Winter 2022-23
RESTAURANTS | AUSTIN, TX
BBQ Ramen Tatsu-Ya | Very little promotion was done with this opening.
Draught House Pub & Brewery | Grab a beer during happy hour.
Este | By the Suerte team. I’ve done little research about the inspiration behind it, but I have high hopes.
Lutie’s | If you can manage to snag a res, this would be worth it. At Commodore Perry Estate.
Quality Seafood Market | During my time in NY, I’ve made a habit of making sushi at home. With high quality ingredients, the simplest prep makes for a great experience, and it’s easier on the wallet.
Rosie’s Wine Bar | Prefacing with this: Please consider spending your money at a range of restaurants, not just with the MML empire. Rosie’s is new to the neighborhood, and I’ve heard it’s worth trying.
Shoal Creek Saloon | An OG Austin joint. Don’t sleep on the breakfast tacos!
Techo Mezcaleria & Agave Bar | A new dive bar to add to your rotation. It’s a great spot to check out before trying a new restaurant on the stretch that includes Este.
Uchiko | Always on the list. Check here for their openings nationwide.
RESTAURANTS | NEW YORK, NY
Bar Americano | Brand new to Greenpoint, this is next on my list.
Double Chicken Please | They continue to receive incredible feedback from a range of people and organizations. Go for a cocktail and dinner.
Gage & Tollner | I rarely spend my money at a traditional American spot, so let this be the exception. Begin with baked clams and a martini. Afterwards, visit Sunken Harbor Club on the second floor.
Hudson Clearwater | Ideal back patio, ideal front patio, and an interior that’s perfectly cozy for winter.
The Musket Room | I hope a fresh Michelin Star is enough to convince you. Invite me if you go—I haven’ tried it and would love to.
Public Records | I have a total crush on this spot in Gowanus. Grab a table on the patio for a bottle of wine. If you’re there early enough, you can guarantee a spot for 4-6.
Red Hook Tavern | Spend a day in Red Hook beginning here, venturing to Lucali for a res and visiting Pioneer Works somewhere in between.
Semma | I tried it. I loved it. Michelin star added to their reasons to brag on themselves.
TIDBITS
Acid League added hot sauces to the market.
I read Anything that Moves last month. Couldn’t put it down. If you’re interested in America’s food culture, read it.
Tess Bryant Selections is new to my radar.
Gabrielle Glas International is Corner Bar’s glassware of which the Somm spoke highly.
The BA Test Kitchen shared their spicy food favorites, including Aji Amarillo hot pepper paste.
I love Dashi Okume so much. If you’re into Japanese culture or cuisine, explore that stretch of Greenpoint.
Believe it or not, you should care about the oil in your pantry. There’s quite a bit of talk about that right now, and I ended up subscribing to orders of the Chosen Foods avocado oil after much research.
Pina Pro lamps are all the rage in New York right now. Restaurants with outdoor seating depend on them for table lighting. The price point is steep, but I have one on my wishlist.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS
“Life gets harder when you try to make it easier. Exercising might be hard, but never does exercising make life harder. Uncomfortable conversations are hard, but avoiding every conflict is harder. Mastering your craft is hard, but having no skills is harder.” — Unknown
“One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.” — Lucille Ball
“To look at the food for sale in our best restaurants, you’d think that our civilization had peaked and collapsed; what we see on our plates is a post-apocalyptic free-for-all of crudity and refinement, technology and artlessness, an unimaginable future and a forgotten past.” — Dana Goodyear, Anything That Moves