"Foodie" Friday ~ 2-1-13

“Foodie” Fridays in Austin

OMG it is February 1st, 2013! If you are in the NW Austin area and haven’t tried these 2 restaurants – stop in and give them a try!  One opened about a year ago in its new location in the Plaza Volente Shopping Center and serves up some really great tacos and more. Another, down the road in Steiner Ranch, is having its Grand Opening today, February 1st and serves delicious old-fashioned home-style food.

1.      TORCHY’S TACOS              http://torchystacos.com/
Owner Michael Rypka left a fancy executive chef position to chase his dream of opening a taco stand.  He headed to Austin with a new food trailer and Torchy’s Tacos opened on South 1st Street in downtown Austin. When cars would just drive by, he realized if they won’t come to him, he’ll go to them.  He hopped on his red scooter with free chips and his award winning salsa to personally invite everyone to stop by the trailer for some tacos.  It worked and the rest is history.  The first menu was filled more with experiments than meals.  Whenever Mike heard customers holler “damn, these tacos are good!” they were added to the menu.  And, ‘Living the Damn Good Taco Dream’ became a reality. Today, they operate several restaurants including the trailer park location.  It’s not at all unusual to drive by on a weekend morning or afternoon and see families sprawled out on blankets under the trees enjoying their tacos.  There are some known favorites at Torchy’s: The Independent – fried Portobello mushrooms, refried black beans, corn, escabeche carrots, ancho aiole and queso fresco with a slice of avocado.  Or how about The Holy Diver: a combination of grilled shrimp, cabbage slaw, cheese, jalapeno tartar sauce on a flour tortilla. And, there is also one called The Trailer Park: fried chicken, green chilies, lettuce, pico de gallo and cheese on a flour tortilla with Poblano sauce.  You can also “get it trashy” by taking off the lettuce and add queso instead. If you’re going to be out and about this weekend, the weather is going to be beautiful – perfect for a taco picnic at Torchy’s.

2.      ZACK’S BISTRO                    http://zacksbistro.com/
Zack’s Bistro only serves freshly prepared quality food that is prepared with old-fashioned, home-style care under the watchful eye of Brian Milne, Executive Chef.  This casual dining restaurant in Steiner Ranch (out off of Hwy 620 just past Hwy 2222) is run by a team of committed restaurateurs that live in Steiner Ranch and have a history of outstanding food and beverage service.   Zack’s is the place in NW Austin for lunch, dinner and happy hour.  On the weekends, they will serve a full breakfast and brunch.  If you’re looking for something quick, call ahead and they will package any of their regular menu items to go for you.  You could start off your meal with some Fresh Cut Garlic Parmesan Fries: house cut russet potatoes deep fried and tossed with fresh garlic, parmesan cheese, cracked black pepper and sea salt.  Then how about Catalan Shrimp: marinated shrimp sautéed with pancetta, garlic, shallots, black olives and green bell peppers served over roasted red bliss potatoes tossed in romesco sauce? If you’re in the mood for meat, try the Pan Seared Pub Steak: seasoned seared shoulder tender, oven finished and topped with sautéed mushrooms and garlic white wine sauce served with roasted red bliss potatoes and garden vegetables.  Pizza is also listed on the menu: try the Margherita Pizza: a light pizza with olive oil, garlic, roma tomatoes, fresh basil and mozzarella.  Or, the Southwest BBQ Chicken Pizza: chicken in a smoky rich BBQ sauce topped with mozzarella cheese, red onions, black beans, sweet corn and cilantro.  If you’re there for breakfast - brunch, try the Stuffed French Toast:  French toast stuffed with sweet cream cheese and topped with a Bananas Foster sauce.  Yummy! Zack’s is committed to serving only the freshest ingredients and seasonal products to their guests. And, will whenever possible, use farm to table methods, local vendors and Texas grown products.

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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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