Desserts and Pastries
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A San Antonio Must; Mi Tierra Restaurant
I went down to San Antonio from Austin to see some works of art at a gallery in Terrell Hills/Alamo Heights and afterwards headed to one of my favorite spots downtown, Mi Tierra. You’d think the long lines and busy bar would mean a long wait time, but a couple of margaritas into it, no one cares. I’ve been going to this restaurant since I was a wee child, and every time I’m there, the nostalgia of my childhood comes back. I just love the place. The food is surprisingly good for the number of people they run through there.
Mi Tierra bar -
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One of my Happiest Evils, The 1886 Cafe and Bakery
Every once in a while I think it is important to give yourself a little “pick me up” or treat just to make things pleasant and interesting. My favorite place to do that in Downtown Austin is the 1886 Cafe and Bakery and the thing that does it for me is the $5 pain au chocolat, warmed in one of those mazing quick ovens. I know you can get a croissant at Randalls for a little over a buck, but trust me, this one is amazeballs. Stop in, sit down, enjoy the ambiance and treat yourself.
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Follow Up on St. Philip Bakery
The dining in the pizzeria was wonderful, the one item I had from the bakery; not so much. The pie was a gingersnap pecan pie. Interesting concept, but something happened in the execution. My pie was very hard to cut, particularly around the crust, and the texture was not consistent throughout the pie. 14 people and this is what is left.
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Great Food. Great People. St. Philip Pizza Parlor + Bakeshop
When you dine out, it is not always about the food, but the experience. What the Uchi crew has done with the old nursery, turned Italian restaurant, turned pizzeria is nothing short of transformative. A beautiful and open space that is surprisingly quiet. From entry through dining and to departure, the experience was quite nice. Clever pizza makings, wine on tap, and a few surprise appetizers made the evening enchanting. Initially, I turned a blind eye to the flash fried cauliflower, but some strong-arming by our waitress, Heather, changed my mind. What a treat! They’re delicious.
A special mention to the smart-thinking management to pass out nibbles to the “waiting on a table” crowd. A simple pretzel to dip in mustard sauce was a great treat to distract me from the wait – which was about 12-15 minutes.
Pricing was fine. We got a little carried away with wine, which pushed the bill for two beyond $70. They sneak in those 1.5 glass pours which go down so easily.
Give them a try! If you have a large party, maybe I can help get you in and taken care of.
P.S. I purchased a pie to take to my family for Christmas. (I’ll keep you posted)
The bake shop was almost magical.
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Tinsel + Tamales
Preparing food for the holidays is quite tedious when you’ve got a lot to do and you don’t want to invest in all the things required to pull it off. I’ve used both Central Market and Whole Foods for holiday meals and both stores did a great job with them. Central Market was a bit less flavorful, but was also a little less expensive, while Whole Foods seemed to use more varied and interesting ingredients for robustness. Of course, Whole Foods had a higher price point. I don’t think there is any shame in turning to prepared foods. It is not too difficult to add your personal touches to the meals. Less stress. Less mess. Better happiness.
Want something amazing? Order tamales from my hometown tamale store: hint = chicken and cream cheese.
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Build Your Own Cheesecake, Really?
Build You Own Can you imagine anything better than choosing your very own combination of ingredients in a custom cheesecake? The decadence. The allure. The calories. You only live one, so they say. I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about Austintatious Cheesecakes. A perfect gift idea for around 30 bucks.
