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REAL: Top 50 Dining Guide

 

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Freedmen’s

Freedmen’s

Freedmen’s is Austin barbecue as seen through a vintage stereoscope.

Cincinnati's baby gorilla makes public debut

Cincinnati's baby gorilla makes public debut

A baby gorilla from Texas made her debut at the Cincinnati Zoo Tuesday with some of the people who have served as its surrogate mothers.

Salt & Time Butcher and Salumeria

Salt & Time Butcher and Salumeria

Bryan Butler and Ben Runkle, co-owners of Salt & Time, are committed to having complete knowledge of the sourcing of the meat they sell.

 
  • #1. Uchi: The rich foie nigiri is topped with a sweet fish caramel that actually makes it a perfect dessert choice.
  • #2. Barley Swine: German chocolate cake gets a desconstructed twist that includes a coconut mousse and coconut gel. CREDIT: KNOX PHOTOGRAPHICS.
  • #3. Congress: Beef tartare pairs with fried oysters, kimchi, steamed rice and a black bean paste for an Asian kick.
  • #5. Uchiko: The kitchen, below, turns out dishes such as chicken karaage with apple and pickled watermelon, right.
  • #4. Lenoir: Owners Todd Duplechan and wife Jessica Maher, right, with son Hollis, serve a fish curry, above, with a toasted poha crust.
  • #6 Foreign & Domestic: The 12-oz. Wagyu burger melds Maytag Blue cheese, pork belly and smoked tomato jam, all on a homemade English muffin.
  • #7. Trio: The rack of lamb is a revelation, with rosemary, candied garlic and a horseradish mustard.
  • #8. The Carillon: Executive Chef Josh Watkins, right, offers an appetizer of crisp pork belly, above, with Asian pear, fried mint leaves and diablo sauce.
  • #9. Franklin BBQ: The pulled pork, brisket and sausage are all worth the wait you’ll find at this hot spot.
  • #10. La Condesa: El Califa taquitos cradle Wagyu beef inside manchego cheese and jalapeño-tomato salsa.
  • #11. Wink: This blackbuck antelope is served with butternut squash, lobster mushrooms, swiss chard and port balsamic.
  • #12. Parkside: From the raw menu, a trundle of fluke with lemon and shaved almonds.
  • #13. Driskill Grill: They do lamb perfectly here, with Colorado chops seared with crusted herbs and cooked just right.
  • #14. Tam Deli: The beef banh mi sandwich comes on a delicious homemade baguette.
  • #15. Vino Vino: Mussels are bathed in white wine, tarragon and aioli and served with fries.
  • #16. La Traviata: The signature spaghetti Bolognese combines veal, pork and beef.
  • #17. Spin Modern Thai Cuisine: Feel the heat with the grilled chicken.
  • #18. Fabi & Rosi: Pork schnitzel and spaetzle in a creamy mushroom sauce is a nod to the chef-owner’s German heritage.
  • #19. Contigo: The ox tongue slider, left, has arugula and pickled green tomato.
  • #20. Swift’s Attic: Go for the mini ‘banh mi’ sandwiches.
  • #21. Vespaio: Mussels and clams mix exquisitely in the cioppino, above.
  • #22. Justine’s: Steak tartare mixes raw beef, onions, capers and a quail egg.
  • #23. 2nd Bar + Kitchen: Chef David Bull pulls from a family recipe for his pepperoni soup, like pizza in a bowl.
  • #24. El Naranjo: Traditional Mexican dish chile poblano relleno de picadillo Oaxaqueño is topped with a tomato-almond sauce.
  • #25. Perla’s: Oysters rule here, with this half-dozen of Olde Salts from Virginia.
  • #26 <a href=Hopfields This French-inspired gastropub near campus serves one of the best burgers in town, flaky tartes and a lush ham sandwich. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #27 <a href=Noble Pig This sandwich shop has drawn the attention of a national television show and is the rare joint that can inspire me to make a one-hour roundtrip for lunch. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #28 <a href=East Side Pies Cracker crusts and loads of locally-sourced ingredients make one delicious pizza. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #29. <a href=Chez Nous Just steps from the madness on 6th Street, entering Chez Nous feels like a leap into another dimension. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #30 <a href=Kome Affordable sushi and rolls and delicious hot dishes. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #31 <a href=Hillside Farmacy This restaurant really sparkles at night with a changing assortment of raw oysters and nightly specials like the buttery and flaky red fish topped with a rich, syrupy tomato confit and pierced with vinegary slivers of sauteed shallots. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #32. <a href=El Meson Chef Marisela Godinez has no trouble delivering classic dishes and an under appreciated brunch. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #33 <a>Green Pastures</a> Tucked away in South Austin, Green Pastures has the spooky grace of a haunted antebellum mansion with Tony Bennett and Sade handling the soundtrack.
  • #34. <a href=Fonda San Miguel Austin's original temple to interior Mexican cuisine, the colorful restaurant still packs in the guests. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #35. <a href=Tarka Fast-casual concept that feels ready-made for franchising, and not in a pejorative way." title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #36 <a href=Little Deli Thin, crisp slices of New Jersey pizza - like New York pizza without the marketing budget - served out of a deli the size of a shoebox in a throwback Crestview shopping center anchored by the IGA made famous in 'Friday Night Lights'. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #37. <a href=Home Slice Pizza When these guys hit it right -- paper thin and rounded off by a crunchy crust with just the right amount of cheesy grease pooling on the surface -- it's hard to find a better pie in town. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #38 <a href=Quality Seafood Pull up to the bar at this market/restaurant and transport yourself to the Gulf Coast. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #39 <a href=Lucy's Grab a bucket and some cold beers and sit outside on the patio for a picnic-style taste of old Austin. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #40 <a href=Olive & June Get a taste for all the kitchen can do by hop-scotching about the antipasti and piccolo piati sections of the menu that feature delicate zucchini involtini, a humble farm egg with polenta and the beautiful simplicity of a bit of skewered grilled swordfish. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #19 <a href=Counter Cafe Sit at the bar and you can not only feel the heat coming off the grill, you can even steal a few pointers from the cooks. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #43 <a href=Hopdoddy Hopdoddy helped introduce Austinites to the idea of 'gourmet' burgers. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #44 <a href=Asia Cafe Keep your water glass full, this place has some spice!" title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #45 <a href=Asti Married chefs Emmett and Lisa Fox have created Asti, a Hyde Park staple with a trattoria they opened 12 years ago. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #46 <a href=Salty Sow A charcuterie and cheese board impresses with a smooth chicken liver mousse and creamy Mt. Tam cheese, as does a rosy almost-rare duck breast with turnips in a tangy cardamom-orange sauce. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #48 <a href=Texas French Bread Successful dinner parties at their restaurant encouraged brothers, owners to update their family's sandwich shop and bakery with a commitment to farm-to-table dinners. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #49 <a href=Hudson's on the Bend Hudson's still knows how to cook an exceptional tenderloin and the Hill Country charm make it a good 'occasion restaurant'. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />
  • #50 <a href=Asiana This Indian food restaurant in a strip mall near Interstate 35 won't win any beauty pageants but it delivers solid executions of classics such as tandoori chicken, lamb rogan josh and more. " title="REAL Top 50 Dining Experience" class="cmGalleryThumbImage" />