It is time for Good Bye feeds (again)

Aaron Franklin started out as a backyard master and slid right into professionalism when he set up his trailer. Smoked over oak, his delicious Angus brisket is tender, with a peppery crust and thick smoke ring. Pulled pork, pork spareribs, and medium-coarse peppery sausage round out the package.

– austinchronicle

How popular is this place? They started of as a food truck and moved into a brick and mortar place of their own a few months later. We had to wait in line for 30minutes when we arrived at 1130am. And the big sign that the place is open daily (except Monday) from 11am till sold out.

Minimalist interior, almost like a canteen but everyone was waiting patiently for their BBQ. Menus are sprawled across the walls in big hand written papers and samples of the drinks you could order was on display too. It was a overwhelming and mouth watering sight to see the server bringing out those thick greasy slabs of meat and carving it out per your weight request.

Ribs and sausage plate. I have always been a big fan of the most famous BBQ place in Central Texas, Saltlick but my bite into Franklin’s ribs, my heart wavered a bit. It was moist and soft and almost melted in my mouth and it was just so soft and tender that barely any sauce was needed.

Ribs and brisket (moist) plate. The moist brisket was another tasty piece of meat…..those fats dripping down the slits of your fingers….It was yummy…

Ribs and turkey plate, turkey was not my favorite but at least it was not dry.

Tipsy Texan sandwich was basically pulled pork (alot of meat) chopped, drained in sauce and packed between 2 pieces of bread.

Pecan Pie for dessert

Tried out Topo Chico, a Mexican sparkling mineral water

Farewell dinner at Odd Duck for more pork belly sliders!

We had other stuff ordered too.

The last major discovery before I left……Crispin Cider, with natural honey……Too tasty to be true.

Austin Randomess (5)

1 of the more popular (pretty decent) dim sum places and right in Austin Chinatown sqaure, Fortune Chinese Seafood Restaurant. It was fun watching the kids eating the dim while I catch up with mummy and daddy after so many years of not seeing each other.

My favorite Thai place in Austin, Madam’s Mam. Almost authentic Thai food choices.

Home cooked Easter brunch, with a Italian theme and lots of Minosa drinks mix. A fine time to say good bye and catch up on everyone

Finally, a decent bowl of pho…Vietnamese food tasted so much better in USA.

Austin Food Carts (4)

The name “Chi’Lantro” is derived from two, distinct, cultural staples: Kimchi + Cilantro. Chi’Lantro reinvents traditional Korean and Mexican cuisine, packing its clean, bold flavors in a traveling truck! Hybrid tacos, burritos, and bowls meld Korean tastes and tradition with Texas’ rich Hispanic culture at a recession-proof price

– Chi’lantro

You have to check their website on their changing locations daily across town and different opening hours. We managed to hunt 1 down 1 late night in downtown Austin after a late night out. It was the best supper I had for a very long time that I devoured a 2nd Korean Burger even though I just wanted a bite off the 1st one. Kimchi fries came a close second but nothing beats greasy bulgogi and cheesy burger on a cold night out.

Fabi & Rosi (Austin Restaurant Week)

Austin Restaurant Week is a celebration of dining in Austin and of Austin’s amazing Culinary Arts. Participants are given the opportunity to dine at the finest establishments throughout the city, ranging from $10 – $15 for lunch and $25 – $35 for dinner for a three-course pre-fixe menu.

– ARW

Owners Wolfgang, from Germany, and Cassie, a native Austinite, met on a family friend’s yacht in Mallorca Spain. The name came from Wolfgang’s nephew and niece, Fabio, 6 yrs old and Rosalie, 3 yrs old. He had planned on calling it “Fabio’s”, however in America that name has a different connotation, so Rosalie’s nick- name was added and both kids were very excited. The cuisine at Fabi + Rosi is classic European comfort food with a young and modern twist. Sustainability and sourcing local, seasonal, all-natural/ organic provisions is top priority in the kitchen. The interior, both warm and inviting, modern and crisp, was designed and installed by Cassie.

– Fabi+Rosi

In addition to the restaurant week menu, we had an extra order of Pork Belly salad: Hydroponic Bibb, spiced candies pecans, blue d’auvergne, apple lambic.

Arugula salad: overnight Tomatoes, shaved Parmesan

Baby octopus : Mirepoix, smoked Paprika oil

Zwiebelrostbraten: Wagyu sirloin, Grilled onions, German Potatoes

True Cod: Crispy oysters, Frisee

strawberry + Rhubarb Compote with basil ice Cream

belgian Chocolate Mousse with Vadouvan Chocolate bar

2011 Cherry Blossom Festival @Japan Town

The 44th Annual Northern California’s Annual Cherry Blossom Festival’s grand parade on the weekend I was in San Francisco – spotlighting traditional customs and culture that are part of the rich heritage of Japanese Americans. Japantown filled with exquisitely costumed performers and will echo with thunderous rhythms of huge taiko drums, ethereal strains of koto music, crackling of boards being splintered by martial artists, and the gentle sounds of tea ceremonies. And, wafting through and above this cultural banquet will be the delicious aromas emanating from the Festival’s community-sponsored food bazaar. Thousands of Japanese American performers and behind-the-scenes coordinators will take part in the celebration along with scores of participants who will be coming from Japan to join in staging the exhibits, demonstrations, and entertainments. Classical and folk dancers will perform both weekends. Experts in karate, kendo (a style of fencing with bamboo swords), aikido, and judo will demonstrate their skills, and collectors of samurai swords and armor will display their treasures.

– Japantown

Took almost 1.5 hours to find a parking spot! But the next 1.5 hours was quite fun to watch the parade that was filled with cute Japanese characters, cos-play characters and drum activities.

Alot of anime characters

Winners of some of the pageant

Interesting to see so many non-Japanese involved in the Japanese cultural activities.

Cherry Blossom queen winners

The grand finale, the float carrying and splashing of sake.

Hog Island Oyster Bar

“We were ‘The Oyster Mercenaries’ on a mission to grow great oysters and have fun doing it.”

– John Finger and Terry Sawyer, Hog Island Oyster Co.

Hog island oyster bar mix……6 different varieties of oyster but the winner was Hog island sweet water from Tomales Bay, the oyster that they farmed.

This is what I called REAL clam chowder made from scratch with Hog island manila clams vegetables, bacon, potatoes and cream.

Another famous offering from here is the grilled cheese sandwiches.

Opened in 1898 on the site of the 1875 wooden Ferry House, the Ferry Building became the transportation focal point for anyone arriving by train from the East, as well as from all the East Bay and Marin residents who worked in the city. From the Gold Rush until the 1930s, arrival by ferryboat became the only way travelers and commuters—except those coming from the Peninsula—could reach the city.

– Ferry Building

Sausalito

Anchorage 5 for brunch, a neighborhood restaurant.

You can see from the interior that it made me felt that I was transported back to the 70s, 80s USA that I remembered from TV series.

A good breakfast selection and Mexican food choices. I thoroughly enjoyed my crab meat benedict which was made of fresh crab meat topped with some cheese melt.

Sausalito is a San Francisco Bay Area city, located in Marin County, California, United States. Sausalito is located 8 miles (13 km) south-southeast of San Rafael, at an elevation of 13 feet (4 m). The name of Sausalito comes from Spanish sauzalito, meaning “small willow grove”, from sauce “willow” + collective derivative -al meaning “place of abundance” + diminutive suffix -ito; with orthographic corruption from z to s due to seseo. Due to its location at the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito receives a steady stream of visitors via the bridge (auto and bicycle traffic) and a ferry service from San Francisco. It retains one of the few ungated marinas in the Bay Area that attracts visitors.

– Wiki

Really nice place to walk around the full brunch.

Isn’t it a great view?