destination eats
worth the detour
I was in Austin last August — terrible time for a conference where attendees are in business attire — when my friend and I stumbled into a taqueria in an alleyway. Either because of the heat, or out of sheer laziness, we couldn’t bring ourselves to walk much further than a block or two past the conference hotel. So we took a risk on the first place that showed up on Google Maps, putting our faith in its high star rating despite the general disappointment that comes from restaurants in the blast radius of a city’s convention center.
There, we found some of the best tacos I have ever had. Over the course of the four days we were at the conference, I’m pretty sure I went there at least three times, always bringing a new assortment of friends with me. My expense reports were mostly these tacos. I wondered if my boss would notice. If she did, she didn’t say anything.
When I came back for Austin City Limits later that year, I drunkenly convinced my partner to make a stop there, even though we had eaten tacos for dinner and I was the only one who was hungry enough for more. When my conference friends have gone to Austin since, they’ve returned to the alleyway taqueria as well. And when I was here again this past weekend, stopping through on the way to a friend’s wedding in the Texas Hill Country, I knew I had to make the detour.
In a lot of places, some like Austin where I’ve never lived and could never see myself living, I still am drawn to making lists of restaurants to fall in love with and return to again and again. The exact sequence of events — of passing through a new city, of eating something so good that you can only have while you’re there, and then finding yourself in that place again — delights me each time, even as the fear of impossibly high expectations and very possible disappointment loom over the endeavor. Will I ever get tired of this? Will it be as good as the first time? The second? Will I ever find myself here again? I feel grateful for each time that I do return.
This past weekend, I took my partner on a tour of the restaurants I had added to my list from that first work trip, the ones we weren’t able to try when we were in town for the music festival with other friends. I watched anxiously as he took bites of those alleyway tacos and Egyptian barbecue and New Zealand ice cream around the city. I pestered him about whether he liked each new place, and he tried his best to satisfy my desire for more and more details.
We drove out of Austin and through the hills, rode a mechanical bull at my friend’s wedding welcome party, and wandered into San Marcos for breakfast the next day. Once again, I studied the various star ratings on Google Maps before settling on place that seemed to have opened recently. It didn’t have as many reviews, but the ones that were on there were glowing. We took a chance, hoping it would shine. From my first bite into the bright red, hand-pressed corn tortillas, perfectly soft yet structurally sound enough for the eggs and chorizo piled high, I knew it would be going on my list.
xx,
Annie
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texas tastes
I’m not sure when or if I’ll be in Austin again in the near future, but these are the meals I’m most looking forward to upon my return. As much as the heat tested me every minute I was there and not swimming in Barton Springs, I’ve loved the city’s quirks and its incredible food.
Taqueria de 10 — The one and only alleyway taco, though I saw a second location pop up on maps! Loved the al pastor, definitely try a quesadilla, and don’t skimp on the salsas. It’s really a 10 out of 10.
KG BBQ — A friend found this Egyptian barbecue spot before the pit-master was on Netflix’s Barbecue Showdown, which is a fun watch. We went in a big group and ordered nearly everything off the menu, all of which was fantastic. I’m famously a snob about potato salad, and the pink buttermilk version here is not to be missed. The sauces are heavy on pomegranate and other Egyptian flavors, which lends such a unique flavor to the meats.
Zed’s Real Fruit Ice Cream — It’s supposed to be New Zealand-style ice cream, but I once asked my friend who from New Zealand about it and she said it was all new to her. Either way, a super refreshing treat made of soft-serve ice cream, which I’m partial to, with real fruit blended in. I’ve yet to see it anywhere else I’ve been.
Patos The Taco Shop — Some of the best breakfast tacos ever??? I really don’t know if I’ll ever be back in San Marcos, Texas again, but if any of you ever are, please try it and report back. I’ll live vicariously through you.