Eating around Austin is an eclectic experience.
From food trailers to various types of restaurants, the list of choices for local grub is so extensive
that it can become quite overwhelming.
Here at the Daily Texan, we'll try to make things slightly less complex by profiling
local eateries all across town.
This is Austin by the Slice.
So, let's see.
Yeah, I know it.
My hair looks good.
Does it sound good?
Yes, ma'am.
You've literally gone to the hairdresser this afternoon.
Maybe I'll have a little beer.
I might go knock my wife's from here.
A little off by it.
It's good.
Yeah.
You can film it too.
Yeah.
This is Pierre Pellagrand, a simple Frenchman with a big idea.
An idea located on the east side of Austin and called Justines.
Laid back as a rolling hill, Brasserie Justines has one mission, to show you a good time.
With a great atmosphere and a relaxed attitude all around, it will seem like more of a coincidence
that the food is equally as enjoyable.
But it is.
Welcome to Bohemian Paradise.
Welcome to Brasserie Justines.
Anyway, back to Pierre.
Justines has been open since…
August 2009.
Yeah, there used to be a little house.
It drove around until this little abandoned crack house.
Yeah, this is perfect.
Pierre and friend Ole Pierre Calmont arrived in Austin in the 80s.
They fell in love with the city's vibrant energy and they decided to stick around.
In 2009, the pair opened their own restaurant, a place where the vibrant Austin energy could
be experienced and celebrated.
Number one could listen to blues records, chat over a glass of whiskey, eat a home-style
French meal, and forget about the rest.
Nowadays, you guys have so many people here, so long of a wait sometimes.
How was it back when you opened?
It was pretty overwhelming.
I didn't expect that at all.
So, you know, I used to buy, like, two cases of wine, three bowls of booze, and every day
we'd write out them, like, oh my God, like, get the formal, you know, the whole, like,
the whole, the whole way was lined up with cases, you know.
Yeah, it's been nonstop.
We just, we get a little more used to it, you know.
It's sort of more comfortable, but it was pretty nuts.
Part of the reason for the rock-tone success of Justines is the atmosphere, yes,
but also the food. Pierre describes it as mom's cooking,
but don't let that fool you into thinking meatloaf and casserole mom.
Pierre's mom, evidently, was a badass.
I could go ahead and describe every play to you in detail,
or I could flash these images and let your mouth water.
Let's do that.
Oh, yeah, that's the stuff.
And Pierre again.
I was kind of scared at the beginning that it was, you know, everybody thought it was, like,
a strange place, which I never want. I mean, I don't know whatever,
but he plays with that tune, you know.
To me, it's always about, you know, good food, affordable for,
I wanted all kinds of people to be able to come and eat, you know.
Have a glass of wine, have a nice plate of food, and, you know,
I mean, he saw your record and, you know, talked to me, you know.
We never often, or whatever, whatever, you know.
I think it's, we wanted to do what we wanted to do,
and then he said, you better drink it.
That is the spirit of Brass Registines,
and let me assure you, it is a formidable spirit indeed.
For the Daily Text in Multimedia, I'm Jorge Corone.
