For when you don't have a lot of time, but you still want something good!
As a college senior with her own business and two internships, it's safe to say that I stay pretty busy. As much as I would love to explore all of the amazing cuisine in this fine city of Austin that I have found myself in, I simply do not have the time right now. Though I long for the post grad days when I can stuff my face to my heart's content, I still manage to grab some great quick bites in Austin that fit my packed lifestyle. Here are just a couple of places that I visit frequently:
1. River City Market & Deli
This is one of my favorite spots on the way to my internship in Downtown Austin. River City Market is located on South Congress heading towards the capitol building. I originally spotted this joint when I was searching for something to eat on the way to my internship last September.
The physical building is what first caught my eye. It has modern wooden paneling with a dark wash on the outside that draws you in thinking, "hey this looks like a cute Instagrammable café." After walking in, you can either order from the deli at the counter, where you can also order an espresso, or walk the aisles to see the specialty snacks, endless wine choices, and foods to fill your charcuterie board. I usually spend my time looking at the aisles after I place my order. My go to is the caprese sandwich. If I'm feeling really peckish, I'll grab two, but on a normal day one will suffice.
2. Michi Ramen
Now this is the perfect quick bite to grab on any cold or overcast day in the city. Michi Ramen has two locations, one located in N. Austin and one located south; I prefer to patron the south location. There are a couple of reasons for that; the main being that it is closer to my apartment. The only bummer about going to the south location is that there is no in-house dining, meaning that you will have to take your yummy ramen somewhere else.
If you want to dine in you will have to drive to the north location, but that's worth the trip as well. The north one is located on a busy road with a lot of other shops and attractions to see (an area of the city that many tourists neglect). My go-to order for Michi Ramen are the broth (regular tonkotsu) & noodles with nori (seaweed), ajitama (soft-boiled egg), kamaboko (steamed fish cake), and mayu (blackened garlic oil). Honestly, after writing this post, I might place my pick-up order right now!
3. ThunderCloud Subs
Now this is a sub shop that almost any Austinite can tell you is a must-have. Every single day I decide to drive to a different area around the city, I spot another location of this Austin-based sandwich shop. The two locations that I have been to physically are the one on South Congress near St. Edward's University and the one located on W. Slaughter Ln far south. No matter where I patron, my order stays the same. I get a large of the "Nada Chicken" Parm with vegetarian sauce, provolone and pickles. I haven't always been a pescatarian, so I do remember what real meat tastes like; and I have to say that ThunderCloud Subs' "nada chicken" tastes so similar to chicken you might ask them to make sure they made the right one.
4. Bamboo Bistro
Now this is an example of great Asian fare in South Austin. Located at the corner of William Cannon and West Gate, Bamboo Bistro tauts an enormous menu that can satisfy even the pickiest of palettes. My favorite thing about this place is the fact that it has a drive-thru; why would I ever want to get out of my car (hehe).
When I come here my order is typically two orders of the tofu spring rolls (for those with peanut allergies know that it comes with a peanut sauce) and their curry fried rice. My favorite thing about their fried rice is that it is made with cashews and pineapples. Each bite delivers a satisfying crunch with an earthy yet sweet taste.
Let me know if you try, or have tried, any of these great places. I want to see what your orders were!