XL Food & Drink: ACL Fest

The spirit of Austin tastes good, too

Classics that'll please visitors and old-timers alike

By Dale Rice
AMERICAN-STATESMAN RESTAURANT CRITIC
Thursday, September 13, 2007

Longevity alone doesn't define a classic restaurant. The spirit it embodies is just as important.

That's why Taco Xpress, which moved into a new building a couple dozen yards away from the old location, remains a classic Austin restaurant.

The place has as much character — and kitsch — as the former spot. And that's plenty, given that owner Maria Corbalan spent four years collecting items for the new place.

"It's the same as what we had, except more," Corbalan says. "I got as much as I could from the other one. I rescued everything that wasn't asbestos."

In addition to the decor, indoor seating has expanded significantly — from five to 15 tables. Although the outdoor patio appears larger, Corbalan said it seats the same number as the old one. Tables aside, there certainly is far more accessible parking in the lots behind the new Walgreen's under construction at South Lamar Boulevard and Bluebonnet Lane.

But it's the warmth, the inviting nature of the place, that predominates.

"I tried to give it the same soul," Corbalan says.

She succeeded.

That, for me, defines the Austin classics on this list. They are places where attitude and heart are as important as the food. They may have been around for 50 years or less than a decade, but they have a common vision of serving with the same attitude and energy that has made Austin famous and captivated visitors and residents alike.

Whether you're a weekend visitor, a newcomer who's been here a few months or an old-timer who needs a reminder, here are 10 great classic places that embody the Austin spirit:

Artz Rib House: This is one saucy place, with finger-lickin' barbecue and live music on the weekends. You can't beat the tender babyback ribs, while the spicy tortilla soup will clear your head during allergy season. Those small pork ribs are amazingly tender, with a juicy interior and a crisp, almost caramelized exterior that will leave you stuffed but still hankering for more. 2330 S. Lamar Blvd., 442-8283.

Chez Nous: The first place I dined in Austin before moving here more than 20 years ago, Chez Nous has retained exactly the same ambience and appealing French bistro cooking while downtown Austin has changed dramatically around it. It continues to charm me each time I return. The fixed-price, three-course dinner offered nightly is one of the city's fine-dining bargains. 510 Neches St., 473-2413.

Chuy's: Can you resist a room covered in hubcaps in a restaurant teeming with energy (from the dozens of University of Texas students willing to wait more than an hour for a table on an average evening)? If not, this spot will perk up your spirit and fill you with New Mex-Mex, a style of Mexican food that features stacked enchiladas and green chiles — a sharp contrast to the traditional Tex-Mex menu found most places in town. 1728 Barton Springs Road, 474-4452.

Hoover's Cooking: It's been around for less than a decade, but Hoover's is like an old friend, offering big plates of Southern-style comfort food that may rival your mama's cookin'. It's Hoover Alexander's standards — macaroni and cheese, meatloaf, jalapeño creamed spinach — that keep making a reprise on my plate. Plus, I love the way the restaurant draws a diverse crowd from across the city. 2002 Manor Road, 479-5006.

Hut's Hamburgers: The big, thick, crisp, peppered onion rings are enough to keep me coming back to this joint that's been around more than 50 years. Fortunately, there are some great burgers — from a big cast of regulars — to go along with the rings. My favorite is the Alley-Oop, a beef patty with grilled onions, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing on grilled multigrain bread. 807 W. Sixth St., 472-0693.

Hyde Park Bar & Grill: The love affair continues with the Hyde Park fries, hand-cut Idaho potatoes that have been dipped in buttermilk, rolled in seasoned flour and fried in peanut oil to create a crisp, textured surface that's perfect for dipping in the accompanying spicy, mayonnaise-based sauce. Have them alone or with a sandwich or an entree, such as the standout chicken-fried steak. 4206 Duval St., 458-3168.

Kerbey Lane Cafe: A recent breakfast meeting here reminded me how enjoyable the place can be for people with varied early-morning tastes. The omelettes, signature pancakes (look for the daily specials embedded with cherries or other fruits) and tacos are a hit. Open 24 hours a day, the cafe has a wide variety of lunch and dinner items as well. 3704 Kerbey Lane, 451-1436.

The Oasis: Sometimes a restaurant becomes famous for something other than the food. That's the case with the Oasis, where the menu, which leans toward Tex-Mex, is overshadowed by the restaurant's multiple decks perched atop a cliff 450 feet above Lake Travis. There's no better place to view the sunset than those decks, which offer an expansive view of the water and the Hill Country beyond. 6550 Comanche Trail, 266-2442.

Taco Xpress: The place has awesome tacos, and the quality hasn't changed with the move to the new location. The verde, which combines vegetables (including eggplant) and the al pastor, with pork marinated in pineapple juice and spices, are two of the delicious options. Condiments include pico de gallo, salsa and Maria Corbalan's special chimichurri sauce. 2529 S. Lamar Blvd., 444-0261.

Threadgill's: Austin's music history — Kenneth Threadgill nurturing the likes of Janis Joplin — flavors this Southern-style restaurant. It features an astounding variety of vegetables (many in casserole style) that can be put together in thousands of combinations to accompany favorites such as meatloaf or chicken-fried steak. Save room for the homemade desserts. 6416 N. Lamar Blvd., 451-5440.

drice@statesman.com; 445-3859