Food Photo Friday - Thanh Nhi

In general, I'm not a sandwich lover. I mean, they're fine, but given the choice, I'd rather have an entrée that didn't involve such a high proportion of bread. I make an exception for banh mi, though, and the ones at Thanh Nhi are my favorites in town. For just $3.50, you get this huge, fresh thing of beauty stuffed with Vietnamese lunch meat, spread with paté and a thin layer of mayo, drizzled with just a smidgen of what I think is balsamic vinegar, and garnished with fresh cucumber and jalapeno, cilantro, and pickled carrots and daikon. So. Good.

Despite the size of these babies, I usually have to start out with an order of grilled pork paste spring rolls ($3). I'm honestly entirely unclear what exactly "grilled pork paste" is. There's a slab of pork substance inside these that, texture-wise, lands somewhere between sausage and spam (but it is much, much tastier and less salty than the latter). And then there are some strange little crunchy things inside that are clearly grain-based and deep-fried, but beyond that, I can't really tell you much. Does anyone know? I've been operating on blind faith and the acquired conviction that these are wonderful enough to eat in ignorance.



What's your favorite sandwich?

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Food Photo Friday - Venison Heart Tartare

Venison heart tartare. Those words alone are enough to send lesser men (or women) screaming from the room. Top it with a pile of crunchy & deeply flavorful bits of fried pig ear and a glistening sunrise of yolk confit, and serve it with a few slices of pepper-sprinkled white chocolate - you'll earn yourself a name somewhere in the continuum between insanity and genius.

For my part, I think this dish is most aptly labeled "divine." Thank you, Foreign & Domestic, for sheltering my friends and me from the SXSW madness and fortifying us with yet another outstanding meal.

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The Austin Food Blogger Alliance + 2011 City Guide!

The 2011 Austin Food Blogger Alliance City Guide is live! We hope that it serves as a valuable resource for both visitors to Austin and also to Austinites who are looking for a fresh food experience in their own city. And along with the Guide comes an announcement that's exciting to me personally: the formation of a new non-profit organization, the Austin Food Blogger Alliance. Addie Broyles, the food writer for the Austin American-Statesman, wrote about the Alliance here. Stay tuned for further details...

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Food Photo Friday - Smokin'

Say what you will about the the Salt Lick, but there is something undeniably iconic about the place. For forty-four years, they've been serving up barbecue to the hungry masses. And you've sort of got to respect a restaurant that charges $20/head for barbecue, yet doesn't take credit cards. Whoever gets the service fees from the ATM on the property must be raking in the loot.

But when you walk in and see the giant smoker in all its glory, you can't help but fall just a little bit in love. I'm pretty sure that's some sort of holy spirit rising up to meet those sausages.

Glory, glory hallelujah!
The meat is smoking on.

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