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Article Excerpt
Amarillo
CATTLE EXCHANGE
(New)
Located in the historic Moody Building in Canadian, the Cattle Exchange is just as popular as it was in 1910, when cattle buyers and weary travelers would stop in for a good meal. And if you go on a Sunday, you might be welcomed by members of the town's founding families. We knew what we wanted: chicken-fried steak with cream gravy, a mesquite-grilled steak, and smoked-beef enchiladas. Pure heaven. We were so full, though, that our order of the delicious bread pudding ended up going home with us. Second & Main, Canadian (805-323-5755). Open Mon-Sat 11-9, Sun 11-8. $-$$ (w+)
FELDMAN'S WRONG WAY DINER
Complete with model train traveling the room, this lunch and dinner spot is the best for old-fashioned comfort food, like chicken-fried chicken and Frito pie. Sandwiches include burgers, po'boys, and the decidedly un-old-fashioned Texas Egg Roll: a hoagie bun stuffed with sliced ribeye, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and Swiss, then battered and fried. 2100 IV. 2nd Ave, Canyon (805-555-2700). Open Sun-Thur 11-9, Fri & Sat 11-10. $-$$ (W+)
NAPOLI'S
Don't wait to visit downtown's newest eatery, an ultracasual Italian spot offering a wide range of classic subs, pizzas, and pastas. Homemade bread served with marinara and tender, lightly breaded calamari are perfect starters for any appetite, best followed by chicken Napoli or lobster ravioli in a creamy wine sauce. Save room for the excellent tiramisu. Bar. 700 S. Taylor (806-220-2588). Open Mon 11-3, Tue-Thur 11-10, Fri & Sat 11-11. Closed Sun. $-$$ (W+)
Austin
ANDIAMO RISTORANTE
If you find yourself hungry in North Austin, ditch the Domain and settle in at this unpretentious strip-mall spot for some excellent Italian food. All the frills you need are sprinkled throughout the menu. We were bowled over by the pillowlike gnocchi bathed in a decadent fontina bechamel. The fettuccine was sublime in a hearty tomato and Italian sausage ragu, and the rosemary veal sang with a bright lemon butter sauce. The tiramisu was above average, but the star of the dessert menu was the white-chocolate cheesecake. Beer & wine. 2521 Rutland Dr (512-719-3377). Lunch Mon-Fri 11-2. Dinner Mon-Sat 5-10. Closed Sun. $$-$$$ (W+)
FINO
Whether abetted by ceiling fans or outdoor heaters, eat on Fine's broad concrete patio, one of the city's best treetop venues. Chef Jason Donaho seems to have the Mediterranean menu arranged to his liking now, and we liked it too, especially the chicken tajine: juicy chicken on top of fluffy almond-and-currant couscous. A grilled lamb-beef burger, with dill yogurt, shaved cucumber, and red onion, gave a Middle Eastern twist to an all-American favorite. The best dessert we've had in ages was the petite almond-crusted fritters with a sultry dollop of orange-mascarpone cream and poached vanilla bean-scented cherries alongside. Bar. 2905 Ban Gabriel, second level (512474-2905). Open Mon-Thur 11-10, Fri 11-11, Sat 5-11. Closed Sun. $$.-$$$ (W+)
* HUDSON'S ON THE BEND
(Update)
Whenever we're looking for the royal treatment, we book a table at this charming cottage near Lake Travis. Here, every occasion is special, and with selections such as the Really Expensive Seafood Martini, you know both your taste buds and your pocketbook are in for a wild ride. Speaking of wild, you'll find no shortage of exotic game on the menu. Served over a rich mole was a juicy grilled pheasant breast with cilantro pesto tucked just beneath the skin. Finishing the meal with a lemony rosemary olive oil cake left us feeling like kings indeed. Bar. 3509 Ranch Rd 620, 1.5 miles southwest of Mansfield Dam (512-266-1369). Dinner Sun- Thur 6-9, Fri & Sat 5:30-10. Reservations recommended. $$-$$$$ (W+)
JASPER'S
(Updates)
Raised in Kansas City, executive chef and proprietor Kent Rathbun reveals his Midwestern sensibilities in dishes such as baby back ribs and creamy baked-potato salad. But expect these homey specials to be modernized, as in his singular mac and cheese, brimming with aged Gouda, smoky ham, and slivered almonds. Ditto the prosciutto-wrapped shrimp with grits, yet another classed-up dish. Among the entrees, don't miss the Texas peach pork tenderloin. And if you have an inch of space remaining, try Rick's Rockin' Chocolate Cake, with white- and dark-chocolate ganaches. (The best thing about it may be the accompanying miniature vanilla shake.) Bar. The Domain, 11505 Century Oaks Terrace, north of Braker between Burnet and MoPac (Loop 1) (512-834-4111). Open Mon- Thur 11-10, Fri & Sat 11-11, Sun 11-9. $$-$$$ (W+)
** JEFFREY'S
We sneaked in just before this Austin institution (otherwise known as our default neighborhood spot) got busy. Our quest to find the best scallops in the city will lead us elsewhere, alas, but everything else proved delightful. Duck and shrimp with a rise nero croquette and confit cabbage tasted just right (although maybe a tad heavy for a warm evening), and the Berkshire pork chop with roasted fingerling potatoes was divine. Bar. 2204 West Lynn (512-477-5584). Dinner Mon-Thur 6-10, Fri & Sat 5:30-10:30, Sun 6-9:30. Reservations recommended. $$$-$$$$ (five courses $85 without wine) (W+)
MULBERRY
(New)
This newish wine bar is small (intimate is in), sleek (mod is cool), and stylish (Michael Hsu, of Olivia fame, is the designer). As we watched the smartly dressed crowd of twentysomethings catching up on the day, we noshed on meatballs in a delicious broth tinged with white wine, lemon, and bay leaves. We also approved of the braised veal atop creamy polenta with fennel-apple salad (though a tad bitter), and a smooth white Bordeaux left us glowing. Kudos to the staff for wine knowledge and friendliness. Beer & wine. 350 Nueces (512-320-0297). Open 7 days 11:30-midnight (bar open till 1 a.m. Sun-Thur, 2 a.m Fri & Sat). $$-$$$ (W+)
OLIVIA
We're crushing on this smart new place located on a gentrifying stretch of South Lamar. Serving Mediterranean cuisine, Olivia sources most of its ingredients from local purveyors, with mostly great results. Oysters dabbed with honey mignonette made a good start, but it was the tender morsels of lamb's tongue that had us blowing kisses to the kitchen. The summer squash ratatouille (accompanying a crispy-skinned filet of char) was too bitter, but we ended on a sweet note: butternut squash ravioli with a splash of amaretto in the sauce. Somehow designer Michael Hsu's strong geometric lines go wonderfully with robin's-egg-blue walls and a subtle botanical wallpaper. Beer & wine. 2043 S. Lamar (512-804-2700). Dinner Mon-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Sat 5:30-11, Sun 5:30-9. Brunch Sun 10:30-2:30. $$ (W+)
PRIMIZIE OSTERIA
(Update)
It's a simple concept: a friendly gathering place for both the nearby Capitol crowd and downtown diners looking for a casual meal. A tasty steak sandwich wrap, with slices of tender rare beef nestled in Primizie's signature herb-flecked flatbread, was a chalkboard special worth leaving the office for. Serviceable pastas, like rigatoni with slices of house-made fennel sausage and a zesty sugo, pair well with a glass of wine if you are lucky enough to not be headed back to a desk. Avoid the caprese salad, made with chewy dried tomatoes and aged mozzarella, but stay for desserts; lemon cheesecake was light and creamy. Beer & wine. 1000 E. 11th (512-236-0088). Open Mon-Fri 11-10, Sat 5-10, Sun 5-9. $-$$ (W+)
SEGOVIA
Flamenco guitarist strumming, Hemingway gazing from the wall, sangria pitchers on the tables: This place feels like a social studies diorama of Spain. Your best bet for now is to stick with the tapas, like the bread with tomato (pa amb tomaquet, in Catalan), with a dice of tomatoes drenched in olive oil, and a platter of jamon serrano, crumbles of manchego, and tiny rounds of chorizo. The entrees we sampled were not ready for prime time: Skip the paella and the flabby-skinned roast suckling pig. Just order some pear-infused white sangria and the (authentic enough) eggy Spanish tortilla with a red pepper aioli. Bar. 7010 Texas 71W, at the Y, Oak Hill (512-579-0726). Open 7 days 11:30-10. $-$$ (W+)
STARLITE
With a new lunch menu featuring bistro-style fare, you don't have to wait until dark anymore to enjoy what Starlite has to offer. Seated in the spare and airy dining room, we started with the surprisingly creamy onion tart and found ourselves devouring every crumb. The steak-frites pleased with crisp french fries dusted with sea salt, but the beef had a little too much salt in the dry rub. We finished with a rich milk-chocolate pot de creme. Bar. 407 Colorado (512-374-9012). Lunch Mon-Fri 11-4. Dinner Mon-Wed 5:30-10, Thur-Sat 5:30-11. Brunch Sun 11-3. $$-$$$ (W+)
** UCHI
(Update)
Like a fine sake, Uchi has improved with age. Nightly specials, such as the maguro ceviche--seared bluefin tuna with spring onions and crispy shallots in Vietnamese fish sauce and sesame oil--set the culinary bar very high indeed. The creativity of seared Hudson Valley foie gras (served with figs, huckleberries, almonds, and kabocha winter squash) sends said bar into the stratosphere. And desserts, like Milk Prepared Four Ways--Valrhona soft chocolate, fried milk, milk sherbet, and chocolate oil--in no way disappoint. It's been open almost five years, and Uchi still has the power to send you somewhere you've never been before. Beer, wine, & sake. 801 B. Lamar Blvd (512-915-4808). Dinner Sun-Thur 5:30-10, Fri & Bat 5:30-11. Reservations recommended, taken until 7. $$-$$$ (W+)
UNCORKED TASTING ROOM
Ultracool--that describes this sleek urban spot on the outer rim of gentrified East Austin. We watched the sun set behind the Capitol (a stellar sight, by the way) as we tasted a flight of light whites. Then our cheese "bowl" arrived: a baguette, grapes, honey, chevre, feta, and an amazing baby caprino dredged in fine charcoal (the young cheesemaker hails from Blanco). Korean beef bulgogi with sticky rice and a cool cucumber salad satisfied, but it was the seared ahi tuna rubbed with sesame that blew us away-simple, succulent, and utterly pristine. Beer & wine. 900 E. 7th (512-524-2809). Open Mon-Fri 11-midnight, Bat 3 p.m.-1 a.m. Closed Bun. $-$$ (W+)
* VESPAIO
If the main room of this bustling Travis Heights spot is too loud for your taste, ask for a table in the calmer, private dining room (if available). On a recent visit, French onion soup topped with crusty toast and gooey Gruyere was dreamy, so much so that we felt we'd been transported to a Parisian brasserie (even though this is a decidedly Italian restaurant). Pan-seared halibut on buttery capellini was all fine and good but was sadly forgotten upon the arrival of a silky dark-chocolate pot de creme. Buono appetito! Bar. 1510 S. Congress Ave (512-441-6100). Dinner Sun & Mon 5:30-10, Tue-Bat 5:30-10:30. Reservations taken Mon-Thur & Sun until 6:30. $$-$$$ (W+)
WINK
(Updates)
Given that a fair amount of the menu is locally sourced, it's a pleasant surprise to come across bigeye tuna at this tiny, convivial spot. The fish is cooked rare and tastily topped with a savory green garnish of flash-fried lamb's-quarter. We happily devoured delicate sea scallops paired with crispy boar belly. The cutest, tiniest fried quail egg topped our potatoes, and honey glazed our veal sweetbreads. As for the desserts, the silky Chocolate Soup (with islands of milk-chocolate-mousse quenelles scented with bergamot from an Earl Grey infusion) all but eclipsed the iconic El Rey chocolate cake. Even so, Wink's lemon meringue pot may be the most consistently satisfying dessert in town. Beer & wine. 1014 N. Lamar Blvd (512-482-8868). Dinner Mon-Wed 6-10, Thur-Sat 5:30-11. Closed Sun. Reservations recommended. $$-$$$ (W+)
Corpus Christi
DOBSON IN THE ART MUSEUM OF SOUTH TEXAS
(Update)
A jazzed-up new menu encourages overindulgence at this spectacularly sited salad-and-sandwich spot catered by the private Town Club. About as up close and personal with ship channel traffic as we could be without strolling outside, we taste-tested the new chef's Chinese chicken salad, a generous bowl of crisp julienned iceberg, grilled chicken, mandarin orange, and cilantro (peanuts and wonton strips gave added crunch, and a light sesame-peanut dressing brought everything together). We also enjoyoed the Bon Temps chicken salad sandwich with a tomato-basil spread on toasted ciabatta. Tragically, there was no room left for the Michelangelo chocolate ganache cake that we had enjoyed on previous visits. Beer & wine. Art Museum of South Texas, 1902 N. Shoreline Bird (361-825-3523). Lunch Tue-Fri 11:30-2:30, Sat 11:30-3:30. Closed Sun & Mon. $ (W+)
HESTER'S CAFE & COFFEE BAR
Know before you go: You'll need patience (it's a crowd magnet), willpower (tempting cakes and pies abound), and determination (the place isn't easy to find). But it's worth it. Hester and Jason Rodriguez have somehow combined the best features of a coffeehouse, tearoom, bakery, and truck stop. Breakfast is served all day, and there's an array of sandwiches, soups, and salads. We like the Spinnaker: spinach with bacon, feta, and roasted almonds. 1714 S. Alameda, at Six Points, entrance on Palmero (361-885-0558). Open Mon-Sat 7-3. Closed Sun. $-$$ (W+)
JOE COTTEN'S BARBECUE
A regional landmark and barbecue mecca, this popular place has had sixty-something years to perfect its formula: Do a few things exceedingly well. Ordering is simple; choose any combination of succulent pit-smoked meat (brisket, sausage, pork ribs), and your choice will arrive quickly on layers of butcher paper with a cup of pinto beans and a slice each of tomato, onion, dill pickle, jalapeno, and wheat and white bread. (The mildly sweet sauce is mostly superfluous.) Beer & wine. U.S. 77, Robstown (351-767-9973). Open Tue-Sat 10-9:30. Closed Sun & Mon. $-$$ Cash only (ATM inside). (W)
LATITUDE 2802
Ramona and Craig Day's expanded and gussied-up art gallery setting complements an already fine kitchen. We started with crab cakes, then followed those with a pan-seared salmon in an herby wine sauce studded with capers and a peppery filet of black drum that was simply outstanding. Sides were less successful--the green beans were limp and the mashed potatoes heavy, if tasty--but a Sambuca chocolate mousse with fresh berries concluded an altogether lovely dinner. Bar. 105 N. Austin, Rockport (361-727-9009). Dinner Tue-Sun 5-9 (or last table). Closed Mon. $$-$$$ (W+)
MAMMA MIA'S
Gianni and Marino Delzotto never disappoint; their warm hospitality and excellent food make each visit a delight. We contented ourselves with the menu standard veal saltimbocca alia romana (tender medallions with prosciutto and a lightly herbed wine sauce), as well as a buttery sauteed snapper. The expanded wine list is impressive, especially the Italian selections. Skip lunch before you go--portions are generous. Beer & wine. 128 N. Mesquite (351-883-3773). Dinner Tue-Sat 5 until closing (call). Closed Sun & Mon. $$-$$$ Cash or check only. (W)
THE TORCH
(Update)
Recently refurbished and expanded, this dependable and affordable neighborhood steak and seafood house is in its fifty-third year (and the twenty-fifth under the flag of Telly Gialouris). You'll start right with crisp lettuce served on a cold plate, although it's difficult to decide on a dressing, especially when...
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