The Austin Food and Wine Festival Meaty Fire Pit Photos

The Austin Food and Wine certainly has morphed from last year's feedback.  Major positive changes for layout and venue changes was a much needed. Not only did we lack the dust storms at Auditorium Shores, the festival grounds were also a bit smaller and cozier, in a good way.  There was enough space to walk, but enough excitement around to entertain. Additionally, the Grand Tasting Pavilion was set up in such a way that it never seems crowded even when it was open to all festival attendees. 

There were beers there too.  Wine, beer, we like it all. 

The Grand Tastings also featured Chef Showcases this year.  See some of the coolest business cards above.  Austin chefs rocked their dishes, which was a great added value over last years grand tastings.  Attendees were exposed to more foods, and local chefs could participate without having to tax too many resources. 


Another great addition was the fire pits in the center staffed by Jason Daddy and Tim Bryne's team on Saturday and Jack and Bryce Gilmore and Rene Ortiz's team on Sunday.  This allowed for attendees to taste foods outside of the demos and grand tasting.  This little piggy was prepared by Tim Bryne.

This little turkey is being roasted by Jack and Bryce Gilmore's team. 


I'm on my way to the final day of the festival (I voice to texted this post) and I'm very excited to see what the weather this year was absolutely marvelous we were blessed with sunny skies and just little bit of rain at the very end of Saturday night.  Overall this weekend was a total success.  I'm leaving with many more friends and great memories.

Those are some super jumbo shrimp by Bryce Gilmore of Barely Swine. 

Welcome to #Austin, @SwayThai!

Austin is growing up, at least in the ethnic food arena.  Here's my "secret" list of ethnic food restaurants in Austin.   Austin's attitudes and expectations  have changed drastically over the last decade, with more and more people being opened to unfamiliar and non-mainstream food and flavors.  It might just be my perception or that I don't hang around adventerous eaters anymore. 
You might have remembered Chef Rene Ortiz and Chef Laura Sawicki from La Condesa.  They've been working on this little project called Sway, and now I'm happy to say that the project has come to fruition.  Sway is not home cooking Thai, rather it is modern Australian Thai cuisine.  I've had many deep discussions about Sway since their preview dinner(s) ranging from the meaning of "Sway" to the direction they are going.  My response was that "Sway" if you say it while bobbing your head up and down  means water in Mandarin.

My takeaway from the preview dinner was that Sway leaves little to be desired.  I am always surprised and amazed by Chef Laura (send her love letters please, or at least on my behalf), and Chef Rene can execute like ninja.  I loved that many of my dishes had a component of comfort (something I consider to be a compliment about many of the ethnic food eateries), creative flare, and a capsicum induced endorphin rush. 

Rumor has it that some diners had complained about the spice level, and thus, the spice would be coming down a level.  This is much to my disappointment and horror.  I have not been back since the preview dinner, so I'm not sure how this mild the food has become.  Also, if the food is too spicy, order a beer - pils or IPA.  Or bring some ice cream with you. 

Here's some of the dishes we tried that night.  Neon lotus chicken salad with crispy lotus root, snow peas, banana blossom, and coconut-chili dressing.  Can you say yum? 

This is the XO mussels with crawfish XO, bacon, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, Thai chili, and sweet onion served with aromatic rice.  This dish was incredibly spicy and incredibly delicious!

So delicious, it gets another look.  This is the way you're supposed to eat Asian sauces....along with the rice.  This one was pretty spicy, and perfect with rice! 

This dish was the salt and pepper tofu on Thai chili. 

This is one of my favorite vegetables.  My mother planted it when I was growing up, and it was on the dinner table close to nightly.  I love this vegetable. 

The son in law was amazing - crispy farm egg, braised pork shoulder, thick soy and chili vinegar was one of my favorite savory dishes.  Asian dishes commonly use whole eggs, on many things.  The rich gelatinous yolk, crunchy garlic, and unami laden pork is perfect with the sticky rice.  This upscale rice bowl will smack your tastebuds with glee. 

It was very difficult to decide which dessert I liked best.  I really loved the jasmine tea panna cotta with red grape, lychee, palm sugar, holy basil, crunchy amaranth, and coconut-lychee sorbet.  I mean I loved it.  All the tropical fruit flavors reminded me of a Summer on my uncle's porch grabbing fruit off of trees. 

This dessert electrified my neurons.  Oh man, I. Love. This. Dessert.  This was miso-white chocolate semifreddo, sesame, crispy rice, coconut sticky rice, mango-calamansi sorbet.  Try it.  If you don't like it.  I'll finish it for you.  Unami miso + slightly sweet fruit + dark and early sesame = taste bud lust.

The lovely Chef Laura came out to greet us.  I was told by a man that he had a culinary boner for her and was afraid to talk to her.  I told him that he could still order her desserts en masse.  I had a great time at the preview dinner, and I'm so glad to report that the concept and the execution of this menu was top notch.  You'll see me back soon, probably licking the plates.