Posts tagged ‘decor’

February 19, 2009

“This is going to be the next big Austin restaurant”

“This is going to be the next big Austin restaurant,” said my grounded, engineer, out-of-the-scene date to La Condesa‘s soft opening last night. He is not given to fanciful phrases and media hype, but he was absolutely floored by the decor and atmosphere at La Condesa. Add in some tasty drinks, superb guacamole, and just a few nibbles of food and he was all, “I have to come back here. Soon.”

Well, duh, I’ve been telling you that for weeks! La Condesa is just cool–aqua blue couples with concrete, glass and frosted glass with rich mahogony-colored leather booths, and chrome chairs on the patios with interior pine details–all of these combinations of texture and color lend the place an airy, easy-going vibe. And despite its hype as one of the nicest restaurants in town, it’d be easy to eat on the cheap too. Menu items range from street-style taquitos at $7 to whole suckling pig at $35. Most appetizers are between $8-$16, with several types of guacamoles and ceviches. The ceviche we had was very different–in a grapefruit juice, it was sweet rather than tangy and lime-y. We also sampled a few other delicious finger-foods: huraches (sandals! I joked with owner Jesse, but it’s the literal translation), tasty beef tacos in corn tortillas, and a delicious seared tuna atop. It was just enough to make us feel like we NEED to go back for more. The fantastic drinks (you know I already went into detail over those here), will be just $10.

Just last night I read something in US Weekly (I read it religiously, don’t knock it ’til you try it) about celebs dining at La Esquina in New York, and I got to put two-and-two together. You see, La Condesa lured René Ortiz, the famous NYC chef behind the famous La Esquina, to Austin, so now we have our own celeb hotspot. Owner Jesse Herman is also an NYC transplant, but the rest of the management team is local–and famous in their own right too, including neighboring chef Larry McGuire of Lamberts, who will be managing La Condesa’s 150-seat space as well. Plus, I love bar manager Andrea Brown with her Jenna-Bush-looks and constant grin, even when she’s shaking drinks for over 150 VIP guests.

On the northwest corner of 2nd & Guadalupe, La Condesa is open tonight, so head on over! It will be open 11am to 11pm daily, with lunch from 11-3, dinner from 5 -11, a bar menu inbetween, and brunch Saturdays and Sundays. http://www.lacondesaaustin.com/ Look for more info on upstairs bar Malverde next week!

Posted in Eating, Going Out, Good people/services, Things to do ... all the time | 1 Comment »

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August 27, 2008

LOVIN’ LANAI!!

The new bar opened last night, and I LOVE it!! It’s pretty awesome–rooftop, open sides, retractable glass roof, stone and water decor everywhere … and of course, the best bartenders in Austin! (A good friend is the GM, and he brought the best of the best with him from stints at Brown Bar and Prague)

They have a few specialty cocktails, like red and white sangrias, pineapple-infused vodka, a frozen black cherry limeade, and a mint margarita. They also have a small but looks-to-be-stellar food menu that they’re starting to serve today.

I was surprised at the number of people out last night–it’s a Tuesday!–but it was a fashionable, well-heeled crowd, though definitely more laid-back than, say, a Terrace 59 crowd. Lanai is already drawing Terrace 59 comparisons, as both are rooftop with oversize lounging spots, but Lanai has a brighter, airy-er feel than Terrace 59 (and I used to work there, so I would know).

It also has a half-birdcage swing, so it can’t take itself too seriously!

 

Lanai is open 4pm-2am, with happy hour 4-8pm with $1 off drinks and food. It’s on the corner of 5th & Congress (my fave corner!), the door is between Prague and the corner on 5th. Go visit Lanai sometime this week!

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August 22, 2008

Popovers at Trio in the Four Seasons

So we all know Trio is an amazing restaurant in the Four Seasons. Some people knock the decor (red and orange tones) or say “it’s not that good,” but really, when they say those sorts of things, it’s because they’re jealous. Trio has food, service, and wine down pat. Ha, that’s a trio.

But I don’t go there for all of that. I go for the popovers.

Popover at Trio

Popover at Trio

I didn’t even know what a popover was until a year ago, when I had one at the Four Seasons. It’s a airy, chewy, springy, salty, creamy confection of bread perfection. Divine.

I threw a Kentucky Derby party earlier this year and decided that it was important that I make popovers. Are they even a Southern food? I don’t know, but I decided they were. (I also decided this amazing Rachael Ray Orange BBQ Bourbon Chicken I had at her SXSW party was Southern too …) So I found a recipe, researched modifying it to be as healthy as possible–you can use 2% milk but not 1% or skim, and high-protein flour if fluffier and don’t use whole wheat because it weighs them down–and made some popovers in my muffin tin. They turned out awesome. Though not as big and fluffy as Trio’s, they were just as tasty.

Of course, I’d rather go to Trio, where they make them for me. Does anywhere else in Austin do popovers? I also want to try Trio’s brunch eventually …

Oh, and the Lobby Bar at the Four Seasons–incredible. I need to go there more just to people watch.

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April 9, 2008

mercury design studio

LOVED this store. I went by mercury design studio on Second Street today to do some research for an article I’m working on and I just loved it. If I had the money to buy hand-selected vintage chairs in perfect condition, I would. These are the things out of magazines. I mean, in the window is a crazy-awesome pair of orange-and-white chairs! You don’t even have to go in the store to see the awesomeness.

It’s laid out wonderfully, with these little nooks of different themes that change. There’s a great selections of gifties, from little silk travel cases to jewelry to bamboo-shaped pens to hand-pressed stationery. Seriously, if I had the money, I’d move in–or move all their stuff out, rather. The owner is a charming man … although I was excited when he complimented me on my purse, the next customer walked in and he complimented her on her sweater (it was cute)! That’s the kind of man he is though.

Lest you believe I just write positive reviews, I went into Sana Boutique and it was not awesome. Honestly, there was just very little inventory. What they had was neat, but not enough to warrant a trip there.

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April 8, 2008

Track Tuesdays

Tonight I will be coaching a middle school track meet at St. Andrew’s. So don’t expect a wild what-to-do-list.

But if I weren’t coaching tonight, I’d playing some pickup volleyball at Zilker! Normally I don’t know anyone that goes out on Tuesday afternoons, but my friends are, so if you have any desire to play sand volleyball with less people around than Saturdays and Sundays, now is your chance.

Other things of note: you should definitely check out Extraordinaire. I went by there when it had just opened four months (and four days) ago, and the shop is a delight. It’s a “home” store in the sense that it has items for the home, but the idea behind it is to infuse daily living with design. The owner alternates between calling it a home store and a design store, but also sells chocolates and tea!

The owner is almost always there and loves talking about the products he’s chosen for the treasure-filled store. He imports lots of lines from Europe, and only carries artisanal American lines. Filled with different but astoundingly beautiful contemporary pieces, Extraordinaire is aptly-named and worth a stop at the corner of 6th and Lamar.

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