There Is More To Texas Than BBQ And TexMex

Living close the NYC, we were fortunate to have a wide range of ethnic possibilities when it came to food. We knew that moving to Texas we would definitely have to sacrifice in this regard but, as we did a lot of research in this department, we felt confident that we would be able to at least get by.

So with lower expectations than we had when eating Indian food back in New Jersey, we headed out to Clay Pit. It is located in what I guess you'd call midtown Austin, north of the downtown action but south of the university action. Being Saturday night there was a decent crowd so we waited on the porch. It was a nice, cool evening so it was pleasant and we noticed lots of Indian families coming and going which is a good sign of authenticity.

(another stolen picture from the internet)

After being sat, we were served the traditional pappadam (crispy flatbread) with various chutneys (red, green and brown) and we quickly ordered garlic naan (another flatbread that is more pita-like and cooked in a tandoor - which is the clay pit that the restaurant is named for). The garlic naan was perfection and truly excited us for the main event. Both of us had curries: Heather had the Jeera Saag (pureed spinach cooked with cumin and other spices) with chicken and I had the Mirch Masala (jalapenos, garlic, ginger, mushrooms and onions in a tomato sauce), also with chicken.


Both dishes were as good and as authentic tasting as any that we've had. I ordered mine spicy and was pleased that my forehead beaded up as I ate. The portions were perfect and the side of basmati rice that came with the entrees was sufficient. The couple that came with us were experiencing Indian cuisine for the first time and we found out later that they returned the next day for lunch!


After that fine meal we headed to south Austin to Dominican Joe coffee house which proudly serves fair trade coffee. They buy their beans from Makarios, an Austin-based non-profit organization who works directly with farmers in the Dominican Republic and pays them higher wages. Like most independent (meaning not Starbucks) coffee houses it has a cool, laid-back vibe. It was pretty full of artsy-type people (hipsters) on their artsy-type computers (Macs). Funny how none of them seemed to be actually drinking coffee. The coffee was decent, served in a real mug and, even though it was fair trade, it was still cheaper than Starbucks.