The Vitals: the spot: Sandy’s Hamburgers 603 Barton Springs road Austin TX 78704 the eats: cheap burgers the bucks: cheeseburgers for $5, a double will run $6.40 the full nelson: a nostalgic burger experience fueled by freezer to table fare Sandy’s Hamburgers puts their frozen custard out there front and center. Sure it’s on the signage but if you do a little digging you might find more skeptical critics throw their weight to getting the custard vs the savory fare. ...

Watch out for the Weiner Wagon!! The Vitals: the spot: Red Rocket Weiner Wagon a pop up in Austin TX the eats: Serious Hot Dogs the bucks: $10.50 for the classic, $13.50 with brisket chili the full nelson: Craft BBQ queens elevate a hot dog from stadium food after thought to premium tailgate food Red Rocket Dogs just might be the breakthrough the hot dog world needs. Changing the game on what a premium hot dog experience means, much like ...

The Vitals: the spot: Terry Black’s Barbecue tested in Austin TX + location in Dallas TX the eats: Beef rib, brisket, spare ribs, sausage, turkey and whatever sides you feel the bucks: plan on $15 person the full nelson: easy access, top tier Austin BBQ with an Old school Texas vibe Terry Black’s Barbecue most definitely makes the 10 best list of Austin BBQ round ups. In casual conversation, Terry Black’s may get drowned out by names like Franklin BBQ ...

Pork Chile Verde It’s a hearty, comforting Mexican icon. Superb in tacos, burritos, over rice or even just in a damn bowl, Pork Chile Verde is a staple on both sides of the border. Thanks to one of Food & Wine’s Best of the Best cookbooks from years back, I stumbled upon a Rick Bayless version where chunks of pork shoulder are braised slowly in an oven along with tomatillos, cilantro and pickled jalapeños. Despite countless versions of Pork Chile ...

The Vitals: the spot: DeSano Pizza tested in Austin TX + locations in Nashville, Los Angeles and Charelston SC the eats: Neapolitan Pizza the bucks: small pies for $12, large pies for $21, plan on $15 person the full nelson: Real Deal Neapolitan pizza that can satisfy the non pizza elites There are two kinds of pizzas in this world. One is the kind you crave at 2am, ideally by the slice at a place like Joe’s Pizza in NYC. ...

I don’t always drop $40 a pound for steaks. But some things are worth it. Like birthdays. For my annual revolution around the sun, the Mrs. scored me two premium steaks: local(Texas) Wagyu Ribeyes from a couple local butcher shops. Suffice to say these are premium butcher shops and we ate well that day. Which one was actually worth the money? Keep scrolling, friend.

The Vitals: the spot: Spicy Boys Fried Chicken 1701 E. 6th St. Austin, TX 78702 the eats:bone in fried chicken the bucks: $11 the full nelson: how to get hooked on dark meat chicken I’ve been eating fried chicken all wrong. I like white meat. And I order white meat almost every time. The thing is, you can’t do that at Spicy Boys Fried Chicken. It ain’t on the menu. And it’s because like most awesome chefs, they know their ...

A couple years ago I found myself at a street fair and the aroma of grilled kabobs from a Vietnamese food stand caught my attention. Meaty, juicy and flavorful, I asked the vendor what cut of meat he used. The answer was what I suspected but still surprised me: pork shoulder. I walked away determined to figure out how to make this at home.

The Vitals: the spot: Antonella’s Italian Kitchen 841 Conestoga road Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 the eats: Meatball Hoagie the bucks: $9 the full nelson: when your meatball fix needs a double shot of gluttony  Antonella’s Italian Kitchen is proof that the suburbs of Philadelphia can churn out a legit hoagie. Sure, some people might not think getting a Meatball sub is that hard. They probably have never had a real hoagie. Or a grinder. Yes, they all mean the same ...

The Vitals: the spot: Hot Chick 7th N 17th Street Richmond VA 23129  the eats: Fried Chicken meals + Fried Chicken Sandwiches the bucks: $11-$15 a person the full nelson: Better Nashville Hot Chicken than I had in Nashville . . . Hot Chick Fried Chicken hits the mark Down in the historic Shockoe slip of Richmond VA, Hot Chick Fried Chicken hits the two most important factors in great fried chicken: crunchy exterior and juicy meat. Bam. That’s it. ...