Austin Restaurant Reviews: Best Barbecue From Interstellar BBQ - Eater Austin
"Melanie Haupt reviewed McGuire Moorman Hospitality Cali-Tex-Mex diner Joann’s for the Chronicle, and had high praise for all aspects of the experience except the food. Though she expected sticker shock from the South Congress restaurant at the Austin Motel, she didn’t find the food justified the price point. The common theme of Haupt’s visits seem to be mountains of food that ranged from forgettable to fine. The Bodega Sando came out with 'what looked like a lifetime supply of sprouts.' Her husband tried that much-talked-about $32 chicken fried steak, which she thought was a bit salty, but he enjoyed. The items Haupt enjoyed the most were the Swedish Hill Bakery’s sweet roll during brunch ('tender, moist, and appropriately slathered with gooey icing'), the flour tortillas, and the South of Fresno cocktail ('smoky and spicy-sweet, a pointed reminder that mezcal is almost never a bad idea'). She called the breakfast dishes 'unremarkable' with 'nondescript' migas and 'forgettable' banana-blueberry-coconut bread. What Haupt did like about the restaurant was the decor ('The commitment to the mid-century diner aesthetic was complete') and, questionably, the service. While she said she received top-notch service, she also pointed out being 'silently assessed a to-go fee' and finding a rubber band in her beans." - Erin Russell
