Pretentiousness in Austin? (Dallas, Cedar Hill, Lockhart: live, restaurants, price) - Texas (TX) - Page 6 - City-Data Forum

mlassoff · 10-15-2009, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homeinatx

Dude, I am writing from freezing, grey, cheerless New Haven. New Haven a better dining scene than Austin - better Pizza, much better Pizza absolutely, but otherwise it is a culinary wilderness up here. Have you tried eating Asian food in New Haven???! I had a bowl of pho last night that would have done dishwater proud. Mexican food - shudder! I would agree that many Austin restaurants leave much to be desired, but after a week in New Haven, Austin is starting to look like Paris ( that's France,not Texas) You walk three blocks from Yale and, even though things are much better than when I was last here - five years ago - you are in abandoned building zone. And you find East Austin gritty! Things might be better in the suburbs, but besides Italian - eating here has been grim!

I eat pizza, bagels, seafood, Chinese and Italian. So from my perspective it's much better. I hate Tex Mex. I've tried the Asian food in Connecticut and Austin for the last 20 years. Connecticut wins hands down. Try Tiger Bowl in Westport for Chinese, Pho Me Kong in Westport for Vietnamese or about 5000 other places...

centralaustinite · 10-15-2009, 01:45 PM

Yes, if pizza, bagels, seafood, Chinese and Italian are the restaurant types you prefer, then Austin isn't really your place.

I grew up with amazing Italian and except for a very few places in Austin, I just don't eat it here at all. But now, I won't touch Tex-Mex north of Dallas and I can debate the merits of central Texas BBQ with the best of them!

It seems that regionalism is alive and well in the US! Hooray!

sliverbox · 10-15-2009, 01:55 PM

I think different people have different expectations and demands for their entertainment, recreational, and culinary needs. If Mlasoff wants to move to NH, why not? I lived in New England for 3 years. Other than the miserable winters which some people don't mind, it was a pretty unique area.

It takes very little to make me happy. I can putter around the house for days. Since being unemployed I rarely leave the small town I live in. I also think me and my wife get a kick out of simple things. We went ti hawaii ( big island) 2 years ago. We rented a car, stayed in cheap hotels, and ate at local diners. One hotel in Kona had no AC, no TV, and not much else. But it did have kick-ass Hawaiian food. I like BBqing in the back yard, having a few beers at a bar, and generally just taking it easy. Where I grew up you had few options. There were no resturaunts, clubs, bars, or parks. Just your huge chunk of acerage and WalMart 30 minutes away. So perhaps that's why I'm easy to please. Don't get me wrong- I'm a real snob about japanese food and wine. But I also do without it no problem.

+ or - · 10-15-2009, 02:50 PM

Anyone who thinks Austin's culinary options are world class, clearly has not traveled very extensively. I wouldn't even call what's in Dallas or Houston "world class". World class dining is confined to NYC, SF and Chicago IMO.

TexasHorseLady · 10-15-2009, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sliverbox

I think different people have different expectations and demands for their entertainment, recreational, and culinary needs. If Mlasoff wants to move to NH, why not? I lived in New England for 3 years.

I don't think anyone here has a problem with this. The issue is mlassoff wanting to justify the desire to move to wherever by tearing down Austin. It's just unnecessary - or, should be - and when the tearing down involves things that we know to be inaccuracies, we speak up about it.

Best Italian restaurant food I've ever had was in Boston. Really great restaurant. Odd thing was, after our large party ate, and paid (with a VERY nice tip), and left, our waiter chased us down on the street as we were half a block away to give us his business card. Never did quite figure that one out.

artsyguy · 10-15-2009, 02:55 PM

It's costs good money to get world class meals in New York and SF.

Quote:

Originally Posted by + or -

Anyone who thinks Austin's culinary options are world class, clearly has not traveled very extensively. I wouldn't even call what's in Dallas or Houston "world class". World class dining is confined to NYC, SF and Chicago IMO.

mlassoff · 10-15-2009, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by + or -

Anyone who thinks Austin's culinary options are world class, clearly has not traveled very extensively. I wouldn't even call what's in Dallas or Houston "world class". World class dining is confined to NYC, SF and Chicago IMO.

I'd add Vegas, LA and Toronto

readymade · 10-15-2009, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Best Italian restaurant food I've ever had was in Boston. Really great restaurant.

Me too. And I just got back from Italy!! There's a place in the North End (Trattoria Il Panino) that has the most amazing lobster ravioli ever. Oh, and maybe my 2nd favorite is the artichoke ravioli at Il Grano in LA. yum!

Did anyone call Austin dining "World Class?" If so, I missed it.

I have travelled pretty extensively, I would say, and I LOVE food. I've found some great places in Austin. I don't think I would say it's "world class" but I've been fairly OK eating here. I would say the mexican food is world class, sure. And the steak. (and I've eaten at the nicer steakhouses in Chicago, LA, & Boston... I swear to god the best one I've ever had was a $9 steak in Austin). I'm not really one for BBQ, but I imagine the BBQ here is also world class.

I really miss lobster rolls, amazing Italian food, and amazing Indian food. Oh, and chili w/ beans, heh.

(and, to the guy above, you forgot to add "Boston" to that list of "World Class" dining - 'cause it really is. And I've eaten a LOT in all of those places you mentioned)

skyao · 10-15-2009, 03:03 PM

I agree with Mlassoff about some of the negatives about Austin until the claim the cuisine in CT is so much better, especially Asian food.

Austin's asian food scene is not strong, but CT's is not much better. Manhattan yes, Queens yes, but not CT.

And you know what New Yorkers would think about the food scene in CT...

sliverbox · 10-15-2009, 03:05 PM

I think some of you are grossly mistaken. The absolute best BBQ I've ever had in my life was outside of Austin in Lockhart. That and the best steak I ever had was at a little hole in the wall place in Austin called "Hoffbrau steaks". Oh- and yes, as someone who lives in SF, I can say that indeed the food is amazing. But I seldom eat it because doing so sets you back a few hundred bucks. Most of the time I eat sandwiches and casseroles. At least the stuff in Austin was not only very good, but reasonably priced.