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  • Author

Damn, my post from May 21, 2019, which was about a week before that marriage blew up in spectacular fashion.

I guess I need to take my (second) wife to Sienna sometime. 

  • 3 months later...

La Traviata just reopened right by me. Haven’t been yet but have heard good things from people in my hood. 

On 5/1/2024 at 3:29 PM, Blotto said:

Met up with some folks today at a joint in Round Rock called Palermo Pasta. Not out of this world good, but they have a lunch special that was $12 that includes iced tea, salad and main dish and there were 5 or 6 options. Most of us grabbed the lasagna or Calzone and no complaints.  Decent $12 lunches are hard to find these days. 

 

We love Palermo, esp their alfredo.  

 

12 minutes ago, 4th&Five said:

La Traviata just reopened right by me. Haven’t been yet but have heard good things from people in my hood. 

 

This the same La Traviata that was on Congress? 

7 minutes ago, gsoda3 said:

This the same La Traviata that was on Congress? 

Yup, same chef/owner.  Can't wait to try it, the original was one of our regular joints.

1 minute ago, jimmyjazz said:

Yup, same chef/owner.  Can't wait to try it, the original was one of our regular joints.

HELLO CARBONARA

1 minute ago, gsoda3 said:

HELLO CARBONARA

Exactly what I used to get, every time.

Oh yeah, carbonara at the downtown Traviata was great.  Didn't know they were opening a new location, good for them. 

Yeah maybe one of you idiots can eat there and tell us if it's still good.

On 10/29/2024 at 9:18 AM, 4th&Five said:

La Traviata just reopened right by me. Haven’t been yet but have heard good things from people in my hood. 

That's cool, but where would that be? 

  • 2 weeks later...

In town for the UF/UT game this weekend. Ate at Fig Friday night. Really well done modern Italian. 

  • 3 weeks later...
On 10/29/2024 at 9:18 AM, 4th&Five said:

La Traviata just reopened right by me. Haven’t been yet but have heard good things from people in my hood. 

We went last night and everything was very good. Drinks were surprisingly stiff as well. 

  • 2 months later...

I'm sorry y'all... kept reading about La Traviata and I thought I would look this up...

image.thumb.png.b36532b540c72e20d81e0d6ad8b37d47.png

Feeling borderline homicidal.  Onions and cream in Carbonara?  Bolognese served with 1) spaghetti and 2) spinach? 3) a touch of cream? 

"But dago, what is wrong with you?  These are fine..."

OK... "Texas Chili with beans and bell pepper" or "Brisket served with a side of ranch"

angry the mindy project GIF by HULU

Edited by texasdago

Their carbonara was legit back at the old location.  By my recollection it had neither onions or cream.

I'm not so dogmatic about bolognese.  Spinach seems unusual but I have seen Italians put a bit of cream in.  I'm sure plenty balk at that.  I'd prefer pappardelle for sure.

On 2/17/2025 at 11:03 AM, jimmyjazz said:

Their carbonara was legit back at the old location.  By my recollection it had neither onions or cream.

I'm not so dogmatic about bolognese.  Spinach seems unusual but I have seen Italians put a bit of cream in.  I'm sure plenty balk at that.  I'd prefer pappardelle for sure.

You should block those Italians from your Facetube 

  • Author
On 2/17/2025 at 10:39 AM, texasdago said:

I'm sorry y'all... kept reading about La Traviata and I thought I would look this up...

image.thumb.png.b36532b540c72e20d81e0d6ad8b37d47.png

Feeling borderline homicidal.  Onions and cream in Carbonara?  Bolognese served with 1) spaghetti and 2) spinach? 3) a touch of cream? 

"But dago, what is wrong with you?  These are fine..."

OK... "Texas Chili with beans and bell pepper" or "Brisket served with a side of ranch"

angry the mindy project GIF by HULU

But is ketchup okay in spaghetti sauce?

8 minutes ago, texasdago said:

Milk is not cream

Sure, I was going on memory.  I'm nowhere near as immersed in this stuff as you are.  So your beef (heh) with their dish is the use of cream instead of milk?

1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

Sure, I was going on memory.  I'm nowhere near as immersed in this stuff as you are.  So your beef (heh) with their dish is the use of cream instead of milk?

No worries... we are slightly opinionated when it comes to our food

It like me telling a guitar player "this guitar is basically like that one".  My son who is an OK musician will get into arguments with me about the tone of a telecaster.

Edited by texasdago

There are Texans on this very site that will tell you they eat chili with beans in it.

If we can't argue our food snobbery on an internet message board, then what are we even doing here?

  • Author
24 minutes ago, utee94 said:

There are Texans on this very site that will tell you they eat chili with beans in it.

If we can't argue our food snobbery on an internet message board, then what are we even doing here?

My wife, born and raised in Texas by Texan parents, insists that she grew up with beans in chili because that's what middle class Texans did to stretch a pot of chili for an additional meal or two.  I tell her, "Fine, but I'm still calling it stew."  She is not amused.

On 2/17/2025 at 10:39 AM, texasdago said:

Bolognese served with 1) spaghetti

I hope they break the spaghetti in half!

18 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

I hope they break the spaghetti in half!

when they do, its probably this...

image.jpeg.bfd8cd32644564011c62e8b4253c6634.jpeg

  • 10 months later...
  • Author

End of the line for a couple Italian joints.

Rosedale's Gusto's owner has ghosted his employees after their pre-Christmas paychecks bounced. Signs posted on the door say its closing. I went there a lot with my kids when they were younger. I'd call it decent in those days, though it was pretty mediocre the last time I went a couple years ago.

https://www.kvue.com/article/money/business/austin-restaurant-check-bounce-holidays/269-cb1f5c54-c3f1-4fc7-bc51-d7c2dbd0f20b

And Vespaio is closing after almost 30 years. When I moved back to Austin in 2003 after a stint in Dallas, fine dining in the town was still few and far between. I remember Vespaio being one of my favorites that would fall in that category, though it was far from breaking the bank. Again, I haven't been there in a couple years, but recall my last trip that it was pretty solid. I don't care about Gusto, but losing Vespaio makes me a little sad.

https://www.kvue.com/article/life/food/vespaio-closing-south-congress/269-b66b8e57-a3f0-4cb0-9a23-150fe1eaee3b

Yeah, Gusto's took a significant turn for the worse a few years into their run.

I lived a couple of blocks from Vespaio, and I never really got it. Food was very good but the "jam yourself into this little bar and wait" thing got old. Enoteca took a lot of heat off, though.

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