Austin is weird.

But everyone seems to like it that way.

When I got off the plane on a late Thursday afternoon in early June, I was readily greeted by city’s sweltering heat. This wasn’t the welcome I had looked forward to and I wasn’t sure if I would adapt. But after hopping into an adequately air conditioned car headed toward downtown, the sights of the sandstone capitol, the storefront of legendary Franklin’s Barbecue, and the colorful food trucks serving everything from gourmet donuts to pizza quesadillas, my optimism and curiosity were stirred.

Thursday, 6:45pm: A trip to the Wheatsville Food Co-Op.

After arriving to my friend’s apartment just shy of Hyde Park, we took a short walk down Guadalupe street. The Wheatsville Food Co-Op has been in Austin since 1976 and operates as a completely democratic and fully functional grocery store, deli, buffet, and bakery. With over 21,000 owners, the co-op seeks to create a self-reliant, “…self-empowering community of people that will grow and promote a transformation of society toward cooperation, justice, and non-exploitation." Even more awesome: Wheatsville was voted ‘Best Neighborhood Grocery ’ by the Austin Chronicle’s Readers Poll for nine years—from 2007-2016.

The co-op was filled with vibrant produce, cheeses, meats, baked goods, and aisles of foods from local vendors. Dispersed throughout the floor were many sampling stations, including one—made by the co-op employees—that offered a delightfully refreshing watermelon lemonade with muddled mint. The space itself is massive and its walls are painted with bright depictions of smiling fruits and vegetables...one of the more inviting grocery stores I’ve been to in a while. In the back, we found the shop’s Thursday night buffet. To our surprise, the co-op does this special weekly: pick an entrée and two sides between 4-8pm for just $5! Although the baked potato needed some salt and the slaw some extra vinegar, our early evening meal became a satisfying snack between the three of us.

8:45pm: Dinner at Uchiko

Maybe you’ve heard of Tyson Cole before. If not, maybe you’ve at least heard of his little sushi house (yes, pun intended) called Uchi (uchi means house in Japanese). The bungalow-turned-restaurant opened in 2003 and now has locations in Houston, Dalls, and Denver. Cole’s resume is quite formidable: he trained more than 10 years in Tokyo and had stints both at Bond Street in New York and Musashino in Austin, which is known as one of the city’s top sushi destinations. He was named James Beard’s “Best Chef: Southwest” in 2011 and started his own restaurant group, Hai Hospitality, in 2015. Needless to say, I was looking forward to dinner this evening.

We began with some of the restaurant’s opening dishes. The first was a beet crudo with grapefruit, its vegetables so pristine that they seemed more like rubies and yellow diamonds than root vegetables. I slid my knife through a gleaming beet while the pale pink, translucent juice of the grapefruit dripped from its surface, catching the light to resemble liquid gold. The mouth-puckering tartness of the fruit zips through the earthiness of the beet, creating a bite that expertly highlights the ingredients’ greatest characteristics. Taking a sharp turn in an entirely different direction, what followed was a bowl of fried cauliflower, curried raisins, cashews and a gruyere cheese foam. It turned out a fine progression as the mellow, light-as-air, cheesy goodness cut through any lingering notes of the acidic grapefruit. Unlike the city’s impenetrable heat, these new sensations of warm spices, buttery cashews, and sweet raisins were welcomed with open arms; the crispy bits of fried cauliflower made it all the more addicting.

The final appetizer was not as impressive, although visually it was stunning. We were served a sea bass koviche with salted cucumber, fresh mint, and green basil oil. The addition of halved blackberries, although colorful, was unnecessary: its darker fruity notes overwhelmed the subtle sweetness of the fish’s flesh—but at least its soft and sumptuous texture was accentuated by that crisp, cool, and refreshing cucumber.

The sushi course was perfectly fine, although I wish it had been served in a more deliberate order. I received my mandarin-colored, buttery tongues of sea urchin before getting to enjoy the subtle tastes of lighter fish like hirame (fluke) and sea bass. Perhaps I am being too picky (Cagen and Shoji might have something to do with this)…Ultimately, the quality of the fish served with well-crafted rice was more than satisfying.

Friday, 11:00am: A Trip Down South Congress Avenue

Our first stop on the avenue: Guero’s Taco Bar. If you’re in Austin, you are obliged to eat breakfast tacos and consume as many corn tortillas as possible. Guero’s fulfills both obligations—they serve breakfast all day and press masa into little discs of deliciousness in-house. Before ordering, we were served thin and crispy tortilla chips with three small bowls of salsa. For lunch, I opted for two tacos to sample the best of both worlds. On my breakfast taco: eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach on a flour tortilla. Then a shrimp taco on a corn tortilla with chopped tomatillos and lime. Honestly, I was disappointed. The eggs were a little rubbery and the mushrooms were slightly slimy. The shrimp were overcooked. But the masa (corn tortilla) redeemed the treatment of its seafood contents with its hypnotic aroma of sweet corn and its soft, pillowy texture. Tacos were half-eaten, but at least all the chips were gone.

South Congress avenue is filled with hipster thrift stores, smoke shops, restaurants, and cutesy millennial popups. If it weren’t for the 96-degree heat, one could easily spend an entire afternoon on the avenue. It’s a fun and spontaneous mishmash of young and old: we found some of our favorite childhood treats at Big Top Candy Shop. We walked into Allen’s Boots and became mildly intoxicated by the scent of leather while wandering the endless aisles. Inside Tesoros Trading Company we perused the colorful array of folk arts and handmade crafts. We took a turn down a side street and found Little Limbo, an all pink and rainbows popup shop selling children’s books, quirky jewelry, and cutesy kitchen tools. We also stopped for a snack at Hudson Meats—the black pepper jerky was chewy in all the right ways with a robust pepper flavor.

2:00pm: The Local Watering Hole

Barton Springs is Zilker Park’s 3-acre all-natural swimming pool situated in south Austin. It is fed from an underground spring and maintains a perfectly refreshing temperature between 68-70 degrees. While taking a relaxing dip or a rigorous jump off the diving board, one might notice that the pool also offers a great view of the city’s urban sprawl. I’ll admit, it’s slightly off-putting—but it really brings Austin’s “weirdness” into perspective. Evermore so when I learned that this pool is also a federally protected habitat, serving as a home for the endangered Barton Springs salamander. As a result the pool closes every Thursday from 9:00am-7:00pm to undergo intense cleaning and maintenance (I mentioned that Austin was weird, right?). Food and drink, speakers and radios, and drunken individuals are not allowed in, so come with your best face forward and enjoy the beauty of nature. Oh, and bring cash—there are ticket ATMs for credit cards, but the lines get ridiculously long. Admittance is $5 for residents and $9 for non-residents.

7:15pm: Dinner at Bar Peached

No, this is not a Momofuku endeavor, despite the use of the recognizable fruit. This restaurant in historical Clarksville is a whimsical and unassuming little spot, looking much more like a home than a restaurant. It’s a good thing they have that huge neon sign out front to tell you you’re in the right place. Chef and owner Eric Silverstein successfully combines the comforts of southern fare with the exciting and diverse flavors of Asia. We began with kale tempura coated in a maple ponzu sauce with thai chili and lime. Taking a handful of the radiantly green and crispy vegetable made for a playful and inviting way to start a meal. First the scent of nutty sesame oil billowed into my nostrils. Then as I shoved that first handful into my mouth, the kale crackled with delight and suddenly dissolved on my tongue. The spice slowly flowed over my palette and the sticky-sweet maple, acidic ponzu, and cooling sensation of lime induced a race for another bite before all was gone. We also enjoyed a menu staple, the chili crab toast. It was like your favorite childhood grilled cheese, all grown up with the addition of sweet crab, gooey cheese, and perfectly toasted milk bread. The maple roasted carrots with a cilantro chimichurri was earthy yet brightly herbaceous. The use of the maple worked very well with the aggressive flavor of the dragon salt (a blend of celery seed, pepper, paprika, dried basil, and other spices) and unveiled a flavor profile very different from the maple in the kale tempura. Thus the enchanting mystery of deciphering all these pleasant tastes effortlessly carried us from one dish into the next. The fried fish tacos were juicy without being sloppy or soggy. I was told that the catfish is soaked in buttermilk overnight and then battered with panko and rice flour before frying. The filet is served with fresh herbs and two sauces with a wedge of lime. The freshly made corn tortillas are impeccable and lovingly enveloped all the dish’s ingredients to create an array of truly original flavors.

9pm: Time to Scoot!

It seems that apps like Uber and Lyft have diversified their portfolios and added electric scooters to the mix—simply scan the QV code on the handle bars, and pay according to how long you are “scooting” around town. In DC, these scooters max out at 12mph. In Austin, however, these things go as fast as 15. Which doesn’t seem like much until you shoot downhill on a major road in the dark to go see the bats under the South Congress bridge. Apparently this is one of Austin’s greater spectacles: once the sun goes down and the city (slightly) cools off, an impressive crowd gathers to witness a large community of bats take flight. Sadly, the bats decided to stay in hiding this evening, but the scooter experience will definitely be a once in a lifetime adventure for me. I am glad these things won’t be readily in available in Manhattan any time soon…

Saturday, 10:00am: A Journey to Hill Country

If you have access to or are able to rent a car in Austin, do it. Then pack a picnic, wear good hiking shoes, bring sunscreen AND bug spray, and make your way 30 miles west to hill country. Not only is this area known for its range of wineries, but there are also some beautiful parks, lakes, and hiking trails. Thus, we took the 1.5 hour journey to Perdernales Falls state park to enjoy the cool waters and breathtaking sights. The hiking itself was very basic and not too strenuous—which was good for me, the carrier of our picnic. After taking in the views, we made our way to the second swimming hole of the trip.

4:00pm: Going with the Flow

Temperatures reached 98 degrees this afternoon, and after climbing over rocks and patiently working our way down some steeper terrain, we were ready to cool off in the water. The creek was filled with dogs, children, families, and young couples. Although crowded, it wasn’t overwhelming; the casual, laid-back atmosphere made us feel at ease and allowed us to easily find a spot next to a friendly group of four. There are no restrooms or changing facilities nearby, so either change beforehand or—-do as I did—find a tree to hide behind. Also note: the waters here are not calm. There is a strong current that makes floating impossible, but if you barricade yourself up against a rock, you can sit pleasantly and let the water soothe your hiking muscles. After taking some time to relax, we gathered on our towels and enjoyed our picnic: a delightful array of meats, cheese, spreads and vegetables to make our own sandwiches.

7:45pm: Dinner at Suerte

I had been hearing a lot about this place before planning my trip to Austin. Whether it was Sam-Hellman Mass’s interview on the Communal Table, an Eater article expounding the restaurant’s creativity, or the James Beard Foundation giving it the title “Best New Restaurant,” Suerte’s winning streak is going strong. Chef Fermin Nunez’s emphasizes the flavors of Mexico with masa as his canvas. The space is decorated with wicker light fixtures and Oaxacan fabrics that not only accentuate the flavors of the food but also Austin’s unique ability to embrace a restaurant’s theme without it coming across as too kitschy. The gigantically rustic corn chips with lentils and yogurt followed by the ceviche suerte were decent enough, but what I really want to talk about is the mushroom tlacoyo (a thick corn dough tortilla in served in the shape of a rhomboid). Its shades of brown, beige and black are not appealing to the eye, but take your fork and knife to make an incision, get that perfect slice topped with oyster mushroom and black garlic salsa, and BOOM. Mind blown. The tlacoyo is thick and doughy—like biting into an almost unpleasant, gummy gnocchi—but in a way that is much more pillowy than gluey. The black garlic salsa with jalapeño lifts you up before falling victim to an umami booby trap hiding in the meaty, chewy texture of the mushroom. It’s overwhelming, yes, but somehow does not manage to steal the whole show. More greatness to come.

Every server there spoke about the suadero tacos: confit brisket with “black magic” oil and avocado salsa. This one was a show stopper. Smoky, juicy, and succulent meat, refreshing avocado, and sweet-smelling, crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth masa. I really can’t say more because it still leaves me speechless. But the masa magnificence continued when the goat barbacoa arrived, wrapped like a present in a banana leaf and served with a basket of steaming, silver-dollar tortillas. The DIY taco party commenced as we spread upon our masa a layer of bean puree, filled the shell with shredded goat, topped it with salsa and finished it all with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of fresh herbs. The vegetable sides (“peaches y mangos,” grilled squash) were pleasing accompaniments to a protein-forward meal, but if you want some more veg, the carrot tostada and heirloom bean tamale are also supposedly excellent.

Sunday, 8:00am: The Mueller Farmers’ Market

Our afternoon flight to JFK gave us just enough time to stop by Patterson Neighborhood Park to see what the Mueller Farmers’ Market had to offer. Every Sunday and Wednesday this market is filled with happy and eager entrepreneurs selling products like sunflower seed hummus, popcorns meant to taste like dill pickles and chicken and waffles, and olive oils infused with unexpected ingredients like blood orange. There were also stands filled with fresh seafood, produce, and eggs, and the whole setup parallel to lake made the scene quite picturesque. Although we couldn’t stick around, this market certainly invites visitors to do just that, with live music, food trucks, and even pony rides for the kids.

Goodbye, Austin

So yeah, Austin is weird. Around every corner is a wall painted with some kind of crazy mural. There is a giant, natural swimming pool with views of the city’s center. There is a hoard of much-loved bats living under a bridge. You can pull into almost any gas station and eat locally-sourced, seasonal food from a truck. Or you may stumble upon a bar made entirely out of shipping containers. Either way, Austin is a city whose charm is so original that you have no choice but to accept its weirdness. There is music everywhere, there are smiles everywhere, and there is food…everywhere. It is a melting pot of people and cultures, but I look forward to returning in the fall when I am not literally melting from the heat.

68 Hours in Austin: Masa, Scooters, Bats, and Swimming