Flavors of the Month is a monthly feature of some of the dishes and restaurants I enjoyed. Check out this post for restaurant and menu recommendations!
Pastries at Brentwood Social House
In my research for my annual ‘Best Pastries in Austin’ list, I visited Brentwood Social House. The Fat Rascal is a common English pastry similar to a scone, and it was delicious! Scones are quickly becoming one of my favorite pastries. We also tried the Millionaire Bar (shortbread, caramel, and chocolate) and a stroopwaffle.
Complimentary Tasting at Pokeatery
Pokeatery invited me in for a complimentary tasting and I was excited to say yes. I’m a little iffy about poke bowls, but Pokeatery got it right! I like raw fish and sashimi but too much of it, pieces that are too big, and too little sauce is not a good combination for my poke bowl. I loved my poke box with tuna and salmon, citrus kale, brown rice, avocado, and more. (Yes, there’s a few scoops of fish underneath the toppings!) The easiest way to describe the restaurant is like a Subway or Chipotle where you choose items as they put it into your box. You can also get your poke on toast. Don’t leave without Dole Whip. This pineapple soft-serve had me drifting back to my Disney vacation.
Ramen at Kome
I survive cold weather by indulging in noodle soups. I finally tried Kome’s ramen and I am a fan! The tonkotsu is a hearty dish with a light broth. Kome’s new, bigger location up the road suits them well!
King Cake from Easy Tiger
My coworker Terrence, a NOLA native, spoils us with king cake in the office every year and somehow I’ve missed out on this every year, so I made SURE that I grabbed a slice to remedy this. Have you tried this fancy cinnamon roll? This year he ordered from Easy Tiger and it did not disappoint.
Salad and Pizza and Beer at Pinthouse Pizza
Do you ever have days where you crave pizza? My typical Pinthouse order: Pinthouse Salad (with spinach, candied pecans, blue cheese and cranberries), The Works pizza, and whatever draft beer feels right. If you like IPAs, Pinthouse will have your heart.
Dinner at Tan My Restaurant
Even though I’ve gotten to know North Austin restaurants pretty well, there are still so many to try, especially mom-and-pop Asian restaurants. We tried Tan My Restaurant and my vermicelli bowl with charbroiled beef was so good. Now I’ve got to go back and try the pho!
Market Eatery at H-Mart
We visited the new H-Mart in Cedar Park. This Asian grocery store opened this month and it was so crowded, an employee started directing traffic and orienting carts in the produce section. It’s a big grocery store and has a curated food court called Market Eatery. Most of the restaurants had limited menus, as they’re trying to adjust to the crowd volume. There are also a few restaurants not open yet. We tried the Korean street food and Sunday Bird, the Korean fried chicken place. This first visit was pretty good.
Homemade Steamed Fish
During our trip to H-Mart, we picked up a red snapper for dinner. Steamed fish is one of my favorite dishes!
Other Food News
ATXBestEats City Guides
Austin Food Blogger Alliance members create an Annual City Guide featuring the best restaurants in Austin, and this year’s edition is LIVE! See all the guides here. I wrote three guides this year:
H-Mart vs 99 Ranch Market
H-Mart isn’t the only new big chain Asian grocery store in Austin. 99 Ranch Market is opening this month! One Austin newspaper called H-Mart a grocery shopping game-changer, and I wonder how these two stores will impact the area. One, there will definitely be compression on the handful of smaller Asian grocery stores already in town. Two, the stores came to Austin because there was an existing audience but will it bring larger Asian populations? With it, will it bring more Asian restaurants? It may never reach the numbers of Dallas or Houston (though hopefully, the quality improves) but it can hold its own.
The Moral Responsibility of Restaurant Critics
In my last Flavors post, I talked about how the restaurant industry was experiencing a reckoning by the #MeToo movement to fight sexual harassment. This New Yorker article follows up that conversation. Several publications have vowed to never again post about chefs who have been accused and their restaurants. Others must include an asterisk as if giving the reader the moral dilemma to choose to dine there or not. When you dine at a restaurant, is it possible and/or necessary to take into consideration the moral characters of all those involved – owners and chefs?
Ugly Delicious
Have you watched Chef David Chang’s new Netflix show Ugly Delicious yet? I keep hearing good things.
What’s one thing (food/restaurant) I should try this month?
P.S. Want to volunteer in Austin? Check out these culinary-related opportunities.
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