Ali Khan
drink chimichurri all day ). The same is true when the summer Olympics were on . Some dishes that are on our summer rotation : Tuna burgers , chicken salad ( we make one batch sans celery for the vegetable hating child ), beer can chicken , taco night ( skirt steak , chorizo ) and I have a special salsa for grilled meats that I plan on entering competitions with , grilled salmon , smoothies , dal . Oh and lately , I have been making my own lamb biriyani .
FT : Since living in Austin , has the BBQ scene taken center stage at all ? What are some of your favorite BBQ foods ?
Our decision to move to Austin was literally made over a plate of BBQ ! I have always loved BBQ , but never lived in BBQ country . Even though Los Angeles has a more than few solid shacks , it has no native style , no regional BBQ culture of its own . Eating BBQ in Austin was the first time in my life when I ate a style of food while standing on the very ground where it originated from . If you eat meat and are living in Central Texas - BBQ is it . When it comes to my favorite BBQ foods - I play to the strengths of the area : beef brisket ( fatty / moist cut ), link , and spare ribs - in that order as well . I have had good pulled pork here , but I won ’ t tell someone from North Carolina they should have that here . They should have the Texas “ Holy Trinity ” of brisket , sausage link and spare ribs .
FT : Bang for Your Burger Buck has been a pretty successful blog for you . How did that concept come about ?
I was freelancing back in those days and that meant I usually packed a lunch . Sometimes I would have my “ splurge days ”, when I would visit this burger joint near my office . It was one of those build a burger , salad bar-esque places where you get crazy with the toppings or keep it simple and cheap . Somedays I would be super thrifty and score the basic burger , even skipping the cheese but taking advantage of the complimentary stuff like lettuce , tomato , pickle , onion , thousand island . Some days I would go big and slap bacon , blue cheese , up the patty to a 1 / 2lb vs the standard 1 / 3rd lb . eventually I found that even if I spent twice as much on the burger , I wouldn ’ t get a burger twice as good . And that is where it all started - the analyzing of value and putting the spotlight on less ritzy , “ everyday ” burger joints . It was literally born out of the trials and tribulations of a working man ’ s lunch and the need to keep the people in the know on where to eat and not sweat the bill .
Photos courtesy of Father ’ s Office
106 FoodTraveler l Winter 2016
Ali Khan
drink chimichurri all day). The same
is true when the summer Olympics
were on. Some dishes that are on
our summer rotation: Tuna burgers,
chicken salad (we make one batch sans
celery for the vegetable hating child),
beer can chicken, taco night (skirt
steak, chorizo) and I have a special salsa
for grilled meats that I plan on entering
competitions with, grilled salmon,
smoothies, dal. Oh and lately, I have
been making my own lamb biriyani.
FT: Since living in Austin,
has the BBQ scene taken center stage at all?
What are some of your
favorite BBQ foods?
Our decision to move to Austin was
literally made over a plate of BBQ! I
have always loved BBQ, but never
lived in BBQ country. Even though
Los Angeles has a more than few
solid shacks, it has no native style, no
regional BBQ culture of its own. Eating
BBQ in Austin was the first time in my
life when I ate a style of food while
standing on the very ground where
it originated from. If you eat meat
and are living in Central Texas - BBQ
is it. When it comes to my favorite
BBQ foods - I play to the strengths
of the area: beef brisket (fatty/moist
cut), link, and spare ribs - in that
order as well. I have had good pulled
pork here, but I won’t tell someone
from North Carolina they should
have that here. They should have
the Texas “Holy Trinity” of brisket,
sausage link and spare ribs.
FT: Bang for Your Burger Buck has been a pretty successful blog for you. How
did that concept come about?
I was freelancing back in those days and that meant I usually packed a
lunch. Sometimes I would have my “splurge days”, when I would visit
this burger joint near my office. It was one of those build a burger, salad
bar-esque places where you get crazy with the toppings or keep it simple
and cheap. Somedays I would be super thrifty and score the basic burger,
even skipping the cheese but taking advantage of the complimentary
stuff like lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, thousand island. Some days I
would go big and slap bacon, blue cheese, up the patty to a 1/2lb vs the
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