February 8, 2008
Last Minute Activity: Vegan Arm Wrestling
I was confused when I saw "Vegan Arm Wrestling" in my upcoming feed for Austin events, but on checking it out, it looks to be another iLoveMikeLitt sponsored event for Austin's non-flesh-eating community. It's tonight, February 8th, at the Parlour on North Loop. They've got a bunch of hardcore punk bands playing and specials on vegan pizza (by the pie or slice). More details from their online poster.
Posted by Ben at 11:01 AM | Comments (1)
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January 14, 2008
Alamo Mac & Cheese
I finally got to try the new green chile macaroni and cheese at the Alamo Drafthous Village theater last night while watching "Walk Hard". It's pretty good; you get a huge bowl for $8. The crust, a cotija and breadcrumb topping, has a good crunchy texture and the sauce has a lot of green chile flavor without being too spicy. The cheese isn't overwhelming; it's creamy but not artificial. The menu says it's a blend American, monterey jack, and manchego cheeses. My only problem was that it wasn't served with black pepper. I had a packet with me, and that helped a lot, but you can probably ask your server to bring you some. I found it to be pretty filling, and I'd have it again on another movie visit.
Posted by Ben at 12:23 PM | Comments (0)
December 20, 2007
Eastern European Food That's Veggie Friendly
My sweetie and I made a trip to Pflugerville last night to try out the European Bistro, a primarily Hungarian restaurant in the middle of the cute downtown area. It's not too far from Austin; just head up IH-35 to the Wells Branch exit, then take 1825 a few miles and your there. They're open for dinner every night with special menus for events like Christmas and New Year's Eve.
I started my meal with a tasty cup of sour cherry soup, a sweet and cold yogurt soup. My girlfriend got an Albanian salad consisting of slightly pickled cucumbers with feta cheese. I had wanted to get their paneer gulash, but they were out of paneer due to a run of vegetarian customers, so instead I got a custom dish of fried cauliflower with homemade tartar sauce and rice with peas and caramelized onions. I really enjoyed it; I also got to try some of the spatzel from my girlfriend's plate, tiny chunks of pasta similar to gnocchi that had a nice texture. Desert was another special, a pastry with homemade plum preserves inside a dough ball, served with ice cream on the side.
Service was very nice, with the owner coming to our table and explaining all the dishes. It wasn't too crowed on a Tuesday night, but I hear it fills up more on the weekend. They were very accommodating to me. The price is on the moderate to high range, but you definitely get a different and unique experience.
Posted by Ben at 10:35 AM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2007
Uncle Billy's Drops Veggie-Q
Back in September, I got to try the veggie-que at Uncle Billy's on Barton Springs Road, and it was a tasty serving of grilled vegetables in sauce. Well, there were rumblings online that it was a goner around Thanksgiving. I visited myself and they said they were out of it, but it was still on the menu. Well, I just checked their online site, and they've got a new menu up that omits the tasty veggie combo. However, there is hope for vegetarians with their veggie platter -- four sides for $8. I do like the sides there, especially the macaroni and cheese (baked with breadcrumbs on top) and the cole slaw. They also offer a baked potato that was pretty hearty, although it's not listed on the menu.
So, it's probably not a veggie destination right now, but if you like locally-made beer or have some carnivores to entertain, it's certainly better for you than Rudy's, and the outdoor patio will be quite welcome once we heat up in the spring.
Posted by Ben at 11:40 AM | Comments (0)
November 6, 2007
Dog Gone Again!
After the closing of the Burnet location, it looks like the north end of the drag wasn't so good for Dog Almighty. They've consolidated to just their South Lamar location, a little south of the Half Price Books. Hopefully that one will do well; I'd hate to lose the chance to enjoy their vegetarian chili fries again.
Also, a quick note on Spicy Pickle. It's at 26th and Guadalupe, just behind the 7-11, and it's part of a nationwide chain. I was disappointed to not actually find any pickles on the menu, but the Greek and Forest salads that we got tonight were pretty good. You'll probably want to take them home and add your own dressing, but the mushrooms, onions, and other ingredients went together pretty well. They have some veggie paninis and pizzettas too, although I didn't get to try any of them. They also have some potentially vegetarian soups, but again, you'd need to ask to find out if they're free of meat stocks.
Posted by Ben at 12:44 AM | Comments (0)
November 5, 2007
Two Quick Items
First, Mother's Cafe has reopened. They don't have the garden open yet, but it looks like business is brisk. When I tried to go their last Monday at 8PM, they'd already closed with a sign on the door saying they sold out of food! Maybe I'll get to go tonight.
Second, a warning. Quite a few "Panda Express" quick service Chinese restaurants have been popping up around town. If you're vegetarian, just stay away. On checking their web site, they explicitly state that nothing they serve is suitable; even the tofu is cooked in chicken broth. On the other hand, there's plenty of good Chinese food around town that is veggie friendly. May I suggest Veggie Heaven down on the drag?
Posted by Ben at 4:26 PM | Comments (0)
