the Blog

You’re going to find my in-depth reviews about places I’ve traveled to, kitchen adventures (and maybe mishaps) , restaurants I’ve visited far and wide (looking at you, Dublin) and tons more behind the scenes of what happens at The Monique Story!

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REVIEWS

June 5, 2018

Beer-Inspired Cuisine at The Brewer’s Table

One of the most anticipated restaurants is finally open – The Brewer’s Table is creating incredible dishes that change with the seasons. I was pleasantly surprised with how many of the dishes were plant-based, full of fresh herbs, and incredibly light. We started with some snacks for the table including smoked fish dip, puffed lager chicharrones, […]

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June 1, 2018

Unique Chinese Cuisine at Lotus + Cleaver

Lotus + Cleaver is a new Chinese BBQ spot at The Domain and it’s showcasing fresh, light and unique dishes. Juniper Olive Oil cocktail made with namazake, cocchi americano, dolin blanc, and juniper berry mist. Lee’s Singapore Slaw is 20+ ingredient salad made with so many delicious fresh ingredients including a ginger-plum dressing. The Sweet […]

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May 29, 2018

Hot Luck Fest 2018

The 2nd Annual Hot Luck Festival was even better than I could’ve imagined: I had some of the best smoked meats, enjoyed cuisine from the most talented chefs, met a ton of many friendly faces, and oh, the tequila. Here are a few of my favourite bites from the weekend! Al Fuego: Central Standard’s grilled […]

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I recently had the pleasure of being invited to Cyclone Anayas at The Domain to try their menu. This was one of the most impressive media dinners I’ve attended in a long time. Executive chef Jason Gould is creating incredibly fresh, delicious eats and sourcing locally from places like East Poultry. I can’t say one bad thing […]

May 19, 2018

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May 9, 2018

JewBoy Burgers at 5000 Burnet

There are a plethora of amazing food trucks in town and it can get overwhelming. However, 5000 Burnet is home to some of the BEST trucks in town, including JewBoy Burgers. Chef Mo comes from El Paso and grew up Jewish. That meant mashups like chile latkes and pastrami on everything. These burgers are made with […]

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May 8, 2018

Austin Food & Wine Festival 2018 Recap

Another year, another AFW Festival under the belt. This was my second year to attend – last year Joel bought me a weekender pass as a gift, and this year I received a media pass! I was anticipating the AFW weekend since last year, and I can’t believe it’s already gone! Here are some highlights […]

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April 23, 2018

Brunch at Trace in the W Hotel

Like most Austinites, I loooove a good brunch. Trace at the W Hotel has an extraordinary brunch (and it won’t break the bank like you might think). I had such an amazing experience and I want ALL of you to go try it! We ordered the fried quail and grits – this dish is spicy […]

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The amazing food at Turf ‘N Surf inside Lavaca Street Bar isn’t just quesadillas and po’boys… they have an INCREDIBLE, vast, and freakin fresh raw bar! I was delighted to taste so much of the raw bar menu and share it with all of you! First up we have the lump crab stack with ripe […]

April 18, 2018

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April 16, 2018

Andiamo’s Spring 2018 Menu

Y’all know that one of my favourite restaurants in town is Andiamo – they’ve been here for 14 years and have consistently amazing, authentic, fantastic Italian cuisine. I had a sneak preview of their new spring menu and you can see all the details with pictures below! I loved every SINGLE menu item. Seriously. It […]

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April 12, 2018

Geraldine’s Dinner Service

You know when a restaurant has been around for a few years and it’s on your “list” to try but you never get around to it? Well, Geraldine’s was on my list but I finally tried it last weekend and I’m SO glad I did. I wasn’t sure what to expect, because sometimes upscale, small […]

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April 11, 2018

The Funkadelic – New (Amazing) Brunch Spot on S Lamar

The Funkadelic is a super fabulous new (ALL DAY) brunch spot on South Lamar and I can see this place becoming a town favourite very soon. With all local and fresh ingredients (produce from JBG and 44 Farms) you can order with extra confidence! The only difficult part is choosing WHAT to order because all […]

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