The Vitals: the spot: Mum Foods 5811 Manor Rd. Austin TX 78723 the eats: Pastrami, Brisket, Corned Beef, Ribs, Sausage, def the sandwiches, all sides esp the pimento cheese and chips, only hiccup was the burnt ends  the bucks: Bring your wallet, full sandwiches like $17, you can easily spend $30 a person but worth it the full nelson: my fav restaurant in Austin right now

My new fav restaurant

I've been to Mum Foods twice so far this year and it has become my new favorite restaurant in Austin. The barbecue scene continues to heat up and while places like Interstellar BBQ and KG BBQ(who just snagged a James Beard nomination) also enter the conversation, Mum Foods is bringing the modern Jewish Delicatessen vibe to deli starved Austin Texas. The tariff is stiff at Mum Foods to the tune of just under $20 for a sandwich but the craftsmanship is worth it, plain and simple.

My first visit

Was on a weekday so I missed out on the brisket by the pound, which is only served on weekends. I did get ribs, burnt ends, sausage, a pastrami sandwich, and a mess of sides. I'll get this out of the way: the burnt ends were a pass. They seemed like they were leftover from the weekend. Not bad, but not worth coming back for when you consider everything else. On a recent episode of NFL Tailgate Takedown, I said Mac and Cheese was overrated. I will retract that statement when it comes to the shells n cheese at Mum Foods. OMG side for sure, oh and about those pickles . . .

Artisan pickled veg alert

Yeah, those look straight out of a Whole Foods Market cookbook. Great stuff and much needed for all the richness. Oh and speaking of richness and my fav side:

Better than chips and queso

Yeah, I'll take housemade potato chips and Pimento cheese(of this caliber) over the Tex Mex Margarita soaker that is Chips n Queso any day of the week, twice on Sunday. I love being controversial when it comes to food. Now on to my second run at Mum Foods.

Lean on hard on the red meats

Not only did I get pastrami by the pound but we also got a corned beef on rye, adorned simply with housemade yellow mustard. I mean, this is why you are here: deli faves in a Texas smoker. Also I wanted to give a shoutout to the meat ladened greens. As a stand alone meal, this would be a macrobiotic approved bout of meat sweats. Everything pictured here is awesome and so so Ali Khan Eats Approved.

Don't sleep on the turkey

I've been saying this for years ever since I went to my first Craft BBQ joint in Austin back in 2015. The best pitmasters can make gold out of brisket and turkey. The Turkey sandwich at Mum Foods is as fine as it gets and I recommend going with the coleslaw and Russian dressing aka "The Rachel". While the turkey is moist, the added texture of the cabbage in the coleslaw plus the double creamy hit of the coleslaw dressing and the mayo in the Russian dressing make for one memorable turkey sando.

I love this spot.

It aint cheap but it is also worth every damn penny. Mum Foods is in a groove and it is my favorite restaurant in Austin so far in 2023. Great coffee shop in there as well and I can't wait to tear into their small but well curated wines by the bottle too.

This burger has captivated me since 2001

For decades one burger that has stood out in my palate has been Chef Sang Yoon's burger at his restaurant, Father's Office. In what ushered in both the era of gastropubs and chef driven burgers, Father's Office was the perfect storm for a broke food lover in his 20s. Back in 2001, foodies were still an underground niche and going out to eat meant "what's the occasion?". I'd like to say casual gastropubs helped change all that but it was a ripple compared to the Tsunami that social media would bring later on that decade. But enough about food history - let's talk about how you can make a friendly home version of a burger that was designed to harness the flavors of French Onion soup . . . . Note: I developed this recipe for the grill but a cast iron works well too. If you do grill, I recommend a high temp fire and/or utilizing a grill grate set up like this Hero Grill hack, where the grate is right over the embers. This will allow you to cook hot 'n fast, allowing for less cooking time and less moisture loss. Save the drippings for the bottom bun!

The Father's Office inspired burger recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of ground beef(for three burgers)
• Potato bun or Pain Au Lait bun(less buttery than brioche, still decadent)
• Arugula
• ½ Red onion
• 2 strips of bacon, chopped
• Balsamic vinegar
• Butter
• Two egg yolks
• Dijon mustard
• Garlic
• White Wine Vinegar
• Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper

Steps:

• Form 5 oz burger patty, 4” wide, 3/4 “ thick
• Brush with olive oil, season with salt & pepper or burger seasoning of choice(I used a steak rub)
• Grill to desired doneness - this burger works well on the medium rare to rare side
• Toast buns, spread aioli on both sides, caramelized onion on bottom bun, arugula on 

Caramelized onions  Ingredients:

• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 slices of bacon
• 1 tbsp of butter 
• 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove minced garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste

Steps

1. Cook bacon in dutch oven over medium heat till crisp
2. Remove bacon and pour out any excess drippings till 1 tbsp remains
3. Reduce heat to low, add onions and cook for 15 min with lid on, stirring frequently to prevent burning, till lightly caramelized
4. Add garlic, cook for a few minutes, make sure garlic doesn’t burn
5. Add balsamic vinegar, cook for 1 minute more
6. Add bacon, season with salt and pepper and set aside

Aioli Ingredients:

• 2 egg yolks
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp grated garlic
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp of white wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

1. Place room temp egg yolks, garlic and dijon mustard in bottom of a bowl
2. Gently whisk in olive oil in a slow steady stream(take your time!) or use an immersion blender and a snug container like a mason jar or measuring cup
3. Season with salt to taste, adding for more mustard or vinegar as necessary

Note: if the aioli is thin or starts to break and/or you are getting impatient - adding a little store bought mayo is a quick fix. It sounds counterintuitive but you will get the right consistency instantly and the taste will blow away regular mayo, trust me!