The perks of a getaway Christmas are the following: we only buy one present each and do Chinese Christmas on Christmas Eve, no one brings their work with them, no one’s distracted by our everyday lives, and I get to impress everyone with my phenomenal cooking skills. (Except for that time the fried rice was still a bit crunchy.)

I flew in to Portland just before lunch time. The restaurant my sister wanted to take us to wasn’t open for lunch yet, so we did what any normal people would do- go to the bar next door for libations. Verde Cocina happily invited us in for late morning Bloody Mary’s and Margaritas. One of the top 5 Bloody’s I’ve ever had. The first being at The Prince Albert Pub in Notting Hill. Our Bloody’s at Verde Cocina where made with Crater Lake Vodka and Vanessa’s special home blend Bloody Mary mix. It was spicy and served with a pickled green bean! The “Margarita Puro” the other half of the party ordered was tequila reposado, lime, and raw organic agave syrup.

Next door to Verde Cocina was Sasquatch. I knew Portland was home to the James Beard Foundation so I expected amazing food and this little on-the-hill restaurant definitely impressed me!

Being the huge cheese fan I have always been, I started out lunch with Blue D’auvergne. It’s a delicious French Cheese (cow’s milk) served with toast points and honey.
The Pretzel from the Snacks section of the menu was delicious. It wasn’t a dense pretzel or an oily mess like the ones you get at the mall. It was a classic made, delicious pretzel served with honey and their house made mustard..

I can’t decide if I like menus that give descriptions or solely ingredients more. I think I enjoy just the ingredients. For instance, from the Small Plates we ordered “Grilled Romaine. Crouton. Anchovies. Parmigiano. Egg. Tarragon Dressing.” All of these ingredients are a base for a classic Caesar salad (I know it didn’t even say Caesar salad anywhere), but this is what we got- and I loved it.

For my entree I ordered Buttermilk Fried Chicken. What can I say? I’m from the south and if someone in Portland is trying to fry some chicken, I wanted to see if they could do it right! They passed. In fact, they passed with flying colors. The setup was beautiful. The fingerling potatoes laid roasted on the bottom of the dish, the crispy cooked chicken tee-peed over the pots with the country gravy surrounding it all.

Another great aspect of Sasquatch is that it’s also a brewery! I enjoyed Bertha’s Brown Ale- a medium-bodied brown with flavors of roasted barley and chocolate malt. There wasn’t too much hop in this beer, which I liked the most. There were a few different flavors on tap at Sasquatch: Moby Dick Imperial IPA, Hairy Knuckle Stout, Red Electric IRA, and Healy Heights Pale Ale- some up to 10.2%!

Another great part about Oregon, is the wine. After lunch we headed to wine country! My sister is a member at WillaKenzie Estate. I had the pleasure to taste some great Pinot Noirs and other varietals, and take a picture in front of the vineyard.

After incredible tastings at WillaKenzie, we stopped by Four Graces where John is a member of and we tried even more awesome Oregon wines and picked up a few bottles for the following night’s dinner. The drive back to Portland from the wineries was about 45 minutes to an hour so I had some time to nap and get back to square one.

Our entire first day seriously circled around eating great food, having great drinks, and catching up over the past year. One of my biggest loves (as everyone should know) is eating oysters. So we went to Eat for some pre-dinner snacks.

We started off with a couple dozen Baywater oysters fresh from Washington, and followed them with a couple of versions of their oyster shooters. The Standard with vodka, spicy red sauce, and lemon. The Cajun – “the standard” with chili infused vodka. The Kentucky – chili infused bourbon with lemon. After the wine tastings, I pretty much quit taking pictures so just run on your imagination.

After our oysters we walked down the street for dinner at Tasty n Sons!

Tasty n Sons was packed. The inside was a long dining room with community style tables and seating. Their regular menu changes with the seasons and is derived purely by kitchen inspiration. They also use local Farmer’s produce. Since we had been eating all day we shared a bunch of different plates. A few of them included a Meat and Cheese Board with Steve’s cheeses, Fried Cauliflower and olives with Harissa cream, and a classic Bouillabaisse with clams, mussels, fish, octopus, prawns and bacon. Check out their current dinner menu and be ready to be impressed!

After the pure gluttony that the entire day had been, we headed back to the house we rented in Mt. Hood. It was a good hour drive to get there, but worth the serenity. The next few days we spent skiing on Mt. Hood and drinking incredible Portland microbrews. Double Mountain IRA was by far my favorite.

I know it’s been a month since I went to Portland, but I just can’t get away from the outdoors in Austin! The rest are just some awesome pictures from my trip!

Last year was the first year I helped cook Thanksgiving Dinner, ever. Normally my mother, grandmother, aunt, uncle, and cousins do all the work; but since I wasn’t home we made our own family thanksgiving in Georgia. You can check out our cheap holiday menu here. I understand the traditions of Thanksgiving meals, but that doesn’t mean you can’t spruce things up a bit.

As a part of growing up (i.e. turning 21), I feel like each holiday or associated affair starts with a cocktail. Last year’s Apple Cider Smash was a hit, and this year the Schläger Cider Smash wasn’t too far behind. Keeping in tune with the seasons, cider is always a great base for a fall cocktail. What’s also nice about cocktails is that they can be kept simple and still be delicious. This one’s an awkward easy one.

Schläger Cider Smash
3 parts Woodchuck Cider
1 part Goldschläger
Brown Sugar and Cinnamon mix to garnish the rim

It’s a little spicy with the cinnamon hitting the back of the palate and a little sweet with the cider. I’ve always been a fan of sweet and spicy- just ask Erika Lipe. However, I couldn’t drink more than one or two because it’s still sweet.

Starting the feast off, we first recreated Aunt Sarah’s Thanksgiving Dip. It’s a simple combination of layered cream cheese, apple butter (or pumpkin butter), bacon, and scallions. Check out how to make it! It’s a simple starter and something everyone will easily love. It also makes a great leftover snack.

The hardest part of cooking a thanksgiving feast is the timeline. It’s planning when to prepare, cook, and reheat certain dishes so they’re all ready at the same time. My first prep started with cooking the Sausage and Cornbread Muffins. The first necessity is cooking the cornbread. For years I’ve made cornbread from scratch, but buying it is so much faster when you have a lot on your plate. I bought a brand that used real honey and it was just as good. Look at this awesome cornbread.

Sausage and Cornbread Muffin Recipe
1 box, 4 cups cooked cornbread cut in 1″ x 1″ pieces
1 lb sweet ausage (I used maple pork sausage)
3/4 small red bell pepper, small to medium dice
4 scallions, thinly sliced
5 celery stalks, small to medium dice
1 red onion, small to medium dice
1 cup chicken broth (watch for too much salt here! Go with less sodium)
1/4 cup of milk
1 Lg Egg, beaten
2 tsp sage, freshly chopped
2 tsp poultry seasoning
3 tbsp butter

You can thank @TheChew for the majority of this recipe- I only threw in a few of my own tweaks and touches. Sausage and Cornbread Muffins should be the new Thanksgiving dressing. After cooking the cornbread, let it cool and cut it into 1×1 inch cubes. It’s supposed to be 4 cups, but one box from the store will do.

While you’re cooking the cornbread, go ahead and sear off the sausage. The recipe calls for half a pound of sweet Italian ground sausage. I used a full pound of maple sausage instead (because I like hearty side dishes) and they came out great. While the sausage cooks and the cornbread cools, start prepping your veggies. Cut and combine the scallions, red bell pepper, and celery all to the same size. If you’re doing small muffins, cut your veggies small dice. I did larger muffins so I left them a little bigger. You don’t want to lose the added color in your cornbread. The veggies give the color. Once they’re cut, use 3 tbs of butter in a saute pan and put it on medium heat. Once the butter is hot, add your veggies and sauté for about 5 minutes until slightly tender. If you partially caramelize your veggies, it will still keep that slight crunch for texture.

Since cooking is all about multitasking, cut your cornbread and put it in a large mixing bowl with your sausage. While the veggies finish, add your chicken broth, milk, egg, sage, and poultry seasoning to the cornbread bowl. The liquids here will act as a good binder for all the other ingredients. Once the veggies are done, add everything together and mix. It’s ok if it turns a little mushy- expect it to. Once it’s all mixed, grease down your muffin pan (even if it’s Teflon, I still don’t trust it) and pack the mixture down in each tin. Once they’re all packed, add the remaining on top of each one and lightly pat it down so they stick to the bottom layer. Throw them in the oven for 15 or 20 minutes and then you’re done.

Before…

…and After

The next side dish to prepare was the Green Bean Casserole. The secret to a casserole is easy. Two cans of cream of mushroom soup, whatever veggie you want, a great cheese to accompany it, and something to give it texture.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mushrooms of your choice (I used baby button)
3 cups chicken broth
2 cans of French style green beans OR 4 cups fresh green beans
6 oz. French fried onion rings
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 red OR white onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp of butter

I used a white onion because I had it in the fridge, but using a red onion would add more color and a slightly sweeter flavor. I tend to use butter because I think the flavor is so much better, but you could save minimal calories by using oil.

First step- if you use fresh green beans, boil them in the chicken stock for ten minutes. This not only cooks the beans, but infuses them with that delicious chicken flavor. If you’re a vegetarian, use a vegetable stock. If the beans come from a can, soak them in the chicken stock for an hour and that will do the trick.

Slice the mushrooms and onion thin. Compared to dicing I think this adds texture and depth to the dish. Sautée them in the butter on medium heat for about 4 minutes. You don’t want to make the onions mushy! Don’t loose that texture by over cooking them. Next, in a large mixing bowl add the two cans of cream of mushroom soup, your sautéed veggies, 3 ounces of fried onion rings, and 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese. Mix thoroughly and season with salt and pepper. *Be careful with the salt because a lot of store bought broths tend to already have enough salt.

Grease a 9×13 baking dish and pour in the casserole mixture. Cook at 350 for 20 minutes then take out the casserole. Let it cool for about 10 minutes. Once cool, sprinkle the rest of the fried onions and grated cheese on top. Pop it back in the oven for another 10 minutes and you’re set.

Before..

…and after.

The biggest part of the meal was the ham. I haven’t gotten the confidence to do a turkey yet. I’m just not at the stage in life where I’ve accepted that it’s my responsibility to cook the turkey. But the ham was awesome! It was about 10 lbs and I cooked it on 325 for about 3 1/2 hours. You should cook a ham at 20 minutes per pound. The best part of the ham is what I brushed on top while It baked.

Ingredients:
1 Lg ham
3 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 cup packed ground sugar
2 tsp ground mustard
10 whole garlic cloves

First, put the ham on a cooking rack (fat side up) that will catch all the juices underneath. Lightly cover in foil and bake for the appropriate amount of time. About 20 minutes before it’s ready, pull it out and score the back side of the ham. Push the cloves down in the cuts. In a small mixing bowl, mix together balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and ground mustard. Somehow, in the chemistry of cooking, the combination of vinegar and brown sugar become a liquid paste. Combine it with the drippings from the ham and pour over the scored ham. Return the ham to the oven, uncovered, for the remaining 20 minutes. When you take it out- you will smell the difference.

Before..

..and after.

It’s difficult to cut a ham with a bunch of fat on it, but it’s worth it. We didn’t do dessert this year, but we also didn’t need it. After all the appetizers (thanks to Amanda Poriss), the sweet potato casserole (thanks to Callie Gregg), and the nonstop laughs from Heather Hobbs and Alex’s Segway tour pictures- it was nice to call it a night. Cheers!

Remember, any of these dishes can be prepared any time throughout the season. Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!

Well fed,
Coleman

It’s where my happiness is- I’ve already accepted it.

One of my good friends, Lauren Zitz, told me I had to check out the restaurant Paggi House down off Riverside. I have an affinity for complex food and nice restaurants because I want to own one, so she knew I’d appreciate everything about this place. Lauren and I had an evening off this week we decided to go! Her twin sister dates their chef, so we had our own version of a Chef’s tasting.

First off, a little history about Paggi House. I think it’s one of the oldest houses in Austin! It’s been a restaurant since the 1970′s and the current Paggi House since 2008 (after closing for a few years for renovations). I’m not going to fake being a historian, but those were little things I picked up on. Click here to get a more in-depth look at The history of Paggi House.

(photo from Paggi House)

We started out our lovely evening on the patio with a glass of rosé (her, duh) and I got one of their specialty cocktails – a Basil Chili Pepper Margarita! It’s made with Sauza Blue, Serrano, Basil, Agave, Pepper, and Lime. It was spicy and delicious and I wanted two, but of course I like to try a million different things.

The meal began with Chef bringing us Cast Iron Wild Mushrooms! Such a good presentation, but the key to the appetizer was the lightly tempura fried squash blossom that was filled with Brie and cream cheese. The dish also included lobster, bigfoot mushrooms, and garden fresh herbs! They grow their own herbs on site…just saying.

After the mushrooms we moved onto Mussels. They recently changed the Mussel’s ingredients to coconut cream, yellow curry kale, and grilled baguette. I’ve learned that mussels are one of Lauren’s favorite foods so her approval on this appetizer was necessary. Of course they were delicious and they had to take away the left over broth so we’d quit dipping our bread in it like chubby birds.

The food kept a nice flow out to our table that overlooked downtown Austin. Not rushed by any means, but perfect timing between each dish and cocktail that accompanied them. One of the bar snack options Paggi offers is a Market Catch Ceviche. The night’s special preparation included halibut with cilantro cream and carrots, and was given a Texas touch by serving it in a mini tortilla shell with dots of wasabi on the plate. Not only were they delicious, but also made the perfect bar snack!

The previous three items are all available as Bar Snacks and are featured for happy hour. Yes, this elegant restaurant has a fantastic happy hour! Monday to Friday from 5-7 at the bar or on the outdoor terrace you can delight yourself in special priced bar snacks, specialty cocktails, and some wines by the glass! Speaking of cocktails- the I’ll Have Another specialty cocktail was right up my ally. It was Jim Beam bourbon, black tea, mint, and sugar. A Mint Julep with a Texas twist…

For our next course, we got something similar to a sample plate. On one side we had a succulent piece of Grilled Pork Belly topped with pickled strawberry, crispy potato strings, with a poppy-seed Togarashi caramel! Togarashi is Japanese for chili pepper, just in case you were curious. The other side of the plate was a Sea Scallop and Foie Gras served with pea and carrot purées and a bordelaise sauce. These are the kind of dishes I love as a food geek. The combinations of flavors and textures is what it’s all about here and it’s executed so well. The scallop was cooked perfectly and was so buttery it helped enhance the flavor of the Foie gras. As for the pork belly – you can’t go wrong putting pork with sugar! The pickled strawberry with the chili caramel and the pork all pull together to please the palate.

The last entree we sampled was Roasted Squab with braised kale, kabocha squash, and a soy glaze. Squash in November is what makes sense to me. A little on the sweet side but hearty enough for a great fall food. A combination you can’t beat is roasted squash + sautéed greens + protein.

To finish off such a delicious dinner was an awesome dessert. Warm Butternut Squash Soup with walnut-d’Affinois raviolo, asian pear, and caramelized onion ice cream. It’s presented with the ravioli, pear, and ice cream; and followed by the warm soup on the side that is poured over the accoutrements.

Here are a few other cocktails Paggi House has to offer-

Ass & Titos – tito’s vodka, cucumber, lime, ginger beer
Texas Wildflower – uv vodka, grapefruit juice, st. germain, barcode lavender bitters
Aviation – oxley gin, luxardo maraschino liqueur, créme de violette, lemon juice
The Redbud – tito’s vodka, homegrown mariachi peppers, sea salt, grapefruit bitters, house-made grenadine, lime juice, freshly squeezed orange juice

AND a few other happy hour bar snacks-

Roasted Shishito Peppers – fleur de sel
Akaushi Beef Corn Dogs – whole grain mustard, pomegranate ketchup
“PBLT” Sliders – tomato jam, sriracha mayo, house chips
Pork Ribs – red curry bbq, scallions, cilantro, truffled potato salad

It was such a nice night out for the patio at Paggi House. The weather was perfect, the company delightful, and the food impressive. A special thanks to Lauren for setting up this foodfest and to Chef Ben Huselton for cooking some of the best food I’ve had in Austin!

I know I mentioned I’m not a lucky person- but I am a lot luckier than a lot of people out there. I take advantage of the fact that I have food (very good food) to eat every day and often forget that almost 1 BILLION people are starving every day. If you have a moment- which I KNOW you do since you stopped to read about what’s going on in my life- visit Stop the Hunger and see how you can help make a difference and feed someone who isn’t as lucky as we are.

Feed the hungry,
Coleman

(this photo courtesy of southern living)

It’s a little hidden during the day on the corner of 2nd and Guadalupe, but when you open the sturdy wooden doors you see, and smell, what’s inside. Immediately when you walk in you’re at the first bar. The dining room sits to the left and you can see the work going on in the kitchen while waiting for your meal. Unfortunately, happy hour is at the bar so I didn’t catch much cooking.

One of the trends I’m noticing in Austin is the fight for who has the best and most interesting looking cocktail list or who has the most in-house-made-stirred-not-shaken cocktail that really isn’t a cocktail anymore. Specialty cocktails were made to be fun, seasonal, and make up for some costs from what I’ve learned, but now mixologists are starting to go overboard. It’s typical to walk in a lot of places around Austin and see at least six different flavored bitters, multiple infused spirits, garnishes, and a ridiculous collection of fruits and herbs for muddling. It’s gotten to the point where you’re paying ten to twelve dollars for a cocktail that cost around $2.00 to make.

Lambert’s cocktail list isn’t one that’s too over the top, but I did order one of the most intricate ones. I started out with “Victor’s Hobby” – Z Blanco Tequila, St. Germaine,Wahaka Mezcal, fresh jalapeño, lime and pineapple juice. It’s basically a fancy margarita martini with a sweet and spicy kick to it. It was a nice cocktail to start off with, but I have this issue with spending twenty dollars on two drinks so I normally switch to a nice beer.

The first time I helped myself to happy hour, I tried the wild boar short ribs. They’re Lambert’s version of chicken wings but much better. It was about 12 short ribs (possibly more) tossed in honey and Sambal- served with Cabrales blue cheese and a celery-daikon slaw.

The short ribs were perfect! It wasn’t too much food but enough to satiate me. Of course I had to ask for more blue cheese dressing because I’m a complete freak-fanatic about different varieties of blue cheese. The blue cheese passed with flying colors, but the dressing was entirely too thin. I felt weird eating them with my fingers but they fell right off the bone with my fork! I give them four thumbs up and make it a must-eat menu option. Don’t be afraid to get a little dirty with them!

The second time I visited- I started out with the Spicy Deviled Eggs. From one perspective- I should have chosen something that would impress me. From another perspective- if they’re labeled “spicy” at least make sure they are spicy. I love spicy food and was completely disappointed there was such little heat in the “spicy” Deviled eggs. I thought about keeping to myself that they also lacked flavor, but they could have at least put salt in them- or anything. Presentation was nice, but flavor was lacking.

My other “bar food” option was also a winner. Broiled Gulf Oysters were Lambert’s version (in my opinion) of Oyster’s Rockefeller with a twist. They we’re broiled with BBQ butter, creamed poblanos, lump crab, toasted bread crumbs, and buttered saltines. Served over rock salt, the oysters sat steaming in front of me while I tried to choose which one to shovel out of its shell and into my mouth first. If this presentation isn’t beautiful, I’d challenge you to show me a better one. They were absolutely delicious and would be a great item to share between a few friends. The poblano cream was a great Texas touch added to the dish.

Here are a few other interesting items on the bar food menu at Lambert’s I would give a shot!

Cornmeal Fried Gulf Shrimp – Texas toast, English cucumber, lime, and caper tartar

Achiote Seared Chickpeas – roasted tomatoes, grilled onions, goat cheese, with grilled flatbread.

The bar menu also offers your classic Iceberg Wedge, Roasted Green Chile Queso, Frito Pie with Goat Cheese, Cheeseburger, and your choice of a One-Meat-Plate with choice of a side- ranch style beans, potato salad, collard greens, or jicama slaw.

Overall Lambert’s was a decent choice. The atmosphere was a little crowded, the specialty drinks were a little too intricate, and the spicy Deviled eggs were anything but spicy; but the service was incredible, the shorts ribs and oysters were fantastic, and it’s in a great spot downtown.

Keep oysters sexy,
Coleman

Frank is the place to go in downtown Austin if you dig hot dogs. It’s not all they serve, but they fix ‘em up right and with a twist. I didn’t dive into the world of “gourmet hot dogs” until my old boss opened his successful establishment The Slaw Dogs. His gourmet twist on dogs has helped develop his third location in the greater Los Angeles area. These dogs must be doing something right! Frank just opened its second location in the East Texas city of Nacogdoches.

Frank also has a seasonal specialty drink menu advertising comical cocktails such as “Berry Springer” (Stoli Blueberry, basil, blueberries, and lemonade) and “The Bitter Monk” (Don Julio Anejo, Aperol, Green Chartreuse, Peychaud’s bitters, angostura bitters, and ruby red grapefruit soda). They also feature their own signature cocktails such as the Kentucky Peach featuring Maker’s Mark, fresh basil and peach, and house-made lemonade; and The Whole Enchilada with ghost pepper infused Hornitos Reposado, splash of Frank’s Red Headed Stranger mix, lime, Worcestershire, and modelo especial canned cold beer. However, I don’t prefer dainty drinks with my dogs- I stick with ice cold beer. They keep Austin Beerworks’ Peace Maker, Pearl Snap, Fire Eagle, and Black Thunder on draft as well as a few rotating drafts. The past few times I’ve eaten lunch there I’ve enjoyed draft Dos XX Amber and Newcastle! Frank also has a great selection of bottled beers from microbreweries around Texas and the rest of the country as well as a few imports from around the world.

This first thing Frank wants you to know about its food is the sausage is made IN-HOUSE or locally by Hudson Sausage Co. From their in-house made sausage dogs, I tried the Notorious P.I.G.. It’s house-made pork, bacon, jalapeño, and sage sausage topped with Mac n’ cheese and Dr. Doppelgänger BBQ sauce. I was so hungry I forgot to take a picture of this one, but you can imagine how incredibly delicious it was. One I can’t wait to try is the Jackalope- custom made antelope, rabbit, and pork sausage with a cranberry compote, sriracha aioli, and cheddar.

Frank also has their selection of Daily Dogs. One choice is the Chicago Dog made with 100% Vienna Beef dressed with pickle spear, tomatoes, onions, day-glo relish, sport peppers, celery salt, and mustard. The simplicity of the Slaw Dog also caught my eye, made with 100% Vienna Beef and dressed with house-made sweet southern cole slaw. However, I chose the Carolina Pork It! It’s 100% Vienna Beef, stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon and deep-fried, dressed with grilled cole slaw and house-made pimento cheese. It was a damn good hot dog!

You can check out their full list of dogs here and see their veggie, gluten free, and salad menu as well! It features items like chili cheese fries, Frank frito pie, loaded baked potato salad, and even hummus.

I don’t like to write about something after just one visit. I normally go two or three times before I write about it so I get a better feel for its atmosphere and what it offers. The next time I went, I decided I would pick everything off the Special’s menu.

I started off with a basic appetizer, the Bacon Rangoons. According to Atlanta, the chipper bartender and probably part-time barista, they are always the fastest to go when they’re on the special’s menu. These Rangoons are crispy bacon, cream cheese, garlic, and chives stuffed into crispy wontons and served with a sweet chili dipping sauce. It’s an easy app that I don’t recommend sharing because you will want to eat them all.

Feeling like a fat kid, I followed my first course with The Whigs Dog. They claim it’s made just for ACL weekend. It’s 100% Vienna Beef on a pretzel bun with house-made pimento cheese, sweet slaw, and pickled jalapeños. A hot dog on a pretzel bun is the way to go, just for the record. I also got a side of the Mac n’ cheese with doppelgänger BBQ sauce on the side, because why not? I made it a full meal and finished it down with a Dos XX.

I didn’t save room for dessert (shocking, I’m aware) but they have some great options! Bananas Foster, chocolate covered bacon, mascarpone cheesecake, and the frankencookie (chocolate chip, pecan, walnut, cranberry, and bacon cookie, scoop of Amy’s coffee ice cream, and candied bacon crumbles) all sound like winners to me! Also, check out Frank’s late night menu! It’s served from 10 p.m. until close if you need that nourishing late night morsel after a night on the town. As most places do in Austin, Frank has a full service cafe bar right when you walk in the door and a great happy hour! $3 draft beer, $4 well drinks, 1/2 priced waffle fries, and a few other food specials! For an easy six bucks- for those afternoon alcohol drinkers….you can get a “Doggie Bag” – a shot of Jameson and a Lone Star Draft.

From Hog Heaven,
Coleman

It’s been hard moving to Austin and trying to keep track of my food endeavors. Between the hiking, training for a marathon, the pool time, paddle boarding, Lake Austin, and work – I’m losing track of all the great eateries I’ve been discovering.

It’s the first time- in a very, very long time- that my schedule has been a nine-to-five half the week. The restaurant industry makes the most revenue during the weekends and on holidays. So, naturally, my schedule revolves around the rest of you having fun. In most cases I guess I’m the current day’s “help,” but I don’t mind. I love my job. I help make sure that everyone who has had a long day/week/few hours at work come in, relax, and indulge in their beverage of choice and fill their tummies before they go home ready to call it a day. As much as some people enjoy their roles as graphic designers, wall street brokers, accountants, teachers, philanthropists, or what not, I’m the one who gets to make your day feel 100% worth it. If you wine and dine where I work, I want to make sure you leave feeling like you ended a successful day and are going home to go to bed happy. I enjoy this. I love this. This is the purpose of MY industry.

After my nine-to-five today I walked straight over to a restaurant in the 2nd street district, downtown Austin, called Bar Chi. In just a few short weeks it has become my absolute favorite place to go after work. It’s not pretentious. It’s not overwhelming. It’s Asian food with an atmosphere to appreciate. They have happy hour Monday through Saturday 3pm to 7pm and all day on Sunday. They ALSO have REVERSE happy hour Thursday, 10pm to 12am, and Friday and Saturday 10pm to 1:30am.

My close friends have always known I love Asian cuisine- Katsuya Hollywood, Two Stick Sushi Oxford, and Sekisui Pacific Rim Memphis are my favorites. I’m adding Bar Chi Austin to that list. It’s a definite.

I don’t even know if I’ve ever seen the Bar Chi Sushi regular menu because I love their happy hour so much (and because it’s basically all I’m available for).

Their sushi items include shrimp, salmon, kani (crab), and tamago at only $1.50. You can also get super white tuna, peppered tuna, albacore tuna, and yellowtail sushi for only $1.80! They also have Maki rolls between $4-$6 of spicy tuna, shrimp and avocado, yellowtail-scallion, and chicken or shrimp crunch.

The shrimp crunch roll was one I picked. It’s what the average joe would decide on..

It’s your typical crunchy shrimp roll but just as good. A must try for this downtown location.

They also have great appetizer selections! Oyster shooters (NOT Bloody Mary style- much better!), spicy edamame, tempura vegetables, agedashi tofu, gyoza, coconut shrimp, and fried crispy calamari to name a lot. I loooved the spicy edamame- it wasn’t a sauce that made it spicy but the salt they put on it had spice to it! I also tried the Agedashi Tofo- just to branch out. It’s four large cubes of tofu lightly fried and sitting in tempura sauce. There were very thin, ribbon like curls on top of this dish that made me curious, but no worries- just fish scales turned into a garnish. Don’t let fish scales scare you! It’s like sushi is wrapped in seaweed- this is just another garnish. It’s a great way to utilize your kitchen ingredients. I understand they’re probably sold separately, but it’s still a unique idea.

Agedashi Tofu-

BarChi also has skewers on happy hour. You can get chicken or beef, short ribs, shiitake mushrooms, scallops and bacon, or baby octopus skewers! Of course I tried the baby octopus skewers. Not only were they fairly filling, but also tasty! It was a good amount for only a few bucks.

Baby Octopus (in the back is Spicy Edamame)-

No matter what you are looking for- cheaper sushi, robota skewers, or maki rolls- this is your place to be. Their drink specials include dirt cheap beer, $2 sake bombs, cheap lychee martinis, cosmos, bloody sake Mary’s, and $4 glasses of house wine.

You can’t beat BarChi. If you go- I hope Paul is bartending. He is one of the best happy hour bartenders I have met. He knows his entire bar and his regulars. He appreciates them and wants them to come back. He’s a stand up employee and he’s really made me want to continue to come back.

Fed From Austin,
Coleman

Anyway, there are several areas all over Austin littered with these outdoor dives. And if you’re downtown during ACL or SXSW- you might get a little overwhelmed about which to choose for your late night cravings. Trust me, you will have late night cravings after a long day in the streets and under the Texas sun. The Texas sun is worse than the Mississippi sun. It doesn’t play nice. You will get burned.

So, after exploring more of Austin I ended up driving down South 1st and passed the first food truck arena I decided to check out. After parking in the 20-something-spaced parking “lot” I saw the sign, and it opened up my eyes to Bouldin Creek Food Park.

I’d say from the few food parks I have passed in the area, it’s average with about four food trucks. There are some places (i.e. south congress) that has a food park housing up to fourteen food fiestas and others where you will just find one or two. The great thing about this food park was that it inhabited multiple ethnic cuisines. It started out with Phatso’s Cheesesteaks. As intense as my love is for cheesesteak sandwiches – I wanted something a little more international. I hope you check out their build-from-the-bottom-up menu; it’s a twist on your normal sandwich shop. You can finish off any meal with Bacon and Cheese fries OR Pepperoni fries.

On the opposite side of the park was Wasota African Cuisine. Honestly, I didn’t even think about African food having it’s own genre. Just a reminder to myself, as much as I think I know about food- I still have a lot to learn. Their menu involved items like white rice, black-eyed peas, and Jollof Rice. Jollof Rice is (what I’m assuming) to be the West African version of our Rice Pilaf! The only difference is theirs has tomato, tomato paste, and red pepper. Any of these three options can be paired with chicken, beef, or goat meat! Random- goat meat?! I’ll have to give that a shot. They also offer vegetarian options like a veggie burger and a veggie pie. What better to accompany such an exotic meal than with an exotic beverage? They have Mango Carrot Juice, Spicy Ginger Beer, Pineapple Ginger, and Hibiscus Iced Tea.

The next truck in this back alley bistro was SoCo. Not the liquor Southern Comfort, which we all wish, but the Austin Southern Comfort Cooking food truck! I’d be ooking forward more to a grease induced hangover from this truck than a nasty aching hangover from a flavored whiskey. A few menu items include the classic Chicken Fried Chicken, Jalapeño Mac N’ Cheese, Catfish Strips, Hashbrown Casserole, Kicked Up Green Breans, Fried Okra, and best of all Frito Pie! I should have thrown out the suggestion to have tempurpedic cots in the back for a quick cat nap.

None of these were my flavor though. My taste buds wanted my favorite taste – Thai. In fact, it’s probably why I decided to dine at this particular food park. Nothing twists my tongue like Thai flavors- the spicy, the sweet, and the savory make me steamy. I think it was London that turned me on to Thai food- particularly this little restaurant down the street from my flat, Thai Taste. My roommate and I went at least four times a week and our regular waitress, Tik, invited us for Thai karaoke and made some of her favorite Thai dishes! My roommate sang, and for effort- Thailand’s Ambassador in London sent over a glass of olives. Apparently it was a compliment (the singing not so much).

Little Thai Food had me at first sight.

It had your typical Thai tastes- Pad Thai, Pad Kra Prow, Pad Cashew, Thai Fried Rice, Basil Fried Rice, and Pineapple Fried Rice. They also offered red, green, panang, and garee (yellow) curries. I chose my favorite dish Pad See Ew. Naturally, it was everything I wanted it to be. It wasn’t quite as ‘authentic’ as I wanted, but it comes from a truck..you take what you get! It was a semi thick sauce- thick sauces gross me out with food, it should be lightly tossed and tasted and not overpowering. It had carrots, egg, onions, broccoli, and chicken. What was great? After a few minutes I thought it would have gotten a little cold, but it was still piping hot. I cooled it down with an iced Thai tea. It wasn’t like regular iced tea. It was a little sweeter and was delicious.

It was a great experience visiting some of Austin’s finest Back Alley Bistros at Bouldin Creek Food Park. Don’t knock the food trucks until you try them. You never know what you might find..

Keep Truckin,
Coleman

For instance, the other day before work I went to eat at Frank. Frank reminded me of a good friend Ray Byrne’s restaurant The Slaw Dogs (which has three locations in the greater Los Angeles area). Gourmet hot dogs. Now of course these places don’t solely serve hot dogs, but let’s just say my Notorious P.I.G. was topped with mac n’ cheese and barbecue sauce.. Pictures and possibly a review about Frank to come soon!

What I wanted to share today was a vodka from the place I love, Mississippi. Cathead vodka is Mississippi’s first liquor to be made in state and I’m proud of it. It hit the ground running as a top quality product, and then came out with a Cathead Honeysuckle – which was an instant hit. In the past month I’ve had an extended stay in Georgia, Oxford, Memphis, and now Austin- and it’s great to see their product in so many restaurants and on so many seasonal cocktail lists!

Now I know this recipe is more for a refreshing summer cocktail, but I’ve been a little busy since we added it to the Latitude 31 cocktail list. Keep in mind there are so many things you can do with Cathead Honeysuckle besides on the rocks or with sprite. Check out their website for more drink ideas.

Honeysuckle Melon Martini-
2 oz. CATHEAD Honeysuckle Vodka
1 oz Watermelon Pucker
2 fresh squeezed lime wedges
Shake and add a splash of sprite

Gentlemen- If your wife/girlfriend/fiancé/mistress-you-meet-for-happy-hour enjoys a slightly sweet, refreshing drink. She will love this. It’s great on a hot day, great with an appetizer, and even better with a dessert. It’s aromatic without having that stench you can sometimes get from alcohol.

While ladies drink this, I’ll be having a whiskey.

Drink responsibly,
Coleman

I’m also a sucker for big meals. For some people, a kabob full of meat veggies is enough food. Not for me. If I’m cooking for people or grilling out – I go to the max. So, along with the most beautiful kabobs you could imagine- we prepared twice baked potatoes and a salad.

The Produce List:

1 Bell Pepper (your choice of color)

1 Red Onion

2 Summer Squash

1 Zucchini

1 Pineapple (cubed)

1 box Large Button Mushrooms (about 13)

1 8-10 oz. Flat Iron Steak

3 Chicken Breasts

4 Green Onions

1 Romaine Head

1 pint Cherry Tomatoes

1 Cucumber

1 Carrot

6 Yukon Potatoes

The Grocery List:

1 pack thick cut bacon

Soy Sauce

Cider Vinegar

Black Pepper

Minced Garlic

Honey

Sour Cream

Marinate the Meat

I marinated the chicken and the steak (each with half the portion of mushrooms) in two separate bowls to avoid cross contamination. The marinade consists of-

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1 tbsp miced garlic

2 tsp ground black pepper

2 tbsp honey

2 green onions, minced

1 bag shredded, mixed cheese (your choice)

While the meats and mushrooms marinated, I went ahead and cut up the rest of my vegetables I would use on the kabob- squash, zucchini, red onion, bell pepper, and pineapple.

Let the meats and mushrooms marinate for about 2 hours (if you’re in a hurry it can only be 30 minutes but try for AT LEAST an hour), so after you cut up the vegetables you can get started on the Twice Baked Potatoes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. To start baking the potatoes, give them a good scrub under running water. Remove any black or bad spots on the outside skin, if necessary. Use a fork and poke the potato about half way through 10 times. These holes will help steam the potato in the oven. Before wrapping them in aluminum foil, rub the outside with a salt/oil mixture. Wrap them in foil and pop ‘em in the oven for about an hour and a half.

After another hour, pull your meats and mis en place, and prepare the kabobs. For the chicken, I took strips of bacon and cut them in half. Each half a piece of bacon I wrapped around a piece of chicken and put on the kabob. On one kabob for both the chicken and the steak, I only used bell pepper instead of the marinated mushrooms and vice versa. I also alternated all my cut vegetables to be aesthetically pleasing. This is the pre-grilling photo.

Combine your left over marinades (unless you have someone who is terrified of mixing the two juices, do the chicken and steak separately) and let it come to a boil. After it boils, you can reduce it down and make it a great basting liquid for when the kabobs are on the grill.

After you fire up your grill (if you’re using charcoal- the old school, cool way and true way of summertime grilling), go ahead and cut up the romaine for your salad. On my salad I also used sliced cucumbers, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced carrots, and shredded cheese.

When the coals on the grill are nice and frosty gray, throw the kabobs on and then get back to your potatoes. The chicken kabobs will take about 20 minutes (be sure to rotate and baste every 7 or 8 minutes to keep them tender and juicy), but the steak can take anywhere between 10 minutes to 25 minutes depending on your preferred steak temperature. Ours turned out beautifully medium rare in the middle and they were only on about 15 minutes.

While the kabobs are grilling, the potatoes should be ready for step two. Take them out of the oven and cut them in half to make sure they are almost all the way cooked in the middle. Remember, they dont have the be all the way cooked, since they’re going to be baked AGAIN. If they’re ready, carve out the middle and put into a mixing bowl. The next ingredient amounts are up to your personal preference, but the ingredients I used in the mixing bowl involved fresh cooked bacon bits, sour cream, a little ranch dressing, butter, minced green onions, salt and pepper. Thoroughly mix all your ingredients together and spoon the mixture back into the potatoes you carved them out of. Sprinkle the top with shredded cheese and put them back in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Everything should pretty much be ready at the same time!

The aluminum foil pouch on the left, is the vegetarian option for kabobs. If you have someone that is not a meat eater, it’s simple to make a rectangle piece of aluminum foil and put vegetables with just salt, pepper, and brushed with olive oil in it, on the grill for about 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Not mushy! Mushy vegetables aren’t necessarily good for you or taste good. You want that tender-but-still-kind-of-crunchy texture.

Any summertime cook out pairs GREAT with any Lager or Light beer. If you want to pair wine with grilling out – stick with a Pinot Grigio if you want white (something cheap like Rex Goliath will work) or if you’re in the mood for a red, grab a Red Zinfandel. Red Zin’s have a good peppery taste that goes will with food fresh from the grill.

Also- the amount of food I prepared was enough to feed between 8 and 10 people, or at least gave me a few days of leftovers.

It’s hot out there,

Coleman

The most popular draft Terrapin I’ve found around these parts is the Rye Pale Ale. It’s more than a lager and less than stout. It’s 5.5% ABV and has an “aggressive and well balanced flavor.” It goes great with Jerk Chicken or one of Brunswick’s local favorites, Shrimp & Grits. It’s such a good, after work beer to sip on and enjoy. It’s not a beer you want to chug, it’s a beer you look forward to enjoying.

What I want to focus on are the Seasonal Sessions. The first one I tried was Terrapin, Hop Karma.

It’s a “collision between a hoppy, west coast IPA, and a complex, malty, brown ale.” This is not a beer you drink in minutes. It’s rich, thick, and brewed to be enjoyed- not chugged. It’s more of a brown ale- nutty and thick with a full taste. Its aroma is almost sweet and seriously smells like rosemary, but doesn’t taste like it. With an ABV of 6%, it’s made with five varieties of hops and seven different malts.

Malts used- pale, dark Munich, victory, special roast, crystal 60, crystal 77, and chocolate.
Hops used- nugget, chinook, centennial, williamette, and columbus

Food pairings: – barbecue or any grilled/spiced food, lime, and cilantro.

Great cheeses to drink with this beer include Aged Gouda and dry Jack.

The other Seasonal Session I enjoyed was Terrapin‘s Easy Rider. It was a lot less hoppy than the Hop Karma. It had a smoother character about it. This beer at an ABV of 4.5% is a hopped up season ale. It’s brewed with Maris Otter malt and five other malts, including Galaxy from Australia. Maris Otter is a 2-row winter variety of barley. Galaxy is used as a flavor additive to bring a distinctive clean citrus taste and passion fruit character to the beer.

This beer is a great transition beer. It’s a beer than can be sipped and enjoyed at a backyard cookout without getting absolutely hammered. So this weekend find a 4/6 pack of Terrapin Easy Rider, fire up the grill and enjoy it with a grilled hamburger or hot dog. Enjoy life.

Also try the Hopsecutioner IPA,

Coleman