|
COPYRIGHT 2005 Texas Monthly, Inc.
December RESTAURANTS, CAFES, BISTROS, JOINTS
Pat's Pick: Cafe San Miguel
Funny thing about Mexican restaurants in Texas. The newer they are, the more authentic they are. Case in point: Bright and cheery Cafe San Miguel, which recently opened on the east end of Dallas's frantically hip Henderson Avenue strip, would pass muster in Oaxaca or Cuernavaca, Chef Fernando Marrufo's codorniz en pipian is the meatiest quail I've had in a long time, its plump little breast bathed in an earthy sauce of ground pumpkin seeds and ancho chile. A south-of-the-border surf and turf--big, perfectly cooked shrimp and flavorful beef medallions--comes with a sauce of roasted garlic and lime juice fired up with habaneros. Of several scrumptious desserts, the headiest is tres leches, the milk-and-cream-drenched white cake that is sweeping dessert menus across the state. That's a modern tradition I definitely approve of. (See review, page 208. For a recipe, go to texasmonthly.com.)
The Dining Guide POLICIES AND DEFINITIONS
The Dining Guide is a service to our readers. The magazine accepts no advertising or other consideration in exchange for a listing. Reviews are written by resident critics in the cities that we list. The reviewers" identities are kept anonymous to ensure that they receive no special treatment. If anyone claiming to be a TEXAS M O N T H L Y restaurant reviewer asks a restaurant for a free meal, the owner should decline and report that person's name to the magazine. Restaurant reviews are updated every three months. Send correspondence to foodeditor@texasmonthly.com or TEXAS MONTHLY Dining Guide, Box 1569, Austin, Texas 78767.
STAR POLICY, CREDIT CARDS, AND PRICE SCALE
*** Three stars designate a superlative restaurant. ** Two stars designate an excellent restaurant. * One star designates an extremely good restaurant.
AE: American Express. DC: Diners Club and Carte Blanche. DS: Discover. MC: MasterCard. V: Visa Cr: All major credit cards accepted. No Cr: No credit cards accepted. Prices represent a typical meal for one (entree, side dishes, dessert, and beverage), not including beer, wine, cocktails, tax, and tip.
$ Less than $12 $ $12-$30 $$ $31-$45 $$$$ More than $45.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY KEY
(w) The dining area is accessible to wheelchairs: The main entrance is at least 32 inches wide and there are no steps; restrooms, however, are not accessible.
(w+) The dining area and restrooms are accessible.
(w) Call ahead. With advance notice, the restaurant will accommodate wheelchairs. No symbol: This place is not accessible.
Austin
AQUARELLE
Update Inside this sunny bungalow, tucked away from a boozy Sixth Street, is French cuisine in fine form. Our evening of indulgence ended just as it began, with us foraging for the delicious essence of some culinary treat--first, for the warm herbed goat cheese that filled out a delicate, buttery puff pastry and last, for the oozy chocolate center of the artful souffle cake. Between the two, we shared entrees, relishing the study in contrast: one elegantly light (golden day boat scallops perched on a roasted sweet corn-potato compote), the other decidedly rich (pan-seared beef tenderloin topped with blue cheese and paired with portobello and button mushrooms and a shallot-port wine reduction). To say we left intoxicated would be an understatement. Beer & wine. 505 W. Rio Grande (512-479-8117). Dinner Tue-Thur 5-9, Fri & Sat 5-10. Closed Sun & Mon. Cr. $$$-$$$$ (w+)
** DRISKILL GRILL
Food is art in this refined dining room, where everyday ingredients--such as the tomato--are given the royal treatment: an heirloom-tomato salad with a sprightly crown of baby arugula and three perfect pieces of lump crab; warm Crescenza-cheese-topped crostini resting on a bed of yellow-tomato puree and hosting the featured ingredient aside chanterelle mushrooms; and pan-seared halibut atop pedestals of red and yellow heirloom tomatoes. Bar. Driskill Hotel, 604 Brazos (512-391-7162). Dinner Tue-Sat 5:30-10. Closed Sun & Mon. Reservations recommended weekends. Cr. $$$-$$$$ (w+)
ENOTECA VESPAIO
It's hard to imagine a pleasanter wine bar, with its dark concrete floors and little tables for civilized noshing. And of course, the kitchen is Vespaio's, so the pastas, pizzas, and antipasti are terrific. Even a humble meatball sandwich was stellar, with near-fluffy meatballs (not the golf balls found elsewhere), a piquant tomato sauce, and cloudlike bread. Bar. 1610 S. Congress Ave (512-441-7672). Open Mon-Sat 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun brunch 10-3. Cr. $$ (w+)
FINO
Update The idea at this stylish, multi-Mediterranean spot is to share numerous small plates, though some people become so fond of what they've ordered (the cornmeal-crusted seared salmon with oyster mushrooms in a porcini cream sauce, for instance) that they resort to hoarding. We understood, because we hated to relinquish any of our tender, moist duck confit with a cold lentil salad surrounded by a wonderful creme-fraiche-and-whole-grain mustard sauce. The only flaw? Clumpy couscous accompanying grilled shrimp. Bar. 2905 San Gabriel (512-474-2905). Open Mon-Thur 11-10, Fri 11-11, Sat 5-11. Closed Sun. Dinner reservations recommended. Cr. $$-$$$ (w+)
* HUDSON'S ON THE BEND
Some 20 miles from downtown, out where the stars at night are a wee bit brighter, sits a little stone house nestled under shady trees. Just try to resist the heavenly pecan-wood-smoked Angus ribeye, the king salmon in a buttery corn broth, or the hot and crunchy avocado served with mango-habanero aioli. Bar. 3509 Ranch Rd 620 northbound, 1 1/2 miles southwest of Mansfield Dam (512-255-1369). Dinner Sun & Mon 6-9, Tue-Thur 5-10, Fri & Sat 5:30-10. Reservations recommended. Cr. $$$-$$$$ (w+)
IRON WORKS BBQ
Given that the patio is so homey, we took advantage of one of Austin's typical warm fall days to linger at this stalwart barbecue joint for some time. After a plate of forearm-size beef ribs, a pork sandwich (a tad dry), and endless glasses of iced tea, we considered staying forever. Beer & wine. 100 Red River (512-478-4855). Open Mon-Sat 11-9. Closed Sun. AE, DC, MC, V. $-$$ (w)
** JEFFREY'S
Jeffrey's Bar, off the main dining rooms, is a nifty, dark nook if you want a more casual dinner while still enjoying the entire menu. Not famished, we went light with a salad of utterly pristine romaine studded with candied pecans, fresh figs, and herb-crusted chevre, all gilded with a lovely sherry vinaigrette. Bar. 1204 West Lynn (512-477-5584). Dinner Mon-Thur 5-10, Fri & Sat 5:30-10:30, Sun 6-9:30. Reservations recommended. Cr. $$$-$$$$ (tasting menus $70). (w+)
SHADY GROVE
Man. It had been a long time since we battled the crowds at the Grove, but we're glad we did. It has one of the coolest patios in the city, and the food is pretty good too, from sandwiches and juicy burgers to chicken burritos and crunchy catfish. If only the flies would find another gig. Bar. 1524 Barton Springs Rd (512-474-9991). Open Sun-Thur 11-10:30, Fri & Sat 11-11. Cr. $$ (w+)
STARLITE
It's hard to imagine this treasure anywhere but the creaky old neighborhood house it once occupied, much less in the see-and-be-seen Warehouse District, land of "chocolatinis" and $7 parking. The service is still great, the food uneven--metallic-tasting scallops but scrumptious crispy oysters, a flavorless New York strip but very good (though lukewarm) black-truffle-stuffed pork loin. Bar. 407 Colorado (512-374-9012). Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30. Dinner Mon-Sat 5:30-11. Closed Sun. Cr. $$-$$$ (w+)
UCHI
Update Cooler temperatures find Austin's coolest Japanese fusion restaurant giving a seasonal spin to its always flawless raw materials, with results that are both unexpected and delectable: Bluefin toro is strewn with dried cranberries and toasted almonds; maguro sashimi cozies up to tangy goat cheese and crisp Fuji apple slices. If you're feeling adventurous, try the omakase option, a multicourse feast in which the chefs surprise you with dishes from all over the menu. You really can't lose. Beer, wine, & sake. 801 S. Lamar (512-915-4808). Dinner Mon-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 5:30-11. Closed Sun. AE, DC MC V. $$-$$$ (w+)
* VESPAIO
The interior at this chic spot on South Congress may be minimalist, but the food is anything but. A chilled avocado soup (rich and silky) with garden-chile-marinated Gulf prawns proved excellent, as did the panseared sea bass. Bello! Bar. 1610 S. Congress Ave (512-441-5100). Dinner Tue-Sat 5-10:30, Sun 5-10. Closed Mon. Reservations taken Tue-Thur & Sun until 6:30, Cr. $$-$$$(w+)
VIN BISTRO
Despite the lackluster service, the restaurant formerly known as Zin Bistro is still a charmer. In hopes of branding this sleek spot as a "wine restaurant," the dinner menu leads with the wine and suggests a food pairing. At lunch you're on your own (we liked the fish tacos with a kicky poblano coleslaw but nixed the wine on a workday). Bar. 1501 W. 38th (512-377-5252). Lunch Mon-Sat 11-2:30. Dinner Mon-Thur 5-10, Fri & Sat 5-11. Closed Sun. AE, DS, MC, V. $$-$$$ (w+)
Small, New, or Offbeat
DRAKULA
There was no need for a garlic necklace at this modest Romanian upstart in North Austin. Our mititei, minced-beef-and-pork rolls, came deliciously packed with enough of the pungent stuff to ward off just about anything. Offerings such as pork schnitzel tempted our friend, but pork-stuffed cabbage with polenta prevailed. We didn't leave a bite of our scrumptious, strudel-like cheese pie. Decorative plates and knickknacks spruce up the white walls. Beer & wine. 8120 Research Blvd, across the street from NTB (512374-9291). Open Mon-Fri 11-10, Sat & Sun noon-10. Cr. $-$$ (w+)
SAWADEE THAILAND
Planted in the center of a rather desolate-looking parking lot, Sawadee is a mom-and-pop bastion of homeyness. The congenial Thai proprietors could not be more welcoming, and the decor, country cafe by way of World Market, just screams "labor of love." Our spicy pla lard prik was a bonanza of color and flavor, with its fresh red and green bell peppers, carrots, and snap peas topping fried tilapia. The steaming green curry was potent and immensely satisfying. Nota bene: If the menu says a dish is spicy, believe it. 5517 Manchaca Rd (512-383-9908). Open Men-Sat 11-9. Closed Sun. Cr. $ (w)
Beaumont-Port Arthur
FAT MAC'S SMOKEHOUSE
Indoor seating is scant (seven tables--count 'em), but a screened-in outdoor patio helps at this laid-back barbecue joint, where the brisket is lean and tender, the ribs are surprisingly kicky, and the unusual but tasty coleslaw features bits of both apples and peanuts. Beer & wine. 5555 Calder Ave, Beaumont (409-892-8600). Open Mon-Thur 10:30-8:30, Fri & Sat 10:30-9:30. Closed Sun. AE, MC V. $$ (w+)
PINE TREE LODGE
Since 1984, owners Ken and Norma Miller have provided the Golden Triangle with a place to kick back and enjoy scenic Taylor's Bayou. As for the vittles, the light, crispy fried fish hit the spot, and the hushpuppies were so good we ordered another round. Beer & wine. 3295 Pine Tree Rd, LaBelle (409-796-1600). Open Mon, Tue, & Thur-Sat 10-10, Sun 11-9. Closed Wed. DS, MC, V.$$ (w+)
SANDERSON'S
If you're a Harley watcher, Sanderson's is the place to be on a Saturday afternoon, inside, the dining area is spacious, the help is accommodating, and the menu offers fun bar food with a few healthy options thrown in. We devoured an appetizer of tender ribs and an entree of garlic-and-rosemary-rubbed chicken. Bar. 2095 U.S. Hwy 69N, Nederland (409-722-8900). Open Sun-Thur 11-9, Fri & Sat 11-10. Cr. $$ (w+)
Corpus Christi
AGUA JAVA
UPDATE
This friendly downtown meeting spot still serves the best coffee in town, plus a handsome array of pastries. The carrot cake is richly textured with walnuts and coconut, and the chocolate chip cookies score an A+ in chip generosity. Satisfying sandwiches are offered with a side of tortilla chips and salsa. Of these, our favorite is the Monterrey: smoked turkey, pepper jack cheese, and avocado on grilled focaccia spread with cilantro mayo. Wireless hot spot. 320 William between Water & Chaparral (361-8820865). Open Mon-Thur 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri 6:30-10, Sat 7-10, Sun 7-9. Cr. $ (w+)
B&J'S PIZZA A must for beer aficionados (more than a hundred domestic and imported brews), this place is also renowned for its hand-tossed pizzas. Our choice, the B&J Original, offered pepperoni, Italian sausage, green pepper, mushroom, and mozzarella all atop a light, crisp crust. Beer & wine. 6335 S. Padre Island Dr (361-992-6671). Open Mon-Sat 11-10:30, Sun noon-9:30. AE, DS, MC, V.$$ (w+)
NUEVO CAFE
This of-the-moment corner dell, with its sandwiches, salads, and (drumroll, please) signature roasted-poblano soup, draws a goodly lunch crowd. Creamy and rich with a peppery bite, said soup makes a fine companion for the club sandwich. The cafe's decor is minimal, with the work of local artists sprucing up the walls. 1124 Ayers (361-904-0425). Lunch Mon-Fri 7-3. Dinner Fri 6 Sat 5-9. Closed Sun. AE, DS, MC, V. $ (w)
REPUBLIC OF TEXAS BAR AND GRILL
This plush, twentieth-floor steakhouse offers a slice of the good life: magnificent bayfront views, sumptuous cuisine, and, on our recent visit, a movie-quality sunset. Our good times got rolling with the Texas crab cake (sauteed lump crabmeat served with a lobstercognac cream sauce) and the tasty but spicy grilled tenderloin tournedos topped with a Jack Daniel's demiglace. Bar. Omni Bayfront Hotel, 900 N. Shoreline (361886-3515). Dinner Men-Sat 5:30-10:30, Sun 5:30-9. Cr. $$$ (w+)
TANGO TEA ROOM
UPDATE
The furniture looks as if it were found on the street, and the decor is a pastiche of Indian and Moroccan via Hobby Lobby. But locals in the know come for chef John Butts' superior chicken salad flavored with sun-dried tomatoes, lime, and cilantro. The generous Mediterranean platter, bold with garlic, should satisfy any vampire slayer. Daily specials are a good bet; Friday's spring rolls with mango, cucumber, and cilantro are a delight. True to its name, the Tango Tea Room offers more than forty varieties of loose-leaf tea, served in a filtering pot on a tray with cookies. Wireless hot spot. 505 S. Water, behind the Coliseum (361-883-9123). Open Mon-Thur 9-10, Fri-Sun 9-11. AE, DS, MC, V.$ (w)
TAQUERIA ACAPULCO
The renovated dining room is larger, but the staff and available parking don't seem to have kept pace. Even so, the food was as good as ever. Among the evening's Tex-Mex highlights were the aguacate gorditas--avocado,...
Read the full article for free courtesy of your local library.
|
Bookmark this article
Print this article
Link to this article
Email this article
Digg It!
Add to del.icio.us
RSS
