Down On Grayson [Eat]

Last weekend, I planned to meet up with some of my friends, to tell them all about my engagement! We wanted to go to a nice place to talk, that offered good food and drinks. We decided to try out Down on Grayson. So, we meet for lunch on a Saturday. When I got there the atmosphere was relaxed and fresh. Down on Grayson is a casual, Modern-American restaurant that serves a mixture of classic and contemporary dishes

I started off by ordering a frozen margarita (which is my favorite drink). Then, for lunch I ordered the GRILLED SANDWICH DU JOUR, (sandwich of the day) which was a Rueben sandwich with a house sauce and a side of French fries. I usually wouldn’t order the Rueben, but our waiter convinces me and he was right! It was super good, grilled to perfection and the cheese was amazing! The fries were also very good.

One of my friends ordered the CRISPY CHICKEN SANDWICH (panko crusted chicken, baby Swiss, tomatoes, pickles & house-made balsamic slaw) and it was also delicious!

Finally, we ordered the STRAWBERRY CAKE (6 layers with fresh strawberries blended into the batter and icing. Topped with Strawberry buttercream icing). It was AMAZING! I love strawberries, so it was perfect! After that I went into a food coma.

Down on Grayson is perfect for a casual lunch-dinner with family and/or friends, you can bring your kids and even your dog. I really recommend it and probably will be coming back soon.  It is located on 303 East Grayson, San Antonio, TX 78215. For more information visit downongrayson.com

Cons.
Portions are too big, try to share with someone. I was planning to take my left overs home, but as usual I forgot the box on the table.

Steak & Whisky [Eat]

A photo posted by Treast (@treastblog) on Jan 25, 2016 at 4:54pm PST

After work I sometimes go for a run to the river extension on Pearl. On my way there I always drive by Josphine St. All the lights and the old building always catch my attention. I would see from the outside people having dinner, it looks so cute and romantic. Finally, I had the opportunity to visit Josephine St. the place is cozy, vintage and the atmosphere is friendly and laid-back. I love the fact that a 500-year-old tree is in the middle of the place, it makes this restaurant even more unique and charming. Also, the bar makes me think I am back in 1905.

I ordered the 7 oz Peppered Bacon Wrapped Filet [served with cilantro lime sauce or lime herb butter and course cracked pepper on top] as a side I ordered the Green Beans, which are one of the best green beans I’ve ever had (aside from the ones my aunt Betsy cooks). My boyfriend ordered the El Rey Burger [seasoned, juicy beef dripping with cheddar and topped with avocado slices, pickled jalapeños, mayo and house made ranchero sauce - caramelized tomato, onion, garlic and fresh jalapeños] and a side of onion rings. Those onion rings are too good they put them in every dish, I think. If you order something and there are no onion rings, make sure to order of side of them! They are delicious!

Finally, the best part of all, dessert! I was so full, but it was my birthday so, we ordered the Peach Cobbler with ice cream. It is the BEST Peach Cobbler I have had in my entire life (31 years to be exact.)

It is always good to know they have a Spurs Bus, that takes you to the games if you have dinner with them that day! That is so cool!

Josephine St. is located at 400 E. Josephine Street, San Antonio, TX 78215. To learn more visit, josephinestreet.com

Cons.
You might end up with a food coma, make sure to have a designated driver. 

Vietnamese meets French [Eat]

This weekend we headed to Austin for a wedding. We arrived early so we decided to grab a bite to eat at Elizabeth Street Café. This restaurant is a neighborhood Vietnamese café and French bakery, and it is well known for their bánh mì served on house baked baguettes, fresh spring rolls, steaming bowls of pho and their great croissants, among many other things.

As with any great restaurant, it was packed. We ordered some drinks at the bar while we waited to be seated. I ordered a Red Dragon [Beet infused Sake, Orange Sherry, Falernum, Muddled Jalapeños, Ginger Brew, Lime and Garden Thai Basil]. You think it sound good? Well, you should try it! It’s delicious! We sat on the front porch and enjoyed the music and drinks along with the great atmosphere.

We started off with some Spring Rolls [Jumbo Lump Crab & Glass Noodles, Tarragon, Jicama, and Fresno Chiles]. This is a great appetizer, it’s fresh and flavorful. Paired with our meal, I had Sake [Takara Nigori Sake] and my boyfriend Draft Beer [Kronenbourg].

For the main course my boyfriend ordered the Bánh Mì [Fried Egg, Crispy Pork Belly, Avocado & Mint] it was the perfect combination of ingredients and the soft bread gave that wholesome flavor. I ordered from the Specialties section, the Bún Bò Huê [Spicy Beef, Pork, & Lemongrass Soup, Housemade Rice Noodles, Chili Oil, Cilantro, and White Onion] I had never tried something like this. It was exquisite, the lemongrass soup gave it a tangy taste and everything combined caused an explosion of flavors on my palate.  I totally recommend these two dishes.

Unfortunately I was incapable of eating anything else, so I missed dessert. But Elizabeth's has a variety of French pastries like: Croissants, Éclairs, Pot de crèmes and Macarons, just to mention a few.

Elizabeth Street Café is located at 1501 S. First Street Austin, Texas 78704. For more information visit elizabethstreetcafe.com