Andiamo

Andiamo

A part of our stated mission here at the Austin Food Junkies is to bring you best of little guys in town. You know the places I'm talking about: the little out of the way neighborhood type places, the hidden gems that you can't wait to tell everyone about. The kind of place that while not run by some well-known culinary superstar in the trendiest locale is still deserving of high praise and accolades. Bearing all of that in mind I present to you Adiamo Ristorante, or just Andiamo for short. When viewed solely from the outside Andiamo is not what you might expect. It is set in a little shopping center at the corner of Burnet and Rutland. I used to work around the corner for a major computer company so I knew the area and actually did a bit of a double take when got there. It's just not the sort of place that you'd expect in that area. Needless to say I was very pleasantly surprised.

When I first walked in the first thing I noticed was the overall cozy atmosphere. It just felt like a welcoming establishment, the kind of place that is ok with patrons staying for a bit instead of the usual “turn 'em and burn 'em” approach you tend to get at most major restaurants. I had a chance to chat with the owner, Daniela Marcone, and found her to be very pleasant passionate about what she does, a very genuine person who provides absolutely top-notch food. Her attitude extends to her entire staff as well. The service was excellent and the staff seemed to know all about each of the items we ordered. Speaking of the items we ordered let’s get to the review!!

To start we decided on the Salsiccia Della Casa (house sausage). We were told that this item is a favorite for customers and it was easy enough to understand why. It is fresh sausage that has been pan fried just long enough to warm it through and develop a bit of a crust, AKA Flavor Country. The sausage is also served with lightly pickled peppers. 

Insalata di Finocchio

Next up was the Insalata di Finocchio. It is served with a bit of fresh fennel sprigs, shaved fennel root, goat cheese, and white truffle oil. The goat cheese was a nice, creamy foil to the rest of the dish. I'd order this one again in a heartbeat. 

Pollo Saltinbocca

For our main courses my daughter chose the Pollo Saltinbocca and I 

chose the the Trota Ripiena.The Saltinbocca is a flattened chicken breast with pancetta and fontina cheese and served in a burgundy sauce with pan fried potatoes and wilted spinach. Everything on this plate was delicious. The chicken breast was moist and tender, the cheese added a nice note and the pancetta is bacon. Wonderful Italian bacon, what could be better than that? 

Trota

The Trota is a stuffed rainbow trout. I was expecting to get a nice filet of trout with some herbs on top, but I was presented with far more than that. It is in fact nearly the entire trout, minus the head and tail, boned, and stuffed with a wonderful mix of herbs and spices. I haven't had trout in years and this brought me back to my youth. Days spent at grandma’s in Utah pulling trout out of the river and grilling them up, or the time my dad and I went to Flathead Lake in Montana and I pulled 30 inch steelhead out of the lake.....In addition to the memories I was also treated to some of the best cooked fish I have ever had. 

Bread

As well as some great appetizers and main courses we also had some of the best bread I have ever had. Ever. EVER.....Perfectly baked until soft and moist, what really set the bread apart was the generous amount of spinach and cheese baked into it. They do also sell the bread by the loaf, so I think I will be stopping by to pick up a loaf or two. Or three......

Daniela, we had a fantastic time and your establishment comes very highly recommended from the Austin Food Junkies! 

Official AFJ rating- 5 Points of the Lone Star!   

Andiamo

2521 Rutland Dr.

Austin, TX 78758

512-719-3377

Dolce Neve

Dolce Neve Crew

We have all heard the old children's rhyme: "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream." Ice cream is one of those quintessential treats that all kids love. Heck, most if not all adults love the stuff too. And why not? The truth is that like pizza even bad ice cream is still pretty good. It's cold, sweet, and brings us back to a simpler time. I'll bet most of you are probably smiling fondly as read this, thinking of days gone by..... While we may even be able to enjoy less than stellar ice cream it is always worth the drive and money to get the best, most indulgent ice cream we can find. Friends, I may have found the best anywhere, not just Austin. Where is this magical place of whimsy, wonder, smiles, and all things frozen?

The Answer my lovelies, is Dolce Neve (pronounced Dole-chay Nevay) gelato on South 1st street. I know I've been talking about ice cream and here I mention gelato. The way I see it both are part of the same family of dairy based frozen confections, along with Indian Kulfi. The differences are few and you still end up with a tasty frozen treat that happens to be lower in calories than traditional ice cream. You might think of gelato then, as ice cream's prettier Italian cousin. I'd take her on a date any time! I'd get into a full discussion of the differences between the two but I don't have the space to do so. Also it's just not that important.

Opened in January 2014 by Italian transplants Francesca, Leo, and Marco, Dolce Neve offers some of the best frozen goodies you'll find anywhere. They source everything as locally as possible, including the decor. Just get them talking and you will quickly see their passion for their craft. Francesca, as it turns out, learned the craft at Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna Italy. That's right, Ice Cream University. It actually exists. Her training and dedication to the craft really show! Each of these good folks can easily tell you what goes into each of their gelatos, but that may be because there aren't that many ingredients start with. Only naturally ingredients, no chemical preservatives or stabilizers. Just good, natural stuff.

Here is a quick look at what we were able to sample-

Parmagiano Reggiano- This one is savory, and one of my favorites. It is totally unexpected. Imagine the richest, creamiest parmagiano cheese you've ever had and then freeze it.

Goat cheese- This one took my daughters by surprise. They were expecting the tangy in your face flavor of feta cheese but instead got a sweet, rich gelato. It reminded us of cheese cake. It was the girls' favorite.

Pistachio- If you are a fan of pistachio ice cream, as I am, then you owe it to yourself to try this flavor. Fresh roasted, all natural pistachios.

In addition to the gelatos they also have some other hand crafted frozen treats. We didn't sample any of them but they looked absolutely fantastic. And what could go better with your cup of frozen goodness than a hot cup of steaming espresso goodness? They also have a beast of an espresso machine imported from Italy, stocked with locally roasted beans, and powered by the gods of all things caffeinated! And it's just begging to make you a cup, so why not grab some on your visit. And you know you'll be there.

Nostalgia, great treats, and feeling of doing something socially responsible. Can there be anything better?

Official AFJ rating- 5 points of Lone Star! We'd give more if could.

Olive & June

Olive and June

Hey there food fanatics! If you are at all in touch with the soft, and delightfully overfed underbelly of Austin, which is to say its food scene then you are doubtlessly acquainted with Chef Shawn Cirkiel. Chef Cirkiel is the proprietor of both Parkside and the Backspace, and now his newest restaurant Olive and June. We were recently treated to a night at Olive and June and had quite a night.

Olive and June is located just off of 35th on Glenview Ave, and serves up some fantastic Italian fare. It's a lovely location with a equally lovely interior consisting of three floors and outside deck seating. We were ushered up to the second floor and given a small table (it was just the two of us after all) near the middle of the room which afforded us the opportunity to observe the rest of the guests and the staff. As one would expect the staff was very friendly eager to assist.

Appetizers

We started with the fried ravioli, and the suppli which is fried saffron risotto and mozzarella. These are now easily two my favorite things. I love ravioli, risotto and most things fried. So when you take two of my favorite things and fry them, you have created a winning dish in my book. The next time I come back I will start with both of these. Also pictured is the Tuna Crudo

Escarole

Next up was the salad, we opted for the escarole. This is served with pancetta and a fried egg. All I had to see was that it came with a fried egg, and the deal was sealed for me. How can you not love a food that makes its own sauce? Our waitress also suggested the pickled beets. If you are a lover of beets, then these are worth a try. An excellent recommendation on the part of our waitress.


We also had the grilled swordfish and the short rib papparedelle. The papparedelle was good, but the real standout for us was the swordfish. This was easily one of the best pieces of fish I've had in a long time. Perfectly cooked and nicely accompanied with lemon, pistachio, capers and mint. This will probably be my go to entree.

Bombolini

To finish we decided on the chocolate zabaglione, but were also given the bombolini (it was the soft opening event after all).  The zabaglione was fantastic and so rich I was glad to have help finishing it. The bombolini were also delicious. Little Tuscan doughnuts served atop house made nutella, with candied orange zest, and orange mascarpone. We washed it all down with a very nice cappuccino.

Ordinarily, we don't feel it's fair to rate a new restaurant based on a soft opening event. After all, the whole point of an event like this is to help work out some of the kinks. But we were able to sample enough of the menu that I feel I can confidently give a rating to Olive and June. And Chef, if you happen to read this please give our complements not only to the kitchen but to the front of the house as well. Customer service is a huge part of an evening out and your wait staff seems to have it down.

Official AFJ rating- 4 Points of the Lone Star.

Four Lone Star Points

Regal Ravioli

Regal Ravioli

 This week's review takes us to one of my favorites of the basic food groups- ravioli. Ravioli for me bring up some rather nostalgic feelings. I remember fondly the sound of the can opener and wet plop as the "ravioli" came squishing out of the can in a single, amorphous mass. It was terrible. An unclassifiable sauce, unidentifiable and almost flavorless filling, and the pasta was way too soft from sitting in the mystery liquid that was passed off as a sauce. And I loved it. I don't know why. It was bad and I knew it. And honestly, every few years I find myself craving some Chef What's-his-Name brand "ravioli." I love ravioli, even the crappy stuff, so imagine my delight at discovering Regal Ravioli. Ravioli from a can this is not. Their Pasta is made fresh daily, and the ravioli are made to order. Here how it works- you pick out which of the fillings you want in your ravioli and a sauce to go with it. There are six of each so there are plenty of combinations. Here's what Dave and I have tried so far-

Spinach Gorgonzola and Lamb

 Spinach and Gorgonzola ravioli with the Lamb Bolognese. I had this the first time I went out. This combination has everything I like. The nice sharp funk from the cheese and the sharp gaminess of the lamb. All brought together with a nice tomato sauce with prosciutto. Fans of these two foods will surely love this combo.

Sausage and Fontina Veloute

Sausage ravioli with a fontina veloute sauce. Made with spicy Italian sausage, roasted bell pepper, with ricotta and mozzarella and smothered in a fresh veloute made with fontina, cream, and chicken stock. Creamy and rich on top of creamy and rich. This is a fantastic combo.



 

Cheese and Pecan Pesto

Cheese ravioli with pecan pesto. The ravioli is made with ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, lemon zest, and nutmeg. The result is savory and just hint sweet, with a very deep flavor. The pesto was out of this world. Even Dave, who hates pecans, was blown away by it. One thing I really appreciated about this combo is the fact that the pesto, while fantastic, did not interfere too much with all of the nuances going on with the ravioli.



I found this place by a happy accident. I was on my way to see if East Side King was open. It turns out I was a little early for them but just in time for a new experience. Prices are reasonable and they are open from 11-3 Tue-Fri and for dinner 5-10 Thurs-Sat. Regal ravioli's slogan is "The Ravioli King of Austin, TX," and we have to agree.

4 Lone Star Points

Official AFJ rating- 4 points of the Lone Star    
-Matt

Regal Ravioli
1602 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702
512-364-9752