What a find! I'd never been to Sperry before, but I started hearing a buzz about a brand new restaurant with good comfort food, so I talked Grumpy into going on a little excursion. It took us about forty minutes to get there from the Woodland Hills Mall area, so plan your hunger accordingly. Also remember, it's not fast food. Everything is made to order and from scratch.
We decided to reward our patience by ordering chicken fried. CFS for him, chicken for me, then we cut them in half and shared. Isn't that what old married couples do? He opted for sides of onion rings and sliced tomatoes. I had traditional mashed potatoes and gravy and corn. Both plates came out beautiful. The picture of what good chicken-fried should look like. Not even a bit greasy. The steak was impossibly tender, unlike most CFS. The batter was crisp and seasoned basically with black pepper. "Momma" (well, April, the owner) talked to us after the meal and shared her secret technique, but not her recipe. I'm sure she'd be happy to share some secrets if you ask. Mostly she gave credit to her Grandmomma and Momma for "teaching her well".
After we were served, Jesse (I think that was his name, he was the awesome new day cook) came out and asked how everything was. He was worried that he might have gotten the onion rings too dark, but they were actually perfect. I love when restaurants care that much about getting it right and when they want your feedback.
How did I almost forget to talk about the gravy? Our meals came with cream gravy, but our waitress, Shirley asked us if we'd like an extra cup of gravy for dunking. Um, yes please! Ok, has anyone really ever said no to a cup of gravy? Anyway, this gravy is definitely not from a package. (I hate packaged gravy as much as I hate frozen french fries). This is real gravy. It's really good gravy. In fact, you'll say "Good gravy!" when you eat it. Even after we had finished our meal, we were still eating the gravy. April revealed to us that the chicken frieds were deep fried, so I had to ask how she made such good gravy without pan drippings. Oh, but that's secret too. Her momma just taught her right.
We ended the meal on an absolutely perfect note. We both got slices of blueberry pie with ice cream. This was the best blueberry pie I have ever had in my life. April and Jesse stopped by to chat some more and we couldn't stop gushing over the pie. It was Jesse's first time making it from April's recipe from a secret 1930s cookbook. That's all she'd give up, and I can see why. But, even with the recipe, I'll wager that few could duplicate this, particularly the crust which was tender and flaky and almost cookie-like.
Now, keep in mind we are full to the brim, but during the discussion it comes up that my hubby doesn't like catfish. April takes this as a challenge and tells us to wait while she fries up a piece of hers. She comes back with a pretty big chunk (so I feel obliged to help eat it... hee hee). Hubby does indeed like the catfish since it doesn't have any of that dirty water flavor. I am already a catfish lover, so I think I'll be ordering that next time.
Overall, such a great experience. April's love of her handed-down recipes and her staff's enthusiasm made us feel right at home. We left full and happy. Comfort food at its most comforting. Comfort food without having to do the dishes after.
On an only slightly related note, whenever I think of Chicken Fried Steak, I think of one of my favorite Sheldon quotes from Big Bang Theory. Sheldon, as you know was from Texas and the guys were surprised he knew a lot about football. He then says, "If you're interested, I also know all about frying meat that isn't chicken as if it were chicken."
One quick note: At this time Momma's not set up to take credit cards, but expects to take debit cards soon. For now, take cash or check. And, the dessert selections may vary, so if you plan to try the blueberry pie, I'd call ahead first.
How do you "celebrate" turning 45 when your husband is out of town? Did you say "wait in line for an hour and a half for barbecue"? Well, so did I. If you knew hubby, TGFM (The Grumpy Fat Man), this would make perfect sense. First of all, Franklin is a legend in Austin, and I had not yet tried it. It's been on my bucket list since I started hearing the stories of lines for miles, hours of waiting, espresso sauce, and perhaps the best pitmaster to ever walk this planet. I've heard he doesn't actually walk, he sort of hovers over the earth and a gospel choir sings when he enters a room. Yes, I bought into it. Then again, I was sort of angry at them too. It was almost unattainable. Given the obstacles, I didn't think I'd ever get to try it. a) It's said the line is even longer on the weekends b) It's said you must get there well before they open at 11 am, c) Grumpy Fat Man doesn't like to wait in lines, he doesn't ever buy into overly-hyped food, and his motto is "Barbecue is barbecue" (something I didn't know before I married him. But, well, for better or worse.) What I needed was a free weekday, with a good excuse to treat myself, and no TGFM. The stars aligned today, January 12, 2012.
I got to Franklin and parked a block away. They do have a parking lot, and I might have been able to park closer, but there was a lot of construction and blocked roads, so I took what I saw. Time was 11:06. Temperature was just above 40 degrees. I was employing the polar bear plan. I'm from a little further north, and I've noticed Austinites start freezing when it dips below 70, so I was hoping this "frigid" weather would discourage some line-waiters. I arrived and the line was only out the door and into the first handicapped parking spot near the steps. I took a spot in line and counted. There were maybe 35 people in front of me. Everyone was bundled up in parkas. A waitress came out and offered to sell drinks (sodas or beer) to those of us in line. A man took his place in line behind me and started talking to me and the guy in front of me, who was a regular. I've never considered myself a social person, and I don't initiate conversations, but I found myself enjoying the "we're in this together" vibe. It made the time go by faster. The friendliness of people sometimes surprises me, in a good way. The Franklin expert in front of us informed us that there's a line once you get inside and it would still be another thirty minutes or so even once inside. Good to know. The line moves very sloooooooow, and it was about an hour before we got inside. But, at least at that point, we could see (and smell) the finish line.
While we were inside, the guy in front of me got a call from his wife and had to leave. He asked me for a favor. He gave me $40 to order a pound of brisket and a pound of ribs and have them put it back for him. I was to tell them it was for Gabe. I got near the counter and a girl in front of me had asked if she could get a half sausage. The cutter, Aaron Franklin himself, told her they couldn't do that because as soon as it was cut, it would start to dry out. I offered to buy the other half so she could try it, which worked out perfectly for me because I'd been waffling on whether to order sausage along with brisket and ribs. When I told Aaron I needed to order for a guy I'd just met in line, he was like "what other barbecue place can you do that? Meet a stranger in line and order for them and share a sausage with someone else?" So true. We were like a little barbecue worshipping community at this point. It takes a village.
My order: Half pound moist brisket, half pound pork ribs, half a sausage link, a single serving of beans, two kinds of barbecue sauce, and a small Texas pecan pie (made by Cake & Spoon), came to $22. All that, and I have a 45th birthday story that makes me smile.
I got back to my car at 12:55. Twenty minutes later, I was home, digging into it all.
So, was it worth it? Absolutely. The first taste of brisket was a surprise. You can taste the beef. I've had brisket I thought was divine, but the primary flavor is either smoke, or a heavy-handed bark of black pepper, which is good. But, this... this tasted like beef first, then you get the smoke and seasoning. Other moist brisket I've ordered has had bites of pure fat. I kind of like those bites, but this was a moist cut of brisket where the fat seemed to have been more evenly distributed or absorbed back into the meat. The tenderness was remarkable, especially since the brisket had travelled twenty minutes after cutting. It didn't seem to dry or toughen like some brisket will after cooling. The espresso sauce is truly special. It's more complex than any other sauce I've had, including non-barbecue sauces, like moles. I'm not sure I'd have known it had espresso if it weren't in the name. I kept tasting it, literally fascinated with the flavor, trying to employ my supertaster tongue to mad-science out the recipe in my mind. I'm still baffled. It was a tiny bit bitter, a hint of sweet, a little tang, and nothing like anything I've tasted. The first bite of white bread, brisket, and espresso sauce might have been one of the most perfect bites I've ever had. While I was in line, I watched a guy at a table put a bite in his mouth and close his eyes in a sort of reverence to it. I can see why. I will say, though, that even in small amounts, the espresso sauce kind of dominates the flavor profile, so I alternated in some bites with no sauce, to mix it up a bit.
I was about to take a picture of the meat and picked up a pork rib by the bone. The bone slid out clean. It was literal fall-off-the-bone tender. The pork flavor was delicious and the meat was melt-in-your-mouth good. I took the meat that had fallen off the bone and kind of shredded it with my fingers onto another slice of fresh white bread. While I had been in line, I'd watched a different guy at a table eating a rib with a knife and fork. Amateur! Anyway, I tried the regular sauce with this. I'm not sure what they call their sauces, but they have three: espresso, which is really dark; regular, which is tangy and pretty cumin-heavy; and a hot, which I didn't try. I liked the regular sauce, but it was something I could take or leave. I kept going back to the espresso sauce, then going naked (not me, the meat, but I was at home on my birthday, so you never know).
The only disappointments were the sausage and beans. I have rarely met a sausage I didn't like. <snicker>. However, I just plain disliked this. I don't know why, except that it tasted a little "off" to me. It reminded me of a venison sausage I tried once. Can pork sausage taste gamey? Anyway, my dog loved it, so no great loss. And I'm glad I didn't get a whole one. (Shout out to the girl I shared the sausage with!) The beans seemed to me to be a little undercooked and under-seasoned. The center had a sort of "dry bean" flavor. Again, no big loss. More tummy room for meat.
In the end, I had a great time standing in line. The Franklin folks were friendly and the barbecue was worth it. Oh, and I made about $7 for ordering for a stranger (sorry, Gabe, I tried to make them keep the change and give it to you with your order, but they wouldn't). Happy Birthday to me!
The rib that lost its bone, a little sausage, and beans. Note, this is on my own paper plate at home. If you dine in, you'll eat off the standard bbq butcher paper and a tray.
Brisket, pork ribs, sausage. Otherwise known as the three basic food groups.
Since Taqueria El Charro is in the old Fuegos spot, I somehow expected this to taste like Fuegos. My rational mind knew it wouldn't, but I'm not always rational. This wasn't like Fuegos at all. In a town with hundreds of Mexican food restaurants, this is one of them.
It was about 6:30 on a weeknight, right after the time change, so it looked like midnight outside. The place was empty and dismal. It had the vibe of an all-night diner at closing time. There was no music playing, so the only noise was the loud hum of the refrigerator next to us filled with sodas, and the swish swish of someone cleaning the grill or sweeping in the kitchen.
Our waitress was nice, but unenthusiastic. She seemed a little intimidated by us. I have no idea why. I ordered cheese enchiladas and Hubby ordered a combo with enchiladas, a taco and a chalupa. I feel like I've had this plate of cheese enchiladas at a hundred other mediocre Mexican restaurants. I blew on my enchiladas to cool them. No need. They were served lukewarm. (The worst temperature for enchiladas)
One other lone customer came in and sat at the opposite end of the restaurant while we were there. He held his head down and completed the late night diner picture. I wish I'd had a better experience, but it left me depressed. Taqueria El Charro just doesn't have the bustle of Taqueria Arandas on Burnet or the vibrance of Cheko's or the family-owned friendliness of Ramos. It was just blah.
Pizza Paradise is a solid little neighborhood pizza joint that is take-out & delivery only. The pizza's reliably good and the guys that work there are friendly and fast. Check their website for specials. They are very reasonably priced.
We usually get the Meat Eater. I love the way their little pepperonis curl up into little pepperoni cups on top. This is a special kind of pepperoni that reminds me of a childhood pizza joint. I don't know if they taste different, but they do get nice and crispy, which seems to deepen the flavor. The sausage is nice, and has a little bit of heat. They load on the toppings. If you have them add garlic, it's fresh chopped garlic, not the stuff from the jar. Hubby said their pizza reminded him of when we liked Rockin' Tomato's pizza (they went through a bad spell, but we like them again). Pizza Paradise's "specialty" is that they offer a garlic cream cheese for dipping. It's really yummy.
The crust here is a little on the thick side, compared to a New York style. But, is far from deep dish. It has a nice subtle sweet yeastiness I like.
Again, this is a solid choice for pizza if you're in their neighborhood.
Let me preface this blog with a huge disclaimer: I know very little about Indian food. I've had Indian food exactly one time before from a buffet, and it was kind of mediocre. This blog may as well be titled "A non-Indian girl describes her second experience with Indian food". Decidedly un-foodie, I know.
Bombay Bistro is casual, but very beautifully and tastefully appointed. The service is impeccable. The wait staff helps each other out, and all were so polite and attentive, yet non-intrusive. The service is on the level of a much more expensive restaurant.
The first thing they brought to the table was the complimentary giant chip and two sauces. Kind of like chips and salsa. The big chip is folded over like a taco shell and is a whole lot spicier than it looks like it will be. I was amazed at how much flavor the chip could hold, unlike other chip-like things I've had. There was a reddish colored sauce and a green sauce for dipping. I tasted the sauces, I'm hard-pressed to describe either one. They had some familiar flavors, like cumin in the red sauce and mint and cilantro in the green. But, then, they were also very different from anything else I've had.
For an appetizer, we had fried potato skins. Aloo Bhaja. All the years in Texas caused us to pronounce the "J" like an "H". The waiter very quietly corrected our pronunciation, without trying to shame us. I'm glad he did, because I will definitely order these again and I want to say it right next time. The potato skins are lightly fried in something like a tempura batter and the herbs they were seasoned with were akin to herbs found in falafel. I really enjoyed these.
One of my husband's favorite things is saag paneer. This is kind of like creamed spinach with homemade fresh cheese lumps, sort of like fresh mozzarella. Bombay Bistro's was seasoned and spiced well. There was much care in the seasoning and preparation of each dish we had, which set it apart (by miles) from my one previous experience with Indian food on a buffet.
We shared the Bombay Mixed Grill (which comes out sizzling like a fajita platter). This was delicious. The chicken was marinated, bright red and moist and reminded me of the bright red short ribs at Chinese restaurants, in that it was both sweet and salty. The lamb was a bit dry, but the flavor was nice and mellow. The shrimp were fine, but not memorable. There was a sort of Indian sausage thing (ground lamb with seasonings) that I didn't care for, but Hubby liked. The naan, oh my goodness, was so delicious, especially the pashawari naan, which was sweet with a bright red filling of nuts and raisins. Naan is cooked in a tandoor (clay oven), which allows parts of it to get a sweet char on it (like a good pizza crust). The other breads were delicious too. The plain naan was so flavored with butter, I said I felt like I was eating a pancake without the syrup. The breads and the meats complemented each other so well. We ordered way too much food, so we had plenty leftover to take home with us. We did order with wild abandon this time. But I don't know what we'd leave out on the next visit.
This recent visit to Bombay Bistro inspired my husband to stop at the bread aisle in the grocery store and ask, "Should we get some naan?" To which, I replied, singing the great Marvin Gaye hit, "Let's Get the Naan". Yeah, I'm a dork.
Any errors made in the description of the food are mine and mine alone.
Indian chips and salsa
Aloo Bhaja. Herbed fried potato skins.
Paneer Kulcha in the back. Peshawari Naan in the front. We also had plain Naan in a separate basket.
Oh, Black Sheep Lodge. There is nothing lodgey about you aside from the Banff posters on the wall. But, I forgive you the deception. This is really just one of the bars of Austin that has really good food. I like that combination, but I'll have to remember to not go on a UT game day. The noise level reminded me of The Tavern. There was a sea of burnt orange, and every so often (probably not often enough for the fans) the whole place erupted in a cheer. Except for me and Grumpy. We were there for the food.
We pulled in to meager parking in the front, but it was early in the day, and the tattoo parlor next door wasn't open yet, so we snagged a spot there. And snagged our front bumper, so be careful pulling in. Oh, and I swear there was not a sign when we went in, but when we came out, there was a sign warning us not to park there unless we were getting a tattoo. I pondered it for just a minute to make us honest.
They have a dog-friendly patio in front, with a great view of South Lamar (she says with sarcasm). The patio is practically on Lamar itself. We sat inside, at long heavily-stained and shellacked wood tables with benches, picnic style. There was a cool breeze coming in from doors left open out to the dog-friendly patio. I always marvel at the well-behaved dogs at these dog friendly restaurants. I watched one sweet-eyed German Shepherd sit calmly next to his owner, never begging for food. But his eyes begged me to throw him a corn dog bite. I wanted to.
Our waitress was really good and completely on top of things despite having to really hustle since they were pretty busy. It's exceptional service for a bar. In fact, we got exceptional service compared to some non-bars we've been to.
Knowing Grumpy's favorite things, I quickly pointed out to him that they have corn dog bites as appetizers. He volleyed back pointing out they had fried cheese curds. He knows me. We decided to get both apps, but to then split a cheeseburger. I found the corn dog bites, made from Nathan's hot dogs cut into bite-sized pieces, to be a bit too salty for my tasted, but Grumpy liked them. The cheese curds were delicious, but perhaps a bit too greasy. They weren't heavily battered. In fact, I wasn't sure if they were battered at all, or just lightly dredged in flour and corn starch. Maybe the grease just didn't get drained off well enough. The ranch dressing they serve with them was a nice consistency, but it too tasted salty to me, and I normally have a high threshhold for saltiness.
The burger was one of the best burgers I've had in Austin. And I've had 156 different burgers here. Just kidding. I did keep a count of burgers at one point, but I've lost track of the number. Not that I couldn't figure it out from the list of burgers I keep. I thought it was particularly considerate that, knowing we were sharing the burger, they served it cut down the middle for us. They also served the lettuce and tomato on the side, at my request. Their lettuce is actually field greens, which is nice.
The half-pound medium rare burger was almost perfect. The grind of the meat was perfect. It was cooked perfectly. The quality of the meat was perfect (no gristle, very juicy, good fat content). It had a backyard flavor of charcoal grilling and was seasoned lightly with only salt and pepper, letting it actually taste like a burger. We added American cheese (good choice), which continued the backyard home-grilled flavor. The bun was the only thing slightly less than perfect. It wasn't a store-bought bun, but not the bakery style I'm spoiled to. The bottom bun soaked up the beautiful pink juices without getting too mushy or disintegrating completely, but it could have been perfect with a denser bun. Fries were frozen, shoestring (McDonald's style), but freshly fried and very well seasoned.
I will definitely go back to the Lodge. I've spied several other things on the menu I expect will be good. I'll just make sure it's not on a game day. Loud cheering doesn't aid digestion. Oh my. I do sound "Fed Up" now, don't I?
Hubby: "Where are we going for dinner?" Me: "Vivo. We have a coupon." Hubby: "Where's that?" Me: "You know. Vivo. On 620. By the karaoke chicken place. We've been there before. You liked it." Hubby still looked puzzled. Me: "The place with the booby pictures. The wall of booby pictures. The booby wall." Hubby: "Oh yeah. They don't have nipples, which is weird."
So, with that sorted out, we went to Vivo on 620. We've been to the original Vivo on Manor Road and it also has booby pictures, but we sat on the beautiful patio at that one. The Vivo on 620 has a patio as well, and they've done their best with the potted plants to make it lush, but it still overlooks a parking lot. And we aren't really patio people anyway, most of the time.
This is kind of a hard place to describe. It has a weird loungy feel to it, that my Mom would likely describe as "swanky". She wouldn't be wrong, but this is Austin. So the first time we were in said swanky lounge, crammed into a half-moon booth probably meant to be romantic, but we're an old married couple, and how romantic is it to have to slide all the way around in a booth to sit by each other? Anyway, the first time we went to Vivo, there was a loud, large table with a newborn, the new parents, and the in-laws. One of the grandmothers, probably liberated by the presence of booby pictures and booze, was going on and on about breastfeeding her younger son, presumably the very embarrassed-looking college-aged kid at the table who looked like he was plotting how to skulk out unnoticed. But, not before he told a story about his brother (the new father) and an old girlfriend (not the current wife and new mother). So, honestly, as an old married couple with no news of the day to share, we sat at in the half moon looking out onto the table at which this Lifetime drama was unfolding. Most fun we've had in a long time. I'm sorry that same table of people won't be if you go.
On our most recent visit, we were seated at a table instead of a half-moon booth, which was more comfortable both socially and physically. There were quite a lot of "girl's night out" tables. Middle-aged "girls". (Hey, I'm one of them, so I'm not complaining. But, seriously, we're really annoying when we get a "girls night out", aren't we?) I didn't see any families this time, because really, you can't have the "booby wall" conversation with youngsters, can you? Oh, and they play some club-like trance music, but it sounds far away, like the real lounge is through a secret door.
The food is really delicious. I wish the place were more down to earth, and we'd probably eat there all the time. It's not expensive, it's just not always the vibe we're looking for. The chips are always freshly fried and puffy and crisp. I actually love their salsa (and I rarely eat salsa). Theirs is the kind where everything is roasted to a dark brown, then pureed. It's got some heat, so I dip carefully. But, there is a depth of flavor from the roasting that I really enjoy. We also ordered queso, and I said "I know it's just Velveeta, but it's sooooooo good." Actually, I don't know that it is Velveeta, but it is a smooth creamy cheese with a dollop of something hot and smoky in the middle. Just try to stop eating it. I dare you.
I ordered the chile enchiladas... yummy cheese enchiladas drowning in a pool of rich ancho chile gravy and smothered with more cheese. Why did I just use "drowning" and "smothered" in my food description? Foreshadowing? Will these enchiladas be the death of me? Maybe. The rich brown sauce is both familiar and unique to Vivo. It's familiar in that it reminds me of my Mom's brown gravy she makes with a pot roast. (Do they throw in some real beef stock and Kitchen Bouquet and love?) But, if you're thinking you don't want roast beef gravy on your enchiladas, these are punched up with the chile, so they still have the Tex Mex flavor you're expecting. And the cheese... oh, the cheese... Vivo takes just up to the bar where you might think it's too much cheese, but doesn't step over that line. (The line which is just shy of the cheese sticking to the roof of your mouth as you eat.) The tortillas are soft and seem to have "become one" with the cheese and the sauce. In a small way, the tortillas remind me a bit of pasta, like manicotti, when it's there holding stuff in, but has also absorbed the flavors around it. The rice and beans are also good at Vivo. They use brown rice, which I usually find pretty bland, but their rice is good and I like to eat it with the extra enchilada sauce. Their beans are particularly good here, but I can't for the life of me tell you why. Maybe they just season them better than most places.
On this last visit, the service was interesting. They are pretty good about keeping the chip basket filled because they share that duty. Food comes out when expected and the staff is nice. But, this particular tattoo-sleeved waitress on this night, kept my husband's glass full at all times and even topped off his tea, while I sat with an empty glass she pretended not to notice. Not cool. If we're going to get bad service, it better be both of us. And normally, at the end of the meal both Vivo locations have a nice tradition of bringing the ladies of the table a rose. I didn't get a rose this time. Oh well.
We ended the meal with flan, which was good, but not the greatest flan we've had. Maybe we were too full. Or maybe I had a bitter taste in my mouth from the waitress.
Yummy Chile Enchiladas. Notice how the cheese gets nice and browned on the top. I don't know why, but that single chip they put on each plate is always stale.
Creamy queso with a dollop of smokiness. Sorry about the picture quality. I took it too quick before it got molested.
Hubby's Emma's Plate with Puffy Taco and Enchiladas.
The half-moon booths are all padded in black leather and each have a spotlighted pop art picture. I'm not sure what they're saying when they put you in a padded booth.
