Guess what was the first thing I ate when I got back from Atlanta?!

Of course! El Mercado Uptown.

Bangers and mash at Ye Olde Dog and Duck. I cannot get a good picture of this! So I guess I’ll have to keep trying…

In fact, I ate lunch at Dog and Duck the very next day… but got something a bit lighter:

Chipotle braised chicken salad with pear, celery, chile lime Corn Nuts, baby spinach, and provolone cheese on grilled buttered sourdough. So amazing! Corn Nuts on a sandwich = genius! In the best/worst possible way. I used to love Ranch flavored Corn Nuts when I was in high school (my parents owned a convenience store, what can I say?). After a while, familiarity bred contempt, and I can’t remember the last time I had any of the things… until this week. A strange ingredient, leading to surprisingly excellent results.

While I was in Atlanta, Eric made a pot of chili. He saved some for me in the freezer, and I made it into a tasty dinner for the both of us: a Not Frito Pie. That is, a frito pie with tortilla chips instead. Since another cold front is coming, I suspect we’ll be making some more soon!

I also had a little re-warmed, alongside a fried egg, for breakfast! Delicious!

Bun Bo Nuong lunch special at Hai Ky: a big bowl of vermicelli, grilled beef, onions, cucumbers, carrots, cilantro, peanuts, and fish sauce for only $7.25. I can never finish a whole serving. As you can see, the beef was pretty tender. Recommended. (I still like the fried tofu best, though!)

Jalapeño and cheese sausage dog with sauerkraut, whole grain mustard, and a side of mac and cheese, Workhorse Bar, Austin – a spot we’ve been frequenting with our friends Kris and Julie. They have an extensive and interesting collection of brews, good bar food, and a great atmosphere for people-watching.

Of course, this week also saw the introduction of my Farfalle with Chorizo and Cream recipe, and we ate leftovers for quite a while! It didn’t get old, either!

We also visited Sagra (one of my trifecta of favorite nearby eating spots, along with Dog and Duck and Clay Pit) for the Pizza Calabrese Vesuvio, with spicy salami, mozzarella, capers, olives, peperoncini, tomato sauce, served “Volcano Style” – only $6.50 during happy hour! I also had a glass of prosecco and a pint of Nastro Azzurro.

Weekday brunch: scrambled eggs with garlic and ghee, pork tamales, Cholula sauce. Mmm.

And, back to Dog and Duck:

Our water was off Wednesday morning, so I had to go there for lunch, right? I did do work while I was there, though! It’s a great spot. I also had a cheeseburger and fries! They have really good burgers; so good, in fact, that I order them about 50% of the time, even though they also have the best fish and chips in town!

And, of course, we ate some Horseradish Cheese Grits! This time, I topped them with some crispy bacon and homegrown arugula wilted in bacon fat. I’ll be doing that again.

Hope y’all all have a great weekend!