The best food in Austin Texas: February 2025

The Vitals: the spot:Mum Food's Smokehouse and Delicatessen 5811 Manor Road, Austin, Texas 78723 the eats: Smoked Burger the bucks: $15 the full nelson: The new best smoked burger in town A month ago I would have told you that the smoked burger at LeRoy and Lewis is not only the best smoked burger in town but easily the burger I would call some of the best food in Austin. That has changed. The Oak Smoked Burger at Mum Foods Smokehouse and Delicatessen features an 8oz oak smoked patty, with oak smoked poblano peppers, oak smoked poblano aioli and swiss cheese. Yeah, there's a lot of smoke happening but that ain't all. The burger is cooked to a near flawless medium rare and scratches a burger itch that makes Smashed Burgers hit like Happy Meals. Check in with me next month for any updates but for now, this burger is king of Austin.   The Vitals: the spot: Handsome Dan's 979 Springdale Rd #124, Austin, TX 78702 the eats: The Italian, The Tuna Melt, The Cubano, Roast Beef n Cheddar the bucks: $12 the full nelson: New sandwich joint in East Austin aiming to win ppl over with decent bang for your buck sandwiches. Handsome Dan's is a new sandwich spot in Austin and my most recent post. The sandwich only menu plus bodega meets bar vibe makes it a comfort food pic for lunch or an afternoon beer hang. I'll be straight up here: Handsome Dan's doesn't serve the best sandwich in town, even though I have a soft spot for the Cubano and especially the Italian. I put Handsome Dan's on my list of Best food in Austin because they have the audacity to offer some value. Every sandwich on the menu is $12 and comes with a bag of chips. The other day I took my kid to Raising Cane's and I paid $17 for his combo meal alone. In some cases like the Italian, I could split the sandwich if I'm looking for a slightly less indulgent lunch. The sandwiches at Handsome Dan's aren't the size of my arm like some sandwiches you find on the East Coast but they wont' cost you an arm or a leg either.   The Vitals: the spot: Perry's Steakhouse locations across the US, tested in Austin TX the eats: Perry's famous Pork Chop, Wagyu flight, Hoghattan, Chocolate Jubilee Cake the bucks: $$$ the full nelson: The most famous Pork Chop in Texas I came to Perry's Steakhouse on a mission to try the Famous Pork Chop. And while that mission was accomplished, I walked away more impressed with Perry's Akaushi Wagyu flight. Slightly more expensive than the sandwich at Handsome Dan's, Perry's blew me away with a steak experience that gave my grilling ego a moment for reflection. The quality of beef they use is far and way more flavorful and more marbled than any USDA Prime steak you might be eyeing at the supermarket. I even walked away with a bottle of their house steak rub. Next month I will be deep into some R&D at Casa Khan for my Copycat Perry's Steakhouse version. The Vitals: the spot: Top Roe 120 W 5th St, Austin, TX 78701 the eats: Hand Rolls, Izakaya at the bar the bucks: $$-$$$ the full nelson: Come for the Hand rolls but come back for the Matcha Pot De Creme Pot de Creme is a French custard, a first cousin to Creme Brulee. The silky texture makes it one of the most luxurious desserts one can have from the perspective of pure mouth feel. Chocolate Pot De Creme was the creme de la creme for me . . . that is until I tried this Matcha Pot De Creme. Now you might notice the addition of caviar which while audacious wasn't too off the mark considering I had this at Top Roe: a sushi hand roll specialist and Japanese Izakaya. Does caviar and custard belong together? I'll answer that with this: the Matcha Pot de Creme at Top Roe is my front runner for dessert of the year. Not bad for the shortest month of the year. Let's how the line up goes for the Best Food in Austin at the end of March.

The Vitals: the spot: Handsome Dan's 979 Springdale Rd #124, Austin, TX 78702 the eats: The Italian, The Tuna Melt, The Cubano, Roast Beef n Cheddar the bucks: $12 the full nelson: New sandwich joint in East Austin aiming to win ppl over with decent bang for your buck sandwiches.

Can Austin become a sandwich town?

It seems like a flurry of sandwich places have opened in Austin over the last year. Or maybe that's just me looking at places I can actually afford to go out to. On paper, a $17 sandwich with zero ingredients made on site would be absurd. But it was also one of the best things I ate last year. So how about a sandwich for $12 that comes with a bag of chips?

A sandwich line up homage to the country

I tried 5 of the 7 sandwiches at Handsome Dan's which seems to acknowledge different regional offerings found across the country. The Cubano is a nod to Miami/Florida's Cuban food scene. The Italian screams East Coast. The other offerings might appear a bit vague like a grilled cheese or Roast Beef and Cheddar, but they aren't exactly unwelcomed additions to a varied sandwich menu.

My fav sandwich: The Italian

With cold cuts from Boar's Head and bread from New World Bakery, I wouldn't call this sandwich high end but a decent cold cut sando doesn't have to be. Granted we were invited to the media opening so chances are the fellas at Handsome Dan's was on their A game, but the sandwich was built quite well. Meaty, well layered and an all around dressed to deliver drippingly good sando, The Italian surprised me with solid sandwich build execution.

My Second Fav: The roast beef n cheddar

Located above in the top right, the roast beef sando hit hard. The combo of the horseradish, red onion and medium rare roast beef was what a roast beef sandwich should be. While not as meaty as the Italian, the sandwich was still well composed.

A photo finish for third: The Cubano

I was most excited to try the Cubano at Handsome Dan's. It was a cold day in Austin(rare but it happens) and the idea of a pressed meat on meat sandwich sounded about right. I'm not gonna tell you this sandwich will rethink your next trip to the 305 however. Even if doesn't compare to something like Sanguich de Miami, it was a hearty enough sandwich to push it to the #3 slot.

Respect the Tuna Melt

I used to covet Tuna Melts back in college. Whether I was making them at home or hitting up some late night coffee shop or diner, a good tuna melt is a damn good sandwich. I did like the tuna salad at Handsome Dan's - the dressing had a pleasant tang but I could have used more of it. This was one sandwich I could easily finish and be hungry for more. I also tried the grilled cheese and it didn't move the needle for me. Personally I think grilled cheese is pretty easy to make at home and just don't see the value in outsourcing the sandwich. Now if they served this with a mean bowl of tomato basil soup, that might change my mind.

The last word

The best thing Handsome Dan's is offering is some value as far as dining out goes in Austin 2025. Every sandwich is $12, comes with a bag of chips and I think the team here did some decent research on the menu. The sandwiches aren't as big as my arm but they won't cost you and arm and a leg. I'll be interested to see if they can keep up the price point. For now though I commend them for thinking about value.

The Vitals: the spot: Cheesecake Factory locations nationwide & Canada the eats: Cheeseburger Slider, Chicken Madeira, Espresso Martini the bucks: $$ the full nelson: a burger slider worth going to an indoor mall for

Have I jumped the shark in writing a review about Cheesecake Factory?

Maybe. Since I'm spending my time reviewing a restaurant that many people already know one could say my time could be put to use elsewhere. Like waxing poetic about the epic BBQ scene in the Panhandle of Texas or even an excellent independent Smashed burger joint in my hometown of St. Louis MO. But believe me: if you are a burger lover and have not tried the cheeseburger sliders at Cheesecake Factory . . . you are missing out.

It's all about the sliders(mini burgers) at Cheesecake factory.

Celebrated burger expert George Motz signs off on the greatness of these sliders. Turns out that the CEO of Cheesecake factory is from Detroit and grew up going to Greene's Hamburgers where they make one mean slider. He had to have a great one served at Cheesecake Factory and being a CEO, he made that shit HAPPEN.

Why the Slider is so damn good

They keep it simple. Smashed patty, plus some caramelized onions, pickles, ketchup and of course some American cheese. The beef is fresh and the little brioche buns are soft and also fresh. It's not rocket science, just a simple tasty burger done right. Personally I think the buns are where it's at. I don't want to know the calorie count but they are equal parts butter bomb to the smashed beef patty.

Also, alcohol helps

So the real reason I went to Cheesecake Factory is because my son wanted to go with a friend from school. Yes, my preteen(now a full teen) wanted to go to the mall and eat at Cheesecake Factory. I was enamored with the idea. And even more so because we went for Sunday Brunch and I realized an Espresso Martini was/is the perfect Boozy Brunch drink besides a Bloody Mary.

And I had to try the famous Chicken Madeira

Loyal devotees of Cheesecake Factory seem to love the Chicken Madeira. The pan sauce soaked chicken entree reminded me of eating Chicken Marsala at Italian joints in the 1990s. Both dishes involve a fortified wine making a rich brown sauce to liven up chicken breast, which needs all the fortified wine it can get. This was like a dish you get at a wedding and actually enjoy. I didn't mind it at all but I also was running on two Espresso Martinis at that point.

All that really matters

Is getting these delish sliders at Cheesecake Factory. For all the nostalgia one can have for White Castle, that food is borderline North Korean army rations. The cheeseburger sliders at Cheesecake Factory however, are like what White Castle would be if they came to Japan, where they instantly improve everything. 10 out of 10 I would get these sliders again and probably wash them down with at least one Espresso Martini. Ideally you do this at an indoor mall. And . . . you're welcome.

The Vitals: the spot: Top Roe 120 W 5th St, Austin, TX 78701 the eats: Hand Rolls, Izakaya at the bar the bucks: $$-$$$ the full nelson: If you crave a really good hand roll . . . 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Top Roe.

I can't help but thinking about the movie Top Gun while beginning to write about Top Roe. Maybe the brash Pro Military Reagan era movie will forever allude to anything close to resembling its name in my mind. But I feel that, much like the main characters in the movie, there is some confidence brewing here. And that helps when you consider the landscape of opening a restaurant in downtown Austin in 2025. I can bemoan menu prices all day. And so can restaurateurs who might have a thing or two to say about rent prices. Add to that the flurry of omakase places that have opened in Austin for the money is no object Tesla cybertruck crowd, one might thing Top Roe is exclusive for Tech Bro Top Dogs. Except it's not. [caption id="attachment_17732" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Top Roe bar seating. Photo by Robert Lerma[/caption] [caption id="attachment_17733" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Plated Sashimi. Photo by Robert Lerma[/caption]

Swanky digs. Swanky Sashimi.

The interior of Top Roe is swanky as one might suspect. But the sashimi is equally swank. And that's not just the plating. Once you walk in, you will see a slabs of tuna being dry aged in a refrigerator in a glass door. Top Roe isn't the only place in town that walks this extra mile but I can honestly say I did taste the fruits of their labor. While cut from a different cloth, the overall quality of aged tuna here took me back to my visit to Miami's Itamae, currently a semifinalist for the 2025 James Beard Awards.

A hand roll experience but with some add ons

When you go to Top Roe, there are two dining options. One is an Izakaya experience available in the dining room where one can enjoy a Japanese tapas experience(think small shareable plates). Then there is the handroll experience which is served only at the bar. As guests of the restaurant, we were treated to some extras beyond the handroll experience. The bluefin sashimi was what one should expect. Pristine seafood, dressed perfectly in an aged soy sauce. The blue crab dip with smoked crab roe and house made chips, which is normally served at the Izakaya was the blingy version of chips and dip one might imagine to find at Super Bowl party hosted by a VC founder. In either case, connections bring one a certain degree of joy.

A breakdown of the Handrolls

The price of a swank restaurant is lighting that sets the mood but not so much ideal photography on an iPhone 12. While I might be debating an upgrade on a phone, I can't imagine upgrading the quality of the nori(seaweed) of these handrolls. Biting into a hand roll has the audible sensation of watching an ASMR biting into an apple video. SO DAMN CRISP. Pictured above are the tuna, blue crab and lobster hand rolls, in that order. You might notice that the rolls aren't twisted into a cone. This is apparently how they are traditionally done. The blue crab at Top Roe is top notch and I could see myself getting seconds on that. I'd also add that if you are a lobster roll fan, you might want to try the Sweet Maine lobster hand roll at Top Roe. Rice doesn't scratch the same itch as bread but sweet butter lobster is still sweet buttery lobster, despite the vessel.

Front runner for best dessert of 2025

I love Pot De Creme. Typically it's done with chocolate but matcha makes a compelling case too. Like the whole meal itself, the caviar is a flex but it isn't what the castle is built on. An across the board baseline of great ingredients and technique are the driving forces at Top Roe. More important though is the opportunity to experience this with a reasonable starting price point. A set of five hand rolls(minus add ons like Caviar or Uni) is $45 which ain't too bad especially when considering the quality an execution. If you have a thing for hand rolls or are all curious about what a top dessert of 2025 could be, I suggest you take a trip to Top Roe. And unlike Top Gun, the only thing standing in your way is booking a reservation.

The Vitals: the spot: Perry's Steakhouse locations across the US, tested in Austin TX the eats: Perry's famous Pork Chop, Wagyu flight, Hoghattan, Chocolate Jubilee Cake the bucks: $$$ the full nelson: The most famous Pork Chop in Texas

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The most famous Pork Chop in Texas

Is at Perry's Steakhouse. What started as a meat market in Houston decades ago has grown into a premium steakhouse chain with locations in seven states, and big cities like Chicago and Miami. I've wanted to try this famous pork chop for years. And I recently got my chance.

The perfect Pork chop cocktail: The Hoghattan

The best pairing for Perry's Steakhouse famous pork chop shockingly isn't the applesauce. It is in fact the "Hoghattan" which their version of a Manhattan. The drink features WhistlePig PiggyBack 6-year-old rye and sweet vermouth, a rim with brown sugar and Perry's Signature Homemade Barbecue Sauce. The real kicker is the skewer of Perry's Famous Pork Chop Bites and Luxardo cherries. This is a drink that could keep me rolling at a cocktail party into the wee hours. Think of it as a more manageable Bloody Mary with a meat straw.

The main event: Perry's Steakhouse famous Pork Chop

As much as the size is the draw; the chop is famously measured by being "seven fingers thick, the carving of the chop is a spectacle to behold. The server carves the enormous chop into three portions: The "lash", the "eye" and the ribs. Much like a ribeye, there are three textural experiences to be had. The Pork Chop has a long and complex cooking process that includes, curing, smoking, and roasting. This makes the exterior cut, known as the "lash" a focal point for the flavor. You might be fighting over last bites from that part of the cut. And please eat the ribs with your hands. In someways the experience of eating Perry's Steakhouse famous pork chop is an intersection of BBQ and steakhouse. Oh and speaking of steak . . .

Perry's Steakhouse Akaushi Wagyu flight

It would be a missed opportunity to come to a steakhouse and not try steak right? Well the team at Perry's Steakhouse, who did treat us to this experience, made sure we did try some of their beefy offerings. I'll be blunt: I can make good steak at home but this is worth going out for. As much as Perry's Steakhouse Famous Pork Chop is a deal at $49. The steak flight is worth it. Priced at $100, it is a splurge but you're getting a great balance of quality and quantity. As much as I love the idea of eating a huge steak, I'm usually well sated with a boneless 16 oz serving. Nine ounces is certainly less of course but this beef is finished in beef tallow. And there is something to be said about not stuffing yourself. And the rub they use will haunt your dreams. I took some home that night.

The big send off: The Chocolate Jubilee Cake

In true classic steakhouse fashion, Perry's Steakhouse offers an over the top sweet for a closer. The Chocolate Jubilee Cake has a flaming sauce made tableside and gets poured over an enormous slice of Chocolate Blackout cake. And I still have leftovers in my fridge. There is a Prime Rib deal I have my eye on as well. And a lunch version of the pork chop is a bang for buck deal on Fridays at only $19. But that steak flight was what won me over. It's a birthday steak dinner in my mind. But since I will have to wait a few months till then, I'll be drilling through the Perry's Steakhouse rub and making my own HEB steak flights till then.

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