Change Can Be Good. Just Food Today.

Bob Bullock was reportedly a regular at the G/M Steakhouse at 7th and Lamar. All those cigarettes and kerosene he inhaled must have killed his taste buds before he ever set foot in that place. I tried it once, and that was once too many, and I'm pretty tolerant of a bad burger. Austin lost nothing when that "icon" was lost. Now the place is the Counter Cafe, one of our regular late breakfast stops. I went yesterday because I was craving their steak and eggs, which are always good when Carrie orders them. The Counter Cafe is so small that they have trouble seating parties larger than two. If you sit at the counter you can watch the guys cook, and eavesdrop on their conversation. Something about organic chicken farming yesterday. Everything is fresh, local, perfectly cooked, and pricey. It is always worth it, with the exception of the pancakes, which don't outdo Kerby, Magnolia, or the Omlettry. The service is great, and I have a crush on the waitress with the cool bicycle tattoo above her ankle. Sadly she was not working yesterday. When they put the plate of food in front of me, I'm thinking, "No way I finish this; some of it is going home." (Do I really think in semicolons?) It was too good not to eat it all. With coffee, tax and tip, this was a budget busting $20 breakfast, which could only have been better if the cute waitress had been there.

Other places I can recommend:

Shoal Creek Saloon, on Lamar. Great Cajun gumbo, good fried seafood, and a super back patio on the creek. Even better when it rains while you are there.

Tacodeli, on Spyglass, I think, by the entrance to the Barton Creek Greenbelt. Bustling lunch crowd (Where do they all come from?), fresh-tasting tacos, and nice outdoor seating when it's not too hot. The al pastor was very good, but I should not have tried to find a substitute for Taco Sabrosa.

Blue Dahlia Bistro, on E. 11th (used to be the Dandelion Cafe). Went there with Missy B. one day when she was working on the east side. We had something called tartines, which may or may not be French for "really good open-faced sandwiches." From the bread up, these were excellent, with stuff like capers on mine, and raspberry chutney on Missy's to add to the taste. It looked like they had a nice area out back that could be a good place for a glass of wine. They are ready for when more giant condos open on the east side.

Peace,

js4