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Wednesday, November 4, 2009
25 Great Dishes: Raw oysters at Parkside
The Austin360 Dining Guide will hit the Web and the paper on Friday, Nov. 6. Here’s a preview from the 25 Great Dishes section of the guide, gleaned from more than 175 places I’ve visited in my first year as the American-Statesman’s restaurant critic.
Raw oysters? Big deal. What does a restaurant — especially a minimalist wonder-bar and bistro like this — have to do to sell raw oysters?
You mean besides tracking down a dozen or more varieties of North American oysters daily, doing it in months with and without the letter ‘r,’ getting them shipped, cleaning the shells, shucking them and putting them on ice with horseradish and lemon?
How about making them (and champagne) half-price on Wednesdays? Done.
301 E. Sixth St. 474-9898, www.parkside-austin.com.
(American-Statesman photo by Mike Sutter)
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25 Great Dishes: Nynavae’s Tacos at Somnio’s Cafe
The Austin360 Dining Guide will hit the Web and the paper on Friday, Nov. 6. Here’s a preview from the 25 Great Dishes section of the guide, gleaned from more than 175 places I’ve visited in my first year as the American-Statesman’s restaurant critic.
Two things come together well at the small and South Austin-funky Somnio’s: farmers’ market produce and rocking flavor.
Salads carry the names and personality tics of ‘Urban Cowboy’ characters. The waitress will open and pour the wine you bring from home. Carnivores and vegetarians get equal respect with custom stir-fry bowls.
But my kids and I fought the hardest over Nynavae’s Tacos, fresh corn tortillas folded around fried croquettes of chopped mushrooms, topped with crunchy cabbage and served with chips and fresh tomato salsa.
1807 S. First St. 442-2500, www.somnioscafe.com.
(Photo for the American-Statesman by Bret Gerbe)
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Forklore on KGSR this Thursday
Thursday morning (Nov. 5) at 8:15, I’ll be on KGSR (107.1 FM) talking with host Bryan Beck and Tasty Touring blogger Jodi Bart about the Austin360 Dining Guide, proving to both of them that I have a face for radio and a personality for print.
We’ll talk about Austin’s restaurant Newcomer of the Year, some of the 25 Great Dishes I’ve enjoyed this year, a few notable comeback stories and whatever else pops up about dining out in Austin. I may or may not wear a mask.
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Free fennel feast at Sagra
The menu includes a mixed-greens salad with orange and fennel, a fennel gratinati with cheese and potatoes a seafood stew called brodetto.
First-come, first-served. Dessert is $5, and drinks will be available for sale.
1610 San Antonio St. 535-5988, www.sagraaustin.com.
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Thanksgiving out: Restaurant dinners?
Is your restaurant planning a special dinner for Thanksgiving? Please e-mail it to me so I can get the word out to people who’d rather let someone else do the cooking. msutter@statesman.com.
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25 Great Dishes: Pastrami sandwich at Walton’s Fancy and Staple
The Austin360 Dining Guide will hit the Web and the paper on Friday, Nov. 6. Here’s a preview from the 25 Great Dishes section of the guide, gleaned from more than 175 places I’ve visited in my first year as the American-Statesman’s restaurant critic.
A lot has been made of how actress and Austin regular Sandra Bullock is the money person behind this century-old stagecoach depot, restored and repurposed as a bakery, florist, coffeehouse and deli.
But you can’t slice fame and make a sandwich. You can, however, slice a big handful of lean pastrami and put it on some of the thickest, softest, crustiest rye bread in the city and wash it down with an artful cappuccino.
609 W. Sixth St. 542-3380, www.waltonsfancyandstaple.com.
(American-Statesman photo by Mike Sutter)
