Possibly moving from NYC to Austin. Words of comfort anyone? (Spring: real estate, hotels)

[Lady Ashanti]

Originally Posted by RooCeleste

Simply not true. If Austin is so bad, why not leave and go somewhere else? Comparing Austin and NYC is like comparing apples and grapes. Some like one, others like the other, but it doesn't mean one is lacking in everything.

You will find very good restaurants here in all cuisines but you won't always have to pay extreme prices that only serve to make the snooty feel as though they're better than everyone else. And it is very likely that you'll find the cheap little hole-in-the-wall places are your favorites!

Why do people from Austin/Texas feel this way?

Austin/Texas is not perfect, just like where we are from was not either. Just because people have appreciation for where they are from...why does that bother you-all? Why do you require that we "hate" our hometown in order to live in yours?

[RooCeleste]

Originally Posted by Lady Ashanti

Why do people from Austin/Texas feel this way?

Austin/Texas is not perfect, just like where we are from was not either. Just because people have appreciation for where they are from...why does that bother you-all? Why do you require that we "hate" our hometown in order to live in yours?

I just don't understand why people complain about the place they're living...if it isn't up to par for you, or if you absolutely hate it (which definitely comes across in many of these posts!), then do something about it and move somewhere you'll be happy. Don't bash it to everyone else, and especially not those who are really looking forward to move there.

It isn't a Texas thing, nor an Austin thing. I would feel the same about anyone who is complaining about their town, their job, their weight, whatever. You have a choice - either shut up about it, or do something about it. If you don't like where you live, then move.

[soontobetexan]

Much appreciated ... thank you.

(He said, snootily.)

Originally Posted by Lady Ashanti

Truluck's [seafood]

Sullivan's [steakhouse]

Canoly Joe's [italian]

Gumbo's [cajun]
Mama Roux [cajun-the best]

Baby A's [mexican]
Manuel's [mexican]

P.F. Changs [chinese]
Chinatown [chinese-downtown]
Golden Wok [chinese-N35 & Parmer]

Small Scale but so good:
Torchy's Tacos
Quality Seafood
Springhill Catfish [not the buffet]
Freebirds [burrittos]

Also, there are other places that have opened up downtown which you may be a hidden surprise...[I saw a NY pizza place down there that I am going to try].

I will add more as I think of them...Enjoy...

[FueledByBlueBell]

If this is going to be about food then I have to jump back in. As someone who appreciates great food (wish I didn't so much) and who has lived in NYC and spends endless hours researching "the best of" when traveling I'll give my two cents. Note that these tend to be on the West side of town and only represent places I've been to... there is so much more here and the city is starting to be recognized for it's foodie culture so your options will only continue to grow. With the sheer numbers of people moving here from the coasts, especially in the creative class, I think our restaurant challenges are changing... and fast.

Chinese:
Pao's
there are more but can't offer anything else here

Asian/Sushi:
Uchi
Uchinko (haven't been but sure it is top notch)

Mexican:
La Condesa
Los Pinos
Chuy's fajitas (with the queso and the jalapeno ranch). Good for Tex-Mex but not everything on the menu is great.
Manuel's
Santa Catarina (Lakeway- new, from the Fonda San Miguel and Manuel's people)

BBQ:
Franklin BBQ
Buster's
Rudy's


Pizza:
Homeslice
Tony C's
House Pizza (for your non-standard pizza)

Italian:
Mandola's
Vespaio
Fino (mediterranean)


American:
Hudson's on the Bend
Eddie V's
Paggi House
South Congress Cafe
Moonshine
The Grove
Z'Tejas
The Trading Post

Burgers:
Mighty Fine

Taco's:
Torcy's
Maria's
Chi'Lantro (Korean Tacos)

South American:
Buenos Aires Cafe

French Bakery:
Baguette et Chocolat

Indian:
Bombay Bistro
Clay Pit
Tarka for fast casual

I really want to try Soliel, Haddingtons and Congress as well. I love the downtown farmer's market on Saturdays. Haven't been to the one on the east side yet. Good site Eater Austin : The Austin Restaurant, Bar, and Nightlife Blog

And, because we feel like we've had our share our great restaurants we now create and re-create dishes at home. We've had a great time cooking in Austin especially with fantastic farmer's markets and grocery stores. Aside from the heat and allergens I think Austin is pretty close to perfect.

[Russreign]

Hudson's on the Bend is one of the better restaurants I have ever been to (This coming from a NYC area native)

[TexasHorseLady]

My son lived in NYC for several years and absolutely loved (and loves) it. Though he did bemoan the fact that, good as he was at finding the one person from Brownsville in whatever city he was living in that had, in desperation, opened a great Mexican restaurant, he could not find that, or good BBQ, in NYC (until the BBQ restaurant that sent its pit boss to Elgin for a couple of years to study before they went into business opened just before he moved back to Texas - until then, I was sending him BBQ care packages from Texas periodically).

I second the recommendation to get off the beaten path and look for great food, not necessarily great (or fancy) ambiance.

My food recommendations (we're a family of foodies and bibliophiles, thus his NYC love):

For BBQ:
Rudy's is reliable, if reliable is what you want. However, in my opinion, you'd do better to go to House Park BBQ or Sam's in Austin or drive out of town a bit and go to Luling to City Market (when you get to Lockhart, purported BBQ mecca, just keep going - if you must stop in Lockhart, go to Blacks). Or to Coopers in New Braunfels or Llano (said son reports that the New Braunfels Coopers is the same quality as the Llano one.)

Mexican:
Fonda San Miguel or Azul Tequila. The food is equally good, as are the Margaritas - go to Fonda San Miguel for atmosphere, Azul Tequila for price. Or

Louisiana cooking: Mama Roux, Louisiana Longhorn, or Cypress Grill.

Home Cooking: Drive a bit for this. Go to Monument Cafe in Georgetown or Ruby's Cafe in Jarrell. Both are very much worth the drive.

French:
Chez Nous

There's lots more, but I have to do some actual work now. Back with more later.

[Lady Ashanti]

Sorry, I don't eat meat but when I did I fond that most BBQ sold in the restaurants here was lousy...

Seems that few have mastered the talent of marinating the meat until the flavor of the sauce is in the meat. The meat was cooked separately and the sauce was more for dipping, which had to be done continuously.

Also, most people seem to think that good BBQ sauce is just hot [with hot sauce] without remembering that there must also be some flavor to it with spices and seasonings.

However I have found some that BBQ at home which is delicious.

[centralaustinite]

If you think Texas BBQ is about the sauce . . . well, there's your problem. That's KC or STL BBQ. Here in Texas, it is all about the smoke and fire!

Sauce has nothing to do with it!

Sort of OT: once I was living in a truly remote and isolated area overseas and (an extremely rare event that probably hasn't been repeated yet) the American Ambassador came to visit. Despite the exotic surroundings, the topic of discussion was BBQ! Big smackdown between the the Marines from NC and the foreign service folks from KC, unreal! I made very little headway trying to explain Texas BBQ. There are entire issues of Texas Monthly devoted to the topic!

[Harper98]

Originally Posted by MMaria81

Hey Everyone-after several years of loving the excitement and energy of NYC, I think it has worn me out both physically and financially. I can no longer stand the weather, pretentious/mean people, face paced life, and exhaustion that NYC brings (let's not even get into cost of living). I have family in Austin (we are originally from PA) who absolutely love it. Slightly nervous to make this drastic change yet can't wait for my husband and I to have a quality of life again. Anyone who relocated from a similar large city with words of wisdom and comfort?

You are going to love TX! I grew up in Dallas, have been living in SC for the past 12 years. I will also be making the move to Austin in a few weeks. I can't wait!

[homeinatx]

Originally Posted by MMaria81

Hey Everyone-after several years of loving the excitement and energy of NYC, I think it has worn me out both physically and financially. I can no longer stand the weather, pretentious/mean people, face paced life, and exhaustion that NYC brings (let's not even get into cost of living). I have family in Austin (we are originally from PA) who absolutely love it. Slightly nervous to make this drastic change yet can't wait for my husband and I to have a quality of life again. Anyone who relocated from a similar large city with words of wisdom and comfort?

Initially a very tough adjustment for me. I hated Austin for the first three years: drastically reduced cultural, intellectual, culinary and entertainment options. It's a trade off, and after a while, I liked not having to pay an arm and a leg to live in a shoe box, not trudging through frozen sludge 4 months of the year, instead wearing sandals in February. I became a BBQ and margarita snob. There is still no good Mexican food in NYC. I realized I like to sleep. Did I really need excellent sushi at 2 in the morning? Austin and NYC are not at all alike. I like my everyday in Austin much more and when I need a big city fix, planes leave many times everyday - 4 hours or so to NYC, roughly the same to L.A, 2 and a half to Chicago and 2 hours to Mexico City, which in my opinion is the most delightful of them all. When I lived in much bigger cities, NYC, L.A., Chicago, I only took advantage of their world class resources about twice a year, ballet, opera, museums etc. About the same as I do now, except now I don't have the hassle, aggravation and discomfort of actually living in them. As long as I get a weekend in a megalopolis every few months, I am more than happy to live in Austin.