Dishola: Reviews by the Dish

Divine Dish

555 W Bitters Rd, San Antonio, TX
(210) 496-0555

Submitted by laura on 09/26/07

A minor triumph as far as "tapas del mar" go, this ahi tuna is a must-order at Bin 555. It sits in an ocean of emerald spicy basil "olio santo," and is served with grilled roma tomatoes, shallots, chives more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

3945 24th St, San Francisco, CA
(415) 695-0549

Submitted by elsigh on 07/20/08

My first thought, when I saw this beautiful coconut tamarind soup dish arrive in front of me, was Oh No; sitting right in the middle is this gorgeously browned and seasoned thick square of white corvina more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

Guadalupe St & W 4th St, Austin, TX, 78701

Submitted by laura on 05/31/08

Hands down my favorite scones in Austin - only to be had on Saturdays at the Austin Farmer's Market next to Republic Square. While not too sweet, they're moist, buttery, and soft on the inside (yet still more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

1206 W 38th St, Austin, TX
(512) 451-9555

Submitted by laura on 05/20/08

Peanut butter and nutella. I mean, is there a BETTER combination? I could eat this gelato by the gallon. It's so creamy...so smooth. Think pure cool, silky sweetness on your tongue. And the rich, buttery more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

176 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA
(310) 385-0880

Submitted by laura on 04/30/08

Inspired by Kblood's wonderful description of her cheese board experience at Daniel's in Vegas, (http://www.dishola.com/dishes/view/1939) I had to share one of my more memorable cheese course experiences more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

1005 W 34th St, Austin, TX
(512) 371-3400

Submitted by laura on 04/01/08

This quite possibly may be the best chicken Piccata you'll ever eat. A friend kept urging me to try it - it is a "lunch special" at 34th Street Cafe every Thursday (but get there before 2 pm, because more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

98 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX
(512) 685-8300

Submitted by laura on 04/01/08

This creamy corn chowder feels soft and velvety on your tongue. It surprised me with its depth and breadth of flavor. First, there is the corn element - sweet, but tempered by the heat and spice of more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

05-02, OCBC Centre, Singapore, Singapore
65332818

Submitted by Judiaann on 02/22/08

Pork, and pork belly in particular, has become the darling of the food world in recent years. But before all the hype and hoopla, the Chinese have been enjoying this most luxurious cut for decades. I more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

2330 W North Loop Blvd, Austin, TX
(512) 459-4121

Submitted by laura on 11/27/07

This is some of the best queso in Austin, Texas - and that's saying a lot. We suspect the cheesy delight is made from a variety of real Mexican cheeses (as opposed to the Velveeta-type quesos served at more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

915 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX, 78703
512-472-6660

Submitted by laura on 03/16/08

Emily Fleming-Nash, proprietor of Emerald City Press, introduces Austinites to what many don't know they've been missing: the Espresso Soft Serve. This "dish/drink" is essentially a combination of a more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

1500 Spyglass Dr, Austin, TX
(512) 732-0303

Submitted by Bedhead on 10/19/07

Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum! more…   [2 reviews]

Divine Dish

1610 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX
(512) 326-4411

Submitted by laura on 03/03/08

Abundance. This is the first word that comes to mind when this calamari panini is set in front of you. Uncommonly tender semolina crusted calamari spill down and around the sides of crusty fresh baked more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

1101 W 5th St, Austin, TX, 78703
512-476-0728

Submitted by laura on 02/26/08

Laura is right about this salad. It is definitely a Diego Rivera. What's sad is that Castle Hill is closing this month. My hope is that the interior Mexican restaurant they plan on opening (in a different more…   [2 reviews]

Divine Dish

P.O. Box 999, Austin, TX
(512) 751-3955

Submitted by laura on 02/15/08

Sink your teeth into one of Planet Bonnie's luscious white or dark chocolate cupcakes, and there will be no turning back. Planet Bonnie's "earth" and "moon" cakes are simultaneously light and rich. The more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

2408 W Anderson Ln, Austin, TX
(512) 451-7333

Submitted by laura on 02/11/08

It is consistent. It is refined without being pretentious. It pairs beautifully with a glass of dry white wine. This week's dishola award goes to Houston's House Smoked Salmon. Imagine a chunk of salmon more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

801 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX
(512) 916-4808

Submitted by laura on 01/03/08

The Japanese have long had a term for a "fifth taste" - an add-on to the four basic tastes Americans know: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. That fifth taste is called "umami," and it's a bit hard to more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

2330 W North Loop Blvd, Austin, TX
(512) 459-4121

Submitted by laura on 11/27/07

My Mom has a saying when something really great happens to her: "God blew me a kiss." That's how I felt when I took one bite of Fonda San Miguel's crepas de cajeta. (For the uninitiated, cajeta is the more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

626 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX, 78703
(512) 708-8800

Submitted by laura on 11/02/07

This is a good sandwich, but my FAVORITE pimiento cheese is Pam's Pimiento from Central Market's salad bar. It is the best I've ever had (sorry Mom!) more…   [3 reviews]

Divine Dish

401 W 2nd St, Austin, TX, 78701
(512) 494-1500

Submitted by laura on 12/09/07

When a chef owns up to a favorite dish on his or her menu, you know it's worth a try. Rumor has it that one of the current chef picks at Lambert's is the fried green tomato appetizer. After sampling a more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

1610 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX, 78704

Submitted by laura on 10/21/07

When does moderation overflow into excess? Vespaio's chocolate Pot de Creme pushes the envelope, but let me assure you: every sumptuous bite is worth the indulgence. Nibble on a crunchy chocolate hazelnut more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

4101 Guadalupe St, Suite 100, Austin, TX, 78751
512-451-7170

Submitted by laura on 10/21/07

I could wax poetic about this sandwich, but suffice it to say this is a true blue East Coast classic. New World Deli's owner is from Jersey, so maybe that's why this dish feels so authentic. Imagine two more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

1110 W Lynn St, Austin, TX, 78703

Submitted by laura on 10/21/07

The best thing about Zocalo's chicken flautas is that they offer exactly the right ratio of chicken to tortilla. And this is no ordinary white meat chicken. The meat has been slow-cooked in green chiles, more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

2052 NW Market St, Seattle, WA, 98107
206-782-9557

Submitted by laura on 09/27/07

By no means is this an excellent cupcake. The "critic" who reviewed it below must value dry, uninspired cake as a most sought after feature? And their ratio of cake to frosting isn't ideal either, unless more…   [3 reviews]

Divine Dish

281 Capistrano Rd, Half Moon Bay, CA
(650) 728-7049

Submitted by elsigh on 02/19/07

Straight from the boats to the stew pot, this is far and away the best cioppino I've ever tasted. And even if you imagine for a moment, hard as it may be, that this creation came without seafood, the more…   [1 review]

Divine Dish

1300 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX
(512) 444-3800

Submitted by elsigh on 08/09/07

I unfortunately did not have as great an experience as elsigh with this dish. I ordered it late at night, so maybe I got the 'ends, but mine was tough and stringy. It was way too salty and there was a more…   [2 reviews]

Divine Dish

1826 S Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA
(949) 494-0400

Submitted by elsigh on 07/09/07

Oh mein gott. These gnocchi were totally perfect. Handmade, round and so smooth - unlike the usual fork-tinged half-moons. Rumari filled these with a little ball of chopped, sauteed porcini mushrooms. more…   [1 review]