Austin is rich in restaurants bringing cuisine from around the world. Our city is particularly blessed with great Japanese food, and we have the creators of Ramen Tatsu-Ya to thank for much of it. As the long lines can attest, Ramen Tatsu-Ya earned its spot in the hearts of Austin ramen lovers long ago. Now the owners and chefs behind Austin’s premiere ramen spot have brought us a new restaurant concept: Kemuri Tatsu-ya. [Read more…]

Am I the only one infatuated by all things French? Even placing the word “French” in front of a noun makes it sound better. Think of bread, for example…

I would love to wake up in Paris one morning, get dressed to look simple but chic like a true Parisian, then run to the bakery and have a croissant with a cup of coffee. Oh, stereotypes!

How close can I get to my dream while living in Austin? I can definitely find bakeries that make croissants. The only question is: how authentic are those croissants? Out of this question the idea for a croissant crawl was born: one day, four bakeries, four croissants. The winner takes all. [Read more…]

Each year from November to January we embark on an annual journey of indulgence. We revel in the company of friends and family. We bask in waves of nostalgia as songs, traditions and memories from years past wash over us. We willingly loosen our belts a notch, making room for a parade of seasonal delicacies.

But come January, we’re jarred from this holiday haze. As if a switch has flipped in our brains, we begin a desperate search for a reset button. In truth, there’s no magic bullet to instantly shedding the weight or cravings from two months of holiday cheer. Nor is there time to search for one as we confront that mound of unanswered work emails.

That’s why we live in Austin, a foodie city that understands that healthy needs to be good as well as easy. I’ve put together some of my favorite resolution-friendly restaurants for healthy but satisfying meals on the go. [Read more…]

What will your New Year’s resolution be? If you’re like 95 percent of the world, losing weight will be high on the list. Pack the gym, cut the carbs, dust off the Shake-Weight. It’s time to get fit.

But not now! It’s the holiday season, so why not live it up before cupcakes, pies and ice cream become strictly forbidden? Here are seven Austin desserts to try before your New Year’s resolution kicks in. [Read more…]