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The Honest Foodist Rebecca Le • The Honest Foodist 🍜 Founder of ATX Asian Food (50K+) 1.6M+ monthly community views
Building Asian food & culture communities in Austin

09/04/2026

RECIPE IN THE CAPTION 👇 Click "more" for Salt & Pepper Dungeness Crab recipe!

Despite the name, my version doesn't actually use additional salt or black pepper. 😂 The flavor comes from garlic, ginger, scallions, chicken stock powder, chili oil, and jalapeños.

🦀 INGREDIENTS:
• Cooked Dungeness crab
• Cornstarch or potato starch
• Neutral oil for frying
• Oyster sauce
• Sugar
• Minced garlic
• Ginger
• Green onions/scallions
• Onion
• Jalapeños
• Chicken stock powder

HOW I MAKE IT:

1️⃣ Since the crab is already cooked, cut it into sections. I cut the legs/pods in half so they're easier to eat.

2️⃣ Lightly dust the crab with cornstarch or potato starch.

3️⃣ Fry in neutral oil until lightly crispy. Don't wait for it to get dark golden brown—you'll be tossing and cooking it again later.

4️⃣ Drain the crab and set aside.

5️⃣ In a large wok or pan, sauté the garlic, ginger, onions, and scallions until fragrant.

6️⃣ Add the chicken stock powder and chili oil.

7️⃣ Toss the fried crab in with everything and mix really well until all the pieces are coated.

8️⃣ Add the jalapeños toward the end. This helps control the heat and keeps the jalapeños from making the entire dish too spicy.

Before anyone else ask 💅🏻 My nails are by .tx

09/01/2026

🍗 Donkey Mo’s Korean Fried Chicken 📍6301 W Parmer Ln #502, Austin, TX 78729

They’ve been around for a while, so we decided to give Donkey Mo’s another try. And honestly, I think their chicken is one of those where you’re either going to like the batter or you’re not.

Their chicken uses a little more flour, so the coating isn’t as hard and crunchy as some Korean fried chicken spots. It’s still crispy, just a softer, thicker kind of crisp. Personally, I prefer a thinner, crunchier coating.

The chicken sandwich was HUGE and the chicken itself was juicy, but again, I would’ve liked more crunch in the coating. The sauces were good, though, and there are several flavors to choose from.

And right now, if you leave them a Google review, you get a FREE ice cream 🍦 Do what you wish with that information 😏.

08/30/2026

Azure Asian Cafe totally deserves more recognition for Asian Fusion!! 💙

We’ve been to Azure a handful of times now, and I honestly think it deserves to be called Azure Asian Fusion & Cafe because the food deserves just as much attention as the drinks and desserts.

It’s surprisingly hard to find Asian fusion done properly. By that, I mean food created by people who actually understand the different Asian cuisines they’re pulling from; not just combining ingredients and calling it fusion. Doing it right is knowing the flavors, techniques and ingredients well enough to bring them together in a way that is optimal and respectful to the cultures and regional cuisines being represented. Definitely check them out for lunch or dinner, or even just drop in for dessert like we’ve done:

Bánh Xèo Tacos ($14.99) Vietnamese x Mexican: The banh xeo shell was incredibly crunchy without being messy. It’s filled with shrimp, pork belly, vegetables and pickles, with a cilantro-lime dipping sauce. You can also ask for Vietnamese nước chấm. The meat was moist and flavorful, and that cilantro-lime sauce was seriously addictive.

Vermicelli Bowl ($16.99) Vietnamese x Japanese: This was so refreshing. It had wakame, red pickles, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots. The meat was well-marinated, and I’d definitely order it again.

Papaya Salad ($13.99) Vietnamese x Thai. It was served with a whole fried soft-shell crab and shrimp chips. It leans sweeter from the Vietnamese nước chấm, which I personally prefer but still kept the nod for raw crab for the Thai but in a way of the fried softshell crab.

We’ve also had their croffles, drinks and bingsu, but the Chè Thái Bingsu ($13.99 L / $10.99 M) is our favorite. Vietnamese chè Thái meets Korean bingsu, and somehow it’s even better together, lighter and less overpowering than traditional chè.

Azure📍8222 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78753

08/26/2026

Jam Vietnamese📍11700B Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77077

A modern Vietnamese restaurant on Bellaire that feels polished and thoughtfully designed, but still serves the kind of food you can take your mom to and actually impress her.

The space is beautiful, but more importantly, the food is pretty good and the portions are huge. This is definitely a good spot for brunch or for anyone who hasn’t tried Jam Vietnamese yet.

The one dish I thought could use some improvement was the bánh canh as it needed more umami. Everything else we tried was impressive.

I really like that Jam feels modern without turning Vietnamese food into fusion. It’s a place that looks nice, but the food is still the reason I’d recommend going.

08/26/2026

Cho Tan Binh📍 11810 Bellaire Blvd Ste B, Houston, TX 77072

Cho Tan Binh is one of my favorite Vietnamese supermarket expansion stories in Houston. It started out as a little market when I was growing up, and now it has grown into a much bigger Vietnamese supermarket.

Houston has plenty of Vietnamese supermarkets, but honestly, I don’t go to Hong Kong Supermarket nearly as often as I go to Cho Thanh Binh and Viet Hoa.

One thing I especially love about Cho Thanh Binh is the prepared food section. You can grab inexpensive to-go food on the side, with combos around $8 that are perfect for an easy home-style meal without having to cook.

It’s pretty cool seeing how much this little market has grown over the years and how it’s become one of the many Vietnamese supermarkets serving the Houston community.

08/24/2026

Dolsot Bibimbap at Miso 🍚

One of my go-to orders at Miso in Round Rock. The toppings are generous, the vegetables and meat don’t get lost in the rice, and they give you enough sesame oil at the bottom to get that crispy, golden rice crust.

Mix it all together, let the rice crisp up, and you’ve got one seriously satisfying bibimbap 👌

Miso Korean Restaurant 📍 2400 S I-35 Frontage Rd #150, Round Rock, TX 78681

08/21/2026

Ugly Dumpling 📍10000 Research Blvd, Building A, Austin, TX 78759

So, is Ugly Dumpling a Din Tai Fung dupe? 👀

The menu, ambiance, and flavors definitely feel familiar, but the Asian food community is pretty split as some love it; some don’t.

After hearing all the different opinions, I think knowing what to order is key.

🥟 Soup dumplings
🍗 Chicken over fried rice
🌶️ Spicy noodle soup
🫛 Green beans

These were the safer picks for us. We’ve heard mixed reviews on the bao buns, ramen, and colored soup dumplings.

My advice: stick with the staples you’d normally order at Din Tai Fung, and you might have that dupe experience.

08/19/2026

🇹🇭 Sip Saam Thai replaces Chokdee in Round Rock.

📍 311 University Blvd #200, Round Rock, TX 78665

Sip Saam Thai has quite a few dishes you don’t always see at other Thai restaurants, so we ordered a big spread to try a little bit of everything.

🥤 Thai Tea + Arnold Palmer
🍤 Shrimp Egg Rolls — $11.98
🌶️ Chicken Larb + Sticky Rice — $15.98
🥩 Thai Beef Jerky — $10.98
🦆 Duck Curry — $28.98
🍛 Lamb Massaman — $24.98
🍜 Drunken Noodles — $17.98
🐟 Spicy Fish Fillet — $20.98
🥭 Mango Sticky Rice — $11.98
🍨 Fried Roti with Ice Cream

The Shrimp Egg Rolls were crispy without being greasy, and the shrimp were nicely cooked. The Chicken Larb was fresh, balanced, and not overly salty. The Lamb Massaman was especially tender and well-cooked, while the Mango Sticky Rice had ripe mango and well-prepared sticky rice.

The Duck Curry was beautiful, with crispy duck skin, although the meat could have been a little more tender. The Drunken Noodles were enjoyable but had a softer texture and lighter seasoning than we typically prefer.

We also appreciated seeing Lamb Massaman on the menu. It’s a dish that could appeal to customers who enjoy South Asian flavors as well.

For drinks, the Thai Tea had a nice balance without being overly sweet, and the Arnold Palmer was refreshing. The Fried Roti with Ice Cream was a great combination—the warm, crispy roti with cold ice cream worked really well together.

And yes, I’m still waiting for someone up North to put Pad Ped Pla Duk on the menu. 👀

Overall, Sip Saam Thai offers a nice variety of Thai dishes, including some less-common options. There are a few things we’d love to see fine-tuned, but we enjoyed exploring the menu and look forward to seeing what they do next.

08/17/2026

Little Mama📍2021 N Mays St #1000, Round Rock, TX 78664

Authentic Filipino food from a true mom-and-pop shop. 🇵🇭

The lechon is some of the best I’ve had, and the beef stew is worth ordering. We’ll be back for the halo-halo next time!

If you’re looking for unapologetic Filipino food, this is the spot.

⚠️ Tip: Always check their hours before going. As a small mom-and-pop shop, they may close early if business is slow or they’ve sold out of food.

08/14/2026

🥖🍞🥐 Paris Baguette is coming to Georgetown!

The popular Korean own French-inspired bakery officially opens tomorrow, August 14! 🎉

📍 1314 W. University Ave, Unit 102, Georgetown, TX 78628

Expect freshly baked breads, pastries, cakes, sandwiches, coffee and more. 🥐🍮

Finally , Georgetown is taking in Asian and other ethnic foods!

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