Fresa’s Chicken al Carbon Surrounded by a super sized state best known for its uniquely Texan way of doing things, Austin is an oasis of freethinkers and creatives with a vibrant music, film, technology and food scene. Austinites have a taste for experimentation that borders on the delirious and it’s reflected in their food—from traditional barbecue… Read More →
Bizarre Foods Season Premiere Tuesday July 25, 9|8c on Travel Channel On the season premiere of Bizarre Foods, I’m headed to Texas to explore American cowboy life, past and present. The cowboy is the last great American icon, a romantic, rugged symbol of our frontier past. Camping along the Chisholm trail—the storied bovine highway that… Read More →
The Best Thing I Ate Last Week One Fifth is a new concept in Houston owned by my pal Chris Shepherd. Housed in a teeny old church that became an adult film studio before facing the wrecking ball, Chris got a stay of execution and is now putting a new restaurant in the space each… Read More →
Austin City Bites By Bob & Sue A weekend in the country’s fastest growing city (which embraces its reputation for being weird, as well as the Live Music Capital of the World) included memorable dinners at a prominent food critic’s three favorite restaurants: Qui Credit: Nicolai McCrary Philippine native Paul Qui delivers an eclectic combination of… Read More →
La Barbecue’s Top 5 for Austin In the crowded, competitive and often ruthless Texas barbecue scene, La Barbecue sits among the best of the best. Sure it helps that owner LeAnn Mueller hails from barbecue royalty—her grandfather founded Taylor, Texas’ Louie Mueller Barbecue in 1949, a temple of smoked meat that never fails to impress.… Read More →
What Not to Miss in Austin The co-owner of Salt & Time, Ben Runkle is Austin’s leading meat purveyor. What was born from Runkle’s passion for Old World charcuterie, turned into the city’s first whole carcass butcher shop and salumeria when a partnership with Bryan Butler developed in 2010. The pair are committed to sourcing animals… Read More →
Justin Yu on Where to Eat & Drink in Houston With an astounding blend of cultures and cuisine, Houston has long been one of America’s great food cities. But it’s only been until recently—with chefs like Chris Shepherd, Hugo Ortega and Justin Yu leading the pack—that anyone’s paid attention to the robust dining scene. Well… Read More →
Brilliant, Progressive Mexican Cuisine In a pint-sized, 12-seat restaurant operating out of a once abandoned rail car on the outskirts of San Antonio, chefs Diego Galicia, Rico Torres and the rest of their 5-person team showcase regional Mexican cuisine with modernist techniques. Every six weeks they create an entirely new menu highlighting specialties from one… Read More →
Operation Farm Rescue Record-breaking rainfall in Texas has had a devastating impact on communities and agriculture. Over the weekend, I received the following note from a friend, chef Rene Ortiz, with a call to action to help Urban Roots recover from flooding. An Austin-based non-profit, Urban Roots transforms the lives of young people through food and farming,… Read More →
America’s Leading Pitmaster Aaron Franklin cooked his first brisket in 2002. After seven years of practice, he opened a food truck with his wife Stacy, though a few glowing reviews resulted in long lines and a move to a brick-and-mortar location on Austin’s east side just a year later. Today, Franklin and his crew serve… Read More →
Good Genes Pound for pound, Austin’s culinary gravitas rivals the best food cities in the nation. And it’s folks like Bryce Gilmore—a second generation Austin chef, a two-time James Beard award nominee and a Food & Wine Best New Chef in 2011—who make the city’s food scene what it is. At his restaurants Barley Swine and… Read More →
Eat Your Way Through Austin Paul Qui‘s career took off after winning Top Chef Season 9, followed by a James Beard award for Best Chef: Southwest, and a spot on Food & Wine’s roster of Best New Chefs in 2014. What’s more impressive is that the 33-year-old Filipino-born Austinite is killing it at his ambitious flagship restaurant qui, which was named the Best… Read More →
Authentic Michoacán Cuisine Owned and operated by the Rojas family, Revolver Taco Lounge in Fort Worth serves some of best Michoacán food you can find outside of Mexico. As immigrants continue to arrive, open restaurants and sadly often over-adapt flavors to gringo palates, it becomes surprisingly difficult to find traditional and authentic Mexican food…even in Texas. Pride,… Read More →
The Story of Houston Food At Houston’s acclaimed Underbelly, chef Chris Shepherd (a 2013 Food & Wine Best New Chef) celebrates the city’s ethnic diversity and unique, underutilized local ingredients. His food, which he calls “New American Creole,” is heavily influenced by the Vietnamese, Indian, Thai, Korean and Mexican communities that make the city such… Read More →
Best on Planet Earth If you ever find yourself in Austin, Franklin Barbecue is a must-stop. The food there is amazing. The brisket is universally considered the best on planet Earth. The turkey is incredible, and the sides like potato salad, cole slaw and beans are fantastic. Aaron Franklin is dedicated to his craft and… Read More →
Hunter Gatherer A few years ago, Georgia Pellegrini traded in her high heels for cowgirl boots and a shotgun, foregoing a cubicle on Wall Street for a “field-and-stream-to-table” life in Texas. The hunting enthusiast decided to get back to her roots, attending culinary school and cooking at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, before writing Food Heroes, which… Read More →
Hunter Gatherer A few years ago, Georgia Pellegrini traded in her high heels for cowgirl boots and a shotgun, foregoing a cubicle on Wall Street for a “field-and-stream-to-table” life in Texas. The hunting enthusiast decided to get back to her roots, attending culinary school and cooking at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, before writing Food Heroes, which… Read More →
The world’s live music capital has a gourmet side. Austin’s quirky vibe and come-as-you-are attitude seems to attract a lot of creative talent, especially when it comes to food. From barbecue and tacos to food trailers and world-class Japanese restaurants, the Texas capital has a place for everyone. Here are just a few reasons I… Read More →
The world’s live music capital has a gourmet side. Austin’s quirky vibe and come-as-you-are attitude seems to attract a lot of creative talent, especially when it comes to food. From barbecue and tacos to food trailers and world-class Japanese restaurants, the Texas capital has a place for everyone. Here are just a few reasons I… Read More →
Austin’s Top Chef Last year, Paul Qui rocketed into culinary fame after winning Top Chef Season 9, followed by a James Beard award for Best Chef: Southwest. The young, Filipino-born Austinite honed his skills at Uchi for eight years under chef/owner Tyson Cole, killed it as executive chef of Uchiko and is now at the helm… Read More →
Austin’s Top Chef Last year, Paul Qui rocketed into culinary fame after winning Top Chef Season 9, followed by a James Beard award for Best Chef: Southwest. The young, Filipino-born Austinite honed his skills at Uchi for eight years under chef/owner Tyson Cole, killed it as executive chef of Uchiko and is now at the helm… Read More →
Austin’s Favorite Neighborhood Bistro Opened in 2010 by Ned Elliott, this 47-seat small bistro is celebrated for creative seasonal cuisine and unforgettable pastries and desserts. A golden-winged pig adorns the outside of the building, so it’s no surprise that pork plays a vital role in the menu, but it’s not the only praiseworthy protein—the expertly… Read More →
Austin’s Favorite Neighborhood Bistro Opened in 2010 by Ned Elliott, this 47-seat small bistro is celebrated for creative seasonal cuisine and unforgettable pastries and desserts. A golden-winged pig adorns the outside of the building, so it’s no surprise that pork plays a vital role in the menu, but it’s not the only praiseworthy protein—the expertly… Read More →
Japanese Farmhouse Fare Tyson Cole’s acclaimed Uchi and the subsequent (and much larger) Uchiko serve some of the best Japanese fare in the United States. From sushi bar staples such as yellowtail and salmon belly to unconventional options (72-hour Wagyu short rib sushi), it’s obvious that the kitchen loves experimenting, but not at the expense… Read More →
Japanese Farmhouse Fare Tyson Cole’s acclaimed Uchi and the subsequent (and much larger) Uchiko serve some of the best Japanese fare in the United States. From sushi bar staples such as yellowtail and salmon belly to unconventional options (72-hour Wagyu short rib sushi), it’s obvious that the kitchen loves experimenting, but not at the expense… Read More →
Damn Good Tacos What started as a lone food truck serving authentic Austin street tacos has grown into a small empire with locations all over the city, of the brick-and-mortar and trailer type. This funky taqueria must be doing something right because it’s more popular than ever, touting a luscious queso, lots of interesting tortilla-wrapped… Read More →
Damn Good Tacos What started as a lone food truck serving authentic Austin street tacos has grown into a small empire with locations all over the city, of the brick-and-mortar and trailer type. This funky taqueria must be doing something right because it’s more popular than ever, touting a luscious queso, lots of interesting tortilla-wrapped… Read More →
BBQ Genius In 2009, Aaron Franklin and his wife started smoking meat out of a trailer in an East Austin parking lot, though they quickly outgrew this spot when lines of fans and foodies began snaking around the block. Now at the brick-and-mortar restaurant, folks are still lining up at 9 a.m. for slabs of… Read More →
BBQ Genius In 2009, Aaron Franklin and his wife started smoking meat out of a trailer in an East Austin parking lot, though they quickly outgrew this spot when lines of fans and foodies began snaking around the block. Now at the brick-and-mortar restaurant, folks are still lining up at 9 a.m. for slabs of… Read More →
For Incredible Mexican Food… In a city full of great Mexican places, this is my pick for something a little less down and dirt. I love Chef Ortiz’s fantastic, modern takes on guac, tacos, plus killer drinks & desserts (pastry chef Laura Sawicki is one of the best in the country). Contact 400A West 2nd… Read More →
