From Boston to Austin ... looks like we're not alone (Part 2)

A couple months ago I posted about how people are bolting from my old home state of Connecticut, whereas the reverse is true in Texas as people flood into the urban centers.  We all know Austin as an urban center is booming.  Connecticut's urban centers are not faring nearly as well.

How bad is it?  Estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau show that Connecticut's primary urban counties - Hartford, New Haven and Fairfield - lost about 20,000 people to other U.S. areas just from July 2013 to July 2014.  According to this Hartford Courant article, "Hartford ranks 20th on the list of counties with the most domestic out-migration. New Haven County ranks 22nd, and Fairfield County ranks 24th. Each of them lost more people than 99 percent of the rest of the counties in the United States."  Pretty gloomy.

And their destinations?  "The biggest gainers were the Phoenix, Houston, Las Vegas, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and Palm Beach metro areas."  Yup, three of those big gainers are here in Texas.

First gay couple is legally married in Texas, and Texas Republican leaders freak out!

Congratulations, Suzanne Bryant and Sarah Goodfriend!

Yesterday morning, two women from Austin tied the not, becoming the first gay couple to be legally married in Texas.  The story is pretty heartwarming (I hate that word, but it is what comes to mind).  A state court judge ordered that the Travis County Clerk issue the couple a marriage license.  The judge, David Wahlberg, recognizing that one of the two women had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, found that the state law against same-sex marriage was causing irreparable harm and waived the 72-hour waiting period to perform a wedding.  The couple got the license and pounced.

That was probably a wise move.  Immediately fearing the major threat to humanity the marriage of these two women (who have been together for 31 years by the way) will cause, Texas Republican leaders sprang into action.  Attorney General Ken Paxton got the ball rolling by petitioning the Texas Supreme Court, which issued an "ambiguous afternoon order" purportedly blocking the ruling by Wahlberg.  Of course, the couple had already wed at that point, so despite possible arguments to the contrary, the more reasonable view would appear to be that the couple is indeed legally married.  Other top Republican leaders pledged to save non-gay Texans from suffering the wrath of married gay people.  Governor Greg Abbott pointed to the Texas Constitution, which was amended by voter approval in 2005 to define marriage as consisting only of the union of one man and one woman.  Said Abbott, "I am committed to ensuring that the Texas Constitution is upheld and that the rule of law is maintained in the state of Texas."  Added Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, "The rule of law must be upheld," he said.

In other words, "For the sake of humanity, we cannot let the nice lady marry her cancer-stricken companion of 31 years and live together happily.  We can't!"

They just do not get it.  The Texas Constitution can state anything, but if something is held to be in violation of the United States Constitution, it means squat.  So if Texans approved an amendment by 110 percent of voters to define marriage as "only the union of one non-handicapped person and another non-handicapped person," it would only stay on the books until a court could rule that the clause violated the equal protection clause of U.S. Constitution.

The U.S. Supreme Court has not yet ruled on gay marriage, but plans to issue a ruling this summer after hearing four cases in April.  I am putting my money on gay marriage.  It seems that the Brown v. Board of Education moment is coming for non-hetero people.  What side of history do you want to be on?

From Boston to Austin ... looks like we're not alone

Here's an interesting map of U.S. state-to-state migration from July 2013 to July 2014.  Our old home state of Connecticut lost about 0.73% of its population.  Texas?  Up 0.58%.  But what's the story with all those people moving to North Dakota?

Learn About Tableau

Smokin' Crown: Austin's Franklin Barbecue Takes Top Spot in Texas Monthly's 2013 Top 50 Barbecue Joints List

In Texas, barbecue is a big food staple.  Texas is a big state.  So when it comes to BBQ joints, there are almost too many options throughout the state.  Just within Austin's city limits, I've hit more than a dozen spots.  Throughout the whole state?  Not sure, but a reasonable source says there are at least 658 different 'cue purveyors within the borders of Texas.  That's how many places the staff at Texas Monthly Magazine claims to have visited in compiling 2013's list of Top 50 Barbecue Joints.

Hot guts and brisket from our trip to Kreuz Market in Lockhart in 2008

The top spot?  Franklin Barbecue, right here in Austin.  Given the buzz Franklin's received over the last few years, and the love it gets from Texas Monthly BBQ editor Daniel Vaughn, that wasn't too much of surprise.

Does the list match my experience? I've eaten at Franklin once and was very impressed, and would rate it up there with the very top spots.  My favorite spot in the state, Louie Mueller in Taylor, was also in the top four.  Of the entire top 50, I've chowed at ten of them, and with one or two exceptions they all served excellent barbecue -- and those other one or two weren't bad either, just not "excellent."  In other words, the list passes my smell (taste?) test.

What greets you at the front of the line at Cooper's in Llano

Below is the full list. The other two joints that made the top four were Pecan Lodge in Dallas and 2008 champ Snow's BBQ in Lexington.  Places with an asterisk were also on the 2008 list.

Brisket with a nice crust from a visit to Opie's in Spicewood last year

Alamo

• The Original Willie's Bar-B-Que

 

Amarillo

• Tyler's Barbecue

 

Austin

• Franklin Barbecue (#1)
• John Mueller Meat Co.
• La Barbecue
• Lamberts Downtown Barbecue*
• Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew [Here's a short post about Stiles Switch's "famous" location]

 

Belton

• Miller's Smokehouse

 

Bryan 

• Fargo's Pit BBQ

 

Cypress

• Brooks' Place

 

Dallas

• Lockhart Smokehouse
• Pecan Lodge

 

Eagle Lake

• Austin's BBQ and Catering*

 

Fannin

• McMillan's Bar-B-Q*

 

Fort Worth

• Cousin's Bar-B-Q*
• Longoria's BBQ

 

Fredericksburg

• Cranky Frank's Barbecue Company

 

Galveston

• Leon's World's Finest In & Out Bar-B-Que

 

Garland

• Meshack's Bar-B-Que

 

Giddings

• City Meat Market*

 

Grapevine

• Bartley's Bar-B-Q

 

Henderson 

• Bob's Bar-B-Que

 

Houston

• Gatlin's BBQ & Catering
• Virgie's Bar-B-Que*

 

Jasper

• Billy's Old Fashion BBQ

 

Jefferson 

• Joseph's Riverport Barbecue

 

Kerrville

• Buzzie's Bar-B-Q*

 

Lexington

• Snow's BBQ*

 

Livingston

• Hitch-N-Post BBQ

 

Llano

• Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que* [Read about a trip out to Cooper's in 2009 here]

 

Lockhart

• Black's Barbecue [Yeah, we did Black's (and Smitty's) back in 2008]
• Kreuz Market* [Read about a trip to Kreuz in one of our first posts about barbecue from back in 2008]

 

Luling

• City Market*

 

Marlin

• Whup's Boomerang Bar-B-Que*

 

McKinney

• Hutchins BBQ

 

Mexia

• Kirby's Barbecue

 

Peadenville

• Hashknife on the Chisolm*

 

Pearsall

• Cowpoke's*

 

Pecos

• Pody's BBQ

 

Rockport

• Hatfield's BBQ & Blackjacks Beer Garden

 

San Antonio

• The Granary 'Cue and Brew
• Two Bros. BBQ Market

 

San Marcos

• Hays Co. Bar-B-Que and Catering

 

Smithville 

• Zimmerhanzel's BBQ

 

Spicewood

• Opie's Barbecue*  [Read about our 2012 wildflower tour and trip to Opie's here]

 

Spring

• Corkscrew BBQ

 

Sweetwater

• Big Boy's Bar-B-Que

 

Taylor

• Louie Mueller Barbecue*

 

Tyler

• Stanley's Famous Pit Barbecue*

 

Victoria

• Mumphord's Place BBQ

2012 Wildflower & BBQ (& Pie) Tour: Opie's Barbecue and Hill Country Bluebonnets

Central Texas -- in particular the Texas Hill Country -- is well known as an area rich in wildflowers.  Every Spring, throughout Austin and all around, fields, yards and even highway medians become a breeding ground for wildflowers like Indian Paintbrushes, Indian Blankets, Wine Cups and especially Bluebonnets, the state flower of Texas.  While you can see a pretty good variety of flowers throughout the city, the best way to experience the color display is to head out into the countryside and hit the back roads.

For the last few years, some friends of ours have tried to organize a day of leisurely driving and photo-snapping, along with the added attraction of another of Central Texas' calling cards, barbecue.  Last time around we couldn't join in the fun.  This year though has been a much better year in terms of rainfall.  The best since we moved down here without question.  So we weren't going to miss out on the 2012 edition.

A week or so ago, we all sensed that the wildflower bloom was peaking.  Since the season is way too brief, we decided we'd head out over the weekend to see what we could find.  After considering our options, we decided to head west past the lakes and into Hill Country, making at least one BBQ stop at Opie's Barbecue in Spicewood.

Our eventual route

We timed our departure so that we arrived at Opie's at a great time.  Right after we got in line, the people started flooding in.  None of us had ever eaten at Opie's, but a four-star rating from Full Custom Gospel BBQ gave the place some cred and our taste buds some anticipation.  As you make your way to the front of the line, the meat options are there on display to draw you in.  Which we were.  Not knowing if we'd make another 'cue stop or not, we ordered a healthy mix of meats and sides: brisket, sausage, chicken, baby back ribs along with some beans and the usual accoutrement, plus one small dish of something we just couldn't resist ordering, tater tot casserole.

Hot, well-crusted brisket at Opie's

We thought the 'cue was pretty solid. The brisket was tender and smoky -- not as spicy as some others, but plenty flavorful.  There was no consensus on the rest, but nobody thought anything was a clunker.  And one member of our party was blown away by the tater tot casserole and spent most of the time in the joint lobbying the group to go in on another order.  So it might not make the critics tingle like Franklin, Snow's or Louie Mueller, but if you're out by Lake Travis and in the mood for some smoked meat, Opie's is worth a pit stop.

Smokin' outside Opie's in Spicewood

Now satisfied, we continued west in search of some flowers. The blooms were pretty good even along the main roads, but we wanted to see some good country, so after a bit we headed south toward Round Mountain, then across to Willow City.  Our first spontaneous stop was the Round Mountain Cemetery off Ranch Road 962W, a picturesque little spot with a mix of graves old and new, and with a mix of Bluebonnets and other wildflowers that were worth a few snapshots.

Continuing west, we next headed toward Willow City before cutting down to Fredericksburg. We found our best wildflowers along Farm Roads 3347 and 1323.  One big field was sprinkled with Bluebonnets and White Prickly Poppies as far as you could see, and the green and blue together with the bits of white sparkling in the sun was pretty dramatic. If you ever have a chance to make it to Hill Country for a wildflower drive, definitely get off the main roads.  You'll be rewarded.

The driving was great, but we were ready to stretch our legs at that point, not to mention that it was getting close to 3:30.  That's means it's time for pie!  Thankfully, Fredericksburg Pie Company was just around the corner from where we entered town, and while it might not be Royers of Round Top, we enjoyed sharing our slices of both peach praline and chocolate meringue.

Fredericksburg Pie Co's Chocolate Meringue (front) and Peach Praline (rear)

Well, before we could call it a day, we felt obligated to make like the locals and grab a beer and the Fredericksburg Brewing Company (another very creatively named joint in Fredericksburg). The beer garden out back is a great place for a cold one.  After that, we were finally ready to get back in the car to relax and digest for the drive home.
Central Texas Wildflower Resources

This wildflower season is just about over here in greater Austin.  If you want to head out though, there are some resources out there to help:

Wildflower Sighting Updates

• Texas Wildflower Pictures Wildflower Report
• Wild About Texas Wildflowers
• Wildflower Haven
• Hill Country Portal has a list of other sites and phone numbers for updates, plus lots of other useful tips

Other Resources

• Central Texas Wildflowers: Good photographs of many different flowers
• HighlandLakes.com: More photos and a bit of info on the most common wildflowers found in the area
• Wildflowers in Bloom: Lots of wildflower information from Texas A&M
• Johnson City, Texas Chamber of Commerce: Info on flowers and events and suggested routes
• Celebrating Wildflowers Texas Hill Country Coloring Book: Like it says; very cool, for kids or arty types
• Hill Country Cruising: A route aimed at motorcyclists
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: If you can't make it outside of Austin city limits

Best of luck on the hunt!

Austin Food Scene Gets Some National Exposure (Thanks to Paul Qui and Aaron Franklin)

I don't watch Top Chef on television, but my sister does.  When she described the chef from Austin who was her favorite contestant at the start of this past season, it sounded a lot like the guy behind one of my favorite food trailers in town, East Side King.  Turns out that it was indeed Paul Qui, Executive Chef at local sushi fave Uchiko and the man behind the East Side King trailers (there are three).  And after going to battle with fifteen other worthy contestants, Qui emerged victorious, making us proud here in Austin.  Especially those of us who've been lucky enough to sample his curry buns and meshi dishes.

"Poor Qui" Pork bun from East Side King (credit: foodieisthenewforty.blogspot.com)

Paul is now up for Best New Chef - Southwest in Food & Wine Magazine.  Click below to vote for Paul!  If you're in town for SXSW, you should definitely go check out one of his three trailers over on the cool east side.

On a similar note, Austin's Franklin BBQ and pit master Aaron Franklin have also been pulling in the accolades.  Every time someone writes about top BBQ joints, whether locally, state-wide or nationally, it seems like Franklin shows up.  But competing with French Laundry and Le Bernardin?  Well, last week, I saw this article in Yahoo listing the 20 Best Restaurants in American.  And there at #15, right between Jean-Georges and Mario Battali's Babbo, was Franklin BBQ.  "The brisket, with its peppery exterior, falls apart as you pick it up. The turkey is what presidentially pardoned birds aspire to. The sausage snaps loudly when you slice it, juice splashing out and up... You've heard the buzz. It's not hype. It really is that good."  The article also notes the giant lines that form before the joint even opens.  So be forewarned, SXSW hipsters:  If you want to sample some of Texas' finest smokes meats, plan wisely.

Assortment of smoked meats from Franklin BBQ (credit:  fcg-bbq.blogspot.com)

A lot of people have had Franklin's name etched on the trophy for top BBQ spot the next time Texas Monthly publishes its Top 50 list.  The return to Austin last year of John Mueller and his JMueller BBQ, which Texas Monthly chronicled in its February 2012 cover story, has added a bit of intra-town intrigue.  So has a recent glowing review on the Full Custom Gospel BBQ blog of a place out in Bryan called Fargo's Pit BBQ.  In other words, if you do happen to be in town for South by Southwest and are afraid of the lines at Franklin, there are options.

Arcade Fire Lecturing at UT ... and Right After SXSW Wraps Up. Let the Secret Show Rumors Begin!

Entertainment celebrities can be preachy I suppose, but at least I often find their intent to be good.  In the case of Arcade Fire, the group has been unquestionably committed to helping Haiti rebuild (just search for "Arcade Fire" and "Haiti" on Pitchfork and see how many articles pop up).  In the latest bit of news, the University of Texas just announced that four members of the band -- leaders Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, along with Win's brother Will and Marika Anthony-Shaw -- will be giving a lecture on  the Haitian crisis and relief efforts.  According to the news release:

In discussing the Haitian need for healthcare and aid from the first world, the speakers will encourage UT students to envision themselves as global citizens and local philanthropists. The musicians will draw attention to the work being done by the non-profit to which their profits are directed: Partners in Health.

Expect a packed LBJ Auditorium at 7:00 PM on March 19.  Speaking of which, as Pitchfork notes, that little music festival we have here in Austin every Spring wraps up on March 18: "Arcade Fire appearing in Austin right after SXSW wraps up... coincidence, or are a lot of festival-goers in for a surprise?"  As a resident Austinite, I hoping for the latter.

Arcade Fire has been on the Austin City Limits TV show twice now.  From their first appearance, below is the video for "Wake Up."  And if you're interested in donating to Partners in Health, visit here.

Central Texans + snow + highways = freakshow

Yup, it snows in the Austin area. Not often, just about once every two years, and usually a dusting. Today we got hit with some real snow. The kind that accumulates. On highways. I commute about 30 miles each way to Taylor, TX most days. The last 8 miles or so is on Highway 79, a four lane, undivided state highway with a 65 mph speed limit and no real estate between opposite sides of the highway. I drove in this morning at 8 and split before it got bad, but still got to see the spot a mile from our office where an accident happened right after I passed by, shut traffic down on both sides of the road, and caused many of my coworkers to be late, plus a fresher accident a few miles later that, from the look of the work crew, must have involved a utility pole or two. The other highways aren't as bad, but there was one empty car on the divider of MoPac. You could see the skid marks on the road and follow them from the straight line that the poor driver had originally been on to the initial swerves to the bigger jerks and finally onto the grassy median. There appeared to be another wreck a bit further down the road from where I exited. Which I was glad to do. Because snow, Austinites and steering wheels just don't mix.

Trip to Dallas: Culture, Baseball, and the Best Burger in Texas

Last year I blogged about being a longtime Boston Red Sox fan and our trip up to Fort Worth/Arlington to catch the Sox on one of their swings through Texas to play the Rangers. Last season, the Rangers weren't good. This year, though, things were different in August. When the BoSox traveled to Texas to take on the Rangers, they were one-two in the AL wild card standings, only a couple of games apart. Last season, the stadium was half full at most. This year there were barely any empty seats.

Papi at the bat

So even though the Sox lost again, we were glad we went. Much better drama. Maybe I'm nonchalant about Boston losing now that the Rangers have faded and the Red Sox are on their way to the postseason?

Naturally, the trip was about more than just baseball. Since we stayed in Fort Worth last year, we spent the weekend in Dallas this time. The stay was short, but that didn't prevent us from soaking in a little culture at the Dallas Museum of Art. The museum has a great collection which is uniquely divided up by geographical region rather than style or time period. The Native American collection was wonderful, especially the ceramics. We also visited the nearby Nasher Sculpture Center. The space there is beautiful, both indoors and outside in the sculpture garden.


Nasher sculpture

We also spent a little time checking out downtown Dallas and one of the nearby neighborhoods, Deep Ellum. The historic part of downtown was pretty cute, although it was a bit dead, probaby because it was a Sunday and pretty hot out. If history, presidents or conspiracy theories are your thing, there's a lot of stuff to see associated with JFK, including the infamous Texas School Book Depository (now a museum).


Downtown Dallas


A map of the JFK crime scene


The Texas School Book Depository building

Deep Ellum, a few blocks from downtown, is the requisite arts and entertainment district. It has a bit of a funky vibe, a nice alternative from the Texas-conservative feel of downtown Dallas. There are some nice little food and drink spots, cool stores, and lots of great street art.






Deep Ellum wall paintings

Of course, as you could probably guess, we did some eating as well. We had a tasty lunch at Medina on Saturday and a nice breakfast at All Good Cafe Sunday morning -- not to mention a few good beers at the Dallas outlet of one of our favorite Austin pubs, The Ginger Man.


Origami fills the skies at the All Good Cafe in Deep Ellum

The culinary highlight of the weekend, though, was Sunday lunch at The Grape, home of Texas Monthly's top rated burger in the beef-happy State of Texas (see prior blog post). As soon as we saw that the top spot was held by a place in Dallas, we figured we'd have to incorporate a visit into our weekend in Dallas, so we made a reservation.

The burger at The Grape is no mere quarter-pounder or even a half-pounder. Theirs weighs in at 10 oz., and it comes with a thick slice of cheddar and a few strips of bacon. So we decided to split one and also share a lighter entree.

And that big ol' burger did not disappoint. We ordered it "on the rare side of medium," and it came out about medium-rare. The beef was excellent, lightly seasoned and cooked perfectly. I normally don't get cheese on my burgers because I like to get a better taste of the beef, but this was great cheese -- sharp but not overpowering. The bacon provided a nice note of smokiness and a little bit of crispiness to balance out the moist patty. So while the hype was as big as this burger, we both thought the burger lived up to it.


Righteous burger

After our Sunday lunch, we felt full and satisfied as we climbed into our car to head back to Austin. Great weekend, excellent burger, and while the baseball game didn't go our way, I'm already looking forward to heading back up to Dallas-Fort Worth for next year's Red Sox visit. And just in case we can't wait to return to The Grape for some more beefy goodness, the #2 Texas Monthly burger joint is located right here in Austin.

Food. Glorious Food (Update).

Last month, we posted here about the numerous food blogs and websites with an Austin or Texas-wide scope. We mentioned, among other things, the Texas Burger Guy's blog and his best-of list.

Texas Monthly Magazine has thrown its hat into the Texas burger-rating ring. A recent issue included a list of the top 50 burgers throughout the state. Austin shows up a few times, which is good news. Even better is that the number one spot is in Dallas ... and we're going to be there next weekend!

The list (places in Austin in orange/italics - links included):

1. The Grape, Dallas, Classic Cheeseburger
2. Counter Cafe, Austin, Counter Burger
3. Alamo Springs Cafe, Fredericksburg, Cheeseburger (with green chiles on a jalapeno-cheese bun)
4. Toro Burger Bar, El Paso, Toro Burger
5. The Cove, San Antonio, Texas Burger
6. The Porch, Dallas, The Stodg
7. Perini Ranch Steakhouse, Buffalo Gap, Hamburger Steak on a Bun
8. Dutch’s, Fort Worth, Bacon and Bleu Cheese Burger
9. Beck’s Prime, Houston, Bacon Cheeseburger
10. Orlando’s, Lubbock, Cheeseburger in Paradise
11. White Buffalo Bar, Gage Hotel Marathon, Buffalo Burger
12. Cover 3, Austin, Chop-House Burger (with cheese and bacon)
13. Burger Fresh, Conroe, 1/2 Pound Burger
14. Burger Tex II, Austin, Burgogi Burger
15. Twisted Root Burger Co., Dallas, Hamburger
16. Max’s Wine Dive, Austin and Houston, Kobe Beef Burger
17. Love Shack, Fort Worth, Dirty Love Burger
18. Fatty’s Burgers & More, San Antonio, Ref Burger
19. MoMak’s Backyard Malts & Burgers, San Antonio, MoMak Classic Burger
20. Kelly’s Eastside, Plano, Southwestern Burger
21. Big’z Burger Joint, San Antonio, Big’z Famous No. 1
22. Chicken Oil Co., Bryan, Snuffy Burger
23. Cafe Michael Burger, Galveston, Tiki Burger
24. Burgers, Fries and Cherry Pies, Midland, The French Connection Burger
25. Mockingbird Bistro, Houston, American Kobe Beef Burger
26. Parkside, Austin, Cheeseburger
27. Black Sheep Lodge, Austin, Black Buffalo Burger
28. Miss Hattie’s Cafe and Saloon, San Angelo, Miss Hattie Burger
29. Mel’s Country Cafe, Tomball, Double Hamburger
30. Roaring Fork, Austin, Half Ass Burger (also in San Antonio)
31. Gene’s Tasty Burger, Wichita Falls, Frisco Burger
32. Cliff Cafe, Dallas, Brie and Granny Smith Burger
33. Bracken Store Cafe, San Antonio, Bean and Frito Burger
34. Sam’s Deli Diner, Houston, Hamburger
35. Dry Creek Cafe, Houston, The Regular (with asadero cheese)
36. Hamburger Store, Jefferson, Build-Your-Own Burger
37. Mighty Fine, Austin, Hamburger
38. Roadhouse, Bastrop, Jalapeno Cream Cheese Burger
39. Lankford Grocery and Market, Houston, Old-Fashioned Hamburger
40. Classics Burgers and “Moore,” Kerrville, Cheeseburger
41. Koffee Kup Family Restaurant, Hico, Jalapeno Cream Cheese Burger
42. Hruska’s Store and Bakery, Ellinger, Cheeseburger
43. Rosco’s Burger Inn, El Paso, Rosco Burger
44. Port Aransas Brewing Company, Port Aransas, Stopher Burger
45. Goode Company Hamburgers and Taqueria, Houston, Mesquite Burger
46. Snuffer’s Restaurant and Bar, Dallas, Green Chile Swissburger
47. Fred’s Texas Cafe, Fort Worth, Diablo Burger
48. Speedy’s Burger, Houston, Hamburguesa Mexicana
49. Gourmet Burger Grill, San Antonio, Hamburger
50. Jakes, Dallas, #1 Jakes Special

Here's a link to what the folks on the Chowhound Austin forum had to say about the list.

Interestingly, the top four burger places on Texas Burger Guy's list didn't make the Texas Monthly top 50. The only one in his top five that made the list -- Lankford Grocery and Market (number five) -- did show up at number 39.

So this list gives us some good leads on new places to try in the area. Counter Cafe (number two) is a place we frequent for breakfast, but we've never been there for lunch. Not once! That'll have to change soon.

Hopefully, in about a week, we'll let you know whether the burger at The Grape in Dallas lives up to the hype.

Food. Glorious Food.

Food always seems to be on our minds. We've made 76 posts to this blog since we started it back in 2007, and without looking, I'd be willing to bet you that we mention something edible in at least half of those posts. The only other topic that comes close would be music.

Music and food are two things a lot of people in Austin are passionate about. I don't think Austin is even close to being a food mecca on the order of New York, Paris or some of the great eating cities across the globe. Still, Austin has its strengths. As an example, for a city this size, I can't imagine any other place possessing an equivalent food trailer culture. Aside from the dozens and dozens of great trailers and stands selling tacos and the like, you can find great cupcakes, cake balls (yeah, you read that correctly), burgers, wraps (those who've been to ACL have probably tasted or at least heard the hype about the chicken cone), crepes, kebabs, empanadas, fried chicken, Chicago-style hot dogs, sausages, shave ice, bagels and more sold out of trucks, trailers and other tiny eateries. There's even a little stand that just popped up on North Lamar that just sells frozen bananas. No, these are not your daddy's roach coaches.

The mobile grub phenomenon is indicative of the characteristics that typify the stronger points of Austin's food culture: Down scale and simple. What sorts of food do they do well down here? The first things that come to many people's minds would be Mexican and barbecue. Austin does have lots to offer along those and similar lines. Like burgers? There are tons and tons of great, independent burger stands throughout the city.

But that's hardly the end of the story. And to help guide you through the Austin and Texas food landscape, there are lots of great resources available on this here World Wide Web.

Brisket, Chapter 15 Verse 9

Me saying that Austin is in the middle of a great barbecue region again is probably about as original as President Obama touting change. If you’ve been following this blog, you are either well aware that Austin is located in the middle of the Texas Barbecue Triangle or you don’t actually read our posts.

Not only is Central Texas a barbecue mecca, but the whole state is overflowing with quality ‘cue. But don’t worry, because Full Custom Gospel BBQ is there to help guide you through the smoke. This amazingly comprehensive blog, which has been going strong for over a year, describes its mission it its “BBQ Manifesto”:

Some food does more than sustain us. Through the alchemy of smoke and time, there is food that can also nourish your soul. This site is dedicated to praising those that have mastered this art and perhaps even teaching a few to fish for themselves. While most BBQ review books, magazine articles, and websites will tell you the best places, this website will tell you which places are good, mediocre, and awful. We suffer through bad BBQ so you don't have to.

Full Custom has rated nearly 200 BBQ joints, ranking them on a scale of one to six stars. So far, 11 places have managed to pull in a five-star rating, including a few in Lockhart that we’ve written about here (Kreuz Market, Smitty’s Market, and Black’s BBQ). None, however, have attained the coveted sixth star. When that happens, it’ll be time for a road trip.



Smoking out all the good 'cue in Texas (source: Full Custom Gospel BBQ)

Tacos Deliciosos

If tacos are your thing, don’t worry, you’re covered as well. The folks at Taco Journalism are always on the hunt for great tacos. No matter if it comes out of a restaurant, truck, trailer or stand, if word gets out that the product is tasty, it’s a safe bet that these guys will be there. So far, the Al Pastor taco truck on East Riverside sets the standard at 5 1/2 stars. Can't wait to try it.

Everything you always wanted to know about burgers ...

Another food blog dedicated to the downscale is Texas Burger Guy. The blog features reviews of a number of burger joints (31 so far), plus a running Top 5. Burgers are rated on various criteria -- ooze factor (juiciness), herd killer (size & weight), handling (ease of handling), bling bling (price), and gravedigger (number of days it will take off your life) -- each on a scale of 1 to 10. TBG was even mentioned in a recent Sunday New York Times article.

Here's Texas Burger Guy's current Top 5:

#1 Boondocks
#2 Christian's Totem
#3 Chris Madrid's
#4 Mel's Country Cafe
#5 Lankford's Grocery

The Austin Dining Scene

Full Custom and Taco Journalism have those two niches well covered. If you're looking for more general food advice, there's lots of help out there.

• Foodie is the New Forty is a blog with a catchy name run by Michelle, who we met at a recent Dai Due event. Michelle has posted a staggering 521 reviews on Yelp! Need I say more? She also has a fetish for close-up food photos, evidenced by her post on the aforementioned Dai Due dinner at Montesino Farms.
• Coffee & Queso is an active blog that describes its scope as "the joys and sorrows of spontaneous meals, lucky breaks, and stolen recipes from Austin, Texas." It features some tasty looking recipes, like this one recently posted for turkey and kale mole tacos.
• Relish Austin is one of several food blogs featured on the Austin American-Statesman's entertainment website, Austin360.com. It features lots of good, general Austin food news.
• The Austin Chronicle, Austin's arts weekly , features a similar blog, Virginia's On The Range.
• Being vegan in the Longhorn State is probably not that easy, but Lone Star Plate makes it a bit easier.

Come eat with us in Austin!

On the Trail of Some Bluebonnets - Part One: Llano, Burnet and Flat Creek

Spring arrived, and so did Don and Sheila, down a suitcase zipper but high in spirit. Being their second visit, we were all ready to check out some new things. On Friday, Rachel and I ditched work and the four of us drove out past some of the Highland Lakes on the route called the Bluebonnet Trail around here.

The drive took us west of Austin past the highland lakes. The "trail" itself was a bit disappointing. Sure, there were some bluebonnets along the side of the road, but really not all that much more than you see on the side of most of the highways. At the far end of the trail, though, we found a gem of a little town in Llano.


Don, Sheila, Rachel upon arrival in the historic center of Llano

Llano is a pretty small town (3,325 people according to the 2000 census) about 65 miles west of Austin. The city dates back about 150 years, and the history shows in the well-preserved town center, in the middle of which sits great old county courthouse of sandstone, marble and granite. Around the courthouse is a square of great shops, restaurants and the like, making for a great little stroll. On our walk, we picked up some great treats at the Berry Street Bakery. The bakers inside were busily preparing a variety of tasty goods, but were all very friendly. Don couldn't pass up the opportunity to talk bread with one of the bakers and pick up a pointer or two.


Making some beautiful cookies at Berry Street Bakery


Sheila walking on the square in Llano


Reflections of Rachel


Shops in Llano


A little folk art

On one corner of the square stands a flagpole flying three flags. The top two were easily recognizable as the U.S. and Texas flags, but we couldn't figure out what the bottom one was. We asked around a bit, but nobody seemed to know. One person suggested we ask Jim the jeweler, who apparently knows his Texas history well, but even Jim didn't know. Finally, after several people got caught up in the investigation and some books were even brought out, one of the shopkeepers informed us that it was one of the Confederate flags. Apparently there were several different Confederate flags during the brief history of the Confederate States of America. The one in Llano is the very first version of the first official flag of the Confederacy, called the "Stars and Bars," which was flown from March 5, 1861, to May 26, 1863. It started out with seven stars, but eventually the number increased to thirteen.


The three flags: United States, Texas, Confederate States


Jim and Don investigating the bottom flag

After the day's history lesson, hungry from our drive out west, we crossed the river and hit up Cooper's BBQ. I had heard good things about Cooper's, and when I saw the big smoking pits out front when we pulled up, I knew I wouldn't be disappointed. You're greeted at the front by one of the men working the pits, who shows you the impressive selection of meat. After he gives you your order, you take your tray inside, where a second crew cuts your meat and doles out the sides. The main dining room was full of locals enjoying some 'cue, so we had to sit across the way in a dining annex. It doesn't really matter where you park, though, because the food quickly makes you forget the surroundings. Very moist, smoky brisket that was up there with the Lockhart joints and Louie Mueller, along with some pretty tasty ribs and sausage. Probably not the very best I've had, but definitely in that next tier.


Pits at Cooper's


Lunch

Satisfied from our big lunch, we headed back east toward Austin, stopping in Burnet, another charming town, on our way to Flat Creek Winery. Flat Creek is in a beautiful spot pretty close to Austin. While some of the Central Texas wines have a long way to go, these were pretty nice. The muscats had great depth, and the "Super Texan" red was surprisingly rich. Turned out to be a perfect way to cap a great road trip.


Flat Creek tasting room


Our guests enjoying some wine


Cheers!

Were the Sox the Home Team? Trip to Arlington/Ft. Worth

Before I start posting more about the recently-concluded 2008 Austin City Limits Music Festival, I thought I should clear some of our inventory and share some of the other post-worthy things we've done recently.

I am a Red Sox fan. Not one of those recent bandwagon fans who only got interested when the team started winning. My allegiance goes back to my childhood, growing up with a Red Sox-rooting father (and uncle and older cousin). Which means I've been with them through a good amount of painful memories as well as the good ones. '86? Watched game 6 with my evil step-father (who isn't really evil, but although he has come around and now follows the Sox, he's a native New Yorker and was pulling for the Mets at the time). '78? One of my first baseball memories was also one of the first times I heard a naughty word as my dad yelled out, "Who the f--- is Bucky Dent!" after that cursed homer. Still, I stuck with my team through lots of seasons that finished on the stinky end of playoff sweeps and other assorted lean years.

Bill, keep your glove DOWN!

Although moving from New England makes it more difficult to follow the Sox, the good thing about baseball markets other than Boston and a select few is that they tend to be a lot less insane about their love for the home town team. That makes it easier to get tickets. Boston plays at least one series every year at the Rangers, so we decided to get some tickets and head up to Arlington for the ballgame. Us and about 15,000 other Red Sox fans. 19,104 or more of the announced 38,208 attendees had to have been Sox fans. We were everywhere! Pretty cool for Boston fans, but a bit sad for the Rangers.

The Texas Rangers weren't exactly the class of the American League this year. Still, they weren't as bad as they've been in recent seasons. Pitching was pretty nonexistent, but they had the top scoring offense in the league in 2008 (901 runs, 46 more than the next highest scoring team). Unfortunately, we got to see them when the offense was firing on all cylinders. Tim Wakefield pitched for Boston, and it seems like every season, by August he's a 50-50 pitcher: half of the time he'll pitch eight innings of one-run ball, but the other games he just throws batting practice. This was an instance of the latter. Boston took an early lead, but it didn't last very long as the Rangers put up seven runs in the second inning on their way to a 15-8 blowout. Ugh!

Rachel at the ballpark

Sox at bat

Given that Papi, Pedroia, Youk and company weren't going to give us a victory, we had to entertain ourselves in other ways. We walked all the way around the Ballpark at Arlington, one of those nice new "throwback" stadiums that every team wanted after they built Oriole Park at Camden Yard in Baltimore. And it is a very nice stadium. Not Fenway, for better or worse, but still pretty cool. We also got to see the gigantic $1.3 billion stadium being put up nearby for the real pro sports attraction in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (the Cowboys, for all of you dummies and non-sports fans). I think the highlight of our stadium tour, though, was catching a close-up glimpse of Don and Jerry, the Red Sox TV broadcast team, complete with Wally the Green Monster perched on the ledge outside the broadcast booth.

Wally, watching the game from the press box

So the game was a bummer. The weekend, though, was pretty cool. We spent most of our time in Fort Worth, where we had never been. Fort Worth is a great little city. "Cowtown" is not as cosmopolitan as its sister-city, Dallas, but it has a great downtown with lots of pretty old buildings and many good restaurants and bars that get packed on weekend nights. A short walk from central downtown, we checked out the Fort Worth Water Gardens, a quiet park in the midst of the city with some cool pools and fountains. Fort Worth also has an excellent arts district, with several great museums. We checked out a couple of good ones: The Kimbell Art Museum and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, the latter of which was hosting an exhibit featuring the odd and thought-provoking cut-paper silhouette-based art of Kara Walker. We also spent a few hours roaming through the historic Stockyards National Historic District. The Stockyards used to be a major cattle trading base and where you can still see a longhorn or two despite its reinvention as a tourist destination. We were lucky to show up during a classic car show, too, and got to see a bunch of groovy old cars and trucks, plus this guy:

Not-so-easy rider

Overall, a fun weekend getaway, and easy to get to, so I have a feeling we'll go back next baseball season. Here are a few more pics from the weekend:

Me enjoying a beer at the Flying Saucer in downtown Fort Worth

Classic cars at the Stockyards

Them's some long horns!

A couple of shots of the Water Gardens