Be still my "beeting" heart. East Side King rocks the beet scene in Austin with its Beet Home Fries. I am in love!
This summer was a beautiful adventure of domestic travel to Wisconsin (three times), Michigan, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and back home in California. When a suitcase emerges from the closet, my taste buds quiver with anticipation of epic munchies on the horizon. I adore food, especially experiencing new recipes and dishes while traveling. Throughout the summer, I devoured many fantastic foods that made me shimmy with joy (vegetables and fruits from local farms and gardens, unique beet salads at various cafes and breweries, freshly caught smoked fish in the Upper Peninsula). I could delve further into the delightful dishes I ate over the course of 2 1/2 months of travel; however, Austin is where I started an affair, a deeply insatiable affair . . . with the food scene.
Austin definitely has the "BEET"! Within less than 24 hours of visiting my gal pal Bethany in Austin last July, I was introduced to Beet Home Fries (EastSide King) and a vegan Buddha Bowl Salad with citrus-marinated sliced beets (Bouldin Creek Café). LICK, a gourmet ice-cream shop also serves Roast-Beet Ice Cream, but alas, time did not allow me to partake in this deliciousness. I was whisked away to the airport dreaming of my return to Austin to lick the heck out of its gourmet beet ice-cream.
Created by Paul Qui and Moto Utsunomiya and feauring Peelander-Yellow's Iconic art, East Side King's vibrant, friendly, and artistic atmosphere exemplifies Austin's visionary vibe. With its experimental and unique fare, East Side King @South Lamar offers a range of dishes, such as the Brussels Sprout Salad and Liberty Rice, the Tori Meshi (Thai chicken kara-age and Liberty Rice), and the infamous Beet Home Fries.
Vegetarian (vegan option available) and gluten-free, Beet Home Fries feature a jackpot blend of flavors, including a KAPOW spiciness that made me breathe dragon-fire and weep tears of spicy joy. To be candid, I am a wimp when it comes to spice. However, I do love the flavors, even when the spiciness factor creates steam from my ears. Totally worth it!
Beet Home Fries include: Deep-fried Roasted Beets, Kewpie Mayo, Shichimi Togarashi, and Green Onions.
Surprisingly, the beets do not taste “deep fried” as expected. The beets are dipped in a corn starch and flash “fried” which creates a delicious flavor with a light texture. The fries are moist, juicy, and vibrant while also maintaining a sweet, earthy beet flavor. Also offering craft beers, wine, and sake, East Side King (five locations available) is a must-visit for anyone living in or visiting Austin.
Thanks, Bethany for your outstanding hosting/tour-guide awesomeness, Liz for being an awesome sister-in-law and experiencing East Side King with us, and Austin for being unBEETably fantastic with your beet presence; I look forward to further expanding our delightful love affair. See you soon!
Hey Austin locals, what is your experience with East Side King? Do you know more BEETastic menu items featured in your fabulous city?
Comment below and keep the "beet" going. Cheers!
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