If your friends invite you to a B.Y.O.B. party it is because they are cheap bastards. However, if they invite you to a B.Y.O.B. restaurant, it might be because they are brilliant!
I would like to shine a spotlight on one of my favorite and most versatile haunts, Torchy's Tacos. Situated on a former car lot between bustling S. 1st St and tranquil (read: usually dry) Bouldin Creek, Torchy's is the most gourmet taco trailer in town. Staffed by former Comida Deluxe chef/ Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival winner Mike Rypka and his crew, Torcy's offers unique chef-quality tacos in the convenience of a walk-up taco cart. Fresh roasted Katz Coffee is perfect with breakfast, and for lunch he offers a variety of Jarritos sodas and Mexican cokes.
And then for dinner...that's where the tipsy texan comes in. Six-pack of Bohemia with those fajitas, anyone? (Better get your own 'cuz this one is for me.) How about washing down that green chile queso with a pitcher of margaritas in a Rubbermaid cereal container? Since Mike's trailer doesn't have a liquor license, you are your own bartender.

Mike's business partner is a landscape architecht who is in the process of finishing up a major beautification project that this bootleg photograph does not show. Once the project is finished, Torchy's Tacos will feature the best Tex-Mex in the sexiest former used car lot in town.

On Saturday we attended a dinner given by the supper club Dai Due. Dai Due (pronounced die DO-ay) serves up a multi-course menu composed entirely of locally-produced ingredients. The duo behind Dai Due are Jesse Griffiths, who once chefed at Vespaio, and his partner Tamara Mayfield, who has a background in sustainable agriculture and who now owns a Green cleaning service.
The theme, menu, and location change for each of the 3-4 dinners they serve monthly. Ours was an Italian menu consisting of 19 different dishes. The meal was amazing, and so was the ambience and setting--this time a private residence called the Dragonfly House.

Many Dai Due dinners are served al fresco at local farms such as Boggy Creek

The dinners are BYOB, and the hosts send out an email suggesting which Texas wine they recommend for each particular meal. They also serve a market-fresh cocktail before the dinner. This week they infused Tito's vodka with local pears and topped it with Topo Chico.
Because of the popularity of the dinners and limited seating capacity, it is recommended that you sign up for their mailing list and register quickly upon receiving the dates.