Monday, February 9, 2009

Phil's Ice House

Phil's Ice House was recommended to the Odyssey last week at Mighty Fine Burgers by a fellow customer so this week the Odyssey ventured up to one of Austin's great streets, Burnet Rd. Burnet Rd. is full of great local places with tons of character. It is Austin's secret South Congress and good finds are a plenty on it. Phil's Ice House is one of those and is a ton of fun.

Phil's was started by the same folks who brought us Amy's Ice Cream and as such they have a creative menu full of local flair. Burgers are named after Austin neighborhoods such as the Allendale Burger, the Rosedale Burger, The Crestview Burger, and their most popular burger, the 78704 Burger with avocado and jalapeno. It is an odd name for a North Austin resturant but 78704 is FriedEd's old hood and the home of Barton Springs so we won't complain. FriedEd went with the Rosedale Burger, a cheddar mesquite burger with a sweet bbq sauce. Throwing BBQ sauce on a burger is a sure winner and this burger was gobbled down in a heartbeat. The sourdough bun complemented the fresh cheddar and smokey patty.

Attached to Phil's is an Amy's Ice Cream. I asked the burger manager if it is common for people to get a burger and then go eat ice cream. He said, "No, people will come for the ice cream and then be like, hey, there is a burger place here and then come back the next day." We did it backwards and came for the burgers and as such, we started a new tradition. After the burger we went next door and ordered the second best ice cream in Texas. We recommend a tiny if you want to be able to move for the next few hours.

And best of all, this fun complex has an attached playground on which the Odyssey learned that playgrounds are fun when you are five, and they are just as fun when you are 33. If you want to do the Phil's Ice House challenge (invented and accomplished by all members of the Odyssey), you eat a burger and fries, get an ice cream, and then do the spinning pole and spinning bucket on the playground. Top it off with trying to walk in a straight line afterwards. All in all, this fun little area is a great treat for the whole family, even if your family is a few thirty year old dudes.

Burger: 92
Fries: 85
Feeling of Stomach One Hour Later after spinning in Buckets: 32

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