Spring 2010 Austin Restaurant Week: Perla's

Perla's

I wasn't sure what to expect on my first visit to Perla's.  To tell you the truth, I had great doubts about seafood at this trendy joint.  Well, Perla's turned out to be my second favorite Restaurant Week venue!

The yumminess started with a basket of delicious corn-filled hush puppies.  I usually dislike hush puppies, but these were exceptional.

Hush Puppies filled with corn kernels

The shrimp and roasted tomato bisque started me off on such a high note than I almost forgot about my mid-term troubles.  There was so much depth and flavor.  It had just the right amount of tang from the tomato and wasn't heavy.  The grilled cheese sandwich was adorable and absolutely scrumptious when dipped into the bisque.  Can I have seconds, please?

Shrimp and Roasted Tomato Bisque with Creme Fraiche and a Grilled Cheese Sandwich

The dish that convinced me that I simply couldn't miss out on Perla's during Restaurant Week was the lobster roll.  The lobster roll is $28 on the regular menu.  However, for Restaurant Week, you can have a 3 course dinner and a side dish to share with your dining companion for $35.  This was certainly the time to try the lobster roll!  I regretted ordering the fries instead of the daikon slaw with my lobster.  I can get fries anywhere, but not really daikon slaw.  The lobster roll was AMAZING.  I was afraid that they were going to scrimp on the lobster meat and mask the freshness of the lobster with globs of mayo.  The meat was plentiful, the mayo to lobster ratio was fine, and the finely chopped onions in the lobster-mayo mixture sharpened the creamy flavor.  The garlicky drawn butter was a nice touch too.

Lobster Roll with Fries

Lobster Roll

The baked shells and cheese was good comfort food.  This was one other reason why I should've ordered the daikon slaw with the lobster instead of the fries.  Carbs overload!

Baked Shells and Cheese Side

The blueberry shortcake was a perfect ending to the felicitous meal.  I strolled out of the restaurant dazed from an amazing dinner.

Wild Blueberry Shortcake with Creme Fraiche Ice Cream, Toasted Almonds, and Thyme

2009 Austin Restaurant Week: Jeffrey's

So Spring 2010 Austin Restaurant Week began on Sunday (Feb. 18th-March 3rd and March 7th-10th).  As I scrolled through the list of participating restaurants and spotted Jeffrey's, I realized how I never posted about my dinner there one night during the 2009 Austin Restaurant Week!

It was a beautiful meal.  The presentation of each dish was impeccable and the food was solid but did not excite my taste buds like I thought it would from the menu descriptions.

The amuse bouche was a tiny ball of fried lemongrass broth.  I think anyone would get excited by the idea of fried soup!  Well, there was more batter than broth, and I could not taste the lemongrass.

Amuse Bouche- Fried Lemongrass Broth

I ordered the crispy bone marrow for the first course and enjoyed composing tartines from the triangles of bread and condiments of mustard, pickles, and herb salad with the fried bone marrow.  This dish was divine.

Crispy Bone Marrow -Fried Bone Marrow with house-made pickles, fine herb salad, house mustard, country bread

Condiments of mustard, pickles, and herb salad; Fried bone marrow

Bone Marrow on Bread

I expected a lot from the main course of halibut cheek.  The halibut was well cooked and tasted light and creamy, but I did not understand the role of the peas in the dish.  It was not easy to eat with the fish nor was it easy to eat it separately as it was awkward to scoop up or pierce with the fork. 

Halibut Cheeks -sweet pea glacage, celery remoulade, pea-mushroom relish

The dessert was a disappointment.  I did not detect the slightest flavor of lemon in the meyer lemon crepe dumplings. I hate when an ingredient is wasted because the flavor is muted or completely overpowered by another, in this case, the blackberry brandy sauce.  Perhaps a regular lemon that is tarter than the meyer can stand up to the sweetness of the sauce.

Meyer Lemon Crepe Dumplings - burnt caramel bay leaf ice cream, blackberry brandy sauce

The current Jeffrey's Austin Restaurant Week menu is here.

Chi'lantro

I've been following Closet Cooking's creative use of homemade kimchi in omelettes, quesadillas, pizzas, dips, and tacos, and I've been craving anything with kimchi since.  Then I read a timely post by Tasty Touring about the Korean-Mexican tacos served by the moving trailer, Chi'lanro.  Check their website for their location schedule.

I never thought about the possibilities of fusing Korean and Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisines, but I now realize that they share some common ground--spicy, tangy flavors and grilled marinated meats.  The two came together deliciously at Chi'lantro.  I ordered a spicy chicken taco and a beef taco.  At first I thought that the tacos were going to rely on the kimchi to make the fusion happen, but the beef was actually Korean marinated BBQ and not fajita beef, which made the taco a fusion success.  The chicken was good, but not as memorable. 

Beef Bulgogi Taco and Spicy Chicken Taco with Chi'lantro Salsa, Julienne Lettuce in Korean Chili Soy Vinaigrette, Cilantro, Onion, Green Onions, Sesame Seeds, and Lime Juice

I got a side of spicy fries.  The kimchi aioli was a hit.

Spicy Fries with Kimchi Aioli

Tacos at Cabo Bob's Burritos

Cabo Bob's Burritos

I avoided going to Cabo Bob's for a long time being a loyal Freebird's customer, but its location and variety lured me in. 

I was most excited about the different flavored tortillas made-to-order in front of you.  I checked out their menu online before going, and I was glad I took dorky notes on the 3 tacos I wanted.  It turned out I wasn't the only person in line with ingredient notes! 

Ancho Chili, Smokey Cheddar, and Cilantro Tomatillo Tortillas

Here's what I ordered:

1) Chicken fajita with lettuce, cheese, and chipotle crema on ancho chili tortilla

2) Fish with chipotle crema, mango and cucumber pico, and lettuce on cilantro tomatillo tortilla

3) Beef fajita with pico de gallo, cheese, and ancho rancho on smokey cheddar tortilla

The veggie ingredients were fresh and the mango cucumber pico won me over.  However, the only meat filling worth ordering is the beef fajita.  The chicken was dry and overcooked, and the fried fish tasted like school cafeteria fish sticks.  I had the shredded pork once before this visit, and it was bland.  The beef on the other hand was tender and flavorful. 

Next time I come here, I'll order beef for all three tacos and continue experimenting with topping and tortilla flavors!

Portobello Mushroom and Baby Spinach

Portobello Mushroom and Baby Spinach in Vanilla Fig Balsamic Vinegar

This recipe is dedicated to my brother, a strong advocate for cooking without oil. 

Ingredients

3 medium sized portobello mushrooms sliced

1 bag of baby spinach

whatever kind of balsamic vinegar you have on hand

garlic powder

salt & pepper

some mushroom stock (I used the liquid excreted by the mushrooms in the steaming process)

Steam the mushrooms over a pot of boiling water until the mushrooms become tender.  Take them out and set aside.  Pour some of the mushroom liquid (1/4 cup?) from the steam pot into a pan on medium heat.  When the liquid starts to move away from the center of the pan, throw in the spinach.  As the spinach starts to wilt, season with a little bit of salt and garlic powder and add the mushrooms.  Stir and add balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. 

This dish is quick to make, healthy, delicious, and pretty.  It's also versatile.  You can stir in some cooked pasta and top it off with some grated cheese or pair it with steamed rice or with roasted chicken or baked/steamed fish or with less healthy-duck, steak, or as a hamburger topping.

Rio's Brazilian Cafe Blogger Tasting Night

My first experience with Brazilian cuisine was at Fogo de Chão in Houston long before they opened one in Austin.  I was torturously hooked: addictive meat and salad bar galore, but inconveniently expensive.  Being a poor college and now graduate student, I've only eaten once at Estancia Churrascaria and haven't had a chance to visit Fogo de Chão in Austin. 

I managed to satisfy my Brazilian cravings without the amazing meats by buying packets of Yoki brand pão de queijo mixes at Ana Brasil.

I wrongly assumed that churrascaria and pão de queijo sum up Brazilian cuisine.  Rio's Brazilian Cafe introduced me to a whole other side of Brazilian food, and I willingly devoured everyting they had to offer.

Rio's Brazilian Cafe

Chef Elias Martins and partner Ben Googins started Rio's Brazilian in 2006 making all-natural Brazilian packaged products from their cafe kitchen.  You can find Rio's Brazilian products at Whole Foods, Spec's, Ana Brasil, or on the internet at Foodzie.com, but you can also visit their cafe in East Austin to experience a cozy, home-style breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

I went beverage crazy and sampled mango and passion fruit juices as well as Guarana, a Brazilian soda.  I recommend all of them, though that's not surprising since I love all kinds of tropical fruit juices.  The Guarana stands out because you won't find it at many restaurants (though I'm sure you can buy it at Ana Brasil).  It has a lightly sweetened taste without the slimey corn syrup after-taste of American sodas.

(starting from left) Mango Juice, Passion Fruit Juice, and Guarana

What truly sets Rio's Brazilian Cafe apart from other Brazilian venues is its specialization in Brazilian savory pastries.  I tried the Chicken Risoli, Beef & Corn Pastel, and the Brazilian Breakfast Pocket.  The fillings ingredients were fresh and well-seasoned and the pastry was flakey and not at all greasy.  Being able to see and recognize all the filling ingredients is a testament to the quality of food you're getting.  You can still decipher all the filling ingredients from the shaky photos I took!

 

Chicken Risoli, Beef & Corn Pastel, and the Brazilian Breakfast Pocket

Beef & Corn Pastel, and the Brazilian Breakfast Pocket

Chicken Risoli

I especially liked the beef and corn pastel and the breakfast pocket.  The breakfast pocket was very well balanced.  Usually breakfast tacos or sandwiches have disproportionate amounts of egg (because it's cheaper and more filling), which makes me sick in the stomach.  I was pleasantly surprised that the Brazilian breakfast pocket made the cheese and the bacon the standout ingredients.

If you crave pão de queijo, Rio's offers original as well as basil and roasted red pepper ones!!!!  When I saw this on the menu, I couldn't wait to stuff myself with the flavored pãos!  Rio's sells them frozen, and I bought basil and red peppers that very night.  They're pillowy chewy, cheesy, and savory.

pão de queijo

Roasted Red Pepper and Basil Pãos de Queijo

Rio's offers 3 desserts.  I tried the Pudim de Leite, a Brazilian flan, and it was dense and creamy.  I'm defintely coming back to try the chocolate and passion fruit mousse and the sweet banana and cinnamon pastry! 

Pudim de Leite; Big Mug of Brazilian Coffee with Cream

I'm delighted that I can finally afford to eat Brazilian in Austin!

Franklin's BBQ Trailer

Franklin's BBQ

I decided to cheer myself up after a dreary day at work and before my afternoon and late evening classes with BBQ from Franklin's. 

Franklin's Menu

I ordered the 2 meats combo: sausage, pork ribs, potato salad, and cole slaw.  Wow.  That sausage was the best BBQ sausage I EVER had.  It beats even the highly esteemed Salt Lick's!  The sausage was juicy, tightly packed in the casing, and snapped with each bite.  However, the ribs did not impress.  The rub fell flat on the surface and the seasoning did not penetrate the meat.  I had to rely on the espresso and hot BBQ sauces.  The sauces were too vinegary.  I wanted the espresso to have more coffee bean flavor and less tartness. 

2 meats combo: sausage, pork ribs, potato salad, and cole slaw

I'll have to try the beef brisket next time and of course help myself to another sausage.