Posts Tagged ‘Torchy’s Tacos’

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FREE freaky foodie events, August 27-28


2011
08.26

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Posted in Events, Food, Freebies, Groceries, Music, Restaurants, Weird | No Comments »

Two great FREE freaky foodie events happening this weekend as the temps continue to soar… like the bats under the Congress Avenue Bridge!

Coincidentally, one of those events is the Austin Bat Fest, which has teamed up with Night of the Bat for a day-long celebration of Austin’s favorite local beasties. (Sorry, armadillo, but I don’t see YOU having a day dedicated to your honor. What’s up with that, anyway?)

Hit up the Congress Avenue Bridge this Saturday, August 27 from 1 PM until midnight for live music, a bat costume contest (8:15 pm), and–of course!–TV’s Batman, Adam West. There will be plenty of food and drink from local faves like Best Wurst, Boomerang’s Pies, Rita’s Italian Ice and more, and you can shop ’til you drop with local vendors.

And for those who love hot sauce as much as they love our hot weather, you won’t want to miss the Austin Chronicle’s Hot Sauce Festival this Sunday, August 28 from 11 AM to 5:30 PM at Waterloo Park. This event is almost-free, as entry is just $3, or you can donate 3 cans of food to the Capital Area Food Bank instead.

While you’re sucking back hot sauce from restaurants, bottlers and even gifted home chefs, be sure to purchase a few raffle tickets for the Sizzling Summer Raffle prize packages. We’re not sure what’s in ‘em, exactly, but at $1 a pop or 6 for $5, all proceeds go to the CAFB and enable them to provide $5 worth of nutritious food to Texas families for every $1 ticket sold. Holy burning biscuits, Batman!

In addition to screamingly hot sauces, local restaurants like Aster’s Ethiopian Restaurant, Curra’s Grill, Matt’s Famous El Rancho, Santa Rita Tex Mex Cantina, and Torchy’s Tacos will be slinging their best dishes and bands like Bright Light Social Hour, La Guerrilla, Foot Patrol, Moonlight Social and Schmillion will be blasting the sweet beats. Come for the hot sauce, stay for the party, and be sure to keep cool out there: this weekend is supposed to be 110 degrees, and no rain in sight.

Enjoy your last summer weekend, Austin, and we’ll catch you on the flip side.

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Blogathon ATX – Saturday, August 28


2010
08.26

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Posted in Events | No Comments »

The first-ever Blogathon ATX is happening this Saturday, August 28, and I’m really excited about attending this (FREE!) event. They’re going to be serving up free food and beverages (thanks to Torchy’s Tacos, Jason’s Deli, Austin’s Pizza and Casa Brasil), and offering free wifi and computers to get your blog on, down at the super-cool co-working space, Conjectured. All in all, it looks like it’s going to be a good time!

Big-deal sponsors like Mashable have been rounded up by the lovely IleenieWeenie, the event’s organizer, and plenty of cupcakes will be on hand, thanks to local bakeries Lux Bakery & Cafe and The Cupcake Bar. T-shirts will be available for $12 a pop from Pinqued, and photos of the event will be snapped by Lori Luza of As You Wish Photography.

Tickets (and waiting-list tickets!) are all sold out, but they’ve recently added tickets for their Happy Hour, where free drinks from Treaty Oak Rum, Graham’s Texas Tea and TabbedOut will be served up (did I mention they’re TOTALLY FREE?!). Mix and mingle with the hardcore bloggers who stick it out to the day’s party-hearty end, and enjoy the musical stylings of Gina Chavez.

Sound like fun? Hit up the Eventbrite page to score your FREE ticket, and I’ll see you there!

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Greening Austin Daily


2010
02.23

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Posted in Recipes | No Comments »

Hey Shoestringers! I just found out about an awesome new blog called Greening Austin Daily, which is offering tips and tricks to Austinites looking for fun and practical ways to go green. They’ve recently posted about everything from “It’s My Park Day” (coming up on March 6), my new fave Torchy’s Tacos, and the actual launch (at long last!) of the CapMetro rail line—which is apparently going to be free to riders during its first week of service next month.

Definitely add this blog to your hit list, as it’s chock full of information on how to get groovy and get your green on right here in Austin, and it’s not at all preachy or warrior-vegan in its approach. Bloggers and BFFs Katherine and Carsi even bust out their tasty recipes every Tuesday, like the Double Broccoli Quinoa that I’ve got to try with the rest of the quinoa I’ve got squirrelled away in my cupboard. Broccoli + avocado = winner in my book.

Got any other awesome Austin blogs you’d like to share with the Shoestring Austin crew? Get in touch and we’ll swap links!

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Torchy’s Tacos


2010
02.19

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Posted in Restaurants | 2 Comments »

Celebrity Intern didn’t want to go check out Torchy’s Tacos, originally, because he claims he can “make a mean taco, like the concentrated essence of 1,000 Mexican chefs.” (I must give him that he does cook up a mighty fine taco, even though he is handicapped by his non-Mexican heritage.) Despite, the truly horrible parking, I was starving to death after a long study session day of hunting down obscure noir films at the Fine Arts library, and insisted we go.

After several attempts at parking, involving much hand-waving and finger-lifting at various psychotic Austin drivers (seriously, the 2801 Guadalupe location is a nightmare at rush hour), we were able to leave the BBT safely behind and head inside.

The atmosphere sucked, but on the plus side, the music was loud enough to drown out the cacophony of several half-retarded UT students in Uggs.

We were delightfully surprised by the tacos themselves. We got them to go, as we couldn’t stomach the crowd and its relentless burnt-orange tides. Upon unwrapping, we found our tacos slathered in fresh cilantro—the mark of deliciousness.

Celebrity Intern and I ordered three tacos amongst us: the Baja Shrimp, the Democrat and the Beef Fajita Taco. After devouring my Democrat (shredded beef barbacoa, onion, queso fresco, avocado, cilantro, lime and green sauce), I demanded half of the shrimp taco. Celebrity Intern was loathe to let go, but I wrenched it from his paw and took a bite. Sublime, the fresh snap of the shrimp! The egg-roll reminiscence of the cooked cabbage! The perfect spiciness of the pickled onions and jalapenos! I think I had a mouthgasm.

Celebrity Intern remarked that his Beef Fajita had “glorious, charred strips of beef,” so much so that although he hates grilled peppers, he didn’t even notice their presence amongst the cheese and the pico.

We both wanted to go back for another round. Or five. Torchy’s, we salute you and your Damn Good Tacos.