That's right: free sandwiches. I am sure most of my readers have heard/seen/or talked to me about the Launch/re-Launch party happening this Sunday, the 22nd, at Obee's Deli. I just wanted to say that you really can't miss it. There will be free beer, free sandwiches, free music, a raffle, and some art for sell. Really how can you miss an event with all of that. Plus it is supposed to be a beautiful 71 degrees. Here is the flyer. Feel free to post on your blog and help spread the word. The more people the merrier. Read below for descriptions and information about the people participating.



WholeNine: A personal concierge service, started by yours truly. We offer a wide range of services to help you gain a few extra hours in the day. Do you really want to stand in line at the post office, get groceries, have the oil changed, and call to set up your appointments? We can do it for you. Check us out at www.WholeNinelifestyle.com

Obee's Deli: These are the wonderful people that are hosting and serving free sandwiches at the event. They have been in Austin for 8 years and honestly they have some of the best sandwiches and deli food in town. There lebanese specialty items are to die for and they are amazing and caring people to boot. If for no other reason then come out to support this amazing husband/wife team. Plus their cute son will be there to entertain.

Vignette Photography: Two amazing photographers will be on hand to chronicle the event. Plus they have graciously volunteered to set up a photo booth so that attendees can have a good time. Check out there work and help support some good friends. www.vignettephoto.com

Movember: An amazing group that is helping raise funds for mens cancer. We are supporting them by giving proceeds from the raffle to their fundraing efforts during the month of November.

Jason Poe: Another good friend who deserves your support. He is a local musician who fronts the band Jets Under Fire. His songs are full of passion and meaningfull lyrics that will strike your soul. So come out to hear some of his work as he entertains during the event. You can download 3 of their EP's for free at their website.

Lex Land: Another amazing local musician. She recently moved back to Austin from LA and has one of the most amazing voices you will hear in Austin. Her style is kinda throwback but she makes it fresh and is a joy to watch. She will also be playing some tunes for your enjoyment at the event.

Jen's Whims: local artist and all around craft maker will be out displaying some of her work which you can pick up for a great price. Now that it is finally getting chilly you might want to get your hands on one of her one of a kind scarves. She has a lot of great pieces that would make a great gift for yourself or maybe someone you care about. Check out her stuff on Etsy.

RAFFLE: The Prizes: 5 people will win gift certificates to Obee's (Sandwiches for 2)
1 Person will win art from etsy seller Jen's Whims
1 Person will win 2 hours of service from WholeNine
1 Person will win the grand prize of a 1 hour photo session with
Vignette Photography, including an 8X10 and online gallery.


Did I mention free food and beer. Please come out and help us celebrate and please help spread the word by telling your friends.

Thanks!

What: Gourdough's
When: Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
Where: South Lamar (Between Alamo Drafthouse & Saxon Pub)

Heaven has ascended on Austin in the form of a donut. A fresh, made to order, smothered in your choice of delicious goodness donut. The genius creators of Gourdough's (Big.Fat.Donuts) has brought what might be and probably is the most tempting and hard to resist airstream food trailer yet to grace the streets of Austin.

I can't down play the idea of how smart a gourmet, fancy donut place is. Especially for south Austin. The flavor combinations and donut concepts are great and they all sound and most likely are delicious. I am pretty sure you can find something that everyone will like. Go Now.

Since Claire and I are big fans of all things donut we made a special trip all the way from Pflugerville to S. Lamar just for this, at 10pm. Seriously, we drove 35 minutes for donuts. They had a donut version of rum cake (my favorite) and a heath chip covered one (Claire's favorite candy) and so the madness ensued. We each had one and we each needed to sleep for a few days afterward.

I'm just gonna break it down for you:

1) They have over 20 different flavor combinations of Donuts (including one with oreos, one with a chicken strip, and of course one with bacon).
2) They make them when you order them. That means they are piping hot.
3) They aren't breakfast donuts. That is why they are open 12pm-2am.
4) They aren't light and fluffy like a traditional donut, more dense, chewy, and sweet, like cake almost.
5) Be prepared for either a sugar coma or a really long nap after eating one.
6) Go there daily...yes they are that good and I can only thank God we live so far away or I might be huge
7) Add a scoop of ice cream if you want to get crazy
8) The owner was awesome and even came out to ask if there are any improvements that needed to be made
9) Try the Sailor Jerry...it's amazing!


It's the best idea ever for a food trailer, they are spot on with the delivery of the concept and I can only barely hold in my excitement to try the other 21 flavors I have yet to taste. Heaven has arrived on south Lamar.

What: Frank
When: Sunday, September 27th, 2009
Where: Downtown Austin (5th & Colorado)

When I first heard about Frank I wasn't so sure. I wasn't sure that a place with downtown lease rates could sustain itself for very long on only the profits of hot dogs. However, as doubting as I was, I still had a inkling of curiosity about owners/operators that were bold enough to try a fancy hot dog place.

On Sunday I had the chance to satisfy my curiosity, in fact I think the curiosity almost killed me. I will never be one to doubt the mighty dog again. Flavors of Austin was throwing a kickoff party at Frank this Sunday and I happened to be lucky enough to check it out. I have been to a couple of the blogger happy hours before and let me say this before I get any further: Frank was the best Blogger event I have attended. I say this for many different reasons. They had an open bar, they had an open coffee bar, they sampled 3 of 4 different breakfast items (Which premiered the week of the event), they had a hot dog bar, and they sampled 4 out of 5 of their specialty sausages for the week. On top of that they may have had the friendliest servers, bartenders, and employees of any restaurant I have been to in Austin.

Yes, it was all free so it would be hard to talk bad about Frank after being treated so royally. It really was that great.

The ironic part was that the hot dog at the hot dog bar was the most disappointing item of the night. It was a Chicago style dog that lacked any pizazz. The hot dog confirmed my original suspicion of impending failure for any hot dog place trying to survive downtown. As the night progressed I was happy to forget these preconceived notions.

Each Kolache from the simple sausage and cheddar down to the sublime chorizo and potato was a step closer to making a believer out of me.

After Claire and I each tried 3 different cocktails we had established that the bartenders were creative and quite skilled. We ran the gambit and had everything from a take on a cherry limeade to the classic Manhattan with a bacon twist to a simple melon drink.

Claire was all to eager to try the drinks that involved Amy's Ice Cream. Of course, they were both delicious. My nod of approval goes to "Cream" over the "Rummy Root Beer".

Beyond the drinks and hot dog bar we got to sample the reason why I think Frank is something special: made in house specialty sausages. We sampled four of them and the Crawfish & Pork sausage was the best. All of them were excellent quality, super tasty, and one of the many reasons to go to Frank.

The main reason I can't say enough good things is that every staff member we talked to was informative, friendly, and more than happy to serve us. The bartenders were amazing, Tania is doing an amazing job so go visit her during happy hour (4-7). Tyler (the coffee bar Manager)

was more than happy to teach us the reasons why Frank coffee is the best in all of downtown Austin. He chatted with Claire and I for well over 45 minutes and let us sample about 5 different coffee drinks and I can honestly say it was some of the best coffee I've ever had.

Simply put, Frank is a place that you have to visit. From the warehouse feel with woods and brick to amazing cocktails and delicious sausage they cover it all. Plus it is presented to you buy one of the best staffs in all of Austin. Go check it out if for nothing else than curiosity! After all curiosity killed the cat not the dog.

When: September 8th, 2009
What: Pluckers (The Round Rock Branch)
What I Had: Apps: Fried Pickles Drinks: Psychedelic Frog (a super sweet melon concotion) & Pluckers Lemonade. Entrees: Wings (In 3 different flavors: Spicy Ranch, Buffalo Medium, and Bakers Gold)

This was my second trip to Pluckers since I have lived in Austin. The main thing that drew me back? Well a picture from Tipsy Texan's twitter showing the Psychedelic Frog served in a Mason Jar. I would probably go anywhere that served drinks in a mason jar. Much less $5, 32oz drinks. So off we went.


We attempted to enjoy the nice 90 degree weather that Austin is having, but out on the patio they had a movie playing with the sound at full blast. Since it was impossible to hear each other - much less think - we decided to dine inside. Our waiter did a great job of explaining his favorites and why he did or didn't like certain menu items. Customer service was solid tonight. Fried pickles were a given, we had to order them. Although for $6.99 they only gave us six measly spears.

That's over a dollar a spear and although yes they are tasty they are not worth that price, plus I prefer the fried pickle chips over spears. We devoured them none-the-less.

Of course we ordered the Psychedelic Frog, but I went ahead and threw in a lemonade because who doesn't like lemonade. Claire ended up with the Frog because I am pretty sure it was made of pure melon liquor and sugar. Too sweet for my taste. The lemonade however hit the spot. Refreshing and delicious.

Our wings came with a small side of Sweet Potato Fries coated in cinnamon and sugar. They were good, but didn't hold a candle to Phil's Ice House's Sweet Potato fries.

The wings at Pluckers are big and meaty. They had a perfectly crisp, fried skin that sealed the juicy meat inside. During the course of our meal I decided that I prefer wings that are juicy/saucy over dry rub wings. The Spicy Ranch had a dry rub and while the chicken itself was cooked great it just didn't have that big pop or spice that you tend to get with a saucy wing. The ranch flavor wasn't in full force and so these wings were at the bottom of the list. Anytime I go to a wing place I have to order at least a few of the regular buffalo style.

Although I am not a sissy when it comes to spice I actually like to enjoy my wings. So medium is about the right heat although I would have been happy with hot. Pluckers does the buffalo style wings right. No complaints. The big winner, however, was the Bakers Gold. The sauce was a mix of cajun, honey mustard, and buffalo. They were sweet and spicy all at once - rather delicious, and we should have ordered more of them.

The vibe of Pluckers is fun and relaxing and they have trivia on Wednesday nights which is awesome. The food is overall very tasty and they have great drink specials and everyday prices. My biggest two complaints are that the food is a little pricey for wings and that you only get one small cup of ranch with 15 wings. I will definitely be back for some more wings and most likely some trivia.

Fun place to go with friends, super tasty, tasty cheap drinks, but a bit pricey for casual food.

8/10

When: May 4, 2009
What: Teji (in a strip mall off 620 in round Rock)
What I Had: Apps: 2 Dips: Tamarind Chutney & A Spicy Green Substance w/Pappad. Entrees: Chicken Tikka Masala: chicken breast prepared in fresh spices, herbs, yogurt, and barbequed on a skewer in tandoor. Hara Bara Chicken: cooked in Indian Spices, fresh cilantro, green chilies, and mint paste all accompanied by Garlic Naan.

Simply mouthwatering good Indian food. Only in the last year have I come to be a big fan of Indian food, so I will not claim to be an expert. I will be up front though. Teji is the best I have had to date. On my first and only trip I was blown away that a little grocery/restaurant with about 8 tables could produce the delicious food that I was served. I have always been a big believer in the hole-in-the-wall type places. Teji exceeded all expectations.

It all started on one of those nights when the wife and I just couldn't decide where to eat. So I went to the trusty yelp and somehow stumbled across Teji which had 4 stars on only 16 reviews. Not one of those reviews has a single bad thing to say, so we went trekking up to some obscure strip mall in Round Rock. We found that some of India has been strangely transported to Round Rock. Why you ask? The answer is for pure foodie pleasure.

We shyly took our seat in the empty dining room. Since we arrived an hour before closing most of the food coming out of the kitchen was for take-out. We were eagerly greeted and served by the hostess who we later found out was the sister-in-law of the owner. She was super friendly which took some of the awkwardness out of being one of the two tables in the restaurant plus she was happy to answer all of our questions.

We were promptly served the Tamarind Chutney and spicy green "salsa" with which to dip our crispy Pappad into. The first bite was of the green stuff and it had a rich spicy flavor. It was nicely contrasted by the sweet almost syrupy Tamarind Chutney. We were well off to a good start.

We did find that all utensils, plates, cups, etc were plastic and self serve. Which was not a big deal and it suited the atmosphere of the place. Claire chose her classic Chicken Tikka Masala and I ventured out with the Hara Bara Chicken. Of course we couldn't skip out on the Naan. We went with what seemed to be the popular choice: Garlic Naan. They have about six different choices ranging from plain to garlic to Keema (lamb stuffed). Our meal arrived within about 10 minutes if not less and we dug in.


This Naan may have been the stuff that they called manna back in the day. It might have fallen from heaven this very night. It did pack a garlic punch but hey its the spice of life, right? As you can tell I thoroughly enjoyed Teji's naan. As soon as our food arrived we dived in. Both of our meals came out in styrofoam bowls that are deceptively large. Once again we come across the lackluster tableware but the food more than makes up for it.

The Tikka Masala was superb. I think we are slowly figuring out what Indian food flavors we both like. Going to authentic places like Teji definetely helps. Even with the popular dishes like Tikka Masala at Teji you just can't help but feel like your in a little shop in India.

I hadn't ever had Hara Bara. I was rewarded for my courage. The green chile chutney that the chicken swam in was hot, I mean it was spicy, but oh so good. It was one of those dishes I won't soon forget. The meal itself was an experience that will continue to bring us back to Teji. We both had plenty left over to take home and make second meals out of. I think Teji could easily turn itself into a full blown Indian Restaurant and hold it's own against Austin's best. I do hope they take this place to the next level otherwise due to the lack of ambience it will continue to be a really, really great take-out place.


Cheap, delicious, and way out of the way, even for people that live in North Austin.

9/10

That's right. I am going on vacation to San Francisco. Which means no Austin reviews until I get back later in June. I do have a few stored up and ready to go but in the mean time I will probably try to post some quick thoughts up about all the great places we are going to in San Francisco!
My long list so far consists of:

Dosa
La Note
Chez Panisse
Pyramid Alehouse
Beard Papas
Sushi Ran
Avatar
Weird Fish
Bi-Rite Creamery
Mamas
The Slanted Door
Little Star Pizza
Humphrey Slocombe
A16
Genki Crepes
Four Barrel Coffee
Osha Thai
El Farolito
Ikes Place

If you can't tell I am super excited and have all the meals planned out. The wife took care of the giant shops to see list and together we created the most well thought out vacation ever. Throw in a day trip to Sonoma and muir woods and we should have an awesome 8 days!

What: Yummy Yo
When: Friday, May 1st, 2009
What I had: Frozen Yogurt: Blueberry, Strawberry, Cookies and Cream, Cheescake. Tasted: Green Tea, Country Vanilla. Toppings: Kiwi, Pineapple, Cap n' Crunch, Sprinkles, Toffee, Oreo.

Although the overall purpose of Austin Review is to try and taste as many and as much of Austin's culinary offerings as I can, I seem to have fallen into a rut. That rut is full of yogurt. After eating at Yummy Yo I have officially tasted 5 of the 8 frozen yogurt places that I know of in Austin. I have reviewed 2 of them here, & here. So maybe this will become a yogurt related blog, but I really can't get enough of this new creamy and delicious fad here in Austin. I guess I will have to hit up the other three and write blogs on the final 5 so that we can have an official record of which I claim to be the best.


Yummy Yo, unfortunately is not the best. Don't get me wrong it is actually my favorite out of the ones I have blogged about, but not necessarily a destination yogurt spot, especially with the parking situation Downtown. Yummy Yo is located right beside the Convention Center in the new Nueces 360 building. The problem is on any given night the Convention Center is packed and you have to fight for your life for parking.

Once you finally locate parking and make your way to Yummy Yo you will be happy to find a sleek, modern, lounge type area with a row of yogurt machines (that are cleaned nightly, a big plus).


The choices aren't as creative as other places but they do have the traditional options: cheesecake, vanilla, strawberry, cookies 'n' cream, and tart. They also mix it up just a bit with blueberry and green tea. The latter two were spot on in the flavor department and tasty as well. The blueberry would be great for breakfast as it perfectly resembled a blueberry muffin.

An added bonus for Yummy Yo: they presented their nutrition facts on a card above the yogurt dispenser. Most (if not all) of the other local yogurt places skip this nicety. Calorie-counters, weight-watchers, and even just plain curious consumers will appreciate this.


After a quick taste test I decided blueberry and strawberry would be great a great mix and topped it all off with pineapple, kiwi, sprinkles, and for an odd touch: Cap N' Crunch. The wife went sweet with cookies 'n' cream and cheesecake topped with Oreo and toffee. We took a spot in the "lounge" with super bright lights and discussed our sadness that we weren't at the Death Cab For Cutie concert next door.



I quickly discovered my "fresh" pineapple was distinctly flavored like canned pineapple. Not a good sign. The kiwi wasn't bad, and the Cap N' Crunch kept it interesting but in the end I think the high price per ounce (46 cents, compared to 39 at most places) just didn't add up. The yogurt wasn't bad, it had a decent texture. It attempted to be creamy but came out just slightly runny. Perhaps it was a bit hot that night? All the flavors tasted like their namesakes and weren't off-putting but none of them made me want to go back for more. It was average. I hate to say it but the only real thing they have going for them is that they are better than Yogurt R' Rock and Yogurt Spot, and they are located downtown. The negative side of that is, well, that they are located downtown.

I wouldn't pass Yummy Yo up if I was in the area and in the mood for frozen yogurt but it is not a destination dessert I would go hunting for or go out of my way to eat. This first time around I would have to say it was just average in all aspects.

6/10 -- Just because I had to rate it higher than Yogurt R' Rock.

Next Up: Teji