Forking Up

Austin is a foodie city, there's no denying it. So, when you end up at a restaurant on a Friday or Saturday night, sometimes all you can hope for is a seat at the bar. But did you know that Austin has more than a few watering holes that also offer amazing food? These are just a few that I've found in my journey through Austin's food and drink scene... Check it out!



East Side Tavern - This bar is so much fun, with a rooftop patio and amazing drink options (obviously, that's what Taverns do best) but you'd be missing out if you left without having one of these brisket and cheddar tater tots. Let me say that again. BRISKET AND CHEDDAR TATER TOTS. So freaking amazing. Runners up are the pickled deviled eggs and the corndog bites but really, anything here is awesome.
1510 E Cesar Chavez | Austin, TX 78702

The Hideout Pub–Their slogan is "we're cheap so you don't have to be," AND their kitchen is open until midnight, so you know I'm all about this place.  Not to mention they're a mere 5 minutes from my apartment in way north Austin. They mean it about being cheap--they boast more than a handful of drinks under $5! I've had the burgers and the fish and chips here and both were great. Their wing nights are an awesome excuse to chow down on multiple chicken wings for under $1 apiece (60 cents per wing). They're known for their burgers, but all pub food is present and accounted for here. Plus the laid back vibe and huge patio are awesome for hanging out with friends on a weekend or happy hour. The Hideout Pub is located at 12164 N Mopac Expressway in Austin and is open Mon-Fri 3pm-2am, Sat-Sun 5pm-2am.



Uncle Billy's - Does it count as Bar Food if it's a brewery? Sure. Amazing craft beer, excellent BBQ, and all sorts of bites. Definitely a great spot to hit if you're going into or out of Zilker! This was actually one of the first places I ate at when I moved to Austin, and it still holds up! If the weather's nice, they have one of the best outdoor seating in town. Extra points if there's live music!
1530 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704




The Dogwood–The day I saw their steak fingers were no longer on the menu was a sad day (please bring them back!) as they were the best I'd found in the city. I can get my fix of flavorful fried meat with the chicken fingers, but if I'm going that route I'd opt for the chicken and waffles sliders. Thankfully, I have a new love in their Armadillo Eggs which are bacon-wrapped jalapenos stuffed with shrimp, crab, and goat cheese, with a peach dipping sauce. The happy hour menu is decent for the price (get the bacon wrapped BBQ shrimp or the sweet potato tots), so get here early and enjoy a meal and a drink on their patio before the West 6th Street crowd rolls in. It's unique southern cuisine, and the bar itself is a good time. The Dogwood is located at 715 West 6th Street and is open Mon-Fri 4pm-2:00am, Sat-Sun 12pm-2am.



Banger's Sausage and Beer Garden - It's a good thing they're expanding this year--the 100 or so tables are regularly packed! The glorious, enormous beer selection aside, they're one of my favorite spots to take out-of-towners because you just need to experience their unique cuisine at least once. All the sausages are made on-site, as are the pickled ingredients. The dishes are anywhere from basic but delicious (hot dog, brat) to out of this world unique (fried chicken, beet and goat cheese). Do not let yourself visit Austin without stopping here!
79 & 81 Rainey St. Austin, TX 78701


Black Star Coop–It's hard to say what's the best part of Black Star Coop. The wide selection of local beer? The fact that all staff is paid a living wage? Or the incredible food? It's a tough call, but I'd say while all those things rock, the food is my favorite. I could eat their thick-cut french fries every day, and their one-time fig-stuffed quail was my first ever foray into quail (I still am not quite sure how one goes about consuming a quail). Plus, it's the best fish and chips I've had in the city so far. And you know me, as a New Englander, I have high standards when it comes to fish. Added to the feel-good well-paid staff thing and the beers, this place definitely wins a spot on my Best Bar Bites list. Black Star Coop is located at 7020 Easy Wind Drive in Austin and is open Mon 4pm-12am, Tues-Thurs 11am-12am, Fri-Sat 11am-1am, Sun 11am-12am.

Photo courtesy of A Cup of Joey

Easy Tiger–I've only ever hit Easy Tiger after a quick jaunt down 6th Street on a weekend night, so honestly my taste buds haven't been at their peak performance. But the menu looks delicious and friends assure me it's worth it. Upstairs is an incredible bakery (I've had the bread while sober for sure), and downstairs is the beer garden where you can also order bites from the restaurant. I've ordered both their pretzel and small cheese plate. The menu is simple, but tasty, with a bit of German influence. Easy Tiger is located at 709 East 6th Street and is open Mon-Sun 7am-2am.

Image courtesy of Waller Creek Pub House

Waller Creek Pub House Established in 2015, Waller Creek Pub House is known for its craft draft beer, original pub fare and laid-back vibe. Specials Monday’s Wing Deal, featuring 6 house made buffalo wings and a pint of Community Beer Company’s Helles Lager for only $10, or the rotating “Taco of the Day” selection for $10 or less are affordable options for those on a budget.
 603 Sabine St, Austin, TX

Drink.Well–The drinks are amazing, the food is as gorgeous as it is tasty, and 5 out of 5 foodies I asked highly recommend it, so this here is a win. The menu is upscale American pub fare, which pairs well with their 25 whiskeys and the aforementioned amazing cocktails. There aren't many places in town you can get a Scotch egg, or a HOMEMADE TWINKIE... yeah, this place pretty much rocks. Drink.Well is located at 207 East 53rd Street in Austin and is open Tues-Sat 4pm-12am, and Sun 11am-11pm.

Don't forget to check out the rest of the Austin Food Blogger Alliance City Guide for 2019!

Apparently, bacon-as-dessert is the new cupcake. Weird, right? Yeah, I was highly skeptical too. My one taste of bacon-plus-confection was a bite of a maple bacon ice cream cone at the local county fair one summer. It was... okay... but I found myself wishing the bacon was crispier and less chewy, or preferably not even there at all. It was kind of a weird sensation to have chunks of chewy meat in your ice cream. Still, I had to try to make Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies...


The former vegetarian in me was squeamish at the thought of Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies. But if it was trending so hard in the blogosphere, there had to be something to it, right? I looked back on all the times I scoffed at a fashion trend or two then ended up falling for them in the end. I remember my mom buying Ugg boots and how I laughed at how "ugly" they were... then one day when I had to shovel they were the closest boots to the door and I threw them on to trudge through the snow. Then I borrowed them for the day. Then the week. Then my mom was asking me where her Ugg boots went. Eventually I accepted that this toasty-warm, yet bulbous and somewhat cumbersome footwear was just ideal for the harsh New England winters. Soon I had my own pair.


Similar things have happened with jeggings, hair feathers, and neon accent pieces. All trends I was uneasy about, then found ways to incorporate them into my own style in a less jarring way. So, how are bacon chocolate chip cookies any different? I decided to take the plunge.

And, you know what? I'm glad I did. While these aren't necessarily the FIRST thing I'd opt for when having a chocolate chip cookie craving, they certainly hold their own in a bizarre way. I made sure the bacon was thoroughly crisped and crumbled before adding to the batter, and that the chip-to-bacon-bit ratio was at LEAST 2:1 and the added grease from the bacon ensured a perfectly chewy cookie.  What resulted was a delicious chocolate chip cookie with a hint of saltiness. This is the same reason why I devour chocolate dipped pretzels--salty and sweet were just made to be together.

When I brought these bad boys to work I assumed the "bacon" component would deter people from trying them. Nope, word soon spread from the office that I had some crazy awesome cookies at my desk, and people were coming over from across the building to try one. Even my parents, who at first seemed almost scared of the chocolate-meat-cookies ended up sampling a few and gushing over them. I think I'll call this a win.

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Based on the NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® recipe on the back of the bag. Feel free to use your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and just throw in the bacon with the chips)
(Again, I threw away the bag so I Googled the recipe and copied from here)

•  2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Milk Chocolate Morsels
• 7 pieces bacon, cooked to desired crispiness and crumbled (I baked mine at 400 degrees F until crispy, then drained on a paper towel while I prepared the cookie dough)

-Preheat oven to 375° F. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and bacon. Form balls into desired size and place on ungreased baking sheet.

-Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes then remove to wire racks or plate to cool completely.

-If desired, top with melted chocolate and a piece of cooked bacon for garnish.

Look at the difference! Before: Using flash inside (FOR SHAME!), on my parents' kitchen table, and a simple sprinkling of parsley is my only attempt at "styling." And the new pictures: at least an attempt at styling, with a bit better lighting--though not PERFECT since I was taking these as the sun was setting and I was running out of light--and a bit more garnish.

 This is the perfect recipe to kickstart a gentle new year resolution of adding more veggies to your diet--like I am doing right now, hah. The days may be getting longer, but the warm comforting soup is great as the nights are still a bit cold... though in Texas they're still pretty warm! Plus, bacon.


If there's any life lesson you can learn from me it's this: You can never go wrong with bacon.

Zucchini Leek Soup with Bacon

• 1 package thick-sliced bacon 
• 2 lbs zucchini, thinly sliced (about 2 large)
• 
1 lb red potatoes (about 3 large)
• 
2 medium leeks, trimmed and sliced
• 1 cup celery, diced small

• 2 tbs garlic, chopped
• 8 cups chicken stock 
• 2 cups half & half
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped
• Olive oil or truffle oil, for drizzling on top

-Cook bacon in a soup pot until done to your liking (I prefer a little chewy). Remove from pot and set aside on paper towels to dry a bit. Do not clean out pot.

-Add the zucchini, potatoes, leeks, celery, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until the veggies are translucent.

-Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender

-Add the cream and parsley to soup. In batches, puree soup with immersion blender or in batches on a tabletop blender. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of bacon and oil of choice or chill and serve cold.

So, here's the recipe I wanted to get up here before the holidays, because it makes an excellent side dish or appetizer, and it's super easy to put together! Aside from the pimentos, I typically have all these things in the house, too.




Anyways. Pimento cheese was something totally new to me, as a New Englander. When I first tested this recipe, I simply threw in the ingredients I found on the Wikipedia page (yes, pimento spread has it's own Wikipedia page) and hoped for the best. It was tasty... but did it pass the test? I brought in the results to my coworkers and my desk-mate, a true Texan, said it was the best Pimento cheese he's ever had!


So I guess I did it right the first time ;)

As I said, this is the perfect appetizer for any gathering. Add a bit more mayo and cream cheese to make a dip, or a bit more cheese to make a cheeseball, or leave as-is for a spreadable cracker snack. The possibilities are truly endless!

Pimento Cheese Spread
(Adapted loosely from Wikipedia)

• 1 8oz bag sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 8oz bag colby jack cheese
• 1 oz brick cream cheese (I used neufchantel)
• 2/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 4oz jar pimento peppers, drained and diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced small
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika

*keep a bit extra cheddar cheese on hand in case cheese mixture gets too soft*

-In a stand mixer fixed with a paddle attachment, combine all ingredients. Stir until well combined, adding more cheese or mayo to desired consistency (I like mine with a bit more cheese). Taste, adding more seasonings as desired

• 1.5 oz vodka
• .5 oz fresh lime juice
• .5 oz cranberry simple syrup (see below)
• 1/2 cup ginger beer
• ice
• lime wedge, for garnish

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup cranberries
• 1 tbsp orange zest

My new foodie obsession: Pho. It's one of those tastes that's just impossible to explain. Before I tried it, I had heard people sing the praises of Pho, but I didn't get it. How could mere chicken soup be SO GOOD? Then, upon moving to Austin, my friend took me to her favorite Pho spot.

I was hooked. Something about it--the veggies, the tender meat, the delicate noodles, or the flavor-packed broth--just works. It's one of those stick-to-your-ribs comfort food that's hard to beat.

So, days into the first bits of fall, a cold hit my nostrils. All I wanted was this sweet, spicy soup to kick the cold out of my nose. Some adjustments had to be made to make it tummy-friendly, like omitting the noodles, but overall this is pretty perfect. The spicy zing helped drain my sinuses while the hearty broth gave the protein and nutrients I needed to kick the cold.

And playing the part of the noodles in this sickness busting recipe? Zucchini strands!


Simply use a julienne peeler and peel the zucchini down to the seeds on all sides. Viola! Instant, paleo-approved, gluten-free noodles!

Paleo Pho

• 5 cups chicken broth (I made mine homemade: 1 whole chicken + 2 carrots + 4 celery stalks + 1 onion + 1 tsp peppercorns + 1 tsp salt + 2 bay leaves + enough water to cover it all, simmered until chicken was cooked through, strained and fat scooped off the top after chilling overnight)
• 3 whole star anise
• 1 knob fresh ginger, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 whole cloves
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
• 1.5 cups cooked, chopped chicken (used chicken I pulled off the bird used in the broth)
• 1/2 cup diced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup kale, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 onion, sliced thin
• 1 jalapeno, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 zucchini, julienned
• 1 lime, wedged

-Start by simmering the broth for 30 minutes with the star anise, ginger, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, and peppercorns, until the broth is fragrant and flavors have intensified.

-Strain the broth, getting all the spices out, then return to medium heat.

-Add the mushrooms, kale, onion, jalapeno, and chicken. Cook for about ten minutes, letting veggies soften and flavors meld.

-Prepare serving bowls (4-6) by placing equal amounts of julienned zucchini in each bowl. Ladle soup into bowls and top with cilantro and lime.
 

I'd never in my life cooked a turkey before, and I was very excited to take on the process of making THE. PERFECT. TURKEY. I consulted the expert, Alton Brown, and some family know-how, and the results (as you can see) are pretty dang perfect!

Juicy, flavorful, and a good blend of new and old techniques. Crispy skin is KEY. I even made homemade gravy to smother it with. All in all, my first turkey was a success!


Tips: Don't stuff the turkey with stuffing! Cook stuffing separately to ensure a juicy bird. Save the giblets to make THE BEST GRAVY EVER (trust me!) Save the bones (and any veggie trimmings you have leftover) to make stock.


Fool-Proof  Turkey with Giblet Gravy

• 1 Turkey, about 12 lbs
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 gallon chicken broth
• 1/2 gallon vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
• 1 ginger knob, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 gallon of water

Aromatics

• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp allspice berries
• 1 apple, sliced in half
• 1 lemon, sliced in half
• 1 orange, cut in quarters
• 1 cup water

Herbed Butter

• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons herbs de provance
• 1 tablespoon truffle oil
• 1 tsp fleur de sel

For the gravy

• Neck and Giblets from the turkey
• Drippings from the cooked turkey
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 3 tbsp flour
• salt and pepper, to taste

Brine
-At least 24 hours before you plan on cooking your turkey, combine all of the brine ingredients in a large stock pot (big enough to hold your turkey!) stir well until salt is dissolved (it helps if the broth is a bit warm), and place the turkey in the pot.


Cooking
-Mix together the ingredients for the butter. Remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry.

-Use a sharp paring knife to make small cuts in the turkey skin. Use your finger to make space under the skin, and stuff the butter under the skin. Gently pat the turkey all over to evenly distribute the butter as much as possible.



-In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the aromatics and microwave on high for one minute. Drain off the water, and stuff the turkey cavity with the fruit.

-Set oven to 500, and roast the turkey for a half hour. Remove from the oven, and place tinfoil over the breast ONLY (spray the tinfoil with cooking spray). Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and roast for another two and a half hours, or until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the bird reads at least 160 degrees F.

Gravy
-Cover the neck and giblets with an inch of water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let simmer for one hour.

-Drain the drippings into a pan, removing any burnt pieces, and set the heat to low. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk into a roux.

-Once the giblets are cooked through, tear the meat off the neck and chop up with the giblets. Save at least a cup of the water. Add the meat to the roux and stir in the wine and broth.

-Add some of the reserved water and whisk until desired thickness is reached.