Howdy, y’all. On our Labor Day weekend trip to Austin, we were lucky enough to be hosted by Christian’s brother Devin, who showed us the sights, most of which were the inside of bars and restaurants. Before I went to Austin, I only had two goals: eat my body weight in Tex Mex and have a big ol’ Texas brisket. I’m glad to say I accomplished both goals and we had so much fun (maybe a little too much). If you want to learn more about all my food-related shenanigans over Labor Day weekend, keep on readin’.
Friday Night: Upscale Tex Mex and Bar Hopping
We arrived in Austin around 6:30 and we were ready to start eating (shocker). Christian’s brother took us to ATX Cocina, which serves modern Mexican fare. We started with small plates, then moved into the heavy hitters on the menu. Our first small plate was the crab tostada, which was specifically recommended to us by our server. The tomatillo salsa and cherry tomatoes added a bright acidity, which complemented the sweetness of the crab. It was a great appetizer because although it was light on your tummy, it was heavy on the flavor.
Our second small plate was the Campechana, which was basically a ceviche with shrimp, octopus, and salsa roja. It was similar to the crab tostada in its brightness and freshness, but the salsa roja gave it more of a smokiness and spicy after-burn.
We then finished off our meal with the patos locos tacos (crazy duck tacos). They were again specifically recommended to us by our server and he didn’t steer us wrong either time. The duck was tender, juicy, and the salsa verde cut right through the gamy richness. Every bite kept you coming back for more. If you’re looking for upscale Mexican food in Austin, I would definitely recommend checking out ATX Cocina.
Saturday: Day Drinkin’ and Bangin’ Brisket
After a night of bar hopping, we decided to keep the bad decisions going and do it all over again, this time during the day. We started at Container Bar, which was about as hipster of a place as it gets because the bar is completely made of old shipping containers. We had some mimosas there then headed to The Alibi to watch the football game. The Alibi was poppin’ during the day and they served up a delicious frozen Moscow Mule. I’ve never had a frozen Moscow Mule before, and if you haven’t either, I would recommend trying one. It was so refreshing in the hot Austin sun and the ginger flavor was just enough to make it pop.
When we got the drunchies, we knew our next move was to stuff as much barbecue into our bodies as humanly possible. We headed over to Terry Black’s Barbecue, which was everything I wanted it to be. You know Austinites are passionate about their barbecue because they are willing to stand in line all day to get it. I have to say, I’ve never had this much fun standing in line for something. You grab a beer as soon as you got in line, then the smell of the barbecue hits you and you get super excited for the meat sweats to come.
We ended up getting a giant beef rib, brisket (which they sliced to order), jalapeño cheddar sausage, and a bunch of sides. The crust on all the meat had a mix of spices that made it extra savory and added a crunch. The meat itself was juicy and fall off the bone tender. We effortlessly slid the bone right out of the beef rib without an ounce of meat remaining. We definitely got our barbecue fix at Terry Black’s and I will be back next time I’m in Austin.
Day 3: Margs and Enchiladas for Breakfast and Pontoon Boat Chillin’
On our third day, we were craving Tex-Mex again, so we headed over to Chuy’s. We were lucky enough to be in town while the Green Chile Festival was going on, so they had special sauces that we were pumped to try. I ended up getting chicken enchiladas with green chile sauce and it was rich, cheesy, and comforting. We also tried a green chile martini, which was savory, spicy, smoky, and definitely unique.
We spent the rest of the day chillin’ on a pontoon boat and soaking up the sun. We were going to fly out early the next day, but luckily our flight got delayed and we got to spend a few more hours exploring the city. We ate brunch at Jo’s Coffee and I got huevos rancheros, a cinnamon roll the size of my head, and an iced coffee drink (iced turbo) that saved my life.
After our recovery brunch, we scooted around on Lime Scooters, which were actually super fun, you just have to get over how ridiculous you look. We had a fantastic weekend in Austin and I hope we get back there soon!
Love this write Up! You have a wonderful life going for you…….