Blue Dahlia, back again

One of my favorite things as an eater is trying new restaurants, or ones I've never been to. On the opposite side of that statement, when you find something that works, it becomes part of your eating "you are here" map. A staple. One of those places in Austin, is Blue Dahlia. I would have to say it's about 50% atmosphere, 50% food. You think weekend lunch, you think Blue Dahlia. See here for more of this welcoming tasty place. As stated before, my dear friend Casey was on her way to new career beginnings up East. She, my mom and I headed to Blue Dahlia for a leisurely lunch. I began with a latte which is served in a cup the size of a soup bowl. Delish. We each chose a Tartine (open faced sandwich) for our meals. Mom chose the Ham with gruyere cheese & Dijon mustard, Casey chose the Tuna with basil, capers and sun dried tomatoes, and I chose the Chicken salad with nuts and dried cranberries. I think Mom won eaters prize for this one. It not only felt like a European picnic choice, but was tasty. Both mine and Casey were good, but not my favorite tartine I've had. We finished with lemonade and Bread Pudding with butter rum sauce. Get the Bread Pudding now. So moist, so guilty pleasure, so buttery. An excellent way to end our light lunch. Head over to E. 11th. enjoy the spot and scenery of the streets.

Blue Dahlia Bistro
Twitter: @bluedahliaATX

Uncorked Round Two (yes round two)

I have many successful, smart, driven girlfriends in my life and Casey is no exception. She recently received her MBA and a promotion in her career. It was her last weekend in town before her big move East and eating was on the agenda. She is one of my all time favorite dining partners. A mini girl's night was organized, and Uncorked was selected to feed the hunger(with another gift certificate from restaurant.com). One of the best things not mentioned in my previous Uncorked Round One entry, is the great patio and downtown view at the restaurant. A big factor in our decision. My first dining experience at the restaurant was in the evening, Round Two was right before sunset. Although the Texas heat, that will have you cursing its humidity was apparent, we still had the best time. We started with a wine selection recommended by another knowledgeable waiter. Funny enough, our first choice was unavailable, but we settled on a lovely Brandsen Malbec from Mendoza. Another steal at $27 for the bottle. Apps started with the International Cheese Board (selection of imported cheeses with grapes, honey and baguette). They, like most cheese plates, were fantastic. The honey was incredible and got our taste buds ready for more. We went for entrees and chose the Roasted Rack of Lamb (South American style with chimmichurri, garbanzo salad and watercress), Uncorked Hummus Trio with Pita Wedges, and the Seared Ahi Tuna Nicoise Salad. Unfortunately, both Casey and my lamb was a bit overcooked. I was so disappointed because it was such a favorite from my last visit. The hummus was delicious, each very different and bursting with flavor. The salad was great too, which large seared tuna pieces. A great night, with great women! Take a trip for yourself, and see what this little house has to offer. Daily and weekly specials are created by Chef Ron White, and you will most likely find him behind the bar recommending selections to your liking!

Uncorked Tasting Room & Wine Bar

Easy as pie lunch, sans the pie

One of the foods I associate so much with childhood is shells. The medium sized shell shaped pasta takes me back to my grandma's house where I'd spend all day playing and she'd make me shells with butter and salt. It makes me feel like a little kid, happy as a lark. I now eat the same dish once in awhile, but love to use the shells with a bunch of other goodies. One of my favorite cheap lunches is Shells with canned tuna, black beans, canned corn, red bell pepper, avocado, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and a homemade dressing (lemon, olive oil, white wine vinegar and another dash of salt). I could eat it all day, and usually make a huge bowl of it. I'm talking huge mixing bowl, not that tiny white bowl. The creaminess of the avocado, sweetness of the corn, crisp pepper and black bean flavor make it all come together. A great have a minute and that's it lunch. Enjoy!

Uncorked Round One

The woman I most admire in the world had a birthday, and it needed to be celebrated. My brother and I took my Mom to Uncorked to enjoy and rejoice in the amazingness that she is. None of us had been to the little house on the hill just on the east side of town, and luckily restaurant.com had a discounted certificate (buy $25 certificate for $2!) which I snatch up when I can. We didn't know what to expect, and it exceeded most of any expectations we could of had. We were seated and presented the wine and food menu. For anyone who has no clue about the wonderment that is wine, this is the place to start. The menu is organized in a 'Winedex' by country, type, sweetness, fruitness, and non-fruit flavor (like earth). You can select the glass or bottle based upon a very distinct breakdown. We went through several choices, the restaurant was out of 2 of them, and ended up with the waiter's recommendation of the Dona Paula Malbec from Mendoza. It was fantastic and each one of us enjoyed it. Not bad at all especially for the $29 bottle price tag. We ran through the menu with our waiter, who was very knowledgeable. He had a farm of his own with his family, and said he eats the food he produces and at Uncorked. The menu has a small number of entrees but ones that range from meat to seafood. The birthday girl chose the All Natural Airline Chicken Breast (roasted garlic cognac cream sauce served with braised collard greens). I chose the Roasted Rack of Lamb (South American style with chimmichurri, garbanzo salad and watercress) and dear brother chose the Angus Tenderloin Au Poivre (melted blue cheese, rosemary roasted potatoes and red wine reduction). Mmm, mmm, mmm. I cannot tell you how good the lamb was that night. It was rare, juicy and was was refreshingly backed by the chimmichurri and salad. I adore chimmichurri and it made the lamb feel like it was back home and I was visiting it for dinner. Fantastic. The tenderloin was also a great choice. The wine reduction was like a dark stained wood. Deep, rich, and comforting. Mom enjoyed her chicken, as she usually never orders chicken in a restaurant. It was cooked well and enjoyable. We finished with the chef's take on Strawberry shortcake and brownie sundae. Uh my gawd, so so so good. The brownie had a touch of chili, which of course elevated the flavor. The shortcake was perfect. So light, so fresh, and laced with a citrus decadence. The night was so great, and we couldn't have celebrated a more wonderful woman and mother. Cheers to good food and wonderful family.

Uncorked Tasting Room & Wine Bar

Uncorked 'Winedex'

Ay Guid Food!

One of the hidden food finds in Austin happens to be Dog & Duck Pub. This near campus, patio lined, dark interior pub has been an Austin institution for years. I met my dear friend Ryan for drinks one night to enjoy the almost summer night. We each grabbed our pups and headed down the street. We ordered a few rounds of beers, Stella I do believe, and I got an order of Scotch Eggs. If you're not aware of the heaven that is a Scotch Egg, this is not my first blogger's rodeo with the dish. It's one of my favorites. It feels like you're taking a bite into Scottish history with the fried sausage and rustic hard-boiled egg. Dog & Duck met all my expectations. A different take than I've had before was a bit of Orange marmalade on the side. Delicious. The perfect fruity kick to balance the egg. Be sure to check out Dog & Duck's daily menus. Grab a patio seat, or hide-away inside. Definitely a place to put on your eating rounds.

Dog & Duck Pub
Twitter: @Dogandduckpub

Happy Mother's Day, Mom! Let's Go Have Some Vino

If I could dream up the perfect mother, it would be the one I was given. She is the most amazing woman/mother I know, and I'm so grateful she's in my life. We decided to treat her to a dinner via the Texas version of Tuscany. We headed out to Mandola Estate Winery in Driftwood, Texas. It's about 20 minuets outside of Austin, and quite lovely set in the Hill Country. We arrived about a half an hour before our reservation, and went right into the Winery for a tasting. We tried 6 wines, red and white, for $5 each(Mothers sipped free for their day), and enjoyed the information from the down to earth and knowledgeable wine pourer. Our favorites happened to be at the top of the list. The 2008 Viognier for the white, and the 2008 Sangiovese for the red. We made our way to the restaurant, Trattoria Lisina, on the property and got ready for our Italian spread. Our waiter could not have been more fantastic. He was honest, friendly, and consistent. Mom and I chose a Pinot Noir for dinner (they don't serve the wineries selection at the restaurant, but have many Italians to choose from), and grazed on bread and olive oil. We picked our dishes for the night, thanks to suggestions from our waiter, and melted into the Old World Italian atmosphere. He let us know that each recipe is from owner Damian Mandola's family, except the daily specials which are inspired by Chef John Lichtenberger who hails from New York. I decided on Costolette di Agnello alla Griglia (Texas grass fed lamb chops grilled over oak & pecan, with a reduced balsamic glaze, peperonata & Parmigiano garlic mashed potatoes). I consumed every tiny bit of this dish. It was so incredibly divine. The rack was medium rare, juicy and seasoned with just the right amount of spices. The balsamic glaze, oh I could bathe in it. The potatoes were creamy and velvety next to the meat. Excellent. Mom decided on Cannelloni Lisina (Stuffed with chicken, veal, pork, aromatic vegetables & Parmigiano, baked with besciamella & tomato sauces). She said it was a tad mushy, but still fantastic. Brother went for the Pollo al Girarrosto rotisserie chicken (Rosemary, garlic & lemon, served with roasted potatoes & a cucumber salad). He thought it was great, just a bit dry for his liking. All in all, the meal was wonderful. The best way to celebrate all that our Mom has done for us, and let her know how much we love and adore her. The setting was fantastic, as close to Tuscany as we'd get for the day. Stop by and enjoy a bottle in the courtyard, under a tree lit canopy. If you're in Austin, stop by Mandola Market for a similar bite, which this Sleepy Eater has mentioned before. Arrivederci!

Mandola Estate Winery
Twitter: @MandolaWinery

Trattoria Lisina

Mandola Market from The Sleepy Eater

It's My Birthday, Let's Eat! - Crawfish, Jack Allen's Kitchen & Perla's

My 27th Birthday rolled in and took me by surprise. Late, late twenties...wow. My wonderful newly married friends Bradley & Lindsay offered to throw a crawfish boil for my bday, and a newly graduated friend with her MBA! It was absolutely perfect, especially since all I really wanted for my bday was to eat, all weekend. We gathered at their adorable abode and the festivities began. Bradley, master chef/boiler rallied up his new pot, crawfish from Quality Seafood, and let the good times roll. While he was cooking away, we snacked upon my fabulous friend Laura's homemade crab cakes. Uh, ah-mazing! It was her first attempt, and may I say they were a home run to the max. The perfect amount of crab, seasoning, and bite. I could have eaten them all day, but they were gone in about 2.5 seconds. Lindsay busted out some fantastic Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese frosting for the occastion as well. Delish! We drank our cervezas and Bradley's killer margaritas (we'll call them tequilla with a little lime and ice) and enjoyed the sunny May day. I couldn't imagine a better way to start a new year of mi vida, and celebrate such a major accomplishment as getting an MBA. It was fabulous. The next day, I awoke with an oh so friendly hangover, but ready to jump on the food trail again. My mom, brother and I started with appetizers at Jack Allen's Kitchen in South Austin. The restaurant was opened by Jack Gilmore and Tom Kamm. Jack was the founding chef at Z'Tejas in Austin. Not knowing what to expect, I went in wide eyed and hungry. We sat outside on the fantastic patio and were served a complimentary plate of the House made Pimento Cheese with flatbread. Delicious and creamy. After scarfing that down, we decided on the Bacon Wrapped Texas Quail (Jalepeno jam, peach jam, and micro green fig salad), as well as the Smoked Beef Rib Quesadilla (Pepper Jack, cotija cheese, and Jack's Slaw). They were both like a birthday present to our mouths. The quail was tender, juicy and soaked up every bit of its bacon wrapped flavor. The jellies and fig were outstanding with the meat. I could have licked the plate clean. The quesadillas were filled with moist beef rib in a sauce that was finger licking good. I could have stayed all day and eaten everything else on the menu. Jack's prides themselves on using local farm foods, and it definitely shows. The chefs put everything into each dish, and it makes you stop and appreciate their efforts. As if that little meal weren't enough, I was craving seafood for the big bday dinner. The three of us headed to Perla's on South Congress for the feast. The weather was perfection, so we sat at one of the picnic tables on the front patio. The trees, sunset, and strings of lights were like eating in a friend's backyard. So wonderful. I had been craving the restaurant's Crab Louie (Lump Crab with Cornmeal Fried Green Tomatoes, and Russian Dressing) for weeks, and immediately ordered it with a glass of Pinot Grigio. For our entrees, I ordered the Maine Sea Scallops a la Plancha with poached garlic drawn butter, Mom and brother both got the Oak Grilled Trout (one with Salsa Verde and the other with poached garlic drawn butter), and to top it off we got a side of Shells & Cheese. I have to say my scallops were the most perfectly cooked scallops I've ever had. They were large and in charge, perfectly tender and succulent. The fish was fresh and excellent. The Shells & cheese, heaven with a kick of jalapeno. We finished the happy birthday to me celebrations with an order of the Strawberry Rhubarb Tart, and the Banana Split. The tart was a blissful marriage of tart and sweet with a flaky crust to bind it together. The banana split was kick ass. The BEST chocolate ice cream I've ever tasted, which is handmade at the restaurant in an old fashioned ice cream maker. Rich, creamy, and the most pristine chocolate flavor, ever. It was one fantastic birthday and I loved every minute during every meal. Grateful for another year, and grateful for many more meals to come. Cheers!

Quality Seafood

Jack Allen's Kitchen
Twitter: @jackallens

Perla's Seafood & Oyster Bar