Maria Maria Inspired Mexican Cuisine

While Austin is filled with tons of Tex-Mex restaurants and littered with small Mexican joints, Maria Maria is an establishment of a different sort compared with the masses.  A unique and amazingly decorated fine dinning experience in the middle of downtown Austin that serves quite possibly the most delicious food Laura or I have ever eaten.  I cannot emphasize enough just how good the food was here.

Laura was in the mood for Italian as she was craving a red sauce and she wasn't disappointed when her Cheese Enchiladas with red sauce came out and fulfilled just that craving.   I went with the Mushroom Chicken Maria, a grilled chicken breast topped with sauteed mushrooms, melted cheese, pico de gallo and avocado served with refried black beans, guajillo rice and salsa verde.

Let me side step to explain that this place was packed, almost every table was taken and still our food was served in less than ten minutes.  Our waiter was one of the most pleasant, funny, and personable people I have ever had the pleasure of tipping.  The beer list included a Black Lager called Ugly Pug by a local brewery called Rahr and Sons.  Seeing as how my mom has had pugs since I was a teenager I had to try this beer.

It wasn't the best beer I had last night, but it definitely didn't disappoint either.  The best beer of the night was from another local brewery called 512 IPA.  I had tried it first at a bar down the street from Maria Maria called the Bat Bar where we witnessed a cello and guitar player entertain the crowd.  After our dinner I still had a craving for another 512 so we headed to the closest bar to grab one.

After leaving the downtown area I grabbed a six pack of Fireman #4 which had been a great find a few days before at Trudy's.  The night got a little blurry after half the six pack but I do remember watching Paul McCartney's incredible performance at the opening night of the Olympics so over all a very successful night.

Maria Maria

Waterloo Ice House

With 8 locations around the Austin area The Waterloo Ice House is a 30 year old franchise that has room to grow. Just like the city it calls home which is among the fastest growing in the country. The first thing I noticed on the menu was a little blurb that said something to the affect of "Been serving Austin since the first hippies showed up" and from that moment on I knew we had found the right place to eat this afternoon.

What a hectic day it had been, I went on four job interviews which went VERY WELL, then we found our way over to a U-Haul locations in order to finally unhitch the trailer and deposit our stuff in a storage unit. While waiting for the trailer to be checked out we got the best news yet, we were accepted in to our apartment and can move in next Friday! So with all of the great news coming back to back it was time to go out and celebrate!

The Waterloo Ice House is the first place we stumbled upon. There isn't even a reason to look in the GPS for food anymore, you can throw a rock blindfolded and hit a world class restaurant. From the outside it looks like it could be hit or miss and the sign looked like it had seen better days, but the moment you step inside Waterloo Ice House you are met with friendly staff and a comfortable atmosphere. Then when we opened the menu we were pleasantly surprised to find what we would consider dinner food selections. Of course they still had tacos, every place in Texas serves tacos.

It's incredibly easy to find a Tex-Mex place out here, finding an authentic American meal has been a bit of a challenge though, but that is probably because we haven't scratched the surface of what Austin has to offer yet. I was actually a little shocked to see that they had Veggie Burgers and even a Veggie Sandwich, seeing as how BBQ and Pork are like air and water down here. But considering this place has been around since the hippies obviously they have catered to a diverse selection of appetites.

I ordered the Texas Philly... what seems like a contradiction ended up being a savory meal that made me shudder in joy when I took the first bite. What makes it a "Texas" Philly I am not quite sure, I think it was the "Queso topping" but whatever the case may be it was incredible. The veggie burger Laura ordered lived up to her high expectations as well. The absolute best and most impressive part was that from the time we put the order in to the time we were served it couldn't have been any more than 4 minutes.

I was astounded by the quick service, but at the same time, having been a line cook for many years I know how quickly I get my meals cooked. If it takes me 8 minutes create a plate it's because someone wanted a well done burger. Otherwise anything else on the menu shouldn't take any more than 5 minutes. So in reality the speed of this service is what every place should aspire to. Sadly most cooks can't handle more than one ticket at a time and many servers let food sit under a heat lamp for 20 minutes before bringing it out.

This is definitely not the case with the Waterloo Ice House, the service was quick, their food was delicious and the Shiner Boch I tried for the first time hit the spot after a long but very productive day filled with great news and great food!

Trudys Tex-Mex Restaurant and Bar

With four locations around Austin TX Trudy's is a unique, artistic, friendly establishment that looks from the outside to be much smaller than it actually is.  Laura and I had just gotten out of an apartment locator's office and were starving.  The GPS gave us too many choice to pick from; the area is filled with incredible eateries.  We went to pull out of the parking lot and right near the exit we saw a place called Trudy's.  The Huxtable reference was the first thing that popped in to Laura's head, and we promptly turned around to park  again.

The moment we walked in we were taken aback by how big the place was and how many people were there.  As well as the amazing paintings on the wall including Abbey Road, Beavis and Butt-Head and all sorts of abstract paintings.  When opening the menu the first problem we encountered was that there was too much great food to pick from.  I was so tempted to try the Stuffed Avocado and Laura was almost tempted to order breakfast, there are dozens of vegetarian options and pages worth of southern and Mexican style foods.  

I started with a Lone Star beer, the local Texas beer, and it was gross, tasted like a watered down Budweiser.  So after chugging it down I went with a Fireman #4 Blonde Ale which is also local and much more delicious.  I just looked up their location and it seems they are only an hour away from Austin and offer free tastings on Fridays, I'm totally there!

As for our food, Laura ordered a Veggie Platter (4 sides) with cheese mashed potatoes, broccoli, corn on the cob and the dinner salad.  Everything was spicy, even her broccoli, in a good way, it also came with authentic Texas Toast.  I ordered Southern Style Chicken which came with cheese mashed potatoes, spicy vegetables, Texas Toast and white delicious gravy.  As we expected the portion size was enormous and the taste was superb.  There are little peppers on the menu next to hot items, I can't even imagine how hot they get if their normal items all have crushed pepper on them to begin with.  Thank goodness we both love spicy foods!

The service was great, the atmosphere was exciting, the selection of beer was above average and the both of us can't wait to go back as many times as it takes to try everything on the menu, twice.  Trudy's Tex-Mex has been in business since 1977 and if their other three locations are as impressive as the Burnet Road location is I am sure they will be around for many, many decades to come.

Trudy's

Los Jaliscienses The Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco

I knew I would eat my words concerning my recent review claiming Cazadores to be “the best Mexican restaurant you will ever eat at.” I just didn't know how soon that day would come. It's been a while since I have had the opportunity to write a review for Another Way To Eat. Not due to lack of content, but mostly due to lack of internet connection or time to dedicate to such a cause. While visiting New York alone I could have written reviews for Flo's Famous Luncheonette, The Oar House, European Republic, The Sage Cafe and multiple bagel and pizza places. I chose to consider those meals a vacation though and defer such reviews for a later time.

After leaving New York Laura and I headed straight back down to Virginia where again I could have written at least a review for Ruby Tuesdays, but come on, do I really need to state the obvious?  Mediocre food at absurd prices. Ten dollars for a plate of salad?! So I chose to bid my time, knowing that in just a few weeks I would be finding myself in a brand new location, with a flare for cuisine, Austin Texas! Before I got the chance to experience Los Jaliscienses though my first Texas meal came directly after crossing the border from Louisiana. It was my very first visit to Jack in the Box and I got to say, I'm lovin' it!

That coming from a outspoken hater of fast food, especially McDonalds. Jack in the Box made my day though, unlike the grotesque service we were offered at a Waffle House the night before. Let me get to the point though.

Los Jaliscienses is hidden in a little nook on the side of a hotel right next to the pool. One could almost consider it part of the hotel but lucky for us it just happens to be extremely close. The moment we walked in the atmosphere was absolutely authentic south of the border. With good reason considering we are four hours from Mexico. The lady who served us spoke English well and had no problem taking our order, which goes against a Yelp review I just read claiming it helps to speak Spanish in order to eat there.

First off, as I am trying to make it routine while eating Mexican, I ordered my Modelo Especial. Next came a flip through the menu. I was astonished to see that they not only served everything I would expect and more, but also had an entire Breakfast Menu serving Huevos, Waffles and mucho mas. This is something I have NEVER seen up north. The Mexican Restaurants I've eaten at in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia are limited to serving lunch and dinner, mostly due to lack of demand for a breakfast section I would imagine.

As far as the lunch we had today goes though, it blew both of our taste buds out of the water. Laura ordered a cheese enchilada meal and I went with the Fajitas Mixtas. For nine dollars I received a platter of beef and chicken with rice, beans, guacamole, and salad along with corn tortillas to wrap up my own fajitas. There was no doubt in either of our minds that the food would be delicious considering the source, and since everything most certainly is bigger in Texas we weren't surprised when we finished our meals that our plates still looked like we hadn't even touched them.

I just heated up a fajita in our hotel room microwave to go with the Austin Amber beer I got next door at the gas station and still I have lunch left over for tomorrow. While the warm weather, friendly people, beautiful scenery and immense cultural diversity initially attracted us to Austin, It's the Tex-Mex Food that will surely keep us here for years to come.

Los Jaliscienses

Cazadores Mexican Resteraunt

Cazadores, I’m not sure what it means in Spanish, but it Spanglish I can assure you it means “the best Mexican restaurant you will ever eat at.”  I’ve found in the past that the best way to eat the style of food most commonly served just south of the border is not a full scale restaurant and it’s most certainly not Taco Bell.  The best Mexican meals I’ve ever had are in the hole in the wall rinky dink places with two tables and a counter.  I guess the best way to describe it is mostly a take-out Mexican place, but not fast food.  Prior Mexican restaurants I have eaten at have left me feeling as if I could have done a better job cooking the meal at home. 

Not Cazadores though, from the prompt service to the humble and non-invasive wait staff it was a true pleasure dinning in their establishment.  Whenever I find myself in a Asian or Spanish place I find that the servers are much less likely to ask how your meal is or anything at all beyond the necessary, even if their English is perfect.  Laura pointed out to me after the meal how pleasant it was, after I mentioned how their service was the opposite of the overly pleasant servers at Applebees or Olive Garden who try to start up conversation where none is needed. 

The Negro Modela’s were delicious as always, the combination platters we each got were even more so.  I went with the number sixteen, an enchilada, a chicken taco, chile rellena, rice and beans and Laura got the number six, two enchiladas, rice and beans, but she substituted for double rice.  I was unsure of what the chile rellena was but it ended up being a deep fried pepper which was stuffed with cheese possibly?  Might have been overflow from the enchilada though as the whole plate kind of melded into each other.  The first bite was of enchilada and it was so good I didn’t even touch it again until after I finished everything else, so that it would be my last taste. 

Let me say that the beans were amongst the best mushy sloppy bean substance I have ever had, the rice was superb and when I went to take a bite out of the taco I was astounded at how perfectly the shell molded to my grip.  It wasn’t too mushy, nor was it so crispy that it broke at the slightest touch.  It was literally the best taco shell I have EVER felt or tasted in my entire life.  The chunks of chicken inside were cut into very generous proportions and were juicy morsels of goodness.  The cheese on top was abundant and the hot sauce I drizzled on was only enough to add a kick to an already near perfect taco. 

Laura loved her meal just as much with absolutely nothing to complain about, so after the courses were served we went for dessert.  Deep fried ice cream which wasn’t the best I have ever had by a long shot but came served in a giant taco cone which easily wins the best presentation awards hands down.  The ice cream itself was delicious it was just the breaded outsides that were a little too chewy, making me feel as if they got a little freezer burned from sitting too long.  I was slightly turned off by what ended up being a not so perfect ending, but everything else was of such a high quality that there is nothing that could stop me from recommending Cazadores as the best Mexican place in Southern Virginia.  

Cazadores

Al Forno Fresh from the Oven

I wish reviewing this place was as easy as saying it was a good or bad restaurant. Having taken out twice in the recent past and enjoyed the food we were tempted each time by a hostess to sit down at what seemed to be a strictly take-out pizza place.  Being from NY my entire life reviewing an Italian place in Virginia seems like something to do as a joke; however the past two times we ate our food at home we were actually surprised with the quality of food that owner Nunzio puts out.  Sadly on our first attempt at dining in we were astonished with the lack of credibility this establishment shows in being an actual restaurant. 

From the moment you enter Al Forno you are greeted by someone offering you menus and a table before getting to the counter.  On any regular visit there will be more wait staff than costumers and it seems they aren’t very versed at the title of “waiter” or “waitress”, at least not the one we were greeted by today.  I might be wrong but I think it was one of the owner’s sons who had a pleasant enough demeanor today.  On our first visit there however I had the unfortunate opportunity of over hearing him refer to a call-in costumer as “a retard” to a co-worker. 

Today our orders were simple enough: mozzarella sticks, raviolis with a side salad and chicken parmesan sub with fries.  The salad came out instantaneously and as usual Laura tried waiting for the rest of her food before starting.  After five minutes or more the two of us started to eat the salad, we quickly finished it and waited another ten minutes before asking a waitress to find out about our appetizer.  Judging by the additional wait, our waiter had obviously forgotten to put the order in.

When we got them they were good, not great.  When our food came out the same can be said.  Good, nothing special.  The fries were actually the best part, when I asked for BBQ sauce on the side though our “waiter” looked at me like I was crazy, but they ended up having some.  The mozzarella sticks were “very good” according to Laura.  The service however was subpar and felt very unnecessary.  Let me not let the entirety of this review seem negative; the food is good, very good for a “pizza place” in Virginia.  But make sure to call in advance for take-out, because that’s where they really shine. 

Al Forno