It’s strange to think that it’s been ten years since I first visited Foreign & Domestic. In 2010, it was a trendy new restaurant in the booming North Loop area in north-central Austin. It had a dynamic (sometimes fiery) Chef/owner, was getting noticed by some...
Generally, a place specializing in Champagne is a rare thing (ok, less unusual in a place like River Oaks, Houston) but, finding one with a huge curated selection, and known for having great prices, is one in a million…. throw in great oysters, grilled steaks, and an...
From my neck of the woods in northwest Austin, I’m about a mile west of the many upscale shops and restaurants of the original Domain development – it’s actually a short hike and a clever shortcut by foot, or more often than not, a reasonably quick car trip. So, for...
I have a very cherished food memory from when I was about ten years old. I’ve told it to folks many times over the years, but at a book signing recently, a local chef gave me a completely different perspective on it. I had the great luck of being born into a family...
Most major metropolitan cities have old, well-loved steak houses in their downtown areas. If you’re lucky, they’re impressive vintage establishments with amazing food and an atmosphere that’s always perfect for a celebration. Located near the heart of old downtown...
As a kid, I was fascinated by old ships. I would carve small wooden versions of Viking longboats, constructed a pretty detailed little paddle wheeler, and even made a small ocean liner complete with construction paper funnels. I also had that crazy, intense childhood...
Sugar Pine, a smart new Japanese Café in north Austin, is the culmination of three generations of restaurant experience, innovation, and drive. Co-owner Joyce Yang’s parents I-Chien and Chu-Tzu were the owners of the popular Hunan Palace restaurant on North Lamar back...
The road to the Steiner Ranch Steakhouse is well known to most Austinites as it’s the same road that leads to the Oasis and the cliffs of Hippy Hollow, but taking that left turn onto Steiner Ranch Boulevard just a few yards before the familiar right is in effect a...
The word ‘Vaquero’ is Spanish for Cowboy, so it’s fitting that the owners of the Steiner Ranch Steakhouse, with decades of rodeo and ranching history, would use the name for their Tex-Mex restaurant on Loop 360 in Austin. Open for only about two years now, Vaqueros...