HOOVER’s
13376 Research Blvd, #400
Austin, TX 78750
Phone: 512-335-0300
Fax: 512-335-0306
Mon-Thurs
11am- 9p.m.
Fri 11am – 10pm
Sat 8am – 10pm
Sunday 8am – 9pm
Breakfast 8am – 11:30am
Owner, Hoover Alexander knows how to cook. A fifth-generation Texan, he was inspired by his mother’s and grandmother’s recipes. His slogan? “Honest-to-Goodness Good Cooking at a Good Value.”
[Jo:] Our original plan was to go to the Music and Art Fair and sample various foods. However, our plan was rained out. It doesn’t rain much in Austin but when it rains, it really RAINS.
[Mo:] So in order to comfort ourselves, we decided to treat ourselves to some comfort food from Hoover’s. By the time we got there, we were ready to eat. Service was instant and we were greeted with two monstrous glasses of sweet tea! Oooh! I just love the south!
[Jo:] We decided to sample from the “Meat ‘n Three” which was _ BBQ Chicken, 3 BBQ Ribs and 3 Sides.
[Mo:] While deliberating over our sides, our waitress said “If you want the true experience, go for the mustard greens, the jalapeno creamed spinach or the mashed potatoes and gravy.”
[Jo:] Although we weren’t daring that day to try the jalapeno creamed spinach, we opted for the macaroni and cheese, the mustard greens and the mashed potatoes and gravy. The meal also came with cornbread. Here’s a pic.
[Mo:] Could you tell that my hands were shaking when I took the picture? I was so hungry!
[Jo:] Here’s the thing about Southern cooking. Many people feel that Soul Food restaurants are a novelty or maybe even exotic. But for me, Soul Food is just like Sunday dinner that my Mom used to make (well, she still does). So rather than feeling a sense of novelty, I feel a sense of nostalgia. All I can say though is that it was goooood! The chicken and meat from the ribs literally fell off the bone. It was so tender and juicy that it didn’t even need the BBQ sauce.
[Mo:] I could see why they put the sauce on the side. You’re right. It wasn’t necessary but it was great just the same. Usually, I’m pretty suspect of macaroni and cheese in restaurants, fearing that it would be a Velveeta mish-mash. This was not the case at Hoover’s! It was excellent and the mashed potatoes and gravy were incredible!
[Jo:] Don’t forget to talk about the greens. I meant to ask, were you humming?
[Mo:] Um…yeah. Collards are usually my favorite and I usually opt not to eat mustard or turnip greens unless your mom makes them. These greens were “smack-somebody” good. I don’t know how they managed to make them slightly sweet but with a red peppery kick. I was like, Mom! You back there in the kitchen???
[Jo:] This is a place where we would definitely take my folks when they visit. Mainly because the food was so good that they would appreciate it as well get the same sense of nostalgia that I experienced.
Send restaurant recommendations and queries to mojosreviews@yahoo.com
This article was originally printed in the September 26, 2010 – October 9, 2010 edition.
