My first meal in Austin was in Russian House Restaurant in downtown area. The restaurant looked fanciful and its lobby had a suspicious sense of being Revolutionary kitsch, but a glimpse of a party room alleviated my reservation and I gave it a try.
![DSCN0049 _ Russian House Restaurant, Austin, June 2014](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5574/14547819143_79e05fb3ec.jpg)
![DSCN0041 _ Russian House Restaurant, Austin, June 2014](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5563/14504584726_d3d66e96a3.jpg)
Lobby
![DSCN0043 _ Russian House Restaurant, Austin, June 2014](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5591/14526666552_922ce8cf73.jpg)
![DSCN0045 _ Russian House Restaurant, Austin, June 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3883/14527685335_292be96684.jpg)
Party room
The main dinning hall was clear of kitschy displays; rather, it was decorated tastefully with muted chandeliers and old photographs, including the family of the last Tsar.
![DSCN0029 _ Russian House Restaurant, Austin, June 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3910/14524307891_6f1e6ef1aa.jpg)
![DSCN0037 _ Russian House Restaurant, Austin, June 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3914/14341056020_2a4fa13738.jpg)
The food was delicious and I also like the way they presented green onion, pickles, bread and salt on a wooden board. My main dish was a dumpling in a clay pot and the dessert was a very traditional Ukraine cake.
![DSCN0034 _ Russian House Restaurant, Austin, June 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3855/14341057060_8170261750.jpg)
![DSCN0036 _ Russian House Restaurant, Austin, June 2014](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5077/14526668112_2e90223a20.jpg)
Even the invoice was presented in a lovely way - inside a lacquered box, decorated with traditional Russian folk scene.
![DSCN0038 _ Russian House Restaurant, Austin, June 2014](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2900/14341088989_189669f7f7.jpg)
lacquered box for bills
~~~
I also had an opportunity to dine in a lovely 1886 Café & Bakery inside the landmark Driskill Hotel dating indeed back to 1886.
![DSCN0116 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2895/14526257094_2b503afb73.jpg)
![DSCN0868 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2914/14526673072_87233aa554.jpg)
![DSCN0251 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2932/14527697055_be0d1afb42.jpg)
![DSCN0573 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3871/14526252444_bafca45279.jpg)
Entrance to the hotel lobby and cafe
![DSCN0363 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3842/14547830883_e2d5d93ef4.jpg)
![DSCN0370 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/14526676982_a416505c7d.jpg)
![DSCN0368 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5492/14341065680_d6bdc75b56.jpg)
![DSCN0365 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3888/14341066080_14699b99dd.jpg)
![DSCN0394 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3841/14526253194_5a9ba05534.jpg)
![DSCN0411 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5551/14547826943_8c9659c311.jpg)
Hotel staircase and suite
![DSCN0407 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5507/14526252964_e851597085.jpg)
![DSCN0366 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2912/14341095569_e3058064f1.jpg)
Hotel Grill restaurant with live music
I opted for the fun-looking Bakery, with stained glass decorations, instead of the Grill restaurant with live music, which was a bit too lively and too stately.
![DSCN0378 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2905/14527694985_58b173c614.jpg)
![DSCN0375 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3882/14341258937_51688a317c.jpg)
![DSCN0416 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5233/14526673922_d187993b75.jpg)
![DSCN0382 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2911/14341097929_18a7a61df5.jpg)
The food was very delicious - seared fish for main course and a glorious banana pudding for dessert. The waiter assured me that if I could have only either appetizer or dessert, I ought to have dessert, which was the Café's selling point.
![DSCN0376 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5585/14341133538_42865cd320.jpg)
![DSCN0377 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3868/14526254894_1bdc881147.jpg)
![DSCN0384 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5512/14341132638_5410607011.jpg)
![DSCN0387 _ Driskill Hotel and Bakery, Austin, June 2014](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2937/14547827833_e3bfac3ecf.jpg)
~~~
A couple days later, after the sumptuous Driskill, I chose a more down-to-earth German restaurant, Easy Tiger, for a simple dinner. The restaurant was in a pleasant grove setting and served German food and beer including breads and pretzels freshly baked in the restaurant.
![DSCN0877 _ Easy Tigre Restaurant, Austin, June 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3883/14547833833_6b2842a7f8.jpg)
![DSCN0897 _ Easy Tigre Restaurant, Austin, June 2014](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2904/14526679422_351a0d9fc1.jpg)
![DSCN0901 _ Easy Tigre Restaurant, Austin, June 2014](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5502/14341101559_a2669cfae4.jpg)
![DSCN0878 _ Easy Tigre Restaurant, Austin, June 2014](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2923/14526680592_f132ca7114.jpg)
![DSCN0880 _ Easy Tigre Restaurant, Austin, June 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3868/14524319341_244066988a.jpg)
![DSCN0884 _ Easy Tigre Restaurant, Austin, June 2014](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3863/14341101989_a4a133b79d.jpg)
My simple meal, consisting of fennel and duck sausage in pretzel buns, heirloom tomato salad, smoked Gouda cheese and sauerkraut, was nicely balanced and contrasted in flavors and textures.
![DSCN0883 _ Easy Tigre Restaurant, Austin, June 2014](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5318/14547832833_d9f43fb78d.jpg)
~~~
After the business, I had the opportunity to visit the art museum of the University of Texas, Austin - Blanton Museum and had my lunch in its Café - a beautifully presented and flavorful grilled Portobello stack:
![DSCN1018 _ Blanton Museum, University of Texas, Austin](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2895/14524326891_6915e3146e.jpg)
![DSCN1447 _ Blanton Museum Cafe, University of Texas, Austin](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2897/14341075170_e83d1fa0ba.jpg)
![DSCN1448 _ Blanton Museum Cafe, University of Texas, Austin](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3859/14547839813_8137e314f6.jpg)
Never expected so many wonderful meals in Texas.
More on Austin, Texas Trip, June 2014
Related posts on Art · 文化 · Kunst:
- Special Hungarian Treat from Crixa Cakes, Berkeley
- Restaurants in Shenyang, China
- Chopsticks and Chinese Food
- Kitchen, Restaurant and Food Court in Shenyang, China