The Food Austin Network

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)