ATX Eats

AT X

exploring austin foods

eats featuring...

Raindrop Meringues PG 34

Texas French Bread PG 8

The Buzz on Beirut PG 16

Home-Grown PG 24

Bert’s Barbecue PG 30

...and much more!

4 6 From Your Editors

Contributors Page

16

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On Beirut

18

8

B For Bistro

Best Tex-mex in Austin The Buzz

Contents

20 0 Meals At Midway

34 4 3

28 8 2 Barbecue

Raindrop Meringues

30

24

Home Grown

Burgers ATX

atx eats • 3

CONTRIBUTORS LAILA TOUSSON

Growing up in Egypt, Laila was exposed to different cuisines. When she’s not doing homework, she bakes desserts and cooks traditional Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food with her mom. Laila also paints, eats junk food, watches shows and Disney movies on Netflix, and looks at memes in her free time.

She loves trying new food and enjoyed learning about how a restaurant is run. through the making of this magazine.

REAGON KOHLER Reagon plays baseball and tennis for his highschool. teams. He has been playing sports since he was little. After he won a big game, his parents would reward him with going out to eat barbecue the next day, which has been his favorite food ever since.

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WARREN CLARK Warren has lived her whole life here in Austin, TX. She plays volleyball at a local club as well as her high school. She is an avid student, always looking for the next challenge to face. At home, her hobbies include watching Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix, reading Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur, and baking chocolate chip cookies.

ANASTASIA LOUCA Anastasia was born and grew up in Austin, but always ate Greek food her mom made growing up. She has always loved baking and cooking, and likes cooking foods and desserts for her family whenever she has time. She enjoys singing and acting and has been in theatre since fourth grade.

atx eats • 5

From Your

Editors ATX Eats was put together by a group of hardworking and passionate students. Each author went out to learn the stories behind some of our favorite restaurants, meeting amazing people and learning a lot in the process. Every page is the evidence of the team working together to create this magazine for you to enjoy today. We feature foods from different cultures all over Austin, as well as Tex-Mex and sweet treats for you to read about. We have french cuisine in central Austin, a Lebanese food truck in Midway food truck park, Bert’s BBQ, and food made organically from Texas ingredients. We all learned so much about the food available in the Austin area, and even more about the people and history behind each one. We hope you learn from and enjoy ATX eats as much as we loved writing it.

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atx eats • 7

B BISTRO for

Exterior of theTexas French Bread bistro on 29th St.

Bakery ingredients. bakery with with aa colorful colorfulhistory historyand andlocally-sourced locally-sourced ingredients Story and Photography By Warren Clark

S

eated in a shaded garden surrounded by the soft wind blowing through the oak tree above, water burbling in a small fountain, and coffee mugs clinking against their saucers, Media and Marketing Director Whitney Arostegui begins to tell the story behind a local Austin bakery and bistro.

Texas French Bread (TFB) is a local restaurant, founded over 30 years ago by Judy Willcott and later run by her sons, Ben and Murph Willcott. TFB is located in central Austin and focuses on the best, high quality ingredients possible to show a honest way of eating.

Inspiration for TFB came from a Mardi Gras dinner party hosted by Ron and Peggy Weiss, owners of Jeffrey’s. Judy brought baguettes to the party, baked in her home kitchen earlier in the day.

“She took baguettes to this party and they said ‘Judy, these are so good we need you to make these for our restaurant’ and she said ‘Well I don’t have a bakery’. [And they responded] ‘Just start a bakery, Judy, because someone needs to be making better bread in this town’” Arostegui said, describing the dinner party.

After the dinner, Judy began making bread out of her own kitchen to supply

Jeffery’s. Her son, Murph Willcott, wrote about his experiences in the early years of TFB in his online newsletter. In an entry titled “Letters from Julia Child: An Ode to Moms and the Early Days of Texas French Bread”, he recounts memories

“

of his mother waking up at 4 a.m. to mix dough in the 20 QT mixer that began to dominate his kitchen. His words are filled with admiration for his hard working mother, and writes that “It was my mother’s genuine and heartfelt love for the activity of baking itself that drove her success.”

In another newsletter titled “Falling in love with Food - An Origin Story”, Murph wrote,“My mother put Texas French Bread on the map with little more than an honest baguette, a few rather exceptional breakfast pastries, and a simple turkey sandwich made on freshly baked bread”.

The feeling of simple, honest food can still be found in TFB if you visit today. “[Food is] a source of nourishment and we want people to eat well and to be good to each other. The food that we serve is also not very showy, it’s really more about this kind of classic French style of cooking, it’s about using really good ingredients and making the most important aspect of a dish as opposed to using new fangled techniques,” Arostegui said.

TFB is also very close to the farm-to-table movement. When Murph took over as manager, he advocated for every way the bistro could support local urban farms and produce.

Arostegui spoke about Texas French Bread’s steady dedication to eating well and eating locally, describing how farmers markets play an integral part in sourcing ingredients for dinner entres.

“The chef and sous chef go to local farms twice a week if not more depending on what we need. It would be hard to exist if the Austin community didn’t jump on board really early on with supporting local farms and local institutions, and so we’re really lucky to have the support of the Austin community for

It was my mother’s love for baking that drove her to success.

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Freshly baked bread lines the shelves behind the front counter of Texas French Bread on 29th St.

that reason,” Arostegui said.

In addition to supporting local farms and produce, TFB uses the most high quality ingredients available.

“We avoid cutting costs by purchasing from these huge businesses that are supporting putting thousands of chickens in a tiny little farm and cramming them together and pumping them with antibiotics,” Arostegui said.

In the 90s, TFB reached a rough patch.

Multiple locations were open, but increasing prices and competition in Austin pushed the bistros into a corner of bankruptcy. Once Murph took over, he decided to close down every location save the one still around today.

Arostegui also shared her thoughts on how TFB stayed open, saying “My advice is just do

something that you’re really into and if you are excited about something and really passionate about something then you can pass that excitement and passion along to other people.

What’s important to Murph and the rest of us is for people to come here and feel like family.

It’s a place where your friends are and a place where you know the stuff and a place where you can feel really comfortable. We don’t want to be judgy. Pretentious.”

Adding to the feel of working for Texas French Bread, General Manager Chase Clay spoke about what it is like to be manager of a local identity.

“We find a lot of value in community. Being a positive addition to the community we’re located in. Fostering a positive community for our staff atx eats • 11

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far left) A freshly painted sign brightly marks the outside of Texas French Bread. top left) Writer Warren Clark wears a Texas French Bread shirt sold in the bistro for $15. top right) The garden salad avilable for the night features all types of greens paired with tomatoes and radishes. bottom left) Freshly baked banana nut muffin sits next to a cinnamon roll. bottom right) A cinnamon roll and banana nut muffin sit next to the daily dinner menu for October 25.

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and our guests. Supporting the local farming community by sourcing some of the highest quality local ingredients available. Community is one of the most important things to me personally and TFB as a company. We’re a family and a community more than a business,” Clay said.

“A lot of people who work here have worked here for a really long time and grown with the business,” Arostegui added.

A stop to Texas French Bread is a safe bet to make any day. The freshest ingredients are used in professional ways to provide a clean way of eating. Located on 29th and Rio Grande, the central Austin bistro is a go-to for foodies wanting a little bit more in their lives. •ATX

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(above) Warm frites, a nod to French culture, lie in the sun along with a garden salad featured on the dinner menu. (right) A hand-drawn chalkboard featuring the wines available for the night sits above a two-person dinner table.

“

The chef and sous chef go to local farms twice a week if not more, depending on what we need.

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WHICH

TEX-MEX

IS BEST?

an honest comparison of your texas food options

by ANASTASIA LOUCA

Julio’s—

Anna: “I had a veggie taco as well as chips and salsa. The whole thing had a

Cara:

really homey feel. The taco was a bit greasy but the chips and salsa were amazing and not too spicy which I appreciated.”

Dakota:

“I had a chicken taco and some chips and salsa. The salsa was a little bit spicy but it wasn’t overpowering. The chicken taco was a little bit greasy, butI really liked it anyway. I’m biased because I go there alot.”

“I had a bean and cheese taco, I really liked their booths and seats. It was comfy. I really liked their taco, and their salsa. It was really good.”

Chipotle—

Anna: “I had a beef taco and chips and salsa. The beef was really dry

Cara:

and chewy and the chips were too crispy without much flavor.

The salsa was mostly diced tomatoes lacking much flavor.”

“I had the beef tacos. The beef in it was chewy. The tortilla was kind of like paper, it was abnormally chewy and dry. The salsa was pretty much diced tomatoes with a couple bits of onion and some lime juice.”

got a beef taco, I really liked the seating, but I wasn’t too Dakota: “Ifond of the taco. The chips and salsa were kind of spicy.”

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Torchy’s— Warren:

Reagon:

Laila:

Taco Shack— Warren: Laila:

“I ordered a beef fajita. The beef was really juicy, it was really good. It was seasoned, there was peppers and onions too. The only problem I had was the tortilla was kinda soggy from the juices coming from the beef. It was a really good size. The salsa was not very spicy.”

“I ordered a bean and cheese breakfast taco. I really liked how it was not too fancy. It wasn’t too expensive. It’s a great location as well. Their salsa was more spicy for my taste. Otherwise everything was good.”

“I had the potato egg and cheese breakfast taco and I really liked how simple it was and how good it tasted. I liked the flavors of the salsa but I did not like how liquid it was.”

“I ordered a breakfast taco with potatoes, eggs, and cheese. It was a pretty basic breakfast taco. It was pretty small. The cheese was not melted which was also a problem for me. The eggs were bland. There was no pepper, no salt, no nothing. I liked the salsa, it was a good spicy salsa.”

Julio’s Torchy’s Chipotle

4th place

Taco Shack

1st place

Reagon:

3rd place

“I had the potato egg and cheese breakfast tacos. I thought it tasted good but I didn’t really like how packed the tacos were. For the salsa, I liked the flavor but it was a little too spicy.”

2nd place

“I ordered a bean, cheese, and potato breakfast taco. It was definitely more high-end than Taco Shack was. There was more to it. I also enjoyed their salsa better than Taco Shack, it was a little less spicy and there seemed to be more of a bulk to it.”

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The Buzz On the freshest food truck

By LAILA TOUSSON

T

here is a food truck that provides food so good that, if left unattended, will be quickly stolen by the common hungry grackle. The grackle is in for a real treat, because this is not its ordinary bread crumb.

This is Beirut, an authentic Lebanese food truck based in Austin, Texas, and located at Midway Food Park. By introducing new flavors and a unique cuisine to the members of the community, Beirut puts a spotlight on Middle Eastern food.

“Beirut is a casual and nice place to eat. If you love trying new things, this is the place for you,” Shawn Hamze, one of Beirut’s most frequent customers, said. The food truck was made by one of his close childhood friends from his birthplace, Lebanon.

Charlie Rajeh and Shawn Hamze have been friends since 1984. After years of working at restaurants and pizza places, Rajeh realized he had found his passion. “I decided I like food; I know how to make it,” Rajeh said.

“There is definitely a place for it in Austin. We don’t have enough good Mediterranean food,” Rajeh said. “I’ve decided to go for the truck which is a big trend now in Austin.”

The food truck’s menu offers a selection of plates and sandwiches.

“This is what we consider Lebanese or Middle Eastern street food, which is easy to get, sandwiches and wraps, they’re very popular in the Middle East.” Rajeh said.

“When Charlie was planning his menu he invited us all and he invited many of our friends,”

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BEIRUT Hamze said. “We started testing the way he’s gonna make the food several times until we all agreed that this is what we like, this is what it is.”

Beirut not only provides customers with a variety of options to choose from, but the food they offer is high quality as well.

“We pride ourselves with our quality and the freshness of the food.” Rajeh said.

Frequent customers agree like Hamze agree.

“It’s clean food, good food. If you’re vegetarian it’s the ultimate. If you like meat, it’s there.”

Hamze said.

Andy Hamze, Shawn Hamze’s son, has similar thoughts.

“The food is fresh and prepared for you. Also there are healthy and vegan items.” Hamze said.

New customers are attracted to the food

“

We pride ourselves with the quality and freshness of the food.

-Charlie Rajeh, food truck owner

top) A combination of a beef shawarma wrap, fries, and a fatoush salad is a good meal combo offered at Beirut. top right) The Beirut food truck is decorated with graffiti art, displaying a design of the food truck’s name over Arabic calligraphy. right) Beirut offers many options for customers.

If customers don’t want a sandwich, they can always go for the plate which offers the same amount of meat and is topped with similar toppings. Photos courtesy of Rana Jouni, Laila Tousson, and Rana Jouni.

truck because of its unique cultural aspects.

They come looking for the “authentic Lebanese” they were promised, and Beirut does not disappoint.

Rana Jouni, a customer born in Lebanon, enjoys eating at Beirut as the food brings back memories of home.

“The fatoush plate reminds of me of my mother because she makes it everyday and spends hours preparing it,” Jouni said. “This plate is healthy, refreshing and reminds me of my hometown in Lebanon.”

Andy Hamze, born but not raised in Lebanon, also tends to reminisce when he eats at Beirut.

“The food is the biggest reminder of home.

The food is just like it is in Lebanon.” Hamze said.

Not only is the food fresh and authentic, but the atmosphere is inviting as well. Midway Food Park is a blend of a selection of food trucks, live music, and a playground. “It’s outside so people who like the outdoors can eat good food outside,” Andy Hamze said.

There are many positive aspects of Midway, causing more people to be attracted to the park.

“This is a great place for kids, big and small,” Jouni said. “Also, this is a pet friendly place.”

Shawn Hamze enjoys spending time at the food park.

“The atmosphere is family oriented, offering a large play ground,” Hamze said. “It’s a combination of two perfect things.”

Beirut used to be located near Zilker park, moving to Midway nearly a year ago. According to customers, this was a smart move.

“It was obscure and unnoticeable.” Andy Hamze said. “It was also in a dangerous part in Austin which isn’t safe for kids.”

This location contrasts with Midway, a safe, gated food park with a playground for children.

“With no doubt in my mind Midway is a much better location.” Shawn Hamze said.

There are other food trucks located at Midway, each one unique and offering different foods prepared fresh for customers. This food park houses five food trucks, each appealing to customers with certain cravings and tastes.

There’s Beirut, Dock & Roll, The Naughty Texan, The Celia Jacobs Cheesecake Experience, and Moojo.

• story continued on page 22

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MEALS AT

M I D WAY

which food truck is most preferred?

by LAILA TOUSSON

ALL ABOUT

M I D WAY BEIRUT

The joyful laughter of children can be heard over the the buzzing chatter of people seated at their wooden picnic tables, talking with friends and family as they eat freshly prepared meals ordered off of a food truck’s menu. This is Midway, a food park in Austin that houses a variety of local food trucks. All kinds of people come to enjoy an afternoon out eating great food in a great environment.

With five different food trucks to choose from, new customers can have trouble finding the one that that will meet their standards. Each food truck is unique, creating original dishes and recipes to attract customers. If you have a sweet tooth or are willing to try something new, Midway is the food park for you.

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44 votes

Beirut is Midway’s most preferred food truck– not only for its colorful paint or good customer service, but for the unique and authentic cuisine it offers to those willing to try it as well.

DOCK & ROLL

20 votes

THE CELIA JACOBS CHEESECAKE EXPERIENCE

12 votes

Dock & Roll is every seafood lover’s paradise, offering a variety of freshly prepared lobster and shrimp and more sides and combos than imaginable, making it a strong candidate for second place.

The Celia Jacobs Cheesecake Experience has been around Midway for a long time and has accumulated many loyal fans. “If I could, I would have this for breakfast, lunch and dinner.” A customer said.

THE NAUGHTY TEXAN

MOOJO

12 votes

The Naughty Texan is the newest to Midway of the five, but customers were automatically drawn to its sausage wraps, brisket nachos, and naughty tacos, a mixture of meat, cheese and sour cream.

12 votes

Moojo is a popular food truck because it offers a mix-and-match menu with a wide selection of cookies, ice cream flavors, and toppings to help customers create their ideal ice cream sandwich.

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Charlie Rajeh, owner of Beirut, sports a Beirut shirt while delivering freshly prepared food to customers seated at a table at Midway Food Park. Photo courtesy of Charlie Rajeh.

Out of a poll of 100 people, Beirut led the pack with 44 votes. Customers have their reasons for voting for certain trucks. “Beirut’s menu offers a wide selection of plates, sandwiches and sides. It is prepared fresh daily by the owner Charlie and his crew. It is priced under the value of any fresh meal you may have in the Austin area. Not to mention that amount of food you are getting either in your sandwich or in your plate is for an affordable low price for a great meal in a beautiful atmosphere.” Shawn Hamze said, explaining why Beirut has remained his favorite food truck aside from personal ties to the owner.

Beirut is more than just a food truck. It represents a culture and cuisine most people would not be aware of otherwise. “It sheds light to some amazing Arab foods and it represents Lebanon and the Middle East in general.” Andy Hamze said. Food is one of the many ways people can learn about new cultures they wouldn’t be bothered to look into.

The Austin community is known for being open and accepting about everything, ranging 22 • atx eats

from artwork, trends, and lifestyles to religions, cultures and cuisines. “Arab food is getting popular in Austin because it tastes good and is visually appealing. Also, people like to try new things.” Andy Hamze said.

Once people have tried Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food, they usually come back for more. “People are getting used to the idea, especially a lot of the soldiers that have been in the Middle East that have tried the falafels, the shawarmas, and of course the hummuses.” Rajeh said. “It’s been very successful so far. People love it.”

Austin is home to many food trucks and restaurants like Beirut that offer different experiences. New cuisines from foreign countries are a gift that has been given to Austin through immigration and cultural diffusion, one that the community is gradually learning to accept and appreciate. • ATX far right) Fatoush is a classic mediterranean salad, one of the more popular items available at Beirut. Photo courtesy of Charlie Rajeh.

Home-Grown austin restaurant uses all organic, texas-sourced ingredients Photos and Story By ANASTASIA LOUCA

T

hroughout the year, Austinites and visitors come to sit on the bar seats, booths, or patio of Dai Due. Dai Due, at its one and only location, uses produce and meat from the land they are based in to make their foods. Open since 2006, they work to serve fresh and fairly produced foods to both support our farmers and serve quality foods to their customers.

The restaurant and its employees work hard to come up with new and creative to change daily. Tuesdays and Thursdays feature a wild card meal of a limited availability item. Fridays include seafood meals for two, Saturdays have supper club, and Sundays get tallowfried chicken night. “We source most of our ingredients locally within Austin, from local farms that are organic and we try not to get anything outside of Texas. It has to be certified organic”, said Mike Dias, a butcher at Dai Due The restaurant is priced a bit higher than others, ranging from around 28 to 74 dollars for their a la carte meals. Entrees go from around 24 to 84 dollars. This is because of the focus they put on gathering all organic Texas produce.

Austinites get to see what the state they live in can make.

As the produce available to the restaurant changes, so do the foods. According to Dias, a big way their meals change with the ingredients is by flavor profile. Using a fresh tomato versus

24 • atx eats

a dried one will change the flavor profile of the meals they can make, therefore changing the menu. Because of these changes in flavor profile, using a tomato in the summer and fall means you get it beautiful and fresh, whereas using it in winter, preserved and dried, will change the food.

Before planning new menus, chefs at Dai Due wait to hear from the farmers providing them with ingredients. Farmers often reach out to Dai Due to offer produce to be used in the restaurant’s foods.

Dias said that his main jobs are making sausages and grinding the meat, as well as preserving, fermenting, and breaking down

“

Everyone [is] completely devoted to the food they [are] cooking and serving.

- Thatcher Fernandes

of proteins. Fermentation is a process which brings out lots of health benefits in foods. It aids in digestion, prevents diseases, and can even reduce social anxiety. It is a way of preserving foods while retaining nutrients that is used on many different ingredients.

Thatcher Fernandes has been a host at Dai Due for two years. His job is to introduce guests to the restaurant and make sure everyone who is there gets a good experience. According to him, everyone is “completely devoted� to the food they cook and serve. He says he goes

into the butcher shop or prep area and gets explanations or even demonstrations from the butcher on his job.

This is exciting for customers to know as they can be sure that everyone who is serving them works their hardest to make sure their guests receive the best. It is not a requirement for a host to learn anything from the butchers, but because of interest employees can choose to go and learn about the food they are delivering.

Their employees are very willing and excited to talk about the restaurant, and have pride in

Seats on the patio of Dai Due, with an illustration featuring their logo painted on the wall above. atx eats • 25

A shelf near the restaurant’s entry full of ingredients that are used, open for customers to look through.

serving food they know is local and organic to their customers.

Many of the foods on Dai Due’s menu have Texas influence, which is partially because of all the Texas ingredients, but if possible, the restaurant makes menu items from other cultures out of the available ingredients. This is an amazing way to make their food a mix of cultures, having other countries’ food made from our own ingredients. Customers can go to try out foods from Texas while having a meal based on another culture. According to Dias, there are items on the menu such as hummus and babaganoush that are of Mediterranean 26 • atx eats

influence.

Open since 2006, Dai Due serves its customers food that showcases what can be made from Texan ingredients while staying healthy and organic. With their changing menus, and farmers working with them, they have been able to keep their restaurant serving Austinites and visitors for 11 years, and hopefully many more. • ATX

The exterior of Dai Due, located on Manor Road in Austin, Texas.

atx eats • page #

BURGERS AT X popular burger restaraunts

By REAGON KOHLER

Austin is famous for many things, including music festivals, film, sports, and UT. One thing that is not often mentioned is Austin’s food. There are many burger restaurants all across town, all serving delicous food. I surveyed fifty austin residents, all different ages. In’n’Out burger, Shake Shack, Hopdoddy’s, and P.Terry’s were all mentioned as being local favorites.

The first In’n’Out burger restaurant opened in 1945. Since then, they have been serving quality burgers nation wide. 16% said their burgers were the best.

**The bracket size is proportional to the percentages

Since 2005, P.Terry’s has been serving delicous burgers all across Austin.

A whopping 54% claimed that P.Terry’s makes the best burger.

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Shake Shack was created in 2004 in Manhatten as a roadside burger kiosk. Having spread across the U.S., 12% said Shake Shack was their favorite.

Hop Doddy’s has been serving organic, all natural burgers, made with quality beef for decades. 18% said Hop Dody’s was there favorite.

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Generations Of Barbecue the story of a family owned barbecue restaurant

by REAGON KOHLER

Bert’s Barbecue located in West Campus near the University of Texas. Photo by Will F.

T

he enticing smell of mesquite wood smoking in the barbecue pit greets customers as they walk through the door, hearing the bell ring. Past photographs of the Johnson family surrounds customers on the walls. This is Bert’s Barbecue.

Bert and Joyce Johnson opened Bert’s Barbecue in 1970, on the corner of MLK and Rio Grande. It has now expanded into a familyran barbecue restaurant, owned by Gary, Bert’s son.

Gary has a passion for barbecue that can not be taught, but inherited through generations of cooking food.

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“My dad set up a corporation where, myself, my brother, my mother, my dad, and my sister

“

I can’t walk in here without seeing somebody that I know.

Owner of Bert’s Barbecue Gary Johnson standing brhind the counter. Photo by Reagon Kohler

were all partners...and when my dad passed away, my brother and I ended up taking over the business, and keeping it going,” Johnson said, “I really like doing this for a living, it’s a career...I raised two kids with my wife, and at one point everybody’s worked in the store.”

There are many ways people learn how to cook. Some spend approximately 50,000 dollars a year for culinary school. Other chefs just have a natural gift. Johnson learned by growing up around the business. When Johnson graduated high school, he was on a work program where he worked half days for his father’s restaurant.

“During my half days, my dad was really good about teaching me how to cook, and how to run a restaurant,” Johnson said.

Gary has owned the business for 27 years.

“My favorite part is that I don’t have to listen to everybody telling me what to do...if I want to

leave at one o’clock in the afternoon, I just leave at one o’clock,” Johnson said, “but the downside to that is, when a client calls and they want something you may not want to do, but it’s good for your business to go ahead and follow through and do it.”

With the successes of a restaurant come the challenges and obstacles they have to overcome.

“The easiest part is cooking the food, and serving the food...but when I have someone come in and use my time on some kind of egulatory issue...that’s the most frustrating thing about owning a business. It’s not cooking and selling, it’s all the other things you have to put up with that you don’t count on” Johnson said.

The food industry has changed dramatically since Bert started the restaurant in 1970. One thing that has changed is the development of atx eats • 31

Bert’s Barbedue wood pit just outside the front door. Photo by Reagon Kohler

social media. Specifically, it has changed competition between other restaurants.

“I think there used to be competition before social media, but now with social media, I think everybody’s kinda come to the realization that there’s a lot of barbecue places, and it does nobody any good to tear down other ones” said Johnson, “It’s not like you can say something to one person and that’s it, you say something to one person, they get on social media and it’s everywhere.

As the website says, “there is a lot of good bbq joints in Austin and Bert’s is one of ‘em!”

One might wonder, what makes Bert’s a good BBQ joint? Without a doubt, “the T-Man is the best selling item,” Johnson said, “it was something my Dad came up with, and it’s 32 • atx eats

been a huge hit ever since.”

Most restaurants have a secret recipe that they are famous for. Others rely on marketing strategies like big billboards. Bert’s secret to success is their customer service.

“What we really do is stay within a certain model, which is, keep everything fresh, keepin basically the same menu, but where we step outside of that model, is, when we cater, what we do to frozen T-Mans, and when we take unusual orders from customers” Johnson said. He continued to say that sometimes, he gets to cook forty pounds of chicken, or eighty pounds of brisket.

Those are the things that kept customer John Elliott coming through the door for over thirty years. Elliott said he went to Bert’s 3-4

30 year customer John Elliott and son Patrick Elliott eat their lunch at Bert’s Barbecue. Photo by Reagon Kohler.

times a week when he was in law school at the University of Texas “It’s the kind of food that harkens back to younger days and younger years” Elliott said, “for folks who have not tried Bert’s, they need to give it a try, because it is a very special place...I can’t walk in here without seeing somebody that I know, and that’s a special feeling that you can’t get anywhere else.”

“I’ve come in here for over thirty years, and I’ve gotten the T-Man with Fritos every time... and it always tastes the same.” Elliott said.

Elliott’s son, Patrick Elliott, a student at the University of Texas, now goes to Bert’s often, just like his dad did when he was in college.

John Elliott said Bert’s has created a family tradition that has lasted for generations.

“The one thing I really enjoy more then anything is having repeat customers,” Johnson said,“when I see them keep coming back, that’s what really inspires me to keeps going” So, when you are out and about, and looking for a place to eat, be sure to think of Bert’s, and taste their barbecue that has been made for generations.

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RAINDROP MERINGUES

a melt-in-your-mouth treat you can make in your own kitchen

by WARREN CLARK

With a crunchy, crisp, and colorful outer shell paired with a light and airy center, these meringues will brighten up any event they appear at.

34 • atx eats

Ingredients • • • • • •

1 cup egg whites 1/4 tsp cream of tartar 1 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 4+ shades of blue food coloring Piping bag and a round tip

Instructions • Beat egg whites in a metal bowl, starting on low speed. Add the cream of tartar while increasing speed to high.

• Slowly add sugar, about a tablespoon at a time. Keep beating the mixture on high until it forms stiff peaks.

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees • Paint the inside of your piping bag with vertical stripes of blue food coloring • Pipe meringues out in raindrop shapes • Bake for 1 1/2 hours • Let cool in oven for 1 hour • Enjoy! atx eats • 35