The Fold (Little Rock)

A trendy new Little Rock spot had caught my eye during my last visit in December, so I was dying to go this past weekend with Alex after an early arrival from Austin. I am a sucker for spectacular graphic design and interiors, so The Fold's botañas and bar immediately drew me in. Its food and drinks matched the expertise branding, challenging most of the Tex-Mex spots I've experienced in Austin. Austin, you better watch out...!

The clean-lined, modern garage hosts a full bar and funky menu of tacos, burritos, tortas, and the works. The guacamole is prepared made-to-order with a sprinkle of cotija, and the light queso's ground bison addition quickly became a necessity upon each crispy tortilla chip.

Our cocktails were equally refreshing, especially my blood orange margarita on the rocks with a salty rim and sweet sip. Alex's bloody mary scored, too, especially due to the pickled array across the jar. Speaking of jar, how cute are those mason jars? I am such a fan!

Alex's chicken burrito completely wowed me; my immediate reaction was, "I'm ordering this next time." The sweet tomatillo salsa, fresh black beans and avocado were placed throughout the perfectly folded tortilla, which welcomed the fork and knife rather than messy hands and surroundings. While only a tiny detail, I loved the chili powder rimmed lime wedge on the edge of the plate. When squeezing the time atop tacos and burritos, the chili powder infuses in the juice to coat entrées with a mindful kick.

Per the waitress' recommendation, I ordereed a Tejas taco and a Puerco Verde taco on corn tortillas. The Tejas reminded me vividly of TacoDeli's Cowboy taco (a true Austin favorite), so I was happy. The crispy shredded pork on the Puerco Verde was seasoned well; I wish I had asked to hold the raw onions. My portions were lovely, and I left feeling excited for the next trip to Little Rock -- this will indeed be the first stop, once again.

Barley Swine (Austin)

Texas Monthly was spot-on: Barley Swine is none other than a "culinary odyssey." The low-key, dimly lit room hosts a full house on a nightly basis, providing thirteen shared courses for diners ranging from curious, casual hipsters to sophisticated wine connoisseurs. It's no wonder diners from every background, (even GQ two years ago) find the restaurant a winner. Oh, and their Chef was just nominated as a James Beard finalist. Pretty impressive!

red snapper, strawberry, black truffle

In light of the recent GQ article on the recent trend of "egotarian" cuisine (with a shout out to Trois Mec), I could not help but recognize writer Alan Richman's blunt observation during my own dining experience, that "almost every aspect of this new style of cooking, from its conceptualization to its preparation to its presentation, is about coddling the chef, not the customer. The job of the customer is to eat what's placed before him, and then applaud."

Obviously, I made a reservation at Barley Swine to taste and test the magical creations of Bryce Gilmore, who portrayed pure focus and raw talent from behind the bar at which I sat and admired for three hours. And, yes, I applauded. Barley Swine is surely not for everyone, but I arrived expecting an adventure...and I received one. If you're not looking for that type of dining experience, then no need to venture South. Bari and I will never forget the highlights of this thirteen-course meal together, however!

soft egg, sweet potato, bluefoot mushroom

The soy-infused soft egg (two above) was brilliant, creating a marbelized surface with a soy sauce yolk that held together a crispy sweet potato nest. Its whimsical presentation was the best I had seen all night. I also was surprisingly a huge fan of the slightly sweet braised rabbit with hay mousse and turnips. The red snapper crudo third course (first photo) remained my absolute favorite through the remainder of the evening.

biscuit, orange marmalade, bacon

Besides the pricey pre-fixe figure (which jumped $10 pp since last month), the only setback I identified was the menu's lack of fluidity. My tastebuds seemed confused when jumping from a Southern-style biscuit and bacon plate to a Greek-style lamb with yogurt and then an Asian-style duck and broccoli with a miso soup "drink" on the side. All delicious, but I wish the menu's order had told a true story beyond Chef's random selection of local ingredients. Despite the hefty bill (with a big tip for Lance, the most fantastic waiter/bartender I've had in months), I left feeling amused and impressed.

It was worth it.

cobia, dashi, turnip

The Peached Tortilla (Austin)

When I got "peached" for the first time at Icon.me's launch party last February, I was instantly hooked onto the unique concept of Austin's must-try food truck, the Peached Tortilla.  Since starting with one food truck less than four years ago, the Peached Tortilla has acquired a huge fan base, grown a thriving catering business (led by the lovely Hope Furst), and hosted fabulous pop up dinners with local Austin vendors. They recently crafted Snoop Dog’s favorite breakfast sandwich before his SXSW performance earlier this month in Austin!

Business Development Director Hope Furst, who has quickly become a great friend in the Austin food scene, invited me to the Tuesday night truck stop at Draught House (it's parked every Tuesday from 6-9 p.m.!). We shared the infamous bacon jam fries with fried egg (above) over hilarious conversation, where I learned fascinating news about the Peached Tortilla's newest brick-and-mortar restaurant venture.

The Southern-Asian-Texan fusion influence is evident in every facet of owner Eric Silverstein's concept. Born in Tokyo, raised in Atlanta, and now thriving in Texas, Eric chose a name that honors the iconic Georgia peach and Austin-coveted staple. I'm a huge fan of the creative blend of Southern fare and Asian ingredients.

Now, onto the street food. Above is the glorious combo of a BBQ brisket slider (braised for four hours) with apple slaw and roasted peach BBQ sauce, and the Bahn Mi taco on corn with pickled carrot, sriracha mayo and cilantro. I mean...can it get any better than that? Nope. Most of these orders are versatile, if you prefer slider or taco or bowl.

The tasty pad thai taco spoons the traditional noodle dish into a warm corn tortilla with an irresistible garnish of crushed peanut and lime. I don't think I'll ever appreciate traditional pad thai again. How have we never been served this peanut goodness in taco form?!

Keep up with the two trucks' whereabouts here, but don't miss the Tuesday night hangouts off Medical Parkway and 38th street this Spring. Get excited for the Burnet brick-and-mortar location to open this October. It'll feature the street food fare as specials, but the dinner only and craft cocktail service will kick the cuisine style up a notch for the ultimate date night or bar spot.

And thank you again, Hope, for the hospitality!

Snap Kitchen Juice Program (Austin)

Swimsuit season is finally creeping upon us, and my crawfish-po' boy diet this past weekend in New Orleans surely did not assist in that preparation...woops. Detox time. Luckily, Snap Kitchen saved the day with a three-day juice program geared specifically toward people like myself who simply need to kickstart a "spring cleaning" lifestyle, if you will. Clean Start, one of three specific programs featured on Snap Kitchen's brand new juice site (launched last Tuesday!), provided a sufficient, 1200-calorie diet with six sweet and savory juices to dote on throughout the day. Of course, if you aren't a fan of certain provides juice ingredients, Snap has a few other juices to substitute toward your liking.

I went into the cleanse expecting utter starvation, but I surprisingly felt full and satisfied from start to finish besides an occasional 6:00 p.m. slump. It's pretty unbelievable that two pounds of raw fruits and vegetables can be transformed into one 16 ounce bottle -- "a salad in a bottle, without the dressing," as expert nutritionist Andrea Hinsdale pointed out in the newest cold pressed juice promotional video.

Being the obsessive foodie that I am, I found juicing difficult simply because I lacked the ability to fuel my daily form of creative freedom and entertainment in cooking and dining at new spots with gals. I felt the FOMO (fear of missing out!), especially during daytime Camille Styles food photo shoots and dinnertime with my roommates. Let's just say that I had never realized my deep passion and appreciation for everything food until day two...pathetic yet confirmed. However, I did feel empowered and rewarded for completing the challenge with ease.

I urge you to try a juice program yourself; it will not only teach you motivational will-power, but will also place your body in a refreshed stated of mind. Spring break in Cabo, here I come! Scroll below for a step-by-step of my daily juice intake, and find out a few of my favorites...

8:00 a.m. SUPER GREENS :: I was hesitant about its lack of sweetness for such an early morning start and would have prepared the kale and cucumber taste later in the day, perhaps at around lunchtime. However, the cool flavors were refreshing and placed a punch in my step as I began my day.

10:00 a.m. ENERGY BOOST :: Oh, energy. I could not find my energy throughout the juicing process. I am fairly confident that external factors such as my Starbucks addiction and lack of sleep during Mardi Gras contributed to the feeling; but luckily, this watermelon-mint combo was absolutely delicious and kept me going throughout the mornings at work. The medley of fruits and coconut placed my mind in beach-mode bliss for next week's trip to Cabo.

12:00 p.m. ANTI OXIDANT :: A kick of cayenne and a hearty beet-apple union are ideal for that lunchtime fuel I yearned while ironically food prepping and styling for work! I found it quite humorous to be cooking up a salad for a photo shoot while chugging a salad-turned-juice for my own lunch. It's all about will power, people!

2:30 p.m. CARROT GINGER ELIXIR :: Thank goodness for this naturally sweet bottle, whose refreshing ginger kept me feeling fresh during afternoon classes and errands. Big fan of this one. Can you tell I have a sweet tooth?

5:00 p.m. SPICY BASIL LEMONADE :: Emphasis on spicy. The light lemonade gets a buzz of basil and big hunk of cayenne. I needed the punch of spice at this point in the day, which seemed to be the lowest level of energy after long days at work and class. Honestly though, this bottle was my least favorite taste-wise! I am sure you spice lovers would have enjoyed it much more.

7:30 p.m. CHAI CASHEW PROTEIN SHAKE :: See what I did there?! The "chai" finale to daily juicing is utterly divine; in fact, it almost beats the iced chai latte I typically order at Starbucks. Snap Kitchen clearly knows how to help a Starbucks addict cope! I would drink this shake on a daily basis for the protein-packed benefits and, not to mention, the handmade blend of some of my favorite sweet ingredients.

Henri's Cheese and Wine (Austin)

Upon first glance, I fell in love with this quaint swiss-colored shop, a perfect reflection of the cheery, sunny skies up above. My motto these days always seems to be, "more cheese, please;" and yes, Henri's can handle that request. Henri's is the expert in the art of cheese and its complements--wine, charcuterie, breads, and the like.

The wine and cheese grocer and café hosts a wealth of options for an amateur or connoisseur. Sure, the selection seems overwhelming, yet the talented and friendly faces behind the counter display passion in every answer.

Since lunchtime was upon us, Alex and I selected sandwiches from the chalkboard menu to the left of the entrance. His BLT with avocado and aoili on grilled sourdough was pretty unreal, and the light arugula salad subdued the filling nature of most bacon sandwiches I have tried in the past. I was extremely impressed with the details, especially the champagne tossed vinaigrette.

Without a doubt, I went for a classic combination that manifests the art of cheese in pure and innocent delight. I ordered half of a gruyere grilled cheese special with caramelized onions and pear. The rich tomato bisque served as the ultimate foundation for skinny dipping my sandwich. To be honest, I wish I had ordered the other half of the grilled cheese!

I absolutely will be back soon for either a wine and charcuterie tasting in the evening, or perhaps their new monthly burger night! Hear the latest cheesy updates on their entertaining Facebook page.

Moonshine Sweet Tea (Austin)

With a blog dedicated toward "sweet touches on everyday experiences," I could not conjure up a more appropriate epitome of my personal motto than through an ice cold, lemon-rimmed glass of old-fashioned sweet tea. Moonshine sweet tea, that is.

I was ecstatic to receive a taste of Moonshine, an example of Austin's local talent with both strong family tradition and strong appreciation for this city's culture. Before tasting, I was instantly drawn to the stunning contrast between modern packaging and the elegant old-fashioned bottle shape. No need to buy or venture out for a carafe or pitcher, because the typography and bottle speak for themselves with a fresh approach to a nostalgic brew.

The tea is highly concentrated, but mixing a tablespoon or two with water induces a perfectly crisp sip. Not to mention, an alcoholic mix wouldn't be a bad idea either...I'm currently crafting in my kitchen for a Spring cocktail.

Moonshine's multifarious function can appear at events for any lifestyle...parties, picnics, cocktail hours, barbecues, or quick fixes while dining at Whole Foods (they're sold at all Texas locations...and should be in California soon!). 

In this case, I took advantage of my boyfriend's visit to Austin for Valentine's Day and planned a surprise picnic for two at a peaceful park nearby. The sunny, breezy weather matched Moonshine's disposition in easy entertaining. The sweet tea obviously took center stage and, oh, did it impress. Alex's Southern gentlemanly habits complemented the Southern spread of sweet homemade cornbread with fig preserves. Personally, I could not have asked for a better surrounding scene or sip in hand.

Get yourself this goodness in a bottle, either at a Texas Whole Foods or through an easy online order. With Spring quickly approaching, you'll need Moonshine in tow for the lovely seasonal gatherings coming our way.

What's your favorite type of scene to serve sweet tea?

*This post is in partnership with Moonshine. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!