Winter 2021-22
RESTAURANTS | AUSTIN, TX
BIRDIE’S | Veterans of Gramercy Tavern and United at The Whitney, co-owners Arjav Ezekiel and Tracy Malachek-Ezekiel opened Birdie’s with a long-term vision in mind. Mindful of their new presence in an already gentrified East Austin, the couple’s vision for Birdie’s evolved accordingly. It’s designed as an approachable, affordable-ish wine bar to welcome regular neighborhood visitors (more here from Matthew Odam). While the hype behind Birdie’s has blown up since June, they seem to have stayed true to their vision thus far with a walk-in-only policy, dogs welcome. Fair warning to all with food allergies, they recommend reaching out in advance.
CANJE | Caribbean spots in Austin are a rarity. Opened by Tavel Bristol-Joseph in October 2021, Canje brings upscale Caribbean to the city. He co-leads Emmer and Rye’s team alongside Kevin Fink. They’ve increasingly diversified offerings in recent years.
CHE CAZZO | Keep up with Che Cazzo’s whereabouts via their social. It’s a relatively new Italian American pop-up, most often at Kitty Cohen’s, and occasionally elsewhere. It’ll be one of the first I’ll visit next time I’m in Austin. The team includes a few Hai Hospitality alum.
FOOD!FOOD! | For your winter bulking, look no further than Food!Food!’s King Ranch casserole. It’s already slammed, so please share with those mindful of Austin’s culture and growth.
HESTIA | Same hospitality group as Canje, Hestia remains one of my preferred “new” Austin restaurants. Its focus on wood-fired cuisine balances creativity and tradition with a wine list to match. If you go without a res, don’t bank on getting in. Instead, pop into their Spanish bar, Kalimoxto, for cocktails and smaller bites. Kalimoxto is an ideal spot for solo diners.
LAMBERT’S | Wednesday and Sunday shows upstairs at Lambert’s are my second favorite way to experience the space. First is listening from the bar down below. It’s part of the ever-growing McGuire-Moorman-Lambert Hospitality, Liz Lambert being the recent addition that resulted in its renaming from MMH to MML in 2021. For more about that, I suggest reading Texas Monthly’s feature of Liz.
UCHIKO | Invite me when you go! More info here.
RESTAURANTS | NEW YORK, NY
I’m now a New York resident, and I’ve done my best to hit staples during my first six months here. While I admire brevity, it feels appropriate to forgo it here.
ATOBOY | My first upscale experience with Korean food was at Atoboy in December. I recommend either going with a group of four, or pulling up to the bar solo or with someone to split the fried chicken and bottle of soju.
COMMERCE INN | I anticipate that Commerce Inn will do quite well in the area. It’s from the team behind Via Carota. Nowhere else you’ll spot me ordering fried oysters.
COSME | One of Enrique Olvera’s spots, Cosme combines contemporary and traditional to create clean Mexican dishes with locally sourced ingredients. End with the duck carnitas, but order them as soon as you arrive. They sell out.
EMMETT’S ON GROVE | A recent addition to Grove Street across from Buvette, Emmett’s on Grove took off quickly. Get a reservation if you’re there for dinner, and show up early if you’re there for a drink with more than yourself. It’s an ideal spot for especially bad weather.
EN JAPANESE BRASSERIE | This spot very much reminds me of my time in Japan. If it were realistic, I’d eat very little outside of Japanese cuisine. ENJB is a spot to visit while it’s cool outside. I’ll happily revisit the bar during the warmer months too.
JOSEPH LEONARD | Thanks to The Bird in Jackson Hole, and Joseph Leonard in New York, I’ve discovered the magic of a burger served on an English muffin. JL is ideal for an intimate meal on the more casual side.
KOSAKA | I fell in love with this spot when we first toured our apartment, and I finally tried it on NYE. It’s pricey, as are most omakase meals worth your attention, but Kosaka is wicked good. It only makes sense that they’ve earned a Michelin star three years in a row.
KING | Hard to make this claim so early, but King is my favorite restaurant for low-key celebrations. You’re bound to end up with a fantastic bottle of wine. Start with the panisse and you’re on the right track.
LILIA | It’s fantastic, and difficult to order minimally. I wanted to try Lilia for about a year before I did in December. The pastas were fantastic, and the mussels weren’t on the menu or I would’ve ordered them as well. Go hungry and get a reservation well in advance.
MINETTA TAVERN | My go-to for a happy hour martini and fries. Show up on your own and you’re likely to be seated at the bar within an hour. It’s one of the many Keith McNally restaurants that I admire.
PALMA | If you’re familiar with Frank Prisinzano, you’re familiar with Supper. In my opinion, Palma is the contemporary, feminine version of it with an extensive wine list and equally familial feel. It’s ideal for groups and has the best gluten-free pasta I’ve tasted.
RIVERDEL CHEESES | I ordered a “Coast to Coast Assortment” from Riverdel recently and was pleasantly surprised. Their dairy-free cheeses are the best I’ve had, and they carry Rebel Cheese from Austin.
SUPPER | If you visit New York with a group, be sure to visit one of Frank Prisinzano’s restaurants. None of them are formal, but Supper has the most elegant feel to it. It’s also the spot I recommend most for cold weather. Familial and classic.
TIDBITS
AL’S COCKTAIL CLUB | A consistent source for classic cocktails with a twist, historical references included in their newsletter. Even better, you can try it for a free month with the code MARTINI.
ART DRUNK | A newsletter for those of you eager to learn about art.
ASTER FARMS | Aster Farms is known well in the cannabis space for its regenerative farming practices. While I’d heard of their work, Gossamer taught me much more about co-founder Julia Jacobson’s philosophy and reasoning for their presence on the market.
BURNT TOAST AND OTHER DISASTERS BY CAL PETERNELL | Many of you will recognize this cookbook from shelves lately. I’ve skimmed through it at my neighborhood bookstore, but haven’t made the purchase. Cal also wrote Twelve Recipes, among other cookbooks.
DARK HORSE | Geeking out about most of what they offer (black salt, furikake, smoked tamari, etc.). I wish I remember how I heard of them.
HONEY AND OLIVE OIL | Thank me later for the hack.
PIE CUTLERY | This cutlery seems fantastic. Set an alert for Instagram posts—new items frequently added.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS
“Every living species is part of a network of relationships about which we know very little. Therefore, every living organism must be protected. Life is a rare commodity in the universe.” — Stefano Mancuso, The Incredible Journey of Plants
“When a thoughtless or unkind word is spoken, best tune out. Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one’s ability to persuade.” — RBG, “Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Advice for Living”
“The measure of success is happiness and peace of mind.” — Bobby Davro