Sinnamon Roll and Old School Customer Service

As I was driving to work this morning, I was craving a cinnamon roll. I knew exactly where I'd go to get satisfied... The Kolache Shoppe. When I was 15, I attended the Austin Driving School in North/Central Austin (Behind Dallas Nightclub). Every morning I would stop at the Kolache Shoppe, which was just a few doors down, for breakfast. Like the name says, they have every kind of Kolache, but they also have sausagey goodness (sausages wrapped in dough/bread/crust).

This morning I go in and get my sinnamon roll and a milk; the total was less than $3. As I stand there with debit card in hand, the kolache guy asks me if I have any cash. No, I say (who carries cash anymore?). He says they don't do card transactions under $5 and then he says, don't worry about it, come back again and buy more. I'm shocked. I try to tell him that I can buy something else, but again he says, you'll get us next time.

Customer service is alive! Please go visit it at the Kolache Shoppe!!

Kolache Shoppe

7113 Burnet Road, Suite 112

Austin, TX 78757

512-458-5542

http://www.kolacheshop.com/

She Ain't No Rita Moreno, But She'll Do

I had never been to 26 Doors.

I have lived here 17 years (?!) and I just went there to have lunch with Cheetah at Santa Rita Tex-Mex Cantina (that's fun to say!).

The whole little center is so freakin' cute! I must go back! They have a ham store!

But to the topic at hand... soup and salad. Tex-Mex soup and salad. Tortilla soup and salad with a cilantro vinaigrette that I think they forgot to put the cilantro in. It was fresh, pretty and OK. Maybe even good. Not great, but good. I'd definitely go back. It's worth another looksy. We decided it's the best place to have your picture taken as every wall is fun and colorful and we sat across from a long mirror where you could check yourself out. If you do that sort of thing...

(I don't want to start a cat fight, but I think Trudy's has the best Tortilla soup in town. Don't tell Rita. She's still a nice girl.)

Santa Rita Tex-Mex Cantina

1206 W. 38th St.

Austin, Texas 78705

512.419.RITA

http://www.santaritacantina.com/

East sigh.....

Welcome to three of my all-time favorite dishes, all from the same place, Eastside Cafe. First up is soup; chicken artichoke mushroom soup to be exact. It doesn't matter what flavor soup because they are all good - no lie. Back to the chicken art mush... fantastically creamy and brothy at the same time with big chunks of artichoke and chicken. Mmmmm.

Next up, the mixed field greens salad. It looks deceptively simple, but its full of flavor. I don't know if it's the lightly fried goat cheese or their homemade raspberry vinaigrette that make it so good, but you need to try it.

Lastly, buttermilk pie. You may be thinking "buttermilk? Seriously?" I say yes, heck yes, buttermilk. Again, you have to try it to believe in its goodness. I don't know quite how to describe it. Let's see... light, yet creamy. Crusty, but not heavy. Tangy and sweet, but not sugary. The strawberries on top... perfection.

P.S.

I had no idea there was a "p" in the word raspberry and I also didn't know that you spell vinaigrette this way.

Eastside Cafe

2113 Manor Road

Austin, TX 78722

512-476-5858

http://www.eastsidecafeaustin.com/

Who says you can't step in the same Dong Nai twice?

I should not be allowed to eat Vietnamese by myself. I don't know what I'm doing.

In fact, I don't even know what I ordered. A noodley soupy thing. With that weird BBQ pork that's bright pink around the edges. It sorta freaks me out. Broth was good though. And the sprouts and green onions were fresh. Oh! and I got all cracked out on the Vietnamese iced coffee you see there. Whoa!

I was about to write this place off, but as I was leaving I noticed that at least one of the customers was a regular (a server came by to say hi), several people were picking up take out, the other tables seemed to be slurping away and I passed a lady that must have ordered what I wanted, but didn't know it. Her noodley soupy thing had lots of stuff in it. Piles and piles of little chopped up things. It looked really good. And later, I found out a friend ate lunch there every day for year. I will have to try it again. I clearly must be missing something.

What I'm not missing though is the guy in the booth next to me wearing train conductor striped short overalls. With no sense of irony. Short overalls and high top Converse. I kid you not.

Dong Nai

4211 South Lamar Blvd.

Austin, Texas 78704

512.444.1593

No website that I can find, but it was reviewed here:

http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Guides/Location?oid=oid:411036

And Dong Nai is the name of a river in the mountains of south central Vietnam. Just in case you didn't know.

If I Had the Strength of Ulysses

Come, worthy Greek ! Ulysses, come, Possess those shores with me ! The winds and seas are troublesome, And here we may be free ! Here we may sit and view their toil That travail in the deep, And joy the day in mirth the while, And spend the night in sleep.

-"Ulysses and the Siren", Samuel Daniel

Ah Fino, you evil temptress. Your Happy Hour does not start until 5 o'clock. Why must you tease me so?

Your flirtation begins with a gin and Pimm's No. 1 cocktail that is so unique, I don't care that it is full price. Then you slip me a juniper delight made with a pine liqueur that, for a gin drinker, is dazzling. So by your 5 o'clock bell, I'm smitten and bask in a gin-fueled glow of cherry, lemon and creme de violette. Sweet alcohol-induced victory.

And if that wasn't enough, small plates of blistered Padron peppers, sherry glazed pearl onions, grilled quail, roasted pepper empanadas and pulled pork sliders cement my crush on you.

You are a siren, luring me in, and while I wish your Happy Hour started earlier and had more tapas specials, you know I will be back.

I will be back.

Fino Restaurant Patio & Bar

2905 San Gabriel Street

Austin, Texas 78705

512.474.2905

http://www.astiaustin.com/fino/

A Study in Black & White

For the record, I am not a dessert person.

You wouldn't know that based on this picture, but it's what made my maiden voyage to Green Pastures totally worth it.

What about the Brunch Buffet you ask? Isn't that the best part? No. No, it's not. It was massive and pretty, but not extraordinary. Highlights did include the Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar and Garlic, the Brie, Pecan Butter and Raspberry Jam Toasted Sandwiches, the Sugar Snap Peas and the meat-on-a-stick (can't remember it's fancy name, but who doesn't like meat-on-a-stick?!).

I was lured in by the Milk Punch. I overheard the server tell the table behind us, "We have Milk Punch, which is rum, brandy, Haagen Dazs...", then I passed out for a minute so if there is anything else in it I missed it. All I know is that she raised her eyebrows at me when I asked for a third? fourth? glass. Don't judge me!

My fate was sealed with the powdered sugar dusted confections known as Homemade Marshmallows. Jet-Puffed, you outta be ashamed of yourself for calling whatever those things are you call marshmallows. Those are not marshmallows! THESE are marshmallows. Soft and billowy, not too sweet, not too dense. And yes, I ate every one you see pictured here and took two home. What did I say about judging?!

Green Pastures is a beautiful Victorian home set on an idyllic property replete with peacocks and Live Oaks. Oh, and that lady you see by the backdoor with a milkshake mustache, covered in white powder like Courtney Love on a three day bender? Yeah, nevermind her.

Green Pastures Restaurant

811 W Live Oak

Austin, Texas 78704

512.444.4747

http://greenpasturesrestaurant.com/