Alex Reickek started her food blog Checkmark Eats 15 years ago. For 10 of those years, she’s been in Austin, so we asked the woman who loves making memories around food for a few suggestions on where to go to make a few of our own. Here’s what she said in her own words.
I pay close attention to every detail, and the extra hospitality touches when it comes to dining out. If I want to celebrate and feel extra special, the mood, music, and lighting all need to be top-notch. If I have the best piece of nigiri or a pizza slice that challenges my taste buds with a flavor combination I've never had before, that can elevate my whole evening and make me giddy. The hospitality, design, and placement of each part of your dining experience can in fact make your food memories even better. However, I want it all. I want food so good I have to talk about it with my dining partner in the moment and afterward, and I want the space to transport me to another dimension and create an evening we'll think back on again. That said, here are some of my favorite experiences and dishes I can't stop thinking about.
1. Some of the best dishes that I crave most often, and I can't get them anywhere else, are from Thai restaurants. My favorites are Kiin Di for Khao Soi, Thai Fresh for Red Curry and the salted caramel brownie from the bakery, P-Thais for Khao Man Gai
2. Raw tuna is one of my favorite foods and Shokunin offers an upscale yet casual experience where you mark a menu card with sashimi or nigiri next to the fish offerings and watch the sushi chefs at work. They have the best Toro nigiri and sashimi in town.
3. Austin Oyster Co.'s interior feels homey, hospitable, and fun, and it’s a place where you'll always run into friends. I love the diversity of flavors from the Scallop Tostada, Johnny Cake and Lobster Roll, to a Swordfish Steak Frites.
4. The brown butter chocolate chip cookie with just the right amount of Maldon Sea Salt and melted chocolate is why I go to All Day Pizza.
5. A place not everyone talks about, but it feels like an intimate European cafe with several great dishes the whole table can share, is Bar Toti.
6. When you need a quesadilla or street taco fast with dependable meat quality, try Taqueria De Diez.