I know what you’re thinking: What the FEENA FOO?!?! (BTW, that’s Lil-O’s favorite made-up curse phrase of the moment.) Wasn’t your trip to Austin over TWO weeks ago?
Yes, grasshopper, your observation skills are very strong indeed. But I did tell you that I was gonna milk this trip for as many blog posts as possible. Before the gull wing doors lock on this modified DeLorean, gulp down a chill pill ‘cause we’re talking one last trip to Austin.
Bright and early Easter morning, our posse met up with Melicious…
….her hubby Dave….
….and Danielle for brunch at 24 Diner. See? We do eat several meals at this restaurant every time we’re in Austin. As luck would have it, a bunch of other like-minded Paleo food bloggers had the same idea and we ended up dining in a booth next to Julie, Charles, and baby Scott…
…and waving out the window at a whole mess of other Paleo pals brunching al fresco.
Julie and Charles were flying home right after lunch and it was great eating one last meal with them.
Henry was happy snuggling Scott, until he noticed a suspicious “coffee” stain on the baby’s onesie. Wait a minute…THAT’S NOT COFFEE!
When we finally sat down to eat, Henry and I shared a vegetable frittata with a side of bacon…
…sweet potato hash with chili…
…and a serving of spicy roasted vegetables.
We left the restaurant with stuffed bellies and heavy hearts because we knew we wouldn’t see most of our friends for many months.
After brunch, the Nombomb clan wandered across the street to the gigantic Book People – one of the coolest independent bookstores I’ve ever perused – and bought way too many tomes. When we got hungry, we walked to the Whole Foods mothership to grab a few snacks. I heartily concur with Dave’s assessment that the block of North Lamar that houses Book People, Whole Foods, and 24 Diner is the best little corner in Texas.
Because we can’t get enough of Mel and Dave, we drove to their home in the late afternoon to talk shop and share an informal Easter dinner. Mel’s kitchen is filled with so many cool items like this friendly reminder…
…this groovy toucan…
…and these porcelain cows.
Henry and I got a sneak peek at Well Fed 2 and we were BLOWN AWAY. The recipes, photos, and graphics are even better than the ones in Well Fed, and that’s a tough act to follow.
When we finally pried ourselves away from their laptop, we realized it was dinnertime. Although many restaurants were closed for Easter, we ended up gobbling up plate after plate of spicy authentic Thai curries at one of their favorites, Sap’s Fine Thai Cuisine. Every time Henry and I get together with Mel and Dave, we always gab and gab until we shut down whatever joint we happen to have invaded, and this night was no exception.
The next morning, we packed our luggage and hit downtown Austin for the last time. We stopped for lunch at Lambert’s…
…where Henry and I enjoyed a rib-sticking dinner last year. Lunchtime at Lambert’s is much quieter and subdued, which I actually prefer because I’m now an old lady.
Our midday meal consisted of a bunch of platters that we all shared family style. We split an order of spicy deviled eggs seasoned with smoked paprika and sprinkled with briny caviar…
…grilled hangar steak flavored with melted Cholua butter and served with a charred red onion, tomato, and avocado stack…
…and a combination barbecue platter with brisket….
…smoked ribs…
…and pulled pork.
Yes, we did eat some vegetables. Thanks for asking!
The barbecue platter comes with two side dishes and we ordered smoked bacon braised collards…
…and a refreshing jicama and carrot slaw.
Lambert’s has three different sauces that you can drizzle on the smoked meats, but I didn’t think the well-seasoned swine and brisket needed any additional embellishment.
The ‘cue was delicious, but I was a bigger fan of the hanger steak.
We spent our last afternoon in Austin drooling over the kitchen toys at Serve: Gourmet Gadgets & Goods…
…indulging in gluten-free cupcakes at Delish Bakery…
…and wandering around Central Market.
In fact, we spent the rest of our time in Austin at Central Market. It’s right next door to a playground where the boys burned off excess energy before our flight and we were able to keep an eye on them as we blogged from the outdoor patio. Anytime anyone was hungry, thirsty, or had to pee, we’d just head inside the market.
Oh, Austin, how I’ll miss you! Good thing I’m returning in June for BlogHer Food!
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