Natalie Parra-Novosad - The Austinot

Dog House Drinkery Is Playground for Dogs and Owners

June 8, 2015 by Natalie Parra-Novosad Leave a Comment

Dog House Drinkery Dog Park in Leander

Attention dog parents! You know that feeling when you come home from a long day at work and your best buddy is super excited to see you? You pet him and feed him, but after a long day you really want to go out and have a drink with some friends. The guilt of leaving the poor little guy at home without sufficient playtime starts to set in…

Turns out, you can have the best of both worlds at this bar/dog park. Bring your dog or dogs to Dog House Drinkery Dog Park in Leander and both you and your best buddies are sure to go home happy. [Read more…]

Your Austin Guide to Oysters on the Half Shell

April 22, 2015 by Natalie Parra-Novosad 1 Comment

Oysters. Either you love them or you can’t get over the idea of swallowing a raw mollusk, which is not an easy thing to overcome for some.

If you’ve only ever tried Gulf oysters, give Atlantic oysters a shot at one of the Austin oyster bars listed in this article. [Read more…]

5 Places to Find Authentic Mexican Food in Austin

March 25, 2015 by Natalie Parra-Novosad 17 Comments

Tacos de lengua y pastor at Taco More in Austin

Many people come to Austin to partake in the food scene. A big part of what draws outsiders in and keeps them coming back for more is the influence of Mexican food, or more aptly stated, Tex Mex. Austin food has gained fame thanks to the likes of Torchy’s, Chuy’s and Trudy’s. Breakfast tacos seem to grow on trees.

But as we indulge in mountains of chips, queso and cheese-smothered enchiladas with frozen margaritas to wash it all down, we tend to forget about the real Mexican food that inspired Tex Mex to begin with.

So what makes authentic Mexican food authentic? Mexico is a large and gastronomically diverse country with flavors and modes of preparation varying greatly from the mountains of Monterrey to the Southern tip of Chiapas, so it can be difficult to pinpoint one or two ingredients that make up the real thing.

Nonetheless, the difference can be determined by the tastes that result from the combination of [Read more…]

5 Austin Businesses Boldly Reinventing the General Store

February 25, 2015 by Natalie Parra-Novosad 2 Comments

There’s a new trend in Austin, with businesses playing convenience store, restaurant, bar and neighborhood hangout all in one (Credit: gina pina via Flickr CC)

Where can you go to buy locally sourced groceries, hang out with friends, have a fresh cup of espresso, grab a beer, hear good music and eat breakfast, lunch or dinner all under the same roof?

As you try to imagine what sort of establishment might be able to pull all that off, you’re probably thinking it has to be a large location or national chain. Well in Austin, that’s just not the case. Turns out, we have quite a few places that bring all these things together in a one-stop-shop for the surrounding community. You’ve probably heard of a couple of them, like Whip In and Quickie Pickie.

These types of stores/restaurants seem to be becoming a trend in Austin. They’re the result of a conglomeration of concepts from around the world like the American general store, the Indian dhaba, the Spanish bodeguita and others, but with a distinctive Austin vibe. [Read more…]

5 East Austin Openings Including First U.S. Sour Mash Brewery

February 4, 2015 by Natalie Parra-Novosad 2 Comments

East Austin is at the forefront of Austin’s explosive growth, and that includes the bar and restaurant scene. Residents, startups and long time neighborhood businesses are coming together in an effort to try to control and plan the somewhat chaotic development.

This is a list of new east Austin restaurants and a trailblazing brewery that have recently opened or are about to open in early 2015. Prepare your palettes, ladies and gentlemen. Here’s what’s on the menu for late winter/early spring in east Austin. [Read more…]

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