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April 2009
Waiter, there’s a star in my soup
After an interlude between the retirement of longtime restaurant critic Dale Rice and my getting acclimated to the critic’s job, I’ve reintroduced ratings to our restaurant coverage, starting with this week’s reviews of Silver & Stone Restaurant and Wine Bar in Georgetown (above right, which earned 2 stars out of 5) and the Screaming Goat (above left, which earned 7.1 on a 10-point scale).
Here’s an explanation of that system:
The transition of the American-Statesman’s entertainment magazine from XL to Austin360 also marks the reintroduction of restaurant ratings.
We’ll use two systems, one for fine dining and one for casual restaurants, because their approaches to food, service, atmosphere and value are so different that to rate the best French cooking and the best french fries on the same scale would paint misleading pictures of both.
There’s no empirical definition of ‘fine’ and ‘casual’ dining (unless you count places that call green beans ‘haricots verts’). So my experiences at each place will guide that determination.
Fine dining: A five-star system
Michelin uses three stars. The New York Times uses four. Texas Monthly uses three. The L.A. Weekly, the Austin Chronicle and Westword in Denver forgo restaurant ratings altogether.
But we live in a five-star world, fostered and codified by the citizen soldiers of the Internet. We are accustomed to five-star systems on Yelp.com, Amazon and our own reader ratings on austin360.com. So I’ll rate fine-dining spots on a five-star scale.
My star ratings will come from weighted scores in four categories: food, service, atmosphere and value, with food and service carrying the most weight. Here’s what the ratings mean:
☆☆☆☆ Flaws across the board. Food, service, atmosphere and value suffer on every level.
☆☆☆ Serious room for improvement but with a few bright spots.
☆☆ A good overall experience. Clear mission, solid execution.
☆ Excellent across the board. Perfect in some areas, with only a few small distractions.
An extraordinary restaurant experience from start to finish.
Anything below the one-star threshold will require an additional visit. Without improvement, the restaurant will receive an ‘Unacceptable’ rating.
Casual dining: A 10-point scale
The 10-point casual-dining scale (10 being the highest) allows for more meaningful distinctions than simple up-or-down ratings. The system also is based on weighted scores for food, service, atmosphere and value — but with more weight given to food and value.
(Photo at top: Queso and Shiner at the Screaming Goat; cognac at Silver & Stone. American-Statesman photos by Mike Sutter.)
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The Screaming Goat: Guest critic Thomas Molina
In Austin360, the entertainment magazine that debuts Thursday in the American-Statesman, I review the Screaming Goat, a straightforward taco restaurant that’s shacked up in the little house that used to be Basil’s and Cafe Caprice (and Chuco’s and 10th Street Tacos).
In that review, I introduce aspiring restaurant critic Thomas Molina, a seventh-grader at Clint Small Middle School. Here’s his review of the Screaming Goat. Enjoy.
(Above: Thomas Molina with his father, Gary Molina, at the Screaming Goat at 900 W. 10th Street. American-Statesman photos by Mike Sutter.)
Scream for the Screaming Goat
The Screaming Goat has everything a die-hard Mexican food lover wants.
This restaurant has a variety of Mexican food, from tacos to adobado chicken. What makes this place stand out (besides the name), is that it also serves some food that is hard to find in the U.S., such as pastor (spiced pork) and the beverage horchata (rice milk). No matter what you get, the food is delicious, but it may not set any new records. While eating there, I enjoyed it, but I’ve had better at other restaurants.
The only thing I did not like there was the pastor. Other than that, the foods were yummy, and for hamburger lovers, get here on Tuesdays to get a $2 burger.
You order at the counter. I ordered chips and queso as my appetizer, and it was very good. It was spicy, but not flaming hot. The only problem I had with it was that it had too many green peppers, but barely any red ones. The chips were odd. They were a bit thicker than those at other restaurants, and they were crispy, but not crumbly. They were mediocre.
I ordered many entrees, such as adobado chicken, pastor and taquitos. I ordered a burrito with the adobado chicken, which was chicken spiced with a variety of spices. It was delicious! Not spicy, but not bland, either.
The pastor was a major disappointment. It was not spicy, but had an odd flavor to it that I did not like.
Their flautas were very yummy! They came with a red sauce or a green sauce on top of them. I liked the green sauce a lot! It was spicy, but maybe just two-alarm. The red sauce was pretty good as well. It was a bit spicier than the green sauce but was tasty nonetheless.
We also tried their tostadas. Carne asada was the meat in them, but they also had lettuce and cheese. They were fantastico!
The tacos we tried were grilled tilapia tacos. They were one of the best fish tacos I’ve ever had! They came with lettuce also.
For dessert, we had to try their churros and sopapillas. The churros were much better and fresher than the ones you get at amusement parks, with the perfect amount of cinnamon on them. The sopapillas were also as good. They were homemade and had the perfect amount of sugar on them.
The cool beverage here was horchata. It is milk from rice. Although that sounds odd, it tasted very good, and was almost like a milkshake.
The service was wonderful. The waiter was really nice, and the second I sat down, my appetizer was on the table.
Eating outside is perfect! Shoal Creek is in clear view, so you can explore while waiting for the food.
I give the Screaming Goat an 8 out of 10. Stop by 10th and Lamar to enjoy great Mexican food!
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A sampler of Mother’s Day brunches and lunches
Mother’s Day is May 10. Here’s a sampling of what Austin restaurants are doing for Mom that day (including SWB at the Hyatt, above).
• Andiamo Ristorante (2521 Rutland Drive, 719-3377, www.andiamoitaliano.com): A la carte lunch. Appetizers and main courses include mozzarella salad, seafood bruschetta, four-cheese ravioli, filet mignon and tiramisu. Prices vary. Noon to 5 p.m.
• Cantina Laredo (201 W. Third St., 542-9670, www.cantinalaredo.com): brunch with omelets, eggs Benedict, migas, fajitas, enchiladas and more. $1 Bloody Marys and mimosas. $15.99. Free dessert for moms. 10 a,m. to 3 p.m.
• The Carillon (AT&T Executive Conference Center, 1900 University Ave., 404-3689, www.meetattexas.com): Buffet features crab legs, mussels, smoked fish, lamb, risotto a waffle and crepe station, omelets, desserts and more. $42, $24 for children 6 to 12 years, free for 5 and younger. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Cissi’s Market & Wine Bar (1400 S. Congress Ave., 225-0521, www.cissismarket.com): Three-course fixed menu. Choices include fresh pastries, mini crab cakes, a breakfast sampler, duck confit salad, tiramisu and apple tart. $22, $12 for kids 12 and younger. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Cool River Cafe (4001 Parmer Lane, 835-0010, www.coolrivercafe.com): Three-course menu, including shrimp bisque, petite filet, rib-eye steak, shrimp, pork chop and mango cheesecake. $39.95, $12.95 for children younger than 12. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Cru: A Wine Bar (238 W. Second St., 472-9463; 11410 Century Oaks Terrace at the Domain, 339-9463; www.cruawinebar.com): Three-course brunch. Appetizer choices include stuffed piquillo pepper and Bloody Mary shrimp. Among the main courses are grilled salmon and crab-cake benedict, and dessert options include vanilla creme brulee and chocolate lava cake. $24.95, half-price for children younger than 12. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Eddie V’s (Arboretum location only: 9400B Arboretum Blvd., 342-2642, www.eddiev.com): A la carte lunch. Appetizers and main courses include salt-and-pepper shrimp, an oyster bar, Atlantic salmon, swordfish and steaks. Prices vary. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• European Bistro (111 E. Main St., Pflugerville, 512-835-1919, www.european-bistro.com): Choices on a five-course prix-fixe menu include sour cherry soup, filet mignon, jagerschnitzel, smoked pork shank and poached salmon, plus a Mozart cake. $45. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Fabi and Rosi European Kitchen (509 Hearn St., 236-0642, www.fabiandrosi.com): Brunch at the new restaurant in the old Zoot building. Menu includes a croque monsieur, brioche French toast, sweet or savory crepes and goat-cheese-and-spinach quiche. BYOB. $8-$14. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Fall Creek Vineyards (1820 County Road 222, Tow; 325-379-5361, www.fcv.com): On Saturday, May 9 only, an early Mother’s Day lunch of three courses paired with wines. $44, $12 for children younger than 10. Seatings at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
• FINO Restaurant Patio & Bar (2905 San Gabriel St., 474-2905, www.finoaustin.com): A la carte brunch. The menu includes Wagyu flat-iron steak and eggs, merguez sausage sliders with fries and made-to-order doughnuts. A la carte pricing. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar (11600 Century Oaks Terrace, Suite 140 at the Domain, 835-9463; 320 E. Second St. 457-1500; www.flemingssteakhouse.com): Three-course prix-fixe brunch. Starters: wedge salad, onion soup, fruit. Main course: filet mignon Benedict, crab-cake Benedict, pork chop, salmon quiche. Dessert: berry cobbler, creme brulee, turtle pie. $29.95. 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Four Seasons hotel (98 San Jacinto Blvd., 685-8300, www.fourseasons.com): Buffet options include salads, pastas, pastries, pate, omelets, blintzes, crab claws, sushi, prime rib and desserts. $75 at Trio, $68 in the ballroom, $20 children 6-11, free for children younger than 5. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• The Hill Country Dining Room (Barton Creek Resort & Spa, 8212 Barton Club Drive, 329-7923, www.bartoncreek.com): Buffet options include heirloom tomato salad, Italian ham, prime rib, grouper, white chocolate bread pudding and chocolate-dipped strawberries. $57.95, $22.95 children 6-12, $1 per year of age for children 5 and younger. 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Hilton Austin (500 E. Fourth St., 493-4900, www.hilton.com): The buffet brunch features carved brisket and pork loin, omelet and seafood stations, breakfast favorites, salads and desserts. $39, $10 children 10 and younger. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Hyde Park Bar & Grill (4260 Duval St., 458-3168; 4521 Westgate Blvd., 899-2700; www.hydeparkbarandgrill.com): A la carte brunch menu, plus a free flower for mothers. Prices vary. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• North by Northwest Restaurant and Brewery (10010 N. Capital of Texas Highway (Loop 36), 467-6969, www.nxnwbrew.com): Specials include Southwestern tenderloin, seared flounder and croissant French toast. Prices vary. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• The Old Coupland Inn & Dancehall (101 Hoxie St., Coupland; 512-856-2226, www.couplanddancehall.com): Buffet brunch, including smoked turkey, cornbread dressing, ham, prime rib, full breakfast with omelet station, fresh fruit and desserts. $20.99, $15.99 for children younger than 12. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Paggi House (200 Lee Barton Drive, 473-3700, www.paggihouse.com): A recent addition to the brunch scene. Two-course fixed menu, including fresh breads, fresh fruit and juices, beignets, breakfast dishes and chicken and waffles. $39. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Roy’s of Austin (340 E. Second St., 391-1500, www.roysrestaurant.com): Three-course brunch. Appetizer choices include a Yamaguchi sushi roll, lobster pot stickers and blackened ahi. Main course choices include beef short ribs with poached eggs, macadamia-crusted mahi mahi and crab cakes Benedict. Desserts include warm banana cake, chocolate mousse and guava chiffon-lillikoi cake. $30-$46 for three courses, $12 for children. 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Sagra (1610 San Antonio St., 535-5988, www.sagrarestaurant.net): A main course and dessert, Options include crab-and-pancetta scramble, bananas Foster French toast, duck hash with eggs and profiteroles and espresso gelato.. $18. $1 mimosas and bellinis. 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• SWB Southwest Bistro (208 Barton Springs Road in the Hyatt hotel, 480-2035, www.austin.hyatt.com): Buffet with complimentary champagne. Choices include pates, cheeses, salads, crab legs, shrimp, sushi, breakfast favorites, sushi, sea bass, prime rib and desserts. $52, $27 children 12 and younger. 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Wyndham Garden Hotel Austin (3401 S. Interstate 35, 744-4838, www.wyndhamaustin.com): Brunch with eggs Benedict, French toast, shrimp, prime rib , salmon, cheeses, fruit and desserts. $29.50, $12.95 children 12 and younger. 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
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P. Terry’s and the expanding burger-verse
The second location of the wildly popular burger shop P. Terry’s has opened at the former Hill-Bert’s Burgers location at 3303 N. Lamar Blvd. Word has it the place, open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, is already packed. A third location is planned for this summer.
The restaurant joins two other Austin burger operations with recent expansions: Mighty Fine Burgers, Fries & Shakes opened its third location (in Round Rock at 201 University Oaks Blvd., Suite 1380) earlier this month, and Hill-Bert’s opened a third restaurant (at 7211 Burnet Road) in March.
(P. Terry’s rendering by Michael Hsu Design)
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An 80-cent slice of Blue Bonnet history
Like you need an excuse to drive through the Hill Country to Marble Falls at this time of year. The bluebonnets, the weather, the pie at the Blue Bonnet Cafe. Speaking of which, the Blue Bonnet (211 U.S. 281 in Marble Falls, 830-693-2344) will celebrate its 80th birthday Tuesday (April 28) with 80-cent slices of pie.
(American-Statesman photo)
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Cupcakes with a conscience
There’s not too many places with a sweeter mission than Open Door Preschools, a child-care operation with two Austin locations that brings together kids of different races, abilities and family-income levels.
What made Thursday even sweeter at the Cherrywood Road school was the way teachers, parents and a few community-minded businesspeople pulled together for something as simple as a cupcake contest (and sale) to help the school’s book fair.
Four judges sampled about 20 cupcakes, awarding points for taste and design. Entries ranged from a blue-iced cupcake with white-frosting eyes and half a cookie for a mouth (Cookie Monster) to a masterpiece of yellow and white jellybeans across three cupcakes with squares of yellow frosting to create corn on the cob.
I was one of the judges, but the other judges and the organizer are the story here:
• Chris Cusack (in the orange shirt) owns Clementine Coffee Bar just down the street at 2200 Manor Road. Cusack said his mother is a teacher, and he believes in supporting schools and churches in the neighborhoods around his coffee shops (he also runs Thunderbird Coffee on Koenig Lane).
• Dave Foster (at left in the photo above) works with Austin Green Art, which is helping the school upgrade and naturalize its playground.
• Dianna Perez runs what she calls a”weekend warrior” catering business called East End Edibles. In real life, she’s an AISD program specialist, working with homeless kids. In her 10 years with Open Door Preschool, she helped children learn to cook through the “Camp Chef Kids” program.
• Tracey Matchefts is the teacher at Open Door who organized the book fair and the contest. She also made the corn-on-the-cob cupcakes, which won the design part of the contest. She’ll be spending her $25 prize on books for the school.
Sweet.
(Quick update from Tracey: “I wanted to mention that Sierra Jendrzey, my Co-Teacher, had the idea for the corn-on-the-cob cupcakes design and helped make them too.”)
(American-Statesman photos by Mike Sutter)
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The fish are running on South Congress
McGuire, who is also a chef and co-owner of Lamberts Downtown Barbecue, will share cooking duties at Perla’s with fellow Lamberts chef and co-owner Thomas Moorman Jr.
In March, McGuire said the idea behind Perla’s is part South Congress Avenue hangout, part “best casual seafood restaurant in town,” along the lines of New York City spot Mary’s Fish Camp and Bryan Caswell’s Reef in Houston.
Perla’s, at 1400 S. Congress Ave., is open for dinner daily at 5:30 p.m., and McGuire said lunch service will start Monday, running 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Brunch service will start May 2, running 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
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Be nice to your Mom: Make brunch plans
At the risk of being the restaurant calendar geek, it’s my duty as a son to remind you that Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10. If your restaurant has special brunch plans for Mom, please e-mail me so I can get the word to Forklore and Statesman readers.
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Wine and Food Fest: Sunday Fair photos
TOP LEFT: At the Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival’s Sunday Fair, the Salt Lick served hundred of pounds of sausage and brisket. By midafternoon, the Salt Lick’s Shane Griffith was feeling the effects of an afternoon of nonstop slicing.
TOP RIGHT: Celebrity chef Damian Mandola wasn’t shy about drawing attention by shouting “sausage and peppers!” at the booth where Mandola’s Italian Market was handing out food samples and tastes of sangiovese and zinfandel from Mandola Estate Winery.
CENTER: Austin professional rocker and cooking enthusiast Patrice Pike, left, and professional chef and rock enthusiast Paul Petersen were charming, casual and smart-alecky during their rib-cooking demonstration.
(American-Statesman photos by Mike Sutter)
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Wine and Food Fest: From vine to vino
Former professional football player Alphonse Dotson (above, with his wife, Martha Cervantes-Dotson) is good at growing grapes. His crops from Certenberg Vineyards in Voca, 80 miles northwest of Austin, have contributed to the acclaim earned by Texas’ Fall Creek Vineyards.
But at the Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival’s Sunday Fair in Driftwood, Dotson said he’s also trying his hand at making wine. Dotson said that in June he and his wife, Martha Cervantes-Dotson, hope to release Gotas D’Oro (“Drops of Gold”), a white wine blended with late-harvest moscato grapes and a “mystery grape” to create a semi-sweet blend that’s “bold, but not too aggressive.”
The fair, which drew about 3,000 people to sample wine and specialty foods at the Vineyards at the Salt Lick in Driftwood, was the final event of the four-day festival.
(American-Statesman photo by Mike Sutter)
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Wine & Food Fest: Mike Martini
Third-generation California winemaker Mike Martini plays lead guitar in a rock band called Private Reserve.
There’s no way that detail’s going to slide by after an Austin lunch meeting with the burly, effusive grandson of the Italian immigrant who started the Louis M. Martini Winery. When you’re in Austin, you talk about music, even if you won’t have time to hit the clubs.
Martini will be a busy man during the Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival, which began Thursday and runs through Sunday. He’ll be pouring his famed cabernets at Friday’s “Red, White and New” tasting at the Driskill, the “Stars Across Texas Grand Tasting” at the Long Center on Friday night, Saturday’s sold-out “Big Dog Reds” event at III Forks and the “Sunday Fair” in Driftwood.
He’ll be the guy with forearms like oak barrels and the mid-length gray hair and mustache to match who looks like he’d be right at home grinding out classic rock in a bar band (a bar with a really tight wine list, heavy on the California reds).
At lunch, we tried four of Martini’s cabernets. Here are a few impressions of each:
• 2006 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon ($17): A blackberry fruit bomb, an entry-level cab that Martini joked “ages in the car on the way home.” Come on, big man. Show a little more respect for the most playful of your kids. Fun and drinkable.
• 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($25): We’re not even halfway along in the tasting, and already things are getting complex. I pick up some cedary, cigar-box notes. The fruit is more subtle here.
• 2006 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($35): The oak makes itself known. Talk stops at the table while this one sinks in. The winery’s representative, Melanie Dougherty, calls it “velvety,” and we launch into comparing Mike Martini’s winemaking style to that of his father (Louis P.) and his grandfather (Louis M.). Put in the simplest terms, grandfather Martini made big, rustic wines in the Old World sty;e, father Martini’s style was silky, and Mike Martini has found a way to bridge the two styles. This wine expresses that balance. Rustic smoothness. Right, velvet.
• 2005 Sonoma Valley Monte Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon ($85): The “Red Mountain” of the Martini vineyards makes a wine that’s got more of everything: more oak, more tannins, more alcohol. Despite all the “more,” there’s some finesse: a ruby color that doesn’t go all black-purple like a big zinfandel but lets light come through like a dusky jewel, a density in the mouth that leaves room for bright spice notes. We all get just a little more animated talking about this one. Mike Martini is reaching into the air, his big hands drawing in the words as if he wants to gather them into one big word that says it all. No worries there: the wine speaks for itself.
Look for coverage of the Wine & Food Festival all weekend from Addie Broyles, Patrick Beach and me on austin360.com/food.
(American-Statesman photos by Mike Sutter)
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Wine & Food Fest: Culinary Masters menu
The Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival starts Thursday (April 16), and the opening Culinary Masters Dinner brings a killer lineup of chefs to the Four Seasons: Elmar Prambs (Trio at the Four Seasons, top right), Tyson Cole (Uchi, above), Monica Pope (t’afia in Houston), Paul Petersen (the Gage Hotel in Marathon, top left) and Naomi Gallego (pastry chef, Trio).
The dinner runs 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Four Seasons (98 San Jacinto Blvd., 478-4500, www.fourseasons.com/austin/), and tickets are $150. See www.texaswineandfood.org or www.frontgatetickets.org. See previews of the festival at austin360.com/food.
For those of us who can’t be there, here’s a longing look at Thursday’s food and wine menu:
• Passed appetizers
Wine: Chandon Etoile Rosé
• Endive and cremini salad with Bosque bleu, spiced Texas pecans, white truffle white balsamic dressing (Monica Pope)
Wine: Terrazas de los Andes Reserva Torrontes
• Buri crudo with compressed strawberry, golden beet, hydroponic basil and olive oil (Tyson Cole)
Wine: Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc
• Wild boar mousse stuffed quails with huckleberry demi (Paul Petersen)
Wine: Casa Lapostolle Syrah
• Smoked prime beef tenderloin, beef glazed cippollini onion, garden greens with truffle vinaigrette, creamed jumbo lump crab meat (Elmar Prambs)
Wine: Newton Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon
• Banana Bavarian, mocha sabayon, lemon banana salsa, candied pistachios (Naomi Gallego)
Wine: Veuve Clicquot Demi-Sec
(American-Statesman photos)
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The Fork roars to life at Stonelake
With the look of a cinder-block bunker out front, it’s not the most picturesque lakeside restaurant you’ve ever seen. But out back is where it counts, where a wraparound wooden deck and an interior appointed with wood floors, red leather banquettes and glass walls offer tree-dappled views of the breezy little reservoir.
Foles and Villavaso — whose past and present restaurant roster from more than 35 years in business together includes Eddie V’s, Wildfish, Z’Tejas and Brio Vista — will lean on their corporate chef Harold Marmulstein to execute the wood-fired, rustic cooking of the American West already in place at the downtown Roaring Fork: green chile pork, lamb-chop fondue, cedar-plank salmon and wood-grilled lamb and steak.
Prices range from $7 to $14 for appetizers and $13 to $29 for main courses. Hours will run 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, with brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. During daily happy hours from 4 to 6 p.m., appetizers and salads will be $4 off and drinks will be $2 off.
(American-Statesman photos by Mike Sutter)
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News from Threadgill’s on Relish Austin
Check out Statesman food writer Addie Broyles’ Relish Austin blog for news about a free dinner promotion at the Threagill’s location on North Lamar Boulevard.
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Ciola’s ‘Big Night’ and Rombauer at Jezebel
Two upcoming wine dinners to talk about:
• Ciola’s Big Night: Inspired by the endearing 1996 restaurant movie starring Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub, Ciola’s Italian-American Restaurant in Lakeway will put on a five-course feast with unlimited red and white Italian wine Thursday. The dinner, which starts at 7 p.m. and costs $85, includes chicken consommé, risotto, timpano, salmon, roasted suckling pig and Italian sweets. 1310 RM 620. 263-9936, www.ciolas.com.
• Rombauer wine dinner at Restaurant Jezebel: Chef Parind Vora will pair four courses with high-end Rombauer wines, including two cabernets, a chardonnay and a zinfandel. Dishes include stuffed pork loin, lump-crab salad, lobster bisque and a death-by-chocolate dessert. Includes an amuse-bouche with Gruet sparkling wine. $139. 6:30 p.m. May 17. 914 Congress Ave. No 100. 499-3999, www.restaurantjezebel.com.
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Easter brunch updates
A few more spots for Easter brunch, combined with the previous two postings.
• Cantina Laredo (201 W. Third St., 542-9670, www.cantinalaredo.com): Not an Easter brunch per se, but a new entry into the downtown brunch buffet scene. Omelets, eggs Benedict, migas, fajitas, enchiladas and more. $1 Bloody Marys and mimosas. $15.99. 10 a,m. to 3 p.m.
• Cissi’s Market & Wine Bar (1400 S. Congress Ave., 225-0521, www.cissismarket.com): Live music, coffee and cocktail specials, an Easter bunny for the kids and a menu that includes Cissi’s All Day Salad ($12), gravlax and quail eggs in brioche ($12) and croissant bread pudding French toast ($12). Children’s menu available. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• European Bistro (111 E. Main St., Pflugerville, 512-835-1919, www.european-bistro.com): Choices on a five-course prix-fixe menu include smoked pork shank, stuffed Cornish hen, stuffed lamb and rainbow trout, plus a peach melba tort. $35. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• FINO Restaurant Patio & Bar (2905 San Gabriel St., 474-2905, www.finoaustin.com): Starting on Easter, FINO will offer brunch on Sundays with a menu that includes asparagus frittata, French toast with vanilla mascarpone and Manchego cheese biscuits with quince jam. A la carte pricing. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar (11600 Century Oaks Terrace, Suite 140 at the Domain, 835-9463; 320 E. Second St. 457-1500; www.flemingssteakhouse.com): Three-course prix-fixe dinner. Starters: wedge salad, onion soup, fruit. Entree: filet mignon Benedict, crab-cake Benedict, pork chop, salmon quiche. Dessert: berry cobbler, creme brulee, turtle pie. $29.95. 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Four Seasons hotel (98 San Jacinto Blvd., 685-8300, www.fourseasons.com): Buffet options include salads, pastas, pastries, pate, omelets, blintzes, crab claws, sushi, prime rib, leg of lamb and 10 desserts. $75 at Trio, $68 in the ballroom, $20 children 6-11, free for children younger than 5.
• The Hill Country Dining Room (Barton Creek Resort & Spa, 8212 Barton Club Drive, 329-7923, www.bartoncreek.com): Buffet options include fresh omelets, “Elvis PBJ French Toast,” pastries, salads, cheeses, prime rib, roasted leg of lamb and white chocolate bread pudding. $57.95, $22.95 children 6-12 $1 per year of age for children 5 and younger. 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Hilton Austin (500 E. Fourth St., 493-4900, www.hilton.com): The buffet brunch features beef, lamb, chicken, breakfast favorites, salads and desserts. $48, $20 children 12 and younger. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Latin Cafe Austin (101 San Jacinto Blvd., 478-2520, www.latincafeaustin.com): The buffet menu includes plantain chips and salsas, ceviche, empanadas, blackened salmon, Angus sirloin, spinach-mushroom enchiladas, tres leches cake and flan. $19.95, $9.95 for children 6-12, free for 5 and younger. 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Mirabelle (8127 Mesa Drive, Suite 100, 346-7900, www.mirabellerestaurant.com): Options for the three-course brunch include lobster bisque, duck pate, roasted lamb, Asian salmon, creme brulee and chevre cheesecake. $29.95, $12.95 children’s menu. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• North by Northwest Restaurant and Brewery (10010 N. Capital of Texas Highway (Loop 36), 231-8157, www.nxnwbrew.com): In addition to a full brunch menu from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., all-day specials include bacon-wrapped salmon with shrimp ($21.95), pepper-crusted beef tenderloin ($22.95) and glazed ham ($15.95).
• Sagra (1610 San Antonio St., 535-5988, www.sagrarestaurant.net): A main course, plus muffins, bread and fresh fruit. Options include asparagus-prosciutto frittata, steak hash, pasta Bolognese and stuffed leg of lamb. $18. Mimosas and bellinis for 75 cents. 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Stubb’s Bar-B-Q (801 Red River St., 480-8341, www.stubbsaustin.com): Gospel music and a Southern breakfast and barbecue brunch. $18.95 downstairs with music, $16.95 upstairs without. Two seatings: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
• SWB Southwest Bistro (208 Barton Springs Road, 480-2035, www.austin.hyatt.com): Buffet with complimentary champagne. Choices include pates, cheeses, salads, crab legs, shrimp, sushi, breakfast favorites, lobster bisque, baby-back ribs, prime rib, leg of lamb and desserts. $52, $27 children 12 and younger. 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• III Forks (111 Lavaca St., 474-1776, www.iiiforks.com): Options for the four-course brunch include asparagus soup, III Forks salad, Chateaubriand, roasted chicken with crab cake, Atlantic salmon, peach melba and cheesecake with raspberry sauce. $42.95, $14.95 for children younger than 12. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Wyndham Garden Hotel Austin (3401 S. Interstate 35 at the Hyatt hotel, 744-4838, www.wyndhamaustin.com): Brunch with omelets, eggs Benedict, Belgian waffles, French toast, crawfish quiche, prime rib , ham, salmon, cheeses, fruit and desserts. $28.95, $12.95 children ages 4-12, free for children 3 and under. 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
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Barbacoa! Al Pastor! Tacos, tacos! More more more!
Let’s call it Trailer-Vision, the superhuman ability to spot a taco truck from miles away.
Riding with Armando Rayo of Taco Journalism is like being a fighter pilot with your own radar man. “Al pastor on our six, Maverick! Flautas, I repeat, flautas, 12 o’clock!”
Check out our 10-stop taco tour here, then tell us your own favorites as I map out places for my next Tex-Mex-pedition.
(American-Statesman photo by Mike Sutter)
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‘Chicken for strength, waffles for speed’
Today, I ate chicken and waffles for the first time ever. Together and on purpose, thanks to Lucky J’s Chicken & Waffles, the latest addition to the Austin food-trailer scene at 5703 Burnet Road (296-9914, www.luckyjs.com).
For $7.99, food writer Addie Broyles and I split a plate called “The Deal”: half a fried chicken and two 8-inch round waffles with butter and syrup. The chicken came skin-on and chopped into a wing, leg, thigh and a big chunk of breast, fried crumbly and crisp, too hot to handle at first, giving way to moist meat inside.
The waffles were made fresh on twin irons inside the trailer, cooked crisp enough to cut through, but still pliable enough to fold around pieces of chicken torn from the bone. You haven’t lived until you’ve folded a syrupy waffle around a glistening hunk of hot fried chicken. That’s my idea of a healthy wrap.
Lucky J’s, which opened on Saturday (April 4), is the work of Jason Umlas, whose cooking credentials include time as executive chef for Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant downtown and Roux on Sixth Street. Umlas named the business for his 3-year-old son, Joss, and hired Austin artist Federico Archuleta to paint the waffle-wielding woman in a black bodysuit astride a pre-fried bird on the side of the tiny red trailer.
With no outdoor tables or counters, Addie and I sat on the front sidewalk of an empty Hertz building next door, but Umlas says he’s shopping for picnic tables. Right now, Lucky J’s is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, and he hopes to start opening at 9 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays soon for brunch (a waffle croque monsieur, anyone?).
The menu is simple: fried chicken, waffles and sweet tea, which Umlas brews and sweetens himself. Prices run from $1.99 for a waffle, and chicken can be ordered by the piece or in package deals, including the “Short Stack” (breast or thigh and one waffle for $5.99) and the “Baller” (a whole chicken and four waffles for $14.99).
This isn’t Austin’s first chicken-and-waffles operation, but it raises the profile here for food that’s big on the West Coast, where Umlas was living when he visited Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles in Los Angeles. It was there that a friend uttered the words that became Lucky J’s motto: “Chicken for strength, waffles for speed.” More of each, please.
(American-Statesman photo by Mike Sutter)
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7 more options for Easter brunch
Here are seven more choices for brunch this Easter Sunday (April 12). See another seven choices here.
• Cantina Laredo (201 W. Third St., 542-9670, www.cantinalaredo.com): Not an Easter brunch per se, but a new entry into the downtown brunch buffet scene. Omelets, eggs Benedict, migas, fajitas, enchiladas and more. $1 Bloody Marys and mimosas. $15.99. 10 a,m. to 3 p.m.
• Cissi’s Market & Wine Bar (1400 S. Congress Ave., 225—0521, www.cissismarket.com): Live music, coffee and cocktail specials, an Easter bunny for the kids and a menu that includes Cissi’s All Day Salad ($12), gravlax and quail eggs in brioche ($12) and croissant bread pudding French toast ($12). Children’s menu available. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• European Bistro (111 E. Main St., Pflugerville, 512-835-1919, www.european-bistro.com): Choices on a five-course prix-fixe menu include smoked pork shank, stuffed Cornish hen, stuffed lamb and rainbow trout, plus a peach melba tort. $35. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• FINO Restaurant Patio & Bar (2905 San Gabriel St., 474-2905, www.finoaustin.com): Starting on Easter, FINO will offer brunch on Sundays with a menu that includes asparagus frittata, French toast with vanilla mascarpone and Manchego cheese biscuits with quince jam. A la carte pricing. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Hilton Austin (500 E. Fourth St., 493-4900, www.hilton.com): The buffet brunch features beef, lamb, chicken, breakfast favorites, salads and desserts. $48, $20 children 12 and younger. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• North by Northwest Restaurant and Brewery (10010 N. Capital of Texas Highway (Loop 36), 231-8157, www.nxnwbrew.com): In addition to a full brunch menu from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., all-day specials include bacon-wrapped salmon with shrimp ($21.95), pepper-crusted beef tenderloin ($22.95) and glazed ham ($15.95).
• Stubb’s Bar-B-Q (801 Red River St., 480-8341, www.stubbsaustin.com): Gospel music and a Southern breakfast and barbecue brunch. $18.95 downstairs with music, $16.95 upstairs without. Two seatings: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
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One Photo Wonder: Max’s Wine Dive
Max’s Wine Dive, the Houston home of wine and comfort food, is coming to 207 San Jacinto Blvd. in Austin in May. Read more in Wednesday’s Food Matters column.
(American-Statesman photo by Mike Sutter)
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Seven options for Easter brunch
The Austin brunch circuit will take a celebratory tone on April 12, when restaurants across town will put an Easter spin on their customary Sunday menus. Here’s a sampling of Easter brunch opportunities.
• Four Seasons hotel (98 San Jacinto Blvd., 685-8300, www.fourseasons.com): Buffet options include salads, pastas, pastries, pate, omelets, blintzes, crab claws, sushi, prime rib, leg of lamb and 10 desserts. $75 at Trio, $68 in the ballroom, $20 children 6-11, free for children younger than 5.
• The Hill Country Dining Room (Barton Creek Resort & Spa, 8212 Barton Club Drive, 329-7923, www.bartoncreek.com): Buffet options include fresh omelets, “Elvis PBJ French Toast,” pastries, salads, cheeses, prime rib, roasted leg of lamb and white chocolate bread pudding. $57.95, $22.95 children 6-12 $1 per year of age for children 5 and younger. 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Lamberts Downtown Barbecue (401 W. Second St., 294-1500, www.lambertsaustin.com): The brunch buffet of barbecue and fresh egg dishes will include roasted lamb and house-cured hams. Music by Aunt Ruby’s Sweet Jazz Babies. $30. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Mirabelle (8127 Mesa Drive, Suite 100, 346-7900, www.mirabellerestaurant.com): Options for the three-course brunch include lobster bisque, duck pate, roasted lamb, Asian salmon, creme brulee and chevre cheesecake. $29.95, $12.95 children’s menu. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Sagra (1610 San Antonio St., 535-5988, www.sagrarestaurant.net): A main course, plus muffins, bread and fresh fruit. Options include asparagus-prosciutto frittata, steak hash, pasta Bolognese and stuffed leg of lamb. $18. Mimosas and bellinis for 75 cents. 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• III Forks (111 Lavaca St., 474-1776, www.iiiforks.com): Options for the four-course brunch include asparagus soup, III Forks salad, Chateaubriand, roasted chicken with crab cake, Atlantic salmon, peach melba and cheesecake with raspberry sauce. $42.95, $14.95 for children younger than 12. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
I’ll add more early in the week.
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Wine & Food Fest: Save the dates
The Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival begins April 16, and tickets are still available for the events listed below during the four-day celebration of Texas and national chefs and wines. For tickets and details, see www.texaswineandfood.org.
April 16
• The Texas Culinary Masters dinner (6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Four Seasons hotel, $150) features chefs Elmar Prambs, Tyson Cole, Paul Petersen, Monica Pope and Naomi Gallego preparing a multicourse dinner paired with wines.
• “Savor the Hill Country Luncheons”: From noon to 2 p.m., seats are available for lunches at Becker Vineyards ($65) and Fall Creek Vineyards ($65). The Stone House Vineyards event is sold out.
April 17
• “Where Terroir Meets Tradition” (noon to 1:30 p.m., AT&T Conference Center & Hotel at the University of Texas, $50) spotlights Texas cuisine and wineries.
• “Reserve Tasting” (1 to 2 p.m., Sullivan’s Steakhouse, $75) features wines from Bealieu, Provenance and Sterling vineyards.
• “Red, White and New” (3:30 to 5 p.m., Driskill Hotel, $65) stars chef Jonathan Gelman and a host of winemakers for an “anything but cabernet” tasting.
• “Stars Across Texas” (7 to 10 p.m., Long Center for the Performing Arts, $100, an additional $40 for VIP lounge access) is an all-star meet-and-eat featuring dozens of chefs, restaurants and winemakers.
April 18
• “Que Paso?” (11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Perry’s Steakhouse, $50) finds Austin wine expert Ross Outon moderating a seated tasting and panel discussion of Paso Robles wines.
• “Big Dog Reds” (1 to 2:30 p.m., III Forks Steakhouse, $65) illuminates robust cabernets.
• “Mini Swirlwind” (3 to 4:30 p.m., Malaga, $65) features tapas and about a dozen California wineries. The day is capped by a charity wine auction at the Four Seasons hotel from 6 to 9 p.m.
April 19
• “Sunday Fair” (noon to 5 p.m., the Vineyards at the Salt Lick in Driftwood, $45, $30 for designated drivers) is the most egalitarian of the festival’s events, with food booths, cooking demonstrations, wine tastings and live music.
(At top: Bret Gerbe photo for the American-Statesman from the 2008 Sunday Fair)
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A birthday for Eva B’s
In the meantime, owners Seenu and Anjali Jallipalli are celebrating the one-year anniversary of their kolache, coffee and panini shop with free bakery samples and cake from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday (April 4).
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Making a beer run to Cuatro’s
There’s a lot to like about a free 4K run that starts at Austin’s home of the physically fit (RunTex at 422 W. Riverside Drive) and ends at a place to reward yourself with tacos and beer for all that hard work (Cuatro’s at 1004 W. 24th St.). The free event — open to any style of ambulation, be it casual or competitive — starts at 2 p.m. Saturday (April 4) at RunTex. No registration is required. The race winds down at Cuatro’s, theoretically around 4 p.m., with beer specials and live music.
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Last call for Easter brunch
Easter is April 12, and I’d like to put together a list of places to mark the occasion with brunch. If your restaurant has something special planned for that day, I’d appreciate an e-mail at msutter@statesman.com.
For example, Latin Cafe Austin (101 San Jacinto Blvd., 478-2520, www.latincafeaustin.com) has an Easter brunch buffet April 12 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The menu includes plantain chips and salsas, ceviche, empanadas, blackened salmon, Angus sirloin, spinach-mushroom enchiladas, tres leches cake and flan.
We’ll run the list in Wednesday’s Food & Life section, and on Forklore sometime before then.
