Home > The M.O. > Archives > 2008 > October > 29
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Wisps of the Windy City on a poppy-seed bun
But, eventually, “Chicago got a little cold,” as Miller likes to say, and he decided to head back down south to warmer climes and an opportunity to be closer to his brother and nephew.
Miller spent much of the last four years working in various capacities for multiple Central Market locations, but eventually he “got hungry” for a taste of home and wanted to realize the dream of self-employment.
Surveying the food scene in Austin, Miller realized that his adopted hometown, for which he professes the love and appreciation of a native, was in dire need of a true taste of Chicago. And nothing says Chicago like a boiled Vienna hot dog.
The classic Chicago style ($3.75) comes as previously described, but for those who don’t want to stray from their favorite preparations, you can get a dog with toppings of your choice ($4) or experiment with “The Austinite” ($3.75, with mango salsa and avocado) or take the healthier route with the veggie dog ($4, which you can get with homemade veggie chili).
While many folks in Austin may know the pleasure of snapping the casing on a Vienna dog and the subsequent burst of flavor, some might be a little less familiar with another Chicago staple, the Italian beef sandwich ($6). The beef, slow roasted by Miller for three hours, is best served “sweet, hot and wet,” as Miller describes it, meaning you get both sweet and hot peppers and extra au jus sauce, leaving a succulent shaved beef sandwich that melts in your mouth. If you want to really step your game up, you can go with Miller’s favorite, the Italian Deluxe ($7.25), which is a 6” Italian sausage topped with roast beef.
As a testament to his love and respect for these regional favorites, Miller went to great lengths to describe his dedication to authenticity. With vending from a trailer making impossible the ability to keep the traditional Gonnolla bread fresh, Miller has moved to ordering his rolls from Phoenicia Bakery and is in discussions with South Austin’s Moonlight Bakery to develop the perfect roll for his Italian beef sandwiches. So, traditionalists can rest easy.
But the food is only part of the appeal of this recent addition to Austin’s burgeoning trailer scene, one Miller credits for expanding Austin’s palate. Miller’s effervescent personality has already made him famous among regulars, several of whom he now counts as good friends, and he and his big smile can be found manning his trailer seven days a week.
Austin’s new champion of the flavors of Chicago envisions opening a full-service restaurant eventually, but for now Chris Miller is grateful to be “living his dream,” combining his two favorite things - Austin and Chicago style food.
Chris’ Little Chicago
3600 S. Lamar [map]
512.300.1791
Monday: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Tuesday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Sunday: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
(Chris hopes to have his Web site up by the end of November. In the meantime, here are some photos of his menu.)
Permalink | Comments (7) | Post your comment Categories: Food
Your A-List: Best Tennis Courts
Austin is known as an outdoorsy town, with thousands of running, cycling and water sports enthusiasts. But we’ve also got our share of tennis lovers, who not only benefit from good local tournaments but a proliferation of public courts around the city. The winner of this week’s Your A-List poll for Best Tennis Courts, with 31 percent of the vote, is the South Austin Tennis Center.
South Austin Tennis Center doesn’t just throw up the nets and let people run wild, either. They are seriously committed to helping players of all levels improve their game. Beyond court rentals, there is a full slate of lessons for players of all ages and skill levels, as well as special classes such as the endurance-testing Cardio Tennis, which “provides an effective cardiovascular workout as well tennis-specific fitness and shotmaking training … set to upbeat music and taught by enthusiastic teaching pros.”
The SATC is now operated by California transplant Noah Rippner and his sister Brie Rippner-Parsons, both former national champions at the collegiate and junior level, respectively.
As stated on their site, “Noah and Brie endeavor to enrich the Austin Tennis playing community by making South Austin Tennis Center a professional, trustworthy, comprehensive, and above all else WELCOMING destination for Austin tennis players of all varieties.”
South Austin Tennis Center [site]
1000 Cumberland Rd. [map]
512.442.1466
Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Others receiving votes
- Caswell Tennis Center, 23 percent
- Austin High, 10 percent
- Old Settlers Park, 9 percent
- Westwood Country Club, 9 percent
- World of Tennis, 5 percent
- Intramural Fields, 4 percent
- Little Zilker Park, 4 percent
- Penick-Allison Tennis Center, 4 percent
- Austin Tennis Academy, 2 percent
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment Categories: Your A-List
