a texan weekend

I'm back from a few days in Texas and thoroughly enjoyed myself in spite of the hot, humid weather! I had a wonderful time visiting both the boy and a very dear friend of mine. One of the most memorable meals, a bit of which is pictured above left, is from uchi, my favorite sushi/Japanese spot in Austin. The seafood is always super fresh, and there is such a great variety both in the kitchen dishes and the sushi/sashimi/rolls choices. We were in three, and each of us ordered a few things that we fancied and we all ended up trying quite a few things this way. One of my many favorites of the evening was the beautifully plated toro nuta, glistening chunks of bluefin toro with dried cranberries, marcona almonds, and white soy.

And though I have already been in Texas a handful of times, this was my first time eating barbecue there! I have no idea what took me so long to get myself to a decent bbq joint in Texas, but I am so glad I got to it this time around. Rudy's, although part of a chain, nevertheless had delicious meats and a friendly staff. If you mention that it's your first time there, they even offer up samples of various meats and sides for you to try before ordering! I love that they provide waxed butcher paper as plates, and their barbecue sauce was tasty. A note for soda-drinkers: Rudy's even sells the hard-to-find 'Mexican' coca cola, made with real sugar as opposed to the high-fructose standard sold to us here in the States.

Yes, with all the delicious food and great company, it was a brief yet wonderful mini getaway, and I must admit it is taking me a moment or two to throw myself back into the daily grind of work and responsibilities.