austin

A Guide to Austin’s Best Acaí Bowls

February 22, 2020 by Alyssa

A dedicated list rounding up Austin’s best acaí bowls for your spooning pleasure brought to you in collaboration with the Austin Food Blogger’s Alliance annual City Guide.

This post was updated on April 3, 2021

Did you know that when you Google ‘best acaí bowls Austin’, the first thing that pops up is a Yelp list of bowls that isn’t very helpful. In all my searching, I wasn’t unable to find a single list that sourced only acaí bowl recommendations. Sure, there were lists for best bowls which also included grain and buddha-type bowls, or best juice and smoothies, but I wanted a list exclusively for acaí bowls which is why, I created my own.

Blenders & Bowls Endless Summer & Chill Berry Bowls

So, in no particular order, I introduce to you, my Guide to Austin’s Best Acaí Bowls!

Blenders & Bowls

Let’s just start off with the queen of Austin acaí bowls (yes, queen, not king because this cafe is all female owned!). I love Blenders & Bowls thick acaí base, the ability to customize the bowl with collagen, protein, maca, or drippy delicious nut butters which allows customers to truly make it their own. Plus, they’re always adding new seasonal blends to keep you coming back for more! My favorites are the Endless Summer and The O.G. but I often find myself drawn to their new seasonal creations that may include pumpkin, lemonade, or mint!

Various locations around Austin

BlendersandBowls_BlackberryLemonade_SvetaMoller

Blenders & Bowls seasonal Blackberry Lemonade, photo cred: Shveta Moller @atx_bites

Daily Juice

While Daily Juice has a limited acaí menu, they do acaí bowls right. The Chocolate Almond and Nutter Butter bowls are perfect as a hearty meal or can serve as a delicious dessert option. I also love that their toppings include hemp seeds & puffed rice.

Various locations around Austin

Whole Foods

Yup! Whole Foods is also in on the acaí bowl game! Their single bowl offering is worth a try, topped with a crunchy flaxseed granola, kiwi and seasonal fruit.

525 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78703

Poke Poke

While I haven’t personally had the acaí bowls at Poke Poke, I can vouch that their poke bowls are delicious so I can only assume that this restaurant from basing their dishes off the big island standards is also serving up authentic acaí bowls with their OG, Berry, and PB Bowl options.

Various locations around Austin

Néktar

I’ve yet to try Néktar but they have quite a selection of acaí bowls with quite a few I’m excited to try like the Almond Butter Bowl, Superfood Bowl, and Protein Bowl all made with their housemade cashew milk. If you’ve tried it, let me know how they fare.

222 West Ave, Austin, TX 78701 and 3637 Far W Blvd, Austin, TX 78731

Sunlife Organics

A new comer to Austin, Sunlife Organics specializes in signature shakes, bowls and shots. Their açaí bowls menu is vast, diverse, and will keep you coming back over and over again. They offer your choice of 1, 2, or 3 scoops of açaí topped with flavor combinations coconut granola, dragon fruit, cashew butter, and mango. Head to this SoCo spot if you’re looking to switch up your standard açaí order.

1011 South Congress Avenue, Building 2, Suite 120, Austin TX 78701

Kale Me Krazy

While Kale Me Krazy has a limited açaí menu, they’re bowls are worth checking out. Kale Me Krazy uses a coconut milk base in place of traditional fruit juices making their bowl extra creamy and sweetened with dates. Make it a classic bowl topped with blueberries, cashews, banana, and strawberries or go deluxe with a mix of banana, gluten-free granola, chia seeds, hemp seeds, goji berries, sliced almonds, blueberries, and raw honey.

8300 North FM 620, Austin TX 78726

Vitality Bowls Superfood Cafe

Looking for a place North of downtown to satisfy your acaí bowl craving? Then check out the menu at Vitality Bowls, offering 14 different acaí options along with the ability to customize to your liking. They even offer a dessert bowl with coconut, dark chocolate chips, and strawberries.

1310 Cypress Creek Road, Cedar Park, TX 78613

Vida Pure Juicery

Vida Pure not only serves unique juices and smoothie options but they’re also blending up acaí bowls made with their house almond mylk. What makes these bowls unique, is the granola on the bottom of their Black Mamba and Pura Brazil options.

2610 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722

JuiceLand Acaí Bowl

Juiceland

One of Austin’s OG juice café is also offering acaí bowls (at their city locations and at the airport so you can get one before you jet set). What’s unique here is the coconut butter drizzle to finish the bowl. The coconut butter hardens when mixed into the cold acaí adding texture and crunch to the bowl! While still a great bowl, my only wish here is that JuiceLand’s acaí was a tad thicker as right now it inches more towards slush than thick acaí.

Various locations across Austin

So tell me, what acaí bowl is your favorite? Are there any missing that should be added to the list?

BlendersandBowls_EndlessSummer_feedthishouse

Blenders & Bowls Endless Summer, photo cred: Shveta Moller @atx_bites

A Guide to Austin’s Best Old Fashioned was created in collaboration with the Austin Food Blogger’s Alliance City Guide. Check out the full round-up on the AFBA site or check out my Austin tab for other great round-ups like ramen, tasting menus, and old fashioneds.

The Best Local Autumn Lattes

October 12, 2019 by Alyssa

This Fall, skip the the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte and drink these local Austin lattes instead!

I always look forward to pumpkin spice season. But it’s not the pumpkin flavor I love. I love the spice flavors of Autumn. Where drinks, baked goods, and even some savory treats are sprinkled with the warm, cozy spices like cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg. If you’re like me, and could pass on the pumpkin spice but still want the cozy flavors of Fall, then give these four local Austin lattes a try.

Stouthaus Mulling Spice Latte

The Stauthaus Mulling Spice Latte has such a unique flavor and is my favorite of the bunch. It stars clove, star anise, cinnamon sticks, orange peel and black peppercorns. The black peppercorns are very subtle and add just the slightest hint of spice. Stouthaus makes the spice blend on a hot plate behind the bar and is the work of barista, Marco who created the seasonal offering. If you’re looking for a more sophisticated pumpkin spice latte, then I highly recommend Stouthaus’ Mulling Spice Latte.

Stouthaus Coffee Pub
4715 S Lamar Blvd
6:30am-10:00pm, Monday-Saturday
7:30am-8:00pm, Sunday
www.stouthauscoffee.com

Greater Goods Tiger Latte

You can grab this latte all year long not just in the Autumn. The Tiger Latte is Greater Goods’ take on the popular golden milk latte featuring turmeric. I find it to be the perfect blend of sweet and spice. My favorite part about this latte is the subtle ginger finish that warms you deep inside. I like to order mine with almond milk.

Great Goods Coffee
2501 E 5th Street
6:30am-7:00pm daily
www.greatergoods.com

Summer Moon Autumn Moon Latte

I’m going out on a limb here and calling this Austin’s original pumpkin spice latte. Summer Moon is known for its Moon Milk and for the Fall season, they jazz up their secret Moon Milk with all the cozy, Autumn spices. This latte is sweeter than the others on this list but it’s consistently the first latte I reach for when September 1st arrives.

Summer Moon Coffee Bar
Multiple Locations
www.woodfiredcoffee.com

Curcuma Golden Mylk Latte

Curcuma’s Golden Mylk Latte is not a seasonal offering but it reminds me so much of Autumn flavors that it had to make my list! Curcuma pairs their signature golden mylk mix with Chameleon Cold Brew to make a magically delicious latte that instantly transports me to upstate New York at the peak of Fall foliage. This latte stars turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, himalayan pink salt, black pepper and is sweetened with dates. I like mine iced but you also have the option to order it hot. And the best part, you can still enjoy this one is the heat of Austin summer when you’re yearning for a bit of Fall.

Curcuma
2207 East Cesar Chavez Street
Tuesday-Friday 9am-4pm
Saturday-Sunday 9am-6pm
www.eatcurcuma.com

Have you tried any of these local Austin lattes? What’s your favorite?

Barley Swine’s Summer Tasting Menu

July 20, 2019 by Alyssa

Barley Swine’s summer tasting menu just might be the best meal I’ve ever had. If you do one thing this summer, experience this seasonal menu.

It’s a tradition for <3M and I to go to Barley Swine on Christmas Eve for their tasting menu. But lately, we’ve both been working a lot — him taking late-night calls with his team oversea, and me, who continues working even when I get home which has limited our quality time together.

So, as a way for us to take a break from the grind, I made a surprise reserdation for us to celebrate Christmas in July at Barley Swine (it was also our engagement anniversary, which is why you see ‘happy anniversary’ on the menu below).

We started the evening with a round of cocktails. A Day at the Races with tequila, rhubarb, jasmine, orange blossom, and lemon for me and Aces are High with bourbon, pasubio vino amaro, rosemary, and peychauds for <3M. If you’re not up for a cocktail, Barley Swine also has a few tempting mocktail options to try on their new summer menu. Let me know how they are!

Going into the meal, I was a bit hesitant looking at our tasting menu. I was nervous more so for <3M because while we are foodies, we have very specific and different tastes. For him: no mushrooms, celery, or ‘animals with fins’ and for me: nothing with four feet. This usually means we end up with slightly different menus but mostly the same.

Here’s a look at our meal highlights, though to be honest, every dish was STELLAR.

To start was this blue crab, marigold, green bean course. This was like a savory panna cotta and the blue grab was light and fresh. The perfect way to kick-off the meal.

Up next was the shishito pepper tamale. This reminded me of an inside out tamale or a chile rellano with the masa on the inside and a perfectly light, crispy crunch on the outside.

The tomato, blueberry, grains green chile mousse dish was our third course at Barley Swine. I loved the hint of green chile in the foam, the crunch of the grain, and the surprise sweetness from the blueberries. It was definitely in the running for my favorite dish.

However, I believe the shrimp dumpling, hot sauce, fried bun, herbs was both mine and <3M’s favorite dish of the evening. The bun was crispy but fluffy in the center. We sandwiched it with succulent shrimp, a house hot sauce, and fresh herbs for a bit of brightness. It was full of flavor. I want to come back to Barley Swine just to eat these from dinner one night.

While my menu says goat above, I asked this dish to be switched out for a vegetarian option. The chef surprised me with this roasted carrot, vegetarian chorizo, house feta, and corn course. This was a vegetarian’s dream. The carrot was smokey, the feta salty, and the crunchy corn added texture. Banger’s should tap Barley Swine for this recipe because it was the perfect ‘mock sausage.’

Summer tasting menu desserts

We wrapped our meal with two desserts. Celery sorbet, peanut, chamomile served as a palate cleanser. At first, I was baffled with this combination but thinking about it now, it’s a modern, refined take on the traditional ants on a log from my childhood. Even <3M, who dispises celery, enjoyed this dish enough to finish it entirely.

Our final dish of the evening was one <3M said he loved the most, corn mochi, coriander, blackberry, cojeta. I was amazed by the subtle sweet corn flavor throughout, the chewiness of the mochi, and the meringue twigs. It was a texture lover’s dream. And, best yet, during Swine Hour (Barley Swine’s happy hour) desserts are half off so if you want to give this dish a taste, hit it up then with a bottle of wine for 25% off!

We left this meal in the happiest of food comas and couldn’t stop raving about the dishes. It was the BEST experience we’ve had in a very long time (even better than past Christmas Eve tastings!).

If you’re interested in the summer tasting menu, you can grab the summer Barley Swine tasting at a steal for $65 if you visit Sunday-Thursday between 5-6pm (normally $95). I highly recommend reservations.

Have you had the Barley Swine summer tasting menu yet? What’s some of your favorite seasonal menus in Austin this year?

The Ultimate Guide to Austin’s Best Old Fashioned

February 26, 2019 by Alyssa

A city guide to Austin’s Best Old Fashioneds. It includes traditional Old Fashioneds as well as a few unique takes on the classic drink. Try them all and let me know which tops your list.

This post was updated on April 3, 2021.

Old Fashioned cocktails. Man, are they popular. They seem to be the drink every guy in Austin loves to sip and everyone else has an opinion about where to get the best one in A-Town.

Well, I’m not an Old Fashioned connoisseur myself (though I do love those whiskey soaked cherries!) but luckily for you, <3M and his gang of buddies are so I’ve enlisted their help to create a guide to Austin’s Best Old Fashioned.

Whisler’s

Ask any whiskey lover and Whisler’s is always the first bar out of their mouth when asked for a great Old Fashioned recommendation. And unlike some bars, Whisler’s Old Fashioned is consistently good, no matter which bartender serves you. Whisler’s does it right using demerara syrup (which I personally think is their secret sauce!). It’s served with a huge ice cube and as a balance to the sweet and bitter it’s finished with a housemade cherry. It’s smooth, classic, and everything your Old Fashioned dreams are made of.

Happy Hour: 2-5pm daily // 1816 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702

The Roosevelt Room

This bar’s owner, Justin Lavenue, landed on the cover of GQ and it’s not just his looks that got him there! The Roosevelt Room’s classically executed Old Fashioned which balances sweet and smokey is a testament to his bartending skills. The flavor is enhanced while sipping it in this swanky cocktail bar on 5th. The only thing missing here is a puff of a cigar.

Happy Hour: All night Monday & Tuesday, 5-7pm Wednesday-Saturday // 307 W 5th St, Austin, TX 78701

Swift’s Attic

With one of my most unique takes on an Old Fashioned, Swift’s Attic does an Ice Ball Oldie made with classic Old Fashioned ingredients frozen into a giant ice ball topped with a shot of whiskey. This Old Fashioned starts strong and ends smooth and always requires a second shot to top it off. Its unique style is a huge draw for Old Fashioned fanatics. Find it on happy hour special for $8.

Happy Hour: 2-6:30pm Monday-Friday // 315 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701

Drink.Well.

For those hunting an Old Fashioned in Central Austin, Drink.Well is your best bet for one of Austin’s Best Old Fashioneds. This neighborhood bar has a selection of whiskeys for you to choose from and the Old Fashioned is always consistent. Pair it with the burger and you’ve got yourself a man’s meal.

Tip: Check out Drink Well’s Libation Bible School where you can take a deep dive into different spirits like whiskey, bourbon, mezcal, and other traditional favorites!

Happy Hour: 4-6pm Monday-Friday, All day Sunday, 20% off Wine & Whiskey all day Monday // 207 East 53rd Street, Austin, TX 78751

Little Darlin’

This gem of a dive bar in South Austin has mastered cocktails in a laid-back environment and offers up their Old Fashioned with one of their custom infused whiskeys. It’s great for those seeking an Old Fashioned without any pretense.

Happy Hour: See Facebook page for details // 6507 Circle S Rd Austin, TX 78745

Juniper

Yup, a rustic Italian restaurant serving up a solid Old Fashioned which lands them on the list for Austin’s Best Old Fashioned. There’s an art to making a perfect Old Fashioned, finding the balance between smokey, sweet and bitter but Juniper’s bartenders have refined this drink. Grab it during happy hour, sit on the patio and order up a side of Puffy Potatoes to enjoy with it.

Happy Hour: 4-6pm Tuesday-Saturday // 2400 E Cesar Chavez St #304, Austin, TX 78702

Peche

Next up on our guide to Austin’s Best Old Fashioned is one of Austin’s essential cocktail bars, Peche. As an essential in Austin’s bar scene, Peche knows how to make a strong Old Fashioned. Their take is like a good, reliable ol’ friend.

Happy Hour: All night Sunday & Monday, 4-7pm Tuesday-Friday // 208 W 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

Suerte

Suerte offers a modern take on the classic Old Fashioned with their Tres Aves featuring bonded rye, becherovka, lemon, and apple. Enjoy it during Suerte’s nightly happy hour, coined their ‘Lucky Hour’ from 5pm-6pm where cocktails are just $6 !

Happy Hour: 5-6pm Daily // 1800 East 6th Street, Austin, Texas 78702

Bar Peached

While not a classic Old Fashioned, the Oaxaca Old Fashioned from Bar Peached takes a Mexican twist on this classic drink using Mezcal in place of traditional of whiskey or bourbon along with tequila and bitters. It’s smokey, not to sweet, and pairs deliciously with the all Bar Peached has to offer. And, while it’s not on their social hour menu, it’s definitely worth paying full price.

Social Hour: 5-6:30pm Daily, Patio Only // 1315 West 6th Street, Austin, Texas 78703

Here Nor There

This downtown speakeasy is serving up one of the best classic Old Fashioneds in Austin. Each of the bartenders have perfected the cocktail and it’s served up with their signature clear square ice cube. A word of warning though, if you head to Here Nor There, you’re not only paying for cocktail perfection but also the exclusivity and experience of the speakeasy. Be ready to drop a pretty penny.

Location provided upon reservation booked through Here Nor There app.

A Guide to Austin’s Best Old Fashioned was created in collaboration with the Austin Food Blogger’s Alliance City Guide. Check out the full round-up on the AFBA site or check out my other guide for a round-up of Austin’s Prix Fixe & Tasting Menus.

Foodie Confession: I don’t like ramen

September 24, 2018 by Alyssa

Ramen has exploded in popularity and is a true foodie obsession. Except with all the hype, I find ramen to be seriously underwhelming. Read on to find out why.

Austin has become a ramen-obsessed city. We have multiple restaurants solely dedicated to serving ramen and countless others that offer ramen in some sort on their menu.

There’s Jinya, Yoshi, Daruma, Michi, Kome, Ni-Kome, Peached Tortilla, Look Noodles, Kanji, and obviously Austin’s most notorious ramen, Ramen Tatsu-Ya.

Heck, Ramen Tatsu-ya is praised nation-wide as THE best ramen restaurant in the States (seriously, it is!) and has THREE locations just in Austin, not including the spinoff, Kemuri Tatsu-ya! And with all this talk about ramen, and with one of the best in our own backyard, I just can’t seem to jump on the ramen bandwagon.

Michi // 📸Jimmy Ho @thesmokingho

I know, are you shocked? I mean, I did create an Austin city guide to ‘The Best Bowls of Ramen‘

But, since I’m confessing, I might as well share that my post about Best Bowls was crowdsourced with ratings provided my hubby & his gang of buddies.

Now, I’m sure you’re wondering why I dislike ramen so much, and it really all boils down to one reason….

Its savory broth isn’t so great

Authentic ramen is supposed to have a savory broth with a depth of flavor that’s developed by simmering ingredients over an extended period of time.

Knowing this, I go into a bowl of ramen thinking I’m about to be hit with a flavor-bomb type experience.

And I’m not.

Yoshi Ramen

In fact, when I slurp my ramen broth, I hardly taste anything. Maybe the slightest hint of something earthy but nothing that bursts my tastebuds or leaves me wanting to slurp more. The only reason I continue to eat the ramen is because I’m hoping at some point I’ll have that ‘a-ha!’ moment.

In truth, the only time I taste anything when eating ramen is after I add a heavy dose of chili paste to the broth.

Maybe my taste buds are broken? I don’t know. I just feel as if the broth is a bit….meh.

Yoshi Ramen

Now, don’t go saying, “Well you just haven’t had the right ramen yet” because I’ve tried enough ramen to feel like MY OPINION is well informed. I’ve tried Ramen Tatsu-ya plenty of times, Daruma Ramen, Kome, and Yoshi Ramen. And if Ramen Tatsu-ya is THE BEST, then I’m pretty sure my only other option is to fly to Japan and taste the ramen there. (If you’re willing to foot the bill on that flight, let me know!)

The only exception to my ‘Its savory broth isn’t so great’ statement is Kemuri Tatsu-ya’s dipping ramen — which also contains a big fatty piece of brisket — which is a non-traditional take on ramen so obviously, it doesn’t count.

But I do like the eggs!

Now that I’ve ranted about my dislike of ramen let me share what I DO like about this dish. I 100% like the Ajitsuke Tamagos (soy marinated eggs) and will happily eat a dozen of them.

When I go for ramen with <3M the only part of the meal I look forward to is consuming my egg then immediately downing his. In fact, give me all the Ajitsuke Tamagos and a crusty piece of toast with a little furikake sprinkled on top and I’d be happy.

Maybe one of the ramen shops here in Austin will be willing to add an Ajitsuke Tamago Toast to their menu? Let me know and I’ll be the first in line.

Anyone else out there feel the same way about ramen? Please tell me I’m not alone!

Harvest Hash with Sweet Potatoes & Sprouts: A Breakfast Inspired by Picnik Austin

August 28, 2018 by Alyssa

This Harvest Hash is inspired by the hash served at Picnik in Austin. It’s a meal full of cozy Autumn flavors and seasonal produce like apples, maple, sweet potatoes and sprouts! It’s perfect for a hearty breakfast.

Are you ready for Fall yet? Because I sure am! I’m not quite tired of the heat just yet l but I am ready for cozier clothes, the slower season of life, pumpkins, and all the seasonal Fall food. To kick-start the Fall foodie season, I recreated the Harvest Hash from Picnik that’s full of cozy Autumn flavors and seasonal produce like apples, maple, sweet potatoes and Brussel sprouts!

I first enjoyed Picnik’s Harvest Hash a few weeks ago when dining with my friend Vanessa. She actually ordered the hash (because I’m obsessed with Picnik’s cassava flour blueberry pancakes and make that my go-to order). Vanessa raved about the hash and while eating it, asked if I thought it would be difficult to recreate it at home.

I instantly took this as a challenge and told her, ‘I’ll figure it out for you and send you the recipe!’

I took a couple bites of her hash to decompose the flavors and texture then glanced at Picnik’s menu to assess the Harvest Hash description. That weekend I set about recreating the Harvest Hash at home.

My objective was to recreate the flavors of the hash but make it something a little leaner that could be consumed regularly without it feeling as indulgent.

I wanted my hash to be everyday-accessible and a dish that could be made in large portions to reheat over the course of the week.

Picnik’s Harvest Hash was on the sweeter side and a bit saucy. I knew that for my Harvest Hash, I wanted it to have some sauce but would like the flavors to have more of a heat to it with a subtle note of sweetness. To achieve this, I made a sauce with pure maple syrup and balsamic vinegar as its base and added a heavy pinch of red pepper flakes and dijon mustard to thicken it and add spice.
The sprouts in Picnik’s hash were blackened and had crispy leaves which led me to believe that they may have been pan-fried or at least cooked with more oil than I’d prefer. To counter this, I tossed my sprouts in a light drizzle of olive oil and cooked them over low heat in a cast-iron pan to achieve the blackened flavor with a bit less fat.
Lastly, Picnik’s Harvest Hash used beef breakfast sausage which I chose to replace with a lean turkey breakfast sausage. Since the breakfast sausage was pre-seasoned, I also left out the sage which was listed on Picnik’s ingredient list.

So how’d it turn out? DELICIOUS!

The Harvest Hash sauce had the perfect balance of sweet and spice. I chose to pour it over the hash right before serving that way the hash was more personalized to my liking and would coat the veggies without soaking in too much. I also served mine with a runny egg which helped add a ‘sauce’ to the hash without a lot of sweetness.

The flavors are definitely fall-centric with apples, maple, and pecans. I’m also positive sweet potatoes and Brussel sprouts are destined to be best friends because their combined flavor is pure gold. I also loved how hearty the hash turned out. <3M and I chose to eat this for dinner one night and we had leftovers for a few more breakfasts later in the week.

If you try my Harevest Hash recipe, I’d love to know your thoughts and how it compares to the hash at Picnik (if you’ve had it!). Leave your thoughts in the comments.

What flavors do you associate with Fall? Do you have a cozy Fall breakfast you’re looking forward to?

Harvest Hash: A Breakfast Inspired by Picnik Austin

Save Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour 5 mins

Author: Alyssa

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients

For the Hash:
2 small sweet potatoes
1 small yellow onion
12 ounces (1 bag) Brussel sprouts, washed & thoroughly dried
1 fuji apple
8 ounces lean breakfast sausage (turkey, pork or beef)
2 cloves garlic
4 teaspoons olive oil, separated
¼ cup roughly chopped pecans
¼ cup currants, optional
salt & pepper to taste
olive oil spray
4 eggs, cooked to your liking
For the Sauce:
3 tablespoons real maple syrup
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons spicy brown or dijon mustard
½-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

First prep all your ingredients: peel the sweet potatoes and cut into ½ inch cubes, cut the yellow onion into quarter inch slices, mince the garlic cloves, peel the apple and cut into ¼ inch dice, remove the stem of the Brussel sprouts and cut into quarters, if you have small sprouts simply cut in half. Be sure to keep the spare leaves that fall off of the sprouts when cutting.
Prepare the dressing by whisking together the maple syrup, vinegar, mustard and as mush red pepper flake as you desire in a small bowl and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375*F. In a medium sized bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with 2 teaspoons of olive oil plus a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread the potatoes evenly onto a large baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes until just tender.
While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the rest of the dish. Spray a large skillet with olive oil and cook the breakfast sausage breaking it up into tiny pieces. Cook until lightly browned. Remove the breakfast sausage from the skillet and set a side. Do not clean the skillet.
Spray the same skillet used to cook the breakfast sausage with olive oil and add in the onions and minced garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes. While the onions are cooking, toss the Brussel sprouts with the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
Once the onions have softened add the sprouts to the skillet and cook over medium for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until sprouts are tender but not fully cooked through. Add in the diced apple and cook 3-4 minutes more until apples are soft and sprouts are cooked through. Turn the heat to low and add the breakfast sausage back to the skillet and stir to combine. Pour a ¼ cup of the dressing over the mixture and toss to combine. Remove from heat.
When the sweet potatoes are done, add them to the skillet along with the chopped pecans, currants and stir. Season with salt and pepper or additional dressing, if desired. Serve immediately with a cooked egg on top and remaining dressing on the side if you’d like more of a sauce on the hash.

The Brewer’s Table: Deliciously Beautiful Food

August 7, 2018 by Alyssa

Even before it’s opening, The Brewer’s Table was one of Austin’s most anticipated restaurants of 2018. After a visit for brunch and dinner, it’s lived up to the pre-opening hype and is a sure contender for the city’s best new restaurant.

I heard whisperings of The Brewer’s Table ages before it opened. And, at least in my circle, it was the most talked about Austin restaurant opening which made me ridiculously eager to visit. Although the restaurant celebrated its grand opening in early June, I waited until it premiered its brunch menu for an initial visit. A few days later, <3M and I ventured back to The Brewer’s Table for dinner.

In full transparency, <3M and I treated ourselves to brunch the first time around and were invited back for dinner a few days later by owner, Jake Maddux. However, all photos and opinions are my own.

Atmosphere

The Brewer’s Table is a beautifully designed venue. In fact, everything about The Brewer’s Table is beautiful — decor, menus, kitchen, plating, the food. (Side note, be prepared to see the word beautiful used multiple times below because I truly can’t think of any other word to describe both The Brewer’s Table venue and food. Simply gorgeous.)

The restaurant’s atmosphere is airy with bright, natural light and pops of color giving it a modern feel. It’s full of natural wood and clean lines with a backdrop of neutral, calming colors. Inside there are loads of dried ingredients, including a large fish hanging from the ceiling.

The open kitchen and chef’s counter has views of food preparation including a large wood-fired grill which is banked with stacks of cookbooks by famous chefs and brewers. Outside, the same airy, calming feeling extends to a patio and small bar where The Brewer’s Table offers up drinks and small bites during happy hour. I had serious decor and kitchen envy while dining.

Drinks

With a selection of their own beer, guest taps, wine, and house cocktails, The Brewer’s Table offers something for everyone. I found true love with the tap wine, a chilled Shiraz that was pure perfection for this red loving girl on a hot Austin day. <3M enjoyed their twist on an old fashioned, the Hop & Bothered, that had a similar flavor palette but with a touch more sweetness than the standard drink.

And, although I only sampled one of their own brews, I was intrigued by the unique use of ingredients in each of The Brewer’s Table’s offerings — roasted beets, sweet potatoes, and dried jasmine.

Food

If I had to make one statement about The Brewer’s Table, it’s that they have the most beautiful food I have ever seen. Each plating is exquisite and each dish has a combination of colors and textures that make each presentation a pure work of art. I could truly stare and take photos of their food all day long. Below’ a look at the dishes <3M and I enjoyed during our visits.

Deviled Eggs

These looked divine and were again beautiful, however, I learned I’m not much of a fan of smoked chicken liver mousse. Although I truly enjoyed the crunchy bits beneath, I recommend knowing whether or not you enjoy liver before ordering.

Summer Bean & Barley Salad

I really enjoyed this salad. It was light and full of fresh seasonal flavors with a subtle ranch dressing. It had every note of flavor I could have asked for — salty, creamy, crunchy and I could have licked the plate clean. My only lasting desire was for more of the beans and barley.

Fried Chicken Sandwich

This chicken was perfectly moist and savory but the real star of this dish was the mesquite buttered roll. It was soft, buttery, melt in your mouth goodness. And the chips were lick your fingers addicting.

Snacks for the Table

I’m a sucker for snack plates and this one was my favorite ever, anywhere. I was so impressed with the presentation, the mix of textures and flavors. I also loved the different techniques presented in this dish including the beer compressed peaches with berry granita, lager chicharrones, and the crunchy beer grain falafel.

Hearth Bread

While this bread was delicious, just like the roll from the Fried Chicken Sandwich, the real star was the mesquite butter. I will usually skip over bread and butter but this butter was everything. Slightly sweet with a touch of smoke and salt. I wanted it on everything.

Chicken Paprikash

If you want comfort food then this is your dish. It was tenderly cooked, fall-off-the-bone chicken smothered in a tomato-paprika sauce served with soft, chewy beer grain spaetzle. And it left me wanting more. I hope the Chicken Paprikash remains on the menu throughout the winter months because I want to snuggle up with it again during a cold December night.

Green Tomato and Blue Crab Parfait

I went back and forth on the dish. I loved it when I composed the perfect bite by incorporating each ingredient on my spoon which created a balance between the fishiness of the crab, the acidity of the tomato, and sweetness from the fruit. However, if I got something alone it was a bit off balance which is why I’m torn on whether or not I’d order it again. But again, as with all the dishes, it had a beautiful presentation.

Whipped Chocolate Mousse

If I were dining solo, I would have chosen a different dessert because this mousse had bananas in it and I’m not a huge fan of bananas but <3M wanted the mousse and so it was. However, I was beyond happy with the result. The banana flavor was subtle and I loved the crunchy hazelnut pieces and the light, silky chocolate mousse. In truth, I’m usually unimpressed with restaurant desserts but this, I’d order again.

Ice Cream Cone

I loved that this dessert because of its miniature size and the different textures it offered. It had pops of crunch from the toasted barley and the gooey caramel at the bottom of the beer grain waffle cone. It was the perfect little ending to the meal.

Final Thoughts

If you are a fan of restaurants like Barley Swine, Odd Duck, or Emmer & Rye then you need to make your way to The Brewer’s Table.

In my opinion, The Brewer’s Table has more to offer than the others in terms of unique craft brews, an outdoor space that’s kid & dog-friendly, and seating that can easily accommodate a large group. On top of that, the food’s elegant, creative, and delicious while offering a memorable dining experience.

I honestly believe The Brewer’s Table has a bright future. With its gorgeous interiors, creative use of ingredients, and beautiful food it will definitely land itself on a few top restaurant lists this year both locally and on the national front. I’m excited to see where the future takes it.

Have you visited The Brewer’s Table yet? What were your thoughts?

Snap Kitchen’s Flexible Meal Plans Balance Healthy Eating & Cooking at Home

June 27, 2018 by Alyssa

Snap Kitchen’s new flexible meal planning service allows you to easily customize meal plans to fit your lifestyle while still giving you the freedom to cook the meals you enjoy the most at home.

Meals are packed and ready for an easy pick-up.

It’s obvious that I love cooking (I mean, this is a food blog and all) but what I really love is creating delicious, good for me meals. Cooking my own meals means I can control the ingredients going into my food while ensuring the food I’m serving <3M and I is healthy while still tasting delicious.

However, cooking ALL THE MEALS is a lot of work. I make breakfast from scratch every morning, then most days I pack my lunch for work plus a few snacks. Other days, I pack lunch for <3M, along with a few healthy snacks, and then come home to make dinner and maybe bake something. Some days it feels like all I do while I’m home is cooking, packing meals, and doing the dishes. It’s even worse on the weekends when a portion of my Sunday is sucked up grocery shopping and meal prepping when really all I want to do is hang by the pool.

‘Fridge stocked & ready to go for the week // It’s easy to grab ‘n’ go each morning with Snap Kitchen’s printed meal plan

Well, this summer, thanks to Snap Kitchen’s new flexible meal plans, I no longer have to feel like I’m spending my entire home-life cooking and doing dishes. I’ve always been a fan of Snap Kitchen because they offer full transparency with their meals and their food is fresh while actually tasting good and being good FOR YOU. And, although this post is sponsored, I still shell out my own cash regularly on Snap Kitchen meals because I’m a true fan and love the benefits of their meal plans which is why I’m sharing this today.

Snap Kitchen Chimichurri Chicken + Snacks

Planning to eat healthy is easy with Snap Kitchen!

With Snap Kitchen’s meal plan subscriptions, I can more easily plan out all of my meals and have them ready to pick-up on Monday mornings on my way to work. <3M has even hopped on the Snap Kitchen meal planning bandwagon and is regularly enjoying Snap Kitchen meals — which makes both of our mornings easier and ensures we’re eating healthy while still saving room for cake on the weekends.

Choose the meal plan that fits you best.

Snap Kitchen helps me reach my daily macro goals

I especially love Snap Kitchen’s new flexible meal plans because I can customize breakfast, lunch and snacks to fit my own eating preferences. I personally like to eat a higher protein diet and Snap Kitchen offers a high protein plan that pre-populates with suggested meals to meet my calorie and protein goals. I also love that I can swap out items and see a macro summery of my choices for the day when I’m debating between different dishes.

Selecting and editing your meals is easy and daily macros are clearly visible.

The variety of Snap Kitchen food keeps me satisfied

Snap Kitchen’s meal plans also get me out of food rut. Typically, I’ll have salad for lunch, a protein shake in the afternoon as a snack, and a handful of nuts sometime throughout the day. But with Snap Kitchen’s meal plans, I’m able to have a larger variety of meals and snacks that keep me full and feeling satisfied. I’m a huge fan of their house smoked salmon as an afternoon snack and love their juice or smoothies as a morning snack. Seriously, the variety of flavors and feel good food is what keeps me coming back.

I still enjoy cooking at home

And the best part about Snap Kitchen’s new flexible meal plans is that I can choose to have Snap Kitchen only provide breakfast, lunch, and snacks which leaves me the freedom to make dinner at home because I truly enjoy cooking meals for <3M and I. Making dinner together is our time to decompress from the day and reconnect. Snap Kitchen simply takes away the overhead work for other meals during the week that makes cooking less enjoyable and leaves us with our favorite part. Pairing Snap Kitchen’s meal planning services with my own dinner just makes life easy and allows <3M and I to spend more time together.

If you’re ready to try Snap Kitchen’s new meal plans, you can download their app and save $20 off your first order with my code SNP-2482.

Suerte: An Honest Review of Austin’s New Eastside Restaurant

March 26, 2018 by Alyssa

Friday night, <3M and I stopped by Austin’s newest Eastside restaurant, Suerte, to check out the masa-based menu. I had no doubt we’d love this new Mexican restaurant from Odd Duck alum Sam Hellman-Mass! We enjoyed a great meal and the cocktails & wine list were top notch.

All the dishes at Suerte are small plate style so we ordered a bunch to share throughout the night. Here’s a look at our evening!

We had reservations for 6:45pm and arrived right on time but since <3M and I both love sitting at the bar, we chose to wait a bit until a bar seat opened up. While we waited, we ordered a round of cocktails. For me, the La Chiquitita with mezcal, grapefruit, lime, ginger honey, soda and for him, the Suerte Lager, a collaboration brew with Hops & Grain Brewing.

To start, we had the Bean Taquitos, which was one of my favorite dishes of the evening! The taquitos were crisp but slightly chewy and I loved the smokey, salty slaw on top.

We followed the taquitos with a round from the Frio & Raw portion of the menu. <3M’s a bit hesitant when it comes to seafood but he will eat shrimp so I convinced him to try the Aguachile, a shrimp ceviche.

We both loved the dish, even <3M with this being his first ceviche experience ever. The Aguachile was so fresh, served with a side of extra crispy tostadas, and the red sauce reminded me of an enchilada sauce. Yum!

Next up we ordered the Chicken Tamal with recado negro and chicken skin chicharrón. We both loved the crispy chicken skin on top and the pulled, smokey chicken. The Tamal was serve on top of a cream sauce that I would have loved a bit more of as I found the masa too dry for my liking.

Right about here is when we decided on another round of drinks. <3M ordered an Old Fashioned from our bartender, Trent. And Trent did a top-notch job! <3M declared the Old Fashioned to be one of his favorite’s in the city and even bumped it into his top 5 for best Old Fashioned’s in Austin. I ended my evening with a glass of red and highly recommend Suerte’s wine menu. I thoroughly enjoyed the Tierras Moradas carmenere which Trent recommended and am even looking to add it to our own wine collection!

The one dish I was most excited about from Suerte was the Chicken En Pinenut Mole. I love traditional mole, it’s savory, smokey and has a hint of chocolate and spice. Absolutely delicious!

However, the mole at Suerte didn’t have the familiar chocolate, spicy base. Suerte’s mole is pine nut based (as stated) and while it isn’t traditional, I appreciated the twist with the brown butter and wilted greens but still yearned for the familiar mole flavors. I was also hoping for some sort of tortilla here since Suerte’s menu is masa-centric but this was served as a knife & fork dish.

We ended our meal with the Chocolate con Churros for dessert which is served with Mexican chocolate. I liked the churros but was slightly disappointed. The chocolate wasn’t sweetened, closer to a bittersweet chocolate and although the churros were rolled in sugar it didn’t cut the bitterness of the chocolate. I also was hoping for a bit of cinnamon in the dessert as I’ve come to expect with churros. I’d probably opt for a different dessert next time around.

Overall, <3M and I truly enjoyed our meal at Suerte and will likely be back again for visit — especially for an Old Fashioned and the bean taquitos. And if you’re looking for a date night spot, you should definitely give Suerte a shot.

Austin’s Best Prix Fixe & Tasting Menus

February 4, 2018 by Alyssa

In collaboration with Austin Food Blogger Alliance’s annual #ATXBestEats Austin City Guide, this round-up of Austin’s Best Prix Fixe and Tasting Menus includes the most delicious menus Austin has to offer!

Updated April 3, 2021, availability subject to restaurant COVID protocols. Advised to please call restaurants to confirm offerings and pricing.

Prix Fixe or Tasting Menus are often a great way to sample a restaurant’s offerings or to indulge in a decadent meal to celebrate a special occasion! No matter why you choose to dine, this round-up of Austin’s Best Prix Fixe and Tasting Menus includes the most delicious menus Austin has to offer!

Barley Swine: 6555 Burnet Road, Suite 400, Austin, Texas 78757

This was my most memorable meal ever and I highly recommend this meal as a splurge for $105! The 10-course tasting menu is tailored to your food preferences with a specially printed menu just for you! There’s also an option to include a wine or beer pairing at an additional cost. And of course, Barley Swine also treats you throughout the night with a few complimentary bites, palate cleansers, and chocolates. Check out my full review of the tasting experience here and here.

Barley Swine Tasting Menu

Brentwood Social House: 1601 West Koenig Lane, Austin, Texas 78756

Offers a traditional English Afternoon Tea with a 3-tiered stand of sweet and savory treats. You should definitely make reservations for you and a few friends enjoy this $31.39 per person experience. You can expect to savor tea sandwiches, scones, sweet treats with a pot of tea and your pinky up.

Casa de Luz: 1701 Toomey Road, Austin Texas 78704

Emphasizing whole foods and a vegan diet, Casa de Luz offers a daily, rotating prix fixe menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For $9, breakfast includes tea, soup, dark greens with a nuts & seeds sauce, mixed vegetables, beans, tortillas, and porridge. Dinner is $12 with the option of an extra side ($2) or an extra plate ($8) and includes a beverage, soup, salad, and main plate of whole grains, beans, greens with a nut & seed sauce, mixed vegetables and fermented vegetables. If you’re looking for a filling wholesome meal, I highly recommend Casa de Luz.

Chez Nous: 510 Neches Street, Austin, Texas 78701 (Temporarily Closed – COVID)

Often featured on lists of Austin’s best date night restaurants for its quaint, cozy atmosphere and French flair, Chez Nous offers a prix fixe dinner menu for $34.50 that includes a first course, entree, and dessert. Don’t skip on dessert and savor the Mousse au Chocolat!

Eden East & Eden West Food Truck: 211 Darden Hill Road, Driftwood, Texas 78619 • Food Truck at Desert Door Distillery

Note: Temporarily closed due to COVID but offering pop-up prix fixe dinners, check Instagram for details or visit their new Eden West Food Truck for ala carte offerings located at the Desert Door Distillery in Driftwood, Texas.

Focused on fresh, seasonal ingredients, Eden East features a prix fixe four coarse menu for $70 while highlighting a dining atmosphere set to the backdrop of Springdale Farm. Menus are limitedly customizable so if you have any dietary restrictions, let them know when making your reservation. I adore dining at Eden East as it’s a lazy, drawn-out meal giving you time to enjoy your company and take in the rustic yet elegant surroundings. Eden Easy is also a BYOB establishment but most nights feature limited, complimentary cocktails. Either way, be sure to swing by the market to grab your favorite bubbly or craft beer before arriving.

Dining scene from Eden East at Springdale Farm

Juniper: 2400 E Cesar Chavez St #304 Austin, TX 78702

Offered Thursday-Saturday at the chef’s counter only, this tasting menu will allow you to experience the rustic flavors of Italy with a 10-course ($110) or 5-course tasting menu ($65) for dinner. Also choose a brunch tasting ($45) offered on Sundays only from 11-2:30pm. Juniper’s able to accommodate most dietary preferences with notice.

Lenoir: 1807 South First, Austin, Texas 78704

Note: Unclear if Lenoir is still offering their prix fixe during COVID.

This prix fixe menu is so indulgent and such a steal for just $45! With an ever-changing menu focused on seasonal ingredients with a touch of French cooking, you get your choice of 3 dishes and the option to add more for $10 each. Afterward, grab a glass of wine and head out to Lenoir’s wine garden to relax in the evening air! Pro Tip: Be sure to make a reservation in advance as seating is limited.

Lenoir Prix Fixe Menu

Otoko: 1603 South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 787404

Otoko is a 12-seat Japanese restaurant created by one of Austin’s most-known chefs, Paul Qui, James Beard award medalist and Top Chef winner. In collaboration with Chef Yoshi Okai, who heads Otoko daily, the restaurant offers a multi-course omakase experience, blending ‘Tokyo-style sushi and Kyoto-style kaiseki into a unique tasting menu.’ The menu is based on ingredient availability and seasonality. Reservations are required through Tock and are released on the first of every month. Otoko has multi-course Kyoto-style kaiseki experience is $175 per guest.

Revue at The Fairmont: 101 Red River Street, Austin, Texas 78701

Note: Brunch appears to be suspended during COVID.

A brunch buffet plus endless entree options make Revue an awesome brunch spot for you and a date or a group of friends! They have a full raw bar, classic breakfast options, a dessert spread wtih candy bar, and their endless entrees include the fluffiest Belgian waffles, a gooey molten lava chocolate chip cooking and endless coffee. Add a mimosa for $2 or fresh green juice for $4

Salt Lick: 18300 FM 1826, Driftwood, Texas 78619 or 3350 East Palm Valley Boulevard, Round Rock, Texas 78665

You can get your BBQ fix at either the Driftwood or Round Rock Salt Lick locations with their all-you-can-eat Family Style offering which includes brisket, sausage, pork ribs and sides for $28.95. If you head to the original Driftwood location, remember it’s cash only!

Salt Lick – Driftwood

Uchi & Uchiko: 801 South Lamar, Austin, Texas 78701 and 4200 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78756

Uchi and it’s sister restaurant, Uchiko, by executive chef Tyson Cole, both offer contemporary Japanese sushi along with unique hot & cold dishes. Each restaurant offers a chef’s tasting menu featuring fresh, seasonal ingredients. The Uchi tasting menu has three options — a 10-course or 6-course chef tasting which includes both meat, fish & vegetable tastings, or a vegetarian tasting while Uchiko offers a 10-course or a 5-course tasting menu. Pricing for tasting at both Uchi and Uchiko vary at market price. This meal is definitely more of an indulgent but it’s a unique experience with sophisticated, Japanese flavors.

Wink: 1014 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78703

A notable wine bar, Wink offers multiple tasting options (chef, seafood, and vegetarian, varying from 5 to 7 courses) all of which can be paired with wine for an additional cost. The Wink tasting menu includes seafood, steak, tartare, Texas cheese plate and more! My tip, start with a crisp glass of bubbly then dive into the menu!

Have you had the opportunity to indulge in any of Austin’s Best Prix Fixe & Tasting Menus If so, I’d love for you to share your review in the comments!

Do you know any other of Austin’s Best Prix Fixe & Tasting Menus that I missed? If so, leave the name in the comments and I’ll happily update this post so it becomes a more comprehensive list.

austin

A dedicated list rounding up Austin’s best acaí bowls for your spooning pleasure brought to you in collaboration with the Austin Food Blogger’s Alliance annual City Guide.

This post was updated on April 3, 2021

So, in no particular order, I introduce to you, my Guide to Austin’s Best Acaí Bowls!

This Fall, skip the the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte and drink these local Austin lattes instead!

Stouthaus Mulling Spice Latte

Greater Goods Tiger Latte

Summer Moon Autumn Moon Latte

Curcuma Golden Mylk Latte

Barley Swine’s summer tasting menu just might be the best meal I’ve ever had. If you do one thing this summer, experience this seasonal menu.

Here’s a look at our meal highlights, though to be honest, every dish was STELLAR.

Summer tasting menu desserts

If you’re interested in the summer tasting menu, you can grab the summer Barley Swine tasting at a steal for $65 if you visit Sunday-Thursday between 5-6pm (normally $95). I highly recommend reservations.

A city guide to Austin’s Best Old Fashioneds. It includes traditional Old Fashioneds as well as a few unique takes on the classic drink. Try them all and let me know which tops your list.

This post was updated on April 3, 2021.

Ramen has exploded in popularity and is a true foodie obsession. Except with all the hype, I find ramen to be seriously underwhelming. Read on to find out why.

I know, are you shocked? I mean, I did create an Austin city guide to ‘The Best Bowls of Ramen‘

Its savory broth isn’t so great

But I do like the eggs!

This Harvest Hash is inspired by the hash served at Picnik in Austin. It’s a meal full of cozy Autumn flavors and seasonal produce like apples, maple, sweet potatoes and sprouts! It’s perfect for a hearty breakfast.

I wanted my hash to be everyday-accessible and a dish that could be made in large portions to reheat over the course of the week.

So how’d it turn out? DELICIOUS!

Even before it’s opening, The Brewer’s Table was one of Austin’s most anticipated restaurants of 2018. After a visit for brunch and dinner, it’s lived up to the pre-opening hype and is a sure contender for the city’s best new restaurant.

Atmosphere

Drinks

Food

Deviled Eggs

Summer Bean & Barley Salad

Fried Chicken Sandwich

Snacks for the Table

Hearth Bread

Chicken Paprikash

Green Tomato and Blue Crab Parfait

Whipped Chocolate Mousse

Ice Cream Cone

Final Thoughts

Snap Kitchen’s new flexible meal planning service allows you to easily customize meal plans to fit your lifestyle while still giving you the freedom to cook the meals you enjoy the most at home.

Planning to eat healthy is easy with Snap Kitchen!

Snap Kitchen helps me reach my daily macro goals

The variety of Snap Kitchen food keeps me satisfied

I still enjoy cooking at home

Friday night, <3M and I stopped by Austin’s newest Eastside restaurant, Suerte, to check out the masa-based menu. I had no doubt we’d love this new Mexican restaurant from Odd Duck alum Sam Hellman-Mass! We enjoyed a great meal and the cocktails & wine list were top notch.

In collaboration with Austin Food Blogger Alliance’s annual #ATXBestEats Austin City Guide, this round-up of Austin’s Best Prix Fixe and Tasting Menus includes the most delicious menus Austin has to offer!

Updated April 3, 2021, availability subject to restaurant COVID protocols. Advised to please call restaurants to confirm offerings and pricing.

Footer