POLYGLOT AUSTIN: OUR MULTILINGUAL, MULTICULTURAL CITY!

Ben tornato to our #Polyglot Austin series, where we celebrate the city’s cultural diversity, while taking an interactive approach to language learning!

Meet some of our favorite Italian Austinites and practice your Italian at the same time! Watch and listen to our interviews in Italian with Bernardo Nolfo, the managing partner of Numero28 Austin, and challenge yourself with answers in Italian to the questions below #LanguageChallenge #MissonAccomplished!

Come si dice in Italian “a not to be missed Italian hotspot”? Your first language mission, should you choose to accept it: translate this (a not to be missed Italian hotspot) in a comment below for a chance to win a glass of wine at Numero28!

Not just known for delicious food, but for the warm and welcoming Italian atmosphere, this Italian bistro remains a top favorite for our teachers and students to visit and to practice Italian, describing it as mini vacation to Italy.

Delicious southern Italian food in the heart of downtown Austin. Fresh pastas, oven-fired pizzas, Italian wines, gelato and the list goes on – Andiamo!

Before we get started on the language fun, go ahead and grab your favorite vino, the great fluency builder! To get the most out of this language learning tool, uses the following steps as a guide:

1. Read the following short dialogues in Italian (transcription) as a preview to the video
2. Hit play and stop to review as need be…
3. REPEAT! Repetition: a key to language learning!

Beginner Level Dialogue and Video

Q: Ciao! Come ti chiami! / A: Mi chiamo Bernardo.

Q: Di dove dei? / A: Sono nato in Sicilia.

Q: Che lavoro fai? / A: Lavoro nei ristoranti.

For FULL transcript, CLICK HERE & look in video description.

#LanguageChallenge – Answer in Italian below! 

1. Che lavoro fa il proprietario?

Intermediate Level Dialogue and Video

Q: Come mai hai scelto Numero 28 come nome per il tuo ristorante? / A: E’ una risposta abbastanza facile da darti perche’ il mio socio ha questo nome a New York e allora siamo venuti qui e abbiamo deciso di dare lo stesso nome.

Q: Su cosa basi la scelta del menu’? / A: Il menu’ e’ molto … e’ stato fatto in maniera per essere piu’ stile del sud Italia e anche con influenza siciliana.

For FULL transcript, CLICK HERE & look in video description.

#LanguageChallenge – Answer in Italian below!

1. Perché Bernardo, il proprietario, ha scelto di chiamare il suo ristorante Numero 28?
2. Qual è la notizia che Bernardo condivide?

**Buon lavoro! Stay tuned – the most Italian responses wins a glass of wine**

Buona Notizia for Numero28!

Managing partner Bernardo says it’s very important that he creates a neighborhood feeling. Keep an eye out for their new Italian bakery, cafe and cocktail bar called Numero28 Alimentari opening soon to 2nd and San Antonio street! Alimentari—which means “food” in Italian—will serve traditional Italian pastries and cakes, chocolates and small bites. Check them out on Yelp and like them on Facebook.

In the heart of the city, enjoy a scenic view on their beautiful patio with a glass of wine!

Thank you for playing along. Tell us what restaurants, topics, or #Polyglot people around Austin you would like us to feature in our upcoming blogs. We LOVE your input! More about us:

The Freestyle Lifestyle

Our one-of-a-kind approach to second language acquisition uses technology and an interactive model in a way that brings the most recent, relevant, high-usage vocabulary and everyday expressions to our students in an entertaining and effective way. Join us as we continue to revolutionize language learning: Try a free evening class or our popular Saturday ‘Cafe’ (11am-12:30pm) at 801 Rio Grande!

Join us on January 5th for our Spring Open House to meet our teachers and find your ‘fit’ – RSVP Here!

POLYGLOT AUSTIN: OUR MULTILINGUAL, MULTICULTURAL CITY!

Bienvenido!  to another interactive guest post; this one in Spanish from our friend Fernando Nieri!

In our continuing efforts to connect the many cultures and languages in Austin, we invite Austinites who’re native speakers of  French, Italian, Spanish or Portuguese to share an idea, a place, an art, a product – or anything of particular interest to them – in writing in their native language.   In the Freestyle way, we invite all (both our students & readers of the larger ATX community and beyond) to interact w/us here. We won’t grade you too harshly if your answers are in English…and who knows? there may be a prize for those in Spanish Voila!  magnífico! 

We’re thrilled to put a spotlight on our long-time amigo Fernando Neiri, a model, health enthusiast and Austin business owner ‘extraordinario’!

      Fernando also owns the award-winning creative studio ‘Zoticus’

Read about Fernando, one of his favorite recipes and how to make it  – all in Spanish!

Mi nombre es Fernando Nieri y nací en Lima, Perú. En enero del 2000 decidí venir a Austin a estudiar Inglés para luego ir a la universidad y obtener mi maestría. Dentro de mis pasatiempos favoritos están pasar tiempo con mi familia y amigos, cocinar, hacer ejercicios y viajar.

Hace tres años decidí matricularme en clases de Crossfit. Fue ahí cuando aprendí sobre la alimentación Paleo. Como uno de mis pasatiempos favoritos es cocinar, empecé a modificar mis recetas para convertirlas en paleo. Empezó como un pasatiempo pero hoy en día es mi manera de cocinar. Desde que empecé a comer solo frutas, verduras y carnes (de animales al pastoreo) he visto un gran beneficio en mi vida.

Estoy seguro que si deseas darle una oportunidad a la alimentación paleo encontrarás muchos beneficios. Es por eso que con mucho gusto los invito a probar esta receta de panqueques hecha con ingredientes naturales y considerados paleo. Espero que la disfruten!

If you’re interested in learning more about Fernando’s creative studio ‘Zoticus‘ you can contact him at info@zoticusdesign.com

PANQUEQUES DE PLÁTANO CON COMPOTA DE FRUTAS

     Panqueque Paleo

Tiempo de preparación: 10 minutos
Tiempo de cocción: 10-15 minutos
Sirve: 8 panqueques

Ingredientes

• 3 plátanos
• 2 huevos
• 3 cucharadas de harina de coco
• 1 cucharadita de extracto de vainilla
• ¼ cucharadita de bicarbonato de sodio
• ¼ taza de leche de almendras
• Canela al gusto

Instrucciones

1. Agregar los plátanos en un procesador de alimentos y hacerlo puré.
2. Añadir los huevos y mezclar.
3. Añadir la harina, extracto de vainilla, bicarbonato de sodio, canela y mezclar.
4. Añadir la leche de almendras.
5. Caliente una sartén grande a fuego medio. Una vez que la sartén está caliente, añada de 2-3 cucharadas de la mezcla en la sartén. Cada uno de los panqueques serán de aproximadamente 3 pulgadas de diámetro. Cocine ambos lados del panqueque.
6. Una vez que los panqueques estén hechos, sirva de 3 a 4 panqueques por persona y vierta la compota de fruta sobre los panqueques.

COMPOTA DE FRUTAS

Opción 1: Compota de Bayas

• 4 Fresas
• 5 Frambuesas
• ½ taza de arándanos azules

Preparación:

Coloque las bayas en una cazuela pequeña sobre calor medio alto. Una vez que las bayas surtidas comienzan a ablandar, añada 1 cucharada de miel y triture las bayas con una espátula. Retire las bayas del fuego y deje reposar por 5 minutos antes de servir.

Opción 2: Compota de Manzana y Durazno

• 2 manzanas
• 1 durazno

Preparación:

Corte las manzanas y el durazno en pedacitos pequeños. Colóquelos en una cazuela pequeña sobre calor medio alto. Agregue 3 cucharadas de agua. Triture y mezcle con una espátula. Retire la compota del fuego y deje reposar por 5 minutos antes de servir.

¡Delicioso! Now it’s your turn…answer these in the comments below.  Correct Spanish could get you a sweeeet Freestyle discount…!

1. Cuál es tu pasatiempo favorito (/preferido)?
2. Qué puedes comer si quieres seguir una dieta paleo?
3. De qué consisten las dos compotas?

And don’t forget to join us for our Open House, Friday, Aug. 28th 6pm-8pm 801 Rio Grande St. Austin, TX 78701. Meet our team of teachers and register for the fall session (9/8-11/24) with a great deal and fun free swag!  Our  proven language model and methodology is not only effective it’s fun. We pride ourselves on our pedagogy & 2nd language acquisition skills as well as on the connections made in our language learning community. Language is 100% about connecting people!

Polyglot Austin: Our Multilingual, Multicultural City!

Bem-vindos! to another interactive guest post; this one in Portuguese from Boteco ATX, the latest & greatest Austin Food-truck!

In our efforts to connect the many cultures and languages in Austin, we invite Austinites who’re native speakers of  French, Italian, Spanish or Portuguese to share an idea, a place, an art, a product – or anything of particular interest to them – in writing in their native language.   In the Freestyle way, we invite all (both our students & readers of the larger ATX community and beyond) to interact w/us here. We won’t grade you too harshly if your answers are in English…and who knows? there may be a prize for those in Portuguese!  Voila!  magnífico! 

We’re thrilled to put a spotlight on our new friends in the incredibly dynamic Brazilian community of Atx –  Fernando and Lauren Marri, owners of the new Brazilian food truck Boteco  which specializes in Brazilian street food located in Austin, TX.

What is a Boteco? A boteco is a local neighborhood joint that you go to for delicious food, drinks & conversation. Simple in nature, yet essentially Brazilian.

Boteco supports our community by cooking with eco-friendly, local ingredients as much as possible. They’ll also feature a variety of vegetarian & gluten-free options!

And when you meet them here and in person, you will see why the lines will be lo000ng at this food truck…

Read about this couple, one of their favorite recipes and how to make it  – all in Portuguese. boa sorte!

Queridos estudantes, O meu nome é Fernando Marri. Sou Brasileiro, nascido e criado em Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais – terra da boa e velha comida mineira. Sempre fui fascinado por gastronomia, principalmente a culinária mineira que historicamente descreve a história do Brasil. Me mudei para Austin um ano e meio atrás. A cidade me encanta pela sua energia, musicalidade e diversidade. Sou o chefe e dono do Boteco Food Truck, especializado em comida brasileira. Gostaria dividir uma receita simples e fácil com vocês

Brigadeiro

O brigadeiro é um doce brasileiro, criado na década de 1940 em homenagem ao Brigadeiro Eduardo Gomes, candidato à presidência da república. Foram feitas festas para promover a candidatura, onde foram servidos os docinhos do Brigadeiro. Assim for adotado o nome brigadeiro para o docinho.

Ingredientes:

1 lata de leite condensado

1 colher de sopa de margarina

4 colheres de sopa de chocolate em pó

chocolate granulado

Modo de Preparo:

1. Coloque em uma panela o leite condensado, a margarina e o chocolate em pó.

2. Cozinhe em fogo médio e mexa sem parar com uma colher.

3. Cozinhe até que o brigadeiro comece a desgrudar da panela.

4. Deixe esfriar bem, então unte as mãos com margarina, faça as bolinhas e envolva-as em chocolate granulado.

5. Bom apetite!

Voila! now it’s your turn…answer these in the comments below.  Correct Portuguese could get you a sweeeet Freestyle discount…!

1. Quando é que Fernando veio para Austin?

2. Porque o doce se chama “brigadeiro?”

3. O brigadeiro tem que forma (shape)?

We can’t wait to join in the Boteco launch celebration in February!  While the food-truck is still in the construction phase, their delicious food is available for delivery or pick-up in the Austin area. Items can be ordered frozen or freshly fried. Place your order today – for typical Brazilian fare such as Pastel, Coxinha & Pão de Queijo!  

Contact botecoatx@gmail.com for more information.  Follow them on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!

And don’t forget to come try a class for free at Freestyle. Our  proven language model and methodology is not only effective it’s fun. We pride ourselves on our pedagogy & 2nd language acquisition skills as well as on the connections made in our language learning community. Language is 100% about connecting people!

The Freestyle Way – using language in context, having fun doing it!

Did you know we have a NEW class “Portuguese for Spanish Speakers”?  Starting Winter 2015.  To meet our teachers and learn more about it and our other Portuguese, French, Spanish or Italian classes, RSVP to our Open House,  Fri, Jan. 9th, 6-8pm.   Merci! Obrigado,  Vemo-nos!

Polyglot Austin: Our Multilingual, Multicultural City!

Benvenuto to our first interactive guest post w/Daniela from Andiamo!

We invite Austinites who’re native speakers of  French, Italian, Spanish or Portuguese to share an idea, a place, an art, a product – or basically anything of particular interest to them – in writing in their native language.   In the Freestyle way, we hope y’all, meaning both our students & readers of the larger ATX community and beyond, will interact w/us here!  Voila! magnifico! 

In this first guest post, we’re thrilled to feature our dear Italian friend and admired restaurateur Daniela Marcone, owner of the renowned Andiamo.

 

 

Andiamo, frequently appears in the “Best of ” Lists, but nowhere else can you get Daniela’s recipes and tips in Italian!

Read about Daniela,  one of her favorite recipes and how to make it in Italian. Buona fortuna!

Salve a tutti,

il mio nome e’ Daniela Marcone

sono nata e cresciuta in Italia, a Napoli, citta del sole e del mare.

Mi sono trasferita qui ad Austin nel 2005.

Mi piace Austin perche’ e’ una citta molto verde, e con tanta gente giovane.

Mi piace passeggiare per il centro e vedere la natura attorno, trascorrere del tempo a conattato con gli animali e aiutare le persone meno fortunate di me.

Nel 2000 sono diventata proprietaria del Ristorante Andiamo in nord Austin e dall’ora in poi mi occupo di mangiare e contatto al pubblico.

E’ un lavoro che mi stimola sia intellettualmente che socialmente e mi piace molto.

La parte culinaria e’ la piu semplice e mi piacerebbe condividere una ricetta con voi.

Un inslata che chiamiamo Insalata Innamorata

Ingredienti:

Insalata fresca a vostra scelta, romana, lattuga etc

formaggio di capra

fragole

aceto e olio

sale pepe

mandorle

Procedimento:

Lavare l’insalata e tagliarla in pezzetti piccoli

Sbucciare le mandorle e tritarle

Tagliare le fragole in fette sottili

Mischiare il tutto

e condire con, sale, olio, pepe e aceto con  il formaggio di capra in cima a tutto.

Eccellente!   One great thing about a blog is that it can be read at your own rhythm…need time to go grab that vino before continuing?  Now you’re speaking our language!

 è il tuo turno :  as a simple comprehension check and as a way to practice writing, simply  answer the questions below in italiano in our comments section. Or ask us anything – don’t understand something in here? have another question?…teachers will respond!

1) Che cosa fa Daniela ad Austin?

2) Quale potrebbe essere una variazione di frutta per questa ricetta se uno e’ allergico alle fragole o se a uno non piacciono le fragole?

3) Qual’e’ la vostra ricetta preferita?

Did you know?  Andiamo hosts monthly wine dinners? Experience four-course authentic Italian meals paired with amazing Italian wines. October’s dinner will be hosted by Paolo Bernardi.  Not only is Paolo the President and Importer for VinUS, but he is the man behind all of Andiamo’s Italian wines.   RSVP here on FB , or email andiamoitaliano@gmail.com or call 512-719-3377 to reserve your spot.

To practice more Italian,  particularly listening comprehension, tune into our video-interview of Daniela in our previous blog entry  , don’t miss Dolce Neve while you’re perusing our collection, AND stay tuned for the dashing, charming Alex of Cotone in our next video-blog (vlog)!

For continual practice (if you’re in Austin…) join us and experience our innovative curriculum, proven  methodology. Try a free class.  Our next session starts Oct. 27th!  Learn more

Grazie a tutti – specialmente Daniela Marcone !  Via these guest posts, we aspire to continually create new & authentic material through which we build language proficiency while we connect Austinites in a language-learning community.  Interested yourself?  Have recommendations or know somebody you’d like to see featured in a guest post?  Please let us know.  Arrivederci !

Polyglot Austin! Our multicultural, multilingual City

Showcasing our diverse city…with an abundance of language learning opportunities! 

In a melting pot like the city of Austin, with a  variety of cultures around every corner, we are always in earshot of molte lingue . Through our blog, Freestyle Language Center reaches into the community conducting engaging interviews in Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese. This enables us to connect with a wide range of interesting polyglots, from business owners to fellow film buffs, while we embrace and learn from their native language and culture! Read on and esercitare!

No hiding from this polyglot community!

Talking to local business owners, professors and even the average Giuseppe on the street about their everyday life in Austin provides the perfect opportunity to enhance our language learning.

The first of our interview series stars Italian Marco Silvestrini, an up-and-coming local business owner from Fabriano,  a small town in Italy in the region of Marche. Visit and Like their Facebook page to stay up to date on flavors and deals! Keeping Austin Cool!

Marco shares his passion for gelato and brings a taste of Italy to the heart of Austin with a new gelateria called “Dolce Neve.”

Here are our beginner and intermediate videos accompanied by an Italian transcription. Watch, listen and respond to a few questions. Add your answers to our comment section and our Italian teachers will get back to you!

1. Beginner Level:

Q:  Come ti chiami?/ A: Ciao! Mi chiamo Marco Silvestrini.
Q: Di dove sei?/  A:  Sono itailano, di un paese del cento dell’Italia chiamato Fabriano.
Q: Che fai come lavoro?/ A: Sto aprendo una gelateria qui ad Austin.
Q: Qual è il tuo passatempo preferito?/ A: Mi piace fare sport. Mi piace fare passeggiate per i boschi e mi piace andare in bicicletta.
Q: Cosa ti piace di Austin? / A: Di Austin mi piace che ci sono molte attività che possono essere svolte all’aria aperta: è possibile andare a visitare i parchi, è possibile fare una corsa per Lady Bird Lake, o anche fare un giro in canoa.
Q: E del Texas, cosa ti piace? / A:  Il barbeque!
Q:  E cosa ti manca dell’Italia? / A:  A volte mi manca il cibo. E la famiglia e gli amici.
Q: Hai famiglia ad Austin? / A: Sì, mia sorella vive qui insieme a suo fidanzato.
Q:  Descrivi una giornata tipica per te/ A: Tipicamente la mattina la dedico per volgere attività lavorative: mandare email, chiamare venditori. A pranzo un buon piatto di pasta e nel pomeriggio ancora un po’ di lavoro. Poi ci vado in palestra. Poi se riesco, esco con gli amici la sera.

Domande:
1. Che lavoro fa Marco?
2. Quali sono alcuni aspetti della vita ad Austin piacciono a Marco?
3. Com’è una giornata tipica per Marco?

2. Intermediate/Advanced Level:

Q: Come ti chiami?/ A: Mi chiamo Marco Silvestrini.
Q: E di dove sei? / A: Sono italiano di un paese nel centro dell’Italia, chiamato Fabriano… famoso per la carta. Un vecchio paese medioevale.
Q: E perché sei venuto qui ad Austin?/ A: Sono venuto qui per lanciare un attività: sto aprendo una gelateria insieme a mia sorella Francesca e il suo ragazzo Leo.
Q: In Italia, dove hai studiato? / A: In Italia ho studiato a Milano presso un’università chiamata Politecnico di Milano dove mi sono laureato in ingegneria meccanica.
Q: E qui ad Austin, perché vuoi aprire… lanciare questa gelateria? (Translator’s note: I meant to say either “aprire la gelateria” or “lanciare quest’attività” but it seems I became a bit tongue-tied in the moment.) / A: Perché ritengo che Austin dal punto di vista economica sia una città che offre opportunità per crescere, le persone che vivono ad Austin sono decisamente amanti del buon cibo. Spero che piacerà anche un buon gelato italiano. Dal punto di vista personale è un posto ideale dovere vivere. Amo le persone che vivono ad Austin!
Q: Sono d’accordo… sono d’accordissimo. Quali sono gli aspetti più difficili di questo tipo di lavoro, di questo mestiere? / A: Le incertezze e il fatto che non puoi veramente pianificare le attività, che non sai mai cosa succederà nella giornata e non sai cosa succederà in un’ altra giornata. Dipendi molto da altre persone e le altre persone a volte hanno altre attività che devono condurre in parallelo. E bisogna aspettare, aspettare, aspettare.

Domande:
1. Per quale motivo si è trasferito ad Austin Marco?
2. Secondo Marco, quali sono alcuni vantaggi che una città come Austin offre a chi lancia un’attività? Sei d’accordo?

A big grazie mille to Matteo Rabatin for his contribution to the interviews and transcriptions, and to Candice Pilkinton for her assistance.

Keeping Austin Local, Weird and Multilingual.

Our methodology at Freestyle incorporates technology and interactive media in a way which brings the most recent, relevant, high-usage vocabulary and everyday expressions to our students in an entertaining and effective way. Join us and try a free class or Saturday “cafe” (11am-12:30pm)!

Know a polyglot in Austin? Let us know who you’d like to see featured on our blog by commenting below!

The Mexican, The Caveman, The French Chefs & their “Pâtisseries”

Continuing with our Summer “Games”… This post provides lots of “food for thought!” AND an opportunity to practice your Spanish, French and Portuguese! Our Food & Wine theme, both delicious and fun, included tantalizing  recipes and vocabulary. The guest speakers added another interactive dimension. For anyone who was not able to attend, let us transport you to our week of culinary delights… 

Spanish: “The Mexican: Comida Fresca y Margaritas!”

Our very own French student and polyglot, native Mexican Victor Martinez, shared his familial love of cooking with only the freshest of ingredients.

Yo creo que una de las principales características de México es la comida. Tradicionalmente la gente come comida fresca, lo que hay en temporada. Mi abuela no tenía refrigerador, ella iba al mercado todos los días, compraba lo que estaba fresco y eso comía la familia.*

 

All comida fresca best complimented by an authentic margarita perfect for the summer heat!!

Recipe: 3 partes tequila (100% agave)

2 partes licor de naranja (patron citrone)

1 parte jugo limon

Miel de agave al gusto

____

Going back a few millennia…

Spanish: “The Caveman: La Paleo Dieta”

These days it seems like everyone is on some kind of dieta, but have you ever considered the Paleo Diet? This “Caveman” approach is a modern nutritional plan derived from ancient times. It includes pescado, carnes, huevos, verduras, frutas y nueces.

Peruvian-Italian and cross-fit enthusiast, Fernando Nieri shared his estilo de vida, which encourages healthy and nutrient-filled eating. “You are what you eat.”

La lista que les di muestra todas las frutas, verduras y carnes que puedes comer. Lo importante es si vas a comer carne, si se puede comprar carnes de animales que comen pasto o carne orgánica. Hay mucha gente que dice que la carne es mala, consumir mucha carne es mala para tu cuerpo, pero yo creo que el problema es cuando consumes carnes que tienen hormonas y muchos aditivos. *

 

____

Ready for dessert? Les macarons et le gâteau du diable arrivent !

French: “The French Chefs & their “Pâtisseries”

French native, world traveler, macaron expert, owner and chef of Cinnamon’s Bakery, Chef Loïc Duchesne spoke about his boulangerie et ses macarons délicieux. This crunchy and irresistibly-colored petit dessert is a French classic.

Chef Loïc even took the time to share his recette with us! Listen as he explains the baking process.

Pour les macarons: sucre en poudre, amande en poudre, blanc d’œuf, sucre cristallisé… on mélange la poudre d’amande et le sucre en poudre, et bat les œufs en neige avec le sucre. On mélange les deux en même temps et après on a une pate à macaron qu’on va presser sur une plaque avec un papier. On laisse croûter pendant une demi-heure, on double les plaques.  Après une demi-heure, on les met au four  pour 8 minutes et demie.  On sort un peu d’eau sous le papier; 3 min. on enlève les macarons, et on met la crème à l’intérieure, on recouvre le macaron… et voila! *

 

Our next treat is Chef Alain Braux’s gâteau au chocolat fondant. Sinfully delicious and gluten-free, his cake can be found at People’s Pharmacy. Customers call him le diable for creating his chocolate confection… 

Bien que ce ne soit pas le Gâteau du Diable, il est vraiment tentant. Vous avez été prévenus!

Let them eat cake!

____

Portuguese: “Comida Brasileira em Austin” 

Mocotó and vatapá and caldo verde, oh my! Portuguese students focused on learning about gastronomia de Portugal e do Brasil. Both countries’ gastronomy borrows from various sources, such as the Mediterranean, Europe, Africa and indigenous areas. Some essential spices and cooking staples include piri piri (small chili peppers), cinnamon, saffron, açai and olive oil.

Students presented their favorite comida to the class em português. For an authentic taste of Brazil closer to home, we recommend Rio’s Brazilian Café.

Here are our top picks:

1. Appetizer: Pão de queijo, small yucca & cheese “breads” (gluten free!)
2. Entrée: Estrogonofe de Frango, a traditional Brazilian chicken and mushroom stroganoff
3. Dessert: Pudim de Leite, one can never go wrong with flan and fresh whipped cream!

Pão de queijo

How did you do? Need translations? Comment below!

Continue to follow us as we explore the upcoming themes: Arts & Entertainment and Movies. We will foray into the worlds of Cine Las Americas, ITAL, and the French music scene at SXSW!

 

*In the translation/transcription periodic nuances occur relating to the difference between speaking and written.

French fare in the heart of Texas

French food is one of the most globally celebrated cuisines,  infinitely rich in cultural and historical influences. Offering des plats rustiques et élégants, world famous desserts and pâtisseries, French flavors and influences abound in cuisines around the world. It’s because of that diversity that we’ve put together a list of our préféré French and French-inspired restaurants in Austin. Bon appétit!

Elizabeth’s Street Cafe

Elizabeth’s Street Cafe: 1501 S. 1st St. Austin, TX
http://elizabethstreetcafe.com/

For those who want a taste of the French influence on Vietnamese food, head over to the dynamique et mignon Elizabeth’s Street Cafe on S. 1st. This cute restaurant offers Vietnamese classics and some of Austin’s best and most authentic French pastries. Here are our top picks:

1. The croissants- In any shape or form they are, hands down, the best in town. We’ve used them for our popular Saturday “cafe”…délicieux!

2. Broiled escargots- Tender escargot with an Asian twist. Instead of the usual butter and garlic, they use a Thai basil curry butter, served with a baguette.

3. Bánh mì- Our favorites are the grilled marinated pork, and the house speciality of chicken liver, mousse, pork pâté, and roasted pork…Ooh la la!

Flip Happy Crêpes

Flip Happy Crepes: 400 Josephine Street, Austin, TX.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Flip-Happy-Crepes/77132682069?fref=ts

Crêpes, thin- like pancakes enjoyed as either crêpes sucrées (sweet) or crêpes salées (savory), are often served from street vendors. Flip Happy Crêpes offers some of Austin’s best original and unique crêpes, and what’s more Austin than serving something unique and fantastique from a trailer? Here are our favorite crêpes:

1. The Ham and gruyere cheese and green onions, a perfectly French combination.

2. Nutella and bananas (or strawberries) a classic enjoyed by children as well as adults.

3. Roasted chicken, mushrooms, cheddar, and caramelized onions. Hearty yet simple.

Lenoir 

Lenoir Restaurant: 1807 South 1st Street
All photos from http://lenoirrestaurant.com/

Lenoir is the creation of culinary husband and wife power team Jessica Maher and Todd Duplechan, and despite only being open for less than a year, it has already created a reputation for amazing locally produced French-inspired food. This cozy space (which only seats around 30!) is dreamlike and eclectic in decoration and menu (which changes seasonally), with it’s menu featuring dishes from “field, sea, land and dream”. Here are our top picks to fall in amour with.

1. From the “sea”  try the poha-crusted fish, butternut curry, pomegranate and corn.

2. From the “land” try the delicious crispy rabbit terrine, sweet potatoes, watercress and orange salad.

3. And lastly, this “dream” dish of chocolate brioche pudding, coconut sorbet, rum raisins and pecan crunch.

Justine’s Brasserie 

Justine’s Brasserie: 4710 East 5th Street, Austin, TX
https://www.facebook.com/Justinesbrasserie?fref=ts

 And finally, a list of French restaurants wouldn’t be complete without the très tendance and très français Justine’s Brasserie. Not only is the food extraordinaire but so are the cocktails. A must try is their soixante-quinze, or as we know it the French 75 ( gin, Champagne, lemon juice, and sugar), a sip seems to immediately transport us to Paris. Here are our top dishes:

1. Soupe à l’oignon- French onion soup.

2. Ratatouille – Classically prepared à la Provençal, c’est superbe!

3. Moules frites- Mussels and fries.

C’est magnifique!