"Foodie" Friday 8-3-12

“Foodie” Fridays in Austin

This week’s “Foodie” Friday is all about places that are truly Austin.  These choices all have a bit of history and have become Austin icons.  If you’re looking for something different this weekend try one and add a little history to your night out. Come on be adventuresome!!!

1.  SCHOLZ GARTEN             http://www.scholzgarten.net/
Scholz Garten is the last of the great Biergartens in Texas.  It was built by August Scholz in 1866 over an old boarding house, the year following the end of the Civil War. It started out as a place where the German community in and around Austin could visit before horseless carriages and moving pictures took their toll on the available time everyone had.  The kids would play noisily around the bandstand, while the adults would enjoy a cold beer and great food.  The good food and cold beer is still a tradition at Scholz Garten.  This is the oldest business in TX without having ever been closed down and/or re-opened.   In 1966, the 59th Texas Legislature honored Scholz Garten in House Resolution #68 “as a gathering place for Texans of discernment, taste, culture, erudition, epitomizing the finest tradition of magnificent German heritage in our State.” Scholz Garten was recognized as a forum for discussion of the problems of government and a place where you could catch a break from matters of state.  Scholz Garten was recorded as a TX Historical Landmark in 1967.  Modern day Scholz Garten has a large outdoor patio with picnic tables and a long bar serving drinks along the side.  The inside has a back area with windows where you see outside to the patio with several table where you order food and drinks. The main bar area is one small step up & where you’ll find 4 TV’s that have all the different games to watch.  Their food is excellent with a variety of great German food (including weinerschnitzel)  and, of course BBQ (this is Austin after all!) along with a great selection of beer to go with whatever you choose, right in downtown Austin.

2.  THE ELEPHANT ROOM             http://www.elephantroom.com/
This place is the embodiment of the greatest things about Austin.  Located in the basement of an old building off Congress Ave. The Elephant Room is the kind of place you go to when you want a relaxing, low key night out on the town.  A lot of out-of-town visitors make their way here to enjoy some great music in a really cool atmosphere.  There’s a little history involved in how it got its name.  During excavation for a nearby tower, a cache of mastodon fossils were found.  They were stored in the basement that would eventually become The Elephant Room.  The New Yorker Magazine has listed The Elephant Room as one of the best jazz clubs in the U.S. & USA Today ranks it as one the top 10 places for jazz in the U.S.  You’ll find a calendar of what music will be playing during a given month: a vibrant jazz band, a blues singer or something that will get your heart pounding. There is a sense of being shut off from the rest of the world here, it’s sensual, cool and dark with brick walls.  If someone were to tell you Al Capone used to come here for a secret card game, you’d believe them! But, one thing is for sure, it’s the only place of its kind in Austin.

3.  THREADGILLS        http://www.threadgills.com/
Threadgill’s is legendary not only for its chicken fried steak and cheese grits, but for also being the place with the best in bluegrass, country and soul music as well as their delicious Sunday Gospel Brunch! The history behind Threadgill’s began when a bootlegger and lover of country music, Kenneth Threadgill opened his first Gulf filling station in 1933 just north of the Austin city limits.  But, he had more on his mind than pumping gas. His “joint” soon became THE place for traveling musicians interested in grabbing a drink after they performed. It continued to flourish into the 60’s and when the times changed, so did Threadgill’s by inviting hippies and beatniks to his singing sessions on Wednesday nights.  His love for people and music would smooth things over when the inevitable clashes occurred when ‘longhairs’ crossed paths with ‘rednecks’ and because of this, a new culture of tolerance emanated from the tavern, which then had an effect on its patrons and the music that came from it.  Not to mention that this is where Janis Joplin developed her brassy style and it propelled her to become the first female rock and roll superstar.  Threadgill’s always has great comfort food: chicken fried chicken, grilled pork chops with applesauce and, of course, meatloaf and potatoes; and their jalapeno honey mustard salad dressing is to die for!   Threadgill’s has been around a long time with steaks, seafood po-boys and the best vegetable side-dish selections in town, this is the quintessential Austin food and music spot.

Dories Past Picks:

July 27 July 20 July 13  July 6  June 29  June 22  June 15  June 8  June 1  May 25  May 18  May 11  May 4  April 27  April 20  April 13   April 6  March 30  March 23  March 16  March 9  March 2

As always, local events and information are brought to you as a courtesy of Dorie Dillard,Coldwell Banker United Realtors, your NW Austin Real Estate Consultant. Please watch for future Dorie picks for Austin dining experiences!

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