Our own East Austin tour

"One beer, then food?" my husband gestures as we stand in the dim light of the bar at Italo's pizza.  I couldn't help but gawk at the pizza maker throwing dough in the air, as a server hustled by with a beautiful pepperoni pie.  "Sure," I gave a distracted reply as he ordered me a sample of an interesting coffee porter on tap (which was delicious by the way).  We only stayed at the east side pizzeria for a half hour or so to meet friends at a birthday party...and after catching up over a Fireman's 4 we decided to take the party around the corner to Blue Dahlia Bistro for some French fare.  Before we hopped into our jetta for our next venue, I made my husband pinky promise (he'll appreciate me divulging this info) to take me on a future date to this pizza joint.  Thirty minutes and it already left its mark on my heart.  A nice open patio, a huge parking lot, a real pizza tosser, and a no front kind of crowd...as I type this I think I just located my next birthday celebration!

We parked around the corner from the bistro on 11th and Waller and stopped to take in a glimpse of the painted murals on the side of Victory Grill.  The artwork cries of history and the four of us stop to appreciate the time the building has endured, while snapping a few photos.  A hop, skip, and jump later (as our friend Erik almost gets run over jay walking), we find ourselves greeted by the hostess at Blue Dahlia.  Unanimously, we opt for patio seating, but later comment that the community tables and yellow glow of the pendant lamps were an equally appealing alternative.  The menu offered typical French dishes, and immediately I am reminded of my recent trip to Paris.  Chocolate croissants, egg frittatas, tartines, and plats du soir made it difficult to decide on a meal.  Finally, we agree to order a variety of dishes so we could "sample" the menu.  A couple salads, a sandwich, and mushroom crepes later were just light enough to leave us room for sweets.  As I scoured the dessert menu, the triple chocolate mousse roped me in.  The presentation was eye catching, and the mousse itself was palate pleasing.  A clear view of the state capitol and the buzz of a satisfied crowd left me with a lasting impression of the Blue Dahlia.

Blue Dahlia Bistro
1115 East 11th Street
Austin, TX 78702-1908
(512) 542-9542