Food & Drink: Dear Dale

Diners share a few favorite fireside spots

By Dale Rice
Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Dear Dale,

The best fireplace I know of in Austin is the one at Freddie's Place on South First Street. It's a huge outdoor fireplace, and they even give you blankets to wrap up in and you can make s'mores while you're there. Very cool!

Jacque Duncan

Jacque,

Your suggestion to fill Bob Karli's request for a spot to enjoy a brew or some food around a fireplace (Dear Dale, Nov. 29) comes with the added bonus of s'mores. For $1.99, Freddie's will supply a diner with all the ingredients — graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate — needed to make the classic campfire treat.

Thanks for sharing with us. For some other spots to mix fire and food, read on.

Dale

Dear Dale,

Although it is not in Central Austin, as your reader preferred, North by Northwest at 10100 N. Capital of Texas Highway near Gateway Center has a big fireplace and great food.

Susan Watkins

Dear Dale,

Your readers interested in a bar/cafe/coffee shop with an outdoor fireplace will enjoy Azul, located at 1808 E. Cesar Chavez St.

Best,

Jodi Bart

Dear Dale,

The recently opened Satellite Bistro, on Escarpment in the Circle C area, has a great outdoor covered patio, with gas heaters and a real operating stone fireplace. It's surrounded by outdoor living-room-type furniture, as well as tables for eating. Very cozy.

T.D. Bryan

T.D.,

Other readers had places that were not centrally located, but have good fireplaces and are worth the drive. They included Siena, Iguana Grill and the La Madeleine cafe-bakeries on North Lamar Boulevard near 37th Street and U.S. 183 near Braker Lane.

And for something other than a beer and hearty grub, you can enjoy coffee and gelato around the fireplace in front of Teo's in 26 Doors shopping center on 38th Street. My two seasonal favorites at Teo's — the premier gelato shop in Central Texas — are peppermint and ginger snap.

Dale

Dear Dale,

This week you answered a reader's question about where to find an Italian bakery. You failed to mention Mandola's Italian Market, which has a really fine bakery and displays 10 to 15 fresh baked products daily. Just a reminder, as you gave them a very favorable review for the food.

Jay

Jay,

You and a bunch of other readers caught me in that inexcusable lapse. You're right; I did review the place, and I love the bakery case at Mandola's. I could stop by Mandola's for a selection of Italian cookies at least a couple of times a week. It's a good thing I live in South Austin or I'd be another 10 pounds heavier.

Dale

Dear Dale,

My wife and I, also a Monica, always enjoyed Monica's 701 in Georgetown. However, when I attempted to contact them for reservations recently I discovered that their phone was disconnected. I tried to e-mail them and the message bounced back to me because their e-mail box was full. It is a real shame if they are permanently closed. Do you have any idea what happened?

Thanks a lot!

Patrick and Monica Wallek

Temple

Patrick and Monica,

Sadly, Monica's 701 has closed. It has been replaced by Romeo's, an Italian restaurant that originated on Barton Springs Road in Austin.

You can find food similar to what was served at Monica's at Main Street Grill in Round Rock, including "Monica's salad" with Romaine lettuce, spinach, radicchio, strawberries, pecans and crumbled blue cheese with that wonderful maple balsamic vinaigrette, which originated at Main Street Grill.

Dale

Dear Dale,

I read your response to Reagan Francis, who wanted to know of any places in Austin to dine on the floor with Asian fare. Both of your suggestions were south, so I thought I'd let you know about a great restaurant north: Ichiban.

They're located at 7310 Burnet Road and serve everything that you listed in your article, and also have the low tables with a sunken area for leg room. Or they have the standard tables or booths for those who wish to eat American-style.

Lisa and Kimsey Self

Lisa and Kimsey,

Thanks for the suggestion.

Dale

Dear Readers,

I have received many offers from people who want to invite D.M. to their homes for Christmas. She's the woman whose husband is spending his second Christmas in Iraq and who requested a recommendation for a place to take her sons for a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.

I am forwarding those invitations to her, in the event she would like to dine with a family. I am very touched by the generosity of the Central Texas community; it's one more thing that makes this place special.

Dale

You may contact Dale Rice at drice@statesman.com, 445-3859 or 305 S. Congress Ave., Austin 78704. Due to the volume of inquiries, not all questions can be answered.