Texasversary Review Roundup

 For our ten-year anniversary, Lara and I hit up Austin (her for the first time, me for the second), followed by a quick trip to Waco to visit family.

 

Hilton Austin

 

Location: 500 East 4^th Street in Downtown Austin.

We looked into a few downtown hotels before settling on the Hilton. The location, price point (not hideously expensive), and trust in the Hilton brand steered us here. Fortunately, it proved to be the right decision.

Situated right near the former Convention Center, the Hilton is proximate to restaurants, coffee shops, bars, clubs, museums, and more. The building’s height also makes it easy to find if you’re wandering around downtown.

Inside, the Hilton is spacious, well-staffed, and well-maintained. All of the staff we interacted with were courteous, and the front desk was even kind enough to send us some prosecco and cake for our anniversary, a thoughtful personal touch.

Our room proved to be clean, comfortable, and quiet. It was advertised as a “city view” room, and it delivered.

Had we relied on the hotel’s restaurants or needed its (hideously expensive) valet parking, we might have had more room for complaint, but for our purposes, the Hilton was a fine pick.

 

Moonshine

Previous review here. It’s a much more enjoyable place when you catch them at a less busy time. The food remains tasty. I didn’t know that I was missing the magic of smoked shrimp on fried green tomatoes until now. The banana pudding, served in a Mason jar, is a winner, too.

 

The Contemporary Austin – Jones Center

 

One of two locations (Laguna Gloria on West 35^th Street is the other), TheContemporary Austin — Jones Center offers a stunning exterior mural (“Man Who Fell to Earth” by Manik Raj Nakra) but not much inside. Though it spans two floors, it’s a small museum with little content. The few exhibits included lacked breadth: one consisted of variations of the same work. While the $10 admission does cover both locations, it definitely isn’t worth it for Jones Center alone.

Taqueria de Diez

 

Located at 206 Trinity Street in Downtown Austin (with other locations on South Lamar and in West Lake Hills), Taqueria de Diez (aka D/10) offers Tijuana-style tacos and related fare. It is open from 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday and 11:30-1 a.m. Thursday-Saturday. Online ordering (through Uber Eats) and pick-up catering are available.

The best way to describe this joint is as a taco reverse speakeasy. Go down an alleyway, enter a bar, and pass through a door with a tacos sign, and you’ll find a bustling taqueria that slings some of the best tacos in town. Tortillas are homemade, and pastor is cooked on a trompo. Don’t feel like a taco? You can also snag a quesadilla or tostada-like volcanes. There are several salsa options, and drinks include Mexican Cokes and horchata, among others.

We ended up getting two tacos (pastor and carne asada), a nopales quesadilla, and an order of chips and guac. At $5 to $6 a taco, this wasn’t cheap despite the no-frills surroundings, but it was well worth it. Everything looked and tasted fresh and smelled amazing. D/10 is known for its pastor, and it’s easy to see why. Served in strips rather than chunks, it boasts a crisp edge and a nice bit of pineapple flavor. However, the asada, the salsa crema, and even the chips are all stellar here.

 

While seating may be hard to come by, on food alone, Taqueria de Diez is a solid ten.

 

Marlow

 

Located at 700 East 6^th Street in Downtown Austin, Marlow offers beer, wine, and craft cocktails every day except Monday. There is live music on Thursdays. Happy hour discounts are available Tuesday-Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

In search of a bar that wasn’t packed on a Friday night, we were lucky to stumble across Marlow. The atmosphere is dark and cozy. There’s enough of a vibe for this place to feel lively even when it’s mostly empty, yet it also avoids the earsplitting noise that may come with a more crowded venue. The bartenders are amicable, and the menu showcases some creative – and creatively named – cocktails. Lara went with a Moon Song (rum, blackberry, lime, and honey with lavender cold foam) and an espresso martini and enjoyed both. I opted for a zero proof drink: the high and mighty (agave, nonalcoholic ginger and floral liqueurs, jasmine tea, and spiced salt). It was refreshing but didn’t quite hit the mark for me. What should have been complex and balanced came across as overly floral.

 

All told, Marlow is worth a visit even if it is unlikely to wow you.

Austin Nature & Science Center

Located at 2389 Stratford Drive in Austin’s Zilker Park, the Nature & Science Center offers walking trails and plant and animal exhibits. It is open from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon – 5 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is free.

I didn’t know what to expect from this place. Some science centers are kids-only affairs (despite not being billed as such) while others have more to offer visitors of all ages. Fortunately, the Austin Nature & Science Center ended up falling in the latter category. The main building houses an assortment of bones, shells, and rocks (as well as an axolotl tank) and another building is home to various reptiles. Outside areas include a dino pit (where kids can dig for fossils) and several animal enclosures. What makes the latter unique is that the animals are rehab/rescue cases. They include everything from a bobcat to a porcupine to a 34-year-old one-eyed owl (!!) and more.

 

Granted, Austin Nature & Science Center does offer more for a younger crowd, and it isn’t particularly easy to get to by bus, but it’s hard to argue with a chance to take in flora and fauna for free.

 

Cooper’s BBQ

 

Located at 217 Congress Avenue in Downtown Austin (with other locations in Fort Worth, College Station, New Braunfels, and Llano), Cooper’s BBQ offers pit-smoked Texas barbecue. It is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Catering orders and private rooms are available, and the restaurant occasionally hosts live music.

A long-running Texas barbecue joint known (for better or for worse) as being George W. Bush’s favorite, Cooper’s largely lived up to its reputation. The restaurant has a classic look (wood, brick, and ducts), and the menu – meats priced by the pound on a chalkboard – adds to the retro appeal. Those meats are cut to order by a pitmaster. After making your selection, you proceed down a cafeteria-style line and pick your sides. Sauce, pickles, and Wonder Bread are free.

We opted for some brisket, a jalapeno sausage link, potato salad, and creamed corn. The brisket was tender and flavorful if a bit fatty while the sausage boasted a firm bite and a winning combination of spicy and cheesy. Unexpectedly, the creamed corn ended up being a highlight. If that’s a side you usually avoid, Cooper’s version may end up converting you.

 

That said, the potato salad was nothing special and the sauce was very tomato-and-vinegar-forward. As to be expected given Cooper’s location and reputation, prices are also quite high (as in almost $40 a pound for brisket). That’s not outrageous for a “name” BBQ place in Austin though if I had to pay that after waiting in a long line, I might walk away disappointed.

Cooper’s is not the best Texas BBQ you’re likely to find, but it’s a pretty damn solid representation thereof.

 

 

Maiko Sushi

Located at 207 San Jacinto Boulevard in Downtown Austin, Maiko Sushi offers Japanese cuisine for lunch and dinner seven days a week. There are Happy Hour food and drink specials from 4 p.m. to close. Online ordering is available.

We were in search of a low-key dinner after a busy day, and Maiko proved to be a perfect fit. The atmosphere is well-lit and comfortable, and our server was top-notch. While the regular menu offers a lot, the happy hour menu had plenty to choose from in its own right. We went with a tuna gyoza appetizer followed by a trio of rolls: the Warehouse District (tuna, salmon, white fish, avocado, masago), the Hawaii 5-0 (escolar, kani, mango, fried coconut, and sweet Thai chili sauce), and the Tiger Eye (smoked salmon, cream cheese, jalapeno, soy paper).

 

All of the food proved satisfying. The spicy tuna gyoza (with guacamole and Thai chili sauce) might have been better as a cold dish, but we had no regrets trying it warm. Finding a favorite among the sushi rolls was a challenge as all three brought something different: fresh flavors from the Warehouse, a satisfying crunch and a bit of sweetness from the Hawaii, and some smoky and spicy notes from the Tiger Eye. The rolls are normally in the upper teens though thankfully, happy hour pricing shaved a few dollars off that cost.

With so many other dining options nearby, Maiko is easy to overlook. I’m glad that we didn’t, however, as it made for an excellent meal.

 

Grá Mór

Located at 200 East 6^th Street in Downtown Austin, Gra Mor offers Irish cuisine, coffee, and cocktails from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

With a name that translates to big/lots of love, Grá Mór, an offshoot of The Dead Rabbit, seems to be tempting fate. Admittedly, an Irish café in a historical building oozes charm. While the atmosphere alone is a powerful lure, the menu is no slouch, either. Grá Mór offers small plates, large plates, salads, pastries, coffee drinks, and cocktails.

We came in search of breakfast and split an order of Scotch eggs and a Full Irish, to which we added a Banana Cream Cold Brew and a Blueberry Crumble Latte. The food came promptly, and it largely hit the spot. The eggs featured crumbly sausage and a crispy coating while the Full Irish boasted a copious amount of food: eggs, bacon, sausage, black and white pudding, grilled tomato, baked beans, potato bread, and butter. The housemade syrups in the coffees were a nice touch though neither coffee was particularly strong. While $29 for the Full Irish seemed fair for the quantity, $15 for a mere two eggs per order is enough to prompt an “Are ye mad?”

 

Overall, if the price doesn’t bother you, Grá Mór does have quite a bit to like (if not love).

 

 

Baris

Located at 904 North Valley Mills Drive in Waco, Baris offers pizza and Italian cuisine. It is open for lunch and dinner every day except Monday. While it doesn’t sell alcohol, it has a BYOB policy. Lunch specials are available from 11-3.

A classic casual red sauce joint, there is something comforting in the familiarity Baris offers. The old-school interior and the panoply of familiar favorites (pizza, calzone, spaghetti and meatballs, tortellini, manicotti, and more) will take you back to childhood if you grew up with places like this one. Entrees run in the teens here, which is starting to seem more and more like a value these days.

The food, however, is pretty solidly average. I went with spaghetti and white clam sauce, and while I’ve had (and made) better versions of this dish, I appreciated the addition of black pepper. Lara opted for a veggie calzone, which tasted fine yet was decidedly lacking in ricotta. Surprisingly, the rolls (hot, fresh, and generously sized) were above par.

 

Is Baris good Italian? Not if you’ve had much Italian. Is Baris satisfying in its own way? You betcha.

The Mandalorian and Grogu

Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), his adoptive son Grogu, and pilot Zeb (voiced by Steve Blum) track down leaders of the former Galactic Empire on behalf of New Republic leader Ward (Sigourney Weaver). Ward promises a big payday if Djarin can bring in the mysterious leader Coin. Unfortunately, the only ones who know Coin’s whereabouts are the Hutt Twins, who have taken over their fearsome brother Jabba’s criminal empire. They offer Djarin what he seeks if he rescues their nephew Rotta (voiced by Jeremy Allen White), who has become indebted to the crime lord Janu. However, Rotta, who has become a respected and feared gladiator, wants nothing to do with his father’s legacy and refuses Djarin’s aid.

The first Star Wars film in years, The Mandalorian and Grogu is barely Star Wars and barely a film. The latter is not necessarily a bad thing as series in the Star Wars universe such as Andor were at their best when they largely sidestepped the franchise’s mythology. However, The Mandalorian and Grogu lacks not only a strong connection to the film series proper but also enough heft for it to work on its own.

A continuation of (and rumored replacement for) the successful Mandalorian series, the film retains a few of the series’ charms. Ludwig Goransson, who created the show’s memorable theme song, is back to score the film. That music, coupled with a variety of distinctive settings (from Bladerunneresque cityscapes to a cavelike Hutt palace) and well-choreographed action (stuntman Lateef Crowder puts his capoeira background to good use in Djarin’s armor), ensure that The Mandalorian and Grogu is, at the very least, visually entertaining.

The writing, however, is decidedly lackluster. While the show never had strong dialogue, that deficiency is joined by uneven pacing, predictable plotting, and a general lack of anything too much at stake. Given their previous success with Star Wars properties, it’s disappointing to watch Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni fumble this badly.

For starters, the movie has the feel of two episodes of the show stitched together, right down to the false ending about an hour in. It also draws on audience familiarity with prior characterization without moving it forward in any meaningful way. If anything, it takes a step back. Djarin’s protectiveness toward Grogu was previously well-established, and that gets re-hashed here. Grogu, who was trained by both Mandalorians and Luke Skywalker, seems to forget he can do anything useful for far too much of the runtime. It’s hard to fault Pascal or White (or Weaver, who fits right in) for their performances such as they are, but they really weren’t given much to work with.

Some of the secondary casting is baffling. Martin Scorsese, of all people, shows up to voice a four-armed street food vendor and reluctant informant who shares the director’s famously bushy eyebrows. This would be less weird (especially in light of Werner Herzog’s acting role in the show’s first season) if Scorsese wasn’t such a vocal critic of franchised, commodified filmmaking. Meanwhile, whatever mystery or intrigue was supposed to surround his character fizzled the moment the filmmakers cast Johnny Coyne as someone who practically shares his name. Who could that mysterious Coin be? Surely not Coyne.

All and all, The Mandalorian and Grogu is passable entertainment. It isn’t incompetent enough to be offensively substandard or even unintentionally funny, instead settling for largely forgettable. Favreau and Filoni, take note: this is NOT the way.

Sip Lab

 

Located at 1603A Battleground Avenue in Greensboro, Sip Lab offers coffees, smoothies, and more. It is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and 8 to 10 on weekends. Online ordering is available.

A new venture from the owners of The Ice Cream Factory, Sip Lab is a lot, in many senses of the word. Positives first: the menu offers tons of options. There are lattes, mochas, cold brews, shaken espressos, matchas, chais, energy drinks, and smoothies (as well as croffles for those craving a sweet treat).  Locally sourced ingredients -  beans from Vignette and teas from Vida Pour - add to the appeal.

Sip Lab also offers multiple ways to order from standing in line to using an in-store kiosk to ordering ahead on a dedicated app. Speaking of ordering, the baristas here are friendly and will gladly customize a drink to match your preferences (including sweetness level). Despite the high volume of customers (more on that later), they turn around orders quickly.

My wife and I went with a sea salt maple cloud cold brew and a banana cloud latte, respectively, and we were both very satisfied. The coffees were smooth, and the creamy cloud toppings added an extra touch we didn't know we were missing. Banana syrups can be hit or miss, and Sip Lab's version lands squarely in the "hit" column.

So what's not to like? Perhaps because it is new, Sip Lab seems to keep very busy. You probably won't be able to score a table, and you might have to maneuver around people while waiting for your drink. While some might appreciate the energetic vibe here, the appeal is limited for those who turn to coffee shops as reading/study/meeting spaces.

Finally, the foam toppers aren’t the only things in the clouds at Sip Lab. At $8 or so for a medium drink (and $5 or so for a small), prices are not for the faint of wallet.

For better or for worse, Sip Lab is far from your usual coffee shop. If you want a unique drink made to your liking, don’t mind the cost, and are taking it to go, Sip Lab has much to offer. Those looking to sit and sip, however, may want to look elsewhere.

Marty Supreme

 

In 1952, New York City shoe salesman Marty Mauser (Timothee Chalamet) carries on an affair with childhood friend Rachel Mizler (Odessa A’zion) and plans to sell sporting goods with associate Dion (Luke Manley). His greatest ambition, however, is to become the greatest table tennis player in the world, even if it means stealing, cajoling, or hustling his way to a championship match in Tokyo. His entanglements with a washed-up actress (Gwyneth Paltrow) and her rich husband (Kevin O’Leary) can make – or break – his fortunes.

Though loosely inspired by real-life ping-pong pro Marty Reisman, the creative genesis of writer-director Josh Safdie’s first solo outing can be found in his last collaboration with his brother Bennie, 2019’s Uncut Gems. Like that film’s Howard Rattner, Marty is selfish, obsessive, and irresponsible but also possessed of an infectious, irrepressible chutzpah that makes him hard to truly hate. That bit of self-plagiarism may make Marty Supreme less than novel, but thanks to strong performances, sleek production, and an absence of dull moments, it still works.

Much like the character he plays, Chalamet, who seemingly vultures his way into every juicy role these days, is someone we perhaps should dislike but is too dedicated and too skilled to really resent. He trained in table tennis for years and plays on-screen against actual pros and seems wholly convincing when Marty speaks of the fatedness of his ascent. At the same time, he also layers in moments of vulnerability and compassion. A’zion is good as his counterpart and conspirator, a similarly flawed (unfaithful and dishonest) human whom we still can’t quite hate. Paltrow has one of her better roles in years here, playing Kay Stone as a miserable, superficially glamorous ex-star toiling haplessly away in a doomed theatre production who treats Marty with a mixture of affection, curiosity, and contempt.

Calling to mind Kevin Garnett’s turn in Uncut Gems, the rest of the cast includes non-actors or part-time actors in an assortment of roles. Some are decidedly not much of a stretch: Shark Tank’s O’Leary plays a bullying businessman, deaf Japanese table tennis champ Koto Kawaguchi plays a deaf Japanese table tennis champ, and David Mamet pops up briefly as the director of Kay’s play. On the other hand, the film also offers Tyler the Creator as a ping-pong hustling cab driver, Penn Gillette as an ornery, gun-toting farmer, and director Abel Ferrera as a gangster who is violently protective of his dog. It’s a motley mix though a largely successful one (only author Pico Iyer as the table tennis federation head seemed really overmatched) if you can look past the “What are they doing here?” factor.

Aesthetically, Marty Supreme boasts a period look (shot on film rather than digitally) but an incongruous soundtrack that’s heavy on 80s synth pop. Daniel Lopatin’s score fits the film’s mood and energy well despite the contradiction of the setting.

Despite – or perhaps because of – the plaudits that it received, Marty Supreme is not exactly an easy film to love. It’s bombastic, it’s long, and its characters are varying degrees of amoral. But much like its protagonist, the supreme confidence with which it is executed ultimately makes it worthy of respect.

Otto and Blue

 

Located at 1807 North Main Street in High Point, Otto and Blue serves Italian cuisine. It is open from 5-9 Tuesday-Thursday, 5-9:30 Friday and Saturday, and closed Sunday and Monday. There is a full bar, and online reservations are available.

Magnolia Blue was one of my favorite High Point eateries. Whether I went for weekend brunch or New Year’s Eve dinner, I never had a bad meal there. It closed in early February for what were supposed to be renovations, only to reopen months later with a new name and a new concept, trading slightly upscale Southern for more upscale Italian. In some regards, this makes sense – it fills a void created by the closure of Lulu and Blu – but in other ways, it’s a massive gamble.

My wife and I went for our anniversary dinner, and while it was an overall pleasant experience, it also made us miss Magnolia. The higher price point is the chief culprit. Otto and Blue offers pastas in the $20s and entrees starting in the $30s, bread and olive oil not included. While we were celebrating an occasion that merited such a splurge, it’s hard to imagine the restaurant remaining competitive at those prices once the sheen of newness wears off.

Look past that, however, and Otto and Blue shines in both ambiance and service. It’s classy without being stuffy, and the dark turquoise tones suit it well. Allison, a Magnolia Blue mainstay, was personable and attentive and provided excellent service throughout the meal.

Otto and Blue’s menu offers apps, salads, pastas, and entrees. It’s predominantly Italian albeit with a few options for the steak-and-potatoes crowd. The dishes range from recognizably classic (rigatoni Bolognese) to conspicuously elevated (halibut piccatta). After mulling over several offerings, we went with the bread service, tagliatelle, and duck cacciatore.

The food ranged from fairly good to outstanding. While $9 for bread is a tough pill to swallow, they executed it as well as they possibly could have: a hot, fresh ciabatta with tasty herb butter, olive relish, and a quality olive oil-balsamic combo as accompaniments. The cacciatore boasted a pair of duck legs confit, and while I’m usually no fan of dark meat poultry, these were prepared well with crispy skin and plenty of meat. For a typically hearty dish, the sauce seemed light (and a bit subdued), but that could be a consequence of serving atop polenta (more absorbent) rather than pasta.  Speaking of pastas and sauces, the tagliatelle hit a nice balance of creamy and zesty without swimming in its white wine lemon sauce. Surprisingly, the highlight of the meal ended up being the dessert that Otto and Blue kindly offered as an anniversary gift. A scoop of vanilla bean gelato came adorned with a Biscoff cookie, a drizzle of olive oil, and a dash of salt. If salt and especially olive oil on ice cream seem vaguely blasphemous, don’t knock it until you try it. Each bite was thoroughly delicious.

It's a given that good food doesn’t come cheap, but even so, Otto and Blue has no margin for error to justify what it charges. On food alone, it was close but not quite there. However, the overall experience made it worthwhile, and I have no regrets about dining here.

The Punisher: One Last Kill

 

Now that he’s finished avenging his murdered family, Force Recon Marine-turned-vigilante Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) is left haunted by past traumas and lacking a reason to live. Meanwhile, in the wake of his rampage against organized crime, violent street gangs have filled the void in Little Sicily. However, the Gnucci crime family that Frank thought he had extinguished is not finished yet. Matriarch Ma Gnucci (Judith Light) has survived and put a bounty on his head.

A controversial character, The Punisher is easily misunderstood and just as easily dismissed as a simplistic fascist. Across his appearances in Daredevil and his own solo series, Bernthal succeeded in giving the character layers as his iteration of Frank is just as capable of wisecracking and protectiveness as he is of ruthless killing and primal rage. Given this feel for the person behind the skull symbol, it is both confounding and disappointing that Bernthal, who wrote One Last Kill, supplied him with such lackluster material here.

As with The Punisher series, the acting and action outpace the writing. Frank, PTSD-stricken and suicidal, is as broken as we’ve ever seen him, and Bernthal convincingly conveys his pain. At the same time, when he’s backed into a corner, he reverts to being a one-man army, dispatching thugs with guns, knives, bats, and more. While the film was (rightly) lambasted for some dodgy SFX shots, Reinaldo Marcus Green’s direction is largely competent. The real problem here is the tone. Whereas the MCU version of The Punisher has been fairly grounded, the roving street gangs and ultraviolent mayhem push One Last Kill into cartoonish territory. We’ve seen an over-the-top version of The Punisher before in Lexi Alexander’s 2008 film War Zone, and it was something of a guilty pleasure. Here, it accomplishes nothing but undermining the sincerity of the pathos displayed.

Beyond that, One Last Kill does little to move the needle narratively. Returning characters are reduced to hallucinations Frank experiences while new ones get very little development. Some hammy dialogue aside, Light at least leaves an impression during her brief screen time. Andre Royo (of The Wire fame) is wasted as a beleaguered shopkeeper. Thematically, the question that One Last Kill poses about the value of Frank’s crusade was already answered – and answered better – by a fan film (Dirty Laundry, featuring Thomas Jane) more than a decade ago.

Despite these very glaring flaws, One Last Kill doesn’t quite merit an automatic “skip.” It’s only fifty minutes long, and both Bernthal’s acting (as strong as his writing is weak) and the increasingly creative ways Frank inflicts damage may be enough, for some, to justify the investment of that little time. Those wanting more, however, can safely sit this one out and instead look for the character to return in the next Spider-Man film.

Mr. Poke

 

Located at 507 Nelson Street in Kernersville, Mr. Poke offers poke bowls and other Hawaiian fare. It is open from 11-8:30 Monday-Thursday, 11-9 on Saturday, and closed on Sunday. Online ordering is available, and the restaurant offers a loyalty program.

If the construction-inspired traffic delays aren’t a dead giveaway, Kernersville is growing. While a poke bowl place popping up here might have raised an eyebrow a few years ago, Mr. Poke’s arrival is in keeping with that recent growth. Just as there are growing pains, Mr. Poke, open for only a few weeks, has room for improvement.

Positives first: the folks here are very nice and welcoming. Starting at $11.99, the bowls are also a decent value, especially if you stop by at lunch time when a drink is included. There are a half-dozen presets, and you can build your own, offering choice and versatility.

Take a closer look at the menu, however, and things get a bit weird. You won’t find pickled radish, pickled ginger, or purple cabbage among the available toppings, but you will find jalapenos, banana peppers, and tomatoes. These are curious departures, to say the least.

The bowl that I tried was, unfortunately, underwhelming. I went with spicy tuna as my protein, and there was nothing wrong with the fish, thankfully. It tasted fresh, and they got the flavors right. However, pineapple chunks seemed like they were straight out of a can, and the bowl as a whole was rather dry. Being able to include more than one sauce would have remedied this, but the menu did not present that as an option.

For newcomers to poke, Mr. Poke can be a decent entry point. However, if you’ve had poke before, you’ve had it better elsewhere. Here’s hoping that Mr. Poke steps up its game over time.