Lawrence was in Scotland at this point in his wanderings.
YA decent pho/bun/Vietnamese place. The only thing that stands out to me is that their fried rice dishes are only available at the Round Rock location: I wouldn't have thought preparing fried rice is that difficult. Too bad, too, because I've been kind of craving fried rice with Chinese sausage.
Another decent strip-mall Pho place. Except for my ordering the wrong thing (though they did manage to get the "no peanuts" order right), everything was fine, but there's nothing to distinguish it from a dozen other pho places. Certainly worth a visit if you're in the area, but not worth driving past another pho place for.
By the way, when they say "milkshake" on the menu, they mean "smoothie." It was a good smoothie, but a smoothie none the less.
Armadillocon. We ate at JC's because it was close to the hotel.
The biggest mystery about JC's is why they aren't packed on a Saturday Night. JC's pretty much gets everything (appetizers, entrees, desserts, service) just right. While there nearest competitors (both stylistically and geographically), Outback and Texas Land & Cattle Company are both worthy choices (though Outback has slipped a bit as of late), JC's is clearly a cut above both.
The only drawbacks were some stained tiles in the ceiling (the waiter said they'd be replaced shortly) and the cigarette stench in the men's room (thanks a lot for that Nanny-state smoking ban, Austin City Council). But everything else was excellent. Moreover, everyone I knew attending Armadillocon who tried JC's also thought it was excellent.
If you like steak and you haven't tried JC's yet, you really should. This should be your first choice for a steakhouse in Austin. Get over there now; it's not too crowded, and I'd like to see them stick around.
There are times when all I want is a good burger. And by "good", I mean "non-big-chain" (no Fuddrucker's with their sweet buns, no Burger King because my Whopper moods are distinct from my "good burger" moods, and Waterloo's burgers are too small). I have a lot of trouble finding a "good burger" when I'm in these moods. But I know where to go now.
I like Billy's. It has the feel of a neighborhood beer joint, where you're likely to run into someone who lives a few houses down from you. They have a pretty good range of beers on tap, the fried mushrooms and wings were excellent, and I really liked my "Ends Burger" with a good hot sauce and plenty of blue cheese. I also appreciate the minimalist approach to condiments on burgers that the menu demonstrates (as well as the fact that the kitchen didn't screw up my order), and the presence of free wireless access is a plus.
Recommended.
Eh. Standard Burger Joint, one each. The burgers are OK, but not exceptional (though I got mine rather late compared to everyone else), and the wings are nice and hot (if a touch pricey). Speaking of hot, it did seem a touch too warm inside; not enough for sweat to break out, but enough to notice (maybe because it was one of the hottest days of the year). Soft drinks come in cans. Since there's no way to add additional condiments beyond ketchup and (I think) mustard, I can't see any reason to recommend this place over Fuddrucker's, unless you live within walking distance.
See the logs for September of 2005.