Flavors of the Month: September 2016

It was a fantastic September of eating! I tried a handful of new places, including Dee Dee, Poke Poke, Prohibition Creamery, and Texas Sake Company. I also enjoyed Barley Swine again at their new location. Keep reading for all the details about these Austin Restaurants you should try.

Larb Moo and Sticky Rice with Mango at Dee Dee

Dee Dee has been on my list for a while because I heard their Northern Thai food was incredible. The reviews are correct! This trailer on the east side serves spicy, sizeable dishes and an unforgettable dessert.

Whiskey Chocolate Ice Cream at Prohibition Creamery

Boozy ice cream! Prohibition Creamery opened on the east side this year. I tried a scoop of their whiskey chocolate ice cream and it’s exactly what you’d expect. Vodka, rum, bourbon – they’ve got it in ice cream form. They also have mix-ins for your ice cream and milkshakes.

Eats in Houston

At the beginning of this month, I indulged in great eats in Houston. Check out this “best restaurants in Houston” post for the details.

Milk and Cookies Ice Cream at Lick

Did you know Lick has pints in-store? I picked up a pint of Milk and Cookies to enjoy. It’s brown sugar ice cream with oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough. The milk flavor was stronger than I expected and the cookie dough morsels were my favorite.

Sake Tasting at Texas Sake Company

My friend Amy of Sushi in the ATX and Our ATX hosted a sake tasting at Texas Sake Company. The company brews the sake right in Austin, and it was interesting to taste and learn about the different types. The Junmai Nama was my favorite one. I also loved the beautiful and tasty sushi cookies by Sharp Cookie. Head over for your own tasting and or sake cocktail happy hour.

Lunch at Geraldine’s

I finally tried out Geraldine’s during lunch. Our table started with the Ceviche and Beet Salad for appetizers and I had the Braised Short Rib Sandwich as my entree. Surprisingly, the beet salad was my favorite of the meal. The sandwich left more to be desired but the side salad had a good vinaigrette.

Salmon Poke Bowl Aloha-Style at Poke Poke

Poke is the new trendy dish in Austin. Raw fish tossed or marinated in seasoning and/or sauce is served by itself or with rice. I tried the salmon special marinated in shoyu sesame oil, green onions, and spices. I love sashimi and tartare but I think poke might be too much raw fish at once for me. It was tasty at first, but I would prefer to get it with more rice next time. Otherwise, it was a fun place to try poke.

Peppercorn Chicken with Rice at Coco’s Cafe

I hadn’t been to this restaurant since college but their popular peppercorn chicken is still as crispy and satisfying as before!

Juice and Snacks at The Honest Bar

When I tried the workouts at The Lab, I also got to try the juice and snacks at their in-house The Honest Bar. My favorites were the Greenie smoothie (Spinach, Kale, Banana, Pear, Spirulina, and Almond Milk), Fall Kale Salad, Wild Animal Juice (cucumbers, celery, lemon, apples, ginger root, and cayenne), and the Apple Cinnamon Energy Balls.

Wagyu Tartare and Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich at Delicious

For my friend Peter’s birthday, we met up at Delicious, a new-ish spot in South Austin. They are a grocery store, bar, and counter-service restaurant. The Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich was spicy and the chicken was good. I enjoyed the Wagyu Tartare more. The staff is very hospitable and made sure our every need was met.

Muffuletta and Soft Serve at Mr. Mc’s Grocery Market
This warm and gooey muffuletta sandwich was heavenly. This traditional New Orleans sandwich has olive salad, mortadella, salami, mozzarella, ham, and provolone. I also had to try Laura Sawicki’s soft serve. A vanilla and chocolate twist with carrot cake crumbles was delightful!

Happy Hour at BaseCamp

For our Austin Food Blogger Alliance happy hour this month, we tried the dishes at BaseCamp, a sports bar on 5th Street near Congress. We tried the beef slider, buffalo wings, dry rub wings, barbecue wings, shrimp tostada, and queso. My favorites were the shrimp tostada (with black bean and avocado) and the slider.

9-Course Dinner with Drink Pairings at Barley Swine

My friends and I ended the month well with a special dinner at one of the best restaurants in Austin – Barley Swine. I had convinced my friend Dan to bid on this special dinner for six at the Pay It Forward event and we were very excited to win! The restaurant is now in a new, spacious location with a patio on North Burnet. Take a look at our menu:

Each dish was thoughtful, creative, and tantalizing. My favorites were the Shiitake Pasta (it’s like a soup dumpling!), the chocolate ice cream sandwich with honeycomb and pecan, the masa cornbread, and the Akaushi Ribeye with bone marrow hash and corn pudding.