April '10

El Arbol

April 23rd, 2010

We headed to the Argentinian escape of El Arbol for April's dinner. This newly opened spot off 35th street in Austin greeted us with a charming patio, excellent design, and some of the most friendly staff we've had. With 15 diners, we were seated in the media room towards the back of the restaurant. We had a door to shut when festivities got "above normal" restaurant noise standards, and our very own patio to enjoy the pre-summer weather. Another plus (or minus for non-sports fans) was the flat screen tv, where we could turn on the NBA play-offs while dining. We began with cocktails and a choice of a very reasonably priced Pinot Noir. A few of the fantastic cocktails included the Caipirinha Mora (Cachaça, muddled blackberries, lime, cane sugar), Sidecar (Rémy Martin Cognac, Cointreau, fresh lemon juice), and the Tango Fresco (Primo Malbec Vodka, fresh lemon, white grape juice, basil, fresh grapes). All wonderfully refreshing and different. One of El Arbol's specialties are their emapanadas. We got a few orders of the three different kinds offered. Carne Suave (Sirloin, potato, onion and spices), Mendoza (Pork, onion, raisins, green olives and almonds), and Espinaca (Spinach, onion, mozzarella, and parmesan). The Espinaca were a huge favorite, flaky smooth and so flavorful. We also chose the Picada (Cured meat, assorted cheeses, and house olive mix), and the Anticucho de Corazón (Traditional grilled beef heart and red onion, with balsamic reduction and chili oil). Yes, beef heart and it was delicious! Entrees ranged from Lomo (Grilled beef tenderloin), Mollejas (Whole veal sweetbreads with lemon), Conejo al Salmorejo (Paprika rubbed Canary Island rabbit, braised in white wine and herbs), and Vieiras (Day boat scallops in a white wine cream sauce with seasonal mushrooms). The rabbit actually took some time to get used to, it was quite tasty but the sauce was definitely different. The tenderloin was fantastic, and the sweetbreads, another one to get used to! The scallops were definitely the hit of the night. Creamy sauce, and perfectly tender. Other dishes to try: Matambre (Braised sirloin roulade rolled with spinach and hard cooked egg. Served with rosemary mustard sauce and malbec reduction), Matrimonio (House made Spanish chorizo, morcilla and merguez), and Ceviche Criollo (Citrus cured seasonal white fish with spicy Peruvian peppers. Served with crostini). The sides were also fan favorites, Papas Fritas (French fries), Ñoquis (Gnocchi with choice of vodka or mushroom cream sauce), Espinaca (Spinach in hollandaise). Order the spinach, you will not be disappointed, trust me. We finished it all off with Dos Natillas (House-made honey ice cream and crispy dulce de leche custard with a blackberry and port reduction), and Panqueque de Manzana (Apple crêpe topped with vanilla bean ice cream and dulce de leche). The crepe was not a winner, but the Dos Natillas was so different and fun. If you want to jump into tastes and flavors your Texas palette hasn't seen before, head to El Arbol. The service was impeccable, and the food unique. A nice twist to your everyday eating's. Enjoy!

Top Picks: Espinaca Empanadas, Anticucho de Corazón, Vieiras

El Arbol

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