Tiff's Treats: Cookie Delivery

Tiff's Treats is an Austin and Dallas local cookie shop. Tiff's Treats started out in 1999 as a simple business run by college students, soon it became extremely popular with both students and customers and so their first location, in downtown Dallas, was opened in September 2006. Their Austin location followed in November 2009. The Austin shop is a small, cozy, little shop with a nondescript walls. Approximately only 5-10 people can fit in it at one time, and that is if they squeeze. However, when you enter the store you can feel the warmth from the ovens, and you get hit by the overpowering aroma of freshly baked cookies. The waiting area is directly in front of the counter, and you can just barely catch a glimpse of shining cooking equipment through a doorway, or you can peek through a tiny little window which leads to the kitchen, it is through this window that your order of cookies will eventually go through. As their name suggests, you can either call them or order online for a cookie delivery. If you order a small amount of cookies, you usually get them in small paper bags, but if you order more then they come in an aluminum lined box with a ribbon, to keep the cookies nice and warm.

A Tiffwich

Their wide variety of cookies and snacks vary from simple, but delicious, chocolate chip cookies to a Tiffwich, which is an ice cream sandwich, except the ice cream is sandwiched between two warm and practically melting cookies of your choice. They even sell milk and coffee, which is for both small children who eat cookies the traditional way, or for adults who would like to eat something sweet and gooey with their coffee, Tiff's Treats caters to all ages, of all classes.

Tiff's also has special holidays and event bundles. One Tiff's Treats event is you can enter in for a cookie raffle, in which you have to register every month, in which they would draw one name, the prize is 10 dozen cookies, that's about 120 and more mouthfuls of joy! You can visit the delivery site here.

Photo courtesy of Yelp

Have a sweet day!

-Chocolate Rabbit

Barbecue the Chinese Way

Since 1998, Din Ho has been offering an authentic Chinese barbecue menu right here in Austin. The restaurant is pretty conveniently located in a shopping center on Research Boulevard, next to a Coco's Cafe (previous blog post) and a few other popular stores, such as Target.

One of my favorite dishes from the menu is the Walnut Shrimp, which is shrimp, flavored with a sweet, creamy sauce (probably consisting of mayonaise) and roasted walnuts. Though it may sound a little strange, it actually is quite good. The fish fillet hot pot is an interesting dish as well: served on a sizzling (and still cooking) hot pot, the fish is flavored with "plum garlic sauce", which gives it a nice sweet-sour taste. I believe this dish is a little spicy.

The BBQ selection consists of large portions of pork, chicken, duck, etc. These usually serve groups of people, from 4 to 8 people. The waitress can take note of how many people are present and prepare accordingly. They also offer many "sizzling platter" dishes, which are dishes that are served while still cooking, somewhat like the hot pot that I mentioned earlier. However, these are usually not as spicy, and are served as a seafood dish (most of the time).

Overall, the food is quite authentic. There is only one location in Austin, on Research Blvd. The restaurant can get quite busy, so make reservations!

Artwork provided by Citysearch.

Thanks

Lily

Eastside Cafe

Eastside Cafe is a wonderful little restaurant in East Austin.... check it out!

I got an AMAZING garden burger.

The restaurant is a converted house and we ate in the "garden patio"

Beautiful cherry cobbler.

They grow their own veggies in a garden.

Tokyo Steakhouse and Sushi Bar: Feature Lead and Nut Graph

“If you are going to do something, love it, and do your best.”

Such words Mr. Charles Pan must have followed to mold and shape his Toyko Steakhouse restaurant in Round Rock into the popular teppan-yaki restaurant it is today. A popular stop for authentic Japanese cuisine and entertaining chefs, the environment created inside of the restaurant is not only welcoming, but bustling with energy. With rows and rows of fresh, high-quality seafood and dips set out on the marble counter top at the sushi bar, and the roar of the grills on which trained chefs prepare food, it is apparent that quality is all that the restaurant is about. “I hire the best workers. There are dishwashers, and then there are fast dishwashers. There are chefs, and the there are certified, authentic, skilled chefs. We believe in quality. Yes, quality.”

Mr. Pan had taken over the Tokyo Steakhouse restaurant after his sister, the previous owner, moved to San Antonio. He had graduated from Hai Yang college in China with a major in marine biology, which some may find suitable that he followed a career in the sushi business. “Study hard and follow your dreams. Grow well and do something you love. That way you’ll never feel like you’re working hard and you’ll only grow to love it more.”

Thanks

Lily

Beet's Cafe Lead and Nut Graph

    When one walks into the sunlit, cheerful Beet’s Cafe - boasting of “amazingly good” raw and vegan food - they are often greeted by a cheerful woman with curly brown hair. Many don’t realize that the woman serving them is the cafe’s owner, Sylvia Heisey. Sylvia is so well-suited to the restaurant industry that is hard to believe she was a businesswoman in the corporate sector only a few years ago. After traveling all to much for work, Heisey decided she was done. The traveling was so exhausting that she was forced to quit her job to take care of herself. It was during this healing process that Heisey discovered the raw food diet. “The aches and pains in my knees went away, my allergies went away, I lost weight- those 10 pound I could never lose- I was able to sleep at night, my skin cleared.. there’s just so many different benefits!” she said.Upon realizing the miracles that this diet could work, she knew she just had to share it with the Austin community. Flash forward a couple of years and we can see the result: Beet’s Living Foods Cafe.

Foreign and Domestic: Can't Get Enough

Smoked Quail

Foreign and Domestic: the most interesting restaurant in town. Yes, it combines everything that it great about Austin culture. The menu changes every week, from liver to quail, it literally has everything. The food is prepared in the kitchen that can be seen from the tables (at least the indoor ones, they have a few outdoor tables in the summer as well). The food itself is good, but the ambiance and the sides are what really set this restaurant apart. The sauces are to die for, the perfect blend of spices and sweet flavor, and they are glazed over the most scrumptious sides. But, again, it is the ambiance of this restaurant that I truly love. “Hip” hardly describes the chairs and tables, and the walls are lines with the most interesting decorations. It is great! It all goes into the “vibe” of the restaurant.  It is a restaurant you just want to be in. Recently, I visited this restaurant and had the smoked quail. It isn’t an item you would find on an average menu. But the sauce blew me away. This was one of the instances where I literally cleaned my plate. Then I had desert—something that I would really recommend…chocolate cake…nom nom nom. I have never been so full in my life.

Tino's Greek Cafe

Photo creds to Robyn Lee (flickr)

Think of types of restaurants. Let me guess: your thoughts were something like “Italian, Mexican, Tex-Mex, burgers...” Did Greek food ever cross your mind? Admittedly, Greek food is a slightly obscure, but if you ever want to try it out, go to Tino’s Greek Cafe.

From the exterior, the cafe may look like one of those run-down places with sticky tables and horrible food. Allow me to dispel that myth- their food is really good. Basically, they have two different types of meat- chicken or gyro- on which they build all the different dishes. (At the south Austin location, they cook the meat on these huge spits behind the counter so you can see it roasting. And then they cut off chunks of it with these huge knives....)

If you wish, you can get a plate of chicken or gyro meat (marinated with “secret spices”...no wonder it’s so good!) with pita bread. For vegetarians, they have falafels, which are equally tasty. Even so, I recommend getting a wrap. This has the meat/falafel wrapped up in pita bread along with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cumcumbers and Tzadziki sauce. Speaking of which, Tzadziki sauce (I have NO idea how that is pronounced)is a signature part of Greek food. Basically, it is comprised of yogurt, cumcumbers, garlic and other herbs. The Tzadziki at Tino’s is amazing. It's actually extremely easy to make- try out this recipe.

Tino’s has quite a few locations around Austin... check it out one day!

Vietnamese Pudding

There are many types of Vietnamese pudding, or che (pronounced "chair" without the "r"). There are many types of che, and a large diversity of forms. Some of them look like pudding or frosting, others look like eggs in soups, though they all come mostly in dessert forms, there are a few that are eaten for appetizers or main courses. Che is an extremely versatile food and can be served either hot or cold.

Azuki beans

There are literally over hundreds of types of che, with the most common, and my favorite, being the red bean che. This is essentially red bean soup, made form azuki beans, which is then poured upon shaved ice, and is served cold. You would then mix the shaved ice with the beans and the bean soup so that it resembles a red slush, then it is eaten with a spoon. Red bean che tastes sweet, beany, and like strawberries all at the same time, it is quite hard to describe the taste with only words. Another one of my favorite and common ches is three colored che. This che has coconut milk, shaved ice, green rice flour jelly, grass jelly, red beans and creamed corn. This che is eaten in the same manner as red bean che, but is a large mouthful of sweet beans and chewy jelly.

You can find plastic canned che at Fresh Tofu.

Photo Credit to flikr

Good eatings

-Chocolate Rabbit

Madam Mam's

Madam Mam's location in The Village.

Photo credit to Paula Forbes.

With three locations in Austin, (Guadalupe, Westgate and the Village) you have the option to try out authentic Thai food while staying close to home. The Guadalupe location is merely across the street from the UT campus, and the other two locations are conveniently stationed in busy shopping centers. The owners Chatfuang ("Mam") and Sap Apisaksiri learned the arts of cooking Thai cuisine in Thailand from their grandparents. The authenticity of the food is not questionable, and they have so many more entrees to offer than pad thai.

With a wide range of choices from noodle soup to desserts, it is rather hard to pick out an entree. For an appetizer, the Green Apple Salad is quite satisfying. It consists of sliced green apples and Thai peppers (which does make it a bit spicy), topped off with lime juice, tomato, garlic and dried shrimp. While it may sound like an eccentric combination, the funky mix of flavors is not jarring at all. The Tom Khlong noodle soup is probably my favorite entree. Hot noodles served in a spicy soup consisting of peppers, garlic and basil. There is a choice between the inclusion of chicken or tofu with the noodles. (Beware, the red peppers are almost lethal. Have ice water on hand.)

If any of you are now wondering about the arts and mannerisms of Thai cooking and dining, there is a list of articles written by Mick Vann for the restaurant. I would recommend checking a few of them out: especially "Region Styles of Thai Cuisine" if any of you are unfamiliar with Thai foods and would just like to learn a bit of the background behind some of the foods served at the restaurant.

A picture of the Tom Klhong noodle soup at Madam Mam's.

Photo credit to Far.

Thanks

Lily

Bombay Bistro: Contemporary Indian Cuisine

Murgh Malai Kabob.... excuse me while I go
drool in a corner

One of my favorite Indian restaurants in Austin is undoubtedly Bombay Bistro. They have two locations, one in North Austin one and in the South. The south Austin location was opened quite recently, actually.

The best meal to eat at Bombay Bistro is dinner. At that time, they have a very nice ambiance, and their a la carte menu is very good. (I would not recommend lunch, as their lunch buffet is not as good.) 


The first thing they bring out is papad, which is a thin, crispy (but not sweet) wafer, that you dip in various chutneys (sauces). Serving papad and chutney at an Indian restaurant is equivalent to tortilla chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant. 

When it comes to ordering main courses, here a few of my recommendations:

1. Bombay Bistro’s murgh malai kabob (basically, chicken kabobs) are AMAZING. This is my absolute favorite dish to order there. The chicken is very soft and the marination and seasoning is sublime.
2. Try the Lahsuni paneer tikka. Paneer is basically cottage cheese, and in this dish, it is seasoned with garlic, pepper and other spices. Again, it is super tasty.
3. Get some sort of breads. I love naans the best. (Get a butter naan if you don’t mind doing that to your body.)

I think Bombay Bistro’s Indian food is some of the best in Austin-- all of you should definitely check it out.


Photo credits to She Who Shall Not Be Named (flickr).

Tokyo Steakhouse: Sushi Bar

Teppanyaki is a type of Japanese cooking done on any iron plate ("teppan" means "iron plate"), with any ingredients. Here, we can sometimes pull off the cooking on a griddle, though in Japan it is done in a special electric frying pan, also called teppanyaki. Opened in 2006, Tokyo Steakhouse and Sushi Bar brings authentic teppanyaki cuisine to Austin, along with a variety of different types of sushi. For the sushi rice, they use a Japanese specialty based on boiled rice with sweetened rice vinegar, a mixture called sushi meshi. There is a wide selection of sushi at the Tokyo Steakhouse and Sushi Bar, including nigiri sushi, which are thin slices of raw fish seasoned with wasabi and wrapped around with sushi meshi, hosomaki, which are thin sushi rolls, and futomaki, thick sushi rolls.

The menu can be found here. The sushi bar is open everyday, and the specific sushi menu can be found here. I have visited there for lunch once, and I ordered one of the lunch bento boxes, which is comprised of one selection from the lunch menu and one selection from the sushi bar, served with miso soup, steamed or fried rice and vegetable tempura. While the food was a little costly, I do think that it was very authentic and carefully made Japanese food. While my opinion may be a little biased (because the owner of the restaurant was my former neighbor), many of the other store reviews were very positive. Located in Round Rock, Tokyo Steakhouse and Sushi Bar is inside of the La Frontera Shopping Center. Directions and contact information may be found here.

Photo credit to Mark Maston.

Thanks

Lily

A Teaching in Tofu

Tofu, or bean curd in the United States, is one of two foods that embody Asian cuisine, with the other being rice. Tofu is made by coagulating soy milk, which leaves curds that are usually shaped into white blocks. Though this is the most generic type of tofu, there are also many other ways to make and types of tofu, my personal favorite is silken tofu. Tofu is an excellent vegetarian source for protein, and with its delicate flavor, can be prepared in many different forms, from appetizers, to main courses, to desserts. The origin of tofu is highly disputed, with claims ranging from China, Japan, Vietnam, and Korea, but the first documented making of tofu dates back to China in 179 BC.

Silken Tofu

There are three common types of tofu that i'm going to talk about, the most common type of tofu is fresh tofu, this tofu is usually sold in large vats of water, where you reach in to select the tofu you want (it's actually kinda cool), from this basic fresh tofu you can cook it or make it in different ways so that it transforms into other types. Another common type of tofu is silken tofu. Silken tofu is tofu that has the highest moisture quality, and it is extremely soft, and it feels most like eating pudding. Silken tofu is usually eaten as a dessert with other flavorings (I like mine with sugar syrup). The last common type of tofu is fried tofu. All tofu besides silken tofu can be deep fried until they are crunchy on the outside, and soft and juicy on the inside. Fried tofu is usually bland so it is preferred to eat it with soy sauce.

Fresh Tofu is a good shop to get homemade tofu and other Asian treats such as Vietnamese pudding, but that's for another blog post.

Fried Tofu

Photos courtesy of flikr

Yummy Meals!

-Chocolate Rabbit

Review of Sushi Zushi

Sushi Zushi must be my favorite sushi restaurant in Austin. They have a number of house rolls that are excellent, yet this is not what sets this restaurant appear. It is the rolls that are not on the menu: the Spicy Susan and Carlos rolls.The Spicy Susan is a Salmon  and tuna role, where the salmon is on the outside and the tuna is on the inside. This really helps to increase the flavor, along with a savory sauce. It is amazing! Also, it is very filling, so it would make a entree for a hungry eater. The Carlos role has tuna on the outside, and is, ironically, a lot spicier than the Spicy Susan. It is an nice blend of the neutral sauce and roe, and the fiery flavor of the spices.
All in all, the rolls are great. But the Miso Soup is even better! It is home made in the kitchen from fish stock and Miso paste...yes it is very difficult (especially making the broth). Here is a recipe:

• 2 teaspoons dashi granules
• 4 cups water
• 3 tablespoons miso paste
• 1 (8 ounce) package silken tofu, diced
• 2 green onions, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces

Miso Soup...Tasty

Bare in mind that this includes dashi granules which is an easy substitute for fish stock. I have made the fish stock and it is extremely difficult. I would not recommend it unless you have a seasoned recipe (hahaha). The dashi granules are simpler and easier. Basically you bring the water to a broil and stir in the dashi. Then turn off the heat and stir in the miso paste. IT WILL DESTROY THE MISO IF IT IS BROUGHT TO A BIOL. So don't do that. Don't do it. Add the onions and tofu at the end. Avoid handling the tofu or it will break up into a million pieces and become mush. It is easier to work with tougher tofu, and won't made mush difference in the soup. You may want to add some seaweed to this recipe.

Serve warm. :) :) :)

It's not Torchy's; it's Taco Deli!

I visited Taco Deli over the weekend with my family. Check it out!

They have locations in Central, South and North Austin.
We visited the Central location.

The menu.

The "Daily Specials" menu above the ordering line.
 This line was backed up all the way to the entrance.

Apparently, it's always this crowded.

Ordering counter; slightly obscured by the ever-present
masses of people.

Chips and guacamole. Very, very good guacamole.

Veggie Taco (Comes with two; one has been devoured already.)

Florentino Taco: RECOMMENDED.
[I had to take a bite before even photographing them; they were that good.]

T-Shirts for sale!

I really liked Taco Deli and I definitely suggest you check it out!

Photography by Culinary Queen. 

Chuy's vs Kerby Lane

Chuy's

Chuy's and Kerby Lane: two of the restaurants in Austin with the most local culture. But which is better? Both of these restaurants serve Tex-Mex food and have similar menus. They both have tons of seating, and it takes about an hour and a half to be seated on a Friday night from six to eight.
As far as food goes, neither is very impressive. The queso is spicy at Chuy's and makes you empty two glasses of fluid before you even get your food, while it is mild at Kerby Lane and made from white cheese (I prefer this). I'm not a huge fan of salsa, but it can really define a Tex-MEx restaurant--and I have to say that Chuy's takes the prize in this category. They combine the spices relatively well.
The main entres however, are not spectacular. Both restaurants rely heavily on sauces for flavor, like most Tex-Mex restaurants, but the food is rather plain.

Kirby Lane

But that isn't what these restaurants are known for. People don't go to these restaurants for the food. People go to sit around drinking sodas and cocktails and munching on chips with a bowl of queso or salsa. People go to talk for an hour while sitting in a packed and noisy room with pictures and interesting objects covering the walls from floor to ceiling. It isn't about the food. It is about the experience.

This is where the restaurants differ slightly. Chuy's is more family oriented. There is plenty of space to move around, plenty of outdoor bar tables, and plenty of parking space so your kids don't have too walk a long way. It has a photo-booth, and little games inside. They sell T-shirts for your kids to wear to school (free advertising), and give the kids lots more options on the menu.

Kirby Lane, on the other hand, is oriented toward college students. It is a place where you can cram before a test, or relax in the post-exam lull. It is a great place to bring one friend, or ten. However, this restaurant is not nearly as family oriented. Restaurant locations are downtown or in shopping areas (not near neighborhoods). They have little parking because of this--and unless you live nearby (because you are a student) there will be a good deal of walking involved.

All in all, it depends on who you are and what kind of restaurant you are looking for. Students go to Kirby Lane, while family's can have fun at Chuy's.

Ruoc Thit Cha Bong: Vietnamese Pork Pemmican

Earlier this week, my mom made Ruoc Thit Cha Bong, or Vietnamese pork pemmican in English. Vietnamese pork pemmican is shredded pork jerky. This makes it extremely puffy and the end result is Vietnamese pork pemmican, which resembles brown-tan colored cotton candy, except more rough. This pemmican can be stored in dry, room temperature conditions for around a month, and is portable and can also be sent through mail. You would eat pemmican by taking a little bit and sprinkling it on top of your rice, and since it is extremely fine, it would spread through your rice as you were eating, and would be a more efficient way to eat rice and meat. Plus, since it is extremely dried up of all juices, you make less of a mess.

Some pemmican, but slightly deflated

You can buy pemmican at most Vietnamese shops and stores, but you can make it by yourself too. First, you would cook the pork, or mostly any other type of meat would work, and then add fish oil and boil it in a pan, and keep on doing this until the meat has entirely absorbed the sauce, this will make the pemmican more tastier. After there is no more sauce, you must begin to tear and essentially destroy the meat, and grind it until there are only stringy remains, this step tends to take a long time since you want the meat to be really stringy and thin. Finally, after you have your meat remains, you must try to get the meat as dry as possible, by using a heated pan and repeatedly flipping it, until there is absolutely no more liquids or juices remaining, finally, you let it cool off, and now you have your pemmican. Since making your own pemmican is extremely hard and complicated, most inexperienced or busy people prefer to buy it themselves.

Vietnamese pork pemmican is an extremely tasty and light, Asian, meat snack that can be eaten with rice, or even by itself.

Photo Credit to me

Have fun snacking :D

-Chocolate Rabbit

Flipnotics

Photo credit to Lisa Kettyle

On the way back from Zilker Park one day, my sister and I stumbled upon this wonderful little coffee place called Flipnotics. From the outside, it looks like a small shop with nice balconies that overlook the scenery of local Austin. Basically, it's a tiny place that serves up coffee, local foods and live music, preserving the title for Austin that we so proudly brag of: "The Live Music Capital". It opened in 1992, and has been playing live music every night. There is a calendar of their live music schedule for the next month; you guys should definitely check it out.

Just outside of Zilker Park in Barton Springs, Flipnotics is a very calming place, not to mention that their coffee is delicious. You can find their menu here. My favorite is their Italian Soda (I have yet to develop a coffee addiction for now), but I think my sister really liked the Flip's Frappe. Open on Monday to Saturdays from 7AM to midnight (and on Sundays, 8AM to 11PM), Flipnotics is open during both the morning, so any of you morning-haters can grab some delightful coffee, and at night for the loud, live music experience that many people in Austin crave. Their complex system of balconies and decks make for a wonderful place to work, as the only thing stopping you from working is probably Facebook because, guess what, Flipnotics also hosts free WI-FI service. It really is a wonderful little place to gather and truly ties in the image of what most people see local, downtown Austin as.

The lovely decks at Flipnotics.

Photo credit to Duggan Flanakin.

Thanks

Lily