This post represents some convergence in my own thinking. I've been reading articles on Tech Republic and ZDNet a lot lately and several of them have started me to thinking. Personally, I am in love with tablets. This isn't something new for me, I was in love with tablets long before the iPad brought the whole concept out into the open. It started many years ago when I saw a Windows Tablet that I think ran Windows 98...it may even have been 95.
Since then, I have looked at tablets with screens from 5 to 13 inches, and Operating Systems from Windows (desktop) to Windows CE, to custom Linux based systems. I probably would have bought one or more of them if I had the money, but I never did...and still don't.
Tablets Are For People Who Hate Computers
This article was one of the spurs of my thoughts, but I don't think he quite gets it. The article could as easily have been titled...
Tablets Are For People Who Don't Get Computers
or
Tablets Are For People Who Aren't Smart Enough For Computers
...if he'd wanted to be mean.
But, whether he changed the title or not, the author still managed to miss the true lesson of the iPad's popularity.
Most people don't need the computing power of a PC.
The modern PC is an incredibly versatile and powerful tool. No Tablet running a smartphone OS can match it. Apple and Google brag about the number of apps available for their Operating Systems, but with a PC, whether Mac or Windows, the number of apps aren't padded by hundreds of fart apps. You can do just about anything with a PC, from record directly from your guitar to creating and publishing magazines. You can calculate a trajectory to take you to the moon, or play fast paced games with incredible graphics with people on the other side of the world.
Many of those things you could also do with a tablet, but why would you? For most of those tasks, a tablet is a mediocre tool at best, with only one advantage, portability.
So, where is all this leading?
Utopian Convergence of PC and Mobile, How Far Away is it?
Here's another article from Tech Republic that got me to thinking. Part of that thinking came out in my last post. There are too many things that I lose if I give up my PC. Yes, I gain a certain amount of convenience if I go to a tablet, but I lose my keyboard and my big monitor. I'll leave out my third reason why the PC won't die soon, because I am referring to my personal computing, not work computing.
Convergence, not tablets will be the cause of the end of the PC era as we have known it....except that it will still be personal computing, so the PC era won't end. Here is what I imagine, 3 devices working as one.
Your phone becomes your one connection to the greater world. It is still a phone, and it will have all the functions of a smartphone, but it will also act as your modem for all the other devices. Maybe your tablet has its own data connection, but the cellphone carriers need to realize that people cannot afford to pay for a data connection for every device, they need one plan that covers many devices, so your cellphone plan covers the data for your tablet...wirelessly, not by making your phone a WiFi hotspot, but because it wirelessly connects as a modem to your tablet. You can't really use both at the same time, so why not one data plan for both.
But, it doesn't end there. When you get home, you dock your tablet, though ideally, this too would be wireless, but that dock isn't just a connect to a keyboard. Your dock includes more, and might even have its own processor. It definitely needs a big monitor and a big hard drive...after all, it is part of your home entertainment system. You dock your tablet beside your 20"+ monitor and it becomes a second monitor on this larger system, and your phone is still your modem. It might even have a docking socket of its own.
This goes beyond networking. I am not talking about 3 devices that talk to each other, I am talking about three devices that act as one. With the possible exception of the large hard drive in the dock, you see the same thing on all the devices. They are hooked up to your TV, and when you go sit on the couch, you use either the phone or the tablet as the remote, because what you have on your TV is sort of running on the phone too.
At this point, I am up to four displays on this system, the phone, the tablet, the desktop monitor and the TV....and why not? Your phone doesn't control your TV, it is part of the same system. One display (TV) is showing the latest episode of True Blood, and another (phone) is showing the controls. Everything works together because there is only one computer.
That's my dream.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Post-PC??? BS!!
Steve Jobs said some months ago that we were in the beginning of the Post-PC era. And of course, since Steve Jobs said it, the messiah of technology, it has been repeated over and over again by one Apple loving pundit after another. Well, it's all BS.
Steve Jobs is trying to sell iPads. He believes we are in the Post-PC era, because he wants us to believe it, and buy an iPad. The problem is that despite the millions of iPads sold, the device is still defined by what it doesn't do more than what is does do. The things it does, it does very well, and for many people that is enough, but there are so many things that it doesn't do.
And don't go thinking that Android on Tablets will solve the problems, because it won't. It has virtually all of the problems of the iPad, except that you can install the programs you want instead of the ones Apples thinks you should have.
So, why are you going to keep your PC for a while longer, despite the words of the Prophet Jobs?
- Keyboards
Yep, we still need to type more than 140 characters at a time...at least occasionally. Now, yes, you can dock your iPad or use a keyboard with your Android Tablet, but if you have to do that to be productive, then what is the point of a tablet? - Monitors
I don't know about you, but I am not giving up the 21" monitor on my desktop, or the 15" LCD on my portable for a 9.7" LCD. At least not for everything. That dinky LCD makes the tablet more portable, but when I sit down at home, I want size. Maybe I'm alone in that, but I don't think so. And yes, you can hook up a monitor to some of the tablet docks, but is that really the answer with the present state of tablets?
When one of these tablet docks will put my tablet directly beside my monitor so that I can use them together as a dual monitor set up, then we might have something. But, that also starts to sound a lot more like a PC. - Work
I don't know about your employer, but mine just bought new PCs and knowing the way my state agency goes, it will be years before we get to replace them, and I just have a hard time believing that they will be replaced with tablets...especially ones that don't have keyboards unless docked.
Employers don't want the majority of their employees running around with portables. At Dell you had to make a special case to get a portable, and basically prove that you would be using it on the move...often. Employers want their peons right where they can find them, and that means chained to their desks by means of their PCs.
To me, these three reasons are telling enough to show that the PC will be around for at least another 10 years. Will tablets keep selling? Undoubtedly. The small form factor will allow us to carry them, and the ease of use will continue to attract those who don't have the smarts or inclination to master the PC.
Windows 8 is showing the way. The PC, both Windows and Mac, must simplify, but Windows is trying to bridge the gap, not between tablets and PCs as some suggest, but between the simple interface of the smartphone/tablet, and the power of a PC. I could have added a fourth to the list above, content creation. Drawing, Photoshoping, writing, editing video, these and much more may be possible on the next generation of tablets (more likely two or three), but the small screen, and the need to use your finger are going to hinder precise tasks, and the lack of a keyboard already makes writing impossible. I could never have written this essay on a tablet.
So, let's get over this idea that the PC is on its way out. You and I both will be using PCs in one form or another for years to come. We may spent less time working at a desktop. We may replace our portables, or use them less often, but the PC will still be there.
And, I have not even touched on the argument that tablets are still PCs and still part of the same ecosystem, and therefore a tablet dominated world is still just a minor variation on the PC era.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
HP TouchPad...Phoenix?
Those following the tablet market has seen a whirlwind of activity over the last few weeks. First, HP announced the end of the WebOS line of tablets and phones. Next, the HP TouchPad was dropped down to $99, a truly bargain basement price, and that set off the fire sale. The HP TouchPad appears to have leapt over the competition to become the second most popular tablet on the market. Obviously, the iPad is first.
Now, HP has a problem. They have generated incredible interest for a product they no longer make. They have generated incredible sales figures, and probably incredible profits for the retailers selling their stock of TouchPads. HP probably won't see a dollar of that though, and now they have interest, and no product. Worse still, most of the interest was generated by a price they cannot maintain without taking a huge loss.
Now, rumors are surfacing that the TouchPad may not be dead after all. Is it possible that the TouchPad, like the Phoenix could rise from the ashes of its own destruction?
So, let's be sure of our timeline. On August 18th, HP announced that it was discontinuing the TouchPad and the WebOS line of phones. On August 20th, the Fire Sale commenced when HP announced that the remaining stock of TouchPads would be sold for $99. By August 29th, all the TouchPads in Austin, Texas stores had been sold. I don't know how many that was in Austin, but it appears that as many as 500,000 Touchpads may have been sold by the end of fire sale. With most of those sold in 10 days, those numbers might even approach iPad sales for the same period.
First, tech pundits were talking about the TouchPad being cut off at the knees. Next, there were rumors of an update. Late today, HP has pretty much said that the PC unit will be spun off into a new company, and that the TouchPad might go with it. Some are acting surprised, but why?
When you put a good tablet (I'll let others debate how good) at the same price as the bargain basement tablets, is it any sort of surprise that it sells?
HP has already said that they intend to keep developing WebOS for printers. Is it really a surprise that there would be updates?
Next, consider the following factors.
1.the reports (rumors) that some HP execs didn't know that they were pulling the plug on the TouchPad.
2.the supply train built to produce the TouchPad, which cannot be turned off overnight.
3.the new installed base of devices created by the fire sale.
I see a surprise announcement, an existing supply train, and an installed base to give the device traction.
Is it really a big surprise that HP might rethink the decision and give the TouchPad a second chance?
What if the HP CEO (I can never remember how to spell his name) really did make a decision and announced it publically first, rather than run it through channels? Maybe he knew that it would mean dozens of annoying meetings while the TouchPad guys pled their case and he didn't want to listen to it. He authorizes the Fire Sale to dump the existing stock. That cannot be a huge surprise, since their were already rumors that Best Buy wanted to send them back. If you have a dud on your hands, you try to lessen the impact. If retailers send them back, then you have shipping cost that you will probably have to pay, and you still have to dispose of the excess stock, which will probably cost you money, rather than generating revenue. I am betting that HP basically said to the retailers...price them at $99 and keep it. If they don't sell, then we will take them back.
The TouchPad folks within HP have had ten days to get their arguments ready, and now those arguments are stronger with half a million units in the wild. I don't think that HP did this knowingly as a ploy to gain market share at a loss, but I do think that someone may have found the silver lining in the dark cloud of the TouchPad failure and fire sale.
And now? With the news today, it looks like the HP PC line will survive under a new name, and with the changes in the market, including the sales figures for the iPad, it could be a good way for the new company to generate revenue, with a second generation tablet based on the TouchPad, with a installed base of users whose opinion of the original TouchPad will improve, if HP can provide some good updates to the OS.
Yes, I think that the TouchPad might just survive this and come out a winner.
Now, HP has a problem. They have generated incredible interest for a product they no longer make. They have generated incredible sales figures, and probably incredible profits for the retailers selling their stock of TouchPads. HP probably won't see a dollar of that though, and now they have interest, and no product. Worse still, most of the interest was generated by a price they cannot maintain without taking a huge loss.
Now, rumors are surfacing that the TouchPad may not be dead after all. Is it possible that the TouchPad, like the Phoenix could rise from the ashes of its own destruction?
So, let's be sure of our timeline. On August 18th, HP announced that it was discontinuing the TouchPad and the WebOS line of phones. On August 20th, the Fire Sale commenced when HP announced that the remaining stock of TouchPads would be sold for $99. By August 29th, all the TouchPads in Austin, Texas stores had been sold. I don't know how many that was in Austin, but it appears that as many as 500,000 Touchpads may have been sold by the end of fire sale. With most of those sold in 10 days, those numbers might even approach iPad sales for the same period.
First, tech pundits were talking about the TouchPad being cut off at the knees. Next, there were rumors of an update. Late today, HP has pretty much said that the PC unit will be spun off into a new company, and that the TouchPad might go with it. Some are acting surprised, but why?
When you put a good tablet (I'll let others debate how good) at the same price as the bargain basement tablets, is it any sort of surprise that it sells?
HP has already said that they intend to keep developing WebOS for printers. Is it really a surprise that there would be updates?
Next, consider the following factors.
1.the reports (rumors) that some HP execs didn't know that they were pulling the plug on the TouchPad.
2.the supply train built to produce the TouchPad, which cannot be turned off overnight.
3.the new installed base of devices created by the fire sale.
I see a surprise announcement, an existing supply train, and an installed base to give the device traction.
Is it really a big surprise that HP might rethink the decision and give the TouchPad a second chance?
What if the HP CEO (I can never remember how to spell his name) really did make a decision and announced it publically first, rather than run it through channels? Maybe he knew that it would mean dozens of annoying meetings while the TouchPad guys pled their case and he didn't want to listen to it. He authorizes the Fire Sale to dump the existing stock. That cannot be a huge surprise, since their were already rumors that Best Buy wanted to send them back. If you have a dud on your hands, you try to lessen the impact. If retailers send them back, then you have shipping cost that you will probably have to pay, and you still have to dispose of the excess stock, which will probably cost you money, rather than generating revenue. I am betting that HP basically said to the retailers...price them at $99 and keep it. If they don't sell, then we will take them back.
The TouchPad folks within HP have had ten days to get their arguments ready, and now those arguments are stronger with half a million units in the wild. I don't think that HP did this knowingly as a ploy to gain market share at a loss, but I do think that someone may have found the silver lining in the dark cloud of the TouchPad failure and fire sale.
And now? With the news today, it looks like the HP PC line will survive under a new name, and with the changes in the market, including the sales figures for the iPad, it could be a good way for the new company to generate revenue, with a second generation tablet based on the TouchPad, with a installed base of users whose opinion of the original TouchPad will improve, if HP can provide some good updates to the OS.
Yes, I think that the TouchPad might just survive this and come out a winner.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
The Great Austin Burger Hunt - so far
It has been nearly a year and half since I started The Great Austin Burger Hunt, and I have now reviewed ten burgers. At this less than momentous occasion (let's be honest), I thought I would take a look back at the burgers I have reviewed and provide a rating of the first ten. I cannot say that I have found a truly spectacular burger. Some have been surprisingly good, and several of them have been good, but nothing like the reaction that you see in the The Greatest Burger in New York episode of How I Met Your Mother.
Some may complain that I am not experiencing the burger as intended, because I do not like all the fixings, and I know many people, my wife included, who feel that I burger is naked without onions and tomatoes. Well, I think that fixings can be used to mask poor choices of beef and bun, and bad cooking. I think that the best way to experience the burger is with nothing on it, but cheese and condiments. It is an argument that won't get decided in the pages of any blog, and since I don't like tomatoes and onions, I have to remove them, or I won't like the burger.
So, here is the list, and I won't make it a Top 10 list with the best at the bottom.
- Chili’s
12901 N IH 35
Austin, TX 78753-1018
512-251-2442 - Texadelphia
9828 Great Hills Trail Suite 140
Austin, TX 78759
(512) 338-1338
This was as close to a tie as I can imagine. I have given the nod to Chili's because I don't ever plan to have another burger at Texadelphia. I always order a Cheesesteak, so if I am thinking burger, I doubt I will think of them, but it was very good.
- Five Guys Burgers and Fries
3208 B Guadalupe St
Austin, TX 78703
(512) 452-4300 - Hill-Bert’s Burgers
5340 Cameron Road
Austin, TX
(512) 371-3717
Another close pairing. Hill-Bert's was less pretentious and I liked them for that. The fries are a big draw at Hill-Bert's.
- Wingzup
1000 E 41st St
Austin, TX 78751
(512) 323-2587
Good burger when you want to watch sports, because watching sports, not burgers is the reason to go to Wingzup.
- Posse East
2900 Duval St
Austin, TX 78705
(512) 477-2111
The Fries are the big draw.
- BB Rovers
12161 Jollyville Road
Austin, TX
(512)335-9504
When you want an unusual beer with your burger.
- Whataburger
11135 N. I-35
Austin, TX
512-251-0528
Wait-a-burger, but nothing to complain about
- Terra Burger
10611 Research Blvd.
Austin, TX 78759
(512) 382-5864
Dry
- Short Stop 12
3811 North IH 35
Austin, TX
It fills your stomach, but don't expect much more.
So, there you have it, the first ten reviewed burger places in Austin. I am still on the hunt for a really good burger, so send me your suggestions.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
The Great Austin Burger Hunt
Posse East
2900 Duval St
My wife has raved about this place for years. When I first started the Great Austin Burger Hunt, she suggested it. When her boss decided to take her to lunch there, I tagged along. Posse East is on the edge of the UT campus. It has been around for 40 years and is a well-known campus watering hole. It has kind of a rustic appearance, and it sits on an inconvenient corner, which makes parking hard, but with a 40 year history, obviously they are doing something right.
I ordered my usual, a cheeseburger and fries, and of course had them leave off the pickles, onions and tomatoes. You can get a selection of cheeses and this time I chose Cheddar. That keeps it closer to the other burgers I have reviewed, though I might choose Swiss Cheese the next time. This is the sort of place where you pick up your order when they call your name, but it is small enough that isn't a problem.
The burger arrived on a seeded bun, with green leaf lettuce and mustard, with a pile of fries beside it. The burger was not the juiciest I have had....how exactly do you say that I burger was not juicy without giving the impression that it was dry? I am not sure I have a good answer, but that is what I am trying to express. From a juicy-ness standpoint it was okay, but not great. In fact, from a taste standpoint, the meat was okay, but not great. The cheese was good, but not enough to really improve the burger all that much. The bun was good, but nothing terribly special. The lettuce was okay, except that by the end of the second bite it had wilted so completely that I took it off.
I think I did it again. I have given a review that seems to say that the burger was bad. Well, it wasn't, but it didn't stand out. It was a burger. It was even a good burger. It was not a great burger. It was not memorable. It was also rather light on condiments. Next time, I will try adding a bit of mayo and a bit more mustard and see if that helps.
But, the fries more than made up for any deficiency in the burger (and there wasn't really anything to make up for). The fries were some of the best I have ever had. They almost looked like they had a light batter on them. They were incredibly crispy, with almost a little crust on them. They were perfectly salted and delicious. I cannot speak highly enough of the fries. Far and away the best fries of any of the place I have reviewed.
I will not be putting Posse East at the top of my Best Burger List, but it might go at the top of the Best Fries List and that might be enough of a reason to visit Posse East again. I certainly won't be afraid to order a burger, but it will be the fries that I will truly be looking forward to.
2900 Duval St
My wife has raved about this place for years. When I first started the Great Austin Burger Hunt, she suggested it. When her boss decided to take her to lunch there, I tagged along. Posse East is on the edge of the UT campus. It has been around for 40 years and is a well-known campus watering hole. It has kind of a rustic appearance, and it sits on an inconvenient corner, which makes parking hard, but with a 40 year history, obviously they are doing something right.
I ordered my usual, a cheeseburger and fries, and of course had them leave off the pickles, onions and tomatoes. You can get a selection of cheeses and this time I chose Cheddar. That keeps it closer to the other burgers I have reviewed, though I might choose Swiss Cheese the next time. This is the sort of place where you pick up your order when they call your name, but it is small enough that isn't a problem.
The burger arrived on a seeded bun, with green leaf lettuce and mustard, with a pile of fries beside it. The burger was not the juiciest I have had....how exactly do you say that I burger was not juicy without giving the impression that it was dry? I am not sure I have a good answer, but that is what I am trying to express. From a juicy-ness standpoint it was okay, but not great. In fact, from a taste standpoint, the meat was okay, but not great. The cheese was good, but not enough to really improve the burger all that much. The bun was good, but nothing terribly special. The lettuce was okay, except that by the end of the second bite it had wilted so completely that I took it off.
I think I did it again. I have given a review that seems to say that the burger was bad. Well, it wasn't, but it didn't stand out. It was a burger. It was even a good burger. It was not a great burger. It was not memorable. It was also rather light on condiments. Next time, I will try adding a bit of mayo and a bit more mustard and see if that helps.
But, the fries more than made up for any deficiency in the burger (and there wasn't really anything to make up for). The fries were some of the best I have ever had. They almost looked like they had a light batter on them. They were incredibly crispy, with almost a little crust on them. They were perfectly salted and delicious. I cannot speak highly enough of the fries. Far and away the best fries of any of the place I have reviewed.
I will not be putting Posse East at the top of my Best Burger List, but it might go at the top of the Best Fries List and that might be enough of a reason to visit Posse East again. I certainly won't be afraid to order a burger, but it will be the fries that I will truly be looking forward to.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
The Great Austin Burger Hunt
B.B. Rovers
12161 Jollyville Road
Austin, TX
(512)335-9504
B.B. Rovers is an Irish pub with a fairly nice atmosphere and a large selections of beers, so many that the beers have their own menu. Now, I'm not a drinker, so I don't really care about that, but while eating there with friends the other night, I decided to try their Burger and review it for the Great Austin Burger Hunt.
I decided on the rather plain Cheeseburger, which is offered with a choice of cheeses, Longhorn Cheddar, Swiss, Pepperjack, Provolone or Blue Cheese. I decided to try the Longhorn Cheddar this time, despite being a big fan of Swiss on burgers. When I ordered they gave me another choice, white, wheat or rye? Being intrigued by the rye, I ordered that. I was not given a choice on how I wanted my burger cooked. Now, many places don't give you that option, but it is much more common among sit down restaurants. I was a little surprised by the lack of choice, but not that much.
I took a little bit of time to arrive, and then the waitress tried to give me the wrong burger, but eventually I got my burger with chips on the side. I was pleasantly surprised to find my burger on a pair of slabs of nicely toasted marble rye. Unfortunately, the bread was the best part of the burger. The bread was perfectly toasted so that it had a slightly crunch to it, and the bread was very tasty.
The burger was a rather dry, a little overdone, and just not very tasty. It wasn't bad, just not very good. It came with a single leaf of leaf lettuce, which wilted before I finished the first half of my burger. I removed the lettuce from the second half. There also wasn't much evidence of condiments on the burger and I really wonder if the cheese was Longhorn and not American. It didn't add much to the taste.
In fact, the burger was nearly a patty melt, which is a burger with swiss cheese on rye bread and then the sandwich is grilled. I love patty melts. It would have been better as a patty melt.
The side order was a small pile of out-of-the-bag chips, absolutely nothing special.
It wasn't awful, but I think I will be avoiding the burgers at B.B. Rovers.
12161 Jollyville Road
Austin, TX
(512)335-9504
B.B. Rovers is an Irish pub with a fairly nice atmosphere and a large selections of beers, so many that the beers have their own menu. Now, I'm not a drinker, so I don't really care about that, but while eating there with friends the other night, I decided to try their Burger and review it for the Great Austin Burger Hunt.
I decided on the rather plain Cheeseburger, which is offered with a choice of cheeses, Longhorn Cheddar, Swiss, Pepperjack, Provolone or Blue Cheese. I decided to try the Longhorn Cheddar this time, despite being a big fan of Swiss on burgers. When I ordered they gave me another choice, white, wheat or rye? Being intrigued by the rye, I ordered that. I was not given a choice on how I wanted my burger cooked. Now, many places don't give you that option, but it is much more common among sit down restaurants. I was a little surprised by the lack of choice, but not that much.
I took a little bit of time to arrive, and then the waitress tried to give me the wrong burger, but eventually I got my burger with chips on the side. I was pleasantly surprised to find my burger on a pair of slabs of nicely toasted marble rye. Unfortunately, the bread was the best part of the burger. The bread was perfectly toasted so that it had a slightly crunch to it, and the bread was very tasty.
The burger was a rather dry, a little overdone, and just not very tasty. It wasn't bad, just not very good. It came with a single leaf of leaf lettuce, which wilted before I finished the first half of my burger. I removed the lettuce from the second half. There also wasn't much evidence of condiments on the burger and I really wonder if the cheese was Longhorn and not American. It didn't add much to the taste.
In fact, the burger was nearly a patty melt, which is a burger with swiss cheese on rye bread and then the sandwich is grilled. I love patty melts. It would have been better as a patty melt.
The side order was a small pile of out-of-the-bag chips, absolutely nothing special.
It wasn't awful, but I think I will be avoiding the burgers at B.B. Rovers.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Yummy Bowl
Here in Austin, we have a strong Food Truck/Trailer thing going on and one of the newest locations is the Longhorn Food Court near the UT campus. And that is where you will find...
Yummy Bowl
610 West MLK
(512) 436-4319
I had the Shanghai Pan Fried Chicken Dumplings and Sesame Chicken. Now, that is a lot of food for one person, and technically the Dumplings are an Appetizer and should probably be shared.
First, something about the service. It isn't real fast, and when you are standing outside in 100 degree weather that can be a small problem. The food is worth the wait, so it really isn't a problem, but don't expect it to be as fast as McDonalds.
Chinese Dumplings are generally steamed, and then in the case of Pan Fried Dumplings, they are thrown into the pan for a bit of frying. Steaming dough can give it a somewhat soggy texture, and that was the one problem with these Dumplings from the Yummy Bowl. Now, it probably didn't help that I carried them back to work before eating them, but there you have it. It was not a fatal flaw and was really the only negative thing about the dumplings. They were very tasty. They include a dipping sauce with the dumplings, and watch out, it is hot. I cut the sauce with a bit of Soy Sauce, and it was excellent. I have also seen this type of dumpling called a Pot Sticker.
Now, on to the Sesame Chicken. I am a big fan of Sesame Chicken, as readers of these pages will already know, and Yummy Bowl is not going to make my favorites list. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. The chicken was served on top of a layer of broccoli, which was unfortunate, as all the sauce drained off of the chicken. I don't really like broccoli and definitely not with Sesame Chicken, and this broccoli did not look at all appetizing. Even considering what drained down into the broccoli, there was not enough sauce, but the sauce was tasty enough, not spectacular, but good.
The chicken itself was chewy, and towards the bottom of the pile of chicken there was a block of chicken pieces stuck together. They were tough to separate and the areas between the pieces were not cooked very well. It was served with white rice, which was good, but nothing to write a blog about.
Looking back at this review, I see that I have said a lot of negative things, and that is unfortunate, because the meal wasn't bad. Maybe I am being too hard on them because I see a lot of potential in what they make. It was good. It could have been better with a few changes that have nothing to do with flavor.
I am definitely going to give them another chance, but maybe after things cool down...in October or so.
Yummy Bowl
610 West MLK
(512) 436-4319
I had the Shanghai Pan Fried Chicken Dumplings and Sesame Chicken. Now, that is a lot of food for one person, and technically the Dumplings are an Appetizer and should probably be shared.
First, something about the service. It isn't real fast, and when you are standing outside in 100 degree weather that can be a small problem. The food is worth the wait, so it really isn't a problem, but don't expect it to be as fast as McDonalds.
Chinese Dumplings are generally steamed, and then in the case of Pan Fried Dumplings, they are thrown into the pan for a bit of frying. Steaming dough can give it a somewhat soggy texture, and that was the one problem with these Dumplings from the Yummy Bowl. Now, it probably didn't help that I carried them back to work before eating them, but there you have it. It was not a fatal flaw and was really the only negative thing about the dumplings. They were very tasty. They include a dipping sauce with the dumplings, and watch out, it is hot. I cut the sauce with a bit of Soy Sauce, and it was excellent. I have also seen this type of dumpling called a Pot Sticker.
Now, on to the Sesame Chicken. I am a big fan of Sesame Chicken, as readers of these pages will already know, and Yummy Bowl is not going to make my favorites list. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. The chicken was served on top of a layer of broccoli, which was unfortunate, as all the sauce drained off of the chicken. I don't really like broccoli and definitely not with Sesame Chicken, and this broccoli did not look at all appetizing. Even considering what drained down into the broccoli, there was not enough sauce, but the sauce was tasty enough, not spectacular, but good.
The chicken itself was chewy, and towards the bottom of the pile of chicken there was a block of chicken pieces stuck together. They were tough to separate and the areas between the pieces were not cooked very well. It was served with white rice, which was good, but nothing to write a blog about.
Looking back at this review, I see that I have said a lot of negative things, and that is unfortunate, because the meal wasn't bad. Maybe I am being too hard on them because I see a lot of potential in what they make. It was good. It could have been better with a few changes that have nothing to do with flavor.
I am definitely going to give them another chance, but maybe after things cool down...in October or so.
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