Astra "Now a Laughlin" P.'s Profile

I've only been here once -- my husband and I went the other night at my suggestion.  He's from southeast Texas and grew up eating gumbo and jambalaya prepared by his Cajun grandma, so he's always been a bit wary of Cajun restaurants, since they rarely measure up.  But he was willing to give Mama Roux a try, so we dropped in for a late-night meal.

I say "late night' -- it was really just about a quarter to 9 and they close at 9:30.  I think there was only one other couple when we came in -- I have no idea how packed they get during "normal" dinner hours.  But the waiter was pleasant and friendly (and he had a "real" Cajun accent, my husband noticed), and he got our drinks promptly.

I ordered some breaded catfish, and my husband got salmon.  We each got a couple sides, and I have to say, everything was quite tasty.  My husband remarked a couple of times about how good everything was -- and trust me, he's an expert when it comes to good Cajun! I really enjoyed my catfish, and it came with garlic & red onion mashed potatoes -- mmmMMMMmmm good. I also really, REALLY liked the butter they served with their bread. I know that's a pretty minor thing, but I swear, it had some sort of garlicky/pesto flavor to it, and I'd go back for that alone.

I couldn't finish my whole meal, but I ate it the next day for lunch, and that catfish was STILL tasty.  So yeah, Mama Roux gets a thumbs up in my book. I'm eager to try more selections on their menu.

So, we all know the Alamo is great. I mean, what self-respecting Austinite wouldn't love it? Sure, sometimes the food isn't the best, and maybe it's a _bit_ pricier than it ought to be, but when it comes down to it, you get to _drink beer_ and _eat decent food_ at a movie theater! And best of all, there are _no children allowed!_ I've gotten so spoiled by now that I try not to go anywhere _but_ the Alamo to see my movies if I can help it!

I did want to write a review specifically for the Alamo Village, too, as the staff has been really accommodating so I figured I'd praise 'em for it.

On one occasion, we'd bought tickets online, but then my boyfriend realized he'd left his credit card at home, once we got there. He hadn't bothered to print out his confirmation e-mail either, but the guy we talked to said that was okay, and he led us to a little back-room office, where he let my bf log in to his account and retrieve that confirmation e-mail. Thus, we were good to go for the movie. The guy could've easily been a dick and turned us away, but instead, he put in a little extra effort, and we got to enjoy yet another movie experience at the Alamo Drafthouse.

The Alamo makes me glad to be an Austinite.

I always feel a little sheepish in admitting that I shop at Goodwill. But, y'know what? To hell with it. I'm a Goodwill shopper and learning to be proud of it.

On the plus side, it means you can get all your clothes pretty inexpensively. I never have to feel guilty about spending such-and-such on a pair of jeans or a cute top. Usually "such-and-such" translates to 5 or 6 bucks. Which means I can also be a little more experimental in what I wear -- try things I might not try normally, and if it doesn't work out, well, I just donate it back and buy something else.

I like this particular location because it's pretty new, and fairly close to where I live. One of my favorite things to do on my day off -- particularly if that day off is a weekday -- is to spend a few hours browsing through clothes at Goodwill. I tend to get VERY thorough, and could easily spend 2 or 3 (or more) hours poring through their selection.

On the downside, Goodwill generally doesn't believe in organization very much -- they tend to group clothes by color and type (short sleeves, long sleeves, etc), but certainly not by size. This is partly why it takes me so long to shop!

But when you do find something good, it's like you've struck gold. And it's so cheap! I can think of a lot of worse ways to spend my money.

In my last review, I griped a bit about the customer service. I feel I should revise my review a bit though; the staff's been nicer, but this is largely because my boyfriend knows one of 'em, and therefore I've been "introduced," and am no longer a mere peon customer. Or at least, I'm not when I go there with said bf. If he's not with me, I'm demoted to "pesky customer" status again. Oh well.

I'll also mention that this place was perfect when we were searching for an Iron Maiden T-shirt to give to a friend's ten-year-old who, because of Rock Band, has become a fan. I'm glad that video games are giving "retro" music a resurgence!

I used to date a comedian. I still can't tell if that soured me toward the whole stand-up comedy experience. I WILL say that I sat through a LOT of bad comedy, for his sake. I think he still owes me.

I've been to Cap City many, many times. Usually for open-mic comedy nights (Sundays), which are not for the faint-of-heart. Sometimes you get to hear some real gems, and I've certainly spent a lot of time laughing in that darkened theater -- the "small room" that they use most evenings, while the big theater's reserved for weekends and "name acts."

But I've also spent a lot of time groaning, or rolling my eyes, or checking my watch, or wishing I were anywhere but there. Like I said, it ain't for the faint-of-heart. Because while good comedy can be really, really gut-bustingly funny, bad comedy is just.... painful.

Not that this is Cap City's fault, of course. But all those hours of suffering through open mics do tend to color my overall experience, so I'm not the most objective party. Still, I've been to a few of their "headline" shows: I've seen Brian Posehn, Sommore, The Chinaman, and several of the "Funniest Person in Austin" contests. There are also a few locals who've opened up for the name acts, and kept me giggling: Lucas Molandes, Chris Keimling, Jimmie Roulette, John Ramsey, to name a few. Those have all been fun, and I'm grateful that Cap City provides the opportunity to see those acts (since the Velveeta Room's a bit too small for most of 'em).

As far as the more practical stuff, they do serve food (typical pub-grub, but pretty tasty) and they have a full bar, so your bases are covered. I usually prefer the small room, actually, since the seating is more spread out and comfortable. The big room, when it's full, is pretty crowded, and you hardly have elbow room, and of course there's always that anxiety about having to get up and sneak to the bathroom while praying that the comedian onstage doesn't notice and call you out for it (I've been spared that indignity, so far).

Oh, and a bit of history for any Bill Hicks fans out there -- he used to perform at Cap City, years ago, when it was known as the Laff Stop. I think they still have a poster of him, behind the ticket desk. It's a nice little homage to one of the greats.

Every time we eat there, it just seems to taste better and better.

I think we've been there three or four times now. We're up north, and Habana's way down south, so it's a bit of a trek... but definitely worth it. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating, but we've always sat indoors. I don't think I've ever seen it _terribly_ crowded, which for me is a plus (even if the business owners might wish otherwise). It makes for a pleasant, intimate dining experience, where you don't have to yell to be heard.

The last time we were there, we ordered an appetizer, and I really wish I could remember the name of it, but it essentially turned out to be some sort of pork and plantain ball, which our group of four snacked on with great relish. It might not have _looked_ all that appetizing (like I said, pork & plantain ball), but it was certainly tasty. And our drinks were suitably strong, too. That always helps.

My entree also involved pork (mmmm), and the description included terms like "slow-roasted," "tender," and "perfection," which pretty much summed it up. I almost wish I hadn't stuffed myself on the appetizer, just so I could've eaten more! As it was, my boyfriend happily scarfed down my leftovers the next day for lunch, and even had to call me up to tell me how good they were!

So generally, if you're looking for some place a little different, maybe for a special occasion or birthday (Habana's on the pricey side), I think you'll have pretty good luck here. We always have.

On a side note, it was the site of my first real date with said boyfriend, who's actually now my fiance, and if Habana had anything to do with that by being such a perfect "first date" experience, well, yay for them. And for us!

I hate to say it, but eating at Casa Ole' was one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had.

We were visiting from out of town (I live in Austin) and were meeting up with a group of friends. One of them chose this place, mostly for nostalgic purposes (he'd used to work there). The place was /really/ crowded, and if the group had been smaller, I might've suggested going elsewhere. I think it took about half an hour before the waiter came by to even take our order!

In the meantime, we snacked on chips and salsa, and I noticed a couple of times that the chips I bit into tasted "off." Like... dirt, or mold, or something. I just figured, well, bad chip. Unfortunately, I'd made the mistake of ordering nachos.

And sure enough, when my order finally arrived (that took /another/ half-hour), the first bite I took had that same moldy/dirt taste. I managed to choke it down and then insisted that my boyfriend try a bite, to see if he tasted what I did.

As soon as he bit into it, he made a face. We flagged down the waiter and explained the situation to him, and he offered to get us something else, but the group of us were all pretty much winding down, and I didn't want to wait another half-hour just for my portion. So they just took it off the bill, and I sat there, hungry, while everyone finished up.

I did stop by the bathroom before we left, and while I was in there, another customer came in and leaned over the faucet and started scooping handfuls of water into her mouth. When she noticed me, she asked, "Did you have the chips?"

I said yes. We both grimaced. I think that's really all that need be said.

Next time I'm in Orange, I will NOT be going to Casa Ole'. I can still conjure up the taste of those moldy chips, and it's not one I ever want to taste again!

I'd probably give it 3 1/2 stars, but without that option, I'll nudge it up to four, just cuz I know the owner is busting his hump to make the place a success.

First off, anyone expecting your typical Tex-Mex might be disappointed. Casa Chapala is much more of an interior Mexican place, so they don't do the standard queso, crispy tacos, etc. They _do_ make their salsa in front of you, though, which is a nice touch, so you can munch fresh salsa and chips while you peruse the menu.

Although I work right next door, I don't eat there all THAT often, mostly because it's a bit pricier than I'd like. Even their lunch menu's on the steep side. But splitting a tray of nachos with a friend or just saving the rest for later is certainly do-able. I usually opt for nachos, a burrito, or quesadillas, and they're always fairly tasty.

I recently discovered they do breakfast tacos, too, and those are much more affordable, so that may become a part of my morning ritual. Chorizo, potato, and egg is quite yummy, if a bit greasy. Maybe I'll switch over to bacon, instead. Mmmm, bacon.

I also want to give kudos to the owner. The location probably isn't the best -- it's tucked away in the corner of a shopping center and, I'm sure, often overlooked. But he always seems to be trying various ways of getting people to stop by, such as offering "ladies nights" on Wednesdays with free goodie bags, cheap margaritas, and chair massages, etc. He's always very friendly and personable whenever I run into him, so I hope he manages to makes the place a success. As far as I can tell, it's a family-run business, and there aren't as many of those anymore. I wish him luck!

I recently took a trip down to San Antonio with my boss, and Timbo's was recommended to us when we were scouting around for lunch. I have to say, I'm glad it was!

We sat at a booth, and they had one of those little flip-thru jukebox things, so on a lark, we decided to play a few tunes. We loaded it up with quarters and went back and forth choosing songs -- mostly the most obnoxious/cheezy ones we could find. I can't remember our entire selection, but it did include David Allan Coe and Pat Benatar, so that pretty much covers the gamut.

The burgers were huge, and quite good. Plus, they had tater tots as well as fries, so we got one of each and satisfied both cravings. I'd definitely frequent Timbo's more if I lived in San Antonio -- as it is, the most I can hope for are occasional visits. But I'm glad to have discovered it!

I will begin by saying that I am in no way a sushi expert. My boyfriend took me out for sushi on our third date, so my experience is limited to that last two years, but damn, I quickly became a fan.

Ichiban isn't the fanciest sushi place in town, nor the best, I'm sure, but if you're looking for sorta mid-range prices (comparatively), it's pretty darn good. We've been there a couple of times now, and had a decent sampling off the menu: salmon, eel, tuna, and various Japanese names I can't remember or spell. Nonetheless, pretty much everything was delicious. I'm particularly fond of the eel. And the crunchy rolls.

The last time we went was for my birthday, and we got seated in one of the "private rooms," where you sit on the floor around one of those low tables (fortunately, the floor dips down under the table, so you can still sit Western-style if you prefer). The waitress was friendly and solicitous, the food was great, and they even brought out a little dish of sorbet for dessert once they found out it was my birthday.

All in all, I've been pleased with Ichiban, and plan to return whenever I need to fulfill my sushi cravings.