Great Eats

Great Eats Unique Restaurants in Austin

Life of a Vegetarian Test your Fast Food IQ Chinese Barbecue Recipe: Peking Duck Issue No. 1 December 2015

Table of Contents 3 Biographies

16 Unique Restaurants in Austin

Want to meet the people who brought you this magazine? Come learn some more about us.

Some restaurants around town that bring new, exciting dining experiences.

4 Letter from the Editor

Our editors, Danika Luo and Harriet Butler, explain what they wanted to come out the magazine for the audience.

20 Where to Go When You Don’t

Know

Don’t know where to eat? Check out this article and learn the best places to go.

5 Healthy Fast Food

23 Eating Meat: Optional

Restaurants you can eat at on the go, without being worried for your health.

A first person narrative on what it is like to be a vegetarian

8 Test Your Fast Food IQ Ever wanted to know how well you know fast food? Take this short quiz and see how much you know!

26 How to be Vegetarian

A handbook for those looking to become vegetarians and want to know their lifestyle.

10 Chinese BBQ

If you want a taste of Chinese culture, read this article. It features two local Chinese barbecue resaturants in Austin.

14 Peking Duck Recipe Here is a short and simple recipe for you to make some cultural food at home. Peking duck is a famous dish in Beijing Photo courtesy of epicerieaustin.com

Contributors

Danika Luo is a determined, hard working student who participates in the LBJ swim team and LBJ marching band.

Danika’s favorite restaurant is Olive Garden, an Italian style restaurant filled with delicious items from breadsticks to pasta. Her favorite type of chocolate is traditional milk chocolate. Danika loves trying new food from other cultures, she especially enjoys asian cuisine.

Harriet Butler in her daily life spends her time doing technical theater and eating lots of food. Her favorite chocolate is dark chocolate and her favorite restaurant is Mother’s, a local all vegetarian restaurant in Austin, Texas. Harriet has been a vegetarian her whole life and is excited to share this experience with a willing audience and show how this has influenced her.

Jaidyn Young spends her free time eating lots of food and sleeping when she can. Her life is filled with supportive friends and family. Jaidyn’s favorite food is Asian cuisine, and her favorite chocolate is white chocolate. Jaidyn eats fast food often and was excited to look into healthier options for the same effiency and looks forward to sharing these options with you.

Asia Buford enjoys reading books and watching Netflix in her everyday life. She is dedicated to her school work, but likes having a little fun. Her favorite food is lasagna, and her favorite chocolate is milk chocolate caramel with sea salt. Asia often visits Unique resteraunts and wanted to see what other fun places there were to explore.

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from the editors...

“Our main goal while making this magazine was to produce a connection between our readers and the food they are eating every day.”

Throughout Austin, Texas, offers quite a diverse selection of food available to the public. From chocolate buffets to traditional barbecue to fully vegan restaurants, Austin can please every culinary palette. As a magazine team, we wanted to expose and connect the community throughout Austin to opportunities and dining experiences they could be missing out on otherwise.

Typically food is thought of to be a habit, but being able to thoroughly enjoy every meal will increase your overall quality of life. We want eating to be a fun activity rather then a necessary chore in your day-to-day lifestyle.

Our goal was to connect to those who don’t have normal eating habits with everyone, and provide an understanding of all food to you. We wanted to provide more variety for those who do not have access to all foods, and many healthy alternatives for those who prefer to not eat meats or fast food.

We also decided to include cultural diffusion and new dining experiences for those bored by their everyday eating habits. This issue of Great Eats has an overall theme of connection - connecting our readers with all the types of food available to them in Austin.

Sincerely,

Danika Luo Harriet Butler Danika Luo, Editor-in-Chief Harriet Butler, Co-Editor

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Photo by Pinterest

Eat Right on the Go Healthy Aspects of Fast Food By: Jaidyn Young A 100 percent organic burger from P. Terry’s.

Photo by Burger Tyme

D

Photo by Diane O.

id you know the so-called healthy salads you eat in fast food restaurants are loaded with propylene glycogen - an ingredient found in antifreeze and sexual lubricants.

Although many fast food restaurants do this, not all do. It may not seem like fast food could be healthy in the least bit, but there are a few fast food restaurants that use healthy and organic ingredients when cooking their food. Restaurants in Austin such as Lucy’s Fried Chicken and P. Terry’s actually use fresh, organic meats and vegetables, and also provide great customer service. You would think that these restaurants would be unhealthy in some way, but for the most part, these restaurants that we found are healthier These are fries from P. Terry’s than most. People buy fast food because they want a fast, already prepared meal on the go, right? Many people don’t think about what they could possibly be eating. Those who are concerned need a place to go get fast food where you know what you’re eating and how it will affect your body in the long run. On July 6, 2005, Kathy and Patrick Terry opened the first P. Terry’s burger stand on the corner of South Lamar and Barton Springs in Austin. Their business was inspired by an iconic burger joint called Mack Eplen’s, located in Abilene, Texas, where Patrick grew up. P. Terry’s, a local and organic burger joint, claims that “we are definitely a unique business”.

They use no hormones in their foods, as well as no GMOS and serve grass fed only cows.

Their meat is never frozen and is free of additives, fillers, and preservatives. They call This is a plate of chicken and waffles from Lucy’s. their beef “never ever” beef because the cow is raised only under this regimen.

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Photo by John Anderson

This is chicken from Lucy’s.

“We are definitely a unique business.”

-Martin Lera

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Martin Lera, the general manager, says, “you know a lot of fast food companies aren’t doing it”. Mrs. Baird’s created P. Terry’s their own buns and they only get their meats and vegetables from Texas Farms, delivered daily and prepared fresh everyday. P. Terry’s isn’t just for one community, they serve their food for everyone, planning to later become nationwide.

Martin Lera says “It’s for everybody who loves our food because they like they way it tastes, they love the customer service that we give every single time and how we take care of them if we do ever mess up, so it’s just for everybody, not even just for Austin.

One day it’ll be nationwide.”

Lucy’s Fried Chicken, another local fast food restaurant, uses only hormone and antibiotic free chicken from a Texas farm. “I’m not sure that we can make the claim that it’s healthier than fast food chicken, it’s probably gonna be fresher. We don’t fry it in peanut oil, it’s a soybean oil, but it is still deep fried.” Nathan Simmons, general manager, shares. “We definitely are more transparent with our ingredients. And our chicken is all sourced from a texas farm, so it is more local than a fast food restaurants chicken would be. We do serve hormone

Photo by John Davidson

Lucy’s always keeps their food fresh, too, especially during transport. Simmons says, “We order every other day- everything from our vegetables to our chicken, both of those are always fresh, [and] never served after 24 hours.

We even go to local farmers markets [every week] and purchase things for our grilled veggie plates, and buy most of our vegetables locally.” When you eat at Lucy’s, you get a great Texas feel.

Simmons says, “Everything about Lucy’s is very Texas oriented, we only play Texas music on the jukebox, [and] we only serve Texas beers”. Lucy’s also participates in a couple of Austin’s music festivals. “We support the local community, both in our immediate community and in larger ways, like during South by Southwest we support local musicians and give them a place to play, and all of these things combined give us a unique presence in Austin,” Simmons shares.

This is the Lucy’s logo.

Photo by John Davidson

“We have a lot to offer this community by being local [so] we’re giving back to the community.”

-Nathan Simmons This is some chicken from Lucy’s.

Photo by BringFido

Fast food can affect people’s health in negative ways. Eating fast food can cause depression, high blood pressure, acne, headache, heart problems, high cholesterol, obesity/diabetes, and many other problems. The characteristics of these two restaurants show that there are still fast food places that care about what they’re feeding their customers and how fast food can have a healthy aspect to it.

This is the P. Terry’s logo.

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Test Your Fast Food IQ! Take this quiz to see how much you really know about fast food.

By Jaidyn Young

How calories are in a serving of 8 ChickFil-A nuggets? a. 270 b. 120 c. 390 d. 180

A: 300 calories 68 Great Eats

On average, a teenager will consume a meal that has: a. 1,000-1,400 calories b. 800-1,100 calories c. 600-900 calories d. 300-500 calories

A: 800-1100 calories

A: McDonald’s

How many calories are in one chocolate glazed Krispy Kreme doughnut? a. 100 b. 300 c. 240 d. 480

A: 270 calories

What food chain is the most popular in America? a. Chick-fil-A b. McDonald’s c. Burger King d. Starbucks

How many people eat drink fountain drinks daily? a. 1 out of 5 b. 1 out of 10 c. 1 out of 2 d. 1 out of 3

What percentage of Americans eat fast food everyday? a. 25% b. 50% c. 89% d. 67%

A: 790 calories

How much does an average American spend each year on fast food? a. $300 b. $2,600 c. $790 d. $1,200 A: $1,200

How many calories are in a McDonald’s Caesar Salad? a. 120 b. 479 c. 350 d. 80

A: 25%

A: 1,090 calories

How many calories are there in one Kentucky Fried Chicken pot pie? a. 360 b. 1,400 c. 940 d. 790

A: 1 out of 2

How many calories are in a McDonald’s pancake platter? a. 1,260 b. 590 c. 840 d. 1,090

Facts and information courtesy of Calorie King and WebMD

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A: 350 calories

This is char siu and noodles.

Char siu is barbecue pork.

Chinese Barbecue Have you ever tried Chinese BBQ Pork or Roast Duck?

By Danika Luo

Photo by Avlxyz on Flickr

Roast duck from First Chinese BBQ hung behind a glass window.

Photo by First Chinese BBQ

Crispy, thin, fiercely flavorful skin, golden-brown in color with a savory aroma, the Peking duck undergoes an elaborate process to land on your plate as both the national dish of China and China’s version of barbecue.

Chinese barbecue is primarily flavored by a marinade. The most popular types of Chinese barbecue are char siu (Cantonese roasted meat) and roast duck. Some locally owned Chinese barbecue restaurants in Austin are First Chinese BBQ and Din Ho Chinese BBQ.

First Chinese BBQ was named one of the 50 best Chinese restaurants in the United States by CNNgo.com. It is located in the MT Supermarket Asian shopping center in Austin.

First Chinese BBQ also serves Chinese barbecue in Richardson and Fort Worth. The restaurant serves Hong Kong style barbecue, from the Guangzhou region, in Guangdong Province.

“Our meat is high quality,” says Mary Wang, the owner of First Chinese BBQ, “The ducks are from California. When roasted, they are very juicy. We have good pork and actually use the whole pig. Today, we are on our third pig since so many people enjoy it.”

Char siu (BBQ pork) is one of their most popular dishes. “Char siu” is a popular

way to flavor and prepare barbecue in Cantonese cuisine. Char siu literally means “fork roast” which is a reference to the traditional preparation, skewered and hung over a fire. The meat (usually pork) is cut into thin strips, soaked in a marinade and then roasted.

The marinade is a mixture of honey, five-spice powder, fermented tofu, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and sherry or rice wine. Red food coloring gives the meat its red color. Maltose provides its characteristic glaze.

The most important ingredient is probably hoisin sauce, often referred to as “Chinese barbecue sauce.” It is part of the marinade, but can also be used as a condiment. You can buy it at any supermarket.

First Chinese BBQ is very authentic and inexpensive. They have a very extensive menu, from barbecue to rice to noodles and soup. The highly flexible menu allows you to pair barbecue with rice, noodles, or rice noodles. The meat is fully marinated and very tender. The sweet flavor of the marinade is a taste hard to forget.

Starting a meal with the barbecue pork and the roast duck is recommended for a great first experience. The combination platter, only $7.50, is a reasonable price for those who want delicious food. Their hot pot (stew, consisting of a simmering metal pot of stock at the center of the dining table) is a popular dish amongst their customers.

Whether it’s grabbing some roast duck or pork as you leave MT Supermarket, or stopping in for dinner, First Chinese BBQ is a new and diverse A chef from Quanjude in Beijing carving a roasted duck.

Photo by Wikipedia

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choice for dining.

Another locally owned Chinese restaurant in Austin is Din Ho Chinese BBQ, serving traditional cuisines of Chinese barbecue. They have an impressive menu from the popular Hot and Sour Soup to their Peking Duck and other exquisite dishes.

“My family has been in the restaurant business for the last 60 years,” says Stephanie Trinh, the owner of Din Ho, “We love cooking and serving great food. [We take pride in] our family style food and welcoming atmosphere.”

Din Ho is a very family friendly restaurant. There are a large variety of dishes for all assortments of taste preferences. Din Ho has had many years of experience, expanding and perfecting their menu, by adding new and creative dishes.

When you walk into Din Ho, you see whole roast ducks, bright, golden-red and shiny, hanging behind a glass window next to the cashier.

Their roast duck is professionally cooked, using fresh ingredients and reportedly delicious. The sauce that comes with it is said to be bursting with exotic flavors. The skin is crispy and thin, which is meant to give a true taste of authentic Chinese barbecue.

Your order is usually several slices of duck with the skin. There will also be a

small container of duck sauce to pour over the duck if you order to-go.

Beijing duck or Peking duck is Beijing’s specialty dish. Almost 100 thousand specialized ducks are served in Beijing each day. A plump Peking duck is pumped full of air to separate the skin from the flesh. Separating the skin from the flesh allows the fat to render more easily when cooking and the skin

often eaten in steamed pancakes with spring onions and a sauce.

Good Chinese barbecue is called “fei er bu ni”, which translates to “fat but not greasy.” Good Beijing duck has crispy skin and soft, not stringy meat.

“I like guang shi barbecue [a style of barbecue from Guangdong] because I’m from Guangdong, but the kids like Beijing duck,” says Yingchan Tang, a resident of Beijing, “Kids probably like Beijing duck more than adults do.”

Chinese barbecue is sold differently than barbecue in Texas. Texas barbecue is sold in pounds, you don’t get to choose which parts you want. In Beijing, the ducks are sold individually.

The ducks are hung behind a window and you can choose the duck you want.

Also, you can flavor Texas barbecue on your own by adding salt, pepper, or sauce, but you don’t need to add anything to Chinese barbecue. The flavor is already there, which is really convenient.

In Beijing, people eat the skin of Beijing duck, but not really the meat.

They use the meat to make soup. Only the skin is sliced. In Guangzhou and Nanning, duck is served whole, with the bone. Different regions have different variations of barbecue.

Chinese barbecue is a delightful style of barbecue.

If you go to a Chinese barbecue restaurant, the BBQ pork and roast duck are the main dishes. The sweet-salty flavor of the marinaded meat and the crispy skin of the roast duck has been said to leave you extremely satisfied with your meal.

“We love cooking and serving great food. [We take pride in] our family style food and welcoming atmosphere.” -Stephanie Trinh to tighten when drying (to create the crisp and flavorful skin). The ducks are then cleaned out and ready for the next step of the process. They are coated in a maltose syrup, thoroughly dried, and roasted hanging up. Peking Duck is traditionally roasted in a closed oven or a hung oven.

In Beijing, the dish is served mostly skin and little meat, sliced in front of the customers by the cook. The meat is

The interior of Din Ho Chinese BBQ restaurant.

Photo by Amy Trinh

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Peking Duck

This is a simple recipe for anyone Amanda的小厨房 interested in preparing a cultural meal.

Peking duck is a famous Beijing dish.

Ingredients: • • • • • • • • •

Duck about 4 lb 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons cooking wine A tablespoon white vinegar Apple 1-2 Fist sized piece of bread 1 cup flour Hot water 2/3 cup A pinch (teaspoon) of salt

5

Brush the mixture evenly over the duck’s skin, continue to dry in a ventilated place. Repeat twice. Make sure the skin dries completely each time.

6

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

1

7

2

8

3

9

Rinse the duck inside and outside. Burn a large pot of boiling water, pour the boiling water on all parts of the duck.

Repeat this step three times.

Find a red wine bottle or a bottle about the size, fill with water, and inserted the bottle into the duck standing up. Prop up the duck’s wings with a chopstick.

Store the duck in a cool ventilated place to dry for at least five hours, until the skin is completely dry, tightened, and shiny.

4

Mix honey, wine, vinegar and 2 tablespoons of water.

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Remove the dried duck from the bottle. Cut the apple into a few pieces and stuff into the duck

Soak the bread in water and stuff into the stomach. You can use a toothpick to hold the opening in place.

Wrap the end of the duck leg and wing tips with aluminum foil wrap.

Wrapped the baking tray in aluminum foil as well, and fill the tray with a little water. Place the duck breast side up, on an oven tray rack into the 400 degree oven. Immediately after placing the duck in, cooled the oven to 345 degrees and bake 40 minutes

By Danika Luo

10

Flip the duck over so that the breast is facing down and then bake 20 minutes. Turn the duck over again so that the breast side is facing up. Check the color of the skin. If you are satisfied with the color, continue to bake at 345 degrees for 20 minutes. If color is not dark enough, raise the temperature to 400 degrees. After cooking, slice the ​​duck. Serve with cucumber, green onion, thin Lotus pancakes and plum sauce.

Tips:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Mix flour and salt, while adding 150ml (2/3 cup) of water (about 175 degrees). Stir.

When the temperature cools, roll the dough and cover with plastic wrap. Wait half an hour.

Roll the dough into a long strip, cut into 32 equal parts.

Flatten the pieces into pancakes.

Pair the pancakes. Brush a layer of oil onto one side of each one, pair the two oil painted sides together.

Stack up the pancake pairs. Flatten each pair with a rolling pin.

Heat the frying pan with medium fire. You do not need to put oil. Fry 8-10 seconds on each side until the pancake turns white and starts to bubble. The pancakes cook quickly; be careful not to burn them.

8

After all pancakes are heated, split the pancake into two. After all the pancakes are split, they are ready to be served. If you want to save it for later, steam for 2-3 minutes before eating.

Photo by Wikipedia Commons

• Don’t skip step 1. Be patient and repeat that step three times.

• Hot water and the mixture need to be applied evenly. Do not miss the duck corners or the part underneath the wings.

• Fully dry the duck skin before placing in the oven. The duck skin should be thin, tight and oily. If it feels like skin when touched, then it is not completely dry yet.

• If you are in a rush, use a hair dryer blowing cold air to dry it faster.

• If you use an oven without a hot air feature or if your oven is too small, then increase the temperature by 20-35 degrees.

• Let the duck cool a bit before slicing. When slicing, use a sharp knife. Start by cutting big pieces from the duck breast and leg, then divide the big pieces into smaller slices evenly, so that each piece has some duck skin.

• If Lotus pancakes not immediately served, wrap in plastic wrap to avoid them turning dry and brittle.

• Brush more oil between the two pancakes so that they can easily be separated after being cooked.

• The pancakes are more easily separated when the bread is warm. The pancakes can burn you when they are too hot, and cold pancakes are hard to separate.

Making the Lotus Pancake

Recipe and Images courtesy of Amanda的小厨房 Great Eats 15

Unique Restaurants The Restaurants in Austin are just as unique as the people.

By Asia Buford

Photo courtesy by Pexels

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This is Nasha Indian, which is located on 7th street.

Mahesh Shinde is the idealist behind Nasha. He has opened several other restaurants including New India, Nasha’s sister restaurant. He discovered that Mexican and Indian food have similar spices. So, he decided that Indian and Mexican food could Mahesh Shinde designed the restaurant to be different and something that Austin has never seen before.

Nasha gets their food fresh from a supplier, and one is Cisco. They make sure that the chicken was not given any antibiotics to make them bigger. Also, they use fresh coconut and spinach so that the food has a better flavor and is more healthier for the customer.

Mahesh Shinde combines a little bit of both Indian and Mexican into every dish or drink. They have margaritas that use margra. The tacos are combined with curry and other Indian spices. They also have other curries and dishes, but what they’re most known for their margaritas and tacos.

Part of the experience is the interior design. They have a smaller seating arrangement, and they have a few decorations to add a rustic feel to the restaurant. They also have a lot of colors and different Indian decorations.

He also, uses steel tableware because Mahesh wanted to do something different that most restaurants don’t do.

Nasha has become one of Mahesh Shinde’s most successful restaurants.

The owner of Nasha, Mahesh Shinde, is standing at the bar.

Photo courtesy of nashaindia.com

“I didn’t want it to be something easy and common. I wanted the name to be something other than “Indian Food”, I wanted it to be different.”

-Mahesh Shinde

Photo Courtesy of Erin May, Austinot.com

T

he small house on 7th Street has a mural of beautiful swirling colors so bright that it excites a joyful and upbeat feeling all over the body.

When people enter, the aroma of Indian spices captures them. There’s joyful Indian music playing around them. A smiling patron greets them and says, “Welcome to Nasha.”

Austin has become a mecca for chefs who want to experiment with different cuisines. Arro, epicerie, and Nasha all are unique in some way, have discovered their own style and put a twist on their food and atmosphere.

They adjust to Austin’s atmosphere and utilize its resources and values to make the best dining experience that is possible for Austinites.

Nasha brings out the personality of Austin. Restaurants such as Nasha, Arro, and epicerie provide a unique dining experience that you can’t find anywhere else. Austin should not only be known as the music capital, but also as the food capital.

Nasha Indian is a Indian restaurant with a Tex-Mex twist.

The name means intoxication. Mahesh Shinde used this to seem different than other Indian restaurants, and because Nasha is also a bar.

Mahesh Shinde, the owner of Nasha India, says, “I wanted the name to be something other than “Indian Food”, I wanted it to be different. Nasha means a buzz, a buzz of love, a buzz of life, a buzz of drink. Nasha translates to “get high” in Hindu. Nasha of love, Nasha of money, Nasha of food, Nasha of power.”

The owner of Nasha Indian, Mahesh Shinde, wanted to combine both of his favorite restaurants. Mahesh Shinde says, “We wanted to bring something that nobody has.

That is what we are doing here. The drinks, the food, the tacos. We want to bring people something they have never seen before.” He created the restaurant to better fit an Austinite. The Mexican and Indian food combination provides a savory experience that you will never forget.

Mahesh Shinde says, “I wanted to combine both of my favorite restaurants. Especially in Austin I see kids are eating Mexican food. So many are Mexican and are born here, and they eat tacos and margaritas. I make Indian food for them to eat, but in taco form.”

This is a popular Arro dish; pig ears.

Photo courtesy by aarroaustin.com

They have been mentioned in several articles for their unique cuisine. Nasha is one of the many restaurant that is unique in Austin. Another restaurant amongst Austin’s dining scene is Arro.

Arro is a casual french dining restaurant. Inspired after the city of Versai, Arro has become a place where people can go for a night out or just for a casual bite to eat. They offer a patio where people can take their dogs, a dining area, a bar, and a garden room. Greg Baldwin, the general manager, says, “I think right now it’s new, it’s fun, it’s eye catching.“ Also, Arro prides itself on offering really good customer service.

The name Arro is from the phrase “Arro se la vie.” It means to toast or bast in life. They want to create a jovial fun atmosphere where people are able to relax and have a good time. Greg Baldwin, the general manager of Arro, says,”It is this fun idea of a jovial, french phrase. That idea is what we are trying to capture here.”

The new out door terrace at Nasha is a place to relax and enjoy the weather.

Photo courtesy by aarroaustin.com

Photo courtesy of www.atasteofkoko.com

This is Nasha Indian cuisine with the margaritas.

Photo courtesy on aarroaustin.com

“They don’t follow the train, they want something new every time, that’s what Austin is about.”

-Mahesh Shinde

The newly renovated dining area at Arro provides a fun atmosphere to eat in.

“Although it is traditional in Louisiana and French “It is this fun ida of a jovial, french phrase. That culture, there is no other idea is what we are trying restaurant and grocery concept in Austin.” to capture here.” -Greg -Sarah McIntosh Baldwin Great Eats 19

Where To Go When You Don’t Know These restaurants in Austin will surely satisfy your cravings.

By Asia Buford Cake and Spoon If you want something local and sweet, go to Cake and Spoon. Cake and Spoon is local bakery who uses local ingredients to make their assortment of pastries and cakes.

Cow Tipping Creamery If you have a craving for soft serve ice cream, then you should go to the Cow Tipping Creamery.

They put a twist on regular soft serve. The Cow Tipping Creamery offers a wide variety of sundaes, shakes, and cones.

Bull Fight If you want something light with Spanish cuisine, then you should go to the Bullfight. Their menu is seafood heavy and they have tapas inspired snacks.

Rebel Pizza Bar If you have a craving for pizza, then you should go to Rebel pizza. The Rebel Pizza Bar has graffiti walls and a hip interior design. Their menu contains signature pies and appetizers you’ll just love.

Lima Criolla Lima Criolla will soothe your craving of Peruvian cuisine. The restaurant relatively new. They serve home style traditional Peruvian food. Their specialty is ceviche. The restaurant is well lit and it has a open kitchen.

The Clay Pit If you want Indian food, then you should go to the Clay Pit. The Clay Pit serves contemporary Indian cuisine. The food is traditional Indian, but with a modern twist. The Clay Pit has a comfortable interior design, great service, and offers a variety of meats, seafoods, and other meals.

Vespaio If you have a craving for fancy and Italian, then you should go to Vespaio. Many people know this restaurant, and they will tell you to either “try the lasagna” or that it is really good. The restaurant allows you to go at a slower pace and the waiters make sure not to rush you and to go at your own pace. The portions are large, but the chefs make it so that your meal was a success.

Matt’s El Rancho If you want Mexican, then go to Matt’s El Rancho. The restaurant opened in 1952. The interior design is tall ceilings with authentic art. Their signature appetizer is the Bob Armstrong dip, which is queso with guacamole and seasoned beef.

East Side King Thai Kun East Side King Thai Kun will give you both Asian food and the experience of a food truck. The trailer is within a few steps of Whisler’s. Their food is spicy and delicious. You can grab your friends and order from their menu, and sit with your friends enjoying your day or night out.

Uchi You can get your sushi fix with Uchi. Uchi offers sushi that is colorful and presented artfully. For people who don’t like sushi, they have American and cooked sushi.

Magnolia Magnolia is an all day breakfast diner. Magnolia has foods such as omelets, and migas, and their famous “Sorry we’re pancakes.”

Websites used: austin.eater.com, 10best.com, austinchronicle.com, zagat.com, tvfoodmaps.com,

Great Eats 21

“I think right now it’s new, it’s fun, it’s eye catching.”

-Greg Baldwin Arro is very successful with their restaurant and has been showing a good trend. People come to Arro either because it is new or they come to relax. They have created an atmosphere where they are approachable to everyone and people can just hang out with their friends. Another local restaurant, Epicerie, is also French, but Epicerie has a little spice of Louisiana and a grocery.

Epicerie is a traditional French and Louisiana grocery and bakery. The quiet and quaint Rose dale neighborhood fits the restaurant well. There are no other restaurants that have the grocery concept in Austin. The name epicerie The picture contains some of Epicerie’s lovely pastries.

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Photo by Mary Mickel

They have created a fun, modern, and relaxing atmosphere with their interior design. Arro has been renovated recently to help to create more of the environment they are trying to achieve. They made the garden room lighter, and the bar darker with black and white stripes. They used a designer named Veronica G. to help with our designs. Also, local artist, Xavier Schipani, helped with their art direction for the new design.

Arro offers a worldwide wine list and different accommodations for their food. They utilize Austin’s seasons to provide different versions of their food. They educate their chefs on different accommodations they may have to make because of a health condition or allergies. The chefs use a wood fired grill to provide the most flavor and to give the customer a better meal.

This is the outside of Epicerie.

means is specialty food shop.

They sell products that will go well with their cheeses and bakery products. Sarah McIntosh uses cookbooks, and places she’s eaten or read about to inspire her with her with her own recipes. All the recipes that she uses are her own. They get their food from local vendors such as Windy Bar Ranch, Black Hill Ranch, Springdale Farm, Johnson’s Backyard Garden and Dewberry Hills, and other local farms and restaurants. Sarah McIntosh, owner of Epicerie, says, “We typically source from mom and pop businesses all around the world.”

They have plans to expand the restaurant and create a new grocery line. She finds her job both stressful and fun.

Epicerie, Arro, and Nasha are all unique and special. They bring out Austin’s personality. There are other restaurants in Austin that are unique. You can never find restaurants like these in any other part of the world, only in Austin.

Photo by Mary Mickel

Its Hard to be Vegetarian

A

By: Harriet Butler

Photo by Abby Green

bout 10 billion animals are tortured, killed and abused every year. Ninety-seven percent of this occurs on factory farms, in preparation for slaughter. Animals are brought to factory farms to be prepared for slaughter for consumption. The cruel traditions occurring on these farms typically cause people to become vegetarian. The reasonings behind vegetarianism will range from health hazard, to animal cruelty, to fitting in with friends. Being a vegetarian means different things to different people. The term vegetarian is typically used to classify the group of people who choose to extract meat from their diet.

I am a vegetarian and have been since birth.

Being a vegetarian comes with challenges, especially as a young adult, from going to friend’s houses or being bullied or picked on. At friends houses, they typically have to go out of their way to prepare you an alternate meal, whether at sleepovers, parties, or for working on school work. When people have to make you more food, they typically begin to judge you. These judgements can offend people, but personally, I have become use to them. Every time I eat delicious food knowing I didn’t harm anyone or anything, I feel more confident and happy with myself.

Vegetarianism has completely changed my outlook on life.

Every time you eat a meal, at least one person judges you, whether positively or negatively. Whether they tell you

This is Abby Green, a 13-year-old pescatarian, who has been that way for five years.

Photo by Micah David Nazirit

Eating Meat: Optional

This is tofu, a traditional source of protein for nonmeat eaters. your decision in unhealthy or admire you for not harming living creatures, these judgements certainly take place on a regular basis. All these discriminations come together in the end because I believe I have a happier, healthier lifestyle. Mary Dye, an ex-vegetarian and mother to a current vegetarian says, “I have a little bit of guilt about eating meat. My body feels lighter and healthier without meat.”

Vegetarianism makes your body find nutrients from new sources, especially protein. I have been endlessly talked down to about my assumed lack of protein. There are easily accessible alternate sources of protein such as eggs and other dairy; tofu and a variety

“My body feels lighter and healthier without meat.”-Molly Dye of soy-based meat supplements; all types of nuts; assorted vegetables, especially peas; and beans. Many over-the-counter vitamins or supplements you can take provide easy access to protein. I have been a vegetarian for 14 years and have never found the need to take supplements. I get all the nutrients I need, I just have to be more creative about their sources.

People will tease or question me because I do not eat meat. It is commonly believed I am not healthy and since I chose a different dietary track from them, my choice is inferior.

“Another insult/negative comment towards vegetarians is people are weirded out and ask ‘Why don’t you eat meat?’ in a negative tone and they don’t Great Eats 23

Photo by Wikipedia

These labels show vegan and vegetarian food.

Photo by Wikipedia

Photo by Eva Didonato

This is Eva Didonato, a 13-year-old life-long vegan.

These are some healthy, high protein, vegetarian foods.

24 Great Eats

understand,” Abby Green, a 13-year-old pescatarian says.

“People think you’re are trying to act too good for them or too good for meat.”

As a vegetarian, pescetarian, or vegan, being talked down to is a common occurrence. Mary Dye, after being a vegetarian for 14 years, is used to being talked down to “You always have people say ‘How do you get your protein?’

“People think you’re trying to act too good for them or too good for meat.” -Abby Green and family always thought you were making a terrible decision.”

A large element of vegetarian prejudice is generational.

Only a few decades ago, very few people were vegetarian, and now, especially in Austin, it is becoming a common trend and slowly, the judgements have begun to flicker away. In 2008, only 0.5% of the world’s population considered themselves vegetarian, this figure has risen to 2% in only seven years.

The number of people familiar with this dietary choice has exploded. Dietary preferences remain waiting to surface, including pescatarian and vegan. The definition of veganism is when you don’t consume any animal

“I think I’m apologetic people have to go out of their way to serve me”-Abby Green

Vegetarian food is much easier to prepare, seeing you don’t have to worry about diseases, amount of flavor, or juiciness. It is also typically much less fattening and better for your body. I have never eaten meat and I remain a healthy weight. Also, the ability to use the label vegetarian makes life easier for those who simply don’t like meat and prefer not to sound uptight. Throughout childhood, I never ate anything outside my comfort zone, now I am a more adventurous just excluding meat. I have the ability to eat adventurously without fearing for illnesses, food poisoning or other diseases which have a large chance of being in more obscure meat. Vegetarianism gives me a comfort and confidence surrounding what I’m eating.

The singular thing I dislike about vegetarianism and the only time I have regrets, is when it hinders another person’s life. At restaurants, if I order a meal which appears vegetarian, such as a cheese enchilada, and they bring it to me with meat on it, I always feel really bad about sending it back. If I go to friend’s houses and they don’t tell their parents I’m vegetarian until the last second, I hate them having to make me a whole separate meal.

“I think I’m apologetic people have to go out of their way to serve me, but only when it’s friends or people who don’t have to serve other people,” Abby Green says, “Waiters or waitresses, if they’re serving the rest of the people just fine and then they serve me and act weird about it or they don’t want to or they don’t care if the beans don’t have bacon in them, then I get offended or am not ashamed at all.”

Food consumption is a necessary and enjoyable part of life all people partake in by different means.

Whether you practice vegetarianism or will eat anything, the necessity is still the same. Vegetarianism is overall better for the environment, your health, and safety. In order to produce one pound of animal meat, it takes 13 times more fossil fuel than to produce soy protein.

Vegetarianism can reduce the risk of heart disease, as well as other illnesses. While being a vegetarian, you enable yourself to eat safely without harming animals, or potentially harming yourself if the meat was prepared incorrectly or stale.

I love to eat. I can eat safely, deliciously, and happily every meal, without any doubt in my mind.

Vegetarianism has always opened up a whole new culture and way to connect with people throughout my life. I have always felt healthier and happier knowing I am not consuming meat or hurting anything based off of what I am eating. I hope to continue to be a vegetarian and I strive to never lose focus on how much it has made my life amazing.

Photo by pixabay

products such as dairy or meat. Pescetarianism is basically vegetarianism, except you continue to consume fish and other seafoods. Eva Didonato, a 13-year-old lifelong vegan, discusses why she is who she is.

“I was born into [veganism], but also I like being a vegan because I don’t like hurting animals,” Eva says. Veganism can provide a range of challenges, from being picked on to having trouble finding food, just like vegetarianism.

Another challenge families can face is having different people in the house with different dietary preferences. My parents all eat meat while I remain vegetarian. My parents can only take me to certain restaurants, and they have to make multiple dinners when we eat at home. They do it without complaint and have always been supportive. Families just like mine exist throughout the vegetarian community and have only children choosing vegetarianism, only parents, or split up like Abby Green.

“Once me and my dad became vegetarian, we just ate less meat as a family,” Abby Green shares, “My sister and mom, whenever we go out to eat or have big family meals, then there’s always meat and there’s always vegetarian stuff.”

Families being split is quite common throughout the vegetarian community, especially whenever the kids start to reach the age where the parents allow them to make the decision for themselves. Meat is typically more expensive than vegetarian food, as well as more difficult to cook.

Avocados are known to lower cholesterol and are great for pregnant women.

Great Eats 25

The Vegetarian Handbook

Healthy Alternatives to Meat By:Harriet Butler

Meat

Chicken

Ground Meat

vs.

Chicken (1cup): 335 Calories

19g total fat

38g protein Tofu (1cup): 188 Calories

12g total fat

20g protein Ground Meat (1lb): 1,506 Calories

136g total fat

65g protein Beans (1cup): 648 Calories

1g total fat

39g protein Sandwich Meat (100g): 234 Calories

17g total fat

14g protein Tempeh (1cup): 320 Calories

18g total fat

31g protein

Sandwich Meat

Veg.

Tofu

Beans

Tempeh

Tuna (100g): 184 Calories

6g total fat

30g protein

Tuna Nutrition Facts Courtesy of Google

26 great Eats

Chickpeas (100g): 364 Calories

6g total fat

19g protein

Chickpeas

Types of Vegetarianism Vegan

Consumes-meat and

dairy alternatives

Ovo Vegetarian

Consumes-eggs

Lacto Ovo Vegetarian

Consumes-eggs

-dairy

Does Not Consume: Does Not Consume: Does Not Consume: -meat

-meat -meat -meat-by- -dairy-by-

products

products Does Not Consume:

-red meat

-seafood

Consumes-dairy

-eggs -poultry/fowl

Pollotarian

Does Not Consume:

-red meat -poultry

-fowl

Consumes-seafood

-eggs

-dairy

Pescaterian

Does Not Consume: -meat -some meat by-products

Consumes-dairy

Lacto Vegetarian

great Eats 27

Great Eats

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