We had the good fortune to spend last weekend in Austin, Texas.  Austin is much like San Francisco, in that its visitors wander out of the city’s embrace in a lovelorn haze, not entirely remembering all that transpired over the past few days but assured that it was the most fun they’ve had in a very long time.  Live music pulsates seemingly from every storefront, barbecue smoke wafts through the air, only to be matched by the ubiquitous food carts, and 100,000 of your closest friends cheer on their Horns.  Austin should come with a warning label.

Pack up your boots, slap on your burnt orange, and prepare your stomach, liver, and ear drums for sensory overload…

I don’t pretend to know Austin well enough to offer up any daytrips, but here were the highlights from our trip:

1. University of Texas, Football (Hook ‘Em, Horns!)

Anyone who went to a school in the Big Ten or Big 12 can skip to the next bullet point.  If like me, you did not, you have no idea what you’ve been missing out on.  Grab your closest UT alumni and get thee to a football game.  It doesn’t even matter if you don’t like football or sports, as the football game is like a three ring circus, with simultaneous events going on in the periphery at all times — dancers in chaps (!), canons, a monstrous bass drum, and an actual live Longhorn, groomed by cowboys (!) in white jeans and cowboy boots.  There’s something for everyone!

And the crowd!  God bless that Texan crowd.  As they run through their memorized cheers, complete with coordinating claps and arm motions, you’ll wonder if you haven’t walked into a Japanese baseball stadium.  The UT pride runs deep here, and you may regret for a moment that you didn’t have the luck to be born and raised in Texas.

(However, I’m not happy to report that the crowd booed its own team beginning in the 3rd quarter — I’m from Philadelphia, so I totally understand, Texas fans.)

2. Izzoz Tacos

Food carts have taken over this city.  I know, I know, it’s a “thing” these days.  I am also very well aware that food carts are absolutely nothing new to the city dwellers among us — was there ever a time that Philadelphia didn’t have a food cart on every block?  But, Austin has taken it to a bit of an extreme.  Empty lots throughout the city have been transformed into kitschy food courts, strewn with colorful festival lights, picnic tables, and air stream trailers.  They even come with bathroom facilities.

We had intended to try East Side King and Odd Duck Farm to Trailer, but logistics meant that we only had a chance to eat at Izzoz Tacos.  This turned out to be a fantastic option, purely for its fried avocado, cotija cheese, arugula, and chipotle cherry sauce taco.  I have never considered the fact that avocado could be breaded and fried, which seems a bit like breading and frying butter, but it was absolutely delicious and did not feel heavy at all.  The taco chef brilliantly paired what could have been a heavy fried mess with a light sprinkling of fresh cheese, peppery arugula, and an acidic/spicy/sweet sauce.  I can’t recommend this combination, or this comfortable road-side trailer park, enough.

3. Lambert’s Downtown Barbecue

For our one fancy dinner in Austin, we headed to Lambert’s.  The restaurant’s name is a bit of a misnomer, as it does not serve anything close to the BBQ Texas is known and loved for.  It serves gourmet, easy to love versions of Texas favorites, in a rustic-yet-posh setting.

Highlights included fried green tomatoes under large, soft lumps of fresh crab.  A charcuterie plate (all house-made) included a deep purple duck prosciutto that had our table oohing and aahing.  The table’s favorite entree was a cut of steak covered in foie gras.  I was excited to finally try slow smoked trout, which I have recently been trying to figure out how to make at home, but the sweet, subtle smokey flavor wilted next to the other extremely flavorful options on the table.  Sides come family style, and I may have eaten my weight in the buttery green chili grits.

We capped off our downright glutinous meal with fried pear pie and caramel ice cream, which finally sent my tastebuds over the edge and left me curled under the table begging for mercy.  That being said, I wholeheartedly planned on coming back the next night just so I could experience this dessert again.

No one ever said there was anything subtle about Texas, and Lambert’s is a perfectly Texan experience.

4. Sixth Street

Sixth Street is what people think of when they think of Austin — 4 or 5 blocks of bars, with bluegrass and rock bands playing at each of them.  The police shut down Sixth Street to traffic at night, making it even easier to hop from one venue to the next until you find something you want to dance to.  And, yes, there is a lot of dancing.

5. Rental cars

I highly recommend getting a rental car for your trip to Austin.  While downtown Austin is walkable, there is much to check out in the larger metro area — including the boutique-y South Congress, hipster-y East 6th, UT’s campus, and beyond.  The sites are just far enough away to make walking everywhere impractical.

The Capital Metro Transit bus system service was inconsistent, although fantastic when we managed to get on a bus.  The cab companies were so overworked as to be unhelpful, and it was a rare case that we were able to hail a taxi on the street.  Our group walked 20 miles in three days.  No, I am not exaggerating.

Plus, if you get a rental car, you can go on a crawl through the barbecue havens of Lockhart and Luling, TX, and declare your own champion of the best barbecue in Texas.