Daily Juice

Daily Juice

Anyone in the food community is aware of the fantastic documentary "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead," but in the off chance that you are newer to the scene or perhaps have been living under a huge rock someplace, it chronicles an Australian man's journey from overweight and ill to fit and trim in just a few short months. And secret to his success? Juicing. Now to be clear we are not talking about store-bought juices in nice sealed plastic containers. We are talking fresh, hand-made juice from all manner of fruits and vegetables. The end results speak for themselves.

So why mention this at the start of a write-up? Quite simply, it started, or perhaps restarted, a revolution. People are now more interested than ever in getting their hands on fresh juices and the health benefits associated with it. While juicers come relatively cheaply (I picked up a nice used juicer for around $20, thank you very much McLemore!) there is the time factor involved in creating your own juices. Making enough for an entire day can be rather time consuming. Thankfully the beautiful people at the Daily Juice here in Austin have heard our pleas and have come to our aid! Hooray capitalism!

A while back my daughter and I decided to go on out to the Bee Caves location and give them a spin. The first thing we noticed was how nice the place was, and how much variety they have. Variety not just in the form of juices and other drinks, which we'll get to shortly, but in the over all products offered. And the best part? Almost all of the products they sell come from Texas with a preference for Austin based producers. That kind of "Keep it Local," or as we say Austin, "Keep it Weird," attitude is something that means a lot to us and I find it genuinely gratifying to see a local business help out other local businesses. Incidentally, I reccomend the kale chips. They're raw vegan friendly and produced in Austin.

Here's a quick look at the drinks we tried:

The Depth Charge: A potent mix of cucumber, kale, celery, spinach, parsley, and coconut water. Earthy from the kale and spinach but refreshing from the cucumber and coconut water. This is one that I'll need to memorize for the next time I go on a juice fast!

Vitamin C, I told ya: In addition to being a fun name for a teenager to order, this one is a very refreshing mix of grapefruit, orange, pineapple and lime. I think this one makes a nice go to drink anytime. While I've always been a fan of citrus juices from a bottle I have to say that there really is nothing like flavor of freshly squeezed. This one does not disappoint. It's just fresh juice with nothing added.

Vitamin C I Told Ya and the Depth Charge

In addition to great juices, smoothies, and other products you also get a great staff. I found them to be very knowledgeable and friendly and always ready to make a quick recommendation or give a quick history lesson on the company. You folks at the Daily Juice have an excellent staff, in fact give them a raise already!

All told, it was a great experience. Official AFJ rating: 2 points of the Lone Star.

The Daily Juice

Garbo's

This review will be fairly short by our standards but illuminating none the less. We hope. A while back I was talking with my mom, and being the honorary Junkie that she is she let me know about a new truck that has popped up- Garbo's Lobster rolls.

"Lobster rolls? What the heck are they", you may well be asking. If so, sit back and be illuminated. Lobster rolls, for our readers not familiar with this New England treat, are comprised of lobster salad spread liberally on a fresh baked roll. What could be better than that? Garbo's serves up some great rolls done either Connecticut or Maine style. Connecticut style is served on a roll spread with tarragon butter, Maine is without. I opted for a half roll, Maine Style, and soup. Here's a quick look-

Lobster Roll

Roll- The bread itself was perfect for the sandwich, which is to say that while tasting good it knew its place. It had a nice fresh baked kind of taste without being too bready, if that's a word. If not, then I just invented it. As for the lobster salad, it was delicious and had very generous amount of lobster. Maybe I'm just used to crab salad which is usually made with krab, not crab, and seems to consist mostly of mayo. Not the case here at all. This lobster salad is absolutely delicious.

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Bisque- The soup offered when I went was lobster bisque. It had a nice rich broth, and again a surprising amount of lobster meat in it. I figured it would be just be a nice lobster broth but was pleasantly surprised to find large pieces of meat in it as well.

All in all this is a very good truck and well worth the visit. If you're interested in trying them, and I suggest you do, you'll need to visit their site for current locations because they are mobile.

Official AFJ rating- 2 points of the Lone Star

Garbo's Website

Benji's Cantina

Photo credit- Reagan Hackleman

West 6th street. For an old-timer like myself (I've been in Austin for nearly 18 years) the entire area has lots of great memories: Gatemouth Brown at Antone's with my buddy Noah, Sue Foley also at Antone's, with Dave and Alex. Social Distortion, the Misfits, and Clutch all at Liberty Lunch (RIP). And after great shows like that we would grab a bite at places like Best Wurst, and Katz's (RIP). But things change. Liberty Lunch is gone, and so is Katz's. Change is inevitable and not always a bad thing. For instance, one of the newer arrivals to 6th street is Benji's Cantina, a Tex-Mex and Mexican inspired gem that has popped up recently. The place was recommended to us by good friend Paula, and when Paula suggests a place it is bound to be good. Here's a quick rundown of what we had-

To start we opted for the guacamole. Guacamole so fresh it's made at your table. The avocados were mashed just the way I like them. Creamy but still plenty of texture, and the tomatoes, jalapeno, and cilantro were just right with a little fresh squeezed lime juice. Table side guacamole service.....I need this at my house.

 My lovely wife opted for the fish tacos. A piece of lightly fried redfish with tomatoes, cilantro, and topped off with fresh crema (Mexican style sour cream) and a little green sauce. Like much of what is served a Benji's the tortillas are made fresh which went perfectly with an absolutely stellar piece of fish. It was tender, flaky, and not even slightly dry. I'd order this again in a heartbeat.

I decided on Pork Adobodo. I'm not even sure where to start with this. We were told that this dish was one that they worked on for weeks to perfect. Quite frankly it shows. The flavor of the Adobo sauce was deep, rich and just a little sweet. The pork was cooked perfectly. Honestly I don't remember the last time I had pork this good. I ordered mine with corn tortillas. These were some of the best I've had in a long time. Seriously. I've had tortillas made right in front of me in Monterrey Mexico and these tortillas rivaled any of the tortillas I have ever had there. This one is a must order when you go.

The atmosphere of Benji's is pleasant and upscale. The service is as you would expect at a restaurant of that caliber- helpful, courteous, and attentive. Another thing that impressed me was that both the General Manager and one of the owners were walking the floor and did not hesitate to stop and chat and make sure that things were going as they should. It's that kind of attention that helps to ensure that a restaurant will succeed.

Benji's Cantina

El Monumento

El Monumento

Hey there food fanatics! I know, I can see the hurt look in your eyes and I am sorry that we have been absent. It's been a long, cold, lonely winter with nary a word from the fabulously fanatical, furiously fiendish Food Junkies but we are back friends! And back with a fantastic new find for you in Georgetown, TX.

For years in the Austin area if you wanted high end Mexican or Tex-Mex fare your options have been limited. Yes I know there are plenty good little places around, Maudies, Vasquez, or classic Austin staple Chuy's. But when it comes to higher end fare you pretty much have had two long-enduring options- Z-Tejas (Tex-Mex) or Fonda San Miguel (Mexican). And to be clear, either of those options are FANTASTIC, but little Georgetown has now produced a third option that is easily on par with those two places.

"Georgetown? Seriously? What could ever come from there?," you may be asking. And if you are, stop it. First, Georgetown is a lovely little town worth a visit in its own right. Secondly, Georgetown has already given us one of my favorite diners- Monument Cafe. And now they have El Monumento to offer us as well. El Monumento, as you may have guessed by the name, is the sister to Monument Cafe and given the quality of food from Monument I automatically set the standard high. Extremely high to be honest, and they met my expectations easily.

Located just down the street from Monument El Monumento specializes in Mexican and Mexican inspired food. Like its elder sister, much of its produce is grown on site and any of the ingredients they don't produce are sourced as locally as they possibly can.

The restaurant and the property it sits on are very striking. Seriously, Dave and I could have spent all afternoon just wandering around and admiring the place. That creates certain culinary expectations, and the food lives up to those expectations.

So here's a quick look at what we had-

Campechana Cocktail- Shrimp cocktail  but so much better than shrimp cocktail. Texas Gulf shrimp, crab, tomatoes, green olives, and lime juice. It was a little sweet, a little tangy, the olives are not overpowering (even Dave loved it and he hates olives) and there is a generous portion of seafood in the mix. It comes served with chips. We ordered a small and found it to be a perfect size for sharing.

Mexican Benedict- Their take on Eggs Benedict. It may not be traditional Mexican fare, but it comes served with a deep fried avocado. I'll say it again: Deep fried. Avo. Cado. The only place I've been to that serves deep fried avocado as good as this is Izzos Tacos (now called Mellizoz) and Izzos is still my favorite nontraditional taco trailer in town. The avocado comes out warm and soft and buttery and is topped with a tomato remulade........But wait! There's more! It also comes with a bacon (pork belly) flauta, poached eggs, and black beans. Order this.

El Mon Casserole- Eggs, chorizo, poblano pepper, onions and tortillas are some of my favorite things. How do you make them better? Serve them up together as a casserole! Imaging the best breakfast taco you've ever had, turn it up to 11, then serve it with fresh home fries and fresh fruit. When I go back I may have to order this and something else so I can have this for dinner!


As expected El Monumento easily met the standard set by Monument Cafe. The food was excellent, the setting was beautiful, and the service was superb. I can't wait to get back!

Official AFJ rating  5 points of the Lone Star  

Zed's Write Up

Zed's

So a couple of weeks back we got an invite for an event Zed's. The good folks over at Newton-O'Neil communications sent us an invite to attend a media event welcoming their new head chef Jacob Hilbert. Having been to Zed's before, this one caught my attention. The food has always been good out at Zed's so the opportunity to come out and have a five course meal as a way saying "hey what's up, good to have you on board," to the new head chef was something we just couldn't pass up. Yeah you read that right, a five course meal. It was....well just keep reading.

Shrimp

First up was the appetizer of fried shrimp and Chef Hilbert's version of a Spanish tortilla. Fried shrimp? Really? Really. Seriously. It was no fast food or frozen-shrimp-in-a-bag from the local mega mart. The shrimp had a fantastic flavor, and the breading had a perfect crunch. For those not familiar with a Spanish tortilla, it has nothing to do with the Latin American style corn or flour based flat breads that we all know and love in Austin. A Spanish tortilla is more like an omelet or a frittata. In this case made with potato and served cylindrically. I've had these before (made by an actual Spanish woman no less!) and Chef Hilbert's version stands up very well, and not just because it was served on its flat end! It was great, and I'd totally get this appetizer again.

Fish and Grits

The next item served was a one of the favorites of the evening for a lot of the participants. I liked it a lot too, but it wasn't quite my favorite course. It was the Southern favorite, fish and grits. In this case it was a perfectly cooked piece of salmon on a bed of grits. Now personally I'm not usually a huge fan of grits but I liked these grits quite a lot. They had a nice rich flavor and a thicker texture than I’m used to with grits. Usually it’s the texture that I don't care for with grits so the thicker texture here may have been what put it over the top for me. This dish may not have been my favorite thing of the evening but if Chef Hilbert decides to keep it around this will be one of my go to items.

Duck

Next up was a lovely piece of duck. I don't know about y'all but I prefer dark meat poultry. White meat is good, but it just doesn't have a lot of flavor. That's what I think I like most about duck: it’s all dark meat! And it came served with BBQ, beans, and cornbread. You can't go wrong with that.

Lamb

Finally, we get to my favorite dish of the evening. Lamb shank.....I still have dreams of the lamb shank.....My brother and fellow Junkie, David, has a theory regarding the inherent tastiness of lamb. He calls it his cuteness quotient. Think about it, beef comes from cows. Beef isn't bad at all. It's pretty good actually. But how cute is it? Any member of the bovine family is sort of there. Even as calves they're not the cutest things around. Chicken, and other poultry, well they're totally cute as chicks but by the time they're old enough to eat they're just sort of there. But think about sheep; even as adults they're pretty cute to look at. And as lambs, well they're just downright adorable! So it follows that lamb should be exquisite. And in this case the lamb certainly was. It was perfectly cooked with plenty of that lamb gaminess that I love so much. The broth was fantastic and it was served with a slightly sweet and spiced couscous. I would order this every time I come in.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte

And finally, mercifully we were served the final course. Don't get me wrong, the evening was great and filled with fantastic food. And the portions were large! All five of them were very generously sized, easily large enough for a regular dinner serving, including this absolutely fantastic chocolate peanut butter torte. A peanut butter mousse sandwiched between a layer of chocolate cake and chocolate mousse. This is another dish that continues to stalk my dreams.....If not for the lamb this may have been my favorite dish of the evening. But to be fair, I do have a quite sweet tooth and chocolate and peanut butter is one of my favorite combinations. I'd order this in a heartbeat!

As this was a media event, we won't be giving a rating to Zed's this time around. But not for lack of quality, it’s simply that we can't be sure how representative the tasting menu is likely to be of the menu after Chef Hilbert gets it tweaked the way he wants it. Personally I'm hoping the lamb stays on, and the salmon and grits too. While we may not be giving a rating this time around we are however giving a recommendation. We only write about places we like and we totally dig Zed's!

Zed's
512-339-9337
Website

 

Cuban Sandwich Cafe

Cuban Sandwich Cafe

Hey there fellow foodies! We have found a real gem of a home-style cafe on N. Lamar Blvd that we have been just dying to tell you about: The Cuban Sandwich Cafe. As the name implies they certainly do specialize in sandwiches, though they also serve plates and fresh baked breads. I stumbled on this place totally by accident. I was on my lunch break and was planning to go to a good little Mexican cafe in the same lot when I saw the sign, and the Cuban flag. I just had to stop and give it a shot. In the time since I first ran across this place I've been back probably four or five times and have never been disappointed. This place has all the makings of a great neighborhood spot. Friendly service, a homey atmosphere, and of course great home-style food. Here's a look at what I've sampled so far-

The Cuban

The Cuban- One the most classic sandwiches from the Americas, this Cuban is exactly what you'd expect. It's pressed sandwich served with ham (of the cold cut variety), pulled pork, Swiss cheese, mustard, mayo, and a pickle on grilled Cuban bread. And the bread is of course made in house. This is a very nice sandwich and a great introduction to the Cuban Sandwich Cafe.

El Cubanito

Cubanito Burger- Beef, bacon, and pulled pork on a fresh made bun.....is there really anything else to say?

Roa Vieja

Ropa Vieja (pronounced vee-EH-ha)- Meaning "old clothes," this plate comes served with some very nice shredded beef, congri (pronounced con-GREE) which is Cuban style beans and rice, and boiled yuca (pronounced YOU-kah). For those who have never tried yuca it plays the role of the starch in a meal. Where we would normally expect potatoes, in much of Caribbean cuisine it is replaced by items such as yucca and plantains. The texture and flavor are different than a potato and work nicely with everything else that's on the plate.



Yuca
Fries

In addition to the main courses I have also had the chance to try the tostones (pronounced tos-TONE-ehs) which are fried green plantains, Fried yucca, and fried ripe plantains. The tostones are fried green plantains. They have a similar texture and flavor to potatoes. Very nice indeed. The fried yuca are like yuca french fries, and well worth giving a try. The fried ripe plantains are like pan fried bananas, and who doesn't like that? The yucca and tostones are nice when paired with their mojo (pronounced mo-ho) which is basically a garlic and lemon vinaigrette.

In all this one was a very pleasant experience for me and I will continue to go back. The atmosphere is warm, inviting, and has the feel of a neighborhood shop. The staff is friendly, and the food is very good. In my opinion it is well worth checking out. Since they have two locations in town, it makes it just that much easier to get there. And we recommend you do.

Official AFJ rating- Two points of the Lone Star.

-Matt

Cuban Sandwich Cafe

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Road Diaries: Jacksonville, Florida

El Mofongo

Every so often us Food Junkies go out of town. Not necessarily for the purpose of discovering new and exciting places to eat outside of Texas, but just for the sake of going. And while we're out we need to eat. So we asked ourselves, if we are going to be out anyway why not write about it? Why not look for great little places in whatever town we happen to be in? And thus is born the inaugural edition of Austin Food Junkies: The Road Diaries.

Mofongo with pork

I know you're all probably sitting on the edge your seats, peering intently at the words on your monitor with wide eyes barely an inch from the screen just waiting for the exotic locale to be revealed. Well my friends wait no longer; I was able to visit Jacksonville, Florida. A trip of well over 1,000 miles from Austin and spanning five states, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. The trip out was a bit rushed, so we didn't have the chance to stop for anything along the way (that's right, no Cajun or Creole food in Louisiana, maybe next time) save for the usual fast food type stuff, but what awaited us in Jacksonville made skipping those places worthwhile.


There were, of course, the usual fast food and mega-chain type places all around but what I wanted was a bit of the flavor of Jacksonville. I wanted a place that was local to them, but perhaps a bit unusual to an outsider. Well I found exactly what I was looking for in El Mofongo. They serve a mix of Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican food. As soon as I rolled up to this place I had feeling I was going to like it. It had the look and feel from the outside of a welcoming neighborhood cafe and inside I was not disappointed. What drew me to this place initially was the name, El Mofongo.

Tripleta

Mofongo is a dish that I had seen on a cooking show a long time ago and had wanted to try but never did find any place in Austin that serves it (if there is feel free to drop us a line!). Mofongo consists of fried plantains (those banana looking things in the produce section), spices, and various types of magic. All of the ingredients are then placed into a pilon (a giant wooden mortar and pestle) and beaten into submission until the whole mass forms a nice dome. The dome of plantain-y goodness is then fried.You get your choice of meat, I chose the pork. I love pork. It is easily one of my favorite meats and I do not say this lightly, but this was perhaps the best pork I have ever had. Ever. The meat was perfectly tender and moist; it just fell apart in mouth. And the skin....I still have dreams about it. Perfectly crunchy, perfect. It wasn't at all hard or tough; it was crisp and disintegrated quickly on the tongue. I can't wait to get another.

Menu

 On the way out, I had plenty of leftovers but I had gone out alone and several people back the home I was staying in who had not eaten. So I used this as an excuse to order a few more things. I got Tostones (fried green plantains), and a couple of sandwiches. I got the Cuban, after all when you're in a Cuban place in Florida you have to get a Cuban sandwich, and the Triplet. All of these items were great. The bread is made in house and the plantains came served with a delicious mojo, which is a sauce made with garlic, olive oil, and in this case lemon juice.
 
We try to keep our ratings specific to Texas and Austin in particular so we can't give an official rating this time. But if we were to rate them, El Mofongo would be amongst the highest. The staff was friendly and helpful and the food was fantastic. So the next time any of our fellow Junkies are anywhere near Jacksonville be sure to run by this place. The pilgrimage will be worth it.


El Mofongo
6011 103rd st
jacksonville Florida 32210
904-777-4933
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