Bon Appetit Names Franklin Best BBQ in Texas, if not America

In a recent article by Bon Appetit, they claim that the East Austin BBQ joint, Franklin is the best BBQ restaurant in Texas, if not America.  Funny how they follow that statement with "Let the debates begin."  I frankly (no pun intended) do not agree.  I have forever loved Salt Lick and Ruby's (NOT Rudy's) and in my opinion, Franklin has NOTHING on these two.  I agree that the brisket is glistening and melts in your mouth, but the flavor is just not all that good.  The espresso bbq sauce helps, but I want meat that can stand alone.  Their sides are pathetic.  No variety, and they are really bland.  And the worst part is waiting in their god-awful line.  No BBQ is good enough for me to stand in the Texas Heat for more than an hour.  Screw that, I'd rather drive the extra hour in the A/C to Salt Lick.  Plus, you run the potential of standing there for no reason (they run out by about 2pm or earlier).  So, anyway.  I know most people don't agree with me.  In fact if you asked my office, they would all disagree.  (Read Korn on the Koby's review of Franklin).

What do you think?

Vital Farms: The Blue Egg

Tanner and I went to the Barton Creek Farmers Market yesterday, and we found BLUE eggs. I was just mesmerized by the color, but the owner of Vital Farms informed us that the eggs were richer in flavor, and b/c they were pasture-eggs, they were higher in nutrients. We needed eggs anyway, so we picked up a dozen and couldn't wait to try them for breakfast the following morning.


Why are they blue?

Chicken eggs vary in color depending on the hen, typically ranging from bright white to shades of brown and even blue, green, and recently reported purple (found in South Asia)

Source: Wikipedia

The Verdict
The first thing I noticed when I cracked the beautiful blue shell was the dark yellow color of the yolk. According to Vital Farms, they raise their chickens in environments where they might eat wild flowers, herbs, onions and even garlic. This kind of diet causes the yolks to be more pronounced in color and more flavorful. The second thing I noticed was the lack of sulfur I usually smelled when cooking other eggs. I could get used to this. Now for the moment of truth - did they actually taste better? I stuck my fork in a piece of egg white and held it to my mouth. After chewing for a few seconds, I noticed the difference in taste. The lack of sulfur made the egg white taste so delicious (almost like custard). I wanted more. I scooped up the runny yolk and noticed how rich and flavorful it was. I got halfway through my plate, and realized I felt so full. This was unusual, as I was usually still hungry after my egg breakfasts on the weekdays. So, all in all, this was definitely a superior egg. After doing more research, I think that the blue color has nothing to do with the better taste, smell, higher nutrients and fuller feeling. I think all of that can be attributed to the way the chickens are raised (pasture eggs).

There is one catch (isn't there always). The price. At $6/dozen, these are NOT the most affordable eggs. They had regular brown eggs for $5/dozen, and as I said, through my research I don't think the color has any difference in taste. Still, Tanner and I go through 98 eggs (!) in one week, so this doesn't QUITE fit into our budget yet. :) (That would be $45 a week on eggs instead of $15). I'm not sure if they're THAT good. It's definitely a nice treat from time to time, though.

Move over Yogurt, Siggi's Skyr has arrived

Siggi's Skyr. I'll let the comparison to Horizon Plain Fat-Free Yogurt speak for itself.

Nutritional Information 1 cup (8 oz.)
	Horizon Plain Fat-Free Yogurt	Siggi's Plain Skyr
Calories	80	160
Fat	0g	0g
Saturated Fat	0g	0g
Trans Fat	0g	0g
Cholesterol	< 5mg	5mg
Sodium	120mg	93mg
Total Carbohydrate	12g	8g
Dietary Fiber	1g	0g
Sugars	11g	5g
Protein	8g	22g
Calcium	25%	25%

One pro of Horizon's yogurt is that is has half the calories. However, because you are getting more nutrition out of the Siggi's Skyr with the lower sugars and higher protein, the calories are actually good calories. The higher protein count comes from the way Skyr is made.  Skyr is strained through fat free milk THREE times, where other yogurts are only strained once.  If you are a already a fan of yogurt, I really recommend substituting this yummy Icelandic treat!  The higher protein count is worth it. It's thick and sour, but it only takes a couple of times to get used to it.  And, I love pairing it with a Pink Lady or Lady Alice Apple to add some natural sweetness to it.

Fun Fact:  Skyr is actually considered a cheese.

Central Market's Butcher Santa

There used to be a butcher that worked at Central Market. He looked exactly like Santa Claus, so Tanner and I called him 'Butcher Santa.' He constantly tried to convince us out of what we ordered, but it never worked. Silly Santa. Sometimes he walked around the store and handed out Reese's Klondike Bars to all the patrons. Straight. out. of. the. freezer. I have to admit, that's pretty bad ass. I can only assume when asked about the Klondike bars that his response would be, "I'm Santa, BITCH!"

Congress: An Absolute Delight

Congress opened less than three weeks ago, and I can safely say, they are already emerging as one of the best restaurants in the nation.

It doesn't hurt that they have an all-star cast: Chef David Bull and Chef Rebecca Meeker, both formerly of The Driskill Grill, Sommelier June Rodil from Uchi, and Bartender Adam Bryan, formerly of Eastside Showroom. This crew works together to make the most magical dining experience you will ever have.

The menu has a three- or seven-course meal, each with a wine pairing option. Our waitress informed us that the menu will change monthly, and if you're curious, it's published online. The restaurant itself is nice. It's located in The Austonian, the tallest residential building in Texas. The atmosphere is upscale, but not snooty.

We opted for the three-course meal. The waiter surprised us with an amuse bouche from the chef, which was a warm serving of parmesan custard with spinach foam on top. It was savory and delicious. The first courses came out. Tanner had bone marrow brulee, which was lined with cinammon sugar honey crisp apples and smoked almond crumble. It tasted like really rich butter. I had Hamachi Sashami, which was served playfully with soba noodles, hearts of palm and white miso. Mine was a very light dish, that was very refreshing.

For the second course, Tanner and I had the garlic and chive potato gnocchi served with a side of braised oxtail topped with a fried egg and parmesan crisp. Again, amazing.

For the third course, I had escolar wrapped in chicken skin. YUM. Tanner had the rack of lamb.

We ordered foie gras as our appetizer, and of course, since we were splurging, we couldn't forget dessert. We got the sweet potato beignets served with butter ice cream. OMG, these things just pop in your mouth in one bite. Totally addicting.

The chefs surprised us one more time with a dessert amuse bouche. It was a frozen version of the first amuse bouche. So clever. And so tasty.

When it was all said and done, our meal was a couple bills and over 3 hours long. Quite the experience. I definitely felt like I was on an episode of Top Chef, being served the finest food by these amazing chefs and they just kept delivering and delivering. The best part of the meal was telling our waitress we were ready to leave, and she hands us our car keys and says your car is waiting outside. The valet had signaled the car when they saw us paying the bill, so that it was ready as soon as we left. Very cool.

If you are looking for an awesome restaurant for a special occasion or just because you feel like splurging, I definitely recommend treating yourself to Congress.