Ruvani De Silva

Austin

Non-breeding goblin day-drinker. Bylines inc Washington Post, Good Beer Hunting,VinePair, Houston Chron,Texas Highways, PorchDrinking.She/her.🌈

Articles

How global delicacy made 9,000-mile trip to Houston

3 weeks ago | chron.com | Ruvani De Silva

Chicken curry pie at 2 Phat Bastards. 2 Phat Bastards/Courtesy to ChronNo, not a pizza. Not a dessert. There are many parts of the world where the word pie means one thing above all others: piping hot rich buttery pasty tightly encasing a savory meat and/or vegetable filling, complete with appropriate gravy or sauce; think lamb curry, chicken-mushroom, and pepper steak.
Book Review | Filthy Queens: A History of Beer in Ireland – PorchDrinking.com

2 months ago | porchdrinking.com | Ruvani De Silva

Beer historian Dr. Christina Wade describes her new book Filthy Queens: A History of Beer in Ireland as a love letter to the Irish craft beer community. That love is evident in the passion and rigor she brings to this fascinating and important book, which takes readers on a journey through the history of Ireland from the 5th century CE to the end of the 19th century.
Can Paper Bottles Help Reduce the Spirit Industry’s Footprint?

Jan 15, 2025 | insidehook.com | Ruvani De Silva

The familiar clink of glass bottles in your liquor store shopping cart could be replaced by the soft burr of paper against paper. Taking their lead from the wine industry’s successful rebrand of paper packaging — from cheap house blends to chic upscale brands like Juliet and Boxd — spirits producers around the world are breaking with tradition as recycled paper bottles enter the market.
Elevated Barbecue Joint Black Gold Is a Smoke Show-Literally

Jan 8, 2025 | austinmonthly.com | Ruvani De Silva

With its sleek charcoal-and-white interior and exotic menu offerings, upscale barbecue restaurant Black Gold is already in a league of its own. Owner-pitmaster Mems Davila traded his popular Wünder Pig truck for the new Crestview brick-and-mortar, which features large windows that put the smokers on full display. “I want people to sit at the bar with a cocktail and look over the pit, seeing a beautiful cloak of black smoked meat that’s super juicy inside,” he says.
Big beer bought out this Houston brewer. Just don't say it 'sold out.'

Nov 29, 2024 | chron.com | Ruvani De Silva

A Karbach IPA paired with a State Fair of Texas dish. Courtesy of State Fair of TexasThe sight of gleaming steel tanks and the smell of freshly mashed beer are not unusual in the Bayou City. However, in the state where everything’s bigger, Karbach Brewing is still a sight—and a site—to be reckoned with. Its 7-acre campus cuts an imposing figure in east Spring Branch, with a two-story 22,040 square foot brewery and taphouse with fourteen 600-BBL tanks among its many facilities.
Small Things In Big Countries | Alternate Endings & Queue Beer Collaboration

Sep 13, 2024 | porchdrinking.com | Ruvani De Silva

In a city of over 8 million people, in the top ten most diverse cities in the world, and with close to 50 craft breweries, it might come as a surprise to learn that there are just two Asian-Indian-owned craft beer bars in New York City. Carmine Street Beers in Greenwich Village, and Brooklyn’s Queue Beer are both owned by the Monteiro family. Dad Brian opened Carmine Street back in 2013, with sons Shane and Dean later joining the business.
10 Great Oktoberfest Events Around Austin

Sep 9, 2024 | austinmonthly.com | Ruvani De Silva

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, not the holidays—it’s finally Oktoberfest, the season when thirsty Austinites can celebrate our rich German brewing heritage (and the end of the sweltering summer). While lederhosen, oompah music, pretzels, and stein-holding contests are all Oktoberfest essentials, our breweries offer up a wide range of seasonal offerings to suit different palates throughout the fall. Here’s a roundup of some of this year’s best events around Austin.
Award-Winning New York City Pub Dead Rabbit Is Shaking Up Sixth Street in Austin

Sep 5, 2024 | austinmonthly.com | Ruvani De Silva

Jack McGarry came to America with a singular goal: change Americans’ perceptions of Irish culture. He opened his pub The Dead Rabbit in New York’s Five Points in 2013, naming it after the 19th-century gang immortalized in Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York. Now, more than a decade later, the award-winning bar has found a second outpost on Historic Sixth Street.
Book Review | Pairing Beer & Chocolate by David Nilsen

Aug 12, 2024 | porchdrinking.com | Ruvani De Silva

While beer trends come and go, pairing is and continues to be a skill that never goes out of fashion, and quite rightly so. As beer lovers, we seek out sensory experiences from every sip we take, factoring in variables ranging from serving temperature to glass size to express and explain the precise nature of our drinking experience, so naturally once food substances are thrown into the mix, we aim to optimize our enjoyment by successfully pairing flavors and textures that are complimentary.
A Cosmic Roadhouse in Wimberley Spotlights a New Texas-Made Liqueur

Jul 31, 2024 | texasmonthly.com | Ruvani De Silva

Trundling down Farm-to-Market Road 32 between San Marcos and Wimberley, a sign shaped like an inverted triangle may grab your attention. In the center, a stylized blue eye surrounds an orb ringed by a disco ball–like band. The image falls somewhere between space age and Masonic. The name on top, “Senza Maeso,” also offers little clue as to what you’ll find inside. Look more closely, and you’ll see the information you are seeking: a single word—“bar”—nestled deep in the center of the design.