Slice slice baby

Slice Slice Baby In this issue: Good tacos! Desano’s Pizza! Kerbey Lane!

Slic e e c i Sl

Baby

Contributors

BEN ROBISON Ben Robison is the ultimate embodiment of “hip”. When comes to the hottest new trend, he’s the person to call. Born and raised in Austin, he knows everything to know about the food scene. When he’s not out on the town or keeping up with popular culture, he can be found playing sports with his friends, or spending time with his family.

Ben Robison

TYLER DIAS Tyler Dias has lived in Austin for 12 years, and in that time he has eaten at many of the local Austin restaurants.

At least one time per week Tyler tries a new restaurant and because of this you can trust his judgement on good food. In his free time, Tyler enjoys playing lacrosse for the McCallum team, playing video games, and hanging out with his friends.

Tyler Dias

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ELLIOTT MACLEAN Having ony lived in Austin for less than a year, you’d think Elliott is probably the least qualified to write about the local Austin food scene. You’d be right.

However, this has been a great way for him to learn more about his new home and its food. Elliott is a Canadian immigrant and student in the U.S. He loves video games, cats, and his job as a professional procrastinator.

Charlie Taylor

CHARLIE TAYLOR Charlie Taylor is, as everyone else in his group, a freshman at the LIberal Arts and Science Academy. He has lived in Austin, Texas, his entire life and has sampled many of its delicious culinary offerings.

He likes, among many other things, riding his bicycle, playing video games, playing soccer, and sometimes playing tennis. He has no real skills, but having been to many local restaurants, you should trust his advice on which ones to choose.

Elliott Maclean

LUKE YIUM Luke Yium is an Austiniste of 14 years, and considers himself an Austin native.

He has a busy extracurricular life, with his hobbies of lacrosse and soccer. Much of his free time is spent hanging out with his friends, video games, and listening to or playing music. His favorite foods include barbeque, ice cream, and tacos.

An interesting fact about Luke is that he plays lacrosse for Austin High instead of his home team.

Luke Yium

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Table of Contents Find your favorite

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Photos of Food items from Pexels.com

Contributors Page

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Table of Contents

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Little Italy

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Time to Spill the Beans

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Taco the Town

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A Kerbey Lane Expansion Pack

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Juice Fever

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From Yeast to West

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Sandwich Hy-Bread

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How Should You Make Your Taco?

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A Recipe for Success

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For Dessert

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Letters From the Editors

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Little Italy From Asilini to Austin, Desano’s is different than your average pizza joint

By Ben Robison

W

hen people enter Desano’s Pizzeria

Napoletana, the first thing customers notice is the atmosphere. The giant, wood burning ovens and their assigned employees are stationed just a stone’s throw away from the happy families and satisfied customers, creating an energy people won’t find at any other restaurant. It’s not hard to see that the business is successful, both the employees’ and diners’ faces are fixed with smiles, but when considering their expensive ingredients and machinery, it takes a little more digging to see why.

Jimmy Fitzgerald is the CEO and COO of Texas Star Brands, a company that owns and runs A pizza, assembled and cooked

by Desano’s, sits elegantly on its plate, just after being served. Photo of pizza taken by Ben Robison

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As depicted here, all the equipment in Desanos Pizzeria Nepoletana is imported directly from Italy, including the four massive wood burning ovens behind the counter.

Photo of Desano’s ovens taken by Desano’s Pizzeria Nepoletana several restaurants. One of the restaurants included under this umbrella is Desano’s Pizza, one of dozens of pizzeria’s in Austin, Texas. Though it is in a very competitive market that is saturated with global chains, Desano’s has managed to flourish, and is on the course for future success and expansion. In an industry dominated by lowered quality of produce to help increase production, Desano’s has managed to succeed by doing the exact opposite.

“People are looking for an experience” Jimmy Fitzgerald “It used to be that you go out to eat to get something to eat, and

it was kinda more fuel generated, it wasn’t about a food experience”. An experience is what he delivers, as Desano’s is unlike any restaurant in Austin.

When it comes to pizza, there are a lot of varieties, high end authentic pizza, big chain restaurants, family establishments, but no one achieves an experience quite like Desano’s. The pizza comes out fast, the seating is open and homey, but the pizza feels like it comes straight from Italy. Fitzgerald’s feels that this uniqueness is important for a restaurant to thrive, “People want to have the best -

A few consistent themes ran through Fitzgerald’s wisdom.

Jimmy fitzgerald, the owner of Desano’s, stand infront of his massive pizza kitchen. The four ovens allow for pizzas to be made at a rapid speed, assisted by the boxing and topping stations Photo of Restaurant Interior taken by Desano’s Pizzeria Nepoletana

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burger they ever had... people look at food as a way to have fun...not just a meal but an experience.” said Fitzgerald. What is the experience? “We want to take you to Italy for about forty five minutes.” responds Fitzgerald.

But that’s easier said than done.

Desano’s has to import all of their ingredients and equipment straight from Italy itself, a difficult and expensive task.

Ingredients have to be at a certain quality, and that quality Desano’s unique style of pizza, though uncommon and unusual, helps seperate themselves from the competition. Desano’s pizza is high quality, clean, and appetizing all while being made faster than chain restaurants. Photo of pizza taken

by Sean

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comes at a price not a lot of other restaurants are willing to pay.

But this, according to Fitzgerald, is essential to the restaurant’s identity.

“Every member of our cooking staff has a key role in the construction of even the smallest pizza,” - John Hepner

However, consistency doesn’t come from just the ingredients, it’s also the employees. The staff works in an almost assembly-line fashion, each

employee doing a specific job.

“Every member of our cooking staff has a key role in the construction of even the smallest pizza,” said John Hepner, a member of the Desano’s staff. This dedication to consistency within the ingredients, the employees and the equipment is what contributes to the special feeling of getting swept away to Italy that Fitzgerald and his employees work so hard to provide.

This photo depicts the Desano’s storefront, a massive building that houses large, family-style tables as well as four enourmous wood burning ovens imported directly from Italy.

Photo of Desano’s exterior taken by Ben Robison

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Time to Spill the 11 types of coffee Beans By: Tyler Dias

A lot of people do not know how each type of coffee differs from one another. Here is a chart of the 11 most common types of coffees and how to make them. Follow the guided recipes and you will be on your way to becoming a true barista.

Tripplo

The final teir of espresso, the tripplo. This is made with three shots of espresso, for the ones that really need to wake up.

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Espresso

The classic espresso, made with a single shot of espresso. The flavor is described as dark but not bitter.

Ristretto

The ristretto is made by making an espresso but using half the amount of water. It is much stronger and less bitter than regular espresso.

Doppio

The classic espresso, but, made with two shots of espresso.

Short Macchiato

The short macchiato is made with a shot of espresso with dollop of steamed milk.

The steamed milk sooths the taste of espresso.

Long Macchiato

A long macchiato is simply made by taking a doppio and adding a dollop of steamed milk.

Cappuccino

The cappuccino is very similar to the café latte but it has more foam and it has chocolate flakes sprinkled on top.

Café Latte

The café latte, or latte, is a short macchiato with micro-foam add to the top. The latte is much mellower compared to an espresso due to the milk.

Moccha

The moccha is similar to the cappuccino but without the micro-foam on top.

It is made by mixing chocolate powder with an espresso shot, adding steamed milk, and sprinkling chocolate on top.

Piccolo Latte

A piccolo latte is made with one part espresso, ristretto, and steamed milk with a small amount of micro-foam added to the top.

Carajillo

The carajillo is a Spanish drink made by mixing 4 oz of coffee, 2 oz of coffee liqueur, and 1 oz of rum.

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Tac-o’ the Town What Makes Austin Tacos So Good?

By Elliott MacLean

I

n Austin, Texas, locals know how fast, convenient, and delicious tacos from local Austin taco restaurants are. But, do Austin locals know what truly makes an Austin taco so infinitely delectable?

While the word “taco” literally translates to “plug” or “wad” in Castilian Spanish, it also literally translates to “a light lunch” in Mexican Spanish. Tacos are a staple of local Austin cuisine, primarily for their convenient speed and satisfying nature.

Several local Austin restaurants have been interviewed by Slice Slice Baby Magazine, each of them having their own take on what makes tacos so delicious.

At Ñoño’s tacos, local restaurant located in Austin, the owner of the family-run venture firmly believes that “What you really

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need is very good flavors.” Ñoño’s tacos, owned by Mardonio Gallegos, AKA Ñoño, has always supported local farm and organic, moral farming practices. This is where they get their ingredients from, and Nono’s success can be partially attributed to these fresh ingredients.

“You want to make the person eating feeling as if they are eating something for the sake of eating something good, not just eating to get full.” said Gallegos.

Gringa’s Street Tacos is another local Austin restaurant, where it is believed that “Flavor is a big must.”

When asked what Gringa’s Street Tacos believes to be the key points of a good, local-style taco are, an anonymous employee at Gringa’s Street Tacos said “Tacos are a fun food, and should always have a little pizazz to them. Especially here in Austin, where we have to com-

pete with the likes of Torchy’s and Tacodeli.”

“You want to make the person eating feeling as if they are eating something for the sake of eating something good, not just eating to get full.”

Veracruz All Natural is a small Texan chain restaurant with roots in Round Rock and Austin. Daniel Glandon, a manager

Let’s Taco-bout’ Austin Tacos

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“In a taco, you want the ingredients to all complement each other in both flavor and texture like I said before. They’re part of what make a good taco.” at Veracruz, said “The biggest two are flavor profile and texture. The what you want in a taco is a texture that matches the flavor and vice versa. If you have a nice, spicy taco, you want a texture that would help accentuate it, like something crunchy. Chips or a hard shell or whatever. If you have some-

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thing on the lighter side, like a bean and egg taco for breakfast or something, make sure it’s all light and fluffy so that it feels like you’re eating light.”

When asked why she made the decision to construct her answer with those points in specific, she answered by saying “In a taco, you want the ingredients

to all complement each other in both flavor and texture like I said before. They’re part of what make a good taco.”

Throughout all the interviews, all of the taco-making masters seemed to all agree on two specific points of interest; First, That the flavor of the taco is one of the most im-

A photo of Veracruz All Natural’s North Austin location. Taken by Elliott MacLean.

A photo of Veracruz All Natural’s food truck.

Taken by Elliott MacLean.

Key Points Ñoño’s Gringa’s

portant parts of making a good, local-Austin style taco, and second, that a taco needs to be light and simple enough to be considered a light lunch, but still just big enough to leave people completely satisfied.

Both of these points are agreed on by experts of taco making as both very important points that practically define what makes a good taco.

- Flavor

-Quality

Veracruz -Texture

-Quality -Flavor -Comple mentary

-Fun

-Flavor

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By: Luke Yium

Kerbey Lane Expansion Pack

In queso you need to find a Kerbey Lane location, simply look at the expansion pack. Here lies every Kerbey Lane in existance.

C

entral Location.

This is the first ever Kerbey Lane.

This opened in 1980 and has been serving strong ever since.

S

outh Location.

Located on South Lamar, this Kerbey Lane resides close to the famous Barton Creek greenbelt.

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orthwest Location. Located on 183 and Anderson Mill. Fun fact: Kerbey Lane is open 24/7, with the exception of Christmas.

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niversity Location. This Kerbey Lane is nestled in the vibrant Austin university, right on Guadalupe Street.

S

outhwest Location. This location sits on William Cannon. Another fun fact: Dogs are allowed to go to the Kerbey Lane patios.

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estlake Location. This serves at Bee Caves and Capitol Texas Highway. Fun fact: Kerbey Lane has won 27 food awards.

R

ound Rock Location.

Built off of I-35 and Old Settlers Blvd.

Kerbey Lane is also planning a new location in Fall 2018.

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JUICE FEVER THE RECENT TREND OF JUICE RESTAURANTS IN AUSTIN HAS MADE IT EASIER THAN EVER FOR AUSTINITES TO DRINK HEALTHY.

Recently, juice has been one of the hottest trends in the food industry all around Austin. With more than 40 shops in the Austin metro area, there is practically one on every corner, with a wide variety of different options to fit any discerning juice lover’s palate. But why are these restaurants so sought after in Austin of all cities? And with huge explosion, how did some of the individual restaurants start off and distinguish themselves from the crowd? The answers to these questions were intriguing.

For example, Chelsey Pope, manager of Jugo Fresh Juice, a new, small juice stand in the heart of downtown, thinks Austin has more juice restaurants than other cities its size. “You know, I don’t really know, but I would say [it’s] probably a safe assumption to make just because of how fit that Austin is, and very health conscious. I’d say we have a pretty good amount. You know, we have lots of competition from, like, the big chains you said, like Jamba Juice, but then also the local ones too like Juiceland and Soup Peddler.”

But why are there so many?

Cary Frieden, co-owner of Daily Juice, one of the larger and more well-known chains in town, shared what he thinks are some of the reasons why the trend

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why the trend blew up to such massive proportions. “You know, there’s just there’s a big vegan and vegetarian community here, and there is a naturalI think- a hipster vibe already to Austin and ‘juice bar,’ ‘smoothie bar’ going back to the 70’s

BY CHARLIE TAYLOR

Two of the icy, refreshing, and, most importantly, healthy smoothies served at Daily Juice. Photo courtesy of Daily Juice.

An array of different smothies available at Jugo Fresh Juice. Photo courtesy of Jugo Fresh Juice.

is kind of a hipster thing, right? It’s alternative to the norm. It’s not the corporate burger chain, it’s more natural foods, again which is more of a… hipster thing.”

Given this enormous local growth juice chains have experienced, another question was how individual

stands differentiate themselves from the wide variety of competition. Frieden shared some of the reasons why he believes his restaurant got so big. “We only sell fresh juice,” he says. “We will not sell juice that’s been altered, because when you alter it that way, you kill the active enzymes, and it even says it on our bottle: ‘You will never find us in the grocery store,’ because to do that, you have to kill the juice, and it’s a dead product, it doesn’t taste the same, and your body doesn’t respond to it the same. So I think that’s our key differentiator, is we will only sell fresh juice.”

“I DON’T THINK ANYBODY STARTS A JUICE BAR TO MAKE MONEY HAND OVER FIST”

Some smaller juice spots, though, need to try other techniques to be remain relevant in the large and diverse community. “A lot of the other juice places have a really, really, large menu with lots of different options, and ours is a lot smaller, a lot more concise,” says

Chelsey Pope, manager of Jugo Fresh Juice.

Photo by Charlie Taylor.

Pope. “They’re not overwhelmed by [all of the] choices...there’s so many different things that are trendy as far as different add-ins and ingredients, and we just don’t really mess with all the fuss.” Similarly, Pope talked about some of the ingredients and items on the menu that make Jugo unique.

“Well, for juice, we have one with garlic in it, with raw garlic, which was really interesting to me, and I was, at first, whenever I saw it, I was like, I don’t really know about that, but that combination of carrot, orange, garlic, lemon, and turmeric, is actually really nice! It was really surprising to me; it’s kind of sweet with carrots and the oranges but then you got the garlic so it’s savory, too. So it’s a it’s a nice combination, I think that’s probably the one that is the most adventurous for people.”

But what causes someone to open a juice restaurant in the first place other than just to hop on this trend that has been so hot? First of all, according to Frieden, almost all juice restaurants have a good reason for opening in the first place. “I think that all of the juice bars, they’ve got a great mission. I mean I don’t think anybody starts a juice bar because they are doing it to make money hand-over-fist. The food cost of the juice bar is way higher than conventional food or factory foods, someone who wants to just make a quick buck would open, like, a sandwich chain or a taco chain, or something that’s a little bit more conventional fare.” With the high cost and difficulty of opening a juice restaurant men tioned by Frieden, owners of such shops must get something out of it other than just the money. According

Cary Frieden, co-owner of Daily Juice.

Photo by Charlie Taylor.

to Pope, it’s learning about the benefits of different healthy foods. “I’ve really had to do more research as far as fruits and vegetables and the different add-ins that we use, and so it’s it’s just been a really cool learning experience that I haven’t otherwise been exposed to.” For others, including Frieden, it’s the feeling of helping others out in adopting healthier eating habits and lifestyles. For example, when considering adopting a drink including fresh grapefruit into their menu, Daily Juice ran into a bit of a problem. They realized the juice would cause statin, a drug that lowers cholesterol, to take longer to break down, causing potential health issues for people taking it.

Frieden decided not to worry about it. “[We] said, you know, ‘Do we need to put a warning on the menu that this contains grapefruit so if you’re taking statin drugs?’, and we said ‘You know what, that’s wrong. What we should do is put a warning on the menu that says, ‘If you’re taking medication, we won’t

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“IF YOU’RE TAKING MEDICATION, WE WON’T LET YOU DRINK THIS- YOU SHOULD STOP EATING ALL THE JUNK FOODS THAT ARE MAKING YOU HAVE THAT MEDICATION.”

Interior of Daily Juice.

Photo by Charlie Taylor.

let you drink this, you should get up- stop eating all the foods and the junk foods that are preventing- that are making you have that medication.’” Whatever the reason, the benefits of opening a juice restaurant are undeniable.

One might ask, “How is this trend so popular? It sounds kind of strange.” But, as owners of juice shops all around Austin would tell you, it really isn’t weird; it’s all about adopting a healthier lifestyle. According to Frieden, a longtime juice connoisseur, it just takes some getting used to.

“You know, I guess to somebody who doesn’t drink greens or juice, a lot of the veggies and any of these things, could seem weird, but at this point, none of it seems weird.”

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A colorful smorgasbord of some of the inventive yet simple drinks served at Jugo. Photo courtesy of Jugo Fresh Juice.

A mint lemonade from Daily Juice and a salad.

Photo courtesy of Daily Juice.

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From Yeast to West The hottest spots to grab a slice in Austin Ever wonder what areas in Austin have the best pizza? What apartment to rent if you’re looking for a dependable pie? These six Austin areas have wwthe most quality italian eateries within a walking distance.

From the best slice on South Congress to the best fetuccini in Pflugerville, if you’re looking for Austin pizza you can find it here.

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South Austin This area is home to some unique establishments,such as Milano Pizza, Conans Pizza, Aviator Pizza, and Pizza Patrons. If you’re looking for a more authentic Italian experience, this is the place for you.

Campus For the pizza lover on campus- this area boasts such names as Via 313, Miltos, Conans, and Salvation Pizza. If your looking for a good slice, you’re definitely in luck!

Downtown Headlined by Homeslice Pizza, and with such big names as 360 Pizza and Southside Flying Pizza, South Congresss is the place to go if you’re looking for a night to remember.

North Central Desano, Bufalina Due, Little Deli, East Side Pies these are only some of the quality pizza joints you can find in North Central Austin.

North Austin

Pflugerville

For the Northern Austinite; this is the place to go for good pizza. I Fratelli pizza, Brio Tuscan Grille, Pizza Day, if you’re looking for small names with great foods, look no further.

Not to forget the Pizza enthusiast in Pflugerville, this location holds Yaghis New York Pizza, Papa Murphy’s Take-n-Bake, Marcos, and more.

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Photo of slowly smoked whole hog (above) taken by Jason Brown and photo of Noble Sandwich Co. storefront on Burnet Road (right and top of page) taken by Tyler Dias.

Sandwich Hy-Bread Austin’s favorite sandwich dive

L

ocal Austinites enjoy picking up a quality, fast meal on the go either during their lunch break or after a day of work. What better food to fit the description than a sandwich.

Did you know Americans eat over 300 million sandwiches

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By: Tyler Dias every day? Noble Sandwich Co. keeps up with this demand by making hundreds of sandwiches everyday.

serves homemade farm-to-table sandwiches and sides that compliment the “Keep Austin Weird” movement.

Noble Sandwich Co. is a local Austin sandwich restaurant that first opened in 2010 on Burnet Road. Noble Sandwich Co.

Sandwich Co. serves homemade farm-to-table sandwiches and sides that compliment the “Keep Austin Weird” movement.

Photo of Noble Sandwich Co. sign (above) taken by Tyler Dias and photo of pulled pork sandwiched topped with raddish taken by Jason Brown

The restaurant caters to Austinites and others looking for a high end meal for a reasonable price.

Noble Pig Sandwich Co. has won many awards for their product, community, and they are continuing to gather awards for their craft.

“It seemed like they had different ingredients on the menu” says Michelle Eddy, a customer at Noble Sandwich Co. The restaurant serves sandwiches with ingredients that are not commonly found in sandwiches. One of these sandwiches included the Thai Chicken, which consists of Thai style chicken, jalapeno-cabbage slaw, and cilantro. Another sandwich is the Seared Beef Tongue, which consists of beef tongue, smoked green onions, red pepper relish, and aioli.

Noble Sandwich Co. is constantly adding and creating new, seasonal sandwiches to keep their menu lively and fresh.

According to Brown, one of the oddest sandwiches at Noble Sandwich Co. was the Curried Egg Salad sandwich, which was an egg salad mixed with curry seasonings and topped with pickled vegetables.

“Traditional style sandwiches for an enjoyable lunch” -Jason Brown, assistant manager at Noble Sandwich Co.

Their sandwiches are not the only things that are unique, they also provide 8 uncommon sides that the customer can choose from to compliment their sandwich. Some of these sides include the jalapeño slaw, truffle fries with parmesan, and the cheese fries with bacon and green onion.

“Appreciate meat and food and vegetables, you know, I hate seeing a whole entire pig go to waste after you take so long to make it, brine it, and the process and then you see it in the trash, it’s kind of insulting, I hate to waste food now even more than ever” -Jason Brown

Noble Sandwich Co. strongly believes in farm-to-table movement and not wasting any part of the animals they use. This ideology keeps the sandwiches local and natural, something that resonates with the Austin culture.

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Photo of meat and cheese spread from Noble Sandwich Co. (top left photo); closeup photo of the PBLT with smoked pork belly, romaine, roasted tomato, and garlic mayonnaisse (top right); photo of the three burgers on the wooden block (bottom left); and photo of seasoned chicken waiting to be slowly roasted (bottom right) taken by Jason Brown.

“People love to go out to eat in Austin” according to Eddy. Austin has become a central hub for eateries.

For the past decade, local fine-dining restaurants have been popping up around Austin. These restaurants provide for the large community of food lovers present in Austin and act like another home to some.

People in Austin are usually short on time and need a quick bite to eat.

Sandwiches are a popular option for a quick, non messy meal for those that only have around 10 minutes of free time. Thanks to the convenient loca-

tion on Burnet Road and the relatively low cost at 7 dollars a sandwich, many Austinites are able to grab a quick bite at Noble Sandwich Co.

“I would just say it’s really convenient, people are short on time, so, they kind of like to have something that they can take to go and eat, and it’s not going to make a huge mess” -Will Olmedo Photo of marinating pork (right) taken by Jason Brown

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How Should You Make Your Taco?

Do you spicy?

By Elliott MacLean

Don’t know what to put in your taco? We’ve all bean there. Lettuce help! Use this chart whenever you’re in a guac-ward situation.

Add Carne asada Add Barbacoa

Ye s

Add Carnitas

All Done!

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rk Po

No Yes Shredded? Beef What Add Sausage kind?

Chorizo n e k c i Ch Add Pollo

D

want it

Yes

No

Want to offset the spice?

Yes

Add Beans

No

Meat?

No

No

Do you want a breakfast taco?

Yes

Add Cheese

No

All Done!

Add Hot sauce

Yes

Add Eggs

Meat?

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Recipe For Success How local restaurants have bean creating success.

Written By: Luke Yium The lively, joyous atmosphere of the La Mancha restaurant is obvious from the moment the door is opened. The smells of the cheesy enchiladas, the delicious chips and queso, and the mouthwatering quesadillas waft out to the street and the front patio. Families laughing, work groups talking and fans cheering to the TV add to the almost festive atmosphere.

It truly is a lovely place.

The story of Juan Carlos Avila is an incredible one that should inspire all. Avila is currently the lead manager at the restaurant La Mancha. He’s been managing there since the restaurant opened in 2014. Avila’s progression to come to manage the restaurant is what makes this story special.

Avila said he did not start out wanting to work in the restaurant business. In fact, it was a friend that drew him in.

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“Some people don’t give credit to the dishwasher.

They think ‘oh he just washes dishes,’ but without dishes we don’t have plates on the table.”

According to Avila, his friend told him that he wants to see them work together in the restaurant business. Previously, Avila was an Electrical Engineer major in

Patio area in La Mancha.

Photo courtesy of La Mancha. college and he worked at a petroleum company.

“So I give it a chance,” said Avila, “and I like the feel and I like the pace.”

Avila has been working in the restaurant business for 24 years.

He came from a job at a petroleum company, yet he still managed to find success.

“Sometimes people don’t give credit to the dishwasher. They think ‘oh he just washes dishes,’ but without dishes we don’t have plates on the table.” said Avila.

Interior of the La Mancha restaurant.

Photo courtesy of La Mancha

Avila’s first restaurant job was at Carrabba’s Italian Grill, a large Italian restaurant chain that started in Texas with locations all around the US.

starting from the bottom and working the way to the top is an inspirational and valid way to become successful.

“I started from dishwasher, all the way to GM [general manager],” says Avila.

“You treat your employees well, they will take care of you in the end. They will take care of your guests as well. So, in the end, you take care of your employees, your employees take care of your guests,” said Avila.

Avila’s hard work and effort put into his job allowed him to rise from dishwashing to managing.

This is an easily attainable recipe for success while managing a restaurant.

“So I know every single position in “Take care of the guests. That is the restaurant. That way I respect the more important thing, every position in the restaurant,” said Avila.

Avila said this is crucial to becoming successful in the restaurant business. All positions are worthy positions in a restaurant, and

Juan Carlos, manager of the restaurant La Mancha. Taken by Luke Yium 31

The Kerbey Lane restaurant located on Guadalupe street. Photo courtesy of Kerbey Lane Cafe. without guests, we don’t have a business,” said Avila.

In other words, guests are what makes a restaurant into a money-making business. Their happiness is crucial to making a restaurant thrive.

“The best advice to open a new restaurant is to know your clientele,” Avila said.

The community in Austin is constantly changing and adapting. Austin’s restaurants need to be able to utilize this to improve their restaurants. Every day,

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“The hospitality climate here [in Austin] is always changing and it’s our job to keep up with the demands of the restaurant goers.”

150 new people move to Austin, constantly altering the Austin environment.

Avila’s previous restaurant could seat 180 people at a time. La Mancha can seat up to 320 people.

“And that was, that was my challenge,” said Avila.

Expanding restaurants is the last step to becoming successful.

However, restaurant workers often times do not make a significant amount of cash. What makes

the hard work and and intense effort worth it?

Lemon rasberry pancakes from Kerbey Lane Cafe.

Photo courtesty of Kerbey Lane Cafe.

“It’s all about relationships. So, I think that’s the best thing that’s happened to me, the relationship[s] that you make.” Avila said.

The relationships restaurant owners make with the guests and the employees are among the greatest that can be made, and they make the extreme work required to run a successful restaurant worth it.

Nowadays, restaurant managers are not your average person who just so happened to find a way to manage in the restaurant.

They are the product of years of hard work and incredible effort combined with a studious mind, capable of most anything they set their mind to.

The Kerbey Lane logo rising above the central location.

Photo courtesy of Kerbey Lane Cafe.

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For Dessert

The vast number of great dessert restaurants in Austin can make it difficult to decide where to go.

But donut fret; here, I highlight my opinion on some of the sweetest local spots in a variety of different categories, from cookies to snow cones. -CHARLIE TAYLOR

Gourdough’s Donuts

SNO-BEACH For more than 15 years, Sno-Beach has been a true summer staple in Austin.

With an expansive selection of flavors, it’s easily one of my favorite local snow cone places. Next time you’re in the market for a refreshing frozen treat, I highly recommend keeping your eyes peeled for the purple snow cone with sunglasses.

GOURDOUGH’S DOUGHNUTS If you’re looking for possibly the most unhealthy, gigantic, creative donuts you have ever seen, you have come to the right place. Welcome to Gourdough’s, where one donut will probably feed your entire family and your dog, and it’s a struggle to keep the plethora of unusual but delicious toppings from falling off. But donut let this deter you: They are absoutely scrumptious. If you are extraordinarily hungry and want to become extraordianarly full on donuts, this is the place for you.

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Sno-Beach

HEY CUPCAKE! An Austin classic, Hey Cupake has stuffed Austinites with creative, giantic cupcakes for years. With its charming South Congress trailer and Burnet brick-and-mortar location, you are never too far from one of them. If you aren’t full from your meal, it’s safe to say you will be after having one of these. Try the Red Velvet; you won’t be disapponted.

Tiff’s Treats

Hey Cupcake!

TIFF’S TREATS An Austin favorite since 1999, Tiff’s Treats always makes an excellent dessert. What I personally like the most about Tiff’s Treats is its delivery service, which makes it great for gifts. My favorite cookie is the M&M, but I guarantee you that there’s not one variety that you won’t enjoy. Next time you’re looking for great cookies in Austin, this would be my first suggestion.

TEO ESPRESSO & GELATO

Teo Gelato & Espresso

Teo, with its peaceful patio and quaint Italian decor, never disappoints. Its gelato’s perfect balance of flavor and texture make it absolutely delicious, not to mention the wide variety of flavors to choose from. Though it’s healthier than ice cream, it’s just as creamy and delectable.

If you have a hankering for gelato on a hot summer’s day, this is the place to be.

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Letter from the Editors A message from the Slice Baby team

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Benjamin Robison featured Desano Pizzeria Napoletana because of his deep passion for delicous Italian pizza. He believes that good food can change the world, and everyone should go out of their comfort zones for a godd slice.

Charlie Taylor gave some insight about the trend of juice in Austin in his feature article and gave his opinion about some of the best dessert restaurants in Austin in his ASF. Taylor hopes his article on juice convinces you to live a healthier lifestyle.

Luke Yium wrote about the struggles and challenges about being in the restaurant business. Yium included two restaurants in his feature story which we La Mancha, a Tex-Mex restaurant, and Kirbey Lane Cafe. Yium says to always be open to new restaurants and new foods because you never know what you will find.

The Slice Slice Baby team, consisting of Tyler Dias, Elliott Maclean, Benjamin Robison, Charlie Taylor, and Luke Yium, thank you for reading this magazine.

Tyler Dias wrote about Noble Sandwich Co. because of his interest in gourmet sandwiches and hopes that his story makes you look differently at sandwiches.

The team is very passionate about food which is why we all decided to work on this food magazine. We each decided to choose a type of food we were interested in and write a feature story about restaurants that served said food.

Elliott Maclean wrote about Nono’s tacos because he enjoys eating tacos. Maclean would like to inform you, the reader, to always follow your dreams.

The Slice Slice Baby team thanks you for finishing our magazine and hopes you enjoyed the content. The team hopes you have a nice day.

Slic e e c i Sl

Baby 37

Game Changer

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^ Get to the pizza!

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