Flavors of the Month: June 2017

Flavors of the Month is a monthly feature of some of the best dishes and restaurants I enjoyed.

June brought many great eats, including trying Austin restaurants Rosen’s Bagel Co, Grizzelda’s, Celis Brewery, and The Stroop Club.

Breakfast from Rosen’s Bagel Company
This Lox Bagel sandwich from Rosen’s Bagel Company was an amazing start to my day! I’m not a fan of raw onions but I decided to take a chance and now I can see why people love this flavor combination. You NEED to find one of Rosen’s Bagel Company’s pop-ups in Austin and try this! They usually post their weekly locations on Facebook and Instagram.

Sushi at Kula Revolving Sushi Bar
A conveyor belt sushi bar arrived in Austin! It’s a fun concept and the food arrives quickly. Dishes revolve on the bottom conveyor belt but if you don’t want to wait or what you want isn’t available, use the monitor to order what you want and it will arrive directly to your table on the top conveyor belt. You can also order ramen! I wouldn’t say it’s the best sushi I’ve ever had but it’s a fun concept and the food arrives quickly. For less than $3 a plate and about $5 a bowl of ramen, it’s a good deal.

Happy Hour at Grizzelda’s
I finally tried out Grizzelda’s! First, the space is definitely photo-worthy. The pink patio, the pretty wallpaper inside. For happy hour, we had frozen margaritas, guacamole, ceviche mixto, and picadillo tacos (makes about four tacos on one order). As an upscale Mexican restaurant, the food wasn’t amazing, though good.

Lunch at Kerbey Lane Cafe
My friend Kelsey and I went to try Kerbey Lane’s summer menu, including Achiote Nachos, Fried Green Tomato BLT Sliders, and the Chicken Caprese Salad (greens, grilled chicken breast, avocado, mozzarella). The salad was my favorite because of its freshness. I can’t help but want breakfast, especially pancakes, every time I’m at Kerbey Lane. What do you usually get?

Scoops at Lick Honest Ice Creams
How do you survive the Texas heat? Cold treats! (Be sure to check out my post about 30 Best Cold Treats in Austin.) Lick has some summer flavors available right now, including the Blushing Blueberry and Honeyed Peaches with Rosemary. AND they are now open in the Mueller neighborhood, next to The Thinkery.

Bibimbap at Hana Yoree
Ever since we had Korean food last month, I’ve been craving a bibimbap. For those who have never tried it, it’s a rice bowl topped with sautéed, fermented, and raw vegetables and beef. It’s finished with chili pepper paste and a fried egg. Hana Yoree in the food court at Hana World Market is the closest and fastest place to get it near me. Though I learned that it’s best if you get it in the hot bowl!

Lunch with 100% Natural Chicken at PDQ (Media: complimentary meal but opinions are my own)
PDQ stands for People Dedicated to Quality, and it shows in their 100% natural chicken. I’m glad they invited me to come try some of their tasty dishes. Our favorite, the Southern Pimento Crunch sandwich, was excellent! It comes with crispy chicken, pimento cheese, and bacon. We might have fought over who was going to finish it. We also enjoyed the kale caesar salad, grilled Hawaiian chicken sandwich, and the Southern buffalo bowl. The Southern Buffalo Bowl was a basmati rice bowl with buffalo chicken and vegetables. I would not have thought to but those flavors together but it was good! PDQ does have locations all over Texas and around the U.S. It’s a great, healthier, and tasty option for “fast” food.

Breakfast at My Name is Joe Coffee
A new coffee trailer wakes you up and gives back to organizations helping those with drug and alcohol addiction at the same time. On my visit, I got the house granola with yogurt and fruit and the Joe Horchatte, which is horchata with cold brew. A very tasty morning!

Homemade Greek Salad
Nothing like a fresh Greek salad at home! Romaine, cucumbers, olives, tomatoes, capers, and feta.

Craft Beer at Celis Brewery
Austin’s OG craft brewery is back! Pierre Celis started brewing in Belgium and opened his Austin brewery in 1992. Now, his daughter Christine Celis is reviving the brewery legacy and has opened in the North Austin brew-berhood. I recommend the Celis Citrus Grandis, an east coast IPA, when you visit!

Stroopwaffles from The Stoop Club
If you’ve ever had them, you know stroopwaffles are addicting! They’re crispy cookies with a waffle print sandwiching a caramel mixture. You can get The Stroop Club FRESH at the farmer’s market. One, it’s HUGE and the size of your face. Two, it’s warm and gooey. I got mine with fresh peach slices in the middle.

Kouign Amann Around Austin
I posted all about my kouign amann eating in a post about where you can find them in Austin. This sweet and crispy pastry is one of my favorites! Check out the post here.

Craft Beer at St. Elmo Brewing Company
Kelsey coordinated a fun get-together at St. Elmo Brewing Company and we got to try some of their newest beers. Mahalo is their pineapple pale ale and – my new favorite – Pow! is their New England IPA.