Flavors of the Month: August 2018

Austin restaurants and dishes are featured in my monthly Flavors of the Month posts. Check out this post for recommendations!

I was excited to cross off a handful of Austin restaurants I’d been wanting to try this month and visit some newer restaurants on my radar. Exploring Austin’s culinary scene is one of the best things about living in Austin, and I’m lucky to get to do that! I hope this post gives you some recommendations of where to dine and what to order.

Dinner at Arlo Grey
I’ve tried to stop reading reviews and menus before I visit a restaurant so that I can get a clear and fresh perspective. It also leaves things as a surprise. However, I was dining here with my friend Janna who always reads reviews and menus, and I’m glad I followed suit because I probably would have overlooked the malfadini, a ribbon pasta.

While our server didn’t feel very welcoming, this pasta dish felt intimate. It’s like I had arrived at Chef Kristen Kish’s house late at night after a long trip, and finding out I had missed dinner, she whips up this bowl of comfort food. She’d ask how it tasted, and I’d be sitting at her kitchen island, wide-eyed and nodding furiously because my mouth is full of noodles and mushroom sauce that I will lick clean from the bowl. Then she pulls out a little meringue custard magic (not on the menu anymore) and after I take a bite, I ask, “am I dreaming?”

Complimentary Popsicles at Allbirds Party at The Line Hotel
The best way to celebrate summer is with a pool party, right? Allbirds threw a soiree at The Line Hotel pool for their sandal release. The hotel made these cute and tasty popsicles for guests!

Dinner at The Brewer’s Table
I’ve been wanting to try The Brewer’s Table since tasting their bites at the Wine and Swine event last November. They hadn’t opened their restaurant yet but what they were offering was memorable and their team was enthusiastic. True to their name, they brew their own beers, which I was a big fan of, and they also feature 26 guest taps. Accompanying those beers are fun dishes, like the venison tartare, which was our favorite of the night. We also tried the swordfish belly lardo, rabbit tacos, and blistered shisitos. FYI, the desert menu’s baba cake is more like a dinner roll instead of cake, but the ice cream cone is a must-order. While our first visit had us in awe of the space but a little deflated by the food, I think the brunch menu shows a lot of potential and the next time I come back for dinner, I’ll be sure to partake in a grilled feast.

Food and Drinks at Treaty Oak Distilling
We had a fabulous experience at Treaty Oak Distilling in Dripping Springs, and I wrote all about it here!

Complimentary AFBA Happy Hour at Revelry Kitchen + Bar
This month’s Austin Food Blogger Alliance happy hour was at Revelry Kitchen + Bar, a restaurant on the east side and they did it up for us! We had a fancy four-course bites and cocktails pairing. My favorite was the frozen watermelon margarita paired with a watermelon and cucumber salad because I can’t get enough watermelon in the summer! We also had a delicious corn and hatch chile queso and brisket banh mi sandwich. Their cocktails are top-notch so be sure to stop by one. All of this was a preview of Revelry’s new restaurant coming to North Austin soon, and I can’t wait to try it!

Frose Tour at Kitty Cohen’s
The 2nd Annual Frose Tour was the perfect way to cool off! Because of timing, we made it only to the first of three stops, but it was satisfying!

Steamies Dumplings at Texas Farmers Market
I’ve been wanting to try these dumplings for a while and finally made it happen before a movie outing. I tried the Chicken and Shittake and want to go back for the pork and cabbage. These definitely satisfied my dumpling craving. Find Steamies Dumplings at the farmers market!

Homemade Cheesecake Semifreddo
I usually sign up for dessert duty when it comes to potluck dinners, and I tried out a cheesecake semifreddo from the Smitten Kitchen Every Day Cookbook I’m working through. The only issue was I should have doubled the recipe because it was a hit and there were no leftovers to take home! I’d be remiss to tell you my dining companions hit it out of the park with this one. Our dinner included lots of delicious pork ribs, hasselback potatoes, and a chopped salad with feta, lime, and mint.

Dinner at Intero for Austin Restaurant Weeks
Austin Restaurant Weeks came back! It’s been a few years since there was a restaurant week, and I was lucky enough to dine at two restaurants. I had been wanting to try Intero, a new-this-year Italian restaurant that focuses on using the whole produce. Every dish we had was outstanding, and I especially loved the gnocchi and spaghettini dishes. You’ll also be delighted by the look and flavor of the housemade chocolates! There have been many new Italian restaurants opening in Austin, and this is definitely one of the best!

Complimentary Tasting at Honest Mary’s
Honest Mary’s invited me in to try their grain bowls and I was blown away! Grain bowls are what I usually crave when it comes to healthy food and we’ve made different variations at home. This is a quick and healthier option when dining out! The Sedona Lime bowl is my current favorite, and it comes with basmati lime rice, organic spinach, black beans, sweet potatoes, pumpkin seeds, and topped with cashew lime crema sauce. Honest Mary’s is a local Austin restaurant, and it’s celebrating its one-year anniversary. Now, how do we get more locations around Austin?

Dinner at Rosewood for Austin Restaurant Weeks
This restaurant in a historic 1890 house on the east side is gorgeous. They’re all about seasonal ingredients, whole animal utilization, and South Texas cuisine. My favorite dish was the barbacoa tacos, and we also had fried chicken, shrimp ceviche, suckling pig croquettes, and a fig dessert. You don’t want to miss checking out the beautiful bar area and their delicious craft cocktails.

Red Line Brewery Tour
Did you know you can take a brewery tour on Austin’s MetroRail? All you need is a $7 rail pass for the day to save you from driving and finding parking! Stop at Circle Brewing at the Kramer stop, Black Star Co-op at the Crestview stop, The Brewtorium at the Highland stop, and Zilker Brewing Company at the Plaza Saltillo stop. Most of the breweries have their own food options or there are options nearby. (For other Austin brewery tour ideas, check out this post.)