Gene's New Orleans Style Poboys & Deli - Austin,TEXAS

Never fear – your Orange Food Avenger is back and ready to eat. After a short time off, I am again ready to travel the food super-highway, seeking tasty treats, great service and easy parking. And what better place to start but one of East Austin’s corner-stone eateries, Gene’s New Orleans Style Poboys & Deli, located on the corner of East 11th and Rosewood, next door to the Long Branch. Parking is not a problem, with a lot in the back and plenty of room on the side of the street.

To tell you the truth, recently I have found myself addicted to the cold Roast Beef Poboy, small orders of fries and a can of icy cold root beer for only $7.40. Not a bad deal indeed. The large sandwich is served on a crusty French style loaf with pickles and some sort of crazy secret voodoo spread. Wooo, oh yea baby, this food make me a happy carrot. But Gene’s has a lot more to offer than just sandwiches. As a matter of fact, Gene’s may be one of the very last Blue Plate Specials served in Austin. Smothered pork chops, jambalaya, red beans and sausage and home made fried chicken (cooked without the skin) only add to this restaurant’s loyal and dedicated following. Gene tells me that he thinks he may be one of the only places around to serve Fried Chicken on demand, and man is the chicken good. The best part about eating at Gene’s is that you never know who will be sitting at the table next you…maybe even the Governor of Texas… Mr. Rick Perry.

Gene also tells me that he plans to add a second floor to the space. Rumor has it that Kevin and the guys at the Long Branch may also be thinking the same thing. Hmmmm…

Two Spoons up. I just love Gene’s. The chicken, oysters, sandwiches and the green beans are just wonderful. Now if I had to say any thing bad about Gene’s, it’s that it is a small operation and orders move slowly, for some this may be a bad thing but I always give myself a little extra time when I plan a visit. Check out the web site for complete listings of the Blue Plate and do yourself a favor, try the chicken.

Gene’s
1209 E.11th
Austin,TEXAS
512 477 6600 – Phone orders welcome
www.genesrestaurant.com

Mother's Cafe & Garden - Austin, TEXAS

Mother's, Duval and 42rd, has graced Austin's eating scene for 25yrs. Known for its veggie burgers and vegetarian cuisine, Mother's has filled a lot of local bellies and made a lot of people very happy. Mrs. Food and I decide to check Mother's out and see what was really going on down on Duval.

We arrived just after noon and …crazy …we actually got a parking spot up front. Gods little gift. We were quickly seated in the covered patio area and our server brought us water and menus. The patio is really nice, lots of plants, combined with the paved floor and filtered light, gives the impression of sitting out doors but without all the sound of the street. We place our orders and settle into the chips and salsa. The salsa is pretty good. Good flavor, not to hot.

Mrs. Foods order started with the soup of the day special – Tomato Basil. She like this a lot but I thought it had the taste of liquorish…I am not a big fan. I chose the Cream of Broccoli soup as my opener. Now this was good, the soup was about the broccoli, not the cheese. For our main course, Mrs. Food had Mother's Veggie Burger while I had the Enchiladas Mole which also came with beans and rice.

Mrs. Food was not too impressed with her burger, she liked it but it was a take it or leave it kind of thing. The burger looked dry to me. The Enchiladas Mole was pretty good, nice and cheesy while the mole sauce was uninspiring. The black beans made for a nice break from the standard refried a lot of places serve around town. But sadly, the plate just didn't come together for me, it was the Mole. Our total cost with tip came to $25.

Mr.Foodblog give Mother's one spoon up. Nice place to sit and eat. The outdoor patio is a gem. For me the only problem was the lack of originality of the food, it just seemed like the same old thing served most places in Austin. True, if you are a vegetarian, your choices are limited and Mother's is good for the Austin eating scene, but maybe they should try something new or just revisit some of their old recipes. Check out the website for complete menu, prices and location info. http://motherscafeaustin.com/index.html

Mother's Cafe & Garden
4215 Duval
451 3994