FoodFash

Adventure Begins in the Kitchen

Justine’s Brasserie

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Since my mom has been in town from sweet home Safety Harbor, we’ve eaten at restaurants a plenty.  We hit up some downtown hip spots and a seedy Mexican dive, but I think we both would agree our favorite place thus far has been Justine’s Brasserie on the East side.

I wish I had more pictures reflecting how cozy, quaint, and Austin-esque the vibe was.  The furniture was creaky and cool.  There was a gynorm record collection behind the bar.  The light fixtures were worthy of snatching and placing in your favorite shabby chic room.  The overall ambiance at Justine’s was that just-rolled-out-of-bed-looking-that-hot kind of look.  I was a fan before the food even arrived.

I was an even bigger fan after gorging myself on a half a loaf of crusty, chewy bread.  If I had been with someone other than my current company, they would have given me a look of disgust.  Fortunately (unfortunately?) moms love you too much to pass judgement on strange behavior.

She ordered the soup du jour, which was a chilled potato soup that was loaded with fresh mint and perfect for a blazing hot day, and the crab salad (which had a way more French name on the menu), that was very fresh as well.  Avocados and cucumbers make great friends.  Noted.

I ordered the catch of the day which was a honkin’ fillet of grouper.  The fish was dusted with the perfect amount of seasoning, but most importantly, was super flaky and moist.  And as good as the fish was, the greens were even better.  The mustard-y sauce and tiny strings of onion were to die for.

Justine’s was just perfect for a weekday dinner, but I’m looking forward to heading back on a Friday night with friends for dinner con cocktails!

Snap Kitchen

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I pass by Snap Kitchen every day on my way home from work and think the same thing, “I need to try that place!”.  Well today, I didn’t feel much like braving the Whole Foods lunch crowd, so I opted to drive a block further and check out this new-to-me place.

The concept is much like other pre-portioned meal programs, but they have a much stronger emphasis on quality ingredients.  Quality ingredients being fresh, healthy (not just small portions), local, and organic.  The price point most definitely reflects this and probably isn’t feasible for most families.  But, I’m not a family, I’m a wasteful one.  A wasteful one that would probably end up tossing less, weighing less, and saving more in then end.

My lunch consisted of the egg salad wrap and a side of tabbouleh.  Both were better than I expected and kept me full until dinner.  I don’t see myself ever doing the full on 21-day program, but this could be a really ideal solution for both busy and lazy weeks alike!

Office Outing!

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One of the things I enjoy most about working in our Austin office is how much everyone genuinely enjoys hanging out with each other.  I think this is largely in part to this office always being a small office.  But nonetheless, I love it!

The last Friday of every month, we do lunch together in the board room.  This month, the office manager suggested we take advantage of amazing weather and take a trip to one of the many food truck lots.  We packed ourselves in two cars and headed down to the Trailer Park Eatery on 1st Avenue.

Half of the group ate at Torchy’s and the other half (the health conscious half) ate at Conscious Cravings (how appropriate!).  We made bets on how many times the Torchy’s crew would tease us about our sandwiches.  I guessed 4, Brian guessed 3, Elizabeth guessed 2.  Brian won!

I ate the blackened tofu wrap and shared some baked rosemary fries with Elizabeth.  If you’re curious to see what I thought of each menu item (or any of the menu items I’ve eaten in Austin), check out my profile on Tasted Menu!

Hours In Portland

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As soon as I dropped off my luggage at the airport hotel, I changed out of business attire and into the adult version of recess clothes.  There was no level of exhaustion that was going to prevent me from spending a few hours in a town that topped my list of musts.

I have always heard such great things about Portland, but the city ended up being much more than I had expected.  There were restaurants, shops, and most importantly, pedestrians, on every corner of downtown.  I found a quick comfort within the bustling streets.

I also found quick comfort within this red coat!

I spent a couple hours adventuring before landing at Clyde Common, the first restaurant that grabbed my attention during a mini Google sesh before leaving the hotel.

I started with the golden beat soup, which was one of the more uniquely delicious dishes I’ve ever had.  I know there is absolutely no way I can recreate this at home, but I’m sure going to try.  Golden beats, apple cider vinegar, Greek yogurt, salt and pepper?  I could be way off, but that’s the starting point I came up with as I ate every last bite.

Next up was broccoli rabe with guanciale, lemon vinaigrette, pistachio, and fried egg.  Something about this dish was a little too bitter for me, but the egg was so cool I didn’t mind.  When I read fried egg I anticipated an ordinary breakfast egg, not the breaded and fried soft boiled egg that arrived on the plate.

And lastly, the cavatelli with root vegetables, crème fraîche, nutmeg, and celeriac espuma.  If this had been the only dish I ordered, I would have eaten it in its entirety.  The flavors were wonderful, but it was entirely too dense for my already full belly.

Even though I had a completely enjoyable evening, four hours in Portland was a total tease.  I would love to come back this year, especially for a mom/daughter trip when the weather warms up a bit.

Have you taken any family vacations recently?