the overview (activities!) / the swag If you only pick one place for a group dinner, make it Odd Duck. The entire experience was absolutely fantastic. The service was wonderful, the food was plentiful and amazing, the wine was perfectly paired. It. Was. Awesome. It’s $55 for an 8-course tasting, and $55 for a 5-course…
Tag: restaurant
This is Life in Austin & Aspen: Reverse, Reverse!
Ah, a throwback to the iterations of this here blog … like me, a restaurant from Aspen has returned nay, come home to, Austin. Because Aspen and Austin are inextricably yet inexplicably linked, perhaps the first restaurant to move from Aspen to Austin rather than vice versa (hi Clark’s), is House of the Rising Tanuki-San,…
Super Secret Sneak Preview: laV
Fabulous French bistro laV is opening today! I love, love, love the Aspen-Austin connection, which I wrote about here. One of my girlfriends was lucky enough to attend all of the pre-pre opening festivities a couple of weeks ago. She scoped it out for all of us, and had this to report: “The ambiance is…
Do Celebs Drink Beer in LA? The Elbow Room Encino
Because there’s a fantastic new gastropub-style restaurant opening in Encino, on Ventura Blvd in (basically) LA. The Elbow Room (elbowroomencinco.com) features a killer craft beer selection, absolutely scrumptious grass-fed beef burgers, ribs, and meatballs, and more—including waffle sammies. Basically, celebs are about to start faux celebs like me already frequent this not-even-open-yet culinary destination. [obvious disclaimer]…
Austin: Gluten-Free Dinner at Olive & June
Italian and gluten-free don’t often go hand-in-hand … pastas, breads, and pizzas are serious gluten bombs. But leave it to parkside’s, backspace’s, and Olive & June’s Chef Shawn Cirkiel to create a five-course Southern Italian-style gluten-free dinner in honor of Celiac Awareness month. Olive & June will host two of the gluten-free dinners on May…
Easy Tiger! Bake Shop & Beer Garden Opens Today
Someone go try it for me please? Bread and beer. Things I shouldn’t eat but happen to love. [Sidenote: there’s a new bakery in Aspen on the mall under the Psychic called Annette’s and the bread there is TO DIE FOR, so to speak, as I ate almost half a loaf and spent the rest…
Houston: Houston Uchi Opens Feb 2
… but they start taking reservations today! I used to cover the Houston restaurant scene for a luxury magazine, and let me tell you, competition is fierce in one of the fattest cities in the nation. I say that lovingly, as I think Houston is one of the best cities in the nation if you know…
Austin: Skate It Up
Austin’s lakes and ponds will probably never freeze in order to get that whole wintery skating thing going on (in contrast to Aspen, where it is TEN degrees as I type this), so we have to build rinks specifically for that purpose. The downtown Whole Foods started the trend a few years ago (and has…
Austin: Olive & June to Fill El Arbol Void
With the sad news of El Arbol‘s closing, everyone wondered what would happen to the new Brykerwoods hotspot … well, wait no longer! Acclaimed Chef Shawn Cirkiel of parkside and backspace will open a Southern Italian restaurant called Olive & June next spring. Olive & June is named for Chef Shawn Cirkiel’s grandmother and his wife’s grandmother…
Take Me There: Napa Valley
Despite my love for wine, travel, and the sunshine of California, I have not ever been to Napa Valley. Sad panda. Just another reason to visit: Austin hotspot and “Best New Restaurant” James Beard Foundation Award nominee La Condesa just opened an outpost (view my coverage of the Austin location’s drinks here and food here). La Condesa…