By: Taylor Baker

Austin Foodie

FOOD IS OURCOMMON

GROUND, AUNIVERSAL

EXPERIENCE.JAMES BEARD

InsideY O U R G U I D E

Luxe for Less -Juliet Ristorante

Queen of the Foodies

You Are What You Eat

Five Austin BrunchSpots That Won'tBreak the Bank

It's Booze-O'clockEverywhere

About the Writer

W W W . F R A M E M A G . C O M | 2 0

05

Being a college student usually means

that you don’t get to enjoy the finer

things in life unless the ‘rents are in

town.  However, it is possible to get

fancy without breaking the bank.  I

recently visited Juliet, an Italian

restaurant on Barton Springs, and was

able to enjoy a lovely dinner without

having a panic attack at the price.  In

fact, my date and I spent less than

$30.

Juliet’s menu offering promises a

Texas take on Italy, as well as locally

sourced ingredients.  The décor

portrays a swanky date spot with

modern chandeliers, pure white chairs,

and a tasteful wooden bar.  The

outdoor dining space is dreamy, and

makes you feel as if you’ve stepped

into a romantic Italian garden party.

The ambiance is enough to make

anyone melt into a puddle of design

heaven, and the food doesn’t

disappoint either.

 Executive Chef Jacob Weaver gained

his inspiration from the Italian

countryside, and Juliet’s menu is

perfectly crafted in every way.  The

trick to having the most affordable and

well­rounded experience is to go

during happy hour, and luckily their

happy hour runs daily from 3:00­

7:00pm. We can hopefully all agree

that spending $30 at a swanky place is

a good deal.

Luxe for Less:

Juliet Ristorante

Executive Chef Jacob Weaver gained his inspiration from

the Italian countryside, and Juliet’s menu is perfectly

crafted in every way.  The trick to having the most

affordable and well­rounded experience is to go during

happy hour, and luckily their happy hour runs daily from

3:00­7:00pm.  Thoughts on pricing will vary between

individuals, but we can hopefully all agree that spending

$30 at a swanky place is a good deal.

They have fabulous drink prices during happy hour. I

ordered a glass of white wine for $5, and my date got a

local draft beer for $4. They have a fantastic selection of

wines, cocktails, and beers.  Don’t skip the appetizers.

We ordered the Frittelle di Mais, which has four corn

fritters (similar to hush puppies) over herbed goat

cheese, and topped off with a watermelon radish salad.

 The happy hour version of this appetizer costs $5.  Next,

we tried the Basilica pizza, which includes tomato­basil

sauce, mozzarella, and basil. They have artisan pizzas

cooked to order in a wood­fired oven, and they are

divine. Plus, the happy hour Basilica pizza is only $7.

Dessert should always be part of the equation when

eating out because it is often where some of the chef’s

most culinary creative ideas come into play.  We ordered

the Torta di Olio Oliva ­ olive oil cake with a peppering of

candied orange zest, vanilla mascarpone cream, and

sided with a light blackberry thyme sorbet.  It was very

well­balanced with components of sweet, creamy, and

fruity. Overall, we spent $28, and tipped our waitress

18%, so the total came out to $33.  We both left feeling

satisfied from the entire experience. The food,

atmosphere, and service were exceptional.  Juliet

Ristorante is a place that should be included on

everyone’s go­to list.  They are currently only open for

happy hour and dinner, but they will soon be adding

lunch and brunch to their hours.  Here’s proof that eating

lavishly doesn’t have to cost you your entire paycheck.  

QUEEN OF THE FOODIES If there’s a restaurant worth visiting inAustin, you can bet that Jane Ko has beenthere. I met Ko in a hip, yet cozy coffeeshop on the east side called Figure 8 thatshe had suggested. I arrived early,ordered a cortado, and found a small tablein the side room. Jane arrived shortlyafter. She greeted me, grabbed a latte,and sat down. Before our conversationbegan, she whipped out her phone andtook a quick iPhone shot of her latte. Isuspect that this is a regular practice forthe seasoned blogger. Jane sees food asmore than just nourishment; it’s a form ofart, and blogging about food is her art.

Jane Ko is the editor for her blog, A Tasteof Koko, and if you’ve ever skimmed it, youcan see that it’s truly an accuratereflection of her personality. Even afteronly spending an hour with her on aMonday morning, I got a sense of howshe’s made a name for herself as asuccessful food blogger in Austin. I askedJane how she decided to be a food blogger.

“I didn’t expect to fall into this. All of myfriends wanted to be doctors, dentists, andlawyers. I love what I do, and I think I’mvery lucky that I can eat and write andphotograph.” Jane started her blog whileattending the University of Texas before

blogging was even popular, and she has nowbeen writing A Taste of Koko for six years. The blog received almost no action for the firstthree years, but she stuck with it, and herconsistency has resulted in a large and loyalfollowing. She also just happened to have agreat idea at the right time, being that socialmedia was a fairly new concept when she firstbegan. "I've always been the type of personthat's different from what everyone else isdoing,” Jane expressed. She proves that goingagainst the tide can certainly pay off.

When I asked Jane what her favorite thing isabout being a blogger, she really lit up. “Showing people my perspective of how I liveand see things is one of my favorite parts of thisblog.”

“You know that feeling when you fall in love? That’s how I feel when I walk into a newrestaurant for the first time that I really like. Being able to share with people what I see andthink has really opened my mind for when Iwork with bigger brands as well.”

Jane proves that you don’t have to be thebiggest to be the best. “Even though I don’thave the biggest following compared to otherblogs, brands still choose me because theirclients like my voice and how I photograph.”

“I am not a food critic,” Jane clarified. Shewould much rather talk about what sheloves, rather than what she dislikes. This wasconfirmed when I asked what she thoughtwas the most overrated restaurant in Austin. Whereupon, she unapologetically repliedthat Franklin's BBQ is the most overrated. "Ijust don't think it's that great. When youneed sauce on your brisket, it's dry." Mytastebuds agree with this.

"I love what I

do, and I think

I’m very lucky

that I can eat

and write and

photograph.”

I felt a gleam of pride when I askedJane what the most underratedrestaurant in Austin is, and she repliedthat nobody had ever asked her thatbefore. Silence fell as she thoughtfullyconsidered this question, and statedthat East Side Pies and Turf N’ Surf PoBoy are underrated because they don’tget enough recognition for howdelicious they are.

I can imagine that having to constantlychurn out new material can bedifficult, so I asked Jane where shesources the most inspiration. Shereplied that the majority of herinspiration comes from conversationsor eavesdropping. For instance, shewas at an event, and overheardsomeone say, “Did you know there areover 100 restaurants opening inAustin?” She spent a week with anexcel sheet, recording every newrestaurant opening in Austin, and sureenough there were over 100. A blogpost was born. Surprisingly (or not),she said a lot of inspiration comes fromnew people moving to Austin askingher which restaurants they should goto. Being a professional in her field,she has a truly open-minded approach.I think this is part of what makes her solikeable, she’s not a know-it-all. Janegenuinely wants to share herexperiences and ideas with others.

I was curious about which blogs orpublications Jane was inspired by aswell, and she confessed to spendingabout two hours a night reading blogson her Feedly app. She said some ofher favorite blogs are A BeautifulMess, Brit & Co., Sugar & Cloth. and

Refinery 29. She also mentioned thatshe doesn’t read a lot of food blogs, butrather draws inspiration from fashionblogs.

Jane’s reply to my question about whather favorite restaurant was did notsurprise me at all. “It’s alwayschanging,” she laughed. “Every timesomeone interviews me, I saysomething different. I go throughobsessions. I have honeymoon periodswith restaurants, and three monthslater I’ll move on to something else.” Ican definitely relate to this in moreareas of my life than just food. “LibertyKitchen is my current favorite for avariety of reasons being their freshoysters, lobster, king crab, sandwiches,seafood tower, and burger bowl. Austinis having a seafood moment, we’verecently had so many restaurants openthat are just seafood based.” Listeningto Jane talk about food is such a delight,because she gets so excited, and youcan hear the passion in her voice. Shespeaks with such ease, it’s like thewords just fall out of her mouth.

When I asked what it’s like to go to arestaurant with her, she coylyresponded, “I can be a little bossy whenordering.”

Being a foodie myself, I was dying toknow what Jane’s best meal in Austinhas been thus far. “For me, its not evenabout the food. When I eat, it’s moreabout how the experience was, who Iwas eating with, and how I felt when Iwalked into the restaurant. I think oneof the best meals was the Omakase atUchi. It was with another startup from

New York, and it was my first fancy meal out inAustin. I would have never ordered theOmakase on my own. It was a communitydinner, focused on sitting around enjoying reallygood food, and that made it a memorableexperience for me.”

Jane was originally born in Taiwan, and movedto Texas when she was just 3 years old. When Iasked what Austin is missing in the restaurantscene, she replied that there is a definiteshortage of authentic Asian food in this city, andI thoroughly agree. “I don’t eat Asian food often.The restaurants just aren’t very good, and I don’treally cook it at home either. Asian Café is themost authentic.”

Coming up next for Jane, she wants to branchout to including more home décor articles on herblog. She said that she’s actively trying to getnew ideas for her house, and work with newbrands for her blog. “I think that’s what makesthis industry so fun, because it’s constantlychanging.” We can rest assured that Jane Ko willbe ahead of the curve, and we’ll be payingattention to find out all of Austin’s best newgems.

Y O U A R E

W H A T Y O U

E A T “Perrier, please!” said my 2 year old self as I sat next

to my mother on a flight to France. “Perrier was the

Coke of my childhood,” spoken by my mother.

Culture, environment, people, expectations, and

interaction make a child into who they will

become as a person. However, food plays a bigger

part in what kind of person we become than we

may realize. It always brings people. In one way or

another, what we do or do not eat, shapes us and

speaks volumes about who we are. Food shapes

us physically, emotionally, and socially.

My mom was a health buff and my dad was a

foodie, so I developed a strange palette at an early

age. My mother drank soy milk before most people

knew what it was. I’m a more healthy and active

person to this day because of many things that she

taught me.

My father played a big part in how food shaped

me. He is the “foodiest” foodie anyone has ever

met. Every time I speak to my dad on the phone,

he will mention a meal, what he made for dinner,

or some fancy new restaurant he visited. He sends

me photos of meals he has prepared, or new

restaurants he’s tried. His career is not in the food

industry, but he would have made an excellent

food critic. I remember when we went to Australia

and spent nearly an hour walking from restaurant

to restaurant until he settled on a menu. My

grandparents played a part as well because I lived

with them for three years. My grandmother uses

food as a way to bring people together. If we get

together it is usually to cook a meal, go out to

dinner, make

cookies, or something surrounded with food. She

inspires me to be creative in the kitchen, and not

be afraid to take risks with new recipes or

ingredients.

I was taught from a young age to “try it once before you claim that youdon’t like it.” In fact, I crave new things in all areas of life. I moved to NeZealand for six months after graduating high school, and had no fear ounknown. I love to travel. I am also the friend in my group who suggesthe “weird” restaurants. I constantly want to discover something new,

rather than what is comfortable. I’m not afraid to try something justbecause I think I won’t like it. A few years ago I tried yoga, with the minthat I probably wouldn’t go again. To this day I go to yoga at least onceweek.

Many of my memories as a child are connected to food. When I was twyears old eating baguettes with my parents in France, they would give mthe whole thing, and I’d teethe away at it. My grandmother told me thwhen I was younger, I always wanted to help her cook, and she would lme, even though I often proved to be more of a nuisance than ofassistance. This simple transaction of my grandmother letting me helpconnected us and built our relationship up in a special way. Cooking bpeople together.

Food is healing. If I’m feeling stressed, walking around the grocery storeextremely therapeutic for me, which is strange because most people fethe opposite. I even love listening to people talk about food. The SplenTable with Lynne Rossetto Kasper on NPR is my favorite radio show, ancould literally listen to it all day long. She interviews different chefs, farmand various food people on her show. Oftentimes, she will also give recor talk about her own experiences, and it is so wonderful and soothing

way to listen to.

Food shapes us largely in a social way as well. I remember when I was achild, and had moved to a new school in a new city. I didn’t know anyband I felt very vulnerable and nervous. My grandmother packed gummbears in my backpack, and I swear those gummy bears were my lifelinebrought them on the playground, and by the end of the day I was the mpopular kid in class.

Food connects people in a unique way, similar to how music connectspeople. It’s a language all its own, and there are many different dialectasked my grandmother about her memories with our family when itcomes to food, and she mostly spoke about tradition. She said we woualways cook turkey, dressing, cornbread, and pecan pie on Thanksgivingbecause it was traditional. She also mentioned that the women wouldall the cooking, while the men sat around and caught up with each oth My grandfather is Cajun, so it was traditional that for Christmas Eve, wewould always make sausage and duck gumbo with French bread.

Traditions are important in my family because they keep us tied togethin a way. However, it saddens me because I have noticed some of ourtraditions dwindle. For instance, last year our family was scattered onThanksgiving, so it was just my grandparents and I together. It felt empand I missed the usual chatter and chaos. Similarly, for Christmas Eve ayears ago it was only my grandparents and myself. We decided we wanto do something different that year, and give love to our community. Wput homemade cookies in boxes, wrote different phrases such as “Thanyou for all that you do for our community!” and dropped them off tofirefighters, policemen, and other businesses that were open.

I am thankful for the many ways that food has shaped me, nourished mand helped me grow closer to people. As I have lost some of the traditthat my family used to have, I look forward to building new traditions wI have a family of my own. Over the years, I have learned that food shoube used as a tool to grow and reach out to others. We are fortunate to

in a country that has no shortage of food, and we should be generous wit, but not wasteful. It is easy to grow comfortable, and not branch out i

18

Five AustinBrunchSpots ThatWon't BreakThe Bank

If you’re looking for a brunch spotthat’s under the radar, then youneed to visit Toaster. It’s locatedoutside of the east side bar, StayGold. Their menu is eclectic,unique, and mouth-watering. They have a breakfast corn dogwith breakfast sausage inblueberry pancake batter, andserved with maple syrup (Wait,WHAT?!). Their take on theScotch Egg is a boiled eggwrapped in sausage, fried, servedwith sour cream & avocadocrema. If you’re looking for thebrunch item to send you to themoon, look no further than theirPeanut Butter & Jelly FrenchToast Bananas Foster which isessentially a peanut butter & jellysandwich dipped in batter andcooked like regular French toast,and topped with bananas foster. Visit Toaster for affordable foodwith a laid back vibe.

Oh, Contigo, how I do love thee. This farm to table hotspot islocated off Airport Blvd. Theyserve dinner as well, but theirbrunch game is strong. Despiteit’s popularity, the wait forbrunch is never too excessive. The atmosphere of this place isreally open, outdoorsy, andeclectic. My favorite item on thebrunch menu is the Quiche, it'ssuper creamy and has tomato,onion, jalapeño, & cheddar. Theirhouse-made bread assortment isalso a winning choice, and theirsmoked trout with fingerlingpotato, horseradish, & fennelcracker will always hit the spot.Grab a grapefruit mimosa and sitat one of the outdoor communitytables to soak up the sunshineand snag bites off of everyoneelse's plate.

There’s one meal that trumps all else,and that would be brunch. Its divinecombination of breakfast, lunch,mimosas, bloody Mary’s, and everythingin between makes it queen of all meals. Looking for something sweet? You got it. Interested in something a bit savory?Done. Brunch is the best friend you everhad. This list will feed your soul withoutburning a hole in your pocket.

Toaster Contigo

BRUNCH TIPS

1 . P I C K Y O U R P L A C E

2. RALLY THE TROOPS

FOR EVERYAUSTINITE

For those mornings that you don’tfeel like getting fancy, but you justwant some good grub, Veracruz isa great choice. Their tacos areauthentic, and their ingredientsare fresh. They have a fewlocations, but my favorite is theone right outside of Radio Coffee& Beer. You can order a latte, graba taco, and bask in the sun withyour favorite book. Order the LaReyna, which has egg whites,spinach, avocado, carrots,mushrooms, red bell pepper, picode gallo, and cheese. The ChickenMole taco is also a great choice;they have some of the best molein town. Beware, they aren’tmessing around with their salsa,so if you can’t handle the heat, goeasy on it. However, if you havetastebuds made of steel (like I do),then go ahead & slather it on,because it’s delicious.

VeracruzAll Natural

For the inner hippie in all of us,Bouldin Creek Café is the jam. Theirbrunch is delicious and affordable. They have a rad outdoor patio whereyou can bring your pooch and eatoutside, or they have plenty ofseating inside. You can expect towait a bit if you get there atprimetime, but you can order aNutella mocha and read the AustinChronicle to pass the time. TheTamale Breakfast is to die for, andcomes with two sweet potato pecantamales, cage-free eggs, tortillas, andsalsa. The Renedict is their version ofeggs benedict, and it’s scrumptious. The Inner Sun Omelet is also a nobrainer, and comes packed withbasil, locally grown tomatoes,crushed red pepper, feta, & jackcheese. You wouldn’t know it, butBouldin is actually a vegetarianrestaurant. Trust me, you won’t bemissing the bacon at this spot.

BouldinCreek Café

This Italian bistro is the place tobe for the young professionalcrowd. Nestled in the secondstreet district, it is alwayshopping and aims to please. Ifyou’re in the mood for mimosasor Bellini’s (a lot of them), thenthis is the place for you becausethey’re only $1 each. This mightbe the only spot in town withmimosas and bellini’s for only abuck each, so it’s definitely worthputting on your radar. Order theVanilla French Toast, TavernaBeef Hash, or the VegetarianOmelet. They also have the mostmelt in your mouth beignets I’veever tasted. They’re not on themenu, but if you ask for them,you will not be disappointed. Taverna is also a great spot forbig groups, but make sure youget there early because it fills upfast.

Taverna

3. MAKE A RESERVATION

4. GO SOMEWHERE PET- FRIENDLY

5. TAKE PHOTOS

6. TRY SOMETHING NEW

IT'S BOOZE-O'CLOCKEVERYWHERE

The craft cocktail is a hot commodity in Austin at the moment. Itseems that they are almost overshadowing the ever-growing Austinfood scene. Everywhere you look, articles are popping up about thischef’s new cocktail or that restaurants new libation menu. There isno doubt that it’s the cocktails time to shine. Craft cocktails arebasically the superhero version of a regular drink, where everyelement is handmade or tailored specifically to the drink. They’reusually served in custom glassware, poured over special ice cubes,mixed with house-made syrups, and finished with a dash of house-made or small-batch bitters. There is a very real following to thistrend, and a lot of creative elements go into the art of making acocktail.

While a good cocktail could always be found in Austin, the trendreally kicked off in 2012 with a burst of several new cocktail barsopening. Many of Austin’s cocktail bars that are still popular todayopened in 2012, such as Midnight Cowboy, Weather Up, drink.well.,and Workhorse Bar. Whole Foods also opened bars inside theirstores around this time.

There are several reasons for the rising popularity of libations andmixology. Austin is already a trendy city, and therefore its food andlibation habits naturally follow its character and personality. JohnnaGuidry is in charge of the culture department at her company, and Iasked what she thinks makes our city such a mecca for the cocktailscene. She mentioned that it could have something to do with the“growing variety and competition amongst all of the restaurants”,and the fact that “the scenery and vibe of Austin allows for a cocktailto feel appropriate at any time.” It’s true that on any given day inAustin, there is a swanky event, music festival, art show, and morethan one reason to celebrate with a beverage. Maybe Austin isbecoming the city of celebration.

The people who are all about this trend also reflect itscreative trendiness. When looking around an Austincocktail bar, you will most likely find a sprawl of hipsters,young professionals, musicians, entrepreneurs, emergingtechies, millennials, and more. They will most likely beattractive, smartly dressed, artistic, fashionable, and unique. This cocktail scene is not for the person who will order avodka sprite, and if you do that, prepare to be laughed outthe door. Not that this scene is judgmental, but it’s all aboutappreciating the art of the cocktail.

I would consider myself a keen advocate of the cocktailscene as a social 20 something living in Austin. Whenever Iget together with friends, we usually choose to meet up at aplace that serves craft cocktails because it has more of alaidback vibe than other bars that are more geared towardspartying. The goal of craft cocktail bars is not to get wasted,but to enjoy a high quality drink (or two) while socializing. They are made more potent individually, so you really don’tneed a lot. Plus, Austin is a city of thinkers, innovators, andcreators. We don’t have time for hangovers.

Many of the new drinks listed on menus are created byAustin’s “celebrity” bartenders. Weather Up owner, KathrynWeatherup, describes her best bartender’s technique in theway that, "she lavishes attention on her cocktails, which sheapproaches with the punctiliousness of a lab technicianand the purity of a nun." That’s pretty intense to just betalking about a bartender, but with this scene, they aremuch more than bartenders…they’re artists. However, someof these fancy bartenders seem to have egos bigger thanTexas.

I spoke to a few friends that love the cocktail scene, and theymentioned that bartenders usually act like they don’t wantto betalked to. Gone are the days of the bartender pouring a glass ofwhiskey and chatting it up with the customers. These days,bartenders are more focused on the quality of the drink than thequality of their service.

This is an interesting phenomenon that is catching the attentionof people beyond our city. Many new bars opening up arecoming from owners who previously had successful bars inother cities, and they recognize Austin’s potential in this scene. An article came out from the Wall Street Journal recently titled,“The Texas Cocktail Scene Goes Big”, where it describes theLone Star State becoming the hottest place to find the bestcocktail joints. The writer spoke about the new bar Half Step onRainey Street being one of the best new craft cocktail joints inAustin. Coming from experience, it is actually a divine place toget an incredible drink. The space inside is covered with darkwood from ceiling to floor, and there are cozy booths scatteredthroughout with fancy lighting on the ceiling. The bar itself issurprisingly small, but has a display area with all of their house-made syrups, bitters, and liquors. They have refreshing items onthe menu such as Floradora, which combines gin, lime, gingerand house-made raspberry syrup. If you’re looking forsomething a bit more potent, Remember the Maine includes rye,sweet vermouth, cherry heering, and absinthe. Local jazz musiccan often be found during most nights of the week at this joint.

Austin’s Culturemap recently did a piece highlighting Austin’sbest bartenders, which included Carley Dunavant, who hasbeen behind the bar at treasured spots such as Whisler’s,drink.well., and Odd Duck. The fact that so many cocktailbartenders hop around to different spots shows a healthyamount of warmth and appreciation for the various barsthroughout town. Carley also made it onto the finals of GQ’sMost Inspired Bartender competition. These bartenders are notmessing around when it comes to crafting the perfect drink.

We can’t talk about the Austin cocktail scene without giving anod to renowned bar, East Side Showroom. The atmosphere ofEast Side Showroom makes you feel as if you’ve stepped into atime machine back to the 1920’s. Their drinks are always onpoint. A favorite on the menu right now is the Brown Derby,which includes bourbon, grapefruit, honey, and lemon. Walkinginto this bar can transform anyone’s day by making you feel as ifyou’ve stepped into an entirely different world.

Maybe that’s another reason the cocktail scene in Austin hassuch a raving audience; our thriving 20 something’s arestressed out, and kicking back with pals in a trendy spot,drinking delectable beverages is just what the doctor ordered. My personal favorite cocktail bar in Austin is an unassumingspot on the east side called Whisler’s. Everything about thisplace is spot on from the vibe to the cocktails, and thebartenders are pretty nice too. They even have a secret mescalbar upstairs that you almost have to stumble upon accidentallyto find. Their Old Fashioned is definitely the best in town, with abalanced combination of rye, demerara syrup, and angosturabitters. They also get really creative with their drinks, and theychange with the seasons. This fall they have a drink calledDown the Rabbit Hole, and includes vodka, velvet falernum,carrot, lime, and orange bitters.

With this rising cocktail scene, you can’t be afraid to try tothings, or jump beyond your comfort zone. It’s almostrepresentative of our new generation of young professionalswho are branching out on their own, full of entrepreneurs, freshideas, and innovative creativity. One thing is clear, this trend isless of a bandwagon, and more like a circus. I’m all aboard.

Taylor BakerAn Austin-based freelancer, Taylor has contributed toLocaleur, where she wrote “It’s Always Happy HourSomewhere in Austin” and “The Best Spots to Feed

Your Mouth & Ears in Austin.”

She a Senior PR/Marketing major at St. EdwardsUniversity, and will be graduating in Spring 2016. Sheis also a published songwriter with her band Taylor &

the Wild Now.