The Vitals: the spot: Tam's Deli 8222 N. Lamar Blvd Austin TX 78753 the eats: Bánh Mi Sandwich the bucks: $7.75 the full nelson: A Cheap Eats certified Bahn Mi and Vietnamese Cafe with a lot more Tam's Deli in Austin TX has been on my must try list since I moved to Austin in 2015. Geez, am I freaking slacker. Coming from LA I had to find me a Cheap Eats certified Bánh Mi joint. If you have never had a Bánh Mi you are missing out on perhaps the greatest sandwich rival to an Italian Cold Cut combo. And for the record, I ain't talking no BMT from Subway.

A classic Cheap Eats dining room

Sparkling linoleum, a cash register that draws the eye when you walk in and just enough kitsch knick knacks to let you know the part of the world you are dining, Tam's Deli is a glorious Cheap Eats dining room. No need for fancy interior design ideas here. The promise of affordability is enough draw.

A sandwich in balance for under $10

Every Bánh Mi sandwich gets house mayonnaise, pickled carrot, cucumber, cilantro and jalapeños. The baguette most likely lands around 9", not quite a footlong but almost enough to share. I'm partial to the Bánh Mi with cold cuts and pate, and it's my go to order at Saigon Le Vendeur. Tam's isn't quite as stuffed with meats like that one but they do an interesting twist: adding roast chicken. I couldn't put it down.

The rest of the menu beckons.

All the classic elements are here with Tam's Deli Bánh Mi: a light airy baguette with the perfect crisp exterior, the masterful layering of cold crunchy uplifting vegetables, pickles(carrots) and herbs, the creamy layer of mayonnaise and the funky savory meat mix of pate, ham and chicken. Much like an Italian cold cut combo that makes creamy mortadella, savory salami and spicy coppa work, Bánh Mi is a masterful meat lovers sandwich paired smartly with bright fresh contrasting plant life. Tam's Deli doesn't serve fav Bánh Mi in town but it's still damn good. And I'm far more curious about their extensive menu of Pho, Rice Bowls, and house specialties like Vietnamese Crepes. Tam's Deli is priced well within the Cheap Eats margins and in 2022, that is a miracle.

The Vitals: the spot: InterStellar BBQ 12233 Ranch Road 620 N Austin TX 78750 the eats: Brisket, Burnt Pork Belly, Pulled Lamb, Tacos, Beets, Zucchini Tomato salad . . . I mean all of it the bucks: $20 to $30 a person. Typical craft bbq prices the full nelson: As good as Central Texas BBQ gets. 

I could start this off with a typical generic headline like "stellar bbq at Interstellar" but it doesn't do the food John Bates is serving or the current level of barbecue found in Austin justice. First off, the barbecue is just getting better and better and that's happening everywhere. Many are heeding the call of offset smokers(and other comparable devices) and delivering meat sweats worth driving miles for. However, in Austin . . . I shake my head at how many places are opening up and bringing something new to the game.

Entranced by the brisket

That perfect bite of brisket is forever associated with the words "Texas" and "barbecue". InsterStellar has that. Recently I ventured to Hot Luck Fest at Franklin BBQ. Of course I tried some his famous brisket. Even though I was far from hungry(if anything uncomfortably full), I marveled at how melt in your mouth the brisket was. It was as rich and as tender as tuna belly at a sushi restaurant or Wagyu beef off a hot stone. In that moment I could not imagine brisket being better. The thing is it doesn't have to be better. It just always must be very very very good. You can check that box at InterStellar.

My fav meats

The brisket is a must try but please don't limit yourself at InterStellar. The Czech sausage was solid and reliable, as were the spareribs. The jalapeño cheddar has an uncanny addictive quality. Even when I was full, I kept nibbling. The pulled lamb was magnificent. I've only had it at Micklethwait, my neighborhood go to and it should be served at more places. The Pork Belly Burnt Ends are what you need to feed picky Southerners who believe that barbecue should be smoky and sweet. This is some of the best meat candy there is. The turkey though . . . I have long believed that great brisket joints also make great turkey. InterStellar has the best turkey I have ever had at a barbecue joint or anywhere really.

Don't sleep on the sides

What I love about the modern barbecue movement is the chef driven sides. John Bates served farm to table, nose to tail sandwiches at Noble Sandwich Co - a place I've lauded before. Prior to that he worked in Italian restaurants. Which is probably why he has a zucchini tomato salad on the menu. The Zucchini is thinly sliced, raw and is marinated in vinegar. It's a sweltering summer salvation. The beets are outstanding. As are the smoked scallop potatoes. Those I would order a pint or two of and serve on Thanksgiving and I'd probably pass them off as mine . . .

It's gonna take a few visits

The good news is InterStellar is good enough to make it your Steady Eddie BBQ fix. I'm kicking myself for not getting here sooner. But that's how it goes in Austin. You find a kick ass place and you say "man it can't get any better", and in some ways it doesn't. The landscape simple rewards you with more options, more favs for this smoked meat or that side. As a diner, we win no matter what.

The Vitals: the spot: Llama Kid 4620 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702 the eats: Ceviches, cocktails, Anticuchos(skewers) the bucks: $$$ plan on $75-$100 a person with drinks the full nelson: Pricey Peruvian food with a chef's kiss

I love Llama Kid but I also love Peruvian food. My first forays into the cuisine were at neighborhood saltado joints in LA, namely Mario's Peruvian in Hollywood. Back in the day a Mariscos saltado; Peru's take on fried rice spiked with shrimp, octopus and calamari along with french fries(potatoes are big in Peru) ran me like $12. Now it's up to $17 and change. Signs of the times point to everything becoming more expensive. Especially if you upgrade from neighborhood saltado joint to a date night worthy Peruvian restaurant with fine dining elements. The saltado at Llama Kid runs $20-$27. And while I didn't try their version, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say they are gonna level it up like they do their ceviche:

For the ceviche alone

I've lived in Austin for almost seven years and I'm perplexed why there isn't a ceviche bar on every corner. It just turned June and we have hit triple digits multiple times. Llama Kid's ceviche ain't priced for visits as often as the mercury climbs past 99 degrees but make no mistake, you're getting the premium fish here.

Straight outta the sushi bar

The Ahi Tuna in the Nikkei was meaty and bursting with flavor, all signs of quality tuna being used. Chef Diego Ysrael Sanchez adds thin strips of Nori(seaweed paper) and sesame seed to up the umami. The move here is to get multiple ceviches and keep your spoon dipping.

The power of the Tiger

Every ceviche on the menu uses leche de tigre, the signature of Peruvian ceviche. A mix of citrus juice, Aji(Peru's national pepper) along with habanero create a powerful brew. The Mixto ceviche(pictured above) really takes to the heat thanks to a mix of fried calamari along with the fluke, octopus and shrimp. Take note of the corn and sweet potato too, both Peruvian staples.

Anticuchos: the (mini) kabob of Peru

I suppose I should just call them skewers. These tasty street food morsels were a necessary follow up to the ceviche because I've seen people do that raw food diet and everyone caves eventually. We weren't trying to crush the whole menu so these seemed like enough. I could have eaten 12. Shrimp and chicken featured here and I would definitely try the chicken in entree form. These went well with the Rosé pictured to the right.

The drinks rock

They really do. Great cocktail program here. This where you can do some damage on your bill. Kinda worth it too. I supposed I'd love to come back to Llama Kid and eat through the menu with a group. But I also liked how we did this: a light dinner, a couple drinks and what could be a great pregame before a show. Nestled in East Austin, Llama Kid is a prime time beast for that kind of night or a proper dinner. There just isn't enough Peruvian joints around, definitely not enough ceviche so I welcome this kid to the game of dining in Austin. Mark this in your Yelp bookmarks future Llama kids.