1. Whole Food’s Bakehouse
2. Texas French Bread
3. Central Market
4. Phoenicia Bakery
5. Morning croissants and pain au chocolat @ Jean-Luc’s French Bistro
6. Fiesta tortillas
7. La Madeleine
8. Sweetish Hill
9. The Upper Crust
10. Hyde Park Bakery and Cafe
— Rebecca Chastenet de Gery
Top Ten Cocktails
With a Punch
1. Dry Bombay Saffire Martini @ Jeffrey’s Bar: A classic cocktail at a classy
bar, where you can smoke all you want while sipping your juniper jewel.
2. Maker’s Mark Manhattan @ Star Bar: Okay, a sour mash instead of a straight
bourbon is a bit radical, but flavor this good is sufficient excuse from
orthodoxy.
3. The Rocket @ The Cloak Room: Guaranteed to land you on the moon: Jack
Daniels, Crown Royal, and Wild Turkey 101 mixed with a splash of pineapple
juice and served over ice in a pint-sized glass.
4. Chile Infusion Vodka Martini @ Coyote Cafe: A combination of chile
habanero-steeped vodka, dry vermouth, and tiny pickled tomatillos that will
rouse your taste buds and rattle your gums.
5. The Dirty Diz @ Cedar Street Bar: Plenty of extra olive juice makes the Diz
the dirtiest martini in town.
6. Purple Heart @ Cedar Door: A little sweet, but this ice-cold mixture of
Chambourd and Vodka still packs plenty of wallop, and it looks neat, too.
7. 16oz. Frozen Margarita @ Nuevo Leon: A couple of these potent pints and you
better hand over the keys.
8. Mango Margarita @ Manuel’s: This one may not have quite the kick as the
others on the list, but it tastes so good that you’ll be through 2 or 3 of them
before you stand up and realize it’s time to stop.
9. Bloody Mary/Screwdriver @ Texas Chili Parlor (weekends only): At $1.75 per
drink, you can cure your hangover from Friday night and work on one for Sunday
morning without having to stop at the cash machine.
10. Old Fashioned @ The Bitter End: For best results, better sip this one
slowly.
— Patrick Earvolino
Top Ten Food Folk
1. Raymond Tatum: Longtime local favorite chef was really at the top of hisform in 1995 and very happy to be back in the charming old Victorian home that
houses Brio!. If all goes according to plan, he’ll be there until he retires to
join the PGA Senior Tour.
2. Penny McClain: This entrepreneurial single mom is the genius behind Penny’s
Pastries. Her plant on East Sixth Street is one of the city’s favorite examples
of a great economic development investment.
3. Emmet and Lisa Fox: Arguably one of the most talented couples anywhere, this
dynamic duo is responsible for some of the most delectable and distinctive food
in this city. His cutting edge food boosts the beer at the Bitter End and her
desserts grace the menu at Coyote Cafe.
4. Pamela Boyar: A California transplant with a strong background in organic
and specialty produce, Boyar created a marketing position for herself within
Whole Foods and is responsible the Whole Foods Farmer’s Market.
5. Rocky Packard: Behind all the hoopla surrounding Mark Miller’s Coyote Cafe,
this quiet, friendly chef is actually on the range at the Austin location, and
he’s here for the duration.
6. Cora and Bob Lamar: These hardworking Central Texas farmers were pioneers in
forming contract growing relationships with Austin restaurants. Their
partnership with the Kerbey Lane restaurant group meant much of the produce
consumed at Kerbey Lane in ’95 was fresh and local.
7. Angela Shelf Medearis: In 1995, her excellent books The African-American
Kitchen and A Kwanzaa Celebration were quoted everywhere, from wire
service newspaper stories to Barbara Kafka’s column on celebrations in
Gourmet magazine.
8. Gary Hodge: Another Central Texas grower, the charismatic Mr. Hodge has a
very loyal following among some chefs and the name Hodge Station was
prominently featured on several restaurant menus in ’95.
9. Rebecca Rather: Formerly the proprietor of her own company Rather Sweets and
executive pastry chef for Tony Vallone’s restaurants in Houston, Rather’s
exquisite pastries and fine artisan breads at the Schlotzsky’s/Bread Alone
Bakery were already generating lots of interest before the end of the year at
the new Deli U. on S. Lamar.
10. John and Sydney Jones: The J bar S brand of venison raised at their
Driftwood ranch is showing up in more Austin venues every day. Try the Venison
Chicken Fried Steak at Skyline Grill, the Venison Medallions at Granite Cafe,
and the Venison Sausage at Central Market. It’s all fresh and local, low in
fat, and hormone and antibiotic free. Look for J bar S brand buffalo in 1996.
— Virginia. B. Wood Top Ten Good and
Good for You
1. Produce from Boggy Creek Farm
2. Whole Foods’s Bakehouse breads
3. Tempeh stir fry @ Martin Brother’s Cafe
4. The juice bar @ Central Market
5. Pasta @ West Lynn Cafe
6. Magnolia Cafe’s Love Veggies
7. White Egret Farm’s goat cheese
8. Vegetables du jour at Eastside Cafe
9. Mr. Natural’s Mexican food
10. Desserts at Mother’s
— Rebecca Chastenet de Gery Top Ten “Eat Your Own Weight” Foods 1. Nuevo Leon’s Margaritas, Chips, y Salsa
2. Pistachio Baklava @ Longhorn Po-Boys and Falafel
3. Austin Gourmet Market’s Garlic Stuffed Olives
4. Fresh Dinner Rolls @ Dart Bowl Cafe
5. Castle Hill’s Peanut Butter Pie
6. Dog & Duck’s Foggy Mountain Combo Pint
7. Turtle Soup @ Eaves Brothers Seafood
8. Mrs. Johnson’s All-Night Doughnuts
9. Phoenicia Deli’s Pita Bread
10. Sausage Rolls @ Weikel’s Bon Ton Truck Stop, Hwy71, La Grange
— Pableaux Johnson Top Ten Fast Food Experiences*
1. Pho Cong Ly: This Houston-bred pho chain dishes out cheap, tasty bowls of
noodle soups at a speed that rivals Burger King.
2. Quality Seafood: A 58-year-old seafood market serving hearty platters of
fish that would jump right in your mouth if they were any fresher.
3. Austin Wok N Roll: Portion control, smortion control. Grab a brimming plate
of stir-fry with spicy garlic sauce, fried rice, soup and egg roll all for
about four smacks.
4. Terry’s Seafood: Another seafood market cum restaurant that beats the booty
out of Long John Silver’s.
5. Tamale House #3: After an evening of drug-happy wet-wiggling with someone
you know only by first name (“It’s Karen, right?”), nothing beats a quick,
cheap fix of “morning after” Mexican food.
6. Holiday House: Austin’s best chicken-fried steak deal ($2.49 after 4pm
Mon.-Fri./all day weekends) is in the House.
7. Short Stop: In 1995, I’ve taken more meals at this flame-broiled godsend
than I’ve cooked.
8. The Healthy Habit/R.I.P: An ill-fated attempt to inject some degree of
nutrition into the Short Stop concept. Unfortunately, The Healthy Habit served
their black bean tacos and veggie subs to virtual indifference.
9. Longhorn Po-Boys: A large po-boy at Longhorn is enough munch for lunch and
dinner. They also serve some tasty falafel.
10. James’ Coney Island — Houston: A couple of $1.49 Coney Island Sandwiches
(that’s chili dogs to you and me) with melted cheese from a squirt gun almost
makes a trip to Houston worthwhile. *Although I enjoy the prospect of a multinational fast-food oligarchy as much
as the next guy, I’ve tried to focus on the less-obvious fast-food hotspots
about town. –Greg Beets
This article appears in January 5 • 1996 and January 5 • 1996 (Cover).