The Food Austin Network

Masala Wok - 1100 Center Ridge Dr. Suite 300 – Austin, TX 78753 – http://www.masalawok.com

Masala Wok is a member of the rising trend of Indo-Chinese restaurants opening up.  The menu features some signature Indian dishes that you may readily recognize like Chicken Tikka Masala and Tandoori Chicken, but also features some dishes that you may have never seen before like Chicken Manchurian.  While a restaurant that mixes both Chinese and Indian cuisine might be new for us here in Austin, these restaurants have been around for a while in the rest of the world.  The flavor combinations are tried and true.  Although the quality of some of the dishes at Masala Wok can be a little underwhelming the overall result is satisfactory.  The restaurant also offers a variety of vegetarian dishes and allows you to substitute veggies in many of the dishes.  The price is also reasonable and Masala Wok is a valid choice for lunch and/or dinner.  Albeit the location isn’t very convenient if you live in or near downtown but if you’re up shopping at Super Target or something you should definitely stop in for a experimental yet liberating experience for your taste buds.

Price: $ 

Hula Hut - 3825 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, TX 78703 - 512.476.4852 – http://www.hulahut.com

I’m pretty sure you all know all about Hula Hut but a food site about Austin just isn’t complete with one of the most consistent places in Austin.  I’m not sure if people continue to throng to Hula Hut to the point where any reasonable mealtime, there is always at least a 45 minute wait, for the view, which is really nice, or if it is because of the food.  My money would be on a combination of both.  There is something to be said for forking into the large portions of shrimp or chicken or beef, depending on how you feel, while surrounded by the beauty that is Austin.  Another wonderful aspect of Hula Hut is that it’s a good mean, which guarantees to fill you up – provided you know what to get (more on this in a second) – while at the same time being kind to your wallet.  A dinner for two including a couple drinks is likely to still run you under 50-60 dollars.  Now on to what to get; I will be the first to admit that before I even visited Hula Hut, I already know what to get – The Pipeline!  Now the pipeline is available in a variety of different meats, the grilled shrimp, chicken fajita, or beef fajita.  There may be people out there that aren’t up to the task of demolishing a pipeline and therefore go for the smaller portions of the tacos, but to these people I say “Try the pipeline and if you can’t handle it, it makes for a wonderful lunch snack the next day.”  Weighing in at around 10 dollars it offers a good bang for the buck. 

The Bottom Line, if you have some time to kill and don’t mind waiting in line outside while gazing out at the waters of Lake Austin or even grabbing a coffee at Mozart, Hula Hut is a great escape.  You really can’t go wrong with a place where the food fills you up without deflating your wallet and where the chips and salsa are fresh and in bottomless portions.  If it’s your first time just remember one thing: The Pipeline.

Price: $ ($10-15 per entrée)

Ararat - 111 E North Loop Blvd, Austin, 78751 – 512-419-1692

Ararat strikes the uninitiated as a shock; it is not like most of the restaurants that Austin is populated by.  It doesn’t have the "hip" feel like Wink or Uchi, and it’s not a hole in the wall like Austin Wok N’ Roll or Fish R’ Us, it tries hard to be authentic, with floor seating and a interior decked in out kilim carpets and deep colors.  You have the option of sitting on the floor or at a table, which is a nice touch.  The food which year after year wins raves from Austinites from all over town is truly Middle Eastern.  Various regions of the Middle East can be sampled in a meal, you can get the saffron rice of Iran or the hummus and baba ganoush from the Arabian regions.  The flavors are fused wonderfully in most of the dishes.  The ones that stick out are the sizzling lamb, which is tender and flavorful.  It is served with both flatbread and rice so you don’t have to choose, which one you are in the mood for.  The Ararat Salmon is also a great dish, and is done exceptionally well, so if you’re not in the mood for some red meat, you’re not out of luck.  There are also some vegetarian dishes on offer at Ararat as well (The felfel is a good option, as are the stuffed grape leaves), which makes for a menu that caters to almost all of those among us.  If you’re saving up for a Middle Eastern vacation, and only have the first 50 bucks or so saved up I would recommend heading over to Ararat and you can enjoy the Bedouin tent atmosphere and some good food without having to leave town.

Note: reservations recommended. Ararat is BYOB so plan accordingly.

Price: $ ($10-15 per entrée)

Sam’s Barbeque - 2000 E 12TH St, Austin, TX 78702 - (512) 478-0378

Much of Austin has taken to avoiding the east side; these very same people fail to realize that by boycotting the east side of 35 they are limiting their experience of our wonderful city. There are many gems that only the true Austinite truly knows about, that demand to be discovered and placed on the gastronomical tour of town. Sam’s is one such place. The local institution has been in business for quite a while and has been a favorite of local musicians since before Austin became the Live Music Capitol of the World – back when it was just the Live Music Capitol of Central Texas. Stevie Ray Vaughan even had Sam’s ribs shipped to New York when he played Carnegie Hall. It’s easy to see why it is has remained such a popular spot for musicians and music fans alike. The late hours (Sun-Thu, 7am-3am; Fri-Sat, 7am-4am) make it one of the only non-breakfast places around town open in the middle of the night, not to say that Magnolia and Kerbey Lane aren’t fantastic, but the a midnight craving for brisket can only be satisfied with brisket. Incidentally Sam’s brisket along with the various other meats on offer is very tasty – definitely the best barbeque joint open at that time of night. If you’re not much a brisket fan you can also try the chicken, mutton, hot sausages and ribs all topped with a spicy, barbecue sauce (tomato-based) that completes the package. Depending on how hard you partied before heading there, you can order a sandwich, combo platter or meat by the pound. As with most places in East Austin the prices are really reasonable and you can satisfy your cravings for a less than 10 dollars.

Price: $ and well worth it!

Magnolia Cafe - 2304 Lake Austin Blvd. - Austin, Texas 78703 - 512-478-8645
Magnolia Cafe South - 1920 S. Congress Ave. - Austin,Texas 78704 - 512-445-0000

Magnolia is one of those Austin Institutions that all those that call them Austinites have visited. Being one of the few establishments that is open 24 hours a day it is always there waiting after a long night downtown to soften the blow or even the morning after to help nurse you back to form. And because institutions don’t just pop up over night, Magnolia’s title has been deserved. Dishes like the short stack pancakes as well as the Magnolia enchiladas are sublime and are well worth the 5-6 dollar cab ride from 6th street. Our personal favorite though is the Magnolia Mud Queso. This bowl of black beans, guacamole, and queso is AMAZING. It is just so amazing that a trip to Magnolia is not complete without it, you will be fighting for the last chip dipped in the queso. The only drawback of Magnolia is the lines that you may encounter if you head over at peak times, but don’t worry the lines move pretty quickly.

Price: $ and well worth it!

Star Seeds Cafe - 3101 N. Interstate 35 - 512-478-7107 - http://www.starseedscafe.com