Well poppets, I’ve been trying to update my blog for quite some time but alas, the Internet Gods were not gracing me with their love the past few weeks. I’ve been dying to put up this post since it’s about one of my new favorite places in Austin: Epicerie Cafe & Grocery.

So, even though I’ve been there twice now, I’ve had exactly the same thing both times because I lurve this one dish so much. I get the Tri-Tip Steak with Frites and Aioli and Brussels Sprouts. Having spent time in California, I’m a huge fan of the tri-tip cut. It’s what they use for their version of Santa Maria Style BBQ. Yummy, yummy – makes me want Hitching Post II so bad!

Back to Epicerie, oui, oui. Gosh, everything about this place is just charming. It’s clean and bright and simple yet cozy with warm light, gentle music and friendly staff. I tried the cheese plate and beet salad too, both good and satisfying but that steak, woo hoo, is excellent and delicious at medium rare. Plus, the fries with aioli should be its own food group or an IV drip.

My only small complaint is the wine. They have bottles for sale and I’m not even going to pretend that I know anything about what they have on their shelves. That being said, I couldn’t get much help from anyone on guiding me to make a good decision  The first time I went I ordered a glass of wine and it was the equivalent of doing 2-3 shots?  Of wine? I held it up to my friend who looked completely confused. For $8 a pop it was a bit much for us. Once again, not bad, but to me, could be better.

Finally, on to the cookies. Sweet day in the morn. These cookies are FILLED TO THE BRIM with chocolate chips. Seriously, it’s mostly like eating chocolate chips held together ever so carefully by salty, sweet dough. It takes everything in my power to have just one, and these are big cookies to begin with. Please don’t go buy any, please?

I have to say my love for this place has gone from crush to full on love. Go check out, you will not be disappointed.

Last week I was craving the oddest thing – a delicious lobster roll. Could I seriously crave anything more costly? Well, I could actually, but wow, lobster rolls are not cheap. Thankfully, David is from the East Coast and when I exclaimed my hankering, he was totally in. We thought we would give Dock & Roll a try having driven by it so many times and promising that one day we would stop. Well we did, and it’s good, damn good.

David got the Maine Event (lobster meat served chilled with Dock & Roll‘s special house mayo, old bay lemon butter, and chive on a freshly baked roll) and I got the Long Island (celery and onion added to the Maine Event – this girl has to have crunch) plus Lobster Mac ‘n’ Cheese (because why wouldn’t you?) and tater tots (once again, why wouldn’t you?). We brought them home and I snarfed mine in about eight minutes and this is a good size lobster roll y’all. Everything was absolutely delicious. That mac ‘n’ cheese was so good I’m glad we didn’t have a bigger serving because we would have just kept eating and eating and eating. Even the tater tots were delicious. The only complaint, and this is coming from my aforementioned East Coast husband, but they didn’t serve it on a split top roll. Now, no one in the city serves lobster rolls on a split top roll, and, you can’t get them anywhere here. When David goes to Central Market or Whole Foods Market, he will ask the bakery if they have split top rolls and every time he gets a no and sad face. David shakes his fist in the air and makes his own sad face. I guess it’s kind of a big deal actually because when he mentions it to other East Coast friends the complaints are strong and loud. Maybe this is the equivalent of not having decent Tex-Mex on the West Coast? I felt that way when I lived in Los Angeles!

One final note was the price. For two lobster rolls, tater tots and the mac ‘n’ cheese it was $37.00. To put that into perspective, there is another lobster roll in the city that is $28.00 and not as big as this one. It’s a good bang for your buck considering you are eating delicious and decadent lobster.

Get thee to Dock & Roll today!  http://dockandrolldiner.com/menu

Every once in a while, a restaurant comes along that’s just magic. From the decor to the staff to the food, everything is pitch perfect, and our experience at Lenoir was just that – magic. I had been wanting to eat here since it opened but had never had the chance and then, some little magazine called Bon Appetit named it one of the top restaurants in the country making it even harder to get in.

So, we made a reservation a month in advance to celebrate the end of my second trimester (we are almost through our third – so yes, this post has been a long time coming!) and finally got to go. The Pie Society team worked down the street from what this restaurant used to be, an old run down house that was in need of a serious facelift. I remember walking by and viewing the progress thinking “what a charming little place that’s going to be” and oh my goodness, it is. The restauarant is well, the size of small house and I believe you are eating in the old living room/dining room. The entire room is painted black which you think would make it feel even smaller but actually, it just makes it feel comfy and cozy. I loved the bar area which was bright white against the dark black with weathered woods and Alice in Wonderland styled signs and decor. The whole place actually has a whole Alice in Wonderland style whimsy and charm to it.

Now to the even better part, the food! Also with a touch of whimsy to it but with seriously balanced, tickle your tastebuds flavor. The menu is unique in that you can get three courses for $35.00 and an extra course for $10.00. You have a choice between Field, Sea, Land and Dream. We couldn’t decide at all so just went hog wild; you’re shocked I’m sure.

We chose Cucumber and Tomato Salad with sorrel, gribiche and whole wheat flatbread from Field; Toasted shrimp ravioli with okra, shisito peppers and tasso sauce and poha-crusted fish with butternut dashi broth, seaweed salad and corn from Sea; Crispy Rabbit Terrine with butternut, arugula and pickled pear salad and Red Curry Goat with watermelon, goat feta and crepe from Land; and finally, Honeyed Figs, ginger ice cream, toasted marshmallow, malted chocolate crumble and Johnny Cake, butternut puree, fresh corn and honey and shaved Italian piave from Dream.  Hungry yet?

Everything was amazingly good and as I mentioned earlier – perfectly balanced. It’s funny you don’t really hear that remark very much but when something is cooked so well and to perfection, you notice and it helps you appreciate the locally-sourced ingredients that much more. There was nothing fussy or overdone about them, just straight up flavor that knocked a power punch with each round. Our favorites had to be the terrine and the goat but everything, I repeat everything, was so delicious I’m still thinking about it almost two months later.

Finally, the staff and service were pitch perfect. They were attentive without being overbearing and answered all of our questions and had great recommendations. I hope Lenoir is one of those Austin restaurants that is with us for eternity – it’s that good.

http://lenoirrestaurant.com

Our friends Kari and Mike have been talking about Drink.Well up on North Loop for quite some time and their really good Kobe Beef Burger. So, for Sunday family dinner we decided to treat ourselves and give it a try. Holy kobe burger, I love this place.

In an unassuming building just off North Loop, right down from a house that has a guillotine in front of it (don’t let this deter you, but only in Austin right?) is Drink.Well. A dimly lit, we were told former realtor company building, that’s snuggle tastic. The decor is modern with whimsical touches throughout such as wheels welded to steel poles to create a very unique place to set your drink, plus fun, local art along the wall and Uno cards as “numbers” for the staff to deliver your food to the table. Like a typical pub, you order drinks and food at the counter. We were here on a a lazy, rainy Sunday but I would want to see it on a weekend night, as I’m sure the line could get pretty long? Not sure, but will gladly go back and investigate if I can get all of their food again.

We started with House-Cut Potato Chips & Dips which are thin and crispy Kennebec potatoes, with a choice of dips which we chose Onion & Summer Herb (smoky), Warm White Bean Pesto (savory). I could eat both of those dips off a an old shoe. Since I’ve been pregnant I’ve been doing the typical cravings like a mad woman and one of mine is hot wings (the other is spaghetti and meatballs and milk. Not together mind you.). The wings are crispy good and we got them smothered in the buffalo hot sauce which was just hot enough and a great little chicken wing if I do say so myself.

Now. to the main event, the Kobe Burger. Woo child, this was good. Straight from their menu:

You know you always have that one place that if you can’t think of where to go or just want to pop in for a quick snack and glass of wine, you go there? That’s Mulberry for David and me. We happened upon it one night when looking for a place to go and the moment I walked in I knew I was going to love it. It’s a small place with an excellent patio outside and cozy little nooks and crannies to get close to your loved one on the inside with a very unique horseshoe shaped bar that almost expands around the entire room. Plus, they have an excellent vino selection that is affordable and interesting without being too off-center or dare I say it, snooty. Oh, get the Justin Cabernet for me if you can!

Most importantly? The food! Every time we go there the food is consistently good. I can’t recall everything we’ve had there but some mainstays when we go are the Cuban Sandwich; Meatballs; Devils on Horseback and the FoieBerry Burger. Why this little beauty isn’t being raved about more I don’t know because it’s a perfect small bite of burger. Two buttery buns, ground beef and foie gras with a berry style compote smothered on top…perfection. Now, I will always say our pies are the best anywhere hands down (shameless, shameless www.thepiesociety.com) BUT they make a darn good Chocolate Hazelnut Pie and given that sweets are my middle name these days, it’s an awesome end to a meal.

We also just went there for brunch and I had the Eggs Benedict which wasn’t the same old, same old dish you get over and over again somewhere else but a delicious egg with perfect hollandaise sauce, tomatoes and spinach all on top of a crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside Ciabatta roll. It’s the little differences and upgrades they do that make this place one of our favorites. If you are visiting or live here in Austin, give them a try: http://www.mulberryaustin.com/