Restaurant recommendations

Good afternoon, gals! There’s still 9 hours left of Galentine’s Day (only the best day of the year), and if you haven’t already gotten your fair share of waffles, here are some places open late in Austin that serve breakfast all day:

1. Brunch Haus

1720 Barton Springs Rd. Open 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

a_MG_2293_1400 — The food truck takes a classic dish, Chicken n Waffles, and puts their own spin on it by drizzling it all with ginger clove lemongrass syrup. Photo via Brunch Haus

A food truck dedicated to brunch food, Brunch Haus opened in 2012 and has been serving breakfast-y classics ever since. The Chicken n Waffles is the perfect way to honor Leslie Knope’s dedication to waffles, and still get your protein for the day. And with only one dollar sign on Yelp and four and a half stars, this place is both delicious and affordable.

2. Magnolia Cafe

Magnolia West: 2304 Lake Austin Blvd. Open 24 hours.
Magnolia East: 1920 S. Congress Ave. Open 24 hours.

Matthew Odam, American-Statesman, June 2012. -- Eggs zapatino with bacon and a short stack of gingerbread-blueberry pancakes at Magnolia Cafe on South Congress Avenue. For 062912 real hood eats. — Eggs zapatino with bacon and a short stack of gingerbread-blueberry pancakes at Magnolia Cafe on South Congress Avenue. Photo by Matthew Odam

Open 24 hours at both locations, the restaurant has a solid breakfast menu with 13 different omelettes and four different breakfast tacos. While waffles are not on the menu, the pancakes are HUGE, and are made from gingerbread, buttermilk, whole wheat and cornmeal.

3. Blue Dahlia Bistro

1115 E. 11th St. Open 9 a.m. – 10 p.m.

The Blue Dahlia Bistro in East Austin. Photo by: Tammy Perez Date: 5/8/2008 — The Blue Dahlia Bistro in East Austin. Photo by: Tammy Perez.

The restaurant’s organic egg frittata served with bread and mesclun greens with pesto changes every day, ranging from vegetarian options to must-have bacon frittatas. The breakfast menu, served all day, also has classic breakfast options, such as yogurt, oatmeal and croissants. More importantly, in honor of Galentine’s Day, Blue Dahlia also has Belgian waffles served with fresh berries.

4. Bacon

900 W 10th St. Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

12376080_966924730041287_2134275857768408390_n — Bacon’s bacon waffle, topped with sliced bananas. Photo via Bacon/Facebook

While the restaurant only has eight breakfast items total, two of them are waffles–classic chicken and waffles and bacon waffles, which is bacon cooked INTO A WAFFLE. Ron Swanson would be pleased. The French toast sounds pretty good too; made from Texas toast dipped in vanilla batter, it’s also served with Bacon. This place has a clear theme.

5. Kerbey Lane Cafe

Central location: 3704 Kerbey Lane
South Lamar location: 3003 South Lamar Blvd.
University location: 2606 Guadalupe St.

fb1b5ee44e32fc4eae62c17bd7b920282c855757 — Breakfast platter from Kerbey Lane. Photo via Kerbey Lane.

Among the seven Kerbey Lane Cafes in the Austin area, only two are not open 24/7. The restaurant is most well-known for their pancakes, and the semi-recent move to give customers the option to “cinnamon roll” pancakes was pretty brilliant. Right now the “featured” pancakes are a beignet cinnamon roll pancake, and a gluten-free coco banana. Even though Kerbey doesn’t sell pancakes, you can also buy their pancake mix and pop it in your waffle iron at home. (It’s delicious.)

La Barbecue tray. (Credit: Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Austin-based writer and artist Austin Kleon caught my attention when he mentioned me in a reply on Twitter. One of his Twitter followers (let’s call them friends) is visiting Austin and expressed an interest in sampling our barbecue and Mexican food. As for fine dining, she already had reservations for Uchi, which I would recommend to any first-time visitor (there and/or Barley Swine).

So, let’s turn our attention toward barbecue and Mexican food, the two things for which the city is probably now best known. Since this was originally written for an out-of-towner, most of choices are centrally located.

For barbecue, the brisket at Franklin Barbecue has few equals, but the line can take a huge bite out of your day, and if your time is limited, you may want to go with other options. In that case I’d recommend going to La Barbecue for brisket, and the cayenne and tumeric sting of spicy hot-guts sausage made with beef liver, beef heart, ground brisket and fatty brisket trimmings. Also of note: the best pulled pork in town.

If you want a taste of the hot-and-fast (relatively) treatment of brisket, go attack the peppery bark surrounding John Mueller’s brisket and beef rib at J. Mueller Meat Co. on East Sixth Street. As an added bonus: you get to experience a truly colorful Texas character with a lineage in Central Texas barbecue that goes back to his grandfather, the legendary Louie Mueller of Taylor.

For more sausage, head to the Micklethwait Craft Meats trailer for a rotating selection of encased meats that one day may feature pork-and-beef kielbasa seasoned with garlic, mustard and mace and a fierce pork jalapeno sausage the next. (Also: Make sure you try dessert.) If it’s fowl you’re after, go get the bronzed barbecue chicken from Brown’s BBQ on South Lamar. And, Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ can take care of both cuisines at once. Their chopped smoked brisket taco, served on a bubbled tortilla that balances fluff and crunch, comes dressed with a serrano-tinged red salsa and a smooth dollop of guacamole. Best of both worlds. If you want to get out of the elements, grab a nice cocktail, some excellent brisket and catch a glimpse of the University of Texas, hit Freedmen’s.

For my top 10 barbecue spots in Austin from last year, check out this video or austin360.com/barbecue.

Cochinita pibil at El Naranjo (Credit: Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Mexican food (and Tex-Mex), we could talk for hours here.

South Austin

Al pastor tacos from the tiny El Primo trailer on South First Street … no frills, no ambiance, lots of friendliness and flavor.

Cochinita pibil and an avocado margarita at Curra’s Grill in South.

Shrimp fajitas and a great salsa bar at Polvo’s.

Chicken mole and guacamole at El Borrego de Oro on South Congress Avenue.

Downtown

Interior classics like chile poblano relleno de picadillo Oaxaqueno from Mexican chef Iliana de la Vega at the handsome El Naranjo in the Rainey Street district.

Tuna toastadas, ceviche and arabicos tacos at La Condesa.

East Austin

The best migas taco in town from Veracruz All-Natural trailer on East Cesar Chavez Street.

Pescado empapelado at La Catedral de Marisco on East Cesar Chavez Street.

Quesadilla with huitlacoche and huarache Maria at Licha’s Cantina.

Central Austin

Brunch at the legendary Fonda San Miguel.

Multiple locations

Akaushi picadillo and papadulce tacos at Taco Deli.

Puerco en pipian and rajas y hongos at Papalote.

The deck at Perla's on South Congress Avenue. (Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN) — The deck at Perla’s on South Congress Avenue. (Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

And … I think she mentioned something about drinking alcoholic beverages outdoors.

Craft cocktails and cold beer at Ranch-style restaurant Contigo in East Austin.

Craft cocktails and cold beer at Whisler’s in East Austin (maybe after a bite at Licha’s Cantina).

Wine on the back lawn at the Four Seasons downtown.

Craft cocktails at Half Step on Rainey Street (maybe after a visit to El Naranjo).

Mescal-based cocktail at Licha’s Cantina (maybe before or after or during dinner there).

The outdoor seating area of the elegant Bar Congress for great cocktails and people watching.

A cold drink of your choice on the patio at Perla’s, great for Congress Avenue people watching.

House-brewed beers at ABGB off Oltorf Street.

Craft cocktails at Wonderland in East Austin.

The classic margarita at La Condesa (with those tuna toastadas and ceviche).

All of the beers at Draught House.

Anything on the balcony of the Intercontinental Stephen F. Austin Hotel on Congress Avenue.

Category: Restaurant recommendations

Galentine’s Day calls for breakfast for every meal

A quick guide to Austin Mexican food, barbecue and drinking outdoors