The best food in Austin Texas: September 2024

  Fall is finally here in Austin Texas. Sure I might have a good chili recipe up my sleeve for the crisp low 70s weather but how about we talk about the best food in Austin I had over the last few weeks? The Vitals: the spot: Uchiko Austin 4200 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78756 the eats: tasting menu the bucks: $$$ the full nelson: a curry lovers dream Chef Jack Yoss has a thing for Indonesian curries. And when you try his short rib beef Rendang, you might get a thing for Indonesian curries too. This tasting menu of Southeast Asian delights is a pop up so stay tuned to Uchiko and Jack Yoss' Instagram for the next event. Just know when the event does return, book ASAP as the event is limited seating. Check out my full experience here for a Southeast Asian feast that easily ranks among the best food in Austin. The Vitals: the spot: Poeta 1123 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702 the eats: Pork Chop, Goat Cheese Cheesecake, all the pastas, beet salad the bucks: $$$ the full nelson: all day Italian with New Orleans vibes in East Austin  Chefs Ian Thurwachter and Krystal Craig are single handedly responsible for why Austin can take Italian food just as seriously as Philly or New York. My meal at Intero in 2021 easily remains a G.O.A.T. when it comes to best food in Austin as far as Italian goes. In 2024, there might be a new G.O.A.T. and that would be the goat cheese cheesecake at Poeta. Of course the carnivore in me swoons about the pork chop or the lamb confit gnocchi but . . . that goat cheese cheesecake, well I could make the joke again but the point has been made. The Vitals: the spot: Rockman Bakery 2400 E Cesar Chavez St Suite 200, Austin, TX 78702 the eats: all the croissants  the bucks: $ the full nelson: accomplished pastry chef seeks to up Austin's Croix game I have a soft spot for flaky croissants. Apparently so does Chef Amanda Rockman who takes years of fine dining experience and serves it up with a divine new bakery in East Austin. The pastries are as tasty as they are eye catching and while one might be tempted to stick to classics like a plain croissant(and let the chef's craft do the talking) you might find yourself more impressed with the more indulgent fare. Real Talk: I hate lemon meringue but her Croix version changed my mind like any great pastry chef can do. PS at $6-$7.50 I designate these Croix as total CHEAP EATS. They are huge and worth it. The Vitals: the spot: Guppy's ATX 2908 Fruth St B Unit 101, Austin, TX 78705 the eats: Indian Fried Chicken Sandwiches the bucks: $$ the full nelson: a new day for South Asian food in Austin The Indian fried chicken sandwich at Rowdy Rooster might have been the best bite I had of 2023. Sadly that was in New York City, so like, not exactly convenient. Guppy's ATX is vying to be the equivalent here in Austin and when it comes to Indian food trucks and best food in Austin, guys we got a real contender here. The flavors are as bold as the colors are striking and I'm told chef and owner Raj Bandi has been honing his recipe to reach a new level of Fried Chicken Nirvana. I'll see you there.

The Vitals: the spot: Knuckle Sandwich 440 E St Elmo Rd, Austin, TX 78745 the eats: All the sandwiches the bucks: $17 the full nelson: best italian sandwich I've ever had

It is a big statement to say Knuckle Sandwich is the best Italian sandwich I have ever had. But just making a statement like that means this sandwich trailer in South Austin is a shoe in for best food in Austin. Full details in my post here but for now I'll say this: it is worth the $17. Dude drives to San Antonio every day for the bread, the dude uses top shelf cured meats and the dude is a James Beard nominated chef who has slung tasting menus, opened 3 star restaurants in Asia and well, makes a mean sandwich.  

Austin City Limits Music Festival: best bites of weekend two

Fun fact: 2024 was the best food lineup Austin City Limits Music Festival has ever put together. The taco lineup of La Pachanga lived up to the hype. I was wowed by fried chicken and a recently closed epic burger shop made a smashing comeback with a smashed burger. Here were my three best bites: The Vitals: the spot: La Santa Barbacha 2806 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722 // @ACL Eats "La Pachanga" the eats: Barbacoa tacos the bucks: $16 (for three) the full nelson: a family recipe of braised beef tacos straight outta Mexico I love La Santa Barbacha so much I ate their tacos at Austin City Limits Music Festival and before when I pregamed at their taco truck location in East Austin. Their fork tender barbacoa, hand made tortillas and flavorful salsas didn't skip a beat at ACL. Plus they are some of the kindest most hard working peeps in the restaurant biz. The Vitals: the spot: CM Smokehouse two locations in Austin // @ACL Eats Main Food Court the eats: Brisket Crunchwrap the bucks: $13 (half) $24 (whole) the full nelson: if a Texas BBQ pitmaster did a pop up at a Taco Bell CM Smokehouse was destined to serve their brisket crunchwrap at ACL. Hand held foods simply shine at festivals and this hand held is about as unique as it gets. I've never had an actual crunchwrap from Taco Bell and frankly why would I when I have a brisket version thx to CM Smokehouse. Hands down the most fun nostalgic bite at Austin City Limits Music Festival. The Vitals: the spot: Bambino 79 Springdale Rd Suite 153, Austin, TX 78702 //  @ the craft beer tent by Miller Lite stage the eats: Pizza pizza pizza the bucks: $$ the full nelson: Hottest pizza in Austin takes center stage at ACL Eats I am a huge fan of Bambino: the hottest newest pizza joint in Austin. When I found out Austin City Limits Music Festival snagged this pie and gave them a spot next to the craft beer tent . . .  I knew where I was gonna get my carb fix. The cupped pepperoni pie was a particular fav of mine.

Adios Austin City Limits Music Festival 2024

As I write this, I am in full come down mode from attending two weekends of Austin City Limits Music Festival. It was as fun as it looked, and the acts were as always, top billing(Leon Bridges KILLED IT). And the food literally has never been better. I'm a little tired but I know I'll be back next year. See ya in 2025 ACL FEST!!!

Austin City Limits Music Festival: best bites

ACL rolled into town and Austin is a buzz. The food is just as important as the drinks at this iconic music festival and it shows in the restaurant selection. That being said, narrowing down my fav bites of weekend one wasn't easy as much as it was practical; I can only eat so much! So take a bite of my top three bites. The Vitals: the spot: Con Todo   10001 Metric Blvd, Austin, TX 78758 // @ACL Eats "La Pachanga" the eats: Carnitas Tostada the bucks: $16 (for two) the full nelson: James Beard nominated Chef slinging carnitas at ACL Chef Joseph Gomez runs a deceptively simple taco trailer at a brewery called Celis in North Austin. But this taquero ain't no late night trompo carver. With a storied resumé including Asian cooking and fine dining, his attention to the little things add up on the plate and the palate. At the Austin City Limits Music Festival he slings carnitas on a tostada that are equal parts succulent and spicy. Con Todo is a premium taco trailer experience so this is a rare case where the festival prices aren't too far from the norm. Also, great carnitas are a rare sighting at a music festival, and Chef Gomez serves some of the very best in the city. The Vitals: the spot: Vaquero Taquero  Two locations in Austin // @ACL Eats "La Pachanga" the eats: Al Pastor Gringa the bucks: $16 (3) the full nelson: Top tier Al Pastor at ACL Fest When Vaquero Taquero first popped up on my radar I hailed it as the arrival of excellent Al Pastor to Austin. They typically cook on a vertical rotisserie but for the Austin City Limits Music Festival they use a flat top grill. Vaquero serves open faced quesadillas that are frankly gargantuan and are generously stuffed with marinated pork and cheese. If you have the chance try their locations in town too. The Vitals: the spot: Gus's Fried Chicken 117 San Jacinto Austin TX 78701  // @ACL Eats Main Food Court the eats: Fried Chicken the bucks: $12 for a two piece the full nelson: Please just eat here There are two reasons why I never tried Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken until Weekend One of the Austin City Limits Music Festival. One, my son has a peanut allergy and they fry the chicken in peanut oil. The other is that they are in downtown Austin which is a total pain in the a** when it comes to parking. Well, I'm over the parking part. Guys this fried chicken is worth getting a parking ticket for. Hands down the best fried chicken I have had in years. Apparently they use refined peanut oil making the allergy issue not one but I will defer to my doctor before taking that step. In the meantime get yourself a two piece in between sets and beers, you are welcome. That's a wrap on Weekend One! More to come after Weekend Two.

The Vitals: the spot: Knuckle Sandwich 440 E St Elmo Rd, Austin, TX 78745 the eats: All the sandwiches the bucks: $17 the full nelson: best italian sandwich I've ever had

Best Italian Sandwich I've had.

Bold words I know but I was truly floored. Everything Chef Ryan Fox does in making this Italian Sandwich is pure chef flex. He drives to San Antonio to get the bread. The meats he uses are top shelf: Olympia Provisions. He makes a ridiculously genius sauce. There is more to it but the journey to trying the best Italian Sandwich I ever had starts with the journey of this uber talented chef.

Resumé of a fine dining chef

Tasting menus? Check. James Beard nomination? Check? Opened a major fine dining restaurant overseas and eventually left because he needed to keep honing his craft? Check. Ryan Fox is first and foremost from Cleveland, a town with a storied food culture and a killer Corned Beef sandwich town too. When I went there to film Cheap Eats, I learned all of this first hand.

CLE > NYC > Las Vegas > Singapore > Portland

He would leave his hometown to study at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. Then he landed a job working with acclaimed Chef Joel Robuchon at L' Atelier, an over the top tasting menu experience. The gig took him to Singapore to open a location there before leaving to hone his skills in a different direction. He was in Portland most recently where he ran his own tasting menu restaurant and picked up a nomination as a rising star chef by the James Beard Foundation.

Not your average deli menu

Given Fox's resume, expect a not your average deli menu. I locked eyes on the Italian sandwich aka The Knuckle Sandwich. No regrets but next time I will be trying the Lion's Mane Pastrami mushroom which Chef seemed very proud of.

The Rundown:

Mortadella, Salami and Capicola make up the full rundown of the meats line up for this exquisite Italian sandwich. I love mortadella and if you do too, you will enjoy the offering by Olympia Provision. The shrettuce is there for texture and rather than rolling with a standard slice of cheese, fried Parmesan is offered. The bread, from Pullman market in San Antonio is shockingly light. The chia seed crust struck me as unconventional but frankly kinda rad. the Za'atar vinaigrette is chef flex but it pales in comparison to the Amba(spicy pickled mango) aioli. The Amba aioli made the meal. Epic Italian sandwiches have that perfect sauce: typically a combo of mayo, mustard and a vinaigrette that one hopes ends up balanced on the sandwich. Fox takes the next step by balancing all those elements in a house made aioli. So much effort goes into this sandwich, it easily justifies the $17 price tag, given the prices one finds in Austin these days. This Italian sandwich is a total banger.