All the way from Aspen, the buzz on hopdoddy burger bar is loud. So obviously it was one of my first stops as soon as I got back to town. In the old Cissi’s Market spot on South Congress, hopdoddy burger bar is serious about meat but whimsical without being cheeky everywhere else. Great vibe, and it…
Tag: gourmet
Austin: Spice Shop Grand Opening (by the numbers)
For the longest time, I didn’t really get the spice thing. I’m slow to the cooking game, and I never understood why people went nuts for Penzey’s in Dallas … I didn’t even know Central Market had bulk spices (awesome!) until this year. But people, spices are awesome. They make boring things amazing and amazing…
Weekend Summer Sweat (lots ‘o Crawfish Boils)
While there’s an official event called Summer Sweat, I figured it was a most apropos title for the events I am about to post for you: hanging out outdoors in the fine city of Austin, under the blazing sun of our first above-90-degree weekend. Hello, summer! First, the Farmer’s Market From Austin Farm to Table:…
Four Seasons Lunchtime Spa Retreats
Lunch hour is the perfect time to re-energize the work day with a quick workout, walk around the lake, or meeting with a friend. Now the Four Seasons is throwing a new plan into the mix: a little R& R plus a deluxe Four Seasons boxed lunch. Afterward, you’ll probably have the most productive afternoon…
Twin Liquors jumps on the Spec’s/Grapevine Bandwagon
Which isn’t a bad thing. Turn shopping for liquor/beer/wine into shopping for the aforementioned plus cheese/crackers/gourmet food/chocolate and you’ve got yourself a whole afternoon–especially if it’s Friday and samples abound (hi, me, tipsy at Spec’s). The new 15,000 square foot Twin Liquors Marketplace will be in the Hancock Center, just ripe for UT students. The…
Magazine Throwdown Thursday
Are you a Tribeza girl or Austin Monthly man? Because AM is hosting not one but TWO events this Thursday, while the ‘Bez is hosting just one event, and I’m not even sure the drinks are free this time around! Two of the events are just one block apart … oh the drama! Deets: Tribeza…
Enoteca Vespaio
Crispy and doughy are generally opposites, but somehow the crust on my pizza at Enoteca Vespaio managed to be both, with a sprinkling of crunchy salt on top. It was amazing. In fact, the whole pizza was absurdly delicious, in a decadent, can’t-eat-it-every-day way. I mean, I could eat Mangia every day and die happy…
From Ultra Lounge to Cookie Lounge
You know Austin is big when we have an Ultra Lounge (Pangaea) AND a Cookie Lounge. One of the top 10 pastry chefs in the nation, Mark Chapman, former executive pastry chef at the Driskill, schemed up Cookie Lounge as a customizable cookie shop and delivery service. Here’s the main draw: customers choose from six…