Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Trattoria Lisina Debuts Italian-Styled Spring Menu

Trattoria Lisina, located in the Texas Hill Country,  just rolled out their spring menu featuring Italian classics prepared with the finest ingredients.

Small, family owned restaurants pepper the Italian countryside, each offering a unique take on the regional cuisine. Recipes unchanged for generations, wine flowing freely- these casual, rustic eateries are filled with energy, alive with the sounds of friends and family- sharing food and becoming more animated as the night and the wine progress. These restaurants truly represent the soul of Italy. A sincere love of family, friends, food and wine are the hallmarks of the trattoria. Damian & Trina Mandola bring these ideals to the Texas Hill Country with Trattoria Lisina. We invite you to join us in Driftwood for a taste of Italy right in your own backyard. Sit back, relax, enjoy.



Items highlighted in yellow are new to the menu.

13308 FM 150 West • Driftwood, TX 78619
512.894.3111


Saturday, March 22, 2014

Downtown Jo's Coffee Offering "buy one burger, get one free"

Downtown Jo's Coffee is now offering "buy one burger, get one free", every Mondays from 4:00pm-Close. Nearly all burgers are only $10.00.


Jo's Hot Coffee and Good Food : 242 West Second Street : Austin, Texas 78701 : 512.469.9003

Bess Bistro Hosts Meet & Drink with Brewmaster Bert Van Hecke on April 1

Bess Bistro Hosts Meet & Drink with
Brewmaster Bert Van Hecke:
Guests to Enjoy Pints of Belgian Beer and Seasonal Fare by
Chef de Cuisine Roman Murphy



Bess Bistro, the cozy, underground neighborhood spot on West Sixth Street, will be hosting a unique Meet & Drink with Belgian Brewmaster Bert Van Hecke, founder of Belgian Original Malt (BOM) Bakery and Brewery. The event will feature specialty Belgian beers and a brew-centric four-course menu by Bess Bistro’s Chef de Cuisine Roman Murphy. Guests will imbibe in two pints of beer and nosh on French-Cajun fare, while learning about Van Hecke and his brewing techniques. Bess Bistro will host this special event ($29 per person) on their outdoor Terrace on April 1 at 6:30 pm.

The tasting event will highlight two specialty BOM brews: Triporteur from Heaven, a heavily hopped ale brewed using home-baked malt and Triporteur from Hell, an unfiltered dark beer brewed with hellish burned and roasted BOM malt with notes of chocolate, caramel, coffee and freshly baked bread. Guests will receive one pint of each beer to enjoy, compare, and contrast the flavors of both. Chef Roman Murphy will prepare a sumptuous four-course meal which includes a Beef Tartar Amuse Bouche; followed by Rock Shrimp Mini Po’Boys with remoulade, pickles, and slaw on a sweet roll; and an entrée of Beer Braised Wild Boar Ribs with herb polenta and caramelized onions and mushrooms. Guests will be treated to a decadent dessert of Triporteur Hell Chocolate Stout cake with Triporteur Heaven Caramel and topped with pistachio ice cream.

BOM brewery uses traditional malting methods to create their own beer recipes. They bake the malt at low or high temperatures to make the malt smooth and light or darker and more intense. According to the BOM website, Van Hecke started as a home brewer and learned the tricks of the trade in the breweries of Orbal and Rodenbach. He creates individual recipes for each beer, and goes through the whole brewing process himself, from A to Z.

Seating for this one-of-a-kind beer tasting and pairing on Bess Bistro’s Terrace is limited and guests are asked to reserve their seat by calling 512.477.2377.

Located at 500 W 6th St., Bess Bistro is one of Austin’s most inviting spaces in the heart of West Sixth Street. For more information and hours, call 512.477.2377 or go to bessbistro.com.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Benji's Cantina: Now Serving Lunch Six Days a Week

Benji’s Cantina Opens for Lunch Service Six Days a Week:
Lunch Menu Includes Lighter-Fare Options,
Savory Torta Sandwiches and Signature Fajitas    


Celebrated for its innovative approach to chef inspired Tex-Mex cuisine, as well as its extensive cocktail and spirits offerings, Benji’s Cantina is now open for lunch service, featuring a distinctive lunchtime menu every Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in a convenient and lively downtown Austin location. While all items on Benji’s sizable bar and cocktail menu will be available during lunch service, the newly developed lunch menu includes many unique lighter-fare lunch dishes, as well as a few Benji’s standards that have become Austin favorites.

Benji’s lunchtime appetizer, soup and salad selections include the classic Tortilla Soup ($7); Caesar Salad ($8; add chicken, $13; add shrimp, $16), comprised of fresh baby romaine, Vella dry jack cheese, hominy croutons and a smoked chili dressing; the Chopped Salad ($8; add chicken, $13; add shrimp, $16), a vibrant mix of assorted greens, tomato, chickpeas, pepitas, corn, cilantro, avocado and queso fresco served with a toasted cumin vinaigrette; the Chili Rubbed Salmon Salad ($14) served with watercress, baby spinach, roasted corn, pepitas, heirloom cherry tomatoes and a honey chipotle dressing; and the Tomato Crab Salad ($10), sliced heirloom tomatoes served with lump crab meat, avocado and cilantro sprouts in a chili lime vinaigrette.

Benji’s flavorful lunchtime tortas, or sandwiches, include the savory Torta Carnitas ($11), pork carnitas, refried black beans, avocado, tomato, smoked chili mayo and fresh greens served on a bolillo roll; the Torta Oyster ($12), a seductive combo of crispy oysters, mixed greens, jalapeno-basil aioli, cilantro and heirloom cherry tomatoes; the Torta Pollo ($11), chicken tinga, refried black beans, avocado, tomato, smoked chili mayo and fresh greens served on a bolillo roll; and the indulgent Texas Melt ($14), braised short rib, caramelized onions, roasted poblanos and smoked cheddar served with an ancho au jus.

Entrées on the lunchtime menu include Benji’s famous signature fajitas with grilled beef (1/4 pound, $16; 1/2 pound, $22; 1 pound, $40), grilled chicken (1/4 pound, $14; 1/2 pound, $28; 1 pound, $30) or grilled shrimp (1/4 pound, $15; 1/2 pound, $20; 1 pound, $37), as well as the Senorita Fajita Plate ($15) with beef or chicken, all served in a sizzling anafre alongside fresh guacamole, pico de gallo, cheese and sour cream. Benji’s Enchiladas ($14) are stacked with a choice of seasoned tenderloin, pulled chicken, pork or crab and shrimp, and served with a choice of sauces, including rojo, verde, mole or rojo caliente, alongside Rancho Gordo charro beans and Mexican rice. The Pollo entrée ($16) includes a grilled chicken breast, roasted corn, avocado, jalapenos, cilantro and heirloom tomatoes. Benji’s lunchtime menu will also feature a rotating Wood Fired Market Fish daily special ($17).

Benji’s decadent lunchtime desserts ($5) include flan, chocolate mousse and key lime pie.    

Daily lunch will be served in Benji’s downstairs festive bar and lounge, which includes ample seating at community tables that face a bustling West Sixth Street scene, great for people-watching and lunchtime conversation.  

Benji’s Cantina is located at 716 W. Sixth St., in downtown Austin. Benji’s is open for lunch service Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and for dinner service from 4 to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 4 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Benji’s also offers Sunday brunch service from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information about Benji’s new lunch service, visit www.BenjisCantina.com.

Second Annual Children's Picnic and Real Food Fair

Second Annual Children’s Picnic and Real Food Fair: A Free Celebration of Farmers, Gardening, Cooking and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Campaign


The second annual Children's Picnic and Real Food Fair will be held March 30, from 1 to 5 p.m., on the grounds of the historic French Legation Museum, 802 San Marcos Street. The free event, which celebrates First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! Initiative, invites families to pack a picnic, grow a garden, meet farmers and local food vendors, and enjoy cooking demos, music and much more.

“Our Children's Picnic and Real Food Fair is a unique opportunity for the whole family to enjoy connecting to our local food community. The French Legation Museum grounds are a beautiful treasure and we are so happy to have them hosting this event again this year.  Along with all the favorites from last year, we'll have lots of surprises and new activities this year!” said Marla Camp, publisher of Edible Austin magazine and co-organizer of the event.

Some of the exciting 2014 Children’s Picnic activities include:

  • Featured speaker 9-year-old BeeSweet Lemonade entrepreneur Mikaila Ulmer
  • Funmi & Friends Healthy Eating Children’s Puppet Show
  • Craft, movement and music activities from The Thinkery, Austin’s new Children’s Museum
  • Painting rainwater collection barrels activity by Whole Foods Market's Garden Grants to Schools program

 Testimonials from last year’s guests:
Just wanted to write to thank you all for putting on one of the best children’s events I've been to while living here in Austin for the past 8 years.
-- Deirdre O’Connor

That was such a lovely community event -- really friendly, knowledgeable vendors; yummy food; good music and such fun to see all the little kids running around and dancing…I hope there will be another soon!
-- Patty Gettelman

The Children's Picnic and Real Food Fair is co-presented by Edible Austin magazine, Toni Tipton-Martin's SANDE Youth Project, the French Legation Museum and Whole Foods Market.

For more details, visit edibleaustin.com/childrenspicnic.