Yesterday I met Molly for lunch at the relatively new Blue Dahlia Bistro on east 12th street. It was a lovely warm January day, so we dined al fresco on their beautiful patio. The menu is primarily sandwiches and salads, but presented in a truly elegant fashion with wonderful bread. They also serve breakfast, and I'll certainly be back to try that at some point.
I had a black bean salad which was studded with lovely pieces of avocado, mango and covered in a citrus and cumin scented dressing. Molly had a turkey sandwich topped with a chutney and presented open faced on a board. It was a delicious and relaxing lunch.
In the afternoon, I had a work appointment at Mandola's and treated myself to some of the sweets from their pastry case. They have some many to choose from, plus gelato, fresh cheeses and many other wonderful items in their grocery. I selected an agnetti cookie (which I almost always get) which are the little donut shaped ones in the middle of the case. They're covered in a lemony icing and are just the right texture: not too soft, not too hard. I also had a small sfogliatelle, which is a filled with a citrus-flavored ricotta with a shell of filo or some other think pasty. WON-derful.
Blue Dahlia Bistro
1115 E. 11th St.
Austin, TX 78702
512.542.9542
Mandola's
4700 W Guadalupe St # 12
Austin, TX 78751
512.419.9700
I had a black bean salad which was studded with lovely pieces of avocado, mango and covered in a citrus and cumin scented dressing. Molly had a turkey sandwich topped with a chutney and presented open faced on a board. It was a delicious and relaxing lunch.
In the afternoon, I had a work appointment at Mandola's and treated myself to some of the sweets from their pastry case. They have some many to choose from, plus gelato, fresh cheeses and many other wonderful items in their grocery. I selected an agnetti cookie (which I almost always get) which are the little donut shaped ones in the middle of the case. They're covered in a lemony icing and are just the right texture: not too soft, not too hard. I also had a small sfogliatelle, which is a filled with a citrus-flavored ricotta with a shell of filo or some other think pasty. WON-derful.Blue Dahlia Bistro
1115 E. 11th St.
Austin, TX 78702
512.542.9542
Mandola's
4700 W Guadalupe St # 12
Austin, TX 78751
512.419.9700