While I was on vacation this week, I had some absolutely amazing food. It's not that we don't have good food here in CO, not at all, it's just that I had some things that I really can't get here.
I wanted to eat some real home-cooked cajun/creole food that I didn't have to slave over myself. My friend's husband just happened to recommend Randol's (where they film the AOC dancing). I'd never actually been there in spite of the number of years that I lived in Lafayette. They did have boiled crawfish and I really should have taken advantage of it, but alas, I did not. I did have some of their barbecued shrimp (this would be the New Orleans style BBQ sauce, very different from regular BBQ sauce) and some potato hash. I was unable to find official recipes, but I have a few BBQ shrimp recipes (great served over grits) and I did find a potato hash recipe on recipezaar that looks similar.
We also ate at this fantastic BBQ place in Austin. From what I understand, this place is an Austin institution! It was a catered dinner with all you can eat brisket, ribs, sausage, chicken, potatoes, beans, bread, cole slaw, and your choice of peach or blackberry cobbler. Their sauce is phenomenal. It's sweet and mustardy and you can kick it up by adding some Texas Gold hot sauce - I'm drooling here!
Anyway, I think I managed to find their potato salad recipe online and will be trying it out, possibly this 4th. You can also find their peach cobbler recipe online as well. The sauce, however, seems to be a closely held secret. If you can find it, send it to me, otherwise I'll just have to wait and see if my travels ever take me back there.
Another place we hit up in Austin was the Iron Cactus. I had this phenomenal stuffed chicken breast, but was stuffed after all of the guacamole I ate! They do this tableside guac with fresh tomato, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, salt, lime, and oj - yep, orange juice. It's just a squeeze, but man it gives that classic dip a sweet zing that is not to be missed. I'm going to be trying that one shortly as well.
Of course, I couldn't skip Le Truffe Sauvage. It's probably the most pricey restaurant back home, but my dad discovered it upon it's opening, and we've been going for special occasions ever since. Their seasonal menu options are all over the place. I had their filet and the crab ceviche. Yum!
I'm so glad that the internet allows me to scrape up fantastic finds like the recipes above. Unfortunately, I'm attempting to cut back, which is hard for a foodie like me! I'm an avid recipe collector which makes my current job just about perfect (still hoping to make it permanent). It also makes cookbook buying quite pricey!
Ah well, vacation is over and I have to begin budgeting and eating better. My b-day is just days away, though, and I'll get to go somewhere nice for that, I just can't decide where. In the meantime, I'll be trying out the recipes above and I just bought the Deen brothers' Y'all Come Eat.
3 comments:
I've eaten at Salt Lick! We're only 3 hours from Austin, but we don't get there as often as my husband would like.
There's a little winery in the Austin area (there are lots of them, but one in particular) not far from Wimberley that makes the only wine I like.
We'll have to try the Iron Cactus some time.
Mmmm...good memories (food and company). Thanks for the great excuse to have shellfish!
I have never heard of either of these places but they sound good
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