ACL Eats 2025:

My Must-Try Bites from JABS, Steamies, Oro Bianco & Saigon Le Vendeur

There’s nothing quite like moving through the heat and the crowds of ACL with that familiar rumble in your stomach. The new vendor lineup this year brings some returning favorites and delicious new faces — and these four spots are ones you should plan your snack-(or full meal) strategy around.

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JABS Burgers & Fries – The Smash Attack

Where & When:
JABS, formerly Peace, Love & Burgers, is showing up in the ACL Eats section as one of the burger vendors. Tribeza+36AM - ATXtoday+3CultureMap Austin+3

What to Order:

• The OG at JABS is a double-patty smashed burger with grilled onions, American cheese, pickles, and that signature “JABS sauce” on a potato roll. It’s classic, no frills, incredibly satisfying. Community Impact+1

• If you’re really hungry (or dancing between sets), go for “The K.O.” — triple patties, layered flavor, more of everything. Community Impact+1

• Don’t skip the seasoned fries — a great sidekick for a burger when you've got time off stage.

Why It Works at ACL:
When you need something that fills you up, fuels you for long walks between stages, and doesn’t require utensils — a smashburger is perfect. JABS delivers something familiar but elevated with good quality meat (grass-fed/Angus) and balance so you don’t feel like you need to nap forever afterward. It’s a festival-friendly win.

Price / Tips:
Expect to pay in the $10–15 range. Bring your appetite, maybe share if you've got someone to split with. Also, get there early before lines swell after major acts.

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Steamies Dumplings – Bite-Sized Relief

Where & When:
Steamies Dumplings is also part of the vendor list at ACL Eats this year. They’re well known locally from their brick-and-mortar at 6929 Airport Blvd, and they’ll be bringing what they do best to the festival grounds. CultureMap Austin+36AM - ATXtoday+3Austin City Limits Music Festival+3

What to Order:

• Chicken & Shiitake potstickers or dumplings — rich, satisfying, with a nice earthy umami from the shiitake that stands out in a sea of heavier or greasier offerings. Ali Khan Eats+1

• The Vegan option or Pork & Cabbage if you want more classic flavors.

• If they have them: steamed buns, and their monthly specials are almost always worth it.

Why It Works at ACL:
Festival food can be overwhelming: greasy, heavy, or loud in flavors. Dumplings give you something compact, manageable, but still full of flavor and texture. They’re good while standing, walking, or leaning against a fence between bands. Steamies takes pride in hand-rolled wrappers, fresh ingredients, and balance — you’ll feel treated, not just fed.

Price / Tips:
Items usually run a bit under or around festival pricing norms (think: mid-teens for a nice portion). Go during lower traffic times (e.g. early afternoon) to avoid long waits. Save room for dessert — you’ll want it.

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Saigon Le Vendeur – Bánh Mì & More That Hits

Where & When:
Saigon Le Vendeur returns in ACL Eats as a spot representing Vietnamese / Asian cuisine. They’ve moved from trailer to brick-and-mortar at 2601 E. 7th St (Suite 101), but their roots in East Austin and authentic bánh mì game are still very much part of their identity. Tribeza+3The Infatuation+3Ali Khan Eats+3

What to Order:

• The classic Cold-Cut Bánh Mì — patê, cold cuts, pickled veggies, jalapeños, fresh cilantro, cucumber, daikon/carrot. It’s crunchy, tangy, and hits the comfort note but still feels clean. Ali Khan Eats+1

• Garlic Butter Prawn Bánh Mì if they’ve got it (heard rave reviews).

• Their vermicelli bowls or curry ramen (when available) are good fallback if you want something warm and more substantial.

Why It Works at ACL:
When you want freshness. When you need something that cuts through festival sweat and dust with pickled crunch, crisp bread, and bright flavors. Plus it’s relatively lighter (no huge greasy aftermath), and you’ll appreciate that when you still have two shows to catch.

Price / Tips:
Often a bánh mì is one of the best “value dense” options — you get flavor, texture, and satisfaction. Be mindful of lines/trailer-traffic. If you plan to eat right before or after a headliner, expect the wait. Also, if going late, check ahead whether they’ll still have bread fresh or if demand depleted certain items.

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Oro Bianco – Dessert Done Right

Where & When:
Oro Bianco shows up under ACL Sweets, the dessert section of the vendor map. If your festival karma requires something sweet and cooling, this is your move. Austin City Limits Music Festival+2CultureMap Austin+2

What to Order / What to Expect:

• Gelato, Italian-style treats, maybe something dairy / cream based (if you tolerate dairy) but with high quality. Oro Bianco is known for using water buffalo dairy (or at least influenced by Italian creamery / gelato traditions) so expect something silky, rich, and refreshing. orobiancomilk.com+1

• Vegan/vegetarian options, or at least non-strictly heavy dairy, may be available — the ACL Sweets section is conscious of that. Austin City Limits Music Festival+1

Why It Works at ACL:
Because after burgers, dumplings, sandwiches, and two full festival days, you need dessert. You need something cold and sweet that doesn’t sit heavy. Oro Bianco gives you that palate cleanse, that sugar high, maybe even that “worth waiting for the exit set.” It’s the kind of reward your taste buds deserve.

Price / Tips:
Expect dessert prices to be on the higher end of vendor-stuff (~$10-15 typically). Save room. Maybe share with someone so you can stretch your budget for multiple treats.

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How to Plan Your Food Rhythm

Here are some notes inspired by my ACL experiences (hunter-gatherer style) so you can maximize flavor and avoid regret:

• Scout vendor locations early: Know where JABS, Steamies, Saigon Le Vendeur, Oro Bianco are on your map so you can time food runs between sets. If something is near your favorite stage, plan to hit it right before or after a break.

• Alternate heavy & light: Burger → fresh sandwich → dessert → dumplings. Don’t eat heavy heavy back-to-back unless you want the slumber.

• Hydrate: All of these spots are amazing, but ice water or something fruity (agua fresca, etc.) in between will make the whole festival more tolerable.

• Go early or off-peak: First thing in the afternoon, or during the gap between big acts, is often when lines are shorter and your favorite items are still available.

• Keep snacks / backup plan: Sometimes vendors run out. If you really love the Pork & Cabbage at Steamies or the OG Bánh Mì at Saigon, go early.

• Share when possible: If you’re with friends, getting a few items and splitting means you taste more with less risk of food coma.

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Verdict: What to Prioritize

If I were you, attending ACL 2025 with limited time and unlimited cravings, here’s the hit list I’d make:

1. Start with Saigon Le Vendeur early in the day — that first bite of bánh mì is magical.

2. Later, hit Steamies Dumplings for something warm but not overwhelming.

3. JABS comes when you want the full plate (or full burger) — maybe midday when protein helps.

4. Save Oro Bianco for late afternoon or after headliners as dessert / celebration.

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So as ACL 2025 draws near — map out your taste itinerary, follow your stomach, and don’t sleep on these gems. Let the food echo the music: loud, memorable, and a little unexpected. See you in the crowds — and on the food lines.

 

Pastrami Style Smoked Salmon recipe

It's been a minute since I've thrown some salmon in the Traeger. And that's a shame because it is easily some of best recipes I have ever come up with. For some reason I had the idea of a pastrami smoked salmon on the brain. Probably because I got into my batch of caraway seeds when making these lamb shawarma kabobs, so that's what I came up with.

An accidental recipe

I came across this recipe for Pastrami Cured Salmon on BBC's Good Food site. Then I totally botched it. And it still came out great, maybe even better because I was hot smoking this and there's was the cured version that's like the "raw/sushi" vibe.

Ingredients:

• 3lb farmed salmon(grocery store's finest)
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp ground white pepper
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground caraway seed
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 2 tsp paprika

Step 1

Mix the rub together and let it rain all over that slab of supermarket salmon. The Traeger/Pellet grill really does the heavy lifting and elevates even the smelly salmon from your average supermarket. But as is always the case, the better ingredient you use, the better the result.

Step 2

Wrap it up. Shove it in the fridge. And leave it there for two days. This wasn't intentional but it's how it went down. And it tasted good so I'm sticking with it.

Step 3

After two days, remove the salmon from fridge, rinse off the rub and pat it dry. This was when I realized the recipe I pulled was for a cold smoked salmon. Looking back, I might do a version where I leave the rub on. Then I let this sit in the fridge for another two days. This was also not by design but by busy schedule. The fish did firm up though with those two days. It started to "look" like smoked salmon.

Step 4

Season and smoke. I brushed the salmon with a little olive oil(I work with Graza so I use their Sizzle) and hit it with a little Everything Bagel Seasoning from Spicewalla and a little kosher salt. I was worried rinsing the rub would leave it underseasoned. So I gave it a little boost, just in case.

Step 5

I smoked this at 200 degrees till the salmon hit internal temp of 130 in the thickest part of the filet. Looking back, Id smoke this at lower temp and pull it at 115 degrees. I'm curious to see if I can land on a texture closer to cold smoked salmon and the thinner parts were plenty cooked.

Step 6

I let this rest for a stretch, like two hours. Between the cure and the cook, I wasn't worried about the food hitting a bacteria danger zone but take caution on this as you see fit. I like to think I have an iron gut.

Final notes

The smoke flavor was strong. And the final application of seasoning before the smoke was the right move. I'd try this again and leave the initial rub on just to see how it would come out. I'd still give it two days fridge time wrapped and two days fridge time on the wire rack. And I would definitely smoke it at a lower temp and cook it till it hit a lower internal temp, just to see I can find a balance between hot smoked salmon method and cold smoked salmon texture. But even if I made this the same way again, I'd be happy. This Pastrami style smoked salmon recipe is healthy, easy to do if you have a smoker/pellet grill and it is a blessing to have on hand in the fridge.    

Shawarma Marinade Recipe

Whenever my wife goes out of town I make lamb. She is not a fan of the lamb and my son and I very much are. What I am not a fan of is paying a for lamb. Thankfully, there is Costco.

Costco boneless leg of lamb

Costco sells boneless leg of lamb for $6.50 a pound. A pretty good deal, especially when ground beef creeps up those prices. The lamb I got had a fair amount of fat which I trimmed off, but still used. I slipped in pieces of fat in between the meat to keep the meat juicy on the grill.

Marinade ingredients

I found a recipe online that really sang to me. Shoutout to the Food Dictator for guiding me to this pungent, flavorful deeply satisfying marinade. I didn't use nearly all the ingredients they listed but feel free to check that out here. I focused on what I had in the pantry, which ended up being most of what I needed. I even found a reason to use up some caraway seeds that have been sitting around for far too long but I'm too cheap to toss out.

A relatively simple process

Once you sort out all the spices and cut up the lamb, the process is simple and quick. In an ideal world I would have toasted and ground the spices but I was lazy and used pre ground. It still tasted powerfully pungent though.

The first cook

I marinated the lamb for about 24 hours. I wanted to grill the kabobs over a live fire; hardwood charcoal. But off and on rain had other ideas. I ended up using my Traeger Timberline. The results were surprising. I got great color and the lamb tasted fantastic. But I didn't cook everything and I still wanted to cook these kabobs over a live fire.

The second cook

There is something magical about cooking over a live fire. I find it mesmerizing. I was very glad to have cooked this a second time because I walked away with some stunning conclusions. One was that there wasn't much of a difference flavor wise or cook wise. I would have thought that the live fire version would taste smokier but it really didn't. In fact I think the char came out better on the Traeger. The second conclusion was that 24 hours is plenty of marinating time. The 48 hour batch wasn't necessarily tastier and I want to say it may have been too long in an acidic marinade because it was extra soft. I should add that these kabobs were very very tender. And leg of lamb often is not.

Final thoughts and recipe

This dish might be fav lamb recipe ever. The flavors of the marinade elevate a somewhat challenging cut like leg of lamb and it comes out very tender. Pair it with some tahini sauce, hummus and a mixed green lentil salad and you have a meal worthy of a special occasion. Or the next time your wife leaves town.

Recipe & Ingredients

• 4lb boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of hard fat, reserved and cut into 2" cubes
• 6-8 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vineger
• 1/2 lemon juice
• 2 tsp Za'atar
• 2 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground caraway
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground caraway
• 2 tsp ground white pepper
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Steps

mix all ingredients well and add lamb. Marinate no more than 24 hours. Thread lamb on skewers(don't toss the fat!). Grill over medium high heat until cooking temp of 135-145 degrees. Serve with tahini sauce, hummus, lentil salad.  

Live Fire Grilled Ribs Recipe

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I have shared plenty of grilled ribs recipes over the years on this blog. But they have always involved using my Traeger Pellet Grill set to low and slow. After speaking with a number of expert BBQ chefs and pitmasters, I realized the norm is to make ribs within 3-4 hours, a stark contrast to the 6+ hours I would spend on my pellet. I was curious to see how I could make ribs faster and on a live fire grill. And now I have landed on this live fire grilled ribs recipe.

The cooking set up

Years ago I was gifted a Kudu Open Fire grill. The set up works like a Santa Maria grill where you light a fire and raise the grill grate vertically as needed. It's not exactly ideal for a long cook, but I was looking to get this done in 3+ hours so I knew it would be possible. But it would not have been possible without the right fuel. I was sent some B&B Charcoal logs that burn for an extended amount of time. They took an hour to light but once it gets going, you can cook for a few hours. I added some hickory chunks for flavor and added more coal as needed to maintain a heat range between 250-350 degrees.

The cut of ribs and seasoning

I picked up some St. Louis Spare ribs from Costco. As far as seasoning, I kept it simple the way classic Central Texas Barbecue likes it; Salt, Pepper and Smoke. Make sure you use a coarse Salt and ground pepper.

Cooking time

These took less than 3 hours. One regret I had was not flipping the ribs in the rib rack. Because I had to raise and lower the grate as the heat changed, one side of the ribs was exposed to fire, leading to extra char. Another advantage to flipping is you can see how they are cooking by looking for a bend. The smaller racks were done far quicker than I imagined. I recommend flipping every 45 minutes, depending on the heat of your fire.

Not your typical BBQ sauce

A few weeks ago I visited a renowned pizza shop in Seattle and tried their famous Italian Hoagie. They had a sauce on the sandwich called Jazz sauce and I instantly became obsessed. It turns out the chef is an old high school buddy and he shared the recipe.

Jazz Sauce ingredients:

• Calabrian chiles
• pickled onion
• Castelvetrano olives
• Anchovies
• honey to taste(I used agave)
• roasted garlic(I forgot lol)

Steps:

In more or less equal parts, blend in food processor.

Why this works on a Grilled Ribs recipe

The flavor of the Jazz Sauce is akin to a spicy puttanesca minus the tomato. Lots of heat and umami and yeah, it is a God send on grilled or smoked meats. I ended up using this as a dipping sauce and it was met with wide eyed sighs of joy.

Final steps and notes on my live fire grilled ribs recipe

I pulled all the racks and wrapped them in peach paper(thinner ones sooner) and let them rest. I alternated sauces with the other racks, offering a traditional BBQ and a Thai sauce called Prik Nam. The latter will be featured in an upcoming post because it is equally as divine as the Jazz sauce. In future cooks I will be mindful to flip the racks and aim for a cooler cooking temp, maxing at 300. I was astonished at how some of the racks were close to done within the two hour mark. Ideally you have the same size racks as well and, the meatier the better. While my pellet grill delivers a more even cook, this live fire grilled recipe delivered the most smokiest, true bbq tasting ribs I have ever made. And try that jazz sauce on anything grilled meats, especially pork.

Products:

Sharing the links to the products featured in this post.

• Kudu Grill 
• BB Char Logs

The Best Food in Austin Texas: September 2025

The best food in Austin Texas for the month of September includes a lot of new openings and finds. From Korean Smash burgers to Indian street food, the best food in Austin Texas is bold, creative and perhaps not surprising, is happening in food trucks.

The Vitals: the spot: Tso Chinese Takeout or delivery only with locations throughout Austin the eats: brisket fried rice the bucks: $18.95 the full nelson: brisket meets fried rice is the collab to end all collabs

Brisket fried rice might be Austin's claim to have created their own regional Chinese cuisine. A mighty claim but that's how delicious this collab is between legendary BBQ restaurant Black's and Tso Chinese, a takeout and delivery focused Chinese restaurant This isn't the first time I've had brisket fried rice but Tso's is a front runner for the best food in Austin. The old school style brisket of Black's works well here. The smoke is there and being a leaner brisket than other BBQ places works in favor of this fried rice. Oh and it's avail for delivery too. The Vitals: the spot: Kochu 8820 Burnet Rd #502, Austin, TX 78757 the eats: Korean Smashed Burger, Wings the bucks: $-$$ the full nelson: Best Monday Burger deal in Austin What drew me to Kochu was their Monday burger special. That's the only the day they serve their double smash burger with a decidedly Korean twist: house made Kimchi on the burger. It's bold but it works. So does the price: $12. Did I mention its two 4 oz patties? Yeah, that's a half pound of smashburger. Pro Tip: grab a friend and split the wings or just come back for those. Because the wings alone are some of the best food in Austin. The Vitals: the spot: Soundra Chai 1906 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702 the eats: Chai, Indian sourced coffee, Chapli Kabab, bun(Indian Sweet bread) the bucks: $ the full nelson: It's time to stop getting Chai Latte from Starbucks Turns out there is more to Chai than what Starbucks has been showing us. Soundra Chai is a new food truck bringing Chai food culture to Austin: a town where we are starting to see exciting things happening with food from the Indian Subcontinent. You can't experience chai without food. And that can range from sweet to savory. A custom made brioche gets smeared with butter and sugar is a perfect AM chai compliment. Or try a Chapli Kabob on the same brioche bun. This Indian "burger" gets hit with with a a creamy yogurt cucumber spread, fresh arugula and a cilantro mint chutney. The only tough part is choosing when to go. But that's part of the struggle when making plans to visit some of the best food in Austin. The Vitals: the spot: Wayon J's BBQ 1917 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722 the eats: all the meats(brisket, turkey, bacon ribs, sausage) and a great cocktail program the bucks: $$ the full nelson: Top notch Texas BBQ with killer cocktails Just when you think Austin has hit its peak with BBQ, Waylon J's comes along. This BBQ offering is in partnership with Salty Sow, a longtime fixture in Austin's fine dining scene. This is destination BBQ with those contemporary touches like chimichurri on a beef rib or a pork rib with the pork belly attached. The biggest distinction in my mind is the cocktail program. I had a frozen old fashioned that single handedly launched my Sunday Funday. Reminds me of the Old Freedmen's which blended great Austin BBQ with another great Austin thing that starts with a "B": Bar. I'll see you there next Sunday for a new BBQ spot that easily makes the list for best food in Austin. The Vitals: the spot: Mariscos La Caretta 801 Imperial Dr, Austin, TX 78725 the eats: ceviche, Aguachile the bucks: $-$$ the full nelson: A ceviche food truck worth battling the heat for The summer months are brutal for Austin food trucks. The idea of eating outside in 100+ degree heat is a tough sell. Unless you are talking about ceviche. I had to try the Aguachile, which typically is an overwhelmingly fiery dish from Sinaloa. Maybe it is the self professed Nayarit touch, but the heat was more subdued and the dish ultimately became a more interesting rewarding experience and easily some of the best food in Austin. PS - this place is BYO so grab some beers before you come.  

Best food in Austin September Recap

• Next time you're craving takeout: Tso's Chinese for the Brisket Fried Rice collab with Black's BBQ
• Got a case of the Mondays? Go to Kochu for their Monday Korean Smashed Burger special
• Time to move on from Matcha: try Chai at Soundra Chai and don't skip the Chai essential foods like Kebab and sweet buns
• BBQ and frozen Old Fashioneds are you new Sunday Funday tradition at Waylon Js
• Taste real deal Mexican Coastal cuisine at this major food truck find at Mariscos La Carette