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Article Excerpt
POLICIES AND DEFINITIONS
The Dining Guide is a service to our readers. The magazine accepts no advertising or ether 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 MONTHLY restaurant reviewer asks a restaurant for a flee 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 designates 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
$$$$ More than $45.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY KEY
(W) The dining area is accessible to wheelchairs: The main entrance is at least 32 inches wide and there are no steps; restrooms, however, are not accessible.
(W+) The dining area and restrooms are accessible.
(W) Call ahead. With advance notice, the rastaurent will accommodate wheelchairs.
No symbol: This place is not accessible.
Austin
CAFE AT THE FOUR SEASONS
We sometimes forget about this lovely restaurant with its Town Lake view, but we're still raving about our recent dinner. Everything came together, from the impeccable service to chef Elmar Prambs' superb veal chops with a Calvados-pecan sauce. Bar (light fare 2-6). 98 San Jacinto (512-685-8300). Breakfast Mon-Fri 6:30-11, Sat 7-11:30, Sun 7-10:30, Lunch Mon-Sat 11-2, Dinner Sun-Thur 6-10, Fri & Sat 6-11, Sat brunch 11:30-2, Sun brunch 10:30-2. Cr. $$$$ (W+)
* DRISKILL GRILL
The city's most serene dining room is also one of its most experimental. Young chef David Bull does magic with dishes like impeccable seared ahi tuna lightly coated in panko bread crumbs and black sesame seeds or superb beef tartare gilded with crunchy tobiko and topped with a couple of feather-light fried oysters. Bar. Driskill Hotel, 604 Brazos (512-391-7162). Dinner Tue-Sat 5:30-10. Closed Sun & Mon. Reservations recommended weekends. Cr. $$$-$$$$ (W+)
* HUDSON'S ON THE BEND
A menu that sports boar and rattlesnake and plates that are adorned with exotic-looking flowers--this is what we've come to expect from this paragon of fine dining. A beautiful grilled king salmon filet was paired with dill gnocchi in a buttery broth; it was heavenly. Bar. 3509 Ranch Rd 620N, 1 1/2 miles southwest of Mansfield Dam (512-266-1369). Dinner Sun & Mon 6-9, Tue-Thur 6-10, Fri & Sat 5:30-10. Reservations recommended. Cr. $$$-$$$$ (W)
** JEFFREY'S
(Update) Our last meal at this intimate, art-filled storefront was as good as it gets. We chose two of the most traditional items--beef tenderloin with Parmesan-rosemary mashed potatoes and grilled king salmon with pistachio-studded wild rice--but they were anything but ho-hum. A pitch-perfect mustard-peppercorn sauce mellowed the beef; mango-mint salsa gave a snappy edge to the salmon. Bar. 1204 West Lynn (512-477-5584). Dinner Mon-Thur 6-10, Fri & Sat 5:30-10:30, Sun 6-9:30. Reservations recommended. Cr. $$$-$$$$ (tasting menus $55). (W) With assistance.
KOREANA GRILL & SUSHI BAR
You'll have a tough time choosing from the menu's mouth-wateringly detailed descriptions of sushi rolls, bulgogi, noodle dishes, and more. Our peppery yellowfin steak, perfectly pink inside, was drizzled with wasabi cream sauce; plump shrimp were dredged in lotus flour, fried, and topped with lemon slices and roasted jalapeno. Beer & wine. 12196 N. MoPac Expy (Loop 1) (512-835-8888). Lunch Mon-Fri 11-2. Dinner Mon-Sat 5-10, Sun 5-9. Cr. $$ (W+)
MANSION AT JUDGES' HILL
(Update) Dining amid chandeliers and oil paintings, we found the food to be just as we'd expected: refined and exceedingly well prepared. A pan-seared beef filet was tender, with a perfect crust, while plump gnocchi in a white wine-basil pesto shared space with sweet shrimp and ethereal scallops. In fact, our only quibble was that bread plates (not dinner plates) were given to two of our party wishing to share an entree. This hardly reflects the Mansion's gracious image. Bar. 1900 Rio Grande (512-495-1800). Breakfast Mon-Fri 6:30-10, Sat & Sun 7-11. Lunch Mon-Fri 11-2. Dinner 7 days 5:30-10. Brunch Sun 11-2. AE, DB, MC, V. $$$ (W+)
MOONSHINE
This popular place has the right formula: upscale comfort food in a limestone building that has been around since Austin was a pup. A lunchtime sauteed trout filet was buttery heaven, though the "stuffing" was more like a crisp, fluffy topping. Good, homey sides included green beans and corn off the cob. Bar. 303 Red River (512-236-9599). Lunch Mon Sat 21-4. Dinner Mon-Thur 5-10, Fri & Sat 5-11. Sun brunch 10:30-2:30. Cr. $$ (W+)
MR. NATURAL
(Update) Our friend from out of state was excited about our plans to eat lunch at this so-Austin spot, where folks enjoy Tex-Mex vegetarian offerings. Unfortunately, her cheese-and-jalapeno tamale was dry. We, too, were disappointed with our tamales, which proved heavy on the masa and light on the pinto beans, but fabulous cheese enchiladas redeemed the meal. On our way out, we grabbed a pumpkin empanada from the bakery case. 2414 B. Lamar Blvd (512-916-9223). Open Mon-Sat 9-9. Closed Sun. Call for other location, Cr. $ (W)
UCHI
(Update) Past visits to Uchi have gone something like this: We cry, "Feed us," and the maestros deliver, with each successive dish outshining the one that came before. Yet on our most recent visit to this hip hideaway, the "wow" factor was lacking (as was our waitress; she arrived with the bill without asking if we cared for dessert). Don't get us wrong, every bite was indeed a good one--from the lightly fried brie puffs with sparkling apple chutney to the tender sake steamed mussels in a slurpworthy kaffir lime--miso broth-but nothing left us singing Uchi's praises for days to come. Oh, the horror. Beer, wine & sake. 802 B. Lamar (512-916-4808). Dinner Mon-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 5:30-11. Closed Sun. AE, DS, MC, V. $$-$$$ (W+)
VENTANA
Sharing only seemed fair at this student-staffed fine-dining restaurant, especially when what appeared be fore us included trout meuniere (in an ethereal lemon-parsley-butter sauce) and light as air creme brulle. The room is spacious, with windows floor to ceiling. Beer & wine. Texas Culinary Academy, 21400 Burnet Rd; turn left (west) at first driveway just north of Kramer Ln (there is no light) and park on right (522-339-3850). Open Tue-Fri 11-1:30 & 5:30-9. Closed Sat-Mon. Reservations recommended AE, DB, MC, V. $$ (W+)
* VESPAIO
(Update) One could feast on the aromas alone: sprightly marinara, fresh-from-the-garden basil, sizzling garlic, crusty pizza dough. Indeed, pristine ingredients are the building blocks for the consistently top notch food here; the pork-and-pecorino-stuffed ravioli was a multitextured marvel, bathed in a decadent mostarda reduction and topped with crispy fried leeks. Longtime servers proudly deliver your food as if they'd cooked it themselves. Bar. 1610 S. Congress Ave (512-441-6600). Dinner Tue-Fri 5:30-10:30, Sat 5-10:30, Sun 5:30-10. Closed Mon. Reservations Tue-Thur & Sun until 6:30. Cr. $$-$$$ (W+)
WINK
The addition of a cozy new bar gives us one more reason to visit our favorite upscale hole-in-the-wall. Snack on olives or pate before heading next door to the restaurant to sample from the always-creative menu--perhaps a New York strip topped with a confetti like nest of crispy collard green slivers. Beer & wine. 1014 N. Lamar (512-482-8868). Dinner Mon-Thur 6-11, Fri & Sat 5:30-11. Closed Sun. Reservations recommended. Cr. $$-$$$ (W+)
Z'TEJAS
May is the perfect month to sit on Z'Tejas's big, breezy, covered balcony, with its view of leafy trees. The kitchen produces consistently robust, flavorful Southwestern and other eclectic fare, from the pesto-slicked grilled shrimp on guacamole-dabbed tostadas to the reliable Santa Fe chicken enchiladas. Bar. 9400 Arboretum Blvd (512-346-3506). Open Sun 10-10, Mon-Thur 11-10, Fri 11-11, Sat 10-11. Cr. $$-$$$ (W+)
Small, New, or Offbeat
LUCY'S BOATHOUSE
After a lonely couple of years in big sister Hula Hut's shadow, occupying a location (despite Austin's few lakeside restaurants) that's nothing if not cursed, Lucy's seems to be finally getting its, uh, lake legs. You'd do well to order a burger or any of the fried items, but you won't be disappointed with the grown-up side of the menu; witness a perfectly respectable trout amandine with a lemon butter sauce. And you'll find the rooftop deck jutting over the water irresistible. Bar. 3825 Lake Austin Blvd (512-651-0505). Open Sun-Thur 11-10, Fri & Sat 11-11. Cr. $$ (W+)
TRULUCK'S
Apparently, an upscale steak and seafood establishment is just what the doctor ordered for quality-restaurant starved North Austinites. On a recent Monday evening (yes, Monday), the parking lot was packed, and the wait stretched on for at least an hour and a half. Thankfully, both the food--from rich yet not overwhelming crab corn chowder to the "exotic" catch of the day (swordfish, flawlessly grilled and served over potato hash and creamed corn) and the impeccable service gave the people what they came for. Bar (opens at 4:30). 10225 Research Blvd (512-794-8300). Dinner Sun-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 5:30-11. Call for other location. Cr. $$-$$$$ (W+)
Beaumont-Port Arthur
AMELIA
The frills are few at this modest blue-collar diner. But the hearty breakfast standards (biscuits with cream gravy, eggs over easy, crisp bacon, and steaming cups of coffee) are steadfast and affordable. As for lunch, we spotted a stream of customers picking up burgers to go. 8350 College, Beaumont (409-866-2770). Open Mon-Sat 6-4. Closed Sun. MC, V. $
BRAD'S PLACE
Hippie and quirky, Brad's draws us in with family-size portions. A dry-erase-board menu hangs from the ceiling, and the entrees change daily. On our visit, penne tossed with andouille and a Cajun cream sauce tested out fine, as did a thick-cut hamburger with Brad's "chips" (crisp, thin-sliced potatoes). BYOB. 2306 Hazel, Beaumont (409-839-8100). Open Mon & Tue 11-2, Wed-Fri 11-2 & 5-9, Sat 11-9. Closed Sun. AE, DS, MC, V. $$-$$$ (W+)
SARTIN'S SEAFOOD
All-you-can-eat platters rule at this family-run spot. Even so, we exercised portion control with cool-yet-kicky crab-stuffed jalapenos, fat and tasty barbecued crabs, tender fried catfish filets, and creamy coleslaw. Beer & wine. 6725 Eastex Fwy (U.S. Hwy 69), Beaumont (409-892-6771). Open Mon-Sat 11-10, Sun 11-9. MC, V. $$ (W+)
THREE AMIGOS
The pride that the Hernandez-Loza family takes in the food and presentation here shows in everything from the great-for-dipping guacamole to the satisfying caldo de res--beef soup loaded with potato, cabbage, carrots, and zucchini. Also up to par is the pechuga al ajillo, tender chicken smothered with white cheese and grilled onions and bell pepper. Bar. 3035 College, Beaumont (409-838-3770). Open Mon-Thur 11-9, Fri-Sun 11-10. Cr. $$ (W)
TUFFY'S EATERY
Man cannot survive on Tuffy's yeast rolls alone, though we wouldn't mind trying. Also needed are batter-fried Monte Cristo sandwiches (ham or turkey plus melted Swiss and American cheeses), creamy cheese soup, and a slice (or two) from one of the cakes on display on the antique soda fountain counter (we're fond of the coconut pineapple). 11251 Texas Hwy 12, Mauriceville (409-745-3170). Open Mon-Thur 11-9, Fri & Sat 11-10, Sun 11-8 Cr. $$ (W+)
Corpus Christi
BERNARD'S
(Update) Breakfast--everything from croissants to omelets--is served at this sleek glass-and-metal spot, which caters to the downtown business crowd. But we like to do lunch. Our Reuben--orned beef, tangy sauerkraut, Russian dressing, and melted Swiss on dark pumpernickel--rrived steaming hot and tasted just right. We barely had room for a towering slice of chocolate layer cake. In hindsight, maybe we should have scaled back and gone for a homemade cookie. 500 Water (361-883-5700). Open Mon-Fri 8:30-5:30. Closed Sat & Sun. AE, DS, ME, V. $ (W)
DENTONI'S
Bold red and purple walls and black furniture make an edgy statement. Stop at this downtown pizzeria especially for the tasty Greek version laden with meatballs, artichoke hearts, black olives, sliced red onion, fresh basil, and feta. Burgers offered too. Beer & wine. 415 William (361-881-9885). Open Mon & Tue 10:30-10, Wed 10:30-midnight, Thur & Fri 10:30-3:30, Sat 5-3:30. Closed Sun. Cr. $$ (W)
IMPERIAL CAFE AND SUSHI BAR
A wall of flowing water greets diners at this popular upscale restaurant. We can't get enough of the tuna sashimi dressed with cracked black pepper or the spider roll with soft-shelled crab. Excellent service in spite of the crowds. Beer & wine. 5702 S. Staples (351-980-1423). Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30-2:15. Dinner Mon-Thur 5:30-9:15, Fri & Sat 5:30-9:45. Closed Sun. Cr. $-$$ (W)
KATZ 21 STEAK AND SPIRITS
This plush, high-ceilinged steakhouse now does lunch. We loved the creamy shrimp bisque, and basil mayonnaise added a nice touch to a chicken Waldorf salad. The Katz steak sandwich with Gorgonzola on a French roll proved satisfying. Bar. 317 N. Mesquite (351-884-1815). Lunch Mon-Fri 11-2:30. Dinner Mon-Thur 5-10, Fri & Sat 5-11. Closed Sun. Cr. $$-$$$ (W)
OPHRAKA'S
This beige-and-cream downtown spot makes a splash with fiery noodle dishes and sushi. A Thai version of chicken salad featured minced chicken, green onions, cilantro, lime juice, and chunks of eye-watering red peppers; thank goodness we opted for the mild version (spice levels range from "coward" to "true Thai"). Beer & wine. 429 Schatzel (351-885-0880). Open Mon-Thur 11-3, Fri & Sat 5-9. Closed Sun. Cr. $$ (W+) Women's restroom only.
SILVERADO SMOKEHOUSE
(Update) Dried-flower wreaths adorn the walls of this otherwise no-frills establishment. On a recent evening tender brisket, sliced smoked turkey, and sausage were the top picks. We also approved of the standard side offerings--slaw, pintos, and potato salad--and the nontraditional items such as macaroni and cheese, fried corn fritters, mashed potatoes, and fruit salad. No lie: A companion's beef rib overhung his plate. Beer & wine. 4522 Weber Rd (352-855-5454). Open 7 days 11-9. AE, DS, ME, V. $-$$ (W)
Dallas
* ABACUS
Ensconced in this small, posh room, we were off to a piquant start with a spinach salad dotted with feta, marinated kalamata olives, and oven-dried cherry tomatoes. Then it was on to the wood-grilled Texas antelope. Though a touch chewy, it was served with a spectacular English pea risotto. Bar. 4511 McKinney Ave (214-55P-3111). Dinner Mon-Thur 6-10, Fri & Sat 6-11. Closed Sun. Cr. $$$-$$$$ (W+)
ALLIGATOR CAFE
Having been pleased with the simpler offerings, tried the Atchafalaya: two huge blackened catfish filets smothered with shrimp etouffee on a mound of rice. A circus of rich, well-defined flavors, it was a bargain of a feast at $9.75. Beer & wine. 4415 Live Oak (214-821-6900). Open Mon-Thur 11-9, Fri & Sat 11-10. Closed Sun. AE, DE, MC, V. $...
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