Another Drive By
3 Austin eateries appear on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives
Industry Eastside shared its "beef cakes" recipe.
Casual culinary icon Guy Fieri has taken another lap around Austin, resulting in at least three new appearances for the Texas capital on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives this summer. A new episode that aired July 26 features Industry Eastside, and two more episodes coming in August will shine a light on Asian fusion cuisines.
The July 26 episode is titled "Sandwiches and Soul," and features Asian fusion baked goods in Avondale Estates, Georgia; soul food in Los Angeles, California; and "comfort food" at Industry in Austin, as represented by chef-owner Harlan Scott. Scott showed off brisket two ways: as pastrami on Texas toast, and smoked on sweet pancakes.
From Industry's regular menu, the pastrami sandwich is dressed with dijon, house pickles, Swiss cheese, and bacon-onion jam, plus a brisket jus for dipping. On the sweeter side, the "beef cakes" combine smoked brisket and bacon on buttermilk pancakes with berry compote and pecan syrup. Under the online episode notes, users can find a recipe for the breakfast feast.
The Food Network is strict about disclosure around appearances on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives: they don't share names in advance, and restaurants need their approval to promote their involvement. However, the descriptions contain lots of hints.
Next up is “Flavortown Flavorfest," premiering Friday, August 22. The crew will travel to "a legit Laotian-American spot in Austin," which the description says "is mixin' up mama's recipes, servin' the-bomb beef in a crispy rice salad and killer coconut escolar ceviche." This can only be one restaurant: Lao'd Bar.
Not only is Lao food quite uncommon in Austin and Lao'd Bar new and buzzy, but the restaurant is known for its crispy rice served on whole lettuce leaves. Diners will also find coconut escolar ceviche — served inside a coconut — on the menu.
Finally, premiering August 29, is “Soup, Salad and Sorbet Spin." This time, the restaurant is a bit more opaque, offering "Mexican-Japanese fusion in Austin, Texas, puttin' a spin on traditional dishes with craveable carnitas ramen and a top-tier tostada with spicy tuna."
Mexican-Japanese fusion, while unique, is not unheard of in a place like Austin, which is obsessed with both cuisines. But the ramen provides a big hint: this must be Ramen Del Barrio, an Asian grocery store hideout that certainly fits the show's long-running conceit. The restaurant also received a Bib Gourmand designation from Texas' inaugural Michelin Guide.
Ramen Del Barrio recommends its carnitas tonkotsu for first-time visitors, who can expect pork broth, shoyu tare (soy sauce seasoning), mixed carnitas, grilled pepper and onions, radishes, and tortilla strips on top. It also has a spicy tuna tostada with East Coast bluefin, chicharron furikake, eel sauce, salsa macha (Mexican chili oil), negi (green onions), and guacamole.
Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives premieres episodes at 8 pm. Some video clips are available on demand at foodnetwork.com.
A very saturated look at spicy chicken and sides.Photo courtesy of Angry Chickz
Cape Bottle Room is pairing ice creams and wines December 9.Photo by Jack Fanelli