Where to Eat on the Drag – Spring 2018

The Drag, the strip of Guadalupe that passes by the UT campus, has an unwarranted bad reputation in the Austin food world. Some of my favorite lunch spots are or were along the Drag, but few stay because of high rent and obscurity. Food carts pop up so unexpectedly that they don’t have time to get traction in the local food scene before they disappear again. Plus there are the challenges that come with the seasonal nature of the area. Either there are so many students that outsiders don’t want to bother stopping by or the students leave for the summer and there’s not enough business left to stay afloat. It’s harsh, and I feel lucky to work close by and be able to visit these restaurants while they exist.

As a Drag local, here are my recommendations for places to check out before they disappear:

tostada

Burrito Factory

I know it’s in the Dobie, but hear me out–the Burrito Factory is the best Tex-mex/Mexican in the area. Their salsa roja is actually spicy, they use rich creams and cheese, and they have tortas. TORTAS! That’s so rare around here, and when you can get one, for some reason it usually takes forever for them to make it. Burrito Factory delivers quality food with the speed of a mall food court restaurant, which it is.

 

China’s Family Restaurant

Eat here fast because nothing that moves into this location, behind the old Veggie Heaven spot, lasts long. China’s Family Restaurant is the newest attempt to make that spot successful. It’s definitely the best restaurant that will deliver to my north-central apartment. Yelp reviews concur that the way to go is the fish fillet in oil and the eggplant dish. Their American takeout style dishes aren’t as great, but meat-and-potatoes types really enjoy the Crispy Chicken. All dishes are served family style, so be prepared for monstrous portions.

bento plate
Veggie bento with fried tofu, rice, and vegetables

Song La

Song La is famous for their chicken bites with basil, but I love them for the amount of vegetables that they serve. You can even get a box of just their vegetables and rice for $5. The photo above is their veggie bento box which comes with rice, fried tofu, a slew of cooked and pickled vegetables, and two sauces. One is a kind of spicy mayo with honey while the other is Sichuan ma la chili oil.

The last time I visited, there was no covered seating. They do, however, validate parking in the University Co-op garage.

mac and cheese with a red bean chili

Arlo’s

I have been in love with Arlo’s for ages, so I squeed when I learned that they were taking over the Hole in the Wall restaurant spot. I have never had a veggie burger as great as theirs, and I’ve had fancy burgers, Impossible burgers, made-with-love burgers. Arlo’s is simply the best. I tricked my team into eating there recently and the omnivores ordered the Chipotle “Chicken” sandwich and loved it. I had chili mac and it was so rich and delicious. I had that battle with myself where I can’t possibly finish it in one sitting but it tastes so good that I really want to, so I keep pushing it away from me then pulling it back and eating it some more. So good. Plus they have tots. My kingdom for a fried potato.

pizza

The Pizza Press

The Pizza Press is a chain that lets you create a pizza with unlimited toppings of your choice. You want a vegan pie piled with veggies, topped with fresh herbs and a balsamic swirl? Done. Want to go the other route and use four types of cheese? Got it. If this doesn’t excite you, I really don’t know how I can help.

Authentic Cajun Crawfish Dip for Your Next Crawfish Boil

Picnic table of boiled crawfish

This week was my friend Luke’s annual crawfish boil, and it was amazing as always. I’m as Cajun as you can get, so I jump at any chance I have to eat crawfish here in Austin. Unfortunately, usually the serving sizes are not adequate for my Cajun stomach, nor is the seasoning adequate for my taste buds. Luke’s crawfish always manages to satisfy on both accounts. (The amazing picture above is also by him. Thank you Luke!)

Going to Austin crawfish boils, I’ve learned that I need to be prepared to bring my own crawfish dip. Crawfish dip, as in dip that you dip your crawfish in, is not something that exists here. I’ve seen people use butter, which I guess makes sense, crawfish are similar to lobster. That’s not how we we do it in Acadiana though. In Acadiana, we all make our own special concoction of mayo and other special ingredients, creating something not unlike the “special sauce” you put on a burger. Meeting everyone in the kitchen before the boil to each make your unique bowl of dip is one of my favorite parts of a crawfish boil. In Austin, however, this means me meeting myself in the kitchen, and then making enough to supply the party.

Yes, I bring Bag of Louisiana brand crawfish boil seasoningmy own crawfish dip to bars and other locations serving crawfish. I bring my own koozie too. That’s how I roll.

As my inaugural blog recipe, here’s my ‘classic’ version of the crawfish dip. It’s about as basic as you can get. This particular one is my go-to Austin-party dip because of the extra spice. It compensates for the fact that I usually find the crawfish to be under-seasoned. The spice it calls for is in fact ‘Crawfish Boil’, the same mixture that is commonly added to the pot of crawfish itself, usually Louisiana or Zatarain’s brand (pronounced Zat-UH-ranz or Zat-UH-rehnz). If you need help finding this in your area, try looking in a store that features international foods. In Texas, Fiesta actually has a very nice section of ‘Cajun supplies’. When I lived in Oregon, I found the same thing in Asian and Mexican supermarkets.

Authentic Cajun Crawfish Dip

  • 1 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 1 tsp crawfish boil seasoning
  1. Mix all ingredients together. Taste as you go to add more seasoning if desired. If you find it getting too salty, you can try supplementing Low Sodium Tony Chachere’s.