Under the Neon Cowboy

I had just about given up on turkey when this deliciousness showed up.

It's a Sourdough Stack at Nutty Brown Cafe - thinly sliced turkey breast, Swiss cheese and grilled onions on grilled sourdough bread. Add jalapeno creamed spinach and viola!, turkey sandwiches are back in my life.

The Hubby loves the burgers and the chicken fried steak is as big as your head. They have a huge menu - the kind that might make you doubt they can do any of it well, but so far so good!!

They have a full bar (ask for Dusty!), Sunday Brunch buffet, Kid's Night on Tuesdays, a parrot named Cheeto and live music out back several nights a week. It's kind of a one-stop-shop!

If you have ever driven by their spinning neon cowboy sign and thought, "I've always wanted to try that place", I suggest you do. In fact... I think I'm going there for dinner tonight!

Maybe I'll see you there.

Nutty Brown Cafe & Amphitheatre

12225 Hwy 290 West

Austin, Texas 78737

512.301.4648

http://www.nuttybrown.com/

Coffee Talk: Thunderbird Coffee

Took a mid-morning coffee break this morning and drove my co-worker down the street to Thunderbird Coffee. After maneuvering my car into their oddly spaced parking lot (watch out for the people illegally turning left into the lot from Koenig Westbound), my co-worker ran in to grab a cup of coffee. Here's what he had to say:

-Stood at the counter for 5 minutes, there was no line, no one acknowledged me (even though 2 non-working, chatty employees saw me) -Ordered small coffee at a cost of $ 2.15 (Starbucks small cup $1.30) -Coffee prep station dirty, various creamer and half/half containers empty -Coffee was hot with a mild taste. -Not at all impressed with service or quality of coffee.

There you have it. At least they have a cool cup.

Thunderbird Coffee 1401Koenig Lane Austin, Texas 78756 512-420-8660 http://thunderbirdcoffee.com/

Give me your tired, your hungry, your unwashed massess...

What does it say about me that I was more excited to go to the Austin City Limits Music Festival to eat the food than hear the music?!?!

The football field-sized line up of over 30 food, drink and dessert vendors was like manna from heaven to me. What to choose, what to choose?! I tried to pick a place where The Hubby and Dr. Rock would like to eat (Dr. Rock is a little picky...) so I went with Aquarelle where they had a Steak Frit Sandwich and I had a Spicy Shrimp Po'boy.

You heard me. A Steak Frit Sandwich and a Spicy Shrimp Po'boy. At a music festival. Only in Austin. Thank you Aquarelle!

The shrimp were hot and crispy, the roll was soft and chewy and the slaw was cool and creamy. Only slightly spicy, but still very, very good. I only ate half the bread (gotta watch the white flour!) and I could tell the carrots were bagged and pre-shredded (are you gonna shred carrots for 225, 000 people? I think not.), but I was licking my fingers and I did not share.

Speaking of sharing, I grabbed a piece of The Hubby's steak off his plate, to which he said "That's the piece I picked up off the ground; I hope it was from my sandwich". That will teach me to snatch without asking. Lesson learned.

But three days of unwashed masses can't be wrong. That food was good.

Aquarelle Restaurant Francais & Wine Bar

606 Rio Grande St.

Austin, Texas 78701

512.479.8117

http://www.aquarellerestaurant.com/

Houston, We Do Not Have a Problem

Met Cheetah and Zilla for lunch the other day and I was running late (surprise, surprise). I walk in and Cheetah was having a Cosmo! Far be it for me to let my friend drink alone. Had a Greyhound. That's sorta healthy, right?

The really healthy part was the Sashimi Tuna Salad - pan seared ahi with cilantro-ginger vinaigrette, mixed greens, avocado and mango. Yum-um-me! Just big enough for lunch - enough protein to get you through the afternoon, enough fiber to fill you up and just enough avocado to be delicious. I love me an avocado.

Balanced out that Greyhound with an espresso and 1/3 of a slice of Key Lime Pie.

Look out rest of the afternoon, here I come!!!

Houston's

2408 West Anderson Lane

Austin, Texas 78757

512.451.7333

http://www.hillstone.com/#/restaurants/houstons/