For those of you who haven’t been to Hillside Farmacy on the Eastside of Austin, Texas here are a few images of what I saw and ate during my first visit.

Sitting tranquilly on a corner lot of a busy 11th Street corner this restaurant buzzes with constant activity. I was there right after a Friday lunch rush. This is the time between 1:30 and 4p when things settle down a bit, shifts change and preparation for dinner is just beginning behind the scenes. And that’s why I got to sit in a quiet little corner looking out and into a restaurant that was beginning to charm me.

The concept is pharmacy-esque with old-school warm woods and a new-school hip color scheme that is pleasing to the eye; at least mine.

One of the new trends I’ve noticed in restaurants is the absence of salt and pepper on the table; unless it’s a signature blend or a cool color. A primary and learned technique in culinary school is how to season with salt and pepper. The ideology is that if this is done correctly there is no need for seasoning (salt & pepper) on the table. That said, I like to have the choice and HF gives you that in the form of two cobalt blue bottles with definitive labels.