Texas Flood Relief ❤️ + Comforting Dishes
Plus: Summer Day Trip Rec, Grocery Gems & a Witches Market
The last week has been devastating for our Texas community following the tragic flooding in Kerrville and the heartbreaking loss of precious children and a beloved camp owner at Camp Mystic. As someone who spent 11 summers at Camp Longhorn, I understand the profound impact these summer sanctuaries have on families. My mom attended Camp Mystic when she was a girl, so this tragedy feels deeply personal. Camp is where you count down the days all year to reunite with your closest friends for two magical weeks, singing songs, performing skits at night, swimming in the Longhorn Lagoon, and crying together on that final night because you never want it to end. It's the most joyful place on earth and truly shapes who you become.
Watching two of my friends face the unimaginable loss of their 8-year-old daughters feels twisted and unfair. These were children they sent off expecting the best summer of their lives at a place that held their own cherished childhood memories. In the face of such tragedy, we often don't know what to say or do, or even whether it's okay to go a day without talking about it. What matters most is how we show up for our community and friends who are affected. If you're looking for ways to help:
To support my friends as they navigate the loss of their beautiful daughter, Linnie, you can help cover their costs through this GoFundMe
Austin Monthly has compiled this helpful resource list with trusted organizations supporting flood relief efforts (there are also parts two and three).
Guy & Larry Restaurants (Bulevar, ATX Cocina, Red Ash, Salty Sow, and more) will donate 100% of sales from all locations on Sunday, July 13th, to Texas Hill Country relief.
NEW LUNCH REC:
Uncle Phan's Fresh Tofu
If you've been paying attention, you know Asian food is my favorite cuisine, and discovering a new hole-in-the-wall that hasn't been all over Instagram gives me a high. My friend Mimi told me about this place in North Chinatown a year ago, mentioning they have rice rolls like my favorites from Wu's Wonton in NYC. Walking in, I was completely taken aback. It's more bodega than restaurant—two different menu areas I couldn't read, but thankfully pictures I could understand. Glass cases displayed an array of hot food: whole fish, various meats, saran-wrapped buns, and spring rolls. I arrived early and became a student of observation, watching how everyone else ate. One man caught my attention with his ceramic bowl of steaming rice and a separate container of fish. I ordered by pointing at his exact setup, since it wasn't listed anywhere, and he told me it was off-menu. Wow—that catfish was swimming in the most incredible Asian broth. I'd gladly drive another 20 minutes for it.
The shrimp rice paper spring rolls were revelation-level good, packed with fresh mint and herbs that made them my new #1. The cold tofu squares? Not so much, though I suspect I ate them wrong. I completely missed out on the rice rolls because I didn't realize Vietnamese ones look different from Chinese ones, and they were pork-only anyway. Here's where the story gets even better: when I texted Mimi to thank her for the rec, she sweetly invited me over the next day for her mom's homemade rice rolls made with chicken, knowing I don't eat pork. I wish you could order these from her mom—I loved them!
RESTAURANT REVISIT:
Bar Toti
I've always claimed to prefer Bar Toti over Este, even though comparing two restaurants with different cuisines seems pointless just because they're from the same restaurant group. Looking back, I think my preference stemmed from Este receiving so much critical acclaim while Bar Toti was largely overlooked—I felt defensive on Bar Toti's behalf. I took the lack of media coverage personally when it first opened.
Anyway, I recently revisited both (read about the Este fish I tried here) and went with close friends Emily and Ryan to Bar Toti on a Saturday night while the sun was still shining. Their back garden is absolutely stunning, which explains why so many dishes we craved were vegetable and herb-focused. We split the Focaccia, a Salad bursting with garden greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and charred onion vinaigrette; Roasted Spiced Carrots; seared Sea Bass with pistachio rice, garden kale, blistered cherry tomatoes, and fresh herbs; and Bistro Steak with wagyu tri-tip, duck fat potatoes, sweet onions, chili butter, and sauce bordelaise.
Let me tell you about that sea bass—it's hands down the best fish dish I've had in Austin all year. The portion felt gloriously never-ending, swimming in rice pilaf with cherry tomatoes that literally burst in your mouth, all topped with the freshest greens. This dish, along with that perfectly executed steak, rivals any European restaurant you'd fly to Paris for. We kept trying to have normal conversations, but every time a new dish arrived, we'd completely lose focus and dive into food talk because we couldn't get over how good everything was. Then came dessert: Pastel de Elote, a molten white chocolate cake with corn streusel and an abundance of strawberries that earned a spot on my best desserts list. We left super happy and carried that euphoric energy straight into one of the most fun nights out on the town.
DAY TRIP REC:
Wimberley - Blue Hole & Nada Mucho
My friend Rebecca planned the most fun Friday morning birthday party out in Wimberley at Blue Hole. This natural swimming hole is about an hour outside of downtown Austin and requires a reservation during swim season (May 1st through Labor Day, as well as weekends in September). You can book half-day slots, which provide full access to the waters and grassy lawn, where you can bring your own food. You'll catch people and kids of all ages wading in the water or swinging off one of the two rope swings. There's a shallow end and then deeper, cleaner, bluer water at the other end. Unless you like to tread water like a psycho (like me), bring a tube! Then hit the newest Mexican spot just down the road called Nada Mucho. It's less of a hill country vibe and more of a bright, modern design. Loved the nachos and ceviche, and it's no problem walking in with a group dressed in swimwear. Just make sure to reserve your Blue Hole tickets in advance because they do sell out!
EXERCISE REC:
Marco’s Saturday Flow
My friend Clem dragged me to Marco's Saturday 10:30 a.m. Flow Yoga class at Black Swan Westgate. It was my first time at this location, which has these insanely tall ceilings that put their Clarksville and east side spots to shame. Marco walked in with painted nails and this incredible energy that made him feel like a celebrity. I've never seen a yoga class this packed, and it's clear that people come here religiously to take Marco’s class every single weekend. He completely commanded the room, lifting everyone up from whatever rough week they'd survived and whatever chaos was happening in the world outside. The music was perfect, and you actually break a sweat (shocking, I know). He casually mentioned doing a Taylor Swift-themed class the following week, so apparently, themed classes are his thing if you're into that. I'm all about yoga teachers who bring their own style instead of copying everyone else, and Marco delivers exactly that.
GROCERY RECS:
Local Only!
SideDish Miso Caesar: Most people use this as a salad dressing, and that's probably what Alex Snodgrass (the founder, who lives in Dallas) intended. However, I like to make my signature cast-iron seared chicken and use this as a dipping sauce, much like someone else might use ketchup. There's no seed oils, gluten, or dairy—and only natural ingredients—but what really matters to me is that it tastes great. I eat this probably 3-4 days a week for lunch or dinner when I'm not out, and I truly can't get enough of this combo! Congrats to Alex for recently launching in ALL Whole Foods stores!
Mother Culture Yogurt: As I was perusing around Local Pastures, the farmers' grocery store, I spotted chocolate and raspberry tubs of Greek yogurt. I'd never seen those flavors before, and I figured that at a place like this, they had to be local and authentic. For $12 a container, I decided to gamble on the Luscious Lemon made with Grade A whole milk, raw honey, lemon, and cultures. Let's just say I now have a serious lemon Greek yogurt habit and find myself stopping by every other week to stock up. You can also find it at Whole Foods in San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, and at Central Market in Houston.
4 Sisters Extra Long Grain Organic Brown Rice: I randomly bought this rice, and it immediately became my favorite. I love the flavor and texture. The four sisters behind the brand grew up on a rice farm and launched their company to provide high-quality, organic, and traceable rice. You can find it at Central Market and HEB, and the girls grew up in Louisiana.
DESSERT RECS:
Recent Top 4
As a well-documented sweet tooth connoisseur, ending each meal with a treat is pretty much a requirement for me. (Although I'm currently trying to kick my breakfast dessert chocolate chip habit—we'll see how that goes.) These restaurants may not be best known for their dessert courses, but they absolutely should be.
Soupleaf Ube Soft Serve: Soupleaf is obviously the best hot pot in town with its all-you-can-eat and DIY model, but what people don't talk about is the complimentary soft serve at the end of the meal. The texture reminds me of Jason's Deli (so nostalgic), and it's perfectly cold without being too milky or overly sweet. Last time I went they had a vibrant purple ube flavor.
June's Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookie: When I was the Communications Director at MML, the office was located behind June's, and I would get the Monster Cookie at least once a week. They now serve a Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookie instead, which is honestly my ideal cookie: large chunks of chocolate, sea salt sprinkled on top, and that perfect gooeyness throughout after they reheat it to serve you.
Two Kalimotxo Desserts: Tavel Bristol-Joseph, renowned for his desserts across all Emmer & Rye restaurants, features his famous Basque Cheesecake on the menu here—a dessert so exceptional it converted me into a cheesecake lover and stands as the best I've ever tasted. However, the sleeper hit is the Churro Sundae with caramelized apples and chocolate sauce. If you have to choose between the two, don't!
Lutie’s Soft Serve: You might be going to Lutie's for the lavish, Ken Fulk-designed decor (and honestly, that's fair), but don't leave without trying Chef Susana's soft serve, displayed beautifully in a silver dish that makes you feel fancy just by looking at it. Recent flavors have included Pistachio Matcha, Cookie Butter, and currently it's Watermelon! The flavors rotate, so there's always a reason to come back. P.S. Chef Susana also still sells pints of her signature Kouign Amann ice cream to go, which is basically bringing a piece of heaven home with you.
LOCAL SHOPPING REC:
Austin Witches Market
As a certified witch (haha, I'm only half kidding because coincidences happen to me almost too frequently to the point where sometimes I say something and the next minute it happens, or the person I mentioned I run into or they text me), I actually went on a date to the Witches Market back in March which I thought was a random yet clever idea for something new and low pressure. Hosted at multiple places around town each month, there's another one at Radio East Austin in Montopolis on July 13 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. It's not as weird as you might think. It's a collection of local vendors selling handmade items, ranging from candles and tea with edible glitter to handmade journals, jewelry, art, and more that make for great gifts. The sellers are unique, and it's just something fun and different to walk around. Grab some Veracruz tacos or a beer to walk around with.
JULY EVENTS
July 12: Spritz and Giggles Patio Party, 4-6 p.m. at Loro
July 19: The 3rd Annual Supper Camp by ATX Supper Club, 5-11 p.m. at Rancho Moonrise in Manor
July 24-July 26: Hot Summer Nights, Austin’s Free Summer Music Festival with music for all in venues around town