Fun With Your Food

A friend of mine has been insisting that I try this Java Noodles place for far too long. Last night he came to my house and dragged me down the street to have dinner.

Spicy red curry coconut and tofu soup. WARNING this is SPICY but I like that.
I wanted tempeh but they were out. I’ve noticed that most non-veg places do not know how to cook with tofu. It seems that most of them buy the pre-fried stuff which is not as good because it doesn’t soak up any of the dishes flavors. Have you noticed tofu= not so tasty unless you know what to do with it?

Java Noodles house special.
I would have preferred brown rice other than that, this was pretty good. The veggies were still crisp. I hate soggy over cooked veggies. It had a similar, less spicy, red curry sauce as the soup.

Price- Reasonable: $8-10

Would I go back? Yep. I want to try their tempeh and find my fav item on the menu b/c it’s only a mile from my house.
Teddy

I have visited VegNew’s restaurant of the year more times than I count. I’ve even reviewed them before (veggie grill march 2007)
So why post about this place again?
Because they give out FREE lunch or dinner to birthday girls like me! If you’re signed up for their mailing list, they will send you a voucher for a free bday meal. You better believe that in the 3 days I was home, I had to redeem this gift.

As I walked in I noticed that they had changed their menu around. Added some new items and removed the less popular ones. For me free= trying something new because you have nothing to lose right?

Normally I order their drool inducing sweet potato fries but BOY was I sick of sweet potato. I needed something leafy and green. Steamed kale with a creamy dressing hit the spot.

I’ve said it more than once, if you can go to Veggie Grill in Irvine, CA- it’s a must eat (especially if it’s your bday and it’s free haha)

I must admit I’ve been having quite a few more kitchen disasters than normal. That is hat happens when you try new things I suppose. Out of disaster comes opportunity right? Opportunity to try new restaurants!

Koriente is a hidden little tea house in the middle of downtown Austin. Their lunch prices are extremely reasonable ($6.50-$8). You can take a look at their menu on their website.

Lunch comes with a soup or salad.

I choose the Japchei: sweet potato noodles and an assortment of veggies. The noodles were fantastic but I would definitely throw in the extra couple of bucks to get tofu next time. The meal was very refreshing and would be great on a warm summers day. Fortunately for me, it was about 78 degrees outside (in November?!) but as it’s getting colder I’ll probably go for a more hearty meal next time.

My friend Dustin decided on Koriente Curry. I’ll have to admit I was eyeing his food and already know I want to try that curry. Perhaps this will be my “fall back” place to eat for lunch downtown. The atmosphere is fantastic. Koriente is literally a hole in the wall with fantastic Asian decor. They even have a small pomegranate tree in front. We got there before the lunch rush (around noon) and by 1230 the place was packed so try to get there early or you’ll be in a line of Japanese businessmen and locals that is out the door.

I wonder, how do those Japanese businessmen know about this place? I’ve been here 4 months and am just finding it. Anywho, I loved it, the pictures speak for themselves regarding the food. Give it a try sometime.

Teddy