Texas Museum of Science
& Technology (Cedar Park, TX) – May 2015
This
opened in March 2015 in what was formerly the Cedar Park Indoor Soccer
Complex. As this is intended to be an
interim facility until a more permanent structure is built, thus the floor is
still Astroturf in much of the building.
The plan is to have a mix of rotating exhibits, as well as an onsite
planetarium (similar to the portable Discovery Dome which has been going to
area schools over the last few years).
Currently
there is only one exhibit, which is the internationally-recognized Body
Worlds. This is a display of various
human bodies and organs which have been preserved by a process that has turned
the flesh into a plastic-like substance, in order to stop decomposition from
occurring. The bodies have been sliced
open in various ways to show skeletal structure and how the muscles attach to
it. Most are in a dynamic pose to give
an indication of how the body components worked in life.
While
this is an informative scientific-based exhibit and there is nothing explicitly
graphic, the nature of seeing human bodies in this state may be too intense for
younger kids. Parents will have to
decide as to what acceptable for their children.
The
onsite café has a limited selection of items, but that will grow as the museum
does. While Body Worlds is scheduled to
stay at this location until September, the museum intends to remain at this
location hosting rotating exhibits, so there’ll be something to keep coming
back to check out.
Flix Brewhouse (IH-35, Round
Rock, TX) – May 2015
This
is a national chain of movie theaters which serve beer and food during the
show. While you can buy tickets “at the
door,” you’re encouraged to get your tickets online so you can choose the seat
you want. Tickets purchased online can
also be printed at the kiosk in the lobby.
Decorated with movies posters from various years, the lobby also
contains a waiting area, complete with full bar, where you can wait for the
movie to start.
An
intercom is used to announce when it’s time to go to your seats, usually about
30 minutes before the start of the show.
That allows the patron to watch some short features and trailers during
the time their food is prepared. While Flix
used to have ordering done electronically via tablets, they’ve gone back to the
“pen-and-paper” style. That takes a
little longer to run the order back to the kitchen, but there may be a logistic
issue behind why they’re doing it that way.
The
seats have tables which side out to meet the patron (so it’s your choice how
close you want your food), and a button in order to summon your server. On my previous visits, your card was run when
the order was placed, but now they drop the tab in front of you (and retrieve
it a few minutes later) during the movie.
I prefer the original way, as it’s less-disruptive to the show.
What
has improved was the service and cleanliness of this location. I haven’t seen a situation of the trays
having crumbs and other food particles behind them, and the staff has become
more helpful and friendly. Overall, the
food is of so-so quality, but you’re paying for the ambiance of being able to
have actual cooked food and a beer in a theater (as opposed to mass-market
concessions).
While
I like the local version of this type of theater which started in the area,
their food quality and server friendliness has declined within the last couple
years. That means if I want a decent
movie-watching experience, then I need to support the national chain over my
once-better local establishment.
Maudie’s (Route 360,
Austin, TX) – May 2015
While
Maudie’s is my favorite Tex-Mex place in Austin, this particular location is
special to me as I only visit here during the time of my birthday. The menu here is no different than other
Maudie’s locales I’ve visited, but the view is what really makes this
place. With patio seating facing west,
it’s a great place in the later part of the day in order to watch the sunset
over the hills. Shades get pulled down
in order to cut down on the glare.
We
arrived about dinner time on Sunday, and while there were a lot of large
parties waiting to be seated, we were able to get a patio table quickly. We ended up not next to the railing of the
patio’s edge, but back under the fans (which made it a little difficult to have
conversation). That was my only quibble
for the entire visit.
My
“guilty pleasure” when going to Maudie’s is the Josie’s Enchiladas, which are
two cheese enchiladas covered in queso.
I sack the beans for extra rice, which I use to mop up the queso. It was every bit as delicious as I expected
it to be. My friend, who had never been
there before, just ordered a regular plate of chicken enchiladas. She didn’t realize the plate was hot when the
server brought it out.
Service
was quick, the staff was friendly, and of course the food was excellent. There’s a reason why Maudie’s is my favorite
place, and this experience continued to reinforce why.
North Italia (Domain,
Austin, TX) – May 2015
My
friends recommended this place for dinner, and since I’m always game to try
something new, I was more than happy to come along. This is located in the Domain, and not too
far from a parking garage (which was good, because it was down-pouring when we
arrived). While there is a bar section,
there’s not much seating area to wait until a table was ready. The interior is a large area with many hard
surfaces, so the noise level was a little high.
There’s a side patio which could also be used for seating, but that was
currently closed off due to weather.
My
friends order the Atlantic salmon and spaghetti with meatballs, both they
indicated were very good. I had the
chicken parmesan, which came with a grana padano cream sauce (instead of the
traditional marinara). That gave it a
different flavor which I found to be refreshingly enjoyable.
This
was a great place to go for a fine dinner, and would be a good destination for
couples seeking to have something nice with a reasonable cost.
Tarka (Anderson Lane,
Austin, TX) – May 2015
I’ve
eaten at other Tarka locations before, so I know how good the quality is. Since I was out running errands this day, it
gave me the opportunity to visit a location I’m not normally near. This one was easy to find, once you knew
where it was. The layout of the plaza
this is in, and how this was “around a far corner” made it difficult to locate
at first.
As
this is an Austin-based chain, the menu here is just like the other locations
I’ve been to. I had a craving for
chicken vindaloo, and this was the place to satisfy it. It came out hot and fast, and it tasted
good. It hit the spot. Interior décor was nice and clean, although
the staff was slow on clearing tables by patrons who’d previously left. That observation didn’t hinder my enjoyment
of this.
Kerbey Lane Café (Mays
St, Round Rock, TX) – May 2015
Kerbey
Lane has been a favorite place of mine to go for years, with the 183 location
being my primary spot. Having lived the
last few years in Round Rock, I was so glad when I learned that this Austin
establishment was now coming to this side of town. The building it’s in hadn’t been used in a
while, so they had a lot of space available to them. That was a bonus, as other locations I’ve
been to always were a little crowded because of the smaller square footage they
had.
The
interior was clean, and individual dining areas were sectioned off, which
helped cut down on the noise level of patrons having normal conversation. It was nice having a diner-style bar there
too, especially for the solo people coming in for lunch. As this was located in the plaza near the
discount movie theatre, there’s plenty of parking too.
I had
to inaugurate this place by checking out my guilty pleasures to make sure they
had the same quality as other locales.
We started off with a small cup of queso, which was good. My friend, who’d hadn’t been to any Kerbey
Lane’s before got to explore the menu, and tried the Cobb sandwich. She reported it was very good. I enjoyed my migas, which brought back a
flood of good memories of when I’d gotten them at other locales.
All
the menu items from the other locations are here, so all the comfort foods I’ve
come to enjoy are available. Plus, the
menu has the seasonal inserts, which gives some additional varieties.
There
are few good places in Round Rock to get good breakfast foods, much less at any
time of the day. Now that Kerbey Lane
has arrived in town, the excitement of excellent quality, friendly service, and
locally-owned businesses makes this the destination to go.
Mighty Fine (Brodie
Lane, Sunset Valley, TX) – June 2014
“Because
I hadn’t been to this one” was all the motivation I needed when my co-worker
suggested we go to lunch there. Since
our lunch time is later than most, we were able to avoid the “rush” and get our
orders placed right away. This location
of the Austin-based chain was no different than the other ones I’d been to, in
both food quality and friendliness of the staff. The meal I had of a cheeseburger and
chocolate milkshake was tasty and filling, and exactly the great experience I
expected from this establishment.
Pluckers (South Lamar,
Austin, TX) – June 2014
When
my supervisor asked where the management team should go for lunch, I was quick
to chime in a place where I knew the food was good. This wasn’t my usual location, as it’s on the
other side of town from my house, so it’d make a nice change of venue for
me. With ten of us arriving during the
noon-hour, there was a short wait until a couple tables could be pushed
together. That was not unexpected, given
the time of day and size of our party.
I
ordered my favorite boneless basket with spicy BBQ sauce. Many of my peers also went for the boneless
wings so the messiness could be kept to a minimum. As being a Plücker’s Club member, we received
appetizers of fried mac & cheese.
None of my peers had ever had that before, and they found it to be a
tasty treat.
All
our food came out in a timely manner, and we had great and attentive
servers. We were able to complete our
lunch within the time we’d allotted for it.
For many of my peers, this was a new experience for them, and one they
enjoyed. The establishment and the
quality of the food lived up to the reputation I presented.
Texican (Lakeline Mall
Blvd, Austin, TX) – June 2015
When I
lived near here, this was a regular place for me to go for dinner when there
was the desire not to cook dinner. Now
that I live on the other side of town, this favored location is far away. But it’s not too far, so when my travels take
me here, I make it a point to stop in for great food at a great place.
As
this isn’t a regular place for me, I make sure to get my favorite dish when I’m
here. The El Paso cheese enchiladas
(with double rice instead of beans). The
dish originally came out wrong, but it was quickly corrected. A sign of good customer service is how
quickly a concern is resolved, and Texican gets thumbs up from me.
It was
a nice afternoon to spend having good food on the patio. For those who haven’t been here yet, there’s
also a choice of dining room and bar area if indoor seating is requested. There are so many good things on the menu,
and any frequent patron should try as many as possible.
Beluga Japanese (Louis
Henna Blvd, Round Rock, TX) – June 2015
Friends
suggested this as a location to go for dinner.
As this is located in a strip-center, there’s a lot of available
parking. Interior décor was very nice,
with a bar area separate from the main dining section. There were also a few rooms partitioned off
in the back for those who wanted the full “formal” Japanese dining experience.
The
menu primarily consists of sushi, but there are other entrees available. I ordered the teriyaki chicken, which came on
a sizzling plate with some veggies and a small bowl of rice. The food was properly cooked, there wasn’t
much taste to it. The meal was filling,
and provided me the protein I needed, but not satisfying. I didn’t see this as it being cooked bad, but
just the style in which it was done.
The
rest of my party, who had all gotten sushi, reported their meals were
delicious. Based on that, I’d say this
would be a destination for those who desire sushi.
Mongolian Grill (La
Frontera, Round Rock, TX) – June 2015
Tucked
away in one of the side sections of La Frontera can be found this
establishment. I hadn’t been here in a
while, and that was good enough reason to stop by. Even though it’s on a side section, there’s
still plenty of parking available. The
interior is spacious and clean.
Since
my friend had never been here before, I was able to show her the
technique. There’s a buffet of dozens of
vegetables available to choose from, so you can customize your meal the way you
want it. Next is a section with beef,
chicken, or pork, so you can add some protein to your dish. Then there’s a noodle selection for some
starch to round it out. Lastly is the
sauce bar, is why the place is so good.
Over a
dozen sauces can be made from the components available, and the directions are
provided (one scoop of this, two scoops of that, etc). All items (sauces, meats, and veggies) have
individual tongs and ladles, so there’s little chance things being mixed before
you decide to make it so.
Once
your meal is constructed, you place it up on the counter where you can watch it
cooked on the hot grill by a master using only an instrument which looks like a
sword. It only takes a few minutes for
your stir-fry to be completed. It’s a
nice bit of entertainment in order to watch the skill it takes to do this.
Our
table was set with sides of rice and biscuit-like items, and our drinks. Alternately you could sit at the table and a
server would bring your cooked meal over.
As you’ve picked the contents of your meal, and it’s been cooked right
before your eyes, you can’t get any fresher than that.
The
servers are friendly, and will refill your drinks as needed. Since the meal is a mix of veggies, meats,
and noodles, it’s a tasty and balanced treat.
Newk’s (Jollyville
Road, Austin, TX) – June 2015
When
looking for a place for a quick lunch or a light dinner, Newk’s is a good
location. Because it’s part of a strip
center, it’s easily accessible from the road and there’s plenty of parking. Since the menus are displayed right as you
come in, it makes ordering easy. There’s
a good selection of sandwiches, salads, soups, and personal-sized pizzas
available. But the best options are the
specials where a half-sandwich can be combined with either a cup of soup or
small salad.
My
friend had never been there before, so I was able to show her the drill. We each got a half chicken sandwich with
salad. She topped hers off with a glass
of wine. I went for water, even though
there’s a selection of fountain beverages available too. The
interior is clean and spacious. There
are both booths and tables available, so large parties can be accommodated as
well as an intimate setting for a couple.
Maudie’s Too (North
Lamar, Austin, TX) – July 2015
Maudie’s
has always been a great place, but this location I don’t get to very often any
more. So when a friend asked where’s a
good place for Tex-Mex close to downtown, this immediately came to mind as a
place to go. While the area has changed
around it (with the addition of large condos next door), the ability to park
here has not been affected. Space is
limited, but some street parking is also available.
As
this was a house converted years ago into a business, it retains that local
atmosphere and hometown feel. Facing the
street is a large covered patio section which can used for three-season
dining. Like the interior space, there
are a lot of tables in this intimate setting, but it doesn’t feel crowded.
The
menus at Maudie’s are the same at all the locations, so I knew my favorite dish
would be available. Normally I get the
Josie’s Enchiladas, but this time I went for the chicken enchiladas with a
chipotle sauce. These were very tasty,
with the right amount of spice level to give it a good kick without it
overpowering the flavor. My friend went
for the chicken fajitas from the “Under 500” menu, which essentially a regular
fajita dish without the tortillas. Even
our server joked that it should just be called the “chicken fajita plate.”
My
friend not only enjoyed her meal, but was glad she’d been introduced to an
Austin original. For me, it was nice to
revisit a place which used a frequented destination when visiting other
(now-closed) merchants in the area. For
those who are close to downtown, this is an ideal place to go.
Smokey Moe’s BBQ (IH-35,
Round Rock, TX) – July 2015
There
are a few decent places for BBQ in the Round Rock area, and this is one of
them. Located in a strip-mall, the
parking lot is spacious and provides easy access from either IH-35 or Mays
Street. Choices of different brisket
types are available, as well as other meats.
While these can be ordered “by the pound,” sandwiches and dinner plates
are also available.
I
ordered the turkey plate, which came with two sides. The available choices included green beans,
corn on the cob, and fried okra, but I went for the buttered potatoes and
potato salad. A nearby cooler contained
desserts of pie slices and banana pudding.
The signature sauce in large bottles on every table, so you can indulge
in as much as you want.
The
meat was tasty and juicy, and was the filing dinner I wanted it to be. The interior space is clean, with a mix of
tables and booths, and the servers were very friendly. Economically this is a good place to go when
looking for quick meals for the family.
VertsKebap (Riverside
Drive, Austin, TX) – July 2015
This
is located in a small plaza off the road, so it’s easy to access the locale and
park here. Started by two UT Austin
students, this provides a tasty selection of meat and veggie choices. The place is clean, the service was quick,
and staff friendly, so this makes a good lunch destination.
Beef,
lamb, and turkey all spin on a rotisserie to cook it during the day, and be
sliced off when necessary. One the
decision of meat (or vegetarian protein) is made, then you have the choice of
how you want it served, as a kebap, wrap, or salad form (known as a
falafel). Dozen veggie toppings and some
sauces round out the customization available.
My
friend got the beef & lamb falafel, and I did the turkey wrap. Everything was made fresh to order. My friend had frequented here, but this was
my first visit. She was concerned I
wasn’t going to like it, but it turned out to be a wonderful meal. Very enjoyable experience. With nearly a dozen locations in the Austin
area, it’s a good bet I’ll be back to one of them before too long.
Baby A’s (IH-35,
Pflugerville, TX) – July 2015
My
friend had talked about this place for a while, and after constantly driving
past it on the highway, I decided it needed to be checked out. The parking wasn’t bad, and there was a nice
indoor waiting area. There were
separated dining areas with a lot of space.
Without any soft surfaces on the walls or floor, a small number of
people were enough to raise the noise level to where it was difficult to hear
those at my own table.
I
ordered my favorite dish, cheese enchiladas (no beans, extra rice). My friend got some tacos. Because these weren’t complex, it didn’t take
long for our dishes to come out. My
friend said the tacos were acceptable.
The cheese in my enchiladas was melted, the only sauce available was a
meat-based one. Having a non-meat option
would’ve been preferred, as I couldn’t taste the cheese. While the dish was okay, it ultimately didn’t
satisfy my craving for my favorite treat. It
wasn’t a bad experience, so this is a place which deserves a return trip to
investigate how the other menu items taste.
Opal Divine’s (Mopac
& Parmer, Austin, TX) – July 2015
My
friend had never been here, so when I suggested it as a place for dinner, she
thought it was a great idea. We were
looking for some light fare after a long day of being outside, and the menu was
varied enough to satisfy us both. She
went for the potato skin appetizers, as she wasn’t very hungry, and mentioned
they were very good. My appetite was a
larger, so I went for the chicken fried chicken plate. The breading was a little thicker than I’d
gotten in the past, but the meat was still juicy and tasty. With both inside and outdoor seating, easy
access from the highway, and plenty of parking, this has always been a decent
place to go. My friend enjoyed it a lot,
and noted that she would suggest coming back here with her co-workers.
Opal Divine’s Davenport
(Route 360, Austin, TX) – July 2015
This
is tucked away in a small complex partially hidden form the highway, so it can
be easy to miss. There’s a decent amount
of parking available. A covered patio is
near the main entrance for those who want to be shaded from the sun. The main dining section is broken up into a
couple different areas, which will help cut down on the noise level.
The
server (Wesley) was happy to accommodate a few alterations I requested. I ordered the grilled chicken, but had it
tossed in the buffalo sauce. That gave
it an enjoyable extra spicy kick. As my
meal came with two sides, I substituted one for a bowl of the chicken tortilla
soup. Now there was a small additional
charge for something which wasn’t on the regular sides menu, but it was pretty
reasonable. I ended the meal with a
small dish of ice cream.
My
friend ordered the pork-covered potato skins, and grilled chicken plate done in
the menu-style. The food came out hot
and quick, and everything was delicious.
The service was great. When your
travels take you out to the beautiful views of this area, this is a good place
to stop in for food. And you know you’re
supporting a local establishment.
Pinthouse Pizza (Burnet
Road, Austin, TX) – July 2015
This
is located in a section of Burnet Road which has undergone some much-needed
improvement over the past few years, but still retains that “old Austin”
feel. A former garage has been converted
into a place which specialized in beer and pizza. For a younger crowd which lives in the area,
this is the place to be.
A few
dozen different craft beers are available here, including some which are brewed
on site. If you’re having difficulty
choosing which one, the handy listing on the wall will give you a little bit of
information about the selections. And if
you’re wishing to take some home, you can always get a growler.
Excepting
for some salad and appetizer items, the food menu is exclusively pizza. Each pie is available in different sizes,
depending on the your hunger-level or size of your party. Each pizza is made to order. I got the Margherita, a classic mix of
mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. The
crust is a little thinner than what I prefer, but it was still chewy and tasty.
The
interior is clean and spacious. The
seating area consist of rows of picnic tables, which works for couples or small
groups. There’s no wait staff, so food
and beverage need to be ordered independently at their specific counter. A buzzer will let you know when your food is
ready, so you can pick it up from the counter.
Overall, it is a nice place for a small group for go for an afternoon of
hanging out. Recommend to carpool, as
the parking in the area is extremely limited.
It’s worth going over to check it out.
Pluckers (IH-35, Round
Rock, TX) – August 2015
A
group of my friends gathered here, as three of them were having birthdays (and
two were club members). The wait for a
large table would’ve been long, but Pluckers did very well about getting two
tables next to each other as a way to get us seated quicker. We all got different things for our meals,
and our server was great at keeping track of who got what.
I
personally had the mozz sticks appetizer, and followed it with the Boneless
Basket. Everyone’s food came out great,
and there were no issues. And since we
got in between the lunch and dinner rushes, our orders came out within a
reasonable time.
One
thing I noticed on this visit, and I don’t know if this was a new thing or
specific to this location. Those who
were having the birthdays were given cones to put in their mouths in order to
simulate beaks. It was a fun addition to
the celebration. I’ve been a club member
for years, and cycle between three different locations, and have never seen
that done on any prior birthday dinner (mine included). But it was something which added a layer of
fun to the adult group I was with, and enhanced an already great experience.
Verts Kebap (Anderson
Lane, Austin, TX) – August 2015
I’d
never been to this location before, but I’d had a good experience at a
companion location, so when my friend couldn’t figure out where to have lunch,
I was able to suggest this with confidence.
One of the high marks for this was that we didn’t have to wait in line
for an hour in order to be even be seated (unlike a so-so burger place
nearby). The interior here was neat,
there was a nice mural on the wall to give it a “uniquely Austin” feel, and a
small patio for outside.
I got
the chicken salad, which was a great option for me as I try not to have
bready-things in my diet. The mix of
meat and veggies in a bowl could be eaten with a fork, in order to keep my
hands clean. My friend wasn’t as hungry,
and just went for the fries. He really
liked the atmosphere. Even when the
place was filled with people later on, it didn’t get that noisy.
There’s
a lot of parking in the plaza, but with so many businesses sharing it, it can
be tough to find a space. The selection
for dining choices are numerous on Anderson Lane, and a few here. This is one of the ones you should go,
especially if you’ve never been here before.
Game Plan (Freidrich
Lane, Austin, TX) – August 2015
When
the management team was looking for a place to do a team-builder function, this
came up as a good suggestion. Located in
an office park, the building doesn’t look like much from the outside, but the
interior was want counts here. Dozens of
arcade games (many from the classic 1980’s period) were available to play,
along with a pool table, air hockey, ping pong, and shuffleboard. A couple of additional side rooms contain
various console systems each connected to their own monitor in order to provide
a different style of gaming.
All
the games were set for “free-play,” so there was no need to carry a pocket-full
of quarters. The entrance fee paid
allows for the continuous use of the games.
The version of Gauntlet was on, but not set in playable mode. That, and the water fountains not working,
were my only quibbles.
We
were there in the early afternoon, so the team had the entire place to
ourselves. I can see how this would fill
up on the evenings, as the location was very accessible and there was plenty of
parking. No refreshments were available
on site, but arrangements could be made for large groups for items to be
brought in. It was a good venue, and one
which is worth returning to.
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