The Food Austin Network

Lauriol Plaza – http://www.lauriolplaza.com
1835 18th St., NW - Washington, DC - 202-387-0035

Now I’m not going to lie to you and say the real reason there is always a line out the door on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays is because of the food. Much of the appeal of Lauriol Plaza is the rooftop deck and other outdoor dining areas and people flock here to get a decent Mexican meal while sitting outside and enjoying some tasty libations (we recommend the Mojito). A lot of people in this town say things like “Lauriol Plaza is the best Mexican food;” personally, we find this to be a little preposterous. Given that there are several things on the menu worth trying, but you shouldn’t dupe yourself into thinking that it’s the best out there. For our money, we’ll take Taqueria Distrito Federal eventhough there is no rooftop terrace to be had. At Lauriol Plaza you’ll find that some of their best dishes aren’t Mexican at all. The Bistec Cubano (Cuban Steak) is an exceptionally tasty entrée to be enjoyed with its compatriot, a Mojito. Another thing that they do well at Lauriol Plaza is the quail, this might just be because quail isn’t generally found in the dc foodscape but even then, it is juicy and succulent as quail should be. All in all, the place isn’t too expensive, in some circles (read lobbyists and lawyers and the like) this might even be considered a cheap eat. The vibe is toned-down and hip; you wouldn’t feel completely out of place if you’re wearing a t-shirt and some jeans and you won’t feel overdressed if you’re wearing a suit, trust me I’ve been wearing both. One day after work, if you’re in the mood for some winding down, head over to Lauriol for some snacks and something to wash them down with, take advantage of that warmer than normal winter day or cooler than normal summer day.

Price: $10-15 per entree

Milto’s - 2909 Guadalupe Street, Austin, TX 78705 - 512-476-1021

If you’re in the mood for Greek or Italian, but want casual dining, then Milto’s is your answer. Located on the corner of Guadalupe and West 29^th, Milto’s serves fresh food at low prices in a cozy environment. Although the items on their menu are a bit too typical for Italian and Greek food, their pizza more than makes up for it with the wonderful choices of toppings and crusts. Toppings are generous, and the thick crust is very filling. The only downsides are the occasional long wait for food, and their take-out is noticeably different than their in-restaurant portions and quality. Located close to the university, it knows its customer base very well, serving them with smiles and lots of warm authentic food. The souvlaki is very tasty and some have even been known to swear by it, so give it a try.  The only thing that should be steered clear of at Milto’s is the fettuccine alfredo, which really should be renamed the fettuccine DIL-fredo because of the heavy handed use of the herb (a little bit accents the dish, but an overdose drowns the flavor).  Over all, Milto’s is a B-.  It’s not Athenian Grill, but it gets the job done, while being affordable enough for students to make it a regular fixture on the lunch/dinner list.

-PeterPumpkinEater 

Price: $ ($5ish for most things)

Taqueria Distrito Federal
1400 Otis Street NW, Washington, DC 20010

This taco joint is a breath of fresh air in a town condemned to eating imitation Tex-Mex and even worse Mexican. The tacos remind one of the flavors of another Capitol city, Mexico City. The flavor of the meat and tortillas are as authentic as you can get while sneaking under the radar of the Health inspector. The place is a genuine hole in the wall and features only the things that you would expect to find at a street vendor in Mexico. The menu doesn’t have any fancy Mexican dishes that you would expect to find at the imitation joints around town. We tried the tacos and enjoy ever second. While we’re on the authentic streak, I would recommend the beef tacos. One bite was enough to evoke memories of waiting to scalp tickets outside El Azteca and killing the time with some tacos from the street vendors. If you’re in the mood for something authentic that won’t kill your budget and at the same time support local business head over to Columbia Heights and check this place out.

Price: $ (a fiver or less)

Hoovers Cooking
2002 Manor Road - Austin Texas 78722 – http://www.hooverscooking.com – 512-479-5006

There are many in this town that swear by Hoover’s chicken fried steak and their devotion isn’t unfounded.  The chicken fried steak is a staple of the comfort cooking that Hoovers delivers.  Hoovers is an Austin institution that works to deliver the type of food you would expect from a small-down-home southern diner, and you’re not disappointed.  The reputation has been built up over the years and isn’t unfounded.  The Chicken Fried Steak as previously mentioned is sublime, juicy and exceedingly tasty – descriptive words that are rare considering some of the Chicken fried peers around town.  Another item that has a wide following are the AusTex wings.  The wings are tender and almost fall off the bone.  The wings are definitely worth a shot, the smoked flavor is unlike any other wings in town.  When FoodAustin visits Hoovers, we like to get the Jamaican jerk chicken.  The flavor of this entrée almost jumps off the plate.  The meat is very tender and juicy and the Jerk rub is ohh so tasty.  None of the things on the menu are very expensive, the Chicken is $8.99 and the chicken-fried-steak is $6.99, so you can definitely order a couple of different things and test them all out.  The only place where Hoovers tends to be a tad inconsistent are with the sides.  Sometimes the vegetables come out cold or not completely full of flavor.  The Macaroni and Cheese on occasion has been equated to easymac.  Luckily, the entrees overshadow the shortcomings in the sides, not to mention the portions are large enough that you don’t have to eat the sides unless you really want to.

All in all Hoover’s is a great home cookin’ option for Austin.  While it’s not a true downhomesoutherncafeteria like Dot’s, Hoover’s brings the joys of southern cooking as close as East Austin.

Price: $ (entrees under 10)

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).