Posts Tagged ‘pizza’

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The best of Austin’s cheap eats


2012
02.28

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While most of the tastiest and cheapest eats in Austin are undoubtedly found right in my own kitchen, once in a while even the most dedicated of shoestring budgeteers has to venture forth in search of sustenance slung by a stranger. Whether you’re looking for tacos, treats or the truly bizarre, Austin has a variety of inexpensive restaurants and food trucks that cater to the budget lifestyle.

Here are just a few of my favorites from around town, along with links to our more detailed write-ups.

  • Ice cream at Amy’s Ice Cream – Celebrity Intern and I will argue about this one all day, because he loves his Häagen-Dazs (and I can’t lie, so do I), but Amy’s definitely gives our supermarket fave a run for its money, especially when someone says “Vanilla is vanilla, what’s so special about—MMMMMM!” after tasting their Mexican Vanilla; their seasonal specials and rotating daily offerings will keep you coming back for more
  • Beanitos chips and Texas-Texas salsa (available at H-E-B, Whole Foods and Central Market) – a tasty, healthy alternative to corn chips, all made locally!
  • Iced mocha at Epoch Coffee – the best iced mocha in Austin really hits the spot on a 105-degree day
  • Fresh Plus Grocery – this place is so mom-and-pop that they don’t yet have a website, but their prices on upscale food items like gourmet cheeses, wines and beer plus amazingly fresh and beautiful fruits and veggies make stopping at any of their three locations (Hyde Park, Clarksville and a brand-new Allandale store) a delicious adventure for the home chef on a budget
  • Hot chocolate at Caffé Medici – it’s on the pricy side, but it’s well worth it for the smoothest, creamiest hot chocolate in town (the secret is a homemade chocolate sauce, which the barista is on pain of death never to reveal to nosey food bloggers like me)
  • Salgadinhos at Rio’s Brazilian – I still don’t know how to properly pronounce these dealios, but they’re savory stuffed pastries kind of like a Hot Pocket but about a billion times tastier
  • Pho at Saigon Kitchen – choose from fatty or lean meat, or get a crazy mixture of both and build your own soup sensation
  • Breakfast tacos at Taco Cabana – because they’re cheap, I love their green salsa, and you can get $1 off pretty much every time you go if you fill out the survey at the bottom of your reciept, plus they’re near my house and convenience is sometimes king
  • Tacos at La Tapatia – the trip up north is worth it, as these tacos are always tender and delicious (and while you’re in the neighborhood, there’s a Half Price Books across the street worth hitting for some inexpensive reading materials)

Additional cheap eats to seek out, via Erin McReynolds, editor of Fearless Critic Austin:

Recommendations for $5 or less treats via Crystal Esquivel, author of The Food Lover’s Guide to Austin:

And Twitter recommendations from some of our followers!

  • Hill Country Pierogis (@ATXPierogiTruck)
  • Bits & Druthers – “best fish and chips in town” (@bitsanddruthers)
  • Tom’s Tabooley Thai Salad (via @aneelee)
  • Pho Saigon “large bowl of pho” (via @bearpatrol)
  • Torchy’s Tacos (via @mikegalante)
  • “Soy milk and fried dough at Asia Café only on Saturday mornings, pork bone ramen at Komé for lunch only” (via @pwang)
  • Hopfields – “French-style street food” (via @jen_stamps)

So tell us, what’s YOUR favorite cheap eatery in town?

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2011 Hunger Awareness Project


2011
05.04

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My fellow bloggers from the Austin Food Blogger Alliance have joined forces with the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas to get schooled on hunger. Using the SNAP program’s $16 minimum pay-out for qualified recipients, CAFB has provided us a blogging challenge: make something inexpensive and healthy with foods you can either purchase on $16 or month or find at a typical Texas food bank.

As you can probably guess, this is quite the challenge! $16 is not a lot of money, and many Austinites regularly drop this amount on lunch daily. But what about those who have to scrimp and save to make ends meet?

Shoestring Austin’s first contribution to the blogging challenge was our Taking Top Ramen Further post, using a common supermarket ingredient (ramen) that costs mere pennies, and bumping up its overall healthiness with frozen veggies. Not much more expensive than your average ramen bowl, but far more satisfying to eat and definitely better for you.

Next up, we shared our basic homemade pizza recipe, featuring one of our sneakiest tricks: you don’t have to spend all day making dough. That’s right, a thin-crust pizza built on a store-bought soft tortilla tastes just as good as one with a big, bulky crust, and baking it in your oven (or toaster oven) only takes about 12 minutes. The rest is just prepping your toppings — no problem!

We’re going to continue to roll out more inexpensive, easy-to-make recipes throughout the month of May, keeping this special blogging challenge in mind. Stay tuned for more of our tips and tricks for creating great, healthy meals, and be sure to check out my fellow bloggers’ posts at the CAFB website. Don’t forget to share your favorite inexpensive recipes with all of us!

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Lazy Sundays: Kickin’ it at Epoch Coffee


2011
04.17

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As a former (perhaps even “recovering”) New Yorker, the thrill of the 24-hour coffeehouse is engrained in my brain as A Good Thing. Probably not a Martha Stewart-y “good thing,” since these places tend to be full of the types of weirdos and miscreants who need coffee and cheesecake at 3 in the morning. You know, the artists and derelicts of society, i.e. my kind of people.

Still, the lure of destinations that are open at all hours of the day or night makes me feel like I’m in the right place, that even if I am wide awake for no apparent reason, and just need someplace to go air out my temporary insomnia, I won’t feel like a complete and total freak who is wandering in the darkness, clutching a notebook, and feeling a little bit lost.

Sometimes, a 3 AM coffee is just what you need to feel like a human being again. Or stare at a few until you do…

So now that I know that Epoch Coffee is a 24-hour joint, I like it even more than I already did!

The first thing I noticed about Epoch was, actually, something unrelated to the coffeeshop itself. A yard art installation across the street caught my eye when I first pulled up to the joint. This particular art project is a giant panda head “impaled” on some type of (flag?) pole, which has been painted blood red at one end. Apparently this panda head is some type of father/son art project, and the expression on the head will change according to moods, seasons or other randomness. Or so local legend has it.

I only had my crappy cell phone camera on me, so I didn’t get any sweet snaps of the panda head, but if anyone’s got any photos of this uniquely Austin yard art please get in touch!

As for Epoch itself, I’ve sucked down their delightful Iced Mocha twice now, and would highly recommend it to coffee lovers on a hot summer day. The second time I ordered it, I was even asked whether I’d prefer Dutch or Mexican chocolate, and went with Mexican for a cinnamon kick. Seriously: screw the “Mocha Frappuccino” at the Evil Empire–this frosty beverage kicks its ass!

If you’re looking for some eats, they’ve got baked goods from the Upper Crust Bakery, sandwiches and wraps from The Green Cart, and pizza from East Side Pies. Haven’t tried any of these myself, but I’ve heard good things.

Conveniently located in the same groovy mini-mall as Blue Velvet (vintage clothing) and Breakaway Records, you can shop ’til you drop or linger on the patio for a while. Take advantage of their free wifi and get some work done, or just chill with your homies on a Lazy Sunday afternoon. Seriously, what’s not to love about this place?

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Paradise Pizza


2010
05.01

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There’s a new kid on the block when it comes to Austin pizza, and its name is Pizza Paradise. Located at 1921 Cedar Bend, with delivery to Austin’s north side, this pizza parlor isn’t quite the slice of heaven its name implies, but it’s not exactly crap on a stick, either.

Celebrity Intern and I sampled their wares on a lazy Sunday evening when we didn’t quite feel like cooking. We called up, ordered a Chicken Bacon Bleu pizza (large), but were flummoxed by the fact that our phone order-taker informed us that they could only do a thin crust for medium sizes and smaller. Jigga-what? What diff does it make what size the pie? Serious. In NYC, this shit would be no probs, bobs.

Anyhoozle, we said “OK, whatevs,” and had them send out a large pie. We got it within the 40 minute predicted period, and the delivery dude was sweaty, but nice. Granted, he did have to climb 3 flights of stairs to reach us. And called to ask where the eff we were, in relation to the tennis courts (ed note: we ARE way hidden in our complex, and expect these types of frantic phone calls). We tipped generously, and then commenced to chow down!

The nomming was tasty, though not quite the Chicken Bacon Bleu of our dreams. Celebrity Intern complained about the lack of bleu cheese in every bite, and I felt it was somehow too much, yet not enough simultaneously. Perhaps it was the salt content? Rich, but ultimately not satisfying. Celebrity Intern pointed out that the chicken chunks were uniformly rectangular, a suspicious strike against them.

They are no Austin’s Pizza. No offense: the toppings that are there are plentiful, no doubt, but sub-par in quality. The bleu cheese was probably just some moldy cheese they had lying around. It was “clearly out of a can, or perhaps a sack,” according to Celebrity Intern. The bacon was tasty, though super salty.

We would like to see Pizza Paradise go whole-hog with their claims of greatness. Paradise = heaven! Let’s see some hustle, Pizza Paradise.

Overall grade: C-, or 3.2 out of 5 stars.

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Guest Post: Angry Monkey Butler!


2010
02.17

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This review comes courtesy of my intern/Angry Monkey Butler. Observe his rage!

so, when you order a pizza, do you then have “reasonable expectations” as to when said “order” should arrive? hmmmm well in the deep dark case of red brick pizza (tech ridge location) it’s left to the ether. when, maybe … YES… hmm… grrr, NO! do they offer an alternative? no. do they tell you about billing (online) when you have selected your wares? ummm, NO. do they EVER deliver a pizza? well, if that day ever comes i pity the delivery guy. will he scuttle back to base with tales of my blacklisted ass-hole-io-ness?? most certainly. i order a pizza, i get confirmation of said pizza, i wait for pizza, i call the outlet and ??? 2.5 hours later but NO pizza!? also no explanation. no “customer service.” nada. i mean, i could just go to HEB and get that kind of abuse WITH  my purchase. i wonder, what do you offer to the consumer, “red brick oven”??? i can always get a kick in the @#@$@ from the IRS. you lost your only chance. i hate you.

I concur with his findings: Red Brick Pizza SUCKS. Also, their number is apparently listed incorrectly both on the flyer we received AND in the “confirmation email” that told us our pizza was being processed. Who DOES that?!

UPDATE: 22 FEBRUARY 2010

After forwarding a copy of this guest post to Red Brick Pizza via their online contact form, we received a voicemail message (duh, we screen all our calls) from someone claiming to be in charge of this joint, asking us to please return the call so he could apologize personally. We were a bit flabbergasted by this request, seeing as there was no particular incentive to do so (i.e. there were no mentions of a free pizza, in exchange for the one owed us), and thus have chosen not to respond.

As an aside, here are some helpful hints for those making phone apologies to us in the future: be sincere, leave an actual apology in your voicemail (i.e. don’t ask us to make the effort to follow up when you were the one who screwed up!), and make us a deal!

Perhaps there’s a free pizza out there with our names on it, but Angry Monkey Butler and I don’t particularly care, at this point. As my mama used to say: First impressions are often last impressions, Red Brick Pizza. Why don’t you go carve that on your tombstone, cus you’re dead to me!

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Hut’s Hamburgers


2009
12.13

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I found Hut’s Hamburgers quite by accident. I was downtown, starving my ass off, and right on 6th Street. Up ahead, a shining beacon: Hut’s Hamburgers! I love me some all-beef patties, so—badda boom, badda bing—I stepped inside and was instantly transported back in time.

Outside of Hut's Hamburgers (photo via hutsfrankandangies.com)

I’m not sure what era, exactly, Hut’s is currently channeling, but the place has been around since 1939, so there’s plenty of memorabilia to gawk at. Penants from all manner of university teams, photos signed by famous sports heros and celebrities, Texas license plates, neon lights, a longhorn steer’s head, and a big woolly buffalo head. While you wait for your food, you’ll likely find yourself wondering where all this stuff came from, how long it’s been there, and what the story behind it all could be.

Inside, Hut's Hamburgers (photo via hutsfrankandangies.com)

But then you’ll get your juicy burger, with all manner of unusual condiments and fixin’s, and all of your concentration will be diverted toward enjoying it to the fullest—while it lasts. Those burgers are often devoured as fast as they’re placed on the table, so be prepared! Plus, they’ll put everything but the kitchen sink on there, if you want it. (Actually, they’ve even got a “Sink Burger” on the menu.) Chili, jalapeños, various cheeses from Swiss to Cheddar to Bleu, mushrooms, guacamole, even pineapple, my friends. Plus all the usual suspects like mustard, mayo, ketchup and (my favorite) delicious salty bacon. God bless America, and Texas for spicing things up!

In my opinion, the best burger on the menu is the “Mr. Blue,” a delightful mix of bleu cheese crumbles with dressing, Swiss cheese, lettuce, bacon and one of Hut’s Texas-bred longhorn-beef patties. Grass-fed, hormone-free, this beef is some of the best, and with these simple but classic toppings, it’s a surefire winner. Another one I’m tempted by is the “Milner’s Mushroom Burger,” with thick, creamy mushroom sauce and grated cheese. And you can’t go wrong with the all-American classics like the “Hut’s Favorite” (mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, bacon and American cheese), “The Dagburger” (double the meat plus mayo, lettuce, tomatoes and American cheese), or the aptly-named “All American Buddy Holly Burger” (mayo, mustard, onions, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes and American cheese).

If you’re feeling wild and crazy, and have somehow wound up at Hut’s without a craving for a juicy burger (are ye MAD?!), the menu also offers all manner of fast-food eats, from hot dogs and grilled cheese to southern-style Po’ Boys, NYC-style Reubens and pure Texas chili. For dinner, there are also plate specials on chicken-fried steaks, fried chicken, meat loaf and catfish on Fridays (the menu states “while supplies last,” which makes me wonder how fast catfish goes in Texas, anyway). Grab a soup and a salad if you’re on a diet, and be sure to save room for dessert, cus they’ve got old-fashioned milkshakes, Coke and root-beer floats, fudge brownies and a Brownie Blitz—one of their fudge brownies blended into a milkshake and topped with whipped cream. Yum!

As far as specials go, this one’s tops: On Wednesdays, from 6-10 PM, Hut’s offers a “happy hour” on all their burgers, where you can get two of the same type for the price of one. Yowza! For vegetarians, you can get the same deal on Monday nights as well (but only on veggie burgers). More good news for vegetarians: All of their veggie burgers are made in-house, fresh, and never frozen.

I’m glad I stopped by, as Hut’s is one of those places I’ll return to again and again, trying something different every time. Plus, it’s a great place to people-watch (especially during the lunchtime rush) or take a trip down memory lane. Although I’m not old enough to remember the 1950s, I do remember going to a similar 1950s-esque joint in Chicago when I was a kid. Portillo’s is now a chain throughout the Chicagoland area, while Hut’s remains at its’ original location, but the vibe at each was the same: good food, good prices, and plenty of atmosphere. Just what I like from my nostalgia-laden fast-food eateries. Dig it!

P.S. Be sure to check out their sister restaurant, the Italian Frank & Angie’s, just behind Hut’s if you’re in the mood for pizza and pasta, or a nice Francis Ford Coppola wine.

ADDRESS: 807 West 6th Street
PHONE: 512-472-0693
ONLINE: hutsfrankandangies.com

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Austin thin-crust pizza round-up


2009
12.01

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As the New Girl in town, I’ve been ordering a lot of pizza. I’m busy setting up a new apartment, trying to find a job, and just can’t be arsed to cook sometimes between the laundry and the blogging and the trying to find a decent damn dollar store where stuff actually costs only one dollar. I’m sure this happens to everyone. (Maybe not the dollar store thing.) Of course, being the New Girl, I also have no idea which places are good for delivery-style pizza. And, man, can this be a problem when it shows up at my door looking all sorry and smushed.

"Home Slice of My Heart" (photo by Flickr user FilmNut)

I’ve tried my share of the U.S. chains over the years, and while I seemed to recall Papa John’s being pretty good back in the days when I lived at my parents’ place and we actually had to pull a Seinfeld-esque scam to get them to deliver to us (the cut-off for delivery to our area was literally the house next door; we would give their address and sit in the driveway with the cash), it seems their wares haven’t withstood the test of time. Either that or I’m getting picky in my old age, but I’d like to think a cardboard-like crust has never qualified as a pizza.

Still, Papa’s got locations everywhere and you can order online, which is something a phone-phobic weirdo like me can appreciate. As some say, bad pizza’s like sex: even when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good.

I don’t typically share that opinion, however—not outside of NYC, anyway—so I’ve been on the hunt for a more satisfying pie. I gave Gatti’s a try, but was similarly disappointed in their thin crust. Their toppings, however, delighted me more than Papa John’s, and you can also order online. (Seems to be a trend here in town, which I applaud. Now if they’d just take Paypal…) Smoked provolone cheese on a pizza? Nice touch, boys. You’ve got goombatz.

After I got a hot tip from my banker, I hit up Austin’s Pizza. Of the thin-crust pizzerias in town, so far I’ve enjoyed Austin’s the most. Now, you can order online here, but it seems my credit card has expired (this after my fuggin’ bank just sent me a replacement card a month ago; nice job, maroons!), so I had to do it the old-fashioned way and call. The gal I spoke to was friendly and polite and gave me the same price they quoted me online, which includes a $2 delivery fee. I’ve noticed most of the joints around here have this fee, which ranges from about two to four bucks a pie, and it makes me wonder: does this mean I should leave out the tip for the delivery guy? Or is this just another way to jack up the price?

Anyway, Austin’s was smooth. You can get a small or a large (10 or 14″), build your own or pick from some of their tried-and-true selections. The Californian with grilled chicken, spinach, Roma tomatoes, red onions, garlic and cheddar cheese was calling my name, but I ultimately opted for a DIY mushroom + “breakfast bacon” (as opposed to “Canadian bacon”—which Canadians actually refer to as “back bacon”) + Jack cheddar cheese/mozzarella concoction that hit the spot. Nice thin crust, not at all cardboard-y (score!), plenty of cheese, salty bacon, and decent mushroom spread. Could’ve used a bit more from the topping distribution (I find Austin pizzerias to be a bit chintzy on the toppings in general), but it was definitely the tastiest thin-crust pie I’ve had thus far.

Oh: I was also terribly tempted to throw in one of their Butter’s Brownies, described as “A locally-made chocolate chip square of heaven, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the Donna Hicken Foundation for women living with breast cancer, and the Mayo Clinic.” I mean, chocolate heaven AND donating to breast cancer? That’s hot! Alas, I did not give into this temptation, but perhaps next time. I do love me some brownies.

Giordano's: the One True Chicago Deep-Dish pizza!

I should add that I’ve also tried Conan’s Pizza, but I’m waiting on another suggestion from the Foodie Banker to compare and contrast their “Chicago style” with another in town. As a born-’n'-raised Chicagoan (okay, okay: I’m really from the western suburbs, but eff off, willya?), I’ve got hometown pride about the proper way to build an authentic Chicago deep-dish pizza. And obviously, Giordano’s is the One True Chicago Deep-Dish, but since they have yet to set up shop here in Austin, I’m giving the locals a chance to prove themselves.

So, any suggestions for a worthy pie—deep-dish or thin-crust? Knock my socks off!

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Alamo Drafthouse


2009
11.19

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I knew when I moved to Austin that I had to check out the Alamo Drafthouse movie theaters. The concept is simple: it’s a movie theater that also serves up booze. I’d heard Chicago has a similar concept happening, but Austin’s Alamo blows this out of the water. Not only do they serve alcohol and the standard popcorn and Junior Mints, but they’ve also got a full menu for those who like to take dinner and a movie all at the same location.

Alamo Drafthouse Ritz (photo via Alamo Drafthouse)

Alamo Drafthouse Ritz (photo via Alamo Drafthouse)

At first, you might wonder if all this chowing down and ordering during the films might turn a rowdy crowd loose, with NYC-style yelling at the screen encouraged. Luckily, the rules are simple and spelled out for newbies by groovy waitstaff: write your order on the slip of paper and place it standing up in the designated pocket. The waiter will come by to take and deliver your order silently, and will place a bill on the narrow table to pay before you leave. Warnings from Homestar Runner are also played onscreen to remind the audience to shut the heck up, turn off cell phones, and refrain from rowdy behavior. Sweet!

For those who do like to talk back to the screen, there’s another bonus: the Alamo’s Quote-Alongs and Sing-Alongs. Seen Ferris Bueller’s Day Off so many times you can quote the whole thing from start to finish? Lucky for you, there’s Quote-Along night, where “you’re *required* to yell out your favorite lines, stand up and dance to the best songs from the soundtrack, and play with a series of props that are handpicked for most movies.” For all those who’ve ever seen (and loved) the cult-classic Grandma’s Boy, there’s an upcoming Quote-Along scheduled for December 24. Even if you’re way too baked to drive to the Devil’s house and have a robot vagina, you won’t want to miss this one, Grey Bush.

As the type of person who likes to comment aloud on movies (especially the really bad ones), I’m pretty stoked about the Quote-Alongs, as well as their Weird Wednesdays (where only $1 gets you in) and monthly Dionysium debates (for those who like to get their think on). If you’re a hard-working member of the service industry, you also get a break on Monday-night movies, pizza and pints. Nice!

The menu varies from one Drafthouse to the next (there are four locations in total), but all feature movie-themed menu items such as “The Breakfast Club” (lettuce, tomato, smoked bacon and a fried egg on sourdough with chipotle mayo) and the “Royale With Cheese Burger” (an Angus patty with lettuce, tomato, onions, cheddar cheese, bacon and chipotle mayo). When I hit up the Alamo’s Village location, I tried one of their white wines during a viewing of Where the Wild Things Are. It was kind of surreal to be watching a kid’s book that had been made into a movie for adults whilst drinking wine as a few rugrats got scared to death a few seats over.

The only negative thing I can really say about the Alamo Drafthouse is that if you drink half a bottle of wine while you watch a movie, you’re probably going to have to use the bathroom about halfway through. This isn’t a big deal when you’re watching flicks at home and can just pause the DVD, but it’s a bit annoying to have to sneak out, pee, and come back to your seat. I guess this is probably why most theaters don’t serve alcohol. But then again, they do serve those giant 48-ounce sodas, so what do I know?

All in all, the Alamo Drafthouse is definitely my favorite cinema in Austin, and one of my top hangouts overall. Check it out and bask in one of the ways locals like to Keep Austin Weird.