December 2020
CURRENT PICKS
BAD LARRY BURGER CLUB | Follow him on Instagram to track him down. Next step is Little Brother Bar on December 7th. Additional info here.
BLUE DAHLIA | Grab a tartine (hummus and chicken salad are my recommendations) for lunch. It’s a great spot to meet with a small group for lunch.
COMEDOR | They’ve recently added a few menu items, including the gulf shrimp with salsa negra, bonito, and Chile toreado. Get it for the experience if you’re adventurous with texture. Eat well.
ENOTECA | I spent a Friday night last month with a crew on the patio. They’ve redone the place since I was last there (it now belongs to new owners as well), and I had a great experience with the service and menu. It’s an old Austin staple that I’d love to visit with you. Great for a bottle of wine on the patio.
FONDA SAN MIGUEL | Another old Austin staple, Fonda San Miguel takes the cake for Mexican in North Austin nowadays. If you haven’t been, get the duck enchiladas. If you’re new to Austin and have been to épicerie, it’s across the intersection. I’m not sure that they offer outdoor seating since COVID.
TEXAS FRENCH BREAD | Grab a spot in the garden while you can. I recommend it for when you’re looking to end up at home earlier than usual.
TRACE | I never thought I’d add this spot to my list. Trace is the restaurant at the W downtown, and has a solid brunch with $10 mimosas carafes. More importantly, there’s currently a weekly concert on the patio on Wednesday nights, reservations available. Here’s the events calendar.
UCHIKO | Invite me whenever you go. Eat outside if the weather permits and there’s reservation availability.
WALTON’S | A great go-to lunch spot for takeout if you’re downtown. The French onion soup.
TIDBITS
AL CULLITON | By far my favorite cocktail-focused IG account that I’ve found. Al’s Cocktail Club is top of my wishlist for the holidays. If you have one takeaway from my website this month, check out the website.
ANDREJ UREM | Andrej creates unscented candles in interesting shapes, which I enjoy for a sit-down meal when you don’t want to be overwhelmed by a scent while eating. The website is gaining some real traction through press. The “Molecule” is my favorite of his work.
GOOD APPLE FOODS | Delivered to your door, $30 per week for enough local produce for two people. It also pays for a box for someone who needs it. Use this code for $10 off: AzZcvBS7EKztDIC4. Find it here.
GUEST COLLECTIVE | I’ve kept this resource up since October. Guest Collective is a platform designed to keep spirits high in the restaurant industry during trying times. They recognize value in the voice of customers, and created the “love letter” platform for you to thank the hands that brought you your meal. Check out Uchiko’s location to read my first one. Let me know if you write one—I’d love to share it with my community.
WINE CLUB SUBSCRIPTIONS | Waco Wine Shoppe and Bufalina are currently top of my list, both of which I recommend looking into if you’re asking for something for the holidays or gifting someone whose wine you can drink unapologetically.
TOP FOUR THINGS
A BITE SIZED HISTORY OF FRANCE | A friend of mine recently recommended it, and it’s sitting on my bedside table for once I finish my current read. Found here.
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR | It’s now part of my morning routine. After using it for about a month, I no longer use caffeine to get my day started. I’ve read plenty about its digestive benefits and finally gave it a shot—worth it. Found here.
MIKE’S HOT HONEY | I use it regularly for an aioli with shishitos, as well as on desserts. Found here.
UCHI: THE COOKBOOK | Tyson Cole shares both the story of his path to opening Uchi and a few staple recipes that you’ve likely tried if you’ve been to any Uchi location. Book found here.
Quotes I’ve reflected upon.
“I think reading is like this. It takes an exceptionally strong person to be exposed to the weight of truth that books can relate and for that person’s mind to remain unchanged.” — Lazenby, Infinity to Dine
"What separates privilege from entitlement is gratitude.” — Brené Brown
“The price of love does not have to be personal obliteration.” — Esther Perel, Mating in Captivity