The Food Austin Network

Rudy’s BBQ - http://www.rudys.com
2451 Capital of Texas Hwy, S. - Austin, TX 78746 - 512-329-5554
11570 Research Blvd. - Austin, TX 78759 - 512-418-9898
7709 FM 620 - Austin, TX 78726 - 512-250-8002

Now while we make it a general policy to refrain from writing up chain restaurants because we like to support local businesses, Rudy’s is too much of a staple for us to not write about.  Rudy’s is based out of San Antonio and is generally found along with a Diamond Shamrock gas station.  This combination isn’t very alarming once you realize that they’ve pretty much brought together some of the most notable signatures of Texas, barbeque and oil.  The food speaks for itself.  The different choices of brisket are geared to different types of people.  Some weight conscious people might feel more comfortable ordering the "extra lean" cut while another prefers the succulent flavor of of the "extra moist."  The meat is very tasty and worth the trip to Rudy’s, obviously if you can afford to make the drive out to Saltlick, you should definitely do it, but if you’re just thirsting for some Barbeque, Rudy’s is the single most consistent barbeque establishment in Austin.  It’s a place where you will most definitely leave satisfied.  Since the order process is controlled by the customer you can choose to order as much or as little as you want.  If you’re in the mood for a small snack, I would recommend 1/4 of the chopped beef, not only is this really cheap (1-2 bucks) it is already mixed with the sauce and makes for a quick and simple snack.  If you’re in the mood for a full meal you can order the meat of your choice and also order cole slaw, potato salad or creamed corn in sizes ranging from small to industrial size.  Rudy’s also offers portions of banana pudding which is also very tasty and makes for a nice cleanup dish.  All in all, Rudy’s is a place where you are guaranteed bang for your buck, it’s an affordable option for barbeque without having to sacrifice on quality.

Price: $

Technorati Tags: barbeque, bbq, austin, brisket

Mario’s Pizza - 3322 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA - (703) 525-0200

Mario’s has been an institution in Arlington since 1957 - and for about the same amount of time they’ve been a haven for late night eaters. The menu includes some of the typical American staple dishes, meaning, Pizzas, Cheesesteaks, and fries. The pizzas are somewhat unique, they come in squares and are pretty tasty. The wonderful thing here though is that the preparation is quick and painless, so you can fueled up and get on your way into the city or on your way back home after a night of partying. While Mario’s is a pizza joint, the cheese steaks as mentioned before are very tasty as well. If you head in there late at night you can catch the hunks of meat tossed onto the stove, and one of the cooks pulverizing it until it ends up tiny slivers of meat that they pile on your submarine roll. Mario’s is reasonably priced and offers a variety of options for less than 10 bucks. They are open and serving up food until 5am so if you find yourself out after last call and in the mood for some food –a very rare occurance, I’m sure– you should definitely check out Mario’s.

Price: $ (under $10)

One of two mexican restaurants that I know of here in Blacksburg, located on North Main across from TCBY. Personally I get a wierd feeling when I go there, but I’m never let down by the food they have to offer. I will say however, that this place is not for the big eater. While they offer dishes with multiple items, they just don’t quite cut it when you’re incredibly hungry. For the healthy eaters, this really isn’t the place for you. Overall I give this place a B-. Prices could be a little lower if you ask me.

Well this isn’t half bad. It’s a nice place, you can sit inside or outside depending on your mood, the service is decent and the food is very much above average. Their pizza is quite impressive, although their lasagna is begging for improvement. Then of course you have your other italian dishes like calzones and such, all of them well made at this restaurant. They provide carry-out as well, which many people find convenient. All in all I’d give this place a solid B+. I’m rarely disappointed going here. The prices are very fair as well.

Blacksburg, being a small town, isn’t really known for its chinese food. In fact the places that I have been to have been incredibly lacking. However Double Dragon has found a sweet spot with me in that it is the one place that uses actual meat. The quality of food and the taste is superb, right down to thier fried rice combinations. The only downside is that they do not deliver, however no other chinese resaurant does either. On another upside, their prices are competitive in comparison to everywhere else, so for what you’re getting (real food in this case), it’s worth it. So if you’ve got a craving some really good chinese, go with Double Dragon. Anything else and you’ll get fried skin.

Eating well in Blacksburg (preferably on a college budget).

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: $