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<\/a><\/p>\nBarbeque \u2014 Stiles Switch<\/p>\n
The first meal in Austin that Benson ever had that gave him a lasting impression were ribs at B.L. Howard\u2019s BBQ. He was familiar with barbeque from his time in Oakland, California, but the Texas stuff was something else. These days, he\u2019s partial to Stiles Switch, going for their brisket, ribs, and particularly their sides. \u201cYou could take a vegetarian there and they\u2019d enjoy it,\u201d he says. \u201cWhen my family comes to visit from back East, I take them there and they just love it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jeff Kramer<\/p>\n Chili \u2014 Texas Chili Parlor<\/p>\n Benson believes good chili comes from the chiles used for the red sauce. His go-to order is chunky with no beans, but he\u2019s not a stickler about lentils like most Texans. \u201cI\u2019ll eat chili with beans \u2014 I\u2019m not a purist,\u201d Benson says.<\/p>\n He loves Texas Chili Parlor in particular because he celebrated his 30th birthday there by taking a bunch of friends bar-hopping in a big Silver Eagle bus. Unfortunately the bus broke down and his intoxicated friends had to push it down the street \u2014 right past a police station (the group made the journey unscathed).<\/p>\n \u201cSure do make a beer taste fine\u201d<\/p>\n Benson has been doing commercials for Lone Star Beer since 1974. He has a connection to the beer because Jerry Retzloff, the representative for Lone Star during the \u201870s, made a huge impact on the Texas music scene<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I know a man that cook armadillo Nadia Chaudhury\/Eater Austin<\/p>\n Pan Dulce \u2014 Joe\u2019s Bakery<\/p>\n While serving armadillo may have gone out of style, there are many options for pan dulce around Austin. Benson favors Joe\u2019s in East Austin calling it \u201cthe real deal.\u201d \u201cYou can\u2019t go wrong with all that milk,\u201d says Benson.<\/p>\n \u201cGet them enchiladas greasy Chuy\u2019s<\/p>\n Though he compares choosing a favorite Mexican restaurant to choosing a favorite album, he says Chuy\u2019s is \u201cas good as you can get\u201d for Tex-Mex. Though he was friends with Chuy\u2019s co-founder Mike Young<\/a>, he appreciates that Chuy\u2019s has stayed the same even after its acquisition<\/a>. (He does add that for mole enchiladas, he\u2019ll go to Fonda San Miguel<\/a>.)<\/p>\n Chicken-fried steaks \u2014 Hoover\u2019s<\/p>\n Another restaurant owned by a friend, this was a classic spot for Benson to visit post-UT football games. Benson, a big soul food fan, also recommends the sides \u2014 unless the doctor\u2019s got you on a particular diet.<\/p>\n \u201cI know a place that got fried okra Fried okra \u2014 Cherry Creek Catfish<\/p>\n \u201cI figured I\u2019d give a catfish place a shout-out,\u201d says Benson. One of his favorite dishes is whole fried catfish with fried okra.<\/p>\n Cabrito \u2014 El Borrego de Oro<\/p>\n \u201cThat to me is the hidden gem of Austin,\u201d says Benson. He says this is the place to get goat done right.<\/p>\n Sausage and ranch-style beans \u2014 Lamberts<\/p>\n Benson appreciates the history of the Lamberts building \u2014 a former store<\/a> built in 1873 \u2014 and the restaurant\u2019s interesting take on barbecue.<\/p>\n Although Benson would never mess with Clark\u2019s lyrics, he does think a few key Texas dishes got left out, like Gulf Coast seafood like shrimp and redfish, kolaches, \u201cfunky Czech stuff\u201d like chicken feet, chile relleno, and hamburgers<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
Tastes so sweet, he called it pie
I know a woman makes pan dulce
Tastes so good, it gets you high\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
Get them steaks chicken-fried
Sure do make a man feel happy
To see white gravy on the side\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
Beat anything I ever saw
I know a man that cook cabrito
It must be against the law
We gonna get a big old sausage
A big old plate of ranch-style beans
I could eat the heart of Texas
We gonna need some brand new jeans\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n