March '10

Frank

March 26, 2010

This was our biggest AFDA to date. We had 30 diners pack into the newest in hot dog heaven, Frank, in downtown Austin. Frank specializes in almost every hot dog, sausage, and bratwurst you can imagine. We also had the pleasure of Austin Statesman food writer, Addie Broyles, join us. She discovered AFDA's blog and was curious about the group, so coming to a dinner was a perfect way to check us out. The initial thing that attracted me to Frank was rumor of Bacon infused Maker's Mark. If you're curious as to what was ordered first, it would be a glass of the goodness on the rocks. When first sipping on the smooth golden liquid, the taste of bacon was not immediate. Slowly though, the saltiness came through and there was a slight hint of something. Not overwhelming, and mostly filed with the deliciousness that is Maker's, but definitely enjoyed by those who tried it. We then ordered a few appetizers and sides. One of the biggest hits was a special, the Green Chile Chorizo Cheese Fries. Uh, yeah. They were incredible. The green chile hit so delicately with the kick of chorizo and creaminess of cheese. They were gone in about 2.5 seconds. The second biggest hit was the Corn Cup (Grilled corn served off the cob with chili mayonesa, lime juice, cilantro and cotija cheese). If you've had this style of corn before, you know it is amazing. Don't be fooled or freaked out, this combination is stellar and you will not be able to put your utensil down. Everyone's immediate reaction was "Oh my gosh, you have to try this." The mayonesa keeps the citrus, herb, chili, and cheese blended for a fiesta in your mouth. Do it! We continued the night with more Maker's, Lonestar Tall Boys, and of course hot dogs and sausages galore. We chose the Jakelope (local antelope, rabbit & pork sausage, huckleberry compote, sriracha aioli, applewood smoked cheddar). The sweet compote was fantastic against the rich game flavor. The Notorious P.I.G. (Housemade pork, bacon, jalapeno & sage sausage with macaroni & cheese, Texas BBQ sauce). Yes, that's right, mac and cheese on a sausage. It was so good, but so filling. Other great orders were the Beer Soaked Braut, Chicago Dog, Jalepeno Cheese Dog, Carolina Pork It (Vienna beef, stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon and deep fried, Grilled coleslaw, house made green chile pimento cheese), Nacho Dog, and another special, the Zweibelwurst (Beer soaked brat with caramelized onion, grilled kraut, horseradish mustard. We sealed the deal with a Whoopie Pie and Chocolate Covered Bacon, because why not? They were out of Bananas Foster, which will be tried on the next visit. This place is a party in itself, so check out the millions of combos they offer. Perfect for starting off a night that well honestly ended in riding a mechanical bull. Sums it up perfectly. Hot dog!

Top Picks: Green Chili Corizo Cheese Fries, Corn Cup, Beer Soaked Brat, The Jakelope, Bacon Infused Maker's Mark

http://www.hotdogscoldbeer.com

Addie Broyles - Relish Austin

www.addiebroyles.com

February '10

Fabi + Rosi

February 19th, 2010

For February, AFDA members ventured to the German/French owned Fabi + Rosi. Walking up the steps to the house where the restaurant abides, one would never think modern vibes and splendor await. The house is perfectly decorated with chandeliers, black and white motifs, and warm lighting. We were fortunate to have the back dining room to ourselves, with 14 diners. The menu was exactly the perfect combination of German and French choices. We decided on a few starters to well start the night off right. First among the picks was an all time favorite, Escargot. The dish was broiled in garlic and served with parsley butter. If you haven't tried escargot or are weary, at least dip some bread in the butter. You will be one happy camper. We then chose the Handcrafted charcuterie (Duck rillette, Boar sausage, Liver paté). I must admit, the selections were a bit overwhelming for our pallets. Not a favorite of the table. On the other hand, the Trio of Artisan cheeses with accompaniments were fantastic. We gobbled up every bite of Sottocenere, Manchego, and Valdeon cheeses. The entree choices were on opposite ends of the Fabi + Rosi spectrum. We had Vegetarian Cottage Pie (stewed vegetables in tomato and herbs de provence topped with crispy golden mashed potatoes), Handmade Lobster Ravioli (in a champagne velouté, topped with lump crab meat) This was a definite favorite very creamy and rich. Our German pick was the Jägerschnitzel and Spätzle (local, farm raised pork loin breaded, served with german pasta topped with creamy mushrooms). If you're a fan of schnitzel, this is right up your alley. Delish. Next were Fresh Rainbow Trout (with herbed creme fraiche cucumber salat and crispy rice balls), Steak and Frites (marinated tenderloin with crisp frites and green peppercorn sauce), Grilled Leg of Lamb (with ratatouille, pommes dauphines, port wine demi), and finally the Special which was Roast Lamb that was cooked to perfection with potatoes and green beans. We can never call it a complete meal without dessert. We picked every dessert on the menu, go figure. Handmade chocolate truffles, Profiteroles with valrhona chocolate sauce, Belgium chocolate mousse, Chevré tart on gingerbread crust with candied meyers lemon, and Apfel strudel and vanilla eis. They were all so different, but so incredibly good. The Chevre tart was a favorite of mine. Light, tart, and satisfying. This place became on of AFDA's all time favorites. We did not feel rushed, and took advantage of our semi-private space to laugh, eat, and enjoy the company. Fabi + Rosi is a perfect spot for date night, or a celebration. Stop in when you feel like an excellent, affordable experience.

Top picks: Escargot, Trio of Artesan Cheeses, Lobster Ravioli, Lamb, Steak and Frites, Chevre Tart

http://www.fabiandrosi.com/index.html

*As fate would have it, I lost my camera after mouth watering images were captured from dinner. Please enjoy the restaurant for yourself, and the mental images you've gained from this post. To tide you over, here are some pictures courtesy of Forklore from Austin360

Janurary '10

Red's Porch

January 30th, 2010

January's Dinner was a bit of a change in AFDA's history. It was my first dinner to ever miss in over 2 and 1/2 years. Fortunately I have incredible friends/members who wined, dined, and more while thoughts of their President were not far behind. I chose the newly opened Red's Porch with rumors of its laid back nature, games, and impressive beer selection. Members met and chose a variety of menu items, while sipping on numerous Adult beverages. The staff said they're getting the hang of things, and excited to do more. Here are some member's thoughts, along with mine from a different visit while I was not in bed dreaming of eating food. Enjoy, and check it out for yourself!

*If you're more or a visual learner, don't worry I may have lost my camera, but pics are on the way. Check back when you're hungry again.

Member #1 Thoughts
I would go back but only to drink and watch sports. Perhaps I got the wrong thing, but my grilled portabella mushroom sandwich was no bueno. There was supposed to be Roma tomatoes and arugula on it and there was none and it was very very greasy. The bread was cold and not good either. The appetizers were ok. I liked the fried olives and jalapeño poppers but the cheese biscuits and gravy were not very flavorful.
Supposedly everyone who got a burger liked their meals and Jake said he liked his meatloaf so I may have ordered poorly but the atmosphere was pretty neat and the company was great (but lacking a favorite). Parking was kind of a biatch too.

Member #2 Thoughts
It was like a sports bar, which I didn't love. Our group was like the nicest dressed people in the restaurant. Beautiful views. Amazing cheddar bacon biscuits and gravy, but everything else was mediocre at best. Bad service, I didn't get my food till everyone else was done eating.

Member #3 Thoughts
Red's was a really cool place and I would love to go and get drinks there sometime, maybe watch a game, but I thought the food was, overall, not too great. **** loved his meatloaf and his creamed spinach was ahhhh-mazing. I ordered the chicken and dumplings, which claimed to be "just like mom makes"... not true! They had this weird smokey flavor that didn't work very well. But the waitstaff was great and the drinks were tasty and, of course, the company was wonderful!

Member #4 Thoughts
I really liked Red’s porch because it had a great menu with so much variety. The atmosphere was very nice – I’m sure when the weather is better it will be a great place to be outside.

Member #5 Thoughts
The atmosphere was very open with concrete floors, dart boards, and an expansive bar. I would highly recommend the Bloody Mary!!! It was obviously freshly made ingredients not just a typical mix. There was definitely horseradish in the mix so if you do not like spicy and flavorful, I would order something else. For an appetizer, we sampled the fried olives, jalapeno poppers, and chees biscuits: the fried olives are an 7 out of 10, the jalapeno poppers 8 out of 10, and cheese biscuits 5 out of 10 (somewhat dry). For an entree I chose the South Lamar Sandwich (aka portabello sandwich). Definitely fresh ingredients are to be noted, but the bread was delicious unfortunately overwhelming. Finally dessert. We sample the banana pudding. Which was just as expected like your rushed mama would make with the nila wafers and fresh bananas; nothing special. I would say 7 out of 10.

My Thoughts
I thought it my duty to check out Red's for my self. I went for an early dinner and was immediately impressed by the size of the place. Apparently the upstair's porch (hence the name) sports a fantastic view during daylight. Definitely worth checking out when the weather turns warmer. I decided to sample one of the many cocktails Red's creates. I went with the Texas Two-step (Hornitos Reposado, fresh
grapefruit juice & a splash of soda, on the rocks). It had a heavy pour, which I enjoyed but was a tad sweet for my taste. For my dining pleasure, I decided on the Smokey Goat Burger (l/2 lb. Angus beef burger w/ house smoked bacon, fried onions & goat cheese). You say bacon and burger and I'm in. The goat cheese was the perfect compliment to the medium rare cooked burger. The bacon was thick cut and crisp. Overall, I enjoyed the busy atmosphere of the place, and definitely agree that game watching while enjoying drinks is a must again. Will give this place another try again!

Top Picks: Jalapeño poppers, Bloody Mary, Meatloaf, Creamed Spinach, Smokey Goat Burger

http://www.redsporch.com