The M.O.

Enjoy a chef’s table experience at The Carillon this weekend

What's on this page?

RSS feed

Commenting is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. M-F

More recent entries

Statesman Blogs

Austin360 Blogs

All Blogs

Blogs FAQ

Comments

The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Born in Austin, Matthew left soon thereafter and finally made it back after years of paying his penance wandering the earth. Before coming to Austin360, Matthew co-edited Austinist.com, worked as an advertising copywriter and led tours of the Roman Forum, among other things.

When not busy pounding away on his keyboard, he can be found at book readings, concerts, gelaterias, pizza joints, Barton Springs, movie theaters, the golf course, or home with a book. The M.O. gives readers a little insight into the world of this man without a plan.

The entry titled "Enjoy a chef's table experience at The Carillon this weekend."

If you use an RSS reader, here is feed for The M.O.: XML.
Learn more about RSS.

Home > The M.O. > Archives > 2010 > January > 29 > Entry

By Matthew Odam | Friday, January 29, 2010, 11:34 AM

The Carillon restaurant at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center on the University of Texas campus has been a bit of an enigma since it opened about 18 months ago. There was not much fanfare surrounding the opening, and the restaurant never seemed to be marketed or advertised.

As I understand it, the university figured they could get by relying on faculty, students and conference/hotel guests to support it. I am also told there were some delays with equipment in the kitchen, limiting the menu and the rollout of the restaurant. So, while The Carillon was open to the public, the public didn’t really seem to know about the Josh Watkins-helmed restaurant. It’s kind of like an expansion baseball team signing an all-star pitcher and not letting its fans know about him. Or to use another analogy: If a tree falls in the woods and nobody is around, does it make a sound?

Well, The Carillon seems like it’s finally ready to make some noise.

As those who read this blog know, I raved about the place two months ago following a trip with restaurant critic Mike Sutter (who also had great things to say about the place), and have subsequently visited the place on several occasions. It seems the restaurant and university now want you to know what I already do: the place is great.

The Carillon is relaunching this weekend with an expanded menu and some updates on the decor, touches that give the restaurant a more intimate and classy feel. In addition to the hamachi kama, pork belly, coffee-rubbed New York strip, herb butter baked chicken breast, which I have praised in the past, Watkins is now serving up coral sea prawn confit, duck breast, oven roasted nairagi, and braised beef short ribs (among other tasty offerings), helping to round out a menu that already featured a savory collection of simple yet refined flavors. Additionally, Watkins told me last night that diners can expect the menu to change with the seasons, a prospect that already has me looking forward to spring.

To celebrate the expanded menu and reboot, The Carillon is offering a chef’s table experience to the first 20 reservations for this weekend. Said dining will include a specially crafted tasting menu from Watkins along with table-side commentary from the award-winning chef. Diners can choose the amazing deal of three courses for $38 or six courses for $60. If you want wine paired with the meals, that will run you an extra $25. (The restaurant regularly runs the 3/$38 deal, which I think is the best value in town.)

Also, according to the restaurant, “beginning in February, The Carillon will offer monthly events, such as the four-course couples’ cooking class Chef Watkins and his wife Sarah will host the week before Valentine’s Day, Feb. 9th. Events will include special seasonal menus and weeklong themed specials. $80 per couple, 6:30-8:30pm.”

If you haven’t yet made it to the restaurant that has been hiding its light under a bushel, this weekend would be a great time to give it a shot. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

The Carillon [site]

1900 University Avenue [map]

404.3655

Photos by Ricardo B. Brazziell and Mike Sutter AMERICAN-STATESMAN.

Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment Categories: Food

More archives...

Austinites love to be heard, and we're giving you a bullhorn. We just ask that you keep things civil. Leave out the personal attacks. Do not use profanity, ethnic or racial slurs, or take shots at anyone's sexual orientation or religion. If you can't be nice, we reserve the right to remove your material and ban users who violate our Visitor's agreement. Click here to report comment abuse.

By Cecilia

January 29, 2010 12:42 PM | Link to this

I dined at the Carillon last night and had the best meal out I have had in a very long time. I have to say that when I saw “fried pork belly” on the menu, my first thought was—I am so over it. I have eaten enough poorly prepared porcine paunches to last the rest of my days. Then I had the crispy pork belly with diablo glaze, Asian pear salad and fried mint at the Carillon. (Cue angelic chorus) Chef Josh Watkins’ take on this humble foodstuff elevated it to haute cuisine. It was a revelation. And that wasn’t even my favorite dish on the menu. The Texas coffee rubbed dry aged NY strip with roasted parsnips, mesquite syrup and CANDIED GARLIC was a stand out. The parsnips were subtle, creamy, and crunchy—all at once—and the perfect compliment to the cooked-to-perfection medium steak. That dish combination was my favorite of the night. It won’t be long before the Carillon is packed every night with enthusiastic diners…and I will be one of them.