By Ginny, on January 26th, 2012% The secret is out on Hyde Park’s newest hotspot, Hopfields. Despite opening only a few short months, Hopfields was bustling during a recent Friday night visit. It takes a minute to figure out how one is to go about getting situated at the entirely self-service pub. Upon entering, one is taken with the lovely, quaint space which is more reflective of the latest locavore dining destination than a traditional tavern. The quintessential neighborhood bar has a low-key vibe and eclectic interior and appeals to a clientele who have replaced raucous nights spent on Austin’s East Side with quieter weekends. Its intellectual, post-graduate crowd is reflective of its North of campus Hyde Park location. Despite the initial puzzlement over Hopfields’ beer joint made beautiful design, its readily apparent Hopfields is a beer connoisseur’s playground. Hopfields boasts a selection of continuously evolving 60+ beers from which to choose. An impressive number of local beers are proudly displayed on the main room’s back wall and online at Tapster. There is a small but diverse selection of wines available by the glass or bottle as well as creative wine and vermouth cocktails.  Beer Wall The casual French bar food menu features a selection of shared snacking plates, small plates, and heartier options. A beautifully presented cheese plate and large snack plate complete with housemade jams, pickled veggies, and Antonelli’s cheeses started the evening off well.  Snack Platter - $8 Click the picture for more shots of Hopsfield! The steak frites was cooked slightly uneven, but the meat’s flavor and an ample garlic butter dollop topping made up for this discrepancy. Served with salty fries, the dish was a winner. [expand title=] -
 - Beer Wall
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 - Snack Platter – $8
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 - Cheese Plate – $12
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 - Steak Frites – $16
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 - Salad – $7
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 - Lamb Sausage Sandwich – $8
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 - Burger and Frites – $10
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By Ginny, on December 9th, 2011% Since opening in 2010, East End Wines has quickly garnered a reputation as one of the best wine retailers in Austin. Owned by Matt Miller and Sam Hovland, East End Wines houses a remarkable inventory of unique, hard to find wines, many at even more impressive price points. With this distinction in mind, I asked the master sommelier himself, Sam Hovland, to recommend an affordable holiday wine guide for Ginny’s Austin. All priced around $15, these food-friendly, crowd-pleasing wines will work for any gathering, gift exchange, or in law situation this holiday season. Enjoy! East End . . . → Read More: East End Wines Holiday Wine Guide 2011 By Ginny, on November 7th, 2011% Located in the bustling Rainey Street District, Bar 96 is Austin’s answer to a sports bar. Keeping with the nieghboorhood, Bar 96 is situated in a reconstructed home turned bar with ample outdoor seating, large TVs, cheap drinks and a casual, come-as-you-are attitude. A turf grass covered backyard speckled with picnic tables creates a perfect post-horns game setting for fans looking to celebrate a big win with more football watching. What’s more, come nightfall, Bar 96 projects the night’s big game on an adjacent building ensuring no bad view in the house. With washers, board games, and old and new friends jumping from table to table, Bar 96 begins to feel more like a tailgate party than a bar, which is especially ideal for those less than enthused with spending Saturday evening at a traditional sports bar. As with similar bars on the block, Bar 96 benefits from diverse handful of food trailers eager to serve flocks of hungry bar patrons. Closest in proximity is Cazamance, which currently sits in Bar 96’s own backyard. Inspired by head chef Ida Thaim’s West African upbringing as well as subsequent adventures to France, New York and now Austin, Cazamance’s menu consists of western traditions appetizers, salads, and sandwiches infused with African and Moroccan flavors and ingredients. Bonus points for a cheese and fresh fruit plate appetizer option. While it is advertised to feed two, it was fairly difficult to share the small portion of excellent cheeses. The Moroccan lamb sausage wrap received mixed reviews. The black bean veggie burger proved to be a fan favorite as did the slice roast of the day (pictured below). A bit hesitant by the sandwich’s presentation, the meat, grilled onions, and mustard were a solid combination. With a rotating selection of daily specials, healthy menu options, and a weekend brunch, there is still much to try at Cazamance, making this trailer a reason to visit Bar 96 all on its own.  Bar 96 Bar 96. 96 Rainey Street, Austin, TX 78701. http://96austin.com/  Cazamance Fruit & Cheese Plate - $8.50 Continue reading Bar 96 + Cazamance
By Ginny, on September 19th, 2011% Austin, you officially have one day of Austin City Limits recovery because tomorrow night FINO is teaming up with Houston’s premier cocktail slinger Bobby Huegel of Anvil Bar & Refuge. There is no hotter trend in the bartending world than the resurgence of the classic cocktail, and in the world of artisan cocktails, Huegel is a bit of a legend. A recent trip to his Houston area bar proved Anvil’s mixologists have been well trained by their fearless leader. Stop by FINO Tuesday, September 20th from 9:00PM to 12:00AM for a late night tasting of 7 original specialty drinks featuring Bitters and Amaro priced at $8. Paired with some of FINO’s Mediterranean appetizers, this should be very fun and tasty evening! More details about the event here. A few snapshots from a recent trip to Anvil Bar & Refuge below!  Pisco Sour Continue reading Foodie Happenings: FINO + Anvil Bar & Refuge Event
By Ginny, on September 1st, 2011% While the Longhorn Sports Network debacle may make Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium the only place in town to watch the UT/Rice game, hypothetically speaking, there are a few other great game day spots to be shared. Some are great to go before the tailgate, during the actual game, or to watch your team away from the West Campus/downtown mayhem. I have listed a few below, and feel free to leave a comment detailing other places to catch (or not catch) the game. Top Game Day Spots in Austin – Click [expand title= Here] Scholz’s – the go to . . . → Read More: Best Places to Watch the Game in Austin By Ginny, on August 25th, 2011% Over the years, there has been much about Austin that has changed from the skyline to traffic to the people. There was a time not so long ago tourists wouldn’t have dared to walk up and down South Congress, even in daylight, and Far West was considered way up North (it still is to me). However, the great thing about this city is despite these and other changes, there are still relics of Old Austin alive and well. One of these places is Donn’s Depot on West 5th. Donn’s has been around Austin for over 30 years, and many . . . → Read More: Dish of the Day: Donn’s Depot By Ginny, on August 9th, 2011% Today’s Drink of the Day is infinitely less exciting than say, a Drew Drink or Martini, but just as necessary. After two of my closest friends tied their respective knots in back to back weekends, I figured a wheatgrass shot is the only shot I should be engaging in for the moment. My friend Elise swears wheatgrass shots are a cure all, and considering one ounce delivers as many nutrients as 2 ½ pounds of leafy greens, it certainly can’t hurt. While the wonderful smell of fresh cut grass may evoke sentiments of springtime, the thought of grass . . . → Read More: Drink of the Day: Whole Foods By Ginny, on June 17th, 2011% As I mentioned last week, tonight is MIX: Celebrate Texas Cocktails benefiting Austin Involved. It is going to be a night to remember with cocktails, food and fun you definitely don’t want to miss. Get your tickets here. And to get a head start on Friday, try out the recipe for Dripping Spring’s Love Actually cocktail below! 2 oz Dripping Springs Vodka 4 oz freshly squeezed Grapefruit Juice 1 oz Rosemary Syrup 2 dashes Angostura Bitters To make Rosemary Syrup, mix one cup sugar with one cup water in a saucepan. Add 6 sprigs rosemary, simmer for five minutes, allow . . . → Read More: Recipe File + Event Reminder | | AboutGinny’s Austin is one girl's take on everything happening around Austin, focusing primarily food, music, and events around town.  |
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