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Closings
Going
Strong
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Openings
Heard
on the Street
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Transitions
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At Schlotzsky's..what's
your favorootsky?
Since 9-11, many upscale restaurants have
taken a hit. But the medium priced comfort food concept spots have
done just fine. Schlotzsky's, truly an Austin original now known
the world over, is a good example of that. Went to their "superstore"
on S. Lamar near Riverside for lunch the other day, spent $5.95
and had the original sandwich, chips, and a diet coke. The bread
was fresh, the sandwich very tasty, and even though the place was
packed, I got my lunch in about 3.5 minutes. On my next visit, I
tried the pastrami sandwich and it was excellent. And again, the
place was packed.
This superstore, where Schlotszky's actually brings in franchisees
for training, also boasts a bakery where delicious breads and pastries
abound. You can buy a latte cheaper than at Starbucks, log on to
an I-Mac computer and surf the NET, buy a bottle of wine, or just
make like an original Austinite, kick back, and watch the people
come and go.
The original Schlotzsky's store dates back to 1971, the year the
ORIGINAL sandwich [and only one at that time] was introduced. Inspired
by the famous New Orleans Muffuletta, the ORIGINAL developed a cult
following of UT students. [It still accounts for almost 40% of Schlotzsky's
sales today].
Since then, Schlotzsky's, under the stewardship of John Wooley,
has gone public, added more than 600 stores around the U.S. and
the world, many new sandwiches, and yes, even Pizza!
But despite its size, this Austin superstore retains its feel, and
the attitude is decidedly Austintatious.
I criticized Schlotzsky several years ago for diluting their product
line. I was fiercely loyal to the ORIGINAL and was miffed about
all the new stuff. But I'll tell you what, after finally breaking
down and trying some of that new stuff, it's pretty damn good.
So head down to S. Lamar, bring the kids, and have a meal at Schlotzsky's.
Have a piece of Key Lime pie for dessert or bring home a loaf of
bread. The place just feels right.
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Economic Slowdown Helping Restaurants
The nation's financial woes have a silver
lining for the restaurant industry. Many chains and individually
owned places have had a much easier time hiring help over the past
several months. Z-Tejas, the popular Austin eatery, recently opened
up stores in Dallas and Costa Mesa, CA without, for the first time
in a long while, any major staffing problems. It seems that now
that the dot-com craze has cratered, many young would be zillionaires
are turning to the food business. Life is indeed funny.
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| Emelia's
Has No Plans to Close
Contrary to what you may have heard, one
of the crown jewels in our dining firmament, Emelia's, has not plans
to close. Owner Dennis Tracey says the restaurant is his passion,
and he will indulge that passion. Good for him. And good for us.
Chef Will Packwood rocks the house. His foie gras al torchon [the
recipe appeared in this column several months ago] rocks the house!
They also have the city's largest and certainly one of the top wine
selections.
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| Jean
Pierre's
Jean Pierre's, however, has closed. That
is irrefutable. However, Jean Pierre, indomitable restauranteur
that he is, has a new concept in Oak Hill called the Y-Bar and Grill.
The theme here is upscale-family friendly. Hmmmm. Should be interesting.
Call 394-0220.
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| Eddie
V's Adds Another
Popular downtown seafood bistro Eddie V's
has added a second location, same menu, 9400-B, Arboretum Boulevard
[former home of Brio]. Went to a tasting pre party there the other
night and the food was excellent. One minor omission: no drawn butter
for the deep fried lobster tail. But I'm told that they've already
fixed that. Phone is 342-2642.
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| Roy's
Austin Opens Downtown Next to Flemings
Master chef Roy Yamaguchi opened his 30th
"Roy's" in Austin on November 19th. The innovator of the
Hawaiian-fusion concept, Roy has captured food fans across the country
with his bold and original seafood and meat dishes. Whoever said
that Roy's was like an upscale Trader Vic's though, was dead wrong.
Roy's is a million light years past Trader Vic's. The restaurant
is striking and quite large by Austin standards, seating 254. Look
for Rob's formal review in the next couple of weeks. Call 391-1500
for reservations.
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Main
St. Grill in Round Rock
For those of you who worry that Round
Rock will become a city entirely composed of chain restaurants,
worry no more. The Main St. Grill is alive and well and independently
owned and operated. While I have not yet made it there personally,
I've received an avalanche of e-mails from satisfied patrons. I
drove by it the other night while trying to find Round Rock High
School and it looks charming. We'll be reviewing it soon. 244-7525.
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Paggi
House
One of Austin's little jewels, the Paggi
House (pronounced Pah-djee) is perhaps THE in spot for lunch among
the cognescenti of Austin. (At Riverside and S. Lamar.) Proprieter
Thomas Fleisner serves a clientel so loyal and devoted to Paggi
cuisine that most don't even need a menu. Heck, many of the most
popular dishes aren't even on the menu. (When they're available,
try the fried oysters. Unbelievable.) If you haven't checked out
the Paggi House lately, do yourself a favor and do it soon. 478-1121.
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Juan
in a Million
You want to leave a restaurant with a smile
on your face? Try Juan in a Million on E. Cesar Chavez (1st St.).
The owner, Juan Meza, offers up very good TEX-MEX (the Mexican breakfasts
are a treat) and an infectious enthusiasm that invariably sends
you off smiling. Open for breakfast and lunch. Call 472-3872. Open
from 7AM to 3PM Monday thru Sunday.
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Wine
of the Month
Our wine of the
month is a Grapevine Market Merlot. That's right, a Grapevine Market
original. Soft with black fruits, nice balance, not over-oaked.
At $7.99, a steal. It holds its own with $15 merlots. For more information
call Grapevine Market at 323-5900.
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Results of the Chinese
Restaurant Poll
The results of our Chinese Restaurant Poll
are in with 304 total votes:
Chinatown Mopac was the winner with
27% of the vote.
PF Chang's came in second with 19%.
And Suzi's Chinese Kitchen captured 10% of the vote.
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Question
of the Month
This month's question comes from Jesse Rodriguez
of Austin. He writes:
Rob, I've read a lot lately about
tipping. I always try to tip based on the personality and service
of the wait person. I don't downgrade his tip for things he can't
control. If the food's running slow from the kitchen, that's not
his fault.
From your experience, is Austin a city of big tippers? And what's
your take on the quality of service in town?
Thanks for the question Jesse. Many waiters
that I speak to say that Austinites, on average, are generous, but
not fabulously generous tippers. The average tip in this town for
really good service appears to run about 20-25%. Of course, there
are those who exceed that amount.
But there are many who tip less than the average. Many complaints
come from folks who work at less pricey establishments. Their gripe:
some people lower the amount they'll tip for good service based
on the pricyness of the establishment. A waitress in a coffee shop
may only get 10-15% because of the smaller check size.
Regarding my take on quality of service,
there are very few wait people in Austin who actually make the job
a career. Probably less than ten in the entire city. So we deal
with many wait people who are part timers and that can produce mixed
results, particularly when the restaurant does not provide adequate
training.
My biggest personal gripes:
- Don't make me track you down to fill
my water glass.
- Waiters who are not very familiar with
the menu…and how the dishes are prepared.
- Waiters who haven't tasted the dish you're
considering [this is the restaurant's fault; all waiters should
be allowed to taste every dish. In fact, this should be mandatory]
- Waiters who go out of their way to be
smart asses. [You know the type]
- Waiters who can't read a table. You're
in the middle of an intense discussion and the waiter bounds in
and says, "Well, are we ready for desert?"
- Your meal is over, the last cup of coffee
is consumed, and your formerly attentive waiter disappears and
you have to wait 20 minutes for the check.
All in all, however, I'd say the quality
of service in Austin is as good or better than for comparable cities
of our size. We're not Boston, New York, San Francisco, or New Orleans.
But thank God, we're a whole lot better than Lubbock or El Paso.
If you have a question for Rob, click here.
If your question is chosen, you will receive a free dinner for two
at one of Austin's leading restaurants.
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