Destination Austin: South Congress Cafe

Austin is an odd place. Having my fill of Brooklyn hipsters, I was somewhat dreading the people I'd meet in this Portland of the South. Yet, my expectations weren't met in the negative at all. Everyone has been exceedingly friendly and leading productive lives as contributing members of society. Also, having not spent any significant time in Texas before, I was expecting much more of the stereotypes of this Red state. There are no cowboy hats and boots here. No rodeos or plate-sized steaks. If anything, Austin seems fiercely democratic, and the independent nature of the state is reflected in its non-conformist population.

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Being the small town with the urban feel, I knew the food in Austin would be worth a trip in itself. My friend, with whom I was staying, showed me just how eclectic the cuisine could be with our first meal at South Congress Cafe. Congress is a main North-South drag through Austin, with much of the iconic Austin atmosphere South of the lake.

From the outside, as depicted in the photo above, I was expecting a steak and grits brunch. Instead, the menu is a gastronomically-forward selection of New American cuisine with game meats and Southwestern flavors. Opting out of the migas, the local favorite scramble topped with tortilla chips, I decided on the crispy quail sandwich with truffle remoulade. My buddy ordered a sky-high bloody mary and eggs benedict on crispy crab cakes topped with chipotle hollandaise.





While both dishes were delicious, the quail was not as flavorful as I expected. It relied a little too heavily on the remoulade to impart flavor. Eggs benedict is my favorite brunch dish and this was no exception. Crab cakes may be a little heavy in the morning, but I had to indulge on my visit.

South Congress Cafe
southcongresscafe.com
1600 S Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 447-3905

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Ramen Infographic

Thanks to hackcollege.com for the following infographic!

Created by: Hack College

Taste of Maine at Luke's Lobster

I've always been more of a crab fan myself. Whether it's the roasted garlic crab at PPQ in San Francisco, the Indonesian crab at Fatty Crab, or the blue crab in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay, I've always been more partial to crab than lobster. But having been invited to Luke's Lobster by almost every one of my LA friends who swing by town, I knew I had to finally try it out.

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You'll find multiple locations in Manhattan for Luke's Lobster. They're fairly spaced out on the island and most offer delivery too. Each restaurant's decor is simple, kitschy and casual, conveying Northeastern seafood shack.



Lobster rolls are expensive anywhere, but Luke's does provide a hearty amount on each roll. It takes 5-6 lobster calls for the meat of one roll. Luke's has a reputation for sourcing their lobster directly from sustainable fisheries in Maine. Seeing as how this was my birthday dinner, I had to order the Noah's Ark and split it with my friend. Two 1/2 lobster rolls, two 1/2 crab rolls, two 1/2 shrimp rolls, four crab claws, two drinks, and two bags of chips, the feast is pictured above.



Luke's does make an excellent lobster roll. The dominant flavor is lobster, not mayonnaise or butter. As good as its namesake is, I still preferred the crab roll. The shrimp was boring, merely a shrimp cocktail on a loaf. I got a sarsaparilla with my meal, a happy find considering how difficult it is to find.

Luke's Lobster
lukeslobster.com
Multiple locations in East Village, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Financial District, and Penn Quarter.
$15 for just the lobster roll. $41 for the Noah's Ark pictured above.

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