Fish & Chips: Dog & Duck Pub

The quest for the ultimate fish and chips in Austin has been a rather enjoyable. The Dog & Duck was no exception. Originally, I intended to try Sherlocks because it was near my work, but once I saw the Yelp! reviews, I decided to try another British pub. The Dog & Duck Pub is downtown, so there would be the mind numbing battle with traffic, but it was worth it. Dog & Duck came highly recommended by my friends who always take their mother there for fish & chips, so I knew it would be tasty.

The main point of finding an authentic British pub was for both drinking and eating purposes. It had been a long week, and an even longer Friday, so I asked my friends if they wanted to meet up. They agreed, and we met up around 4, just in time for the happy hour. Lucky Duck.

At the Dog & Duck, you place your order for both food and drink at the bar. The bartender gets your pint, you take a seat, and the waitress brings your authentic pub food. Now, I am not an authority on traditional pub food. The most bars I have patronized in my day have been your Chili's, your Applebee's and your Bennigan's. When I turned 21, it was either these joints, or the dives where you could get stabbed for looking at someones girl wrong. Anyway, back to the point, Dog & Duck seems pretty damn authentic, and the amount of beers is there to prove it. From local beers to international fare, there is plenty to choose from. I started by asking the barman if they had the local Pecan Porter. The tap was off, and it looked doubtful, but the barman checked, and, amazingly, there was a fresh keg! I had the first pint out of a fresh keg filled with one of my favorite beers. Game. Set. Match. Now, if the fish and chips could match this...

There are 2 choices for the fish and chips: 2 piece or 3 piece. I had the 3 piece, and was surprised that there were only 2 giant pieces. My friend ordered the 2 piece, and received 3 small pieces. Now, I am not too good with the maths, but one of these things is not like the other. Regardless, the 2 giant pieces of fish were giant, and the 3 small pieces were pretty small. The fish was served with tartar sauce, lemon wedges and malt vinegar. The fish was, in a word, impressive. The batter was exactly what I was looking for: a crispy and delicious affair. The fish was the standard cod, however, it was very thick. Juicy and cooked to perfection, the fish was by far the best I have had on my quest. Sadly, the chips were not. The french fries were, in a word, alright. Mushy and flavorless, these fries were remniscent of Wendy's fries. Now, I know some people like them, but I simply do not care for them. The ketchup helped, but it only goes so far to redeem a fry.

All in all, Dog & Duck Pub is a damned good place to get a pint of lager. The fish and chips is a solid choice, but it is not the best in Austin. However, at the price (under $10USD), the fish and chips is a very affordable option.

(img src: wisegeorge)

Fish & Chips: Perla's

Perla's was the first place that I had amazing oysters. I have had some Gulf oysters before, and they were alright, but nothing like the Picklepoint, Rasperry Point, Blue Point or any of the other deluxe oysters that I had at Perla's. Oysters at Perla's are served with some fantastic horseradish, excellent mignonette, lemon wedges and cocktail sauce. Not that any of these amazing oysters from either coast needs "special fixin's." I go on about the impressiveness of the oysters because the entrees are not nearly as impressive.

The first item I had at Perla's, aside from the oysters, was the soft-shell crab sandwich. Cold and unseasoned, but with delicious french fries is the best way to describe the meal. So, the next time I visited, I decided, since this was a fancy seafood joint, that I should try the fish and chips. It has to be good, right? Well, yes and no.

I have had the fries before, and they were awesome. Shoestring fries that are well seasoned really go a long way toward saving a meal, but they did not save that soft-shell crab sandwich for me. The fish and chips also had a similar outcome. The chips and homemade ketchup were really quite good. Grabbing a handful and greedily dunking into ketchup, then depositing whole into ones mouth results in utter satisfaction. The fries are really, really good. The fish, not so much.

The Beer Battered Fish and Chips at Perla's is an expensive plate. $15USD for a single piece of fish and a mountain of chips is pretty pricey for a paupers meal. The fish is "Alaskan Cod," but I honestly think all cod tastes quite similar, rather it is from the Atlantic or Pacific. The beer batter was very light, and flavorless. I dunked my fish repeatedly into the malt vinegar just to get my taste buds going. The batter was somewhat mushy, and the fish itself was dry, and overcooked. This did not impress me. The chips really did a lot to help, but I cannot recommend the fish and chips at Perla's. And at $15USD, you are better off getting the Oak Grilled Ruby Red Trout anyway.

Fish 'n Chips @ The Alamo

Describing the Alamo Drafthouse will call for a series of posts, so I will not even attempt to do so here. Basically, the Alamo is a theater that serves food. And beer. I will definitely have to elaborate further, because that description does no justice at all.

My wife and I went to see the new Harry Potter film, and I decided to try out the Fish and Chips as part of my ongoing quest to find the best fish and chips in Austin. I was expecting something pretty tasty, as all of the Alamo's food is quite good, yet greasy and completely unhealthy. But who cares, right? I am all about deserved indulgence, and I had been to spin class, so it was time for some greasy fish and chips!

One aspect that I really, really like about the Alamo is their draft beer selection. Extensive is about the best word to describe it. I chose the Anchor Christmas to go along with my fish and chips. It was damned good.

The fish and chips arrived shortly before the middle of the movie, and, as always, it was good timing. Things were slowing down, and I could give partial attention to my meal. I was presented with a basked of french fries and 2 pieces of fried fish (Cod). Tartar sauce and ketchup were also present. The fish was perfectly cooked; crisp outer, soft inner. The batter was the perfect consistency that I enjoy: battered, not breaded. The fish was filling, and there was almost no need for the tartar sauce. The chips (which I have had before numerous times) were delicious. Perfectly seasoned french fries with a decent amount of ketchup really sealed the deal. I was really impressed with the fish and chips at the Alamo.

I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that the Alamo has the best Fish 'n Chips that I have tried thus far. There are still plenty of places to go, but the Alamo is going to be a tough contender.

Tried and True: Nigella's Ginger & Mustard Cocktail Sausages

I am a total fan of anything with mustard on it. Much like Vince Vaughn's character in Wedding Crashers proclamed love of maple syrup, I put mustard on everything. From toast, to pizza, I just love the stuff. Now, ginger? It is alright. I mean, I like it well enough in bread (get it?) and with my Thai food, but its not something I activelly seek out like I do mustard. Cocktail sausages? Oh hell yes! There are far to few instances to have a cocktail sausage. Well, these three things all combine to make a fairly tasty appetizer for a potluck.

I am not too sure why I decided to make these instead of any of the other recipes that Nigella offers in here new cookbook, Nigella Kitchen. I think I just saw the photos, and saw the word "mustard," and decided to go for it. I am glad I did. Everyone who had one said that they were damned tasty. I was glad, because there was not a whole lot of work involved in getting these little sausages together. The biggest ordeal was finding ginger preserve (or as Nigella calls it, conserve). I was at the local premium grocery store, and had to dig through all of the preserves and jams, and pulled one out from way, way back on the shelf. Surprisingly, it was cheap (~$3USD). So, using some whole grain mustard I had on hand, the ginger preserve, and two 8-packs of cocktail sausages, I tried out this recipe.

Via: Food Network

Ingredients

• Scant 1/2 cup ginger conserve
• Scant 1/2 cup wholegrain mustard
• 1 tablespoon garlic oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 50 skinny breakfast sausage links
• 1 round (approx. 9 inch diameter) thick-crust sourdough or rye bread loaf, for serving (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl, whisk together the ginger conserve, mustard, garlic flavored oil and soy sauce. 

Turn the sausages in the mustardy mix and then arrange them on either a large, shallow-sided tin or 2 smaller tins. The height of the tin's sides will determine how quickly the sausages color and cook. 

If you are using high-sided tins, they will need about 45 minutes in the oven; cooked on a shallower tray, 30 minutes should be fine. And do line with foil or use throwaway foil trays, or washing-up will be a nightmare. To serve the sausages in their bread bowl, cut a circle around the top of the bread to take off a "lid". Put this lid on one side for a moment, and tear and pull out the doughy filling with your hands, leaving the crust intact so that you have a hollow bowl. 

Fill this emptied-out loaf with as many sausages as you can - you may have to top up with a few as you go - and then you can balance the lid at a jaunty angle for maximum effect and your guests' amusement. Serve with a small pot of cocktail sticks to spear the sausages, but if you're skipping the bread bowl option, let the hot sausages cool slightly before handing them out.

Put coating mixture in a resealable bag, add sausages and refrigerate for up to 2 days - put bag in bowl or on plate in case of leakage. Cook as directed in recipe.

I have a few addendums to this. I decided that the bread bowl would be a waste, so I did not use it, and instead put the sausages in a smaller bowl. Also, I only used 16 sausages, instead of 50, so I had to adjust the amount of all the other ingredients to the following:

2 tablespoons ginger preserve
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1/2 tablespoon chili oil
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

Lastly, the sausages I bought were precooked, so I only had them in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Nigella has some excellent recipes, and I highly recommend this one if you need a quick potluck item. It was a smashing success

Pour Me: Willett Reserve

I feel like I just graduated from the high school of bourbon and moved on to Bourbon U. Sure, cheap bourbons can be found that are quite good, but there is the next level of expensive bourbons that promise to be that much more amazing. Granted, there is a psychological barrier when buying alcohol. Twenty bucks for a good bottle of wine seems excessive. Twelve bucks for a six-pack seems excessive. Thirty dollars for a good bottle of liquor seems excessive. That is, until you line it up with the less expensive of the class. Stack up a PBR and a Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA. Stack up Knob Creek and Willett. To class things up, there is a heckuva lot of difference between the two buck chuck and the fifteen dollar bottle of Merlot you have. So is there that great a difference between that nice Merlot and the next one up, at twenty-five bucks? I posed these questions towards my local liquor authority, and the result was, "well, hell yeah bro!"

This Willett bourbon is quite good. Strong smells of tobacco and caramel are present, as well as the ever present scent of alcohol. The taste is much the same: strong tastes of tobacco and hints of sweetness. This is really, very smooth. The smoothness has to do with the alcohol content of 47%. It seems as though some bourbon makers desire alcohol content over flavor. No one savors Moonshine. I like to savor my bourbon. Some bourbons induce a good gag reflex when they go down, but not Willett. Silky smooth, and quite drinkable, Willett is an excellent bourbon. Is it worth the price? It depends on where you are at. I am a recreational bourbon drinker, and, therefor need to stick with my budget bourbons. If I ever get a raise, promotion, or win the lottery, this will become by budget bourbon. Until that time, I plan on sticking with my inexpensive picks, like Old Bardstown.

One final note: This is a damned good bourbon, and almost the best I have ever had. However, I gotta say that I am still a fan of Makers Mark 46. It just seems to have all that I am looking for in bourbon. A tinge of sweet goes a long way. Willett, however, reassured that I am on the right track with my bourbon tasting.

Fish Tacos

Fish tacos are awesome. With an ice cold Negro Modelo or Bohemia, its even better. These fish tacos are fairly simple, and require minimum effort. There is a lot more chopping and slicing that can be added, but I decided this time to keep it drastically simple. Also, I had some leeks that I needed to use. Normally, a white onion would do, but the leeks added a very good flavor.





Serves 2 - No Leftovers

4 Tilapia Fillets
2 Limes, quartered
1 Leek, chopped finely greens reserved
Salt and Pepper to season
1 tablespoon Smoked Paprika
1 tablespoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tablespoon Smoked Cumin
1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence
Olive Oil
Wheat Tortillas

The tilapia fillets I buy need to be thawed in water, so I start them, then chop up what I need to, and have a beer.

Start of by pre-heating the oven to 375. In a decent sized casserole dish, spray with non-stick cooking spray. Toss in the lime wedges and leeks. Toss around with a drizzle of olive oil. Top the leek and lime mixture with the tilapia fillets. Season the tilapia with the spices, and drizzle a bit of oil over them. I topped the fish with the reserved leafy part of the leeks, then covered the casserole dish with foil, and toss in the oven.

Cook for 30 minutes. After 30, check the fish and if it is flaky, it is good to go. Take them out, and let rest for 5 minutes or so.

While the fish is resting, heat up your tortillas. I just toss them, one at a time, on the burner and flip. That yields a good heat, and the slightest of char.

To make the tacos, I do not shred the fish, but just finagle a fillet onto my tortilla, and fork the fish to my desired consistency. Dollop on what you like: sour cream, greek yogurt, guacamole, salsa, cheese, etc. I topped mine with some of the left over leek, and it was damned tasty.

Fish & Chips @ Manny's Uptown

The quest for the ultimate Fish and Chips in Austin started here at Manny's Uptown. Usually, the order of business at Manny's (formerly Mannyhattens) was a Reuben. Of the many choices on the vast menu, Fish and Chips seemed to be an unusual choice. However, the fish was battered in the most delightful way: with beer. Not any beer, but Newcastle Brown.

I have had all the Reuben's from Manny's, and I wanted to try something else, so I decided to give the Fish and Chips a whirl. It was a good choice. Now, since this was the start of my quest to find the best fish and chips in Austin, I had nothing else to compare them against. So, I used my best judgment. The platter (truly a platter, not a plate) was chock full of fish, chips, and sauces. In addition to the usual suspects, there was also a shot of Newcastle served with the fish. So, I did what any red-blooded American would do. No, not dunk the fish in the beer! I drank the beer down before starting with the fish.

The fish was actually pretty good. The beer batter was pretty tasty, and the fish was a good hunk of cod. There was nothing incredibly remarkable about it, but it was not necessarily fishy, and it was good and flaky. It was easy to maneuver the fish into the tartar sauce. The fish here is solid.

Chips... One of my main requirements for "The Best" Fish and Chips is that the chips actually be good. Standard cut potatoes, deep fried are a start, but are they seasoned? Well, Manny's has some decent chips. They did not blow my mind, but they were okay when doused in Heinz.

Ah, the accouterments. As I mentioned, I got a shot of Newcastle with my Fish and Chips. This already gives Manny's Uptown a serious advantage. The tartar sauce was pretty delicious, and tasted home-made. I was also provided with malt vinegar and a lemon wedge. All the bases were covered.

As a platter, it was a good and solid serving of Fish and Chips. The price was fairly high, but I got what I paid for.

Ultimately, the Fish and Chips at Manny's Uptown is good (read: 4 out of 5).

(Sorry, but I did not have the camera out for this!)