Inside the city limits

EDITOR’S NOTE: Not to be outdone by my trip to Dallas, Farmington/Canandaigua Bureau Chief and The Smartest Man That I Know™ Brian Moritz went to Austin to eat dinner. Actually, he presented at International Association For Communication and Sport’s Summit on Communication and Sport at the University of Texas. The author of the Sports Media Guy blog and Ph.D. candidate at Syracuse University files the following report.

Crab and shrimp tostada, from a food truck just outside my hotel by Lady Bird Lake. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the name, because it was incredible. Big hunks of crab and shrimp meat in a cool mayo, with fresh lime juice, fresh cilantro and little dabs of hot sauce on top of a crisp tostada. The lime and cilantro added such great bursts of tang and flavor. It was incredibly surprising and very good. 

And the brisket. First off, we didn’t make it to Franklin BBQ. A little too far from campus, and apparently they open at 11 and then are open until they sold out. We didn’t get done for dinner until 6 p.m., so odds weren’t in our favor. We opted for Ruby’s, a little joint on 29th and Guadalupe. I went for the brisket plate, with vinaigrette slaw and black beans as the side. Of course, it was the best brisket I’ve ever had. Fork tender and moist, incredible flavor. The pickles on the side were a surprise as well. They weren’t the big, thick-cut pickles we’re used to in the east. They’re thin, almost wafer, and really good.