Delicious Day!

Here's my delightful niece EM enjoying a perfect cappuccino after the best Mexican food we've ever had!

But I'm getting ahead of myself -- first, my sister M and I went to the Cedar Park Farmers Market, where we bought delicious fresh goat cheeses, were intrigued by products we'd not seen before, had a taste of New Orleans, where I thought of Kendall, showed restraint by purchasing only two varieties of smoky hummus, and, as you see in this photo of our spoils, could not resist the bacon jam, cheesey grits, local salsa, and some fresh carrots just to balance out all the treats. (The little rum cake is a gift for my sister's friend.)

After stowing our treats in M's kitchen, her daughter EM joined us and we headed into downtown Austin, where I snapped some of the iconic buildings and interesting juxtapositions.

Our intent was to park in the South Congress area and find a place to have a late lunch, but there was no parking to be found there, so EM, who was kindly chauffeuring us around, took us to Rainey Street, where small old homes are being turned into buzzing bars and interesting eateries. EM and M had heard that a Mexican restaurant there, El Naranjo, was exceptional, and indeed it was! The simplicity of the interior was very appealing, and the chef-owner greeted us at the door. Our server was exceptional, and the food -- we were in bliss. M lived in Mexico for several years, and she was impressed by the authenticity of everything we ate, as well as the beautifully balanced flavors. I've never eaten Mexican food like this, and I can't wait to return!

My photos of the food did not turn out well, but I do encourage you to click on the El Naranjo link above and see the photos there under "food photo gallery" to get an idea of why I am raving so about this place.

Here's a brief review of El Naranjo and two other eateries on Rainey Street -- next time, I want to try G'Raj Mahal Cafe, as well as returning to El Naranjo!