Elizabeth Street Cafe

Elizabeth Street Cafe Restaurant Review:

A sensory delight, Elizabeth Street Café is equal parts Vietnamese street food purveyor, New Orleans café and French bakery. Plus, there’s a South Austin vibe that glues it all together --- from the pink front door to the dog-friendly patio. An easy favorite is the Elizabeth Street fried rice, in a savory fish sauce with grilled rib-eye, fried redfish, bonito flake and spicy caramel. But it’s equally hard to resist the Vietnamese yellow curry, hiding a kick behind a torrent of flavors, with PEI mussels, chicken meatballs, sticky rice and a buttery grilled baguette. Naysayers may point out that pho can typically be had for half the price, but this place outdoes the norm, as evidenced in the Niman Ranch pork belly pho thit. The on-site bakery yields fresh baguettes daily and an array of French pastries, the former ideal for memorable bánh mì, the latter satisfying as dessert or breakfast. There is a full bar, plus wine and beer selections.