Okay, not really cheese.  Just a creamy dream that makes you wonder why you ever needed cheese in the first place.

Vegan cookbook author, Dreena Burton, graciously let me reprint her recipe here. This was just too good not to share. You’ll need:

• 10 oz pasta ( I used elbow)
• ¾ cup raw cashews
• ½ cup raw Brazil nuts
• 3 TB lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tsp arrowroot powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp mustard powder
• 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup water*
• ¾ cup bread crumbs
• 1 TB olive oil

Dreena offers nut-free options, so check out her site for alternatives. The ingredients I’ve listed are the ones that I used.

While you are cooking pasta according to instructions, preheat oven to 375°. Pasta should be al dente. Do not rinse once it’s finished. Combine nuts, milk, water, juice and seasonings in blender. Puree until smooth. Note: *I do not have a Vitamix or other crazy powerful blender. So I soaked the cashews and Brazil nuts in water for three hours beforehand and drained them. If you choose to do this, adjust water to half a cup as the nuts will absorb a fair amount. If you aren’t accustomed to using almond milk, make sure to buy unsweetened and unflavored. I know many, many people who accidentally bought vanilla almond milk because the packaging is virtually identical. Hey, Blue Diamond, use a different color. Stop ruining lives. 

I used the juice of a Meyer lemon, from my gorgeous supply from Girl Gone Grits’ plentiful bounty, now legendary among Austin foodies. Thank you, Kristina!

When blended, combine the sauce with pasta in a 8 x 12 lightly oiled baking dish. It will be runny and saucy, but don’t fret. The starchy pasta will thicken and absorb the sauce. Mix the breadcrumbs and olive oil and sprinkle over the pasta. I use a light touch with the breadcrumbs, but if you are into it, use more!

Cover with foil and bake for 15-18 minutes. Then remove foil and bake another five minutes or so to brown the breadcrumbs.

If you wait a few minutes, you’ll be able to cut a better slice. But it’s hard not to just scoop it out and taste it right away. Both are okay! I am so impressed with how great this recipe is. Easy, too. I’ve made it a few times and it’s perfect each time. Dreena is a master of vegan recipes. Check out her lastest book, Let Them Eat Vegan and definitely make this.

Austinites may have noticed a new beer on the scene last week. Branchline Brewing is San Antonio’s hottest new brewery and we are getting a taste of the action in Austin, too. I was lucky enough to attend the soft opening party several weeks ago and sampled the offerings and enjoyed the sunshine.

Located at 3633 Metro Parkway, the operation is in a warehouse, giving the brewers lots of space to work, while affording drinkers the room and privacy to party and relax without much traffic in the way. Many brought chairs and chose to set up camp outside. Meanwhile, inside, we had a tour of the facility and met owner Jason Ard.

The Evil Owl Amber was popular in the tasting room and my personal favorite. Well, until I tried the seasonal Eggnog Stout. I feel confident in predicting that it will be the holiday craze of 2013 a la Cabbage Patch Kids or Tickle Me Elmo. There was also an oyster stout, which I didn’t get to try, but was described as unconventional and amazing. I can dig it. The Shady Oak Honey Blonde was light, mild and refreshing, and featured local Texas honey. Yum.

Local food truck Mars’ Mobile Kitchen fed the party. Mr. Betty and I shared a burger and fries which were inspired by the event with beer caramelized onions.

Here’s some inside scoop: The Austin market has ordered mostly Woodcutter Rye IPA, while San Antonio’s favorite seems to be the amber. Interesting. You’ll see the top bars in Austin as early adopters of Branchline, but I imagine it’s only a matter of time before you see it everywhere. Tweet me @blogmadbetty and let me know where you are finding Branchline beer.

Last week a new bar opened downtown. The Chicago House is a craft beer spot right off 6th Street on Trinity.

When Lovejoys closed, it left a void in this area. A place to get a decent beer amongst all the shit bars of 6th Street. Well, The Chicago House is filling that void with a nice selection of craft beers and rotating casks. Here’s part of the menu from opening night:

The Cafe Au Lait from the cask was delicious. But it was the Cascabel Cream Stout that won my heart. I am a sucker for nitro beers, and my prediction is that they are going to be more and more popular. This seasonal beer from (512) Brewing was smooth and chocolatey with a hint of spicy heat.

The bar’s interior is warm and inviting, with touches of beer decor (barrels) and notes of Chicago. The bartenders are friendly and possess all the craft beer facial hair we’ve come to expect in Austin.

The best thing? All the beers are $5.00. All the time. Except happy hour, when they are $4.00. I have to assume that the 6th Street regulars will be hitting up this place pretty hard. This may very well be the point of introduction to craft beer for the young crowd that hangs out in this area. I look forward to seeing how that affects the ever-growing beer landscape in Austin.

Everyone who’s been to the Jester King brewery loves the beautiful farmhouse setting. The short drive from Austin to Ceres Park Ranch is worth it, and every Saturday lots of Austinites makes the trek to tour the brewery and sample the beers. Jester King created lots of buzz since their beginnings, with the long wait till they opened, their ever-growing huge selection of craft beers, and their lawsuit of the TABC to change archaic laws. Everyone loves these guys.

Because of the extreme Austin love, Jester King had to take measures to limit entry to their anniversary parties. This year, the second anniversary, they sold 750 tickets to the party. It might seem like a lot, but I still missed the boat. So when Mr. Betty and I had an opportunity to volunteer for the day, we were thrilled to take it.

The party was hosted by the relatively new Stanley’s Farmhouse Pizza, which enabled people to purchase bottled beer. Jester King can’t sell their own beer at the brewery. (See aforementioned lawsuit.) But the brewery makes plenty of great beer and it was fun to sample it at the source, which is what the party was all about. Volunteers received souvenir glasses, tee-shirts and either got busy working or tasting. We were scheduled to work the second shift, so we got busy tasting.

It was cold and rainy early in the day, so we spent most of our time in the tap room, although there was plenty of beer to be tasted outside. Lines moved quickly as people sampled their way through special and guest brews.

The hardcore beer lovers came armed with beers that can’t be found in Texas, and shared with each other. Throughout the day the sharing table grew fuller and more interesting. People circled long after the bottles were empty.

Once our shift began, Mr. Betty poured the newly debuted El Cedro ale and I manned the merchandise table. Easy work in exchange for an easy day of tasting and mingling. It was the perfect January day in Austin, warming up to 75°. If you missed the party, I hope you get there next year.

On Friday Michi Ramen made its grand reopening in a brick and mortar. For those of you that didn’t make it to the food truck when it was open, it was excellent. I reviewed it here, and have been anticipating their return for months. As Austin’s first business fully devoted to ramen, they broke important ground. I’m so glad they are back.

I met a couple friends for lunch at the soft opening. Having only been open or an hour or so, I have to say the service was pretty flawless. The staff were extremely excited to be there and expressed enjoyment over their tablet ordering system. The feel is modern and clean, with airy white space being the main backdrop. It’s quite comfortable and there’s even a cozy waiting area.

I had a diet soda, but my friends sampled the teas. I was jealous of their teapots.

There are about ten sides on the menu. We tried the Seaweed Salad, Gyoza, and Chashu Don (steamed rice with bonito flakes and burnt ends.) The burnt ends are available on their own as a side and I will definitely order that next time, because they were redonk. The sides were all large and sharable. We had plenty of leftovers.

There are four ramen options: Michi, Sapporo, Veggie and Meat Lover’s. As the Meat Lover’s is an amped up version of the Michi, we skipped that one, knowing that we were truly sampling the main varieties.

Michi: Chashu pork, roasted nori, woodear mushrooms, green onions, and mayu oil with shoyu tonkotsu broth.

Sapporo: Chashu pork, bean sprouts, woodear mushrooms, green onions, sweet corn and a knob of butter with miso tonkotzu broth.

Veggie: Mix of chives, sprouts and cabbage, woodear mushrooms, and green onions with shoyu vegetable broth.

One cool thing that Michi does is adjusts broth thickness for you. You have your choice of light, regular, or stout, with the exception of the veggie, which is naturally on the lighter side. I went with the regular, as it is plenty rich for me, but diehard ramenheads will want to check out the stout, which is named as a nod to Austin’s local beer craftsmen.

In the photos you’ll see that the chashu is pork belly, but Michi has since decided to switch to pork shoulder, which is what they used when they operated out of the truck. It will still be flavorful and tender, but cut down on the richness a bit. This is a good thing.

There are lots of add-ons and extras to be had, and we each ordered eggs, either Ajitama (marinated, soft-boiled) or Onsen (lightly poached) and they were all creamy, delicate, and delicious. We thoroughly enjoyed the ramen, slurping away and savoring the broth.

The sweet end to the meal was the incredible Mochi. Made in Hawaii and flown in on dry ice, this is the best I’ve ever had. We tried the Passion Fruit and Pistachio, but they are eight other flavors to chose from including Guava, Green Tea, Peanut Butter, and Lychee.

Those of you who are already ramen-initiated will love it here. Those of you who haven’t tried ramen yet…what are you waiting for?

So now we have a few ramen options in Austin and there are rumors that more are coming. Before you rush to rank them against one another, I suggest you enjoy each one for what it is. They are all very different. Think of these businesses the same as you would beer brewers, hard working craftsmen that put in the intense labor and time sheerly for the love and passion of the end result. This is ancient soul food we are talking about here. It takes many hours to cook and has been honed for over a century. Take your time to get to know each bowl.

Michi Ramen is located at 6519 North Lamar and is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Where’s your favorite place to celebrate a special occasion? Austin has so many choices, it’s hard to remain loyal to any one particular place. On Mr. Betty’s most recent birthday he opted to skip our normal favorites in lieu of Barley Swine, Austin’s culinary darling where we hadn’t been yet. I’m slightly embarrassed that it took us so long, seeing as we live almost within walking distance. Truth be told, it’s the long wait that has kept us away. But Mr. Betty’s birthday fell on a Wednesday, and when we showed up at 5:50 for the 6 pm opening, there were only a handful of people waiting outside with us.

We were pleased to be seated at the bar so we could watch the activity in the open kitchen. I’m not in love with small communal tables, which is what the non-bar seating is. Big long tables? Sure. Tables of six? Weird. We ordered beer off the interesting tap list and chatted with the friendly bartender.

Barley Swine does small plates and recommends three or four per person. The menu is small enough that if you had more than two in your party, it would be fine to order the entire thing. We chose a bunch of stuff off the seasonal menu as well as one of the specials.

The service is impeccable. Plates are brought out in perfect succession in the order they deem most pleasing to the palate. The descriptions on the menu are merely an ingredient list, rather than a description of preparation, meaning that each dish is a bit of s surprise and a visual treat. This is such a fun way to dine. We started with the Soft Poached Duck Egg, Sunchoke, Apple and Saffron. The tart, crisp apples were the true star of this dish and were in perfect contrast to the egg.

Next was the Goat Belly, Walnut Glaze, Kohlrabi, Fenugreek, and Wild Rice. The most notable part of this dish was the rice, which was really crunchy, like it was deep fried or something. A very nice texture with the creaminess of the rest of the dish.

My favorite dish of the night was a special, the Pulled Pig Face, Hefeweizen Donuts, Butternut Squash, Peanuts and Jalapeño. The donuts were warm and airy and the jalapeño provided a subtle heat.

The Sweet Potato, Grilled Bacon, Chipotle, Yogurt, Pecan and Fried Kale was the most substantial dish. In my opinion, the sweet potato and yogurt were not quite enough to balance the heavy-handed saltiness of the dish.

Next we had the Crispy Stuffed Pig Ankle, Foie Gras, Beans and Hot Sauce. The foie gras was the best part, creamy and decadent. And the homemade hot sauce was so good! The crispy pig ankle itself was a bit of a disappointment both in texture and appearance.

The Rabbit was prepared three different ways and accompanied by Shishito Peppers, Radishs, and Chanterelles. I was so full at this point that Mr. Betty handled most of it himself. But the bites I had were tasty, even though I’m not a big fan of rabbit.

For dessert we had German Chocolate Cake, which was beautifully arranged with salted caramel ice cream and salted toasted coconut among other things. A fine ending to a really fun meal.

The ambiance at Barley Swine is warm and inviting, with dark wood, muted lighting and the cozy comfort that would make this my favorite neighborhood bar. That is, if it didn’t cost $150+ to eat there and there wasn’t a three-hour wait every Saturday night. To call this a gastropub is a bit misleading, as you certainly can’t just drop in for a beer and some delicious bar food. This is fine dining in a non-stuffy atmosphere, with A+ service. I will certainly go back for return visits as their menu changes with the seasons and there is always new food to try.

Yes, I ate the Big Apple. Well, not the whole thing. Just a small bite, actually. But it was delicious. Before checking out Katie Holmes’ recently closed Dead Accounts on broadway, Mom and I grabbed brunch at Scarlatto.

The cute little Italian restaurant has a good reputation and is happy to cater to the theater crowd, meaning they will get you to the theater on time.

We nibbled on fancy little muffins and rolls while we perused the menu. I opted to order Spaghetti alla Carbonara off the lunch menu, while Mom had a Truffled Mushroom Omelette for brunch. Mine came with a bright salad and the perfect balsamic vinaigrette.

Wow, delicious. The spaghetti was enough for two people; it was so creamy and rich. The omelette was light and luxurious with the taste and scent of truffles permeating every bite. Our kind waiter was attentive and quick. We made it into our seats in plenty of time, forbidden to take any photos of Katie Holmes or the great stage design. After the play we saw Al Pacino outside and raced across the street to snap some photos while the cops yelled at us. I was too short to get a good photo, but thoroughly enjoyed the madness of the crowd. Especially the guy frantically screaming “Serpico!” to get Al’s attention.

Later we wandered around Time Square and checked out Macy’s to see their holiday decorations and shop a little. I bought a Chanel lipgloss and chatted with the salesgirls about Hurricane Sandy. The city and the people seemed bruised and a little shellshocked but strong.

It was so cold. After walking and enjoying the city for hours, we slept well in our comfortable, modern hotel.

The next day my childlike, nerdish heart sang for joy at the American Museum of Natural History. We checked out the planetarium show, narrated by Whoopi Goldberg. We also saw an IMAX movie about the evolution of flight with cute little animated flying dinosaurs and spent the afternoon walking around checking out exhibits.

We had just enough time to grab some falafel and pizza and head back home. NYC, until we meet again, I love you. Hope I return soon.

A little overdue, but since I have a friend heading to South Korea next week, I thought I’d better hurry up and get this posted. Let this post serve as a tiny introduction of the wonders you will be trying. The memory of this great meal is tempering my jealousy…slightly.

During my trip back home a couple months ago my mother and I spent a couple days in NYC. We made the most of our time and did lots of fun things, and one of my favorites was our delicious meal in Koreatown. I had selected a restaurant I wanted to try in advance, and judging by the crowd, I chose well. The blocks that make up Koreatown are lined with plenty of enticing and great smelling options. I hope to hit them all one day, but on this day we went to miss Korea BBQ.

My mom had never eaten Korean, but she is open-minded and was up for a culinary adventure. She didn’t bat her cute little mostly-vegan eyelashes at me grilling my own beef at the table. But first, we started with a popular street food in Seoul, the Mung Bean Pancake. Sometimes made with pork, the pancake we ordered was made with mung beans, onions, and kimchi. Crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside, and served with a soy vinegar sauce, it was a great start to our meal.

We also sampled the plentiful Banchan, or side dishes of kimchi, pickled vegetables, tofu and other delights. This is what makes eating Korean so special to me. Different places do banchan differently, so every new restaurant is a chance to try new banchan. They are usually light and pretty healthy, with flavors ranging from sweet to sour to really spicy. Yum!

We also shared a crisp salad and noodles in a warm seafood broth.

For our main entrees, we opted to try miss Korea BBQ’s take on two classics. I had the Bulgogi, thin strips of marinated beef that quickly cooked on the table. It was served on the grill with a tasty broth, chock full of exotic mushrooms and veggies. Damn, this was so good! So savory and satisfying. This is the kind of dish that leaves you pleasantly full, not bloated or “stuffed.”

Mom had the Seafood Bibimbap. Bibimbap means “mixed rice” and is a delicious bowl of goodness. The sizzling hot stone pot gives the rice a crispy texture. Then it’s topped with vegetables, marinated meat, and a raw egg. The whole thing is vigorously stirred before eating. This hot and spicy comfort food pleased Mom, which pleased me.

We were so happy with our meal, and loved the chic decor and friendly, efficient service. The staff bustled around taking care of us. Rather than one waiter, we were served by three or four different people who helped cook the bulgogi and stirred the bibimbap. We weren’t rushed, yet didn’t have to wait long for anything, including our table.

Next time I travel back home I’ll be sure to stop back at miss Korea and maybe some of her neighbors. What are some of your Korean favorites?

It’s a new year! I’m sure you all have your resolution lists prepared and that they are similar to mine in that they add up to being a better person. Great. All good intentions aside, how about becoming more relaxed people? Or maybe you’re not wound as tightly as I am, readers…? Either way, let’s all resolve to treat ourselves better and to have a good time. That’s where happy hour comes in.

Takoba is a sweet spot on East 7th with plenty of parking, a large terrace, and an awesomely cheap menu of happy hour offerings. How cheap? Well, it’s one of those places where you can order the whole menu and not put much of a dent in your wallet. My friend and I had such a great time that I returned again with my friend Maggie, who blogged about it. See? Everyone’s blogging about Takoba. You should go.

Happy hour is 3-6pm on weekdays, 3-4 on weekends. So you have plenty of time to sit in this welcoming spot and watch the sun set. How great is this space? I love it.

I don’t remember what my friend drank on this occasion, but I had the Mango-Habeñero Margarita. The smooth citrus Patrón and habeñero syrup gave it a nice sharp bite. Courtney proclaimed her drink delicious, too.

While we didn’t order the entire happy hour menu, we hit it pretty hard. The food was half price, making the most expensive thing about $4.

We started with Sopa del Dia, which was a cream of mushroom and the Ensalada de la Casa, a yummy spinach salad with jicima, oranges, pecans and goat cheese. Oh, and chips and salsa, of course.

We also tried the Molletes, monterrey jack and roasted poblanos with refried beans on a bolillo. This was warm and melty and satisfying.

Takoba does a beautiful guacamole, too. And my personal favorite, the Baja Ceviche, which I could eat everyday. Savory and acidic, the citrus flavor and onion bring out the shrimp’s full potential. It reminds me of the ceviche I ate in Cozumel, wrapped in my beach towel, the sun drying the salt water in my hair until it was time to jump back in the ocean with my snorkel. Ceviche does this to me. Makes me want to jump in the ocean.

So wherever you are, I hope your resolutions include setting aside some me time, whether it’s happy hour, a vacation, a trip to the spa, or simply time alone dreaming of the ocean. Cheers to 2013!

I’ll admit it. I like to play favorites. When it comes to cuisine, I’ll take Asian over anything else. Spicy over non-spicy. Rice over fries. Curries over ketchup. So I’m going to review another of my favorite trucks, G’Raj Mahal. Aside from being one of the most popular food trucks around, with lots of seating and a super-cool vibe, it’s got some kickass spicy Indian food.

The last time I visited G’Raj Mahal Mr. Betty and I had a double date. We brought wine and beer (hooray for BYOBs!) and sat under the Moroccan tents listening to the crazy hobo-style band. It was about 9 pm on a Saturday night, beautiful weather outside, and very crowded. Lots of Rainy Street pub crawlers were out to fill their bellies before a night of drinking, yet we landed a table after only a short wait.

We settled in and took our time with the menu, choosing a bunch of different things to try and share. The tables are really tiny and all the same size, so it’s a challenge if there’s more than two people eating. But we made it work and were just happy to be there, balancing paper plates on our laps. Due to the outdoor seating, everything is served on disposable ware. This is decidedly unfancy and just fine.

Here’s what we ordered: Samosas and Vegetable Pakoras. After a long discussion with the waiter about putting in our appetizers first, they still came out the same time as the rest of the food, contributing to the space limitations on the table. But they were tasty, especially the pakoras.

For our entrees: Chicken Vindaloo (the spiciest dish of the night), Seafood Coconut Curry, Tandoori Shrimp, and a fiery hot Goan shrimp dish called Rechaad Masala.

On the side we had fluffy basmati rice and naan and flavorful chick peas.

Everything was fresh, spicy, and enjoyed by the whole group. There wasn’t a dish that I wouldn’t eat again, although I’d most likely go for the Rechaad Masala. It’s my favorite dish they do. G’Raj Mahal can hold its own against any Indian restaurant in town. At about $14 per entree, the prices are the same as everyone else, too. I don’t know about you, but I expect to pay a little less when the portions are so small and I’m eating with plastic utensils. But such is the trend of Austin restaurants these days: high prices for even the most casual of dining experiences. Our funky little affordable city is disappearing before our eyes. But until then, there’s curry.