Our concept for our reviews was to eat somewhere new every week, perhaps bring in some guest reviewers . . . really force ourselves to step outside the box and explore new places around town. If you've read/heard/watched the news lately, you'll see that some of us regular folk have hit some harder times and we have to watch every penny nowadays. So, we've had to cut our budget down quite a bit and while our palettes are suffering . . . our pockets are staying full which is all we can ask.
Please check back here often, we will continue to post reviews . . . just not once a week. BUT, the idea remains the same. We hope that our reviews will help you explore Austin's eats and to try something new. It's true . . . there are enough places in Austin to eat once a week for the rest of your life! That's why we're keeping the title!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Dear Loyal Reader
As economic times start its crappy ripple effect into each of our lives, we have to take a moment to reflect on budget. Neil and I have recently hit a (hopefully temporary) bump in the road and will try to update the blog with lists and thoughts on food, but our culinary adventures around town will have to cease for now.
Thank you for understanding!
Thank you for understanding!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Rockin Tomato Gourmet Pizza - $
Located: North, Lakeline Area
13729 N Highway 183 # 690, Austin, TX 78750
www.rockintomato.com
Overall Rating: B
The Rockin Tomato is a locally owned pizzeria with a popular lunch and dinner buffet. The location we visited is located next to the Alamo Drafthouse at Lakeline. You sure get a lot for your money even if its not a buffet time. It's not mind-blowing. It's not bad. It's just pizza, and certainly for a buffet, this pizza blows Gatti's or CiCi's out of the water, but there are better places to get Austin-born pizza in this town. We had originally planned to visit a new pizza shop at the Arbor Walk called Red Brick Pizza, but then we found out it was a California franchise. We're not as interested in the out-of-towners as we are in what Austinites have to say with their food. Oh, another note, we found out that due to some unfortunate domain-ownership dispute, their website hasn't been updated in years and there is NO Rockin Tomato in the Northwest Hills anymore.
Jessie Says:
Food - We ordered the Hall of Fame, apparently a sampling of their "best" pizzas. A quarter of the pizza was dedicated to a different menu item: a veggie, a meat-eaters, a five-cheese, and a supreme type. We also ordered garlic cheese sticks to start. The appetizer had tons of cheese, but barely any garlic flavor. They should change the name of that dish to just "cheese on bread". I have to say that their sauce is awful - something completely evident when you try their cheese pizza which is surprisingly bland. I loved their meats, but you can't go wrong with bacon which they include in a heavy dose. For me, the veggies on the other two types of pizza were definitely fresh, but too crunchy for me. I kind of felt like the veggies were never properly introduced to the rest of the pizza and were hanging out as outcasts at the party. The original crust was buttery and tasty - like better, fresher version of Gatti's crust. Nothing we got screamed "gourmet" to me. I could see myself coming here again for a buffet when I'm really hungry because quantity, in this case, could make up for quality.
Service - It was OK. We walked up and ordered at the counter. It was slow when we arrived, but it still took about 20 minutes to get our cheesy garlic strips, which was then followed immediately by our pizza. So, the starter really didn't really get a chance to start anything.
Decor - I like they way they kind of branded the whole place with "Rockin Tomato" paintings and tomato sauce cans. It looked like a pizza place on the inside. A little dark inside and a little unfinished looking maybe.
Cleanliness - Not a gleaming example of tidiness. It's definitely one of those places where the employees maybe don't care if they haven't cleaned completely around a table after the customer leaves. There was trash and food on seats and on the floor. There was a clear "no-ownership" of space.
Neil Says:
Food - Our appetizer did lack any real sense of garlic flavor; however, the crust was well cooked - crispy on the outside, warm and soft on the inside - and I rather liked the overall taste. I agree that there could have been a greater level of complexity to the flavor, but I thought that the dish was fulfilling. The "Hall of Fame" was not bad. I will concede that the five cheese sample was a little bland and that the sauce needed more. But I felt that the other offerings were good. I liked the freshness of their vegetables and I did really enjoy the all meat slices. So, to summarize: well made well priced and fresh, albeit short of spectacular. I can imagine that the buffet is one of the best pizza buffets in town.
Service - The food did take a while, but was served hot. I would have liked more time to enjoy the starter before the pizza hit the table. The staff was friendly though and the dynamic is engineered so that after ordering, you are left to your own. Hence the multiple TV's and selection of local papers. Frankly, nothing goes better with pizza that the Chronicle...except maybe beer.
Decor - Homey. Bit sparse. It felt like a solid neighborhood pizza joint. I liked it. I liked it just fine.
Cleanliness - No complaints. No more dirty than say a nice Gatti Town, no less dirty than any busy restaurant.
13729 N Highway 183 # 690, Austin, TX 78750
www.rockintomato.com
Overall Rating: B
The Rockin Tomato is a locally owned pizzeria with a popular lunch and dinner buffet. The location we visited is located next to the Alamo Drafthouse at Lakeline. You sure get a lot for your money even if its not a buffet time. It's not mind-blowing. It's not bad. It's just pizza, and certainly for a buffet, this pizza blows Gatti's or CiCi's out of the water, but there are better places to get Austin-born pizza in this town. We had originally planned to visit a new pizza shop at the Arbor Walk called Red Brick Pizza, but then we found out it was a California franchise. We're not as interested in the out-of-towners as we are in what Austinites have to say with their food. Oh, another note, we found out that due to some unfortunate domain-ownership dispute, their website hasn't been updated in years and there is NO Rockin Tomato in the Northwest Hills anymore.
Jessie Says:
Food - We ordered the Hall of Fame, apparently a sampling of their "best" pizzas. A quarter of the pizza was dedicated to a different menu item: a veggie, a meat-eaters, a five-cheese, and a supreme type. We also ordered garlic cheese sticks to start. The appetizer had tons of cheese, but barely any garlic flavor. They should change the name of that dish to just "cheese on bread". I have to say that their sauce is awful - something completely evident when you try their cheese pizza which is surprisingly bland. I loved their meats, but you can't go wrong with bacon which they include in a heavy dose. For me, the veggies on the other two types of pizza were definitely fresh, but too crunchy for me. I kind of felt like the veggies were never properly introduced to the rest of the pizza and were hanging out as outcasts at the party. The original crust was buttery and tasty - like better, fresher version of Gatti's crust. Nothing we got screamed "gourmet" to me. I could see myself coming here again for a buffet when I'm really hungry because quantity, in this case, could make up for quality.
Service - It was OK. We walked up and ordered at the counter. It was slow when we arrived, but it still took about 20 minutes to get our cheesy garlic strips, which was then followed immediately by our pizza. So, the starter really didn't really get a chance to start anything.
Decor - I like they way they kind of branded the whole place with "Rockin Tomato" paintings and tomato sauce cans. It looked like a pizza place on the inside. A little dark inside and a little unfinished looking maybe.
Cleanliness - Not a gleaming example of tidiness. It's definitely one of those places where the employees maybe don't care if they haven't cleaned completely around a table after the customer leaves. There was trash and food on seats and on the floor. There was a clear "no-ownership" of space.
Neil Says:
Food - Our appetizer did lack any real sense of garlic flavor; however, the crust was well cooked - crispy on the outside, warm and soft on the inside - and I rather liked the overall taste. I agree that there could have been a greater level of complexity to the flavor, but I thought that the dish was fulfilling. The "Hall of Fame" was not bad. I will concede that the five cheese sample was a little bland and that the sauce needed more. But I felt that the other offerings were good. I liked the freshness of their vegetables and I did really enjoy the all meat slices. So, to summarize: well made well priced and fresh, albeit short of spectacular. I can imagine that the buffet is one of the best pizza buffets in town.
Service - The food did take a while, but was served hot. I would have liked more time to enjoy the starter before the pizza hit the table. The staff was friendly though and the dynamic is engineered so that after ordering, you are left to your own. Hence the multiple TV's and selection of local papers. Frankly, nothing goes better with pizza that the Chronicle...except maybe beer.
Decor - Homey. Bit sparse. It felt like a solid neighborhood pizza joint. I liked it. I liked it just fine.
Cleanliness - No complaints. No more dirty than say a nice Gatti Town, no less dirty than any busy restaurant.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Bess Bistro on Pecan - $$/$$$
Located: Downtown, 500 West 6th Street, Austin, TX 78701
www.bessbistro.com
Overall Rating: A
Wow. We loved this restaurant! Bess Bistro is tucked away on West 6th Street near Star Bar, at the corner of San Antonio - a minimal but elegant eatery with a menu of comfort-turned-gourmet food. The 1900's restored interior has a bit of burlesque fancy with leather padded pillars and chandeliers, and the food . . . oh the food . . . so soulful. This little jewel was surrounded by buzz last year when its owner Sandra Bullock opened it to the public. We wondered if it still stacked up. We're pleased to say it did.
Jessie Says:
Food - We ordered the Semolina Crusted Artichoke Hearts to start. These little pieces of heaven were served with a delicious, lemony aioli sauce with flash fried spinach and parmesan cheese. Not only did I love it, but I'm completely sold on the fried spinach. It was was so delicate. For my entree, I chose their version of Shepherd's Pie. Neil, the resident Britton, said it's not truly Shepherd's Pie without peas but the adding anything to this dish would make me physically angry. It was perfection - the kind of food that makes you want to take a pleasant nap after eating it. We shared a macaroni au gratin which was made with a perfectly seasoned bechamel sauce. To finish it off, we shared a Texas Snowball - a little ditty made with homemade brownie, ice cream, toasted meringue. Loved the brownie, loved the concept, hated the ice cream which we found out was Blue Bunny (blah).
Service - I love a friendly server. Ours was a little hands off for my taste, but I really have no complaints. Our drinks were never empty, our food was steaming hot, and delivery of our meal was well-paced.
Decor - Loved the coziness of the space. The whole restaurant has a creative, well thought-out concept that I can appreciate.
Cleanliness - I was a little bugged that the chandelier above our table was dusty. But overall, it was fine.
Neil Says:
Food - Excellent. While the artichoke hearts were wonderful, I was more enamored by the flash fried spinach. It melted like butter...sprinkled with cheese. My main course was the seafood risotto and it was great. I felt that the portion was well thought - so many places these days tend to pile huge amounts of food on huge plates - and the assortment of seafood was good. I will say that it had a strong seafood taste and smell, so if you don't like that sort of thing then get some more spinach. The macaroni was very good, however I have developed a taste for the paste-based variety so the bechamel took some adjustment. It was delicious though. For dessert? A brownie topped with ice cream topped with a toasted meringue. Yes, that was a run-on (for effect) and yes, it could have done with some Amy's Mexican Vanilla, but who am I to question the perfection of that brownie?
Service - Our water was never empty, our food was hot and well timed, our waiter was knowledgeable about the food and preparation. I swear I have read that somewhere...
Decor - I liked the combination of the earthy brick and mortar with the plush leather accents and booths. The waining light of day falling through the ground-level windows (the dining area is below ground) added a warm touch. For such a hard surfaced space I would keep the music at a lower db, but it was a Friday night. We should have asked to be seated at a table instead of a booth...neither one of us is exceptionally tall and the booth tables were. Overall it was comfortable and inviting.
Cleanliness - Yep, it was clean. I would expect as such for an establishment that has this level of ambiance. There was a small amount of dust on the chandelier above our table, but nothing that would offend.
www.bessbistro.com
Overall Rating: A
Wow. We loved this restaurant! Bess Bistro is tucked away on West 6th Street near Star Bar, at the corner of San Antonio - a minimal but elegant eatery with a menu of comfort-turned-gourmet food. The 1900's restored interior has a bit of burlesque fancy with leather padded pillars and chandeliers, and the food . . . oh the food . . . so soulful. This little jewel was surrounded by buzz last year when its owner Sandra Bullock opened it to the public. We wondered if it still stacked up. We're pleased to say it did.
Jessie Says:
Food - We ordered the Semolina Crusted Artichoke Hearts to start. These little pieces of heaven were served with a delicious, lemony aioli sauce with flash fried spinach and parmesan cheese. Not only did I love it, but I'm completely sold on the fried spinach. It was was so delicate. For my entree, I chose their version of Shepherd's Pie. Neil, the resident Britton, said it's not truly Shepherd's Pie without peas but the adding anything to this dish would make me physically angry. It was perfection - the kind of food that makes you want to take a pleasant nap after eating it. We shared a macaroni au gratin which was made with a perfectly seasoned bechamel sauce. To finish it off, we shared a Texas Snowball - a little ditty made with homemade brownie, ice cream, toasted meringue. Loved the brownie, loved the concept, hated the ice cream which we found out was Blue Bunny (blah).
Service - I love a friendly server. Ours was a little hands off for my taste, but I really have no complaints. Our drinks were never empty, our food was steaming hot, and delivery of our meal was well-paced.
Decor - Loved the coziness of the space. The whole restaurant has a creative, well thought-out concept that I can appreciate.
Cleanliness - I was a little bugged that the chandelier above our table was dusty. But overall, it was fine.
Neil Says:
Food - Excellent. While the artichoke hearts were wonderful, I was more enamored by the flash fried spinach. It melted like butter...sprinkled with cheese. My main course was the seafood risotto and it was great. I felt that the portion was well thought - so many places these days tend to pile huge amounts of food on huge plates - and the assortment of seafood was good. I will say that it had a strong seafood taste and smell, so if you don't like that sort of thing then get some more spinach. The macaroni was very good, however I have developed a taste for the paste-based variety so the bechamel took some adjustment. It was delicious though. For dessert? A brownie topped with ice cream topped with a toasted meringue. Yes, that was a run-on (for effect) and yes, it could have done with some Amy's Mexican Vanilla, but who am I to question the perfection of that brownie?
Service - Our water was never empty, our food was hot and well timed, our waiter was knowledgeable about the food and preparation. I swear I have read that somewhere...
Decor - I liked the combination of the earthy brick and mortar with the plush leather accents and booths. The waining light of day falling through the ground-level windows (the dining area is below ground) added a warm touch. For such a hard surfaced space I would keep the music at a lower db, but it was a Friday night. We should have asked to be seated at a table instead of a booth...neither one of us is exceptionally tall and the booth tables were. Overall it was comfortable and inviting.
Cleanliness - Yep, it was clean. I would expect as such for an establishment that has this level of ambiance. There was a small amount of dust on the chandelier above our table, but nothing that would offend.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Dimassi's All Day Mediterranean Buffet - $/$$
Located: Northwest, 12636 Research Blvd., 78759
www.dimassisbuffet.com
Overall Rating: C+
As far as buffets, Dimassi's Mediterranean Buffet is decent. Though neither of us plan on returning, we can say that the majority was fresh and the restaurant was clean. It's a pay-up-front establishment that's completely self-service. Located in an old shopping center near the Mongolian Grill on N. 183, we honestly expected less when we walked in and were pleasantly surprised by the smells and the friendly atmosphere. This restaurant, though it seems like a family's first attempt, is actually part of a chain of restaurants that started in Houston.
Jessie Says:
Food - OK, to be fair - it is a buffet. So, dry chicken is expected so I will not hold that against them. It makes me wonder if the all-day buffet concept fails with food that requires such slow cooking and tender care. I didn't truly enjoy anything except for the baklavah. If I had to eat there again, I'd probably have the halibut, the chicken kabob, Lebanese salad, and the pita bread. The rest I could do without.
Service - N/A. I'm not thrilled with the "completely self-serve" idea. I don't trust myself enough to handle a drink, plate of food, silverware, and napkins all in one run. Our dirty dishes were picked up in a timely manner however and I guess that's really all you can ask in a buffet setting.
Decor - I describe it as institutional. The space is huge and cold. The walls and decoration have a certain DIY thing going. They obviously decided to not completely redo the space when they took it over. There are still empty TV stands hanging from the walls. The furniture is new (some of the plastic still on some of the chairs) and the buffet is granite which is quite nice - a worthy investment certainly.
Cleanliness: It was clean. They did a good job busing the tables, though the floor could use a sweeping after each customer. The tile doesn't hide anything!
Neil Says:
Food-When I think about the concept of Mediterranean buffet I am slightly overwhelmed. That's quite a lot of coastline.... I was surprised by the overall freshness of the food; the salad was crisp and the steam trays were swapped and stirred constantly. I enjoyed almost everything I tried though nothing was fantastic. Or rather, I didn't dislike anything. The chicken kabob was good, as was the falafel. The lamb was well cooked and tender. I would say that if you (or someone you know) are curious as to what lies outside your comfort zone of chain restaurants, then check it out.
Service- Buffet was well tended, as were the empty plates and recently vacated tables. It looked like the management took an active part in maintaining the establishment, which is always a good sign.
Decor- Lots of windows, which I enjoyed. Granted an unobstructed view of the parking lot next door isn't my first choice, but I like natural light however I can get it. The pita oven near the buffet line is a nice touch. The whole place felt just slightly empty, despite the fact that there were many other patrons. It is a large room and could use a little more warmth; something to make the place feel more like...well Mediterranean.
Cleanliness- Quite clean. The line was constantly wiped down, the tables and chairs were clean. I agree about the floor tile, but well kept overall.
www.dimassisbuffet.com
Overall Rating: C+
As far as buffets, Dimassi's Mediterranean Buffet is decent. Though neither of us plan on returning, we can say that the majority was fresh and the restaurant was clean. It's a pay-up-front establishment that's completely self-service. Located in an old shopping center near the Mongolian Grill on N. 183, we honestly expected less when we walked in and were pleasantly surprised by the smells and the friendly atmosphere. This restaurant, though it seems like a family's first attempt, is actually part of a chain of restaurants that started in Houston.
Jessie Says:
Food - OK, to be fair - it is a buffet. So, dry chicken is expected so I will not hold that against them. It makes me wonder if the all-day buffet concept fails with food that requires such slow cooking and tender care. I didn't truly enjoy anything except for the baklavah. If I had to eat there again, I'd probably have the halibut, the chicken kabob, Lebanese salad, and the pita bread. The rest I could do without.
Service - N/A. I'm not thrilled with the "completely self-serve" idea. I don't trust myself enough to handle a drink, plate of food, silverware, and napkins all in one run. Our dirty dishes were picked up in a timely manner however and I guess that's really all you can ask in a buffet setting.
Decor - I describe it as institutional. The space is huge and cold. The walls and decoration have a certain DIY thing going. They obviously decided to not completely redo the space when they took it over. There are still empty TV stands hanging from the walls. The furniture is new (some of the plastic still on some of the chairs) and the buffet is granite which is quite nice - a worthy investment certainly.
Cleanliness: It was clean. They did a good job busing the tables, though the floor could use a sweeping after each customer. The tile doesn't hide anything!
Neil Says:
Food-When I think about the concept of Mediterranean buffet I am slightly overwhelmed. That's quite a lot of coastline.... I was surprised by the overall freshness of the food; the salad was crisp and the steam trays were swapped and stirred constantly. I enjoyed almost everything I tried though nothing was fantastic. Or rather, I didn't dislike anything. The chicken kabob was good, as was the falafel. The lamb was well cooked and tender. I would say that if you (or someone you know) are curious as to what lies outside your comfort zone of chain restaurants, then check it out.
Service- Buffet was well tended, as were the empty plates and recently vacated tables. It looked like the management took an active part in maintaining the establishment, which is always a good sign.
Decor- Lots of windows, which I enjoyed. Granted an unobstructed view of the parking lot next door isn't my first choice, but I like natural light however I can get it. The pita oven near the buffet line is a nice touch. The whole place felt just slightly empty, despite the fact that there were many other patrons. It is a large room and could use a little more warmth; something to make the place feel more like...well Mediterranean.
Cleanliness- Quite clean. The line was constantly wiped down, the tables and chairs were clean. I agree about the floor tile, but well kept overall.
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