Eater Austin: All Posts by Clara WangThe Austin Restaurant, Bar, and Nightlife Bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52682/favicon-32x32.png2023-08-10T10:15:51-05:00https://austin.eater.com/authors/clara-wang/rss2023-08-10T10:15:51-05:002023-08-10T10:15:51-05:00Where to Find Fantastic Filipino Dishes in Austin
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<img alt="A bowl of broth, rice, sliced meats, halved boiled eggs, and a slice of lime on the rim." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/O-18MI4BxP882NOzeNx9t_afEaQ=/0x21:828x642/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72289576/54pkYGhNxc29.0.png" />
<figcaption>A Filipino dish from Kapatad Kitchen and Cafe. | Kapatad Kitchen and Cafe</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Dig into lumpia, lechon, and adobos</p> <p id="MT8yOy">Filipino cuisine offers comforting, hearty food at the crux of Asian flavors and Spanish influences (the latter because of <a href="https://www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/the-philippines-an-overview-of-the-colonial-era/">Spain’s colonization of the region</a>). There’s something for everybody to love from lumpia (egg rolls) to lechon (roast pork). </p>
<p id="CaE4jZ">Alas, even though three staple Austin Filipino restaurants closed because of the pandemic — Tito Adobo, Mang Dedoy’s, and <a href="https://austin.eater.com/2020/6/11/21287857/be-more-pacific-filipino-restaurant-closes-austin-houston-open">Be More Pacific</a> (which reopened in <a href="https://houston.eater.com/2020/2/27/21155382/be-more-pacific-opening-houston-heights-february-2020?_ga=2.212520658.730714407.1684089701-721632924.1615576381&_gl=1*10mvdlh*_ga*NzIxNjMyOTI0LjE2MTU1NzYzODE.*_ga_GMSWCRTSTY*MTY4NDM0ODEzNC4xMDIuMS4xNjg0MzUzNDk4LjUyLjAuMA..">Houston</a>) — and favorite Carabao Express <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvvq_RKtv93/">morphed into</a> a Carnitas El Guero, there are still a good amount of Filipino restaurants and food trucks around. </p>
<p id="7xjICF">Similarly, for other eats stemming from the continent of Asia, find great spots serving <a href="https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-southeast-asian-restaurants-austin">Southeast Asian</a>, <a href="https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-thai-austin-restaurants">Thai</a>, <a href="https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-korean-restaurants-austin">Korean</a>, <a href="https://austin.eater.com/2016/6/17/11964106/best-korean-barbecue-austin">Korean barbecue</a>, <a href="https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-chinese-restaurants-austin-sichuan-barbecue">Chinese</a>, <a href="https://austin.eater.com/2016/1/20/10799332/best-dim-sum-austin-chinese-restaurants-dumplings">dim sum</a>, <a href="https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-sushi-restaurants-austin">sushi</a>, <a href="https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-indian-restaurants-austin-south-asian-food-pakistani-bangladeshi-nepalese">South Asian</a>, and <a href="https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-halal-restaurants-austin-muslim-islamic-food">halal</a> foods. </p>
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https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-filipino-food-austin-restaurantsClara Wang2023-03-27T13:28:42-05:002023-03-27T13:28:42-05:0012 Terrific Torta Spots in Austin
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<img alt="A sandwich with meat and a dripping fried egg." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vzFh3OJplrYSgxKaMHdZpeyjjIo=/148x0:1189x781/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72119872/d7f41f_0ef77212e4644b2dbfe822d67c248081_mv2.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>A torta from La Plancha. | La Planca</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Where to indulge in tortas ahogadas, tortas cubana, and tortas de milanese</p> <p id="gn9GFK">Tortas are just as essential to Mexican street food as tacos. The Mexican sandwiches are layered with various meats, sauces, and toppings between the most crucial ingredient of a torta: two slices of soft, crusty bread rolls. The two types of bread that define tortas are either bolillos, torpedo-shaped rolls resembling a soft baguette; or teleras, which are round and soft pieces of bread. </p>
<p id="85H3X8">While tortas can be filled with pretty much anything, from hot dogs and pineapple to steak and salsa verde, there are a few famous variations you can commonly find: Guadalajara’s torta <a href="https://www.isabeleats.com/tortas-ahogadas/">ahogada</a>, stemming from Guadalajara in Mexico, a sandwich filled with pork carnitas and red onions and “drowned” in sauce; the torta cubana, the Mexican version of a Cuban sandwich; the torta de milanesa, where the sandwich is layered with thin fried meat cutlet); among numerous others. In Austin, there are plenty of excellent tortas to find, from La Plancha, Habanero Cafe, Tortas El Guero, and much more.</p>
<p id="Dv2WYr">For related eats, check out Eater’s <a href="https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-sandwiches-austin-restaurants">guide to the best sandwiches</a> in Austin and the <a href="https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-tex-mex-restaurants-austin">best Tex-Mex</a>. </p>
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https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-tortas-austin-restaurants-mexican-sandwichesClara Wang2023-01-13T09:23:31-06:002023-01-13T09:23:31-06:00Where to Find Specific Lunar New Year Dishes in Austin
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<img alt="A whole fish dish that is cooked in sauce on a plate." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/R-pCEJhs0brPDn0uC_LZOj_Tf7M=/0x13:1080x823/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71861515/70914699_2481068545317188_169702464331710464_n.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>A whole fish dish from Wu Chow. | <a class="ql-link" href="https://www.facebook.com/wuchowaustin/photos/a.748761315214595/2481068538650522/" target="_blank">Wu Chow/Facebook</a></figcaption>
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<p>Welcome the new year with lucky foods from longevity noodles to bánh chưng</p> <p class="p--has-dropcap p-large-text" id="lo4etV"><a href="https://austin.eater.com/23546577/lunar-new-year-food-specials-austin-restaurants-chinese-new-year">Lunar New Year</a> is celebrated all over East and Southeast Asia beginning with the second new moon after the winter solstice. It stems from China’s <a href="https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/lunar-new-year-origins-customs-explained">ancient agricultural roots</a> as a time to praise the old harvest and welcome the new harvest by bringing luck into the new year. </p>
<p id="S8QRJn">In China and parts of Southeast Asia, it’s called Chūn Jié — Spring Festival — and spans the first 15 days of the first month of the lunar calendar. Korea’s Seollal and Vietnam’s Tết are three-day holidays starting on Lunar New Year’s Eve. </p>
<p id="wdqnaD">Cultural traditions vary from region to region or even village to village, but within each country, there are certain traditional foods with deep symbolic meanings. This year, the first day of the Lunar New Year falls on Monday, January 23, with Lunar New Year’s Eve beginning on Sunday, January 22. </p>
<p id="UTCVUT">What follows are some traditional Lunar New Year dishes, categorized by regional celebration, and where to find them to celebrate the holiday in Austin. Keep in mind that, while tangerines, oranges, and certain types of vegetables and candies have their own traditional significance during Lunar New Year, this article is focused on foods that require preparation and can be found in local restaurants and markets.</p>
<p id="4EV2bl">For a comprehensive look at Lunar New Year dessert specials, tea ceremonies, celebrations, and more in Austin, <a href="https://austin.eater.com/23546577/lunar-new-year-food-specials-austin-restaurants-chinese-new-year">check out Eater’s separate guide</a>.</p>
<h1 id="FCPES4">For Chūn Jìe (China/Hong Kong/Taiwan/Singapore):</h1>
<h2 id="7TFV4V">Whole fish</h2>
<p id="7tLW6T">“Yu,” the Chinese word for “fish,” is also a homonym for “surplus,” making it a must-have for any Lunar New Year dinner. Having a fish signifies being <a href="https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-food/chinese-new-year-food.htm">prosperous</a> enough to have a surplus at the end of the year. The saying “niánnián yǒu yú” — which translates to: “May you always have more than you need every year” — is not complete without an actual “yu” at the dinner table. The type of fish varies depending on region, but catfish and crucian carp are popular for their homophonic names.</p>
<h3 id="W7SKzM">Where to find</h3>
<ul>
<li id="4rwhOO">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/12744/wu-chow">Wu Chow</a> is running Chinese New Year specials from Sunday, January 22 to Saturday, January 28 that includes braised whole fish prepared in three ways, all representing prosperity: yu xiang sauce, sweet and sour sauce, and fermented chile sauce. (<em>500 West Fifth Street, Downtown</em>)</li>
<li id="3vjnUL">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/41910/lin-asian-bar">Lin Asian Bar</a> (<em>1203 West Sixth Street, Clarksville</em>)</li>
<li id="Alt4B4">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/62529/1618-asian-fusion">1618 Asian Fusion</a> (<em>1620 East Riverside Drive, Riverside</em>)</li>
<li id="aY7ax9">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/75086/house-of-three-gorges">House of Three Gorges</a> (<em>8557 Research Boulevard, North Austin</em>)</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="eUHuZ2">Longevity noodles</h2>
<p id="nF1dMf">The noodles known as “chang shou mian” literally translate as “longevity noodles.” People all over China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore enjoy a bowl of these noodles during the Lunar New Year. Each serving is supposed to be a single, uncut strand, which symbolizes an unbroken life, and is served stir-fried on a plate or in a bowl with broth.</p>
<h3 id="DgB355">Where to find</h3>
<ul>
<li id="YTk8fJ">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/12744/wu-chow">Wu Chow’</a>s Chinese New Year specials include longevity noodles (see above).</li>
<li id="E8Mn16">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/46982/xian-sushi-and-noodle">Xian Sushi & Noodles</a> (<em>multiple locations</em>)</li>
<li id="up9c40">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/72598/noodle-alley">Noodle Alley</a> (<em>1201 North Bell Boulevard, Cedar Park</em>)</li>
<li id="SI6QjC">At any hand-pulled noodle restaurant; just ask the chef who is physically making the dish to turn it into longevity noodles.</li>
</ul>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A bunch of dumplings in a steamer." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EizsFNXKmJ-OVjegpL_1HqGOIOA=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24357303/71782229_2502531266494035_8275109370329563136_n.jpg">
<cite><a class="ql-link" href="https://www.facebook.com/FatDragonAtx/photos/pb.100063550364699.-2207520000./2502531259827369/?type=3" target="_blank">Fat Dragon/Facebook</a></cite>
<figcaption>Dumplings from Fat Dragon.</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2 id="B5eR2C">Dumplings</h2>
<p id="CNDaCV">Fried, boiled, or steamed dumplings made to look like gold bullions (think plump potstickers; oval, boat-shaped, turned up like two ends) are popular in Northern China. Fillings can be anything from minced pork and chives to shrimp and egg. The idea is that the more dumplings you eat during the Lunar New Year, the <a href="https://blog.busuu.com/chinese-new-year-food/#:~:text=An%20old%20saying%20goes%20that,fortune%20will%20come%20your%20way.">more money</a> you’ll make in the new year. Some regions also play a game by hiding peanuts or coins in a single dumpling of a batch, and whoever eats the special dumpling will have extra fortune coming their way.</p>
<h3 id="fMMWk6">Where to find</h3>
<ul>
<li id="cILfgZ">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/50983/fat-dragon">Fat Dragon</a> (<em>8650 Spicewood Springs Road, Barrington Oaks</em>)</li>
<li id="F3Fxni">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/46940/julie-s-noodles">Julie’s Noodles</a> (<em>8557 Research Boulevard, North Austin</em>)</li>
<li id="Ts7b7a">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/91069/taste-of-home-handmade-dumplings">Taste of Home Handmade Dumpling</a> (<em>10901 North Lamar Boulevard, North Lamar</em>)</li>
</ul>
<aside id="ZI0Gqz"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Where to Find Great Chinese Food in Austin ","url":"https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-chinese-restaurants-austin-sichuan-barbecue"}]}'></div></aside><h2 id="eFgFof">Nian gao (rice cakes)</h2>
<p id="l26JRg">The glutinous rice cake “nian gao,” which is homophonic to the phrase “ending your year on a high,” is prevalent in Southern China and other parts of Southeast Asia. While the sticky rice cakes can be sweet or savory, sugary dessert versions with lotus seeds, sweet bean paste, peanuts, and/or Chinese chestnuts dominate the Lunar New Year season, often found in bright red wrapping.</p>
<h3 id="dvBpzc">Where to find</h3>
<ul>
<li id="b66M2L">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/17616/mt-supermarket">MT Supermarket</a>’s bakery (<em>10901 North Lamar Boulevard, North Lamar</em>)</li>
<li id="4oi92m">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/42186/99-ranch-market-austin">99 Ranch</a>’s bakery (<em>6929 Airport Boulevard, Highland</em>)</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="GxgScs">Lion’s head meatballs</h2>
<p id="Fqi8QB">Lion’s head meatballs are another holiday dish popular in Southern China and the surrounding areas, particularly in Shanghai. The fist-sized pork meatballs are tender and juicy, either steamed or braised in a sweet-and-savory sauce, typically served with vegetables. The roundness of the meatballs signal unity and lions are a symbol of strength in Chinese culture.</p>
<h3 id="ktDyfp">Where to find</h3>
<ul>
<li id="KSGOXE"><a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/12744/wu-chow">Wu Chow</a></li>
<li id="jo6PTY">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/94269/hunan-bistro-austin">Hunan Bistro</a> (<em>10700 Anderson Mill Road, Suite 105, Anderson Mill</em>)</li>
</ul>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Someone picking up a large meatball from a dish of meatballs." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vkvCY3TOkFw5yOrA6hRDP0hsT90=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24357307/72272088_2527814213975954_7991988029575135232_n.jpg">
<cite><a class="ql-link" href="https://www.facebook.com/wuchowaustin/photos/a.748761315214595/2527814203975955/" target="_blank">Wu Chow/Facebook</a></cite>
<figcaption>Lion’s head meatballs at Wu Chow.</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2 id="JS5xdB">Tangyuan (rice ball soup)</h2>
<p id="5ICvgk">Tangyuan is usually eaten during the <a href="https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/good-food/why-this-chinese-dessert-is-so-important-during-lunar-new-year">Lantern Festival</a>, which is the final day of the fifteen-day-long Chinese New Year due to its round shape (representing unity). In Southern China and surrounding countries, people also eat the item throughout the Spring Festival. The sweet glutinous rice balls filled with sweet bean paste or peanuts are boiled and eaten with soup spoons.</p>
<h3 id="1RyZuL">Where to find</h3>
<ul><li id="8VqCtm"><a href="https://www.99ranch.com/">99 Ranch</a></li></ul>
<h2 id="3t9swM">Whole chicken</h2>
<p id="9W2mL1">Chicken, or “ji,” is a homophone for “good luck” and “prosperity. This means that the whole chicken — including the head and feet — symbolizes unity and wholeness, making it a popular dish for wishing for a good beginning and end to the year. A whole braised or roasted chicken may be first offered to the ancestors and gods for protection and blessings. The chicken feet are sometimes eaten by the breadwinner of the family to help them “grab” onto wealth because chicken talons are a homophone of “grab.”</p>
<h3 id="5aawxP">Where to find whole braised and roasted chickens</h3>
<ul>
<li id="zlaiZo">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/39735/din-ho-chinese-bbq">Din Ho Chinese BBQ</a> (<em>8557 Research Boulevard, North Austin</em>)</li>
<li id="wZTui7">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/54177/first-chinese-bbq">First Chinese BBQ</a> (<em>10901 North Lamar Boulevard, North Lamar</em>)</li>
</ul>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="ynOcgg">
<h1 id="giokxi">Seollal (South Korea)</h1>
<h2 id="e7v6Py">Tteokguk (rice cake soup)</h2>
<p id="VdXdeC">In South Korea, your age is measured in how many bowls of soup you finished in your lifetime. Koreans mark the passing of another <a href="https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20180219-in-south-korea-age-is-measured-in-bowls-of-soup">year</a> of life by eating a bowl of tteokguk at the beginning of the year. People may ask, “How many bowls of tteokguk have you eaten?” to inquire about someone’s age. The rice cakes are simmered in a clear beef broth and garnished with vegetables. The whiteness of the rice cakes symbolizes purity, and the round, flat, shape resembles old Korean coins and brings prosperity. </p>
<h3 id="ENrCGg">Where to find</h3>
<ul>
<li id="EnPuLm">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/61607/seoulju">Seoulju Korean Kitchen and Bar</a> (<em>9515 North Lamar Boulevard, North Lamar</em>)</li>
<li id="sqqjsb">
<a href="https://koreangrill.wixsite.com/koreangrill">Korean Grill</a> (<em>10901 North Lamar Boulevard, Suite B204, North Lamar</em>)</li>
<li id="oxEc8N">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/24088/korea-house">Korea House</a> (<em>2700 West Anderson Lane, North Shoal Creek</em>)</li>
</ul>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A bowl of soup behind two figurines." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NjuRcNCx1Nf_OaolLCVaTnx4mMI=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24357311/323877596_913105269716621_4066822667944121244_n.jpg">
<cite><a class="ql-link" href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=711254710641569&set=pcb.711254753974898" target="_blank">Korea House/Facebook</a></cite>
<figcaption>The rice cake soup at Korea House.</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2 id="WfL1ne">Jeon (Korean pancakes)</h2>
<p id="Jzha79">Jeon are savory fried pancakes with spring onions and a variety of fillings. Kimchi jeon, buchujeon (garlic), saenbgseon jeon (fish), and saewoo jeon (shrimp) are most popular for <a href="https://medium.com/@gastrotourkorea/traditional-foods-to-eat-during-the-korean-new-year-c63083e05bc9">Seollal</a> feasts. </p>
<h3 id="Bra4Jl">Where to find</h3>
<ul>
<li id="yWZ5hT"><a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/24088/korea-house">Korea House</a></li>
<li id="hX6Syh"><a href="https://koreangrill.wixsite.com/koreangrill">Korean Grill</a></li>
<li id="YhIegE">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/24084/charm-korean-bbq">Charm Korean BBQ</a> (<em>1200 West Howard Lane, Tech Ridge</em>)</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="OwmmRJ">Japchae (stir-fried glass noodles)</h2>
<p id="NvFzx7">These Korean glass noodles made from sweet potato starch and stir-fried with sesame oil, beef, and vegetables are present on most special occasions, but especially on Lunar New Year’s Day. Japchae was <a href="https://www.thespiceodyssey.com/eat/japchae#:~:text=Japchae%20can%20be%20either%20a,long%20life%20in%20Korean%20culture.">first recorded</a> in its modern form in the early 17th century during the Joseon Dynasty when a liege came up with it and King Gwanghaegun liked it so much that he decreed it a royal dish and promoted the liege to Secretary of the Treasure. Japchae’s popularity as a royal feast dish, as well as the way the five vegetable colors mirror the five elements of East Asian cosmology, make it a must-have for celebrations. </p>
<h3 id="YQeQTe">Where to find</h3>
<ul>
<li id="lTnFoo">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/57127/oseyo">Oseyo</a> (<em>1628 East Cesar Chavez Street, East Austin</em>)</li>
<li id="71J71d">
<a href="https://sohaaustin.square.site/">Soha</a> (<em>911 West Anderson Lane, Suite. 114, Crestview</em>)</li>
<li id="yZX7zz">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/18342/koriente-restaurant">Koriente</a> (<em>621 East Seventh Street, Downtown</em>)</li>
</ul>
<aside id="ZfEKEb"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"11 Amazing Korean Restaurants in Austin ","url":"https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-korean-restaurants-austin"}]}'></div></aside><h2 id="FBp6lo">Galbijjim (braised short ribs)</h2>
<p id="7jzyFq"><a href="https://m.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20100213000018">Galbijjim</a>, or braised short ribs, dates back to the mid-1700s when only the upper classes could afford prime cuts of beef (cows were essential to farm work and rarely slaughtered). “Galbi” is beef short ribs, and “jjim” refers to the braising method of cooking. Due to the precious nature of beef (beef short ribs remain pricey in South Korea to this day), it became a Seollal dish. The short ribs are braised for many hours in a rich, savory sauce until they are fall-off-the-bone tender and served on rice. </p>
<h3 id="cmsfr7">Where to find</h3>
<ul>
<li id="x9xKv3">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/70468/jjim-bbq-korean-barbecue">Jjim Korean Braised BBQ</a> (<em>1100 South Lamar Boulevard, Suite 2140, Zilker</em>)</li>
<li id="GY888A">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/64137/chosun-galbi">Chosun Galbi</a> (<em>713 E Huntland Drive, Highland</em>)</li>
</ul>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A dish of meats and peppers." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/du5g8wryU70cPRcYKI8iC70SrkA=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24357316/full__2_.jpeg">
<cite>Jjim Korean Braised BBQ</cite>
<figcaption>Galbijjim from Jjim Korean Braised BBQ.</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2 id="MqBGI3">Yakgwa (honey cookies)</h2>
<p id="4BsB95">Yakgwa, a deep-fried wheat-flour cake coated in rich honey syrup, is a traditional offering to appease the ancestors. It comes in many shapes and is commonly eaten or brought as a gift during Seollal. </p>
<h3 id="Xr3uFj">Where to find</h3>
<ul>
<li id="lzbopW">
<a href="https://austinhanyangmarket.com/">Han Yang Market</a> (<em>6808 North Lamar Boulevard, Suite A110, Brentwood</em>)</li>
<li id="9JlwYu">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/26851/h-mart">H Mart</a> (<em>11301 Lakeline Boulevard, Lakeline</em>)</li>
</ul>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="OhjSxB">
<h2 id="X7qPvr">Tết (Vietnam)</h2>
<h3 id="WQoUBe">Bánh chưng (square-shaped glutinous rice cake)</h3>
<p id="hyWCHB"><a href="https://vietnamdiscovery.com/culture-arts/chung-cake/#:~:text=The%20Legend%20of%20%E2%80%9D%20Banh%20Chung%E2%80%9D&text=According%20to%20the%20legend%2C%203%2C000,on%20the%20occasion%20of%20Spring.">Bánh chưng</a>, or <a href="https://devour.asia/in-vietnam-banh-tet-is-a-lunar-new-year-tradition/">bánh tét</a> (a cylindrical form eaten during Tết that is popular in Southern Vietnam), started appearing during the Hung Dynasty, which began around 2879 BC. The savory sticky rice cake consists of glutinous rice wrapped around a mung bean and pork filling and boiled in banana leaves for hours. Ancient Vietnamese legend sources the dish to when the sixth Hung emperor held a cooking contest among his 21 sons to choose his successor. The 18th son, Lang Lieu, was too poor to seek fancy recipes or expensive ingredients. A fairy came to him in a dream with two kinds of cakes; square “bánh chưng,” symbolizing the earth, and round “bánh day,” representing the sky. He won the contest, and bánh chưng has been a traditional Tet food ever since.</p>
<h3 id="xEW8xX">Where to find</h3>
<ul>
<li id="F9JIUs">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/51750/888-pan-asian-restaurant">888 Pan Asian Restaurant</a> (<em>2400 East Oltorf Street, East Riverside</em>)</li>
<li id="r9LF2F">
<a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/92273/fresh-tofu-food-to-go">Fresh Tofu</a> (<em>10901 North Lamar Boulevard, North Lamar</em>)</li>
</ul>
<aside id="TkLTwD"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Where to Ring in Lunar New Year With Food and Drinks in Austin ","url":"https://austin.eater.com/23546577/lunar-new-year-food-specials-austin-restaurants-chinese-new-year"}]}'></div></aside><aside id="ZTxKnP"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"austin-eater"}'></div></aside><p id="vCa8k7"></p>
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https://austin.eater.com/23552083/best-lunar-new-year-dishes-austin-restaurantsClara Wang2022-12-15T15:16:37-06:002022-12-15T15:16:37-06:00Where to Find the Best Versions of Classic Chinese Dishes in Austin
<figure>
<img alt="Roast duck on a ceramic duck dish next to plates of sauces and vegetables." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/MpSgJtELe6oquTFhEgdGdLp-KtU=/0x138:883x800/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71755085/9B0FTsUJFrTcTSIbsqODK1ZJTRbAS2fFxLKimaUA.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Peking duck at Bamboo House. | Bamboo House</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Beijing duck to specific dumplings to hand-pulled noodles</p> <p class="p--has-dropcap p-large-text" id="AsAbm2">Chinese cuisine is generally fantastic — especially <a href="https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-chinese-restaurants-austin-sichuan-barbecue">so in Austin</a> where there are plentiful restaurants serving up a variety of amazing regional fare from the East Asian country. There’s a place for everyone, whether you’re a fan of the dishes, looking for epic banquet hall food, or missing comforting classics your families would make at home. </p>
<p id="dalEX8">From sliced beef in chile sauces and wrapped-on-the-spot dumplings to perfectly crispy Beijing ducks and hand-pulled noodles, here’s where to find the best version of classic Chinese dishes in Austin.</p>
<h2 id="DHxpsn">Jiaozi</h2>
<p id="y2mzVc">Casual restaurant <a href="https://www.tohhd.com/">Taste of Home Dumpling House</a> lives up to its name with homemade dumplings freshly folded and batch-cooked to order. Jiaozi are conch-shaped dumplings with thin skins made of dough that doesn’t rise, which are then typically boiled or pan-fried (potstickers). All Chinese families know that the best jiaozi are made at home (read; you don’t order them in fancy restaurants in China). Order the dumplings boiled, fried, or steamed, and then peek into the kitchen to watch the staff hand-making your order behind the plexiglass wall. Everything on the menu is good, but top hits include the juicy lamb cilantro dumplings and fragrant pork-shrimp-chive dumplings which are made with generous chunks of shrimp.</p>
<p id="G1OQe2"><em>10901 North Lamar Boulevard, Suite B203, North Lamar; takeout orders can be placed </em><a href="https://order.mealkeyway.com/merchant/766e396a317a43507975774962396b5a7447466a74413d3d/main"><em>online</em></a><em> and there are indoor dine-in services</em></p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A plate of steamed dumplings next to a pair of red chopsticks." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/T6qHebjPF87tbMm5N9v9IGG2bC8=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24019475/_____20210712112939.jpg">
<cite>Taste of Home Handmade Dumplings</cite>
<figcaption>Dumplings from Taste of Home.</figcaption>
</figure>
<aside id="ZPiw4h"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Where to Find Great Chinese Food in Austin ","url":"https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-chinese-restaurants-austin-sichuan-barbecue"}]}'></div></aside><h2 id="GWXfBF">Soup dumplings</h2>
<p id="9G7i0i">Soup dumplings are divine, bite-sized flavor bombs loaded with minced meat filling and broth. To avoid injury from potentially too-hot soup, try cooling the soup dumplings by adding black vinegar to your soup spoon before popping the bites into your mouth. Modern Chinese sibling restaurants <a href="https://qiaustin.com/#">Qi</a> and <a href="https://www.linasianbar.com/">Lin Asian Bar</a>, owned by Chinese restaurateur and chef Ling Wu, offer similarly delightful versions with pork or seafood delicately wrapped in thin handmade dumpling skins. Likewise, <a href="https://steamiesdumplings.com/">Steamie’s Dumplings</a>, a Taiwanese retail shop where you can watch each batch being made behind a glass window, also offers freshly made soup dumplings in a more casual environment for on-site or at-home enjoyment.</p>
<p id="haJbIV"><em>Qi: 835 West Sixth Street, Suite, Downtown; takeout orders can be placed </em><a href="https://www.toasttab.com/qi-austin/v3"><em>online</em></a><em> and there are indoor dine-in services</em><br><em>Lin Asian Bar: 1203 West Sixth Street, Clarksville; takeout orders can be placed </em><a href="https://www.toasttab.com/lin-asian-bar-dim-sum/v3/?mode=fulfillment"><em>online</em></a><em> and there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services</em><br><em>Steamie’s Dumplings: 6929 Airport Boulevard, Suite 148; Highland, takeout orders can be placed </em><a href="https://orders.steamiesdumplings.com/"><em>online</em></a><em> and there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services</em></p>
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<aside id="mF7ffk"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Where to Eat Dumplings in Austin ","url":"https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-dumplings-austin-restaurants"}]}'></div></aside><h2 id="JfKIvl">Beijin duck</h2>
<p id="doq9G9">Beijing duck is a great example of banquet cooking: a whole duck basted in layers of a savory-sweet marinade, slow-roasted for hours in a specific rotisserie, and then finished with a quick bath of boiling oil to crisp the skin. The expertly carved whole duck is typically served with paper-thin pancakes, chopped scallions, and sweet bean sauce for a build-your-own taco experience. Chinese restaurant <a href="https://bamboohouseaustin.com/">Bamboo House</a> did so well when it opened its original location in Houston that it decided to open an Austin branch. The city’s long-awaited restaurant had lines out the door when it first opened in September and did not disappoint — it definitely serves the best Beijing duck in town. The resulting dish comes with perfectly crispy skin atop tender meat without any trace of the bird’s gaminess so even the duck-averse crowd will enjoy it. The skin melts like meat candy, and you can dip it in some sugar or one of the provided sweet and savory sauces. Who needs dessert?</p>
<p id="GBsNQg"><em>7010 Easy Wind Drive, Suite 100, Crestview; takeout orders can be placed </em><a href="https://bamboohouseaustin.com/menu/56681559"><em>online</em></a><em> and there are indoor dine-in services</em></p>
<h2 id="ReWyRN">Lanzhou lamian</h2>
<p id="bmtBZF">There are so many distinct regional variations of Lanzhou lamian in China, and everybody has an opinion on what makes the beef hand-pulled noodle soup dish good. The Northern-style iteration hails from the Lanzhou province — hence the name — where it is all about the noodles. Traditionally, <a href="https://www.sapiens.org/archaeology/chinese-farmers/">wheat was grown in northern China</a>, so those regions are adept at producing wheat products like noodles and flatbreads. For Lanzhou-style hand-pulled noodles, the dough needs to be worked aggressively where the chef pulls the dough in straight, rapid tugs while slamming it against the prep board to ensure even stretching, resulting in a springy texture. Depending on your preference. In Austin, mini-chain <a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/46982/xian-sushi-and-noodle">Xian Sushi and Noodle</a> chefs Ting and Ye Lin, who were professionally trained in China, and their staff hand-pull noodles as tin as fine vermicelli or as thick as bigoli.</p>
<p id="GN9LYc"><a href="https://www.xianfresh.com/"><em>Multiple locations</em></a><em> throughout Austin; takeout orders can be placed </em><a href="https://www.xianfresh.com/home"><em>online</em></a><em> and all have indoor dine-in services</em></p>
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<aside id="pHMdjF"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Where to Warm Up With Beef Noodle Soups in Austin ","url":"https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-beef-noodle-soups-austin-chinese-taiwanese-restaurants"}]}'></div></aside><h2 id="4FwGiT">Dim sum</h2>
<p id="UtSwzJ">Okay, so, dim sum isn’t a dish, but the meal is a crucial part of Chinese cuisine and it’s basically like brunch. Classic dim sum dishes include lo bak go (aka turnip cakes, which are pan-fried shredded radish and rice flour clumps), shu mai (steamed dumplings in wonton wrappers filled with minced meat or prawns), soup dumplings, and garlic eggplant (where the vegetable is stir-fried in a sweet-and-savory garlic sauce). This can be all found at the Austin location of national supermarket chain <a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/42186/99-ranch-market-austin">99 Ranch</a>, where the hot deli line is easily accessible without having to book a week in advance like <a href="https://austin.eater.com/2016/1/20/10799332/best-dim-sum-austin-chinese-restaurants-dumplings">other dim sum restaurants</a>.</p>
<p id="J4cuoY"><em>6929 Airport Boulevard, Suite 110, Highland; takeout orders can be placed and there are indoor dine-in areas</em></p>
<h2 id="0amVUx">Liangpi zi</h2>
<p id="2cHsAa">Liangpi zi, or cold mung bean noodles, are cut from gelatin-like blocks of mung bean that are tossed in chile oil. Served cold with a variety of regional toppings, liangpi zi is <a href="https://austin.eater.com/23320632/best-cold-dishes-austin-restaurants-ceviche-crudo-raw-bar-chilled-refreshing-food">the perfect summer dish</a>. Chinese food truck <a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/64912/chef-hong">Chef Hong</a> serves a Northern style that is spicier, heavier on the chile, and lighter on toppings, while <a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/46982/xian-sushi-and-noodle">Xian</a> and pan-Asian restaurant <a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/72598/noodle-alley">Noodle Alley</a> offer liangpi zi topped with shredded chicken, peanuts, and cucumber; Noodle’s one is also Sichuanese, which means spicy.</p>
<p id="Sc8fXv"><em>Chef Hong: 907 West 24th Street, West Campus; takeout orders can be placed in person</em><br><em>Xian: </em><a href="https://www.xianfresh.com/"><em>multiple locations</em></a><em> throughout Austin; takeout orders can be placed </em><a href="https://www.xianfresh.com/home"><em>online</em></a><em> and all have indoor dine-in services</em><br><em>Noodle Alley: 1201 North Bell Boulevard, Suite 100, Cedar Park; takeout orders can be placed </em><a href="https://noodlealley.square.site/"><em>online</em></a><em>; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services</em></p>
<aside id="8gvPlZ"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Where to Find Refreshingly Cool Dishes in Austin ","url":"https://austin.eater.com/23320632/best-cold-dishes-austin-restaurants-ceviche-crudo-raw-bar-chilled-refreshing-food"}]}'></div></aside><h2 id="3z5ruI">Dry hot pots</h2>
<p id="Mscw9Y">The Sichuan province is known for its infernally hot chiles and numbingly cool peppercorns. The dry hot pot is a one-wok dish where proteins and/or vegetables are cooked over high heat and tossed in a variety of those spicy ingredients along with other aromatics. Sichuan restaurant <a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/75086/house-of-three-gorges">House of Three Gorges</a> offers dry hot pots of shrimp, beef, pork ribs, pork intestines, cabbage, and cauliflower served piping hot in cast-iron woks. The Sichuan peppercorns are the real deal and perfectly complement the scorching chiles. If you’re scared of spice, just ask the staff to leave it out. </p>
<p id="f2Isd9"><em>8557 Research Boulevard, Suite 144, North Austin; takeout and delivery orders can be placed </em><a href="https://ubertrk.com/c/482924/393114/5714?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ubereats.com%2Fstore%2Fhouse-of-three-gorges%2F337p6M1sQbKe1P0Kup6d0Q&sharedid=eater.com" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><em>online</em></a><em> and there are indoor dine-in services</em></p>
<h2 id="Ucp8fg">Fu qi fei pian</h2>
<p class="c-end-para" id="QO2Ckb">Fu qi fei pian, aka “husband-and-wife slices,” is a perfect marriage of chile oil and sliced beef. It got its <a href="https://www.zandyrestaurant.com/blog/couples-delight-fuqi-feipian/">moniker</a> from a married street vendor couple in Chengdu who popularized the dish. Made from thinly sliced beef and innards (mostly tongue or tripe) marinated in chile oil and aromatics, the two elements go hand-in-hand as the chile oil tenderizes what is usually a tougher cut of beef, and the thin slices allow flavor and juices to soak in. Sichuan restaurant <a href="https://www.houseofthreegorges.com/#/">House of Three Gorges</a> serves a spicy version with plenty of peppercorns, and if you’re looking for a milder dish, get fu qi fei pian as a side with the Beijing duck at Bamboo House (see above).</p>
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<div data-analytics-viewport="video" data-analytics-action="volume:view:article:middle" data-analytics-label="Hand-Pulled Noodles in Austin|28725" data-volume-uuid="7d433e4ef" data-volume-id="28725" data-analytics-placement="article:middle" data-volume-placement="article" data-volume-autoplay="false" id="volume-placement-98" class="volume-video"></div>
<div class="caption">Pulling noodles at Xian.</div>
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<aside id="CTM8wN"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"austin-eater"}'></div></aside><h2 id="AVDRCY"></h2>
<p id="4W5UrT"><a href="https://chickenricejoe.com/"></a></p>
<p id="Dy4kr9"><a href="https://chickenricejoe.com/"></a></p>
<p id="86WU0d"></p>
https://austin.eater.com/23450211/best-chinese-dishes-austin-restaurants-dumplings-peking-duck-dim-sumClara Wang2022-11-11T13:57:24-06:002022-11-11T13:57:24-06:00Everything That Happens in This Texas Distillery Is Decided by Its Patreon Members
<figure>
<img alt="A man holding up a glass of whiskey on top of another man’s head." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JJU_7RxTpcOo5RcprJa9Mcyw4hs=/493x0:3446x2215/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71616266/IMG_0939.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Daniel Whittington and Rex Williams of Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co. | Alex Gordon</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Dripping Springs distillery Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co. is crowdfunded and aims to keep the liquor fun</p> <p class="p--has-dropcap p-large-text" id="bG79M0">Walking up the dusty Dripping Springs road to <a href="https://crowdedbarrelwhiskey.com/">Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co.</a> feels like entering a whiskey wonderland, full of experimental liquors, yeasty baking smells, and Gothic-style architecture. And what makes this Texas distillery <a href="https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-distilleries-austin-texas-whiskey-vodka-gin">special</a> is that everything is decided by its Patreon members. It’s this communal crowdfunded spirit that shows how the internet can bring people together to collectively create fun, boozy libations.</p>
<p id="OHZmer">Crowded Barrel, which opened in 2018, is a judgment-free space for people to nerd out about whiskey in person and virtually, as intended by co-founders Rex Williams and Daniel Whittington. Every decision — from the facility layout to the types of aging barrels — is voted on by its <a href="https://whiskeytribe.com/pages/tribe-patreon">nearly 3,000 Patreon subscribers</a>. While each gets one vote, there are additional perks such as merchandise and bottles of whiskey for different contributing levels.</p>
<p id="xpJjoP">Williams and Whittington’s guiding principle is to keep whiskey fun. The Austin transplants came up with the idea of opening Crowded after cultivating a following through their two hit whiskey YouTube channels. They parlayed those successes into the <a href="https://www.patreon.com/whiskeytribe">Whiskey Tribe Patreon</a> to finance the distillery through subscriptions.</p>
<p id="Ip829p">Crowded’s creative decisions are made collectively by members. At the end of each themed episode, they’re asked to vote on a related action item. During an episode about whiskey barrel wood types, viewers decided on what wood would be used for a current in-process whiskey. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A table full of whiskey bottles." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/oSlTGJGM4ZfY_q2aRnUhI1syp40=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24188661/12_days_1.jpeg">
<cite>Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co.</cite>
<figcaption>Lots of whiskeys from Crowded.</figcaption>
</figure>
<div class="c-float-right"><aside id="YwzMla"><q>Crowded Barrel’s guiding principle is to keep whiskey fun</q></aside></div>
<p id="DIxYZu">But before Crowded, the two launched the Whiskey Cult show in 2015 (now called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCElm866_W5r1eg8VjhFNARw">Whiskey Vault</a>), with tastings and reviews. The second is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/WhiskeyTribe?app=desktop">Whiskey Tribe</a> in 2017, where they seek to demystify whiskey and celebrate its cooperative nature amidst an industry full of venerable traditions and trade secrets. They educate on everything from how to talk about whiskeys to proper glassware. Recently, former bartender Brianna Nicola joined as a co-host.</p>
<p id="sSfY2L">The channels were supposed to be simply resources, but instead, the duo discovered people were hungry for connections and wanted to hear them talk about whiskeys and be able to participate in those conversations in unpretentious ways. “That banter was exactly what whiskey reviews needed,” Williams says. “People absolutely loved it, because it more closely mirrored the kinds of experiences they want to have around whiskey.”</p>
<p id="xIilWe">Opening an actual whiskey distillery was the logical next step. The Patreon was an instant hit, bringing in over $30,000 during its first month in 2017. The land was donated by Williams’s father, Roy, an entrepreneur who had purchased the plot back in 2000 to set up his nonprofit business school <a href="https://wizardacademy.org/">Wizard Academy</a>, residing in a gothic tower straight out of a Harry Potter book. Williams connected with Whittington when he hired him to film videos for the <a href="https://whiskymarketing.org/">whiskey school</a> he ran through the Wizard Academy (though they had known each other before). They originally launched Whiskey Vault under the business school.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A white building facade with the words Fang and Feather." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2ss-0JoGFJvDPMUrjc-0uqsakJs=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24188663/fangand_feather_632x632.jpg">
<cite>Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co.</cite>
<figcaption>Crowded Barrel’s Fang and Feather tasting room.</figcaption>
</figure>
<div class="c-float-right c-float-hang"><aside id="JYI4Y5"><q>“People absolutely loved it, because it more closely mirrored the kinds of experiences they want to have around whiskey”</q></aside></div>
<p id="JJgL29">Soon after, they opened Crowded in August 2018, taking over a building that used to be a groundskeeper’s shop. And recently, they built out a dedicated whiskey tasting room, <a href="https://crowdedbarrelwhiskey.com/fang-and-feather/">the Fang and Feather</a>.</p>
<p id="RN2d5H">Along with distilling Crowded’s whiskey, the distillery is a laboratory to experiment with existing whiskey brands, where they re-distill, add flavor components, and blend. Head distiller Kyle Wells runs around like a mad scientist, fermenting flavor concoctions out of everything from durian to cherry juice. He helps the co-hosts come up with novel ideas for members to vote on and executes those. The <a href="https://crowdedbarrelwhiskey.com/product/errant-barrel-batch-1-375ml/">recent Errant Barrel batch</a> was created by aging a Scottish Island new make malt for five months in new oak barrels, dumping the barrels, proofing, and then re-aging for 14 months in a Buffalo Trace barrel. </p>
<p id="wLRgpM">The team tends to have more fun with the processes as they wait for their whiskeys to age. The first one they distilled four years ago took a little over six months from grain to barrel. Through several Patreon episodes, it became a single-malt with half-peated grain. Members voted to use white oak barrels for the aging portion. </p>
<p id="zsWeNl">Given the widespread reach of Whiskey Tribe members, every person can’t taste the whiskey results; Williams and Whittington serve as the on-site tasters who relay their thoughts. However, fans can try the whiskeys at the distillery or order online, although many bottles are only available at the distillery; most sell out immediately. </p>
<div class="c-wide-block"><div class="c-image-grid">
<div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A bottle of whiskey with the words Errant Barrel." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KoYjUm_03ndIX7QKUsriNBX5BHY=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24188667/errant_scaled.jpeg">
<cite>Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co.</cite>
<figcaption>Crowded’s Errant Barrel.</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A bottle of whiskey with a gold label reading “Crowded Barrel Alliance series” next to a globe glass of amber colored whiskey." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Q0vehQLnZ7Qe6tj81RSePuPBobE=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24188698/mgp_bottle_632x843.jpeg">
<cite>Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co.</cite>
<figcaption>Crowded Barrel’s Alliance release.</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
</div></div>
<p id="IpsDsk">Christian Hedegaard-Schou, a knight-level member and Austinite, frequently visits Crowded. He remembers when Williams overheard his conversation about rum with tasting room manager Richard Amiro during a party. Later that week, there was a rum episode. “It’s fun being a part of something and it’s even more fun to taste the experiments that come out of the process,” he writes over social media messaging. </p>
<p id="Tz678u">Whittington and Williams created a true whiskey hub. “Back before people were building these online communities, it was like, ‘Tough luck, go pursue your interest [in whiskey] alone,” says Williams. But now, they’ve built a devoted following who appreciate drinking with the two through computer screens just as much as those lucky enough to make the trek out to the distillery enjoying sipping with them in real life (one of them is usually there on Fridays). It’s like being in a huge in-the-know club, where members recognize others. Williams recalls the story of a cop who didn’t write a speeding ticket for a member because the driver was wearing his Whiskey Tribe shirt.</p>
<p class="c-end-para" id="tAokA9">The best whiskey is made better by sharing with good company, whether it’s in person or online, and even if Whiskey Tribe members can’t make a trip out to Crowded Barrel, the open spirit of Crowded Barrel’s community means that no one really drinks alone. “We look at [whiskey] like a catalyst, an excuse to gather around your favorite people,” Williams says. “Yes, there’s the nerdiness, the knowledge, but also let’s just be people and hang out and have fun.”</p>
<div class="c-wide-block"> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A man in a beard and bald and black shirt next to a slightly taller man in a blue shirt and hair." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EWWwZ0QDUzKck16wzPVlNFpqT-o=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24188668/IMG_0935.JPG">
<cite>Alex Gordon</cite>
<figcaption>Daniel Whittington and Rex Williams.</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<aside id="isur9v"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"15 Austin-Area Distilleries for Spirited Tastings ","url":"https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-distilleries-austin-texas-whiskey-vodka-gin"}]}'></div></aside><aside id="ejXOC9"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"austin-eater"}'></div></aside><p id="sc8av8"></p>
https://austin.eater.com/2022/11/11/23451578/crowded-barrel-whiskey-co-texas-distillery-whiskey-tribe-patreonClara Wang2022-09-30T15:26:11-05:002022-09-30T15:26:11-05:00Tacos Are a Staple in Austin. How Is Inflation Impacting Taco Spots?
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<img alt="Four tacos in foil." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/r6x-r0RLbHGOpmHwd77t52PFHuM=/231x0:2898x2000/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71437570/IMG_2743.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tacos from Trippy Tacos. | Nadia Chaudhury/Eater Austin</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Consumer prices were up by 9.1 percent nationally in June. For Austin taco business owners, this means rising costs on everything needed to operate a restaurant. </p> <p class="p--has-dropcap p-large-text" id="ml5JgF"><a href="https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-tacos-austin">Tacos</a> have long been the great Austin equalizer. Everyone should be able to afford an al pastor de maiz after a night out or grab a chorizo-and-egg before a busy day at work. But now, as with <a href="https://time.com/nextadvisor/in-the-news/rising-inflation-rising-prices-how-to-plan/">most things</a> throughout the country, <a href="https://www.vox.com/2022/7/13/23206038/inflation-cpi-economy-prices">inflation</a> has hit this cherished food staple hard.</p>
<p id="828yAy">Consumer prices were up by <a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2022/consumer-prices-up-9-1-percent-over-the-year-ended-june-2022-largest-increase-in-40-years.htm#:~:text=Consumer%20prices%20up%209.1%20percent,U.S.%20Bureau%20of%20Labor%20Statistics&text=The%20.,government%20websites%20often%20end%20in%20.">9.1 percent</a> nationally in June, the highest it has been in 40 years. For taco business owners, this leads to rising overhead costs, along with <a href="https://www.eater.com/22884292/supply-chain-issues-shortages-grocery-stores-covid">produce and packaging supply chain problems</a> due to <a href="https://www.eater.com/22675736/restaurant-labor-shortage-2021-materials-food-sourcing-delivery">labor shortages</a>, all of which have driven <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/08/09/dining/dinner-bill-restaurant-costs-inflation.html">general restaurant and food truck prices up</a> significantly across the board in the last twelve months. In Austin, this means family-owned taco trucks like Granny’s and larger chain restaurants like Tacodeli have been forced to increase menu prices on everything from migas to barbacoa tacos.</p>
<p id="fBKsmH">One of the biggest factors behind the high taco prices is the uneven produce market. “The pandemic, the shutdown of <a href="https://www.eater.com/23273354/king-arthur-flour-sources-wheat">wheat</a> and <a href="https://www.eater.com/2022/2/15/22933403/usda-avocado-import-pause-impact-michoacan-farmers">avocado</a> markets in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/24/business/ukraine-russia-wheat-prices.html">Ukraine</a> and Mexico, inflation, and the robust demand on products have all influenced the increase in costs,” says Roberto Espinosa, the founder and co-owner of chain restaurant <a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/4688/taco-deli">Tacodeli</a>, to Eater over email. He writes that the prices for ingredients and supplies needed for the company have increased in the double-digits, including seafood by over 12 percent and paper and other similar disposable items by over 23 percent.</p>
<p id="wvY2yO">Another component in soaring produce and product prices is <a href="https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/food-supplier-distributor-ltl-trucking-freight/617062/">labor costs for transportation and pickups</a>, according to Brent Erenwert, the owner of <a href="https://brothersproduce.com/">Brothers Produce</a>, which is one of the largest produce distributors in Texas. “Labor is your biggest driving force of everything,” he tells Eater. “Nothing can get back to a form of normality until labor stabilizes.”</p>
<p id="6eHfiG">Produce distribution relies heavily on truck transportation. Erenwert explains that many smaller purveyors have been losing drivers to larger corporations like Amazon and Walmart due to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/walmart-boosts-industry-leading-us-trucker-pay-110000-starts-retraining-program-2022-04-07/">higher wages</a>. Big-box retailers also control a larger share of the general shipping industry, which makes it difficult for smaller companies to distribute their goods, forcing them to increase rates. Brothers sells around 10 million cases of produce annually from 2019 to 2022, according to Erenwert. The average case price went from $18 in 2019 to $20 in 2021 to $24 this year. </p>
<div class="c-float-right c-float-hang"><aside id="30H9Rx"><q>Tacodeli’s prices for ingredients and supplies have increased in the double-digits.</q></aside></div>
<p id="PZovy9">Luckily, Erenwert hasn’t had as much trouble retaining labor since he’s always believed in paying his drivers well with what he describes as an “above-industry average pay scale.” He adds: “If you’re not investing in your people, the cost to replace them is so big.”</p>
<p id="ZgCTep">Another major aspect behind high costs is the <a href="https://www.fao.org/2019-ncov/q-and-a/impact-on-food-and-agriculture/en/">physical shortage of produce</a> because farmers <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2020/09/24/americas-farmers-resilient-throughout-covid-pandemic">weren’t sure</a> how much to <a href="https://foodprint.org/blog/farm-planting-in-the-pandemic/">actually grow</a> during the instability of the pandemic, since <a href="https://www.eater.com/22327781/covid-19-one-year-later-restaurant-industry-effects-coronavirus-pandemic">restaurants couldn’t function normally</a>. Normally, sellers anticipate seasonal dips and weather-related shortages, but now, <a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3124/global-climate-change-impact-on-crops-expected-within-10-years-nasa-study-finds/">global warming and climate changes</a> make regions <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/09/07/1034607602/weather-disasters-have-become-five-times-as-common-thanks-in-part-to-climate-cha">particularly susceptible</a> to hurricanes and other natural disasters. “We’re seeing the effects months later,” says Erenwert. “I’m hoping that people realize now that you don’t just throw seeds in the ground and stuff grows.” Cultivating crops takes a lot of time, energy, and investment. </p>
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<p id="MLrFpt"><strong>In Austin, second-generation taqueria owner</strong> Rey Hernandez of <a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/24756/granny-s-tacos">Granny’s Tacos</a> has worked hard to keep prices reasonable for the truck’s overstuffed homestyle tacos. After he inherited the business from his mother Maria Rios Vega last December, he had to raise breakfast taco prices. He’s been successful at keeping employees by paying them $20 per hour on top of tips.</p>
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<img alt="Four tacos spread out in foils." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-nlzziL672op3Gcan18q4Bqn2dY=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24069687/banner_1599800692.jpg">
<cite>Granny’s Tacos</cite>
<figcaption>Tacos from Granny’s Tacos.</figcaption>
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<p id="fcXx2M">“People tell me, ‘Rey, make the tacos smaller.’ I’m not going to do that,” says Hernandez. Instead of reducing the size or quality of his tacos, he tries to recuperate costs by mixing his own seasonings and scouring wholesale markets for deals on meat and eggs. During <a href="https://www.mashed.com/759908/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-2022-meat-shortage/">one particular carne asada shortage</a> in January when wholesalers restricted the amount of the specific meat available for purchase, he spent hours carving chuck roast from Costco into what he needed.</p>
<p id="IyR3LN">Along with edible ingredients, plastic containers and utensils — taco vendor necessities — are also directly impacted by <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-12/higher-shipping-costs-are-here-to-stay-sparking-price-increases">those high shipping costs</a> mentioned earlier. Many plastic products in America are <a href="http://g.com/the-u-s-boosts-imports-of-plastic-tableware-and-kitchenware/">shipped over</a> by Chinese manufacturers. <a href="https://austin.eater.com/venue/10313/veracruz-all-natural">Veracruz All Natural</a>’s media coordinator Ryan Myers (who is also co-owner Reyna Vazquez’s husband) tells Eater over email that in the last 12 months as of August, the trucks and restaurants’ plastics expenditures rose between 30 to 100 percent and aluminum between 50 to 100 percent.</p>
<div class="c-float-left c-float-hang"><aside id="bLmGnq"><q>“People tell me, ‘Rey, make the tacos smaller,’ I’m not going to do that.”</q></aside></div>
<p id="XvXgeE">Determined small business owners like Hernandez can turn chuck roast into carne asada with extra time and labor, but that’s just a temporary fix for a troubled economy. In the meantime, many taco spots have had to increase prices in order to account for their higher costs of products and labor.</p>
<p id="49SzNL">Below, Eater aggregated changes in taco prices over the past years from nine local taco restaurants and trucks around Austin, with a mixture of established chains, neighborhood food trucks, and independently-owned businesses. Price information was collected via dated photos of menu items and/or directly from sellers.</p>
<aside id="JhJLcM"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"28 Must-Eat Tacos in Austin ","url":"https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-tacos-austin"},{"title":"17 Essential Austin Breakfast Tacos ","url":"https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-breakfast-tacos-austin"}]}'></div></aside><div id="T04yT0"><div data-anthem-component="table:11526219"></div></div>
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<cite>Nadia Chaudhury/Eater Austin</cite>
<figcaption>Tacos from Veracruz All Natural.</figcaption>
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<cite>Nadia Chaudhury/Eater Austin</cite>
<figcaption>Tacos from Cuantos Tacos.</figcaption>
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https://austin.eater.com/2022/9/30/23353698/inflation-austin-taco-restaurants-2022Clara Wang2022-06-28T09:53:56-05:002022-06-28T09:53:56-05:00An East Austin Food Truck Embraces Soul Food in a Changing City
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<img alt="A food tray lined with foil of fried chicken, rice, and mashed potatoes." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Y28pzcXgznrh_xvFk_p1skzYBdU=/0x175:3500x2800/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71024340/DBH_Big_Mama_s_Kitchen_051222_6.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Buttermilk fried chicken wings with dirty rice and mashed potatoes at Big Mama’s Soul Food Truck.</figcaption>
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<p>Big Mama’s Soul Food Truck preserves slow country cooking</p> <p class="p--has-dropcap p-large-text" id="329Eah">Buttermilk fried chicken with the crispiest skin possible. Melt-in-your-mouth collard greens slow-cooked in ham hock juices. Fresh gravy from drippings bright with pepper. Everything is made from scratch and cooked to order, so it comes out tasting like the best dishes at a family cookout. <a href="https://www.bigmamaskitchenatx.com/">Big Mama’s Kitchen soul food truck</a> serves up three generations of Jones family recipes in the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/1606east/">1606 East food truck park</a>, a labor of love that transforms humble ingredients into feasts for the community.</p>
<p id="fPoL9y">Soul food means family to food truck owners, operators, and life partners Timisha “Big Mama” Jones and Otis Campbell. They come from large extended families with lots of mouths to feed, where everyone was always cooking with love by necessity. The term soul food <a href="https://www.ediblecommunities.com/stories/what-is-soul-food/">refers</a> to seasoning and slow-cooking techniques passed down through communities that didn’t always have prime cuts of meat and had to stretch a few vegetables around a big table. “Soul food is when you don’t have much but you can make a meal that’s delicious,” says Campbell. </p>
<p id="eVQJF9">Jones adds: “Because you put your soul into it.”</p>
<p id="7EWUI2">Through the food truck, Jones and Campbell anchor themselves deeper into the city and neighborhood they’ve called home for long, doing what they do best: creating and sharing food they’ve made with devotion and intention.</p>
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<p id="Kw6gnz"><strong>Jones and Campbell are respectively</strong> third- and second-generation Austinites. They’ve known each other since they were toddlers wading barefoot in Boggy Creek, but didn’t start dating until five years ago. Campbell was born on East 10th Street and Jones grew up in northeast Austin near 290. Jones still lives in the area; she bought a house with a wood-fired barbecue pit and keeps two horses. </p>
<div class="c-float-right"><aside id="h2oTWK"><q>“Soul food is when you don’t have much but you can make a meal that’s delicious.”</q></aside></div>
<p id="Wj2r0z">Food is in Jones’s and Campbell’s blood. Their families are close; her uncle used to date his aunt, and their mothers went to bingo together weekly before they both died a few years ago. Both of their mothers were cooks — his in restaurants and hers in care facilities — and their fathers worked in trucking, so it seems fitting the couple got together and opened a food truck. Jones’s sister also found success after opening her own food truck, named Mama’s Soul Food, in northeast Austin seven years ago.</p>
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<p id="bVgwld"><strong>What makes </strong><a href="https://www.thespruceeats.com/soul-food-history-and-definition-101709"><strong>soul food</strong></a><strong> delicious</strong> is time and care, and, contrary to popular belief, not excessive amounts of fat (although a<em> </em>little helps). Corporate chains like Popeyes and KFC have linked the perception of Southern-style dishes with fast food, salt, and grease for flavor when true soul food <a href="https://www.thespruceeats.com/soul-food-history-and-definition-101709">comes from</a> varied regional culinary techniques.</p>
<p id="GhWSRl">“A lot of people are in too big of a rush. You take your time with soul food in the planning,” says Leland, Campbell’s cousin who helps out at the truck occasionally. “Nowadays, people got cholesterol, but if the seasoning is right, you only need to use a teaspoon of lard, or just a tiny bit of sugar to boost flavor.”</p>
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<img alt="A man in a gray t-shirt and black shorts and a woman in a pink dress standing in front of a black food truck." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/RtLFinJspDDXkrXsTBmkmqLYi44=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23477303/DBH_Big_Mama_s_Kitchen_051222_9.jpg">
<figcaption>Otis Campbell and Timisha Jones.</figcaption>
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<p id="EVTrE0">A similar approach is also integral to barbecue, where patience, skills, and smoke weave meat and fat into a tapestry of tastes and textures. It makes sense that Jones comes from a long line of female pitmasters. She learned how to barbecue from her mother, and her sister, cousins, and great-aunt are all adept with wood and charcoal. “Most of them were raised up in the country so they had to cook,” she says. “Barbecue is a challenge because you got to tolerate the smoke. People don’t know, but the bigger the pit, the less work.”</p>
<p id="xaHRN1">Jones’s barbecued chicken is tender and moist, and the sausage carries smoky notes of sage and paprika. While the couple doesn’t typically offer barbecue at the truck, they do cater it occasionally upon request.</p>
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<p id="f0Pol8"><strong>Jones has food prep down</strong> to a science, thanks to a decade of professional cooking experience. On a typical workday, she wakes up at 9:30 a.m., feeds her horses, and puts the collard greens on the home stove first for two hours. Then, Jones and Campbell make the mac and cheese (15 minutes), mashed potatoes (10 minutes), and head out to the truck (already cleaned the night before) to make sure their mise en place is impeccable, turn the propane on, and open the windows. They open around noon usually if there are customers around, and everything fried or grilled is made as they go, like the freshly fried buttermilk chicken that takes 14 minutes to batter and cook.</p>
<p id="4SMXLY">The truck has been open since the summer of 2021, and business is slow right now because not a lot of people know about Big Mama’s — the couple is quite laissez-faire about self-promotion — so they only open Wednesday to Saturday, but hope for more customers so they can stay open longer. They close at midnight, wipe the truck down, take inventory, and drop leftovers off at the <a href="https://springdaleparkneighbors.org/">Springdale Park Neighbors homeless shelter</a>. </p>
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<img alt="Glazed, saucey chicken wings in an aluminum foil with fries in the back. " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ayq0GiXk5DPYzeTUsN4GC3d4ncM=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23477304/DBH_Big_Mama_s_Kitchen_051222_2.jpg">
<figcaption>The Crown Royal peach chicken wings at Big Mama’s.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="hD5SuT">Taking care of those in need is another tradition that runs in the family: Like Jones’s mother, both Jones and Campbell spent years working at mental health care facilities before deciding to stop to open Big Mama’s. Jones also cooked for and assisted patients after procedures, and after years of working with mentally ill patients, Jones and Campbell decided to host them in their home through a state-sponsored facility program to give them 24/7 care. </p>
<p id="3BRVIN">During the Super Bowl this past February, they put on an event at 1606 East, setting up a large projector screen and some chairs so homeless people of the civic association <a href="https://springdaleparkneighbors.org/">Springdale Park Neighbors</a> could watch and enjoy as much barbecue as they wanted. The family came to help set up, serve food, and hand out plates, while Jones seared, smoked, and braised sausages, chickens, and ribs on the barbecue pit that her uncle towed in for the occasion.</p>
<p id="aEOfjh">Even after all these years, cooking is still a party. Jones and Campbell often make margaritas for themselves while they prep, and their menu reflects whatever their friends and family are in the mood for that day. Sometimes the chicken wings are glazed with peach Crown Royal whiskey- or Hennessy cognac-infused sauces. “We cook for the occasion,” says Campbell.</p>
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<p id="uoYajC"><strong>The East Austin neighborhood has</strong> changed dramatically; there used to be a paint shop where the food truck court is now, where Campbell had his car painted 14 years ago. Jones and Campbell embrace the changing location, and they extend their Southern hospitality to the new waves of Bay Area transplants and <a href="https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/report-austin-now-no-2-among-cities-with-fastest-rising-rent-prices/">rent-hiking developers</a> that populate the area. </p>
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<img alt="A black food truck." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gw1GvFZVAE0-gQBAMveGJnatEYs=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23477305/DBH_Big_Mama_s_Kitchen_051222_7.jpg">
<figcaption>The Big Mama’s Soul Kitchen food truck.</figcaption>
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<p id="RjHPN2">“I like being around different kinds of people,” says Jones.</p>
<p id="DvHoRi">“Change is good. That’s just the way of things,” says Campbell.</p>
<p class="c-end-para" id="21he2G">Perhaps the one thing that has remained constant throughout Austin’s transformation is the generous spirit of those who have been here for a while, which has been passed down through generations like the techniques of soul food. “The generation before us was different,” says Campbell. “Our generation is different now. The one coming out, it’s gonna be different. As the world evolves, we embrace it.”</p>
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https://austin.eater.com/23076668/big-mamas-soul-food-truck-east-austin-timisha-jones-otis-campbellClara Wang