Foodie To-Do list

This is my never-ending list of places I want to try here in Austin. If I go to one, I’ll remove it and review it! If there are parenthesis after the restaurant it means I’ve been told that that is what I should order!

Asiana Indian Cuisine – Indian– I am a sucker for indian food, and this place is supposed to be good. With 4.5 stars on Yelp, I am excited to try it.

Austin Daily Press – Sandwiches– The sandwiches here are supposedly top-notch. I’ve never been a giant sandwich person, but this place also has a 4.5 review on Yelp and I’d like to try the Who Dat.

Brown’s Bar-B-que –BBQ – Many people have compared this food trucks BBQ to Franklin’s. I am a huge BBQ lover and I’m not very patient. This sounds like a good way to great some of Austin”s best without waiting in Franklin’s line.

Buffalina – pizza –

Buzzmill – coffee – Now might be a good time to admit I have a problem: I am addicted to caffeine. If you tell me a place has great coffee, it is immediately on my to-do list, and needless to say, I was told this place is good.

Casa Colombia – WENT TO – review coming soon

Caspian Grill (beef kebabs) – Persian – With a 4.8 rating on Yelp, I figure this is the place to go to try Persian food. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever had Persian food, So I’ll let you know how it goes.

Chinatown – Chinese/Dim Sum – I was born in San Francisco, California and I have a soft spot for good Dim Sum. Let’s be honest for a moment: Texas Dim Sum is terrible. Seriously. Just awful. Apparently this place does it well, I’m not confident, but I still have to try and make sure.

Coast Bar + Kitchen –seafood–  “From wine bar to seafood, Coast’s transformation of Mulberry brings water-dwelling entrees like barbecue prawns and fish tacos, along with other dishes and cocktails.”

Contigo – Farm fresh/American – According to Eater, Contigo has one of the best happy hours in Austin. Monday – Thursday, 5-7 p.m.I am excited to try their Violet Sabbatical (vodka, berries, mint, lemon) and their Sunday Brunch.

Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que – casual BBQ – This place is apparently amazing, however it looks a bit pricey. I do want to try the cabbrito in addition to all of my normal favorites such as brisket and turkey.

Crawfish Shack and Oyster Bar – seafood- looks casual and like the prices might be reasonable.

Curra’s Grill – Mexican– The first thing people have said to order when you go here is the Avocado Margarita. Sounds weird to me, but it comes so highly recommended I have decided that I have to give it a chance.  If it’s terrible I can always go for the civiche.

Emmer & Rye – American/Farm-to-table – Honestly I’ve been here before for brunch and it was good. I liked the creme brulee french toast, which often sells out apparently. However I still want to try their dinner menu.

Epicerie – French/American – This place is going to kill me. Mostly because I already want everything on the menu. They have a gnocchi that sounds incredible and they also have boudin. I’m excited to try this place.

Forthright – breakfast and lunch – this is a great option for those of you who want to eat early (before 7) and it is also an affordable option. Breakfast has nothing over $10, and they have a happy hour 5-7

Goodall’s Kitchen – New American – Their normal dinner menu just looks too expensive and not special enough for me to go during normal dinner hours. $16 for a burger? I’d rather go to Hopdoddy’s. But they have a happy hour in the bar and the restaurant is walking distance from campus, so I’d like to try their happy hour at some point.

Haymaker – Sandwiches – They make homemade beer cheese, Wisconsin wurst and burgers. It’s casual and easy and I’d like to spend a Friday there if it’s not too busy!

Irene’s – Comfort foods – This place looks like it’s a great place for casual drinking. There are select $3 pints and $2 off snacks during happy hour . They refer to their brunch as “Biscuits and Booze,” which is a combination you can’t go wrong with.

Jacoby’s –American/Southern– To be honest, I really love chicken fried steak. And they have it front and center on their menu. I’d also like to try the braised pork cheek or their wood roasted chicken. Tuesday – Thursday they have a happy hour 5-7 p.m. but the menu isn’t extensive and I’d only be interested in the burger. But according to Yelp reviews, this place has a solid 4 stars, with 270 reviews.

John Mueller Meat Company – BBQ – Another BBQ food truck, with reviews that compare it to Franklin’s.

Josephine – –

Juliet Ristorante 

Juniper – Italian. WENT TO… review coming soon

Justine’s Brasserie

Komé – Sushi

La Barbecue Cuisine Texicana – casual

L’Oca d’Oro – Italian – They have a fantastic looking brunch and dinner menu. They focus on plates to share with family style options such as Crispy Pork Crochette and Brick Chicken fra Diavolo. I personally want to try all of their pasta. 

Los Comales – “Consistently good since 1993, you can find a delicious and filling lunch for under $5 at this traditional Norteño taqueria” According to Eater 

MAX’s Wine Dive

Mi Madre’s Restaurant

Micklethwait Craft Meats (Brisket Frito Pie) – casual

Mongers – seafood- they have a happy hour with $6 starters, great brunsh with $3 mimosas, and fresh seafood options.

Moonshine Grill 

Nightcap – supposedly good. Nothing I’m too excited about based on the menu, but everyone says it’s decent, so I’d like to give their happy hour a try. WENT TO… review coming soon

Nubian Queen Lola Cajun – Cajan/creole – The exterior of this place makes me a bit nervous. It is apparently the epitome of a hole in the wall, but when I’m looking for some comforting southern food and am feeling adventurous I’ll give this place a chance. It’s good according to Eater. 

Olamaie – Southern

Otoko – sushi – I don’t know when I will get the chance to visit this exclusive 12 seated restaurant on South Congress, but someday I will.

Papalote Taco House (ceviche tostada)

Patika – coffee- They bake their pastries fresh every morning, have craft beers and drinks at night.

Poke Poke – seafood

Quality Seafood – seafood – The prices seem reasonable and ranked no. 1 for best seafood in Austin by Eater

Salt & Time –

Salty Sow – WENT TO… review coming soon

Searsucker

Second Bar & Kitchen

Sophia’s – Italian – This place looks a little pricey, but also amazing. Juniper let me down, I think this is my new bucket-list Italian place in Austin.

Spartan Pizza

Swift’s Attic

Tacos and Tequila – Great brunch, Mexican – Judge me for not having been here. I feel like every one and their dang grandma has been here. I’m working on it, I promise.

Tamale House East – casual

Thai Passion – Thai

The Hightower

The Soup Peddler – WENT TO… review coming soon

Veracruz All Natural – food truck

Vinaigrette – salads

Vox Table 

Winflo

Wu Chow – Dim Sum/Chinese

Via 313 – Coming to Campus

Via 313 is coming to UT! Opening this Friday, March 4, Via 313 is taking over Blackbird and Henry’s old building . Via 313 already has two extremely successful food trucks and a full restaurant in Oak Hill. If you’re a pizza fan, this place is a must. They offer both Bar Style (thin crust) and Genuine Detroit-Style (deep dish) pies, but I’ll save you the trouble of trying to figure out which to order: the Genuine Detroit-Style is the way to go.

Via 313,  is dedicated to fresh, quality ingredients. They prepare their dough daily and source as many of their ingredients as they can from local farmers and butchers, including Antonelli’s Cheese Shop.

At the Oak Hill location my regular order includes The Classic Cheese Pizza, The Original Pepperoni and a personal creation that my father calls the “M&M” which is topped with meatballs, mushrooms and more meatballs. (I would seriously recommend trying this one). Via 313’s other offerings include pizzas like The Carnivore, which has smoked pepperoni, natural casing pepperoni, ham, sausage and bacon and The Cadillac (Inspired by Tony Gemginani) which is topped with Gorgonzola, fig preserves, Prosciutto di Parma, parmesan and a balsamic glaze. If you do decide to go for Via 313’s Bar Style pizzas, The Stooges and Mitch Ryder are on my “must try” list.

 

The Original Pepperoni. Picture by Briana Helmueller

“M&M” without the extra meatballs. Picture by Briana Helmueller

 

 

 

 

Frank Hot Dogs

The “creole gator” artisan sausage from Frank on June, 31. (Photo: Briana Helmueller)

Where do you go when a basic hot dog doesn’t cut it? You run, not walk, to Frank and order the “Chicago dog” or any of their other sausage delights. All sausages at Frank are made in-house or here in Austin by Hudson Sausage Co..

Frank is one of my best “just happened upon” ventures to date. After a day on the lake, my friends and I were sun burnt, tired, and famished. Frank was the first place we happened upon and in we went. Our expectations were nothing more than air conditioning and basic food.

Basic food is not what we got. Instead Frank opened our eyes and filled our bellies with a new experience in the world of hotdogs. “Chicago dogs” were ordered all around and these tasty 100% Vienna Beef hotdogs with fresh tomatoes, a pickle spear, onions, relish, sport peppers, celery salt and mustard on a poppy seed bun were quickly devoured.

While Frank had the perfect meal for a perfect day, it took me two years to make it back through their doors. I was excited to relive my “perfect hotdog” experience, but I was also scared that I had built it up in my mind.

This time I replaced my old favorite, the “Chicago dog,” with the “creole gator”. The “creole gator” is made with Frank’s custom-made smoked alligator sausage, crispy popcorn crawfish, Crystal slaw, scallions and a creole remoulade. It was milder and less gamey tasting than I had expected, so being a true Austinite, I added Cholula Hot Sauce. It was delicious. I rounded out this meal by sharing an order of chili cheese fries with my friend Danielle.

While there were only two of us, the fries could have easily fed four or more. No matter, the melted cheddar, sour cream and warm chili topped fries disappeared as quickly as our hotdogs. I tend to prefer gooey and sticky cheese fries, so next time I plan to try the “Queso Fries” instead.

My love of Franks is shared by many, as in 2014 it was voted Best Hot Dog in Austin by Austin A List. Frank’s casual, yet trendy atmosphere, friendly staff, and of course amazing hot dogs are clearly a recipe for success.

The chili cheese fries from Frank on June 31.  The chili was meat based, but Frank also offers vegetarian options. (Photo: Danielle Prieto)

The outside wall of Frank Hot Dogs restaurant on June 31. The parking in this picture is separate from Frank and must be paid for. (Photo: Danielle Prieto)

Hours:

Monday through Thursday: 11 a.m. – midnight
Friday through Saturday: 11 a.m. – 2 a.m.
Sunday: 10 a. m. – midnight

Location: 407 Colorado Street, Austin, TX 78701

Website: http://hotdogscoldbeer.com 

Price: Creole Gator $13
Chili Cheese Fries $6.95

Fricano’s Deli

“The Madison” sandwich at Fricano’s Deli on June 23. You can add chips and a drink to any sandwich at Fricano’s Deli. (Photo: Briana Helmueller)

Do you have a passionate love affair in your life? I have had one with making of a perfect sandwich since I was young. I grew up in a “foodie” household before I knew what “foodie” meant and my family taught me the importance of fresh and high quality ingredients. I grew up looking forward to Sunday afternoons because that is when my family would make amazing homemade sandwiches and sweet tea.

This passion had waned a bit over the years after eating too many “so-so” deli sandwiches, but it was fully reignited when I found Fricano’s Deli. This 2008 best-kept secret, according to Austin Monthly Magazine, is no longer a secret to hungry Austenites. Every foodie at The University of Texas at Austin knows that Fricano’s Deli is the best place to conquer a good and hearty sandwich craving.

Fricano’s Deli knows that a really great sandwich does not require fussy ingredients, just fresh ingredients that are expertly paired together. A few of my favorites that hit the mark every time are Paul’s Reuben and The Madison. Paul’s Reuben is everything you expect and want from an amazing Reuben sandwich. The top notch corned beef, hot and bubbly swiss cheese, and thick slices of hot rye bread make this sandwich perfection. Another amazing option is The Madison, also commonly known as a “caprese” sandwich.

While I feel like I am cheating on my first love, Paul’s Reuben, The Madison is worth the guilt. Actually, after a bite of the Madison’s homemade mozzarella, ripe tomato, basil, avocado and pesto on my choice of bread, all feelings of guilt disappear. For those feeling carnivorous, turkey may be added to this masterpiece.

Fricano’s Deli’s convenient location, quality deli cuts, extensive menu, and consistency make this my unapologetic guilty pleasure.

Inside of Fricano’s Deli on Tuesday June 23. Fricano’s Deli displays their awards, posters of past events and interesting artwork on their walls. (Photo: Briana Helmueller)

Hours: Monday through Friday 11a.m. – 8pm

 Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.

 Location: 2405 Nueces Street, Ste. G
Austin, TX 78705

Website:  http://fricanosdeli.com

Price: The Madison $8.25
Paul’s Reuben $8.25

A note to say…

Greetings from Austin and WestCampusFoodie. Please accept my Texas-sized welcome!

Welcome!

My name is Briana and I am a Public Relations major at the University of Texas at Austin. I grew up here in Austin with the foodie culture and my foodie family. College and my new found freedom has encouraged me to become a tourist in my own city and try everything Austin has to offer. This blog is my way of taking you all on my journey in finding the best restaurants, food trucks, hole in the walls, bars and best kept secrets in my favorite city, good ol’ Austin, Texas.