Whipped In

TheKitchn.com posted a food lover's guide to Austin last week and it had some good suggestions. Under specialty stores it recommended Whip In, a place just north of 35 and Oltorf, that I had seen many times but never stopped. After reading that they had prepared indian food, I told T that we *had* to go.

When we got there, I had planned on just ordering something to-go, or getting something already prepared, but there was a little cafe area (some seating was old church pews) with dim lighting, tapestries and saris on the walls, and it was kinda cute, so T suggested we eat there. I ordered the mansoor dal & spinach on basmati, and T (refusing the try to Obama Chili) got the SoCo panaani sandwich, with roast beed, chutney and gorgonzola. The service was nice and food came out quickly. My rice bowl was delish, though how do you go wrong with rice and sauce?, and T's sandwich was good (i love naan).

After dinner we checked out the shop. Had a huge bag of ground corriander (i think it was corriander; don't remember) for $6. I mean HUGE. And another huge bag of peppercorns for $12. I am so going there when I need more spices. Usually I go to World Market first for those. (If you happen to know a south-austin ethnic store I should try for spices, please let me know.)
They also had a great selection of beers- bottles I'd never seen before, and good local/healthy pre-made products in the fridge. Their dolmas weren't the best i've had, but they were still good.

So, despite the pro-Obama (or pro-tyrant as T would say) posters and chili, it was alright. Pretty cheap (veggie dishes under 9, meat dishes under 11), but a very limited menu. But the prices for spices! Man. I'm going to need larger spice jars.