Home > The M.O. > Archives > 2008 > February > 13
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Wink and a smile
Arriving at the small space on Lamar Boulevard, we were greeted with warmth and familiarity by mâitre d’ Mark St. Clair, who showed us to our table. We perused the menu’s offerings, but this was generally a formality, as we were prepared to leave the culinary road to those who know best, the chefs. On this night, we wanted only to experiment with pleasure, not decision-making, so we ordered the chef’s five course tasting menu with wine pairing ($100/person).
Following an amuse-bouche of carrot and cardamom soup, the meal began with a light and delicious (it will be hard to find synonyms for which to replicate this word throughout my post) smoked salmon crespelle with crème frâiche. The divine salmon was topped with a bit of Rio Star grapefruit, the flavor of which was perfectly complemented by the 2006 Martin Codax Albarino, a crisp but gentle white wine that had its own distinctive hints of grapefruit.
After the plates were removed by our gregarious yet professional waiter Dickie, we had five to ten minutes to savor the lingering flavor of the salmon and enjoy the end of our wine (a timing that was repeated with consistency and perfection by the front and back of house staff), before being confronted with a succulent U10 scallop topped with a tender grilled gulf shrimp served in a savory lemon brown butter sauce. This dish represented what is unique about Wink. Although, some asperse the restaurant for its small portion sizes, the staff’s expert culinary skills left us no doubt that, while we may have been curious as to why the shrimp was sliced in half, we knew we were in good hands. Furthermore, once we had devoured the seafood (the richness of which was a perfect next step up from the light salmon dish), and admittedly passed over the plate once with the rustic ciabatta rolls offered us, there was not a drop of sauce to be found on the plate. As it should be. Too often a chef, or line cook, will leave your dish swimming in sauce, not only drowning out the flavor of the course, but leaving an aesthetical offense on your plate. Not so at Wink. The scallop and shrimp came with an earthy 2005 Chateau de Campuget Blanc that matched the intense but not overwhelming flavor of the brown butter and seafood.
Next up, duck leg confit with salsify, winter greens, crimini mushrooms and a fig balsamic. Here is the only part of the meal with which we took the slightest of exceptions. While perfectly cooked and wonderfully tender, the duck was quite salty, even for a confit. And we’re two unabashed lovers of salt. Despite the saltiness, the perfection of the cooking, subtle sweetness of the fig, balancing elements of the vegetables and earthiness of the 2005 Argiolas Perdera kept us from feeling the least bit slighted.
Fortunately we had another 10 minutes to rest before the grilled hanger steak arrived, accompanied by wilted spinach and hedgehog mushrooms. Once again, a perfectly grilled and succulent offering from the kitchen, paired with a 2006 Lioco Carignan-Petite Sirah blend from Mendocino County. Despite having satiated our appetites, we could have eaten portions of the steak until the restaurant closed.
The prix fixe concluded with a cheese plate paired with the Lucien Albrecht Rose, a sparkler from France that had a dry finish with crisp notes of berries. Much as the entirety of the meal to this point, the cheese plate proceeded from light to rich and savory, starting with a l’edel de celeron and finishing with a pungent St. Agur bleu topped with candied nuts.
While the cheese plate wonderfully rounded out the tasting menu, our craving for dessert could not be stopped, and without regard we bashed on to the Wink trio ($12). The dessert plate consisted of lemon meringue pot de creme, crème brulée, and el rey chocolate cake, all executed to perfection, and when eaten in order, a perfect succession from the tart and crispness of the meringue to the unbelievably decadent richness of the flourless chocolate cake with zinfandel-infused cherries.
Following our meal, Executive Chef and co-owner Mark Paul appeared from the kitchen and visited our table to discuss our dining experience, a personal touch that completed an exceptional night that bordered on culinary (and service) perfection.
As an aside, I have heard complaints about the portion sizes at Wink, to which I can only say that if you want to leave stuffed beyond belief as opposed to amazed and satisfied, there are plenty of fantastic steak houses sprinkled around town. It is true the portion sizes do not approach those of other restaurants around town, but the execution and flavor components of the dishes are beyond reproach. If you have a large appetite, I would not suggest avoiding the restaurant, but you may want to experiment with multiple appetizers, or just sit back and turn the controls over to the professionals at Wink and go with the chef’s tasting menu.
Permalink | | Categories: Food
Your A-List: Best Open-Mic Night
Besides being a home to some of the best stand-ups in town, the Velveeta Room on 6th Street opens its doors each Thursday to pros and amateurs alike, who have the opportunity to try and squeeze as many laughs from the audience in their alotted three minutes. Sometimes it is painful, sometimes it is brilliant, but it is almost always entertaining to see people experiment with the idea of what makes people laugh.
The Velveeta Room itself has a long and sordid history dating back to the slightly more sketchy days of Sixth Street in the 70s. For a somewhat complete (if not hazy) retelling of the history of the Velveeta Room, Esther’s Follies and Sixth Street of old, check out the history section of the Velveeta Room’s Web site.
The Velveeta Room [site]
521 E. 6th St
469.9116
Others receiving votes
- Ruta Maya, 21 percent
- Poodie’s Hilltop Cafe, 18 percent
- Cactus Cafe, 5 percent
- Hill’s Cafe, 5 percent
- Ego’s, 3 percent
- Cheatham Street Warehouse, 3 percent
- Trophy’s, 3 percent
- Artz Rib House, 2 percent
- Flipnotics, 2 percent
- Neo-Soul Lounge at Club Illusion, 2 percent
Write-ins: Punchline at ColdTowne Theater and Sam’s Town Point
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Your A-List
Your A-List: Best Place Where You Can Still Smoke
There are many a bar where you can light up without worrying about being tossed out and run that legal risk on your own, and even more where you can enjoy a smoke on the outdoor patio (Trudy’s Central), but rare is the place where smokers can have a ventilated room all to themselves. Such is the case at Trudy’s North, where smokers are not left to smoke quasi-legally or brave the (hot or cold) weather outside.
Trudy’s [site] Multiple locations
Others receiving votes:
- Shoal Creek Saloon, 12 percent
- Opal Divine’s, 9 percent
- Cedar Street Courtyard, 8 percent
- Crown and Anchor, 8 percent
- Flamingo Cantina, 8 percent
- Lovejoy’s, 8 percent
- Ruta Maya, 7 percent
- G&S Lounge, 6 percent
- Ego’s, 5 percent
- Star Bar, 5 percent
Write-ins: Little Woodrow’s and Texas Bar & Grill.
Permalink | | Categories: Your A-List
Your A-List: Best TV Newscast
The ABC-affiliate in Austin has long been the top-rated newscast in Central Texas. Among Austin anchor duos, Christine Haas and Tyler Sieswerda aren’t the longest-running team, but they’ve certainly caught on with viewers. Add to that station owner Belo’s reputation for top-notch news, popular music-loving meteorologist Mark Murray and veteran sportscaster Mike Barnes, and you’ve got a winner.
Others receiving votes
- KEYE (CBS), 21 percent
- KTBC (Fox), 18 percent
- KXAN (NBC), 16 percent
- News 8 Austin, 5 percent
- KAKW (Univision), <1 percent
The Statesman’s Diane Holloway contributed to this post.
Image from KVUE.com
Permalink | | Categories: Your A-List
Your A-List: Best Restaurant for a Romantic Meal
Carmelo’s received 14 percent of the vote, narrowly edging out Austin landmarks (and landmarks-to-be) Jeffrey’s, The Oasis and Vespaio, along with a litany of other fine choices. The Italian eatery situated in an old warehouse building in downtown Austin on East Fifth Street is famous for its subdued, romantic lighting, stone walls and live music that softly fills the restaurant, all of which make the restaurant a hot spot for lovers and would-be lovers.
Carmelo’s Ristorante [site]
504 East Fifth Street
512-477-7497
Others receiving votes
- Jeffrey’s, 12 percent
- The Oasis, 12 percent
- Vespaio, 11 percent
- Uchi, 8 percent
- Hudson’s on the Bend, 8 percent
- Wink, 7 percent
- La Traviata, 6 percent
- Roaring Fork, 5 percent
- Vivo, 5 percent
- Starlight, 4 percent
- Zoot, 4 percent
- Aquarelle, 4 percent
Write-ins: Driskill Grill and Fonda San Miguel
Permalink | | Categories: Your A-List
