The Barbados Food and Rum Festival is what brought me to the little island in the Caribbean and while the events were loaded with a taste of Bajan cuisine I had to explore Barbados on my own. Turns out I didn't have to go far. In fact sometimes I didn't even have to leave the hotel . . . .

The Vitals: the spot: Savannah Beach Hotel Hastings Main Rd, Bridgetown, Barbados the eats: all inclusive hotel the bucks: n/a the full nelson: for an all inclusive you're in really good hands

I've stayed at a number of all inclusive hotels in Mexico where the food has ranged from decent to abysmal. At the end of the day one tires of the monotony of the same kitchen regardless of the variety. I had measured expectations when I ate at Savannah Beach club but as the week went on, I became more impressed. The breakfast was OK, I tended to go light but the egg station was always a must. Most of the time I was out and about during lunch but one day I caught this decent little sushi and cold seafood spread. It hit the spot. I think it's fair to say not every sushi has to be some coveted omakase experience to scratch the itch and this spread certainly did that. Not pictured sadly are the curries which were SPOT ON. Honestly some of the best curries I have had in years were at Savannah Beach Club. The Vitals: the spot: Blush Cafe Highway 7, Bridgetown, Barbados the eats: a breakfast cafe and coffee bar the bucks: $$$ the full nelson: in a word overpriced Blush Cafe was clearly designed for the age of Instagram. I can't argue that the barista artwork wasn't impressive but this cafe is simply overpriced. Walking distance from the hotel I stayed at, I gave this place a go on my last day. I ordered the full English breakfast which was a first for me. Twitter chimed in to say I was missing the blood sausage but I was happy to at least attempt trying this breakfast icon. I think I dropped like $25 for this and the coffee. The food was merely OK and it took the kitchen 45 minutes to bring my food. At least it looks pretty. The Vitals: the spot: Chefette multiple locations in Barbados the eats: a Barbados fast food chain the bucks: $ Cheap Eats $ the full nelson: Rihanna's fav restaurant? That's the rumor Sometimes ya gotta get down and dirty when it comes to late night eats and that means fast food. I don't often eat fast food but I do make exceptions here and there. Chefette came highly recommended by my pals from the Caribbean and I had to give it a try, I mean when in Barbados right? Fried chicken is what you want to focus on and it ain't that bad given the hour I was eating. It was not unlike getting fried chicken from a Konbini store in Tokyo which people love BTW. Is it the greatest fried chicken ever? No, but I'd get it again and I did get it twice on my trip. I tried the burger too and it was OK but you're here for the decent fast food fried chicken and under seasoned crinkle cut fries. Pro tip: ask for extra pepper sauce. The Vitals: the spot: Champers Skeetes Hill, Bridgetown, Barbados the eats: a Barbados fine dining restaurant with a view to die for the bucks: $$$  the full nelson: The waves crashing against the rocks are out of a novel. Now about the food . . .  Atmosphere alone is what should guide you to Champers which was billed as the finest dining to be had on Barbados. The plating matched the view and I really enjoyed the cocktails. To be blunt, the food was fine, understandably pricey but a little too "safe". Missing was the more exotic ambitious cooking I found being served by Bajan chefs at the festival where aromatic spices and pretty plating drove the experience. I guess you could say I hoped for more. The wine list gets ambitious by the bottle so if you are a wino . . .  I mean Oenophile get into that. The Vitals: the spot: Seafood Shack Worthing Beach, Bridgetown, Barbados the eats: a delicious shack by the sea the bucks: $$ the full nelson: This is why you come to Barbados . . .  I was so glad to have made the time to check out a legit local's spot like Seafood Shack. A literal shack at the beach there was also a cheap bar nearby which helped offset the pricey lobster fries we had. It's not dirt cheap but the portions at Seafood Shack are huge(we got a half pound of lobster meat) and the view cannot be beat. In addition to the Lobster fries we got wings, and fried squid. I can honestly say I could eat at Seafood Shack every day I'm in Barbados but I might save lobster for the last day.      

The Barbados Food & Rum Festival 2023 . . .

. . . was the first overseas media event I have ever attended so naturally I was excited and bound to be blown away. Add to that the fact that I have never gone to the Caribbean and well, let's just say I do realize how lucky I am. While one could say "geez Ali, you ate and drank in Barbados for a week, way to gloat!" I am also here to share what was a week loaded with experiences so you too can experience what I did.

Opening Night

My Barbados Food and Rum festival began with a lux party at a pretty lux beach side home. This first night set the tone for the food theme of the week: amuse bouche bites from Bajan chefs who were flexing their culinary skills. The flavors of the island which represents a melting pot cultures, was an experience I did not see coming either. The flavors of South Asian food were as prevalent as the fresh fish I would eat for the the rest of my time there. Usually my overseas vacations mean eating Mexican food in Mexico(which I love,) but sinking my teeth into Bajan cuisine was equally as flavorful and reminded me of the cooking of my parents and their friends, albeit in a more refined manner and with superbly fresh seafood.

Mount Gay Rum tasting and Rum Route tour

Well you can't go to the Barbados Food and Rum Festival and not spend some time drinking rum. Our first day took us to the Mount Gay Rum Distillery where we did a proper tasting of rum served neat. This is probably why I took home a bottle of Mount Gay's Eclipse but as I'm sure you can imagine, the birthplace of rum is teeming with other distilleries. Enter the rum route which was a bus tour of three distilleries plus karaoke. The rest of that evening was lively to say the least. More info on the Rum Route tour here

The Rise and Rum party

My experience at the Barbados Food and Rum Festival peaked twice during my week long stay. Once was when I went snorkeling for the first time ever which also coincided with the first time I swam in the Caribbean(well floated). The other was this epic party. A few things to get out of the way: it starts 4am, you must wear yellow and you might get wet because it rains during October and it is so worth it. Honestly I don't have any words I can share except one: GO!!!! More info on the Rise and Rum party here

Liquid Gold

The last hurrah of the Barbados Food and Rum Festival is a black tie affair. Liquid Gold is as blingy as it gets and it's fun for both tourists like myself and Bajans who get down in their finest threads. Like pretty much everywhere this year, it was a hot one Barbados  but I kept my jacket on the whole night. And yes the suit is currently at the dry cleaners. The food and drinks at Liquid Gold are the best showing of the whole festival. Both Rise and Rum and Liquid Gold showed off the Rum of Barbados through the lens of accomplished Mixologists. I walked way learning there is a lot more you can with rum than just a daiquiri. As mentioned at the beginning of this post, the South Asian flavors kept coming through in these beautiful bites from these Bajan Chefs. But take into account that you aren't saddled with the typical heaviness in volume and richness with a traditional serving of curry and rice or naan. When I think about where South Asian food is evolving in terms of fine dining in the US(most notably at The Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel), taking notes from these Bajan chefs would do wonders with fine dining and the aromatics of the Indian Subcontinent. More info on Liquid Gold here That covers the events but there are more posts coming including where I stayed, non food activities and of course the restaurants I experienced as well. For now I will leave you with this: Barbados is worth the flight, the culture of the Caribbean is a harmony of diversity and Bajans can get down with curry. I might have found the place I should retire . . . .      

ACL Eats round 2

It's the last day of the Austin City Limits Music Festival and while I wind down, the music, food and fun is still going strong. It's always a come down when a weekend comes to an end, let alone two weekends of ACL. Still I'm ready to get off the rollercoaster and I can definitely say I ate well. The Vitals: the spot: Steamies Dumplings  6929 Airport Blvd Ste 148, Austin, TX 78752 // @ACL Eats Main Food Court the eats: Chicken and Shitake Dumplings the bucks: $15 the full nelson: Pro move is to get these dumplings It's always admirable to see events like Austin City Limits Music Festival partner with great local restaurants. That being said, restaurants are challenged to serve their food in an outdoor environment. Some foods typically do better than others. Folks, dumplings do well and you aren't going to do much better in the dumpling department than Steamies. I was tempted to get the pork and cabbage but the umami of Shitake called to me. I'm glad I listened. Honestly I can't wait to go to Steamies and get these dumplings again. The Vitals: the spot: Brotherton's BBQ   15608 Spring Hill Ln Suite 105, Pflugerville, TX 78660// @ACL Eats Main Food Court the eats: Sliced Brisket Sandwich the bucks: $16 the full nelson: Great lowkey Austin BBQ joint to add to your list Located just outside of Austin, Brotherton's BBQ is just under the radar of the BBQ masses but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be on your radar. I first went there back in 2020 and their bbq, particularly the Bahn Mi Brisket sandwich lived up to the hype. I got a sandwich at their ACL Eats location and while the bun was far from exemplary, the mix of lean and moist sliced brisket was all I really needed to care about. As always with Texas Brisket, bbq sauce is optional. The Vitals: the spot: Juiceland  locations in Austin, Dallas and Houston// @ACL Eats Main Food Court the eats: Watermelon Agua Fresca the bucks: $9 the full nelson: Hydrate in style with a thirst quenching agua fresca Overall the weather at Austin City Limits Music Festival was about as good as it gets. Except early Friday when it was unusually humid. I was keeping it low key aka no beers and needed some kind of liquid refreshment besides water. The Watermelon Agua Fresca was a lifesaver. It almost made a heat index 95 degrees seem manageable. The Vitals: the spot: Chilantro BBQ  locations in Austin// @ACL Eats Main Food Court the eats: WKimchi Fries the bucks: $12 the full nelson: These loaded fries are an ACL Eats staple Chilantro BBQ has been an Austin staple since 2010. The legacy is as cemented as their brick and mortar locations but the heart and soul of it is pure food truck. The loaded fries are as essential as a bottle of sriracha in your pantry. I scarfed this down till the boat was dry with zero shame. Good thing ACL don't judge. The Vitals: the spot: Micklethwait Craft Meats 1309 Rosewood Ave Austin TX 78722, at the ACL main food court  the eats: Pastrami Dog the bucks: $17 the full nelson: This is not your average Frankfurter I've been going to Micklethwait BBQ since I first moved to Austin back in 2015. It has stood the test of time as one of the finest BBQ joints in Austin. Tom Micklethwait is a friend at this point and I'm always down to check out what he is serving at ACL. The Pastrami Hot Dog is actually a housemade sausage with pastrami seasonings. It was topped to the 9s and was as much a work of edible art as it was lunch. The Vitals: the spot: Lamba Royal Indian 80 Rainey St.  Austin TX 78701 // @ACL Eats main area the eats: Spicy Lamb Curry the bucks: $16 the full nelson: Solid Curry Fix Last year I discovered Lamba's Indian Curry and had a feeling I was going to come back. Like the gumbo I had last weekend, curry seems to do well at food festivals. The basmati rice was a lovely al dente and the curry had kick. Not gonna lie though: I could have used a little more lamb in dish. If you love lamb, you're gonna like this.

Cheers from Ali Khan and Hendricks!!

Adios ACL, it was indeed a fine time. I'm ready to rest but I'll be back. Oh and a shout out to Hendrick's Gin for bringing me to their lounge, Austin City Limits Music Festival for bringing me back to the fest and of course a shout out to ATX where we keep it weird and you keep coming back for more. See you next year ACL!  

8 years of ACL Eats

There was a moment on Sunday when I echoed the words of Detective Roger Murtaugh in Lethal Weapon(Danny Glover's character) "I'm getting too old for this s***" but that probably means I'll do a better job of pacing myself for weekend two. I hit the ground running with the ACL Eats at this year's Austin City Limits Music festival. Here is where I went: The Vitals: the spot:Cuantos Tacos 1108 E 12th St, Austin, TX 78702 // @ACL Eats Main Food Court the eats: Tacos the bucks: $5 each the full nelson: Mexico City style tacos at ACL Eats It took me a bit of will power not to eat at Cuantos Tacos more than once. The Mexico City style tacos were by far best tacos I've had at the festival over the years. A big reason for that is their nixtamalized corn tortillas. I tried the suadero(confit brisket), carnitas and the mushroom. The fungus ended up finishing first in class. The Vitals: the spot: Salt & Time 1912 E.7th St, Austin, TX 78702 // @ACL Eats Main Food Court the eats: Smashed Burger the bucks: $16 for the double cheeseburger  the full nelson: The best artisan butcher shop in Austin serves Smashed Burgers at ACL Eats I've been a long time fan of Salt and Time's burger ever since I tried the Butcher's Blend back in 2019. Given the realities of serving burgers at a festival like ACL Eats, I know this burger could be even better but what I got easily lived up to lofty expectations. I might go back and try the single to see if the meat to bun ratio is perhaps better but it's hard to go wrong either way. The Vitals: the spot: Underdog 1600 S 1st St Suite 100, Austin, TX 78704 // @ACL Eats Main Food Court the eats: Fried chicken wings the bucks: $15   the full nelson: The best bite I had at ACL Eats Austin Monthly declared Underdog has the best fried chicken in Austin and I can't say they don't belong in the conversation. I actually think the wings are best cut for fried chicken so this dish easily won me over for the best bite of ACL Eats. Getting these wings is as essential as hitting the craft beer tent. The Vitals: the spot: Shake Shack all over the world // @ACL Eats Main Food Court the eats: Double Shack Burger the bucks: $18 the full nelson: It might be too easy and overpriced but it's always good Even with soggy lettuce and a barely recognizable tomato, Shake Shack delivers their star smashed burger patty quite well in all manner of environments: parks, airports and live music festivals. The only downside is the price which makes regular Shake Shack seem . . . reasonable? For out of towners I'd point you to Salt & Time for a local burger experience but Shake Shack hits every time. The Vitals: the spot: Mama Fried 10106 Menchaca Rd, Austin, TX 78748 // @ACL Eats Main Food Court the eats: Chopped Beef Nacho Fries the bucks: $16 the full nelson: Essential loaded fries that has been proven to fight hangovers I tried Mama Fried at last year's ACL Eats and knew it was gonna happen again. On the surface loaded fries seems like typical fare for a concert but there's a little more happening with this Mama. The chopped beef is from sister food truck Leroy and Lewis who slings some of the best barbecue around. This one is meant to share and it's a hangover cure in my book. The Vitals: the spot: Redfin Food Truck  moving food truck in Austin, TX  // @ACL Eats Main Food Court the eats: Gumbo the bucks: $9 the full nelson: EThe best deal at ACL Eats and second fav bite at ACL Eats My last meal at ACL Eats 2023 Weekend One was from a food truck I had never heard of before. Apparently Red Fin parks it over by Tesla HQ which makes me consider taking a trip to Elon's office to get my gumbo fix. At $9 it is a steal and the gumbo was solid though a touch salty. The basmati rice was a perfect al dente. There is a high probability I might get this again next weekend. Once again ACL Eats showed off Austin's reputation of being a food centric city. I walked away with new favs like Redfin, evergreen concert fare pleasers like Underdog's fried chicken and sated my burger craving twice over. And there is still another weekend to go . . . .

The Vitals: the spot: Diner Bar 500 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78701 the eats: Martini and Burger Happy Hour specials the bucks: $10 for martini, same for burger the full nelson: Happy Hour from a James Beard winning chef

You can find Diner Bar at the Thompson hotel in Downtown Austin, which might give you a clue that this Diner is pretty swank. Unlike the diners I grew up going to in the Midwest circa the 1980s, you won't find Slingers or Corned Beef Hash on the menu but rather a thoughtful menu of Southern fare connected to the African continent. Oh and a solid burger too. All from Chef Mashama Bailey who won chef of the year 2022 at the James Beard Awards.

Diner bar keeps it classy.

I can't resist deviled eggs on a menu but I'm also over two things: bacon topped deviled eggs and deviled eggs that are served too cold. Both pitfalls are eliminated here. Most notable is the substitute for bacon: smoked trout roe. If Smoked Salmon can be the bacon of the sea, Smoked Trout Roe can be the bacon bits of . . . . the lake?

Diner Bar wins with $10 martinis

This alone was worth the visit. A big pour plus a sidecar of martini(I did Gin) that practically lasted me the whole meal. Or it would have if I didn't get distracted with plates like these:

Fried Ugali: think African Grits

Ugali is a common starch in African cooking. Here Chef Mashama Bailey fries the cornmeal and the result is similar to a super crisp hush puppy with a very soft and tender interior. The salsa macha sets it off with pure heat similar to Szechuan chili oil on steamed dumplings.

Rabbit Mortadella on buttered baguette

Nothing says fancy quite like buttered baguette. Well maybe Rabbit Mortadella buttered baguette. I love plain old pork mortadella; it's a forced meat charcuterie that shows you what happens when someone gives a damn about bologna. But rabbit? I'm all for it. Game meats always take me back to eating fancy French food with my parents growing up. Yes, I went to private school.

Best dish: The Shrimp n Middlins

Turns out when you go out to eat you can learn something. "Middlins" is a term that refers to "broken rice" which happens when rice is harvested. Perhaps not surprisingly, historically these scraps fell into the hands of African American slaves who turned it into something delicious, as is the case with so many great soul food dishes. This shrimp and rice dish is the dish you will come back to Diner Bar again and again, I promise. The rice was just tender enough, the acidity was perfect and those shrimp were juicy. Shrimp gets overcooked easily. Getting to a desirable texture in a sauce is risotto level tough. This dish was the kitchen flexing their skills and ordering it makes for a smart choice, fellow diners.

A burger that lives up to the name Diner Bar

I'm a sucker for pink sauce on a burger. I love to make it and it has been an anchor for my burger tastes for most of my life. Diner Bar's pink sauce(listed at comeback sauce), grilled onions, pickle and most important: housemade bun hits all the marks. Even at the Happy Hour price of $10 I could have used a second patty, so I can't say this burger change your life. But if they sold these buns I'd gladly pay whatever they charged.

Checkmate with the Chess Pie

I don't have the world's biggest sweet tooth. But I have also been on a few baking shows and know when the baked goods are worth the calories. Like the bun on the burger, the pie is made at Diner Bar and they aren't messing around with the dough. I would certainly get this again. Diner Bar is a happy hour that can lure you into the cooking of an acclaimed chef. And while the bill might escalate, you're not breaking your wallet on overpriced chicken wings. The Happy Hour martini and a burger is a great way to spend $20. It's the more accomplished efforts in the kitchen like Shrimp and Middlin's that will cause you bill to soar. Just remember that you aren't eating at at overpriced hotel restaurant but at a restaurant from a two time James Beard winning chef. So get the damn shrimp.    

The Vitals: the spot: Cuantos Hamburguesas 1108 E 12th St, Austin, TX 78702 the eats: The Americana, The Campechana, The Hawaiian, The Sincronizada the bucks: $8 each(just shy) the full nelson: Mexican Street style burgers from street taco king Cuantos Tacos

A Prequel to Cuantos Hamburguesas

On an October evening in 2019, fate or perhaps destiny gave me the unique pleasure of crossing paths with Chef Luis "Beto" Robledo and his little yellow bus that served Mexico City style tacos parked in a Shell gas station. What took me in immediately was how the tacos were cooked: meats simmering in a convex pan in a rich liquid. I had run into tacos cooked in this manner in Los Angeles but never in Austin. Beto would enlighten me that the special comal(pan) the meats were cooked in was called a "choricera" and rather than dry heat, the meats simmer in a confit of rendered fat. I was instantly hooked. And soon so did the rest of the city. One could say "Beto blew up" since those days but in truth it looks like he is just getting started. Sure it might be because he is about to be featured in a new PBS TV series about a new wave of Austin Taqueros called Taco Mafia. But what really impresses me his follow up to Cuantos Taco: Cuantos Hamburguesas.

Bet you can't choose just one . . .

Priced at just under $8 you just might find yourself tempted to try more than burger at Cuantos Hamburguesas Much like the taco sibling, Cuantos Tacos, your best bet is to eat en masse. You could almost finish two burgers but you would be better off bringing a friend and splitting three. The question is . .  which hamburguesa to get right? I'm glad you asked.

The Hawaiian

Seared ham and pineapple set this smashed burger patty off and totally justify the name. Ham on Mexican street burgers is common but what makes me a fan of Cuantos Hamburguesas' Hawaiian the terrific sear on the ham from the plancha or flattop grill. Like every burger at Cuantos Hamburguesas, the toppings are thoughtfully curated. Ketchup, mayo, American cheese and Romaine lettuce ground the burger experience while the pickles hint at a Cuban sandwich vibe. Ham and Pineapple make fora  good pair but so do ham and pickles. There's pickled jalapeños too because . .  these are Mexican street burgers after all.

The Campechana

Longaniza a type of chorizo that has been aged. The Mexican sausage is a staple among taco stands but on a burger? A combo that clearly was meant to be, especially when placed on top of a single 2oz smashed burger patty, with minced onion, cilantro, lime juice, chimichurri mayo and an open faced corn quesadilla(costra). On paper this was the burger I expected to find at Cuantos Hamburguesas and odds are it will be the most popular burger served. This burger screams to be hit with a little salsa from Cuantos Tacos. I suggest the green salsa for the acidity but the smoky red salsa would work well too.

The Sincronizada

Here's a little secret about me: I don't love hot dogs and I don't love meat on meat on meat burgers. So how will a 2oz smashed burger patty decked out with a butterflied beef hotdog and ham fare with yours truly? Like every burger at Cuantos Hamburguesas, the elements are layered with balance and harmony. Equally as important to the meats were the perfect amount of Romaine lettuce, pickles, pickled jalapeños, American cheese and Chimichurri Mayo. For the skeptics(like me) try it once, you won't regret it. This burger is absolutely part of the Mexican Street burger canon and executed at a deft level. Not my favorite on the menu but I was impressed nonetheless.

The Americana

My favorite burger of the set was the most surprising. The Americana at Cuantos Hamburguesas pretty much delivers what the name implies. Ketchup, mayo, mustard, minced onion and pickles always deliver childhood burger nostalgia, for me at least. This was the burger that reminded me that the architect of this Mexican Street burger inspired food truck is just like me: an American with similar food nostalgia. I was shocked at how well he nailed . . . NAILED the classic American burger experience just by executing the right ratios of meat to bun to toppings. Cuantos Hamburguesas is more that a follow up to one of the best Mexico City style taco trucks I have ever been to. It's is a coming out part for a chef who clearly has his sights set on mastering different genres. In a soon to be released PBS docuseries, Chef Beto cites French and Japanese influences in Mexico City style taco truck. That simultaneously blew me away and makes so much sense. Beto doesn't make a big show out of it on the plate but the work and vision is there. Much like his tacos, his burgers are a work of art on a paper plate.

The Vitals: the spot: Lenoir 1807 S. First St. Austin TX 78704 the eats: seasonal menu, stick with a fair amount of produce driven dishes, desserts  the bucks: $$$ - Plan on spending $100 a person and can go up the full nelson: A small, intimate Austin farm to table restaurant that can serve up a special occasion tasting menu or a relative deal during Happy Hour

Earlier today I was looking back at a post on Cheap Eats Des Moines, an episode of my breakout show that filmed in 2016 and aired in 2017. Looking back on what I spent then makes me want to do a double take when I embark on this post about a restaurant that commands near three figures a person for food, drink, and tip. Time have changed, inflation is at a high and frankly Cheap Eats aint cheap no more. I find far more value in the dining experience when I spend more which means being more selective about how often I go out. And that brings me to a low key splurger that sneaks in some value here and there: Lenoir in Austin TX.

Half off Sparkling wine on Wednesday

Off the bat the move at Lenoir is to take advantage of this deal. All restaurants mark up wine but not every restaurant puts together a great wine list. Not only does Lenoir give you the opportunity to expand your wine knowledge but you can get a great deal on sparkling wine on Wednesdays. Pro tip: sparkling wine pairs with every kind of food.

A perfect start after you pop the bubbly

I love oysters but admittedly am biased towards West Coast. These were gulf oysters that got hit with wonderful smokey and spicy mignonette. I was happy even if I didn't Kumamoto. And if you're an oyster lover and have never had a Kumamoto, get thee to Hog Island Oyster Co. in San Francisco.

Focus on the produce

Lenoir has a reputation for working with great farms in Central Texas. The term farm to table gets tossed around so much that it almost seems like a given. What's not a given is dishes like pressed watermelon in Mezcal(top) that get absolutely set off with the freshest mint. The yellow tomato on the porchetta(bottom) were the tomatoes that make 100 degree summers tolerable. The seared black pumpkin served with lucious labneh make a Meatless Monday sound as sinful as a late night double cheeseburger. Oh and speaking of burgers . . .

A chef driven Smashed Burger

I had zero intentions of getting a burger at Lenoir. I was actually pretty sated and then chef surprised us with this fine smashed burger. While smashed burgers seem to be everywhere these days, twice now I have had chef driven smashed burgers that push the expectations beyond the technique of perfect laced edges. Lenoir ups the ante with a beef fat brioche bun made with Barton Springs Mill heirloom flour and Texas Wagyu beef patties from Legacy Farms. The burger stays true to form with American cheese, "shrettuce" which you might figure is simply shredded Iceberg lettuce and a signature "comeback sauce" that throws chili oil into the house made aioli. All this comes at a price: $18 with fries but chalk that up to 2023 and I sincerely doubt anyone who dines out regularly in Austin should be caught off guard by a $20 burger.

Don't sleep on the desserts.

The churro and ice cream capped off a meal that lived up to the hype for one of the more noteworthy restaurants in Austin. Lenoir has been in operation since 2012, no spring chicken, but the food seems as timely and en vogue as anywhere else. Farm to table restaurants that freely roam the flavors of Mediterranean, Mexico and the South and aren't exactly new. But when I take a bite of superbly fresh dill or mint on a dish at Lenoir, I'm reminded me why fine dining can be special: when you're treated to the very best ingredients available on a given day. I'm curious to try the tasting menu with wine pairings at Lenoir. Five courses with wine for $140 a person is something I could swing for the right occasion. I also love the fact that I can slip into Lenoir on a Wednesday for half off sparkling bottles of wine or half off wine bottles under $80 on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays till 6:30pm and order a few dishes. The laid-back attitude also comes with attentive service and whether you roll deep or light and quick, Lenoir makes it all pretty special.  

The Vitals: the spot: Emmett's NYC 50 MacDougal New York NY 10012 the eats: Char Cheddar Burger w/ fries or salad the bucks: $23 the full nelson: a Chicago deep dish pizza joint nestled in Manhattan with an in your face burger

Emmett's NYC has a serious burger

My last stop of my NYC Burger tour took me to Emmett's NYC:  a Chicago inspired eatery in the West Village. Oddly enough my burger trip featured not one but two pizza joints that happened to serve burgers. One might ask "why get a burger at a pizza place?". A fair question, and here is a reasonable answer: New Yorker's love good burgers and why miss an opportunity to cement your name as an NYC Burger destination?

Be prepared to wait

It could have been the fact that I was flying out of Newark that afternoon but despite grabbing a seat at a near empty restaurant, the wait for the burger was significant. At the end of the day it didn't matter but you should know this going in. It might have to do what some would consider the main draw at Emmett's NYC: deep dish pizza. Despite being smack dab in the West Village, this menu is Chicago through and through with the famous loaded hot dogs and even an Italian beef. Those handheld favs might not back up the kitchen but apparently making deep dish pizza can.

The Char Cheddar Burger is the move at Emmett's NYC

Emmett's NYC has three burgers to choose from: The Burger, Char Cheddar and the Blues Burger. Each one features an 8 oz patty made of famous meat purveyor Pat LaFrieda's signature blend of Angus chuck, brisket and short rib. The bun comes from Turano Bakery, a Chi-Town import. "The Burger" is about as basic as it sounds: pickles, onion, and Dijonaise, with cheese as an add on. "The Blues Burger" features a blue cheese stuffed patty with caramelized onions.  "The Char Cheddar" is the most Chicago burger of the bunch and reflects owner and Chicago expat Emmett Burke's mission to bring the flavors of his hometown to New York.

The Char Cheddar's toppings run down

Taking cues from a Chicago style hot dog(minus the ketchup), the Char Cheddar's toppings drive the burger experience. This juicy burger drips with an aggressive toppings flavor profile. The double hit of acidity from the relish and sport peppers also adds sweetness and heat, respectively. Mustard and the sharp cheddar spread double down on the tang along with the given layer of fat from any cheese topping. Then there is caramelized onion to help bolster the umami of the beef. Finally they add ketchup, which I rarely have in tandem with mustard on burgers. If anything ketchup can be a sweet distraction but that speaks to this burger bite that's driven to be unapologetic. All together it is a series of toppings I could not have conceived of, but I'm also not from Chicago.

A much needed high note to end my burger tour

Off the heels of an overcooked burger at Emily, Emmett's allowed me to leave New York with a smile on my face. Dating back 20 years to my first burger at Corner Bistro, I will forever link the Gotham burger experience with a perfectly cooked medium rare burger, which Emmett's perfectly delivered. The toppings combo of the Char Cheddar was a new experience as well, one that I might not crave often but like a Blue cheese burger, could certainly take one every now and then. It's got me wondering about a similar burger experience in Chicago, where the inspiration came from in the first place. That will take some digging. Until then, I'll have to find my Chicago style burger fix in New York City.

The Vitals: the spot: Superiority Burger 119 Ave A New York NY 10009 the eats: Superiority Burger, Burnt Broccoli salad, Roasted White Sweet Potato the bucks: $16, $13.50, $13 respectively the full nelson: critically acclaimed + NYC "it spot" delivers a delicious non meat burger experience

As I recap my experience at Superiority Burger, an NYC darling boasting long waits for a table and heaps of critical praise, I think back on how something that on paper doesn't sound that delicious, certainly was, even more so than I could have expected. This kind of a promise of excellence was how I came to view the food experience in NYC for many years: without equal. Then a food revolution took hold of the United States in early 2000s. Farm to table became commonplace. Millennials took to tasting menus. Oh and Instagram ushered in a new generation of foodies. Suddenly the food scene NYC was no longer the lone shining light on a hill. Which isn't to say NYC still isn't a global hub of culinary talent but I'm not always consistently blown away.

NYC keeps pushing boundaries with food

It has been decades since I took down a whole vegetarian burger. That's not to say I haven't had bites here and there. I'm a meat eater and a happy one at that. Then a unique set of circumstances positioned me to a moment in time where getting a vegetarian burger made sense. That happened to be a proposal for a second dinner as I had a light bite at Mamoun's Falafel a few hours earlier. While I decided to get out of my comfort zone and try a meatless burger, NYC was not out of it's comfort zone. This town can pull off miracles with food from street carts to steakhouses. And the miracle at Superiority Burger? A punk rock musician turned fine dining chef(former pastry chef from lux restaurant Del Posto) making miracles out of vegetables.

Miracle One: Burnt Broccoli Salad

The menu descriptions at Superiority burger don't do the plates justice in my opinion. Or maybe I'm just a skeptical meat eater. Regardless, it is worth digging into all the elements of this dish. Sitting on the plate is an eggplant puree, not unlike the Middle Eastern mezze staple baba ganoush, except Chef Brooks Headley adds maple syrup. The charred broccoli should wipe away any bad childhood memories of overcooked broccoli mush and the cashews smartly add a crunchy texture. There are restaurants that could make this dish the primary draw, at Superiority Burger it's a side dish.

Miracle Two: Roasted White Sweet Potato

Over the last year and a half I've kept an eye on my carb intake when I was diagnosed as prediabetic. Thankfully I've lowered my numbers but I still keep an eye on my carbs. Maybe that is one reason why I absolutely relished in Superiority Burger' Roasted White Sweet Potato but another might have been the oddly satisfying toppings. Basically this is a vegetarian take on a loaded baked potato but pay attention to these details. First, have you had a white sweet potato? Apparently they are less sweet than the orange variety, and quite creamy. Labneh, a strained yogurt and Middle Eastern staple becomes the "sour cream" and chopped crisp pickle replaces the bacon bits. For added flavor, Chef Headley makes a parsley caper sauce that also brings in Maple Syrup into the mix like the broccoli dish above. Ok so beyond the laundry list of unconventional ingredients I'll had this: this is baked potato that doesn't need to play sidekick to a steak.

Miracle Three: a legit burger experience sans the beef

I'll get down to the nitty gritty: the patty in the Superiority Burger does not taste like beef. This isn't some version of a plant based meat substitute like Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger. It is a complex flavor profile thanks to a host of ingredients, textures and cooking techniques. Read the back of a label of Beyond meat and you'll find soy protein, a few oils, minerals and a host of preservatives. Meanwhile consider Superiority Burger's toasted fennel seed, roasted carrot, sautéed onion, mashed chickpeas, quinoa crushed walnuts and a few binding agents like cooked breadcrumbs and potato starch. By the way that doesn't include the seasonings like chili sauce and powder, lemon, parsely, white wine vinegar plus usual suspects like salt and pepper. More akin to a falafel in taste, what does make this patty "burger like" is the fact that it can be seared and the above orchestra of ingredients that creates an undoubtedly savory experience. Muenster cheese, shredded lettuce, a good house pickle, mustard and an eggless mayo add familiarity. I swear to you, this veggie burger tastes like a f*cking burger. It's not a substitute for beef, it's its own thing. The bun and toppings are classic burger through and through and this veggie patty takes to a flat top sear like a diner burger.

If you see the Superiority Burger sign . . . give it a chance

I say this to the skeptics and perhaps omnivores that need an extra push: give Superiority Burger a chance. I was pleasantly rewarded for getting out of my beef comfort zone. Maybe it was because I had two burgers in the previous two days and a shawarma sandwich a few hours earlier but it hit the spot and I'd gladly hit Superiority Burger again. In fact if I do multiple burger visits, it just might be what the doctor ordered.

 

The Vitals: the spot: Emily locations in Brooklyn and West Village, tested in West Village the eats: The Emmy Double Stack Burger the bucks: $26 the full nelson: an NYC burger letdown

In 2019, I visited Emmy Squared, Emily's sister restaurant and was to delighted find not only a great version of Detroit style pizza but a meaty double cheeseburger that made a then uniquely high $25 price tag seem reasonable. "Welcome to New York" was uttered as I marveled at a pricey but worth it double patty cheeseburger. I was excited to try Emily's Emmy Double Stack Cheeseburger . And then I was seriously let down.

The Pretzel bun was the highlight of the Emmy Double Stack Cheeseburger

I don't often encounter Pretzel buns but I would bet money that a place making their own pizza dough is making their own bun. Plenty of melted cheese on this bad boy too, one could call it cheese-tastic. And that orange sauce? It struck me as a take on Wing sauce(think Frank's Red Hot) with a dash of honey. I wish I could dive deeper into the details of this well heralded burger but this happened:

Pardon my screen grab but . . .

Yeah here is the damn evidence. Overcooked beef. The menu lists the Emmy Double Stack Cheeseburger as featuring dry aged beef. Previous posts indicate that the beef was sourced from legendary purveyor Pat LaFrieda but not the case today. Regardless of the source, it was overcooked. I found this post indicating that the burger can be ordered medium or well done but neither option was presented when I dined ate the Emmy Double Stack Cheeseburger.

Should I go back? Or should you?

Not pictured was the chicken parm, also served on a pretzel bun for $17. Not only is that almost $10 cheaper but it was actually good. Scratch that, that chicken was juicy. Was it the best chicken parm I have ever had? No, and size might be an issue along with cost but it was a well executed sandwich that offers me hope that my burger letdown was simply the result of inconsistency. Regardless of a better chicken parm, the much revered Emmy Double Stack Cheeseburger was a letdown, mostly due to the fact that the beef was overcooked. $26 for a dry burger is infuriating and while I'm sure a second visit could right that wrong, I'm left wondering if an inconsistent Emmy Double Stack Cheeseburger is worth the trouble at all. The list of burgers to try in NYC is long and there are more burgers to eat before I sleep. Still I wonder: should I go back? Or should you?