt. We settled into wine, some signature cocktails and a spread of charcuterie; well-balanced, great breads, and sultry cheeses. Nicely done.
The music and social programming director, Lauren Bucherie, stopped by the table and introduced herself. She filled the table in on future happenings and entertainment. I always appreciate staff taking the time to talk to a table and get to know the clientele. Kudos.
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A Tale of Two Biscuits
Suddenly biscuits are a thing. A big thing. A couple of months back, I dined at Stella San Jac and the server touted their #16 Biscuits (named after the number of attempts to perfect the recipe). Well Stella, there’s some competition in the house! If you want a biscuit, then I know just where to get your fixe. The fixe biscuits are divine. If you’re familiar with the experience of eating a pop-over, then you’ll get the appeal of the fixe biscuit. They simply melt in your mouth. Of course, they’re available as a to-go item, so you can whip in and get 3 of them for $9 and be on your merry way.
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Fredericksburg Revisited
I had the opportunity to attend a grand birthday party in Fredericksburg and the adventure never let up. The weekend included everything from fabulous dining, to great shopping finds, to gorgeous architecture and landscapes, and a lot of fine wine time. Here are a few of my favorites from the weekend.
Dogologie Dogologie was one of the most curious pet stores I’ve visited. The inventory range was extraordinary. Best thing… You can go online and shop!
Rooster painting
The art galleries! Be sure to wander down the side streets of Fredericksburg anytime you;re there. I was quite surprised at the quality of goods on the side streets. I was completely unaware of all the art the city had to offer.
T-Shirt Kitschy clothing: there was a lot of country-themed stuff in Fredericksburg, but there was also a lot of nice clothing and housewares. While the shabby chic look was in full force, one can still find purchase worthy goods.
Last but not least, Vaudeville. One place you simply must visit. Spectacular! Food, drink, shopping… all under one umbrella.
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Qui is Curious. So is the Food.
On a recent Friday night, we decided to head out for an early dinner after attending an art exhibit/opening. Already on the east side, we decided to venture over to Qui. Parking was surprisingly easy for the east side, but Qui has quite a decent sized parking lot to accommodate most seats in the restaurant. For dinner, we opted out of the 7 course meal and headed straight outdoors to the patio bar area. The bar menu differs from the full restaurant menu, however the fusion inspired options were certainly in line with items I saw on the tasting menu.
The tapas-sized portions were very tasty and well priced, but you had to get a lot of items if you wanted to fill up. The wine selection was adequate but certainly sends the bill up to the high end for a little pre-outing snack for two. Essentially $100 for very little food and only 4 glasses of wine. I always say, “Should have bought the bottle,” except for one of us was into dry white wine, the other a light red. No harmony there.
To sum it up, the food was delicious and interesting as there was a lot of “fusion” going on. Wine; pricey for the caliber. Expect two for a light meal with drinks and tip to easily hit $80. The space is harsh on the outside, but quite intimate and inviting on the inside. Staff was perfect.
