These were sitting right in front of the convention center.
I love how one can take something as functional as a bike rack and make it into artwork! If you're not familiar with Austin, the bat motif ties back in with the Congress Avenue Bridge and the million-plus bats that live underneath it. While we didn't head down to the bridge for this trip, it is very impressive to watch them all emerge at nightfall!
The first place we decided to eat at was Frank.
We've eaten here before and love the atmosphere!
While they do offer veggie options, I just don't think you can truly enjoy this place unless you're a meat eater! Even my drink, the "Red Headed Stranger," had bacon!
We started out with the Canadian Waffle Poutine. If it's covered in brown gravy, it's a hit for my husband!
I decided on the Smokey Baloney (they had me at "Sriracha aoli!") and my husband had some tasty creation which we have since forgotten the name of (bad, bad blogger!) Suffice to say, if you like sausage and beer, you should certainly make a detour to Frank.
For dinner that night, we tried to get into Moonshine, a promising-looking place right behind the convention center. However, we were told it was an hour or more wait. (A common hazard of convention traffic, I'm afraid) We decided to walk around and see what we could find instead. This turned out to work very well in our favor, because we ended up at the Russian House intead!
I knew we were going to be in good hands when we walked in the front door and had the option to dress up in Russian attire and get our picture taken with a stuffed bear named Misha! I couldn't convince the husband to don a fur hat, so we headed back through the bar area to the smaller enclosed dining room.
As soon as we sat down, the waitress asked if we wanted complementary shots of vodka. Is there any other answer to this question but YES? And not just vodka, but bread, salt, and pickled vegetables as well. It was a very Old World way to start our meal!
We decided to split the Ukrainian Salo to start. According to the menu it's not just a "national dish," but a "national philosophy" of salted pork belly!
For the main course, the husband decided to try the Chicken Tabaka which was marinated in a garlic and wine sauce. I'm always partial to dumplings, so I ordered the Manty which were stuffed with very tasty lamb.
They had several pages of vodka to choose from, including an amazing assortment of infused and flavored options. I was very tempted by vodka infusions such as red currant, rosemary, birch, or lavender, I decided to take the waitress's suggestions on a very nice, straight Russian vodka.
We walked back to our hotel and hung out in the bar for a bit before heading to bed.
With conference programs, our next big meal was dinner. As this was going to be our last night in Austin, we knew we really wanted to get into Moonshine. Another set of friends was also looking for a good place to eat, so we decided to try it together. We were able to get make a reservation and the husband and I hung out on the porch until our entire group met up.
While he had a nice local beer, I went straight for the Old Fashioned. We had a little more time, so I also decided to try the Ruby Slipper Martini (vodka, grapefruit juice, grenadine, and champagne. It was nice, but the Old Fashioned was my favorite of the two.
Our friends arrived and we soon were seated. As soon as I saw that they had something called "Warm Bacon Dip," we knew that we were going to get this for the table. It was incredible!
I have a thing about Chicken Fried Steak. Of the many foods I have adopted since I moved to the South, this has been my favorite. If I see it on any menu, I'm going to try it out. To top off the meal, I decided to pick the green chile cheddar grits as my side! (This is another Southern concept I've grown to like: savory grits!)
Sticking true to his brown gravy roots, the husband decided to get the Texas Akaushi Beef Meatloaf with mashed potatoes. It was quite savory and I loved how it was served in a small pan!
All and all, it was a great evening of food and laughter! (And I may have had another Old Fashioned before we left)
The conference drew to a close and we left for home early the next day. Before we left Austin, however, there was one more place we had to go. In Texas, barbecue is a way of life! I own the book, "Follow the Smoke," which highlights some of the best barbecue places in the state. If you're in Austin, I must strongly suggest going to The County Line.
There are two locations in Austin and we ate at the Lake one. Our table had a gorgeous view of the water as well.
When you go, spend the extra bit of cash for their homemade bread. You won't regret it. I could live on this bread alone!
The barbecue is truly amazing! We have a pact between us to visit The County Line any time we're in Austin.
It you happen to visit the "facilities," you will be treated to a audio-recording of "Learnin' to Talk Like a Cowboy" which is pretty funny. (Conveniently, you can also buy a copy before you leave!)
After lunch, we finally said goodbye to Austin and headed north, but I can't wait for our next opportunity to head back!
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