Trip is now getting close, and I am nailing down plans. Though nobody seems to take a rez a month ahead. But since we’ll be there Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights (before family reunioning up near San Antonio), I am not sweating it.
Here’s the plan…
Monday - getting in that night and, since they are open, was thinking Barley Swine.
Tuesday - Uchiko
Wednesday - still the question mark.
Maybe I have overlooked, but how is Fonda San Miguel? I see great reviews, I see meh reviews. I’m thinking it was probably great when it opened thirty years ago and is now meh?
I’m planning on standing in line for Franklin’s BBQ one day. And it sure looks like there is a nice food truck scene there.
I’ve met the wine guys at Fonda San Miguel, their wine list is worth going for. I haven’t eaten there, but based on getting to know how those guys think, the food must be really good for them to work there and respect the food so much.
If you have time in San Antonio, go to Sandbar and/or Il Sogno. Eat food from a chef that toppled Morimoto on Iron Chef.
If you’re up for doughnuts, try Gourdough’s. It’s the one I most wish we had here in California.
For Franklin, if you’re in line around 10-10:30, you’ll be okay. The line moves pretty quickly, either way. Try the Tipsy Texan, if you’re just looking for a quick bite. We ordered just about everything, and when we put all the stuff together in a sandwich, it was one of the highlights of that meal.
I like Fonda San Miguel and I eat there fairly regularly. I would not, however, consider it a top restaurant to recommend to visitors. I think that 30 years ago it was the only game in town for its type of food (interior style mexican as opposed to Tex-Mex). Also, 30 years ago Austin was a culinary wasteland (outside of Tex-Mex). Now there are plenty of places that do interior style mexican and/or more high-end style mexican food, so it does not get the plaudits it once received.
My recommendations for your Wednesday dinner would be Congress, Paggi House, Foreign and Domestic, Wink, or Olivia. Another place recently opened up near downtown – Lenoir – that is getting good buzz. I haven’t eaten there yet, however. If you’re looking for more of an “Austin” experience, I would opt for Tex-Mex and go with Matt’s El Rancho (or, potentially, breakfast at Cisco’s). Alternatively, you could check out a bunch of the Austin food trucks, which have a high reputation for putting out good stuff.
Finally, the Eater/Austin site has a lot of good info for what’s going on around town: http://austin.eater.com/
We went to Lenoir last Friday ad the food was really interesting. The concept is prix fixe, with interesting plates. Our favorite dish was the chickpea panisse. Great concept for Austin.
Manuel’s just down Congress has been around forever. I have not been in 3 or 4 years, I doubt it has changed much always good if not great and a nice room.
I don’t think there are any decent Tex Mex joints within walking distance of the Intercontinental. Unlike Bill, I’m not a fan of Manuel’s – although I know folks who like it. If you want to try it, it’s just a few blocks south of the Intercontinental along Congress Avenue.
If you don’t mind a very short drive (or cab ride), I recommend Angie’s. It is a couple blocks past I-35 along 7th Street (the Intercontinental fronts to 7th). You could probably walk it easily (it’s about 1 mile east along 7th street from your hotel), but I’m not sure what you consider to be walking distance. If you go, I recommend the soft taco (really, they’re puffy tacos) plate. The website is here: http://angiesmexicanrestaurant.homestead.com/
Sorry you had a disappointing meal at Angie’s. I’ve found them to be pretty dependable for good, basic Tex-mex. I will agree, however, they have terrible margaritas (and indifferent service).
Glad you enjoyed Uchiko. That place really is great.
Uchiko had one course- a 72 hour sous vide wagyu beef dish, served with smoked grapes, chive flowers and almonds…was as memorable of a dish as I have had in awhile. But really all the courses were good- we added one at the end- so a total of 11.
Was interesting to see the use of “powdered” butter and olive oil on a couple dishes- right from this years Top Chef.
Service was excellent- had a bottle of sake off the list. Oh and we ate on the bar side of the restaurant, not in the main dining room. Was nice, not as loud as the main room.
They recently opened a location in Houston., I also tried the 10 course tasting menu. The beet first course and the wagyu were spectacular, everything else was top notch and the service was PERFECT, great teamwork, very knowledgeable and attentive, but totally unobtrusive. A rare combination in Houston today.
Uchiko was very good food, but the meal was ultimately a disappointment because the service sucked. Over the ten course Omakase menu, we had two different 25 minute waits for dishes - and (in what was a completely bush league move) they followed the first 25 minute wait by putting another dish on our table 30 seconds later. Nothing like sitting there hungry only to watch another dish get cold. Dessert was pedestrian. The crap service makes it hard for me to fairly evaluate the food, but I am still confident that Barley Swine’s was better. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3551507419060.154593.1013867676&type=1&l=91e9bb399b
Fonda San Miguel was a hoot. Festive with a crowd that was on the older side - probably a lot of people going since the place opened in the 1970’s - but, damn!, the food was good. I loved my Ancho Relleno San Miguel, because the cream cilantro sauce was richy and creamy, but no flour, just this immaculately prepared sauce that could’ve easily been don’t in a less first-rate manner. Not the finest dining ever, but we thoroughly enjoyed the place.
It was a shame - and for as well as I have eaten the last couple of weeks (not to mention the last couple of years), I was as excited about the Uchiko dinner as I have been about most any. If they had only dropped the ball once, we would have bounced back and left feeling much better about the meal. It should’ve been a two-hour meal.