DINING GUIDE

25 great dishes: A sampler plate

By Mike Sutter
AMERICAN-STATESMAN RESTAURANT CRITIC
Thursday, November 05, 2009

During an East Austin taco tour with Mando Rayo of the blog Taco Journalism in April, we ducked inside Taqueria Chapala. A man with an electric guitar and a little pig-nose amp strapped to his belt walked among the tables and sang sad Mexican folk songs. It was our second stop of the morning, with three more to go. But I ate every bite of my deep-fried barbacoa tacos, sides and all. Every single bite.

Sometimes a dish is so good it simply will not be denied. It stays with you, pulls you back, becomes the standard against which you judge every other dish of its kind. That's some mighty flowery talk for a $5.75 taco plate, but that and the 24 other dishes on this list keep me up at night, wondering what they're up to, hoping I'll get to see them again.

This is hardly a complete sample of the sprawling Austin restaurant landscape. It's not a "25 Best Dishes of All Time" list. But it's a pretty good snapshot of where I've been so far. Let me know some of the dishes that keep you coming back by e-mailing me at msutter@statesman.com.

Beef flautas 'ahogadas'

The Screaming Goat

In a building that once housed Austin's most romantic restaurant but now hosts an awfully tasteful taco shack, I developed a crush on these crispy fried ground beef flautas drowned ('ahogadas') in a thin red sauce alive with tomato, salt and spice. Part crispy taco, part messy cheese enchilada, part fortifying tortilla soup, all in one bowl. Garlicky green sauce is an option, but the red says everything you need to know about the Goat. Screams it, in fact. 900 W. 10th St. 477-4628, www.thescreaminggoat.com. (Reviewed April 2009: 7.1 out of 10)

The Big (derriere) Burger

Roaring Fork Stonelake

It's good to know that this Quarry Lake showboat that opened in April isn't just for show. A cowboy aesthetic weaves through the smoke- and chile-edged menu, extending to this mile-high burger, with a brioche bun and a beef patty the size of a rodeo buckle. Served with a little iron kettle of smoking-hot seasoned fries. 10850 Stonelake Blvd., 342-2700. Also at 701 Congress Ave., 583-0000. www.eddiev.com . (Reviewed August 2009: )

'Blue' pizza

House Pizzeria

It's a toss-up between the Margherita Extra and the Blue for the most alluring pie here. Both have a crackling-crisp thin crust with just a little bit of chew and a firm edge. If the margherita's fresh basil, buffalo mozzarella and sweet tomato sauce were a pizza parlor Dream Team, then the Blue's nutty twang of Stilton and sweet-and-sour notes of the port wine sauce would be the upstart Lithuanian squad. And I love an underdog. 5111 Airport Blvd. 600-4999, www.housepizzeria.com. (Reviewed June 2009: 8.2 out of 10)

Coffee-marinated rib-eye steak taco

Garrido's

It's hard to pick a favorite taco at David Garrido's tony little taqueria at the 360 Condominiums tower. The little tortillas are fresh and soft, and they play equally well with fried oysters and mahi mahi with bacon. But the rib-eye taco is a true cut of steak, marbled with fat, full of salt, smoke and the psychosomatic hint of the coffee in its marinade. 360 Nueces St. 320-8226, www.garridosaustin.com. (Reviewed August 2009: 7.0 out of 10)

Combination noodle soup

Chen's Noodle House

Zhao Chen makes noodles by carving them from a living loaf of dough into boiling water, and no two are alike. The combination soup brings together pork, tofu, egg, black mushrooms, carrot, spinach, potato and cilantro in an aromatic beef broth in a big bowl with a low price. 8650 Spicewood Springs Road. 336-8888.

Costillas de Puerco

La Condesa

If this whole upscale Mexican street food thing doesn't work out, La Condesa chef Ren? Ortiz could always find work as a barbecue pitmaster. Seriously, his guava-glazed Costillas de Puerco are some of the best barbecued pork ribs in a city full of pedigreed pork ribs: three generous sections with a sweet, smoky glaze and meat that falls right off the bone, plated with dense, sweet plantains and a little bit of fresh white cheese. 400-A W. Second St. 499-0300, www.lacondesaaustin.com. (Reviewed May 2009: )

Counter Burger

The Counter Cafe

The sweet, buttery bun at this retro breakfast-and-luncheonette is so big it forms a toasty halo around the beef, like a toddler trying on Granddad's porkpie hat. Draped with melted Cheddar, the Rubenesque hand-formed patty works in juicy accord with Bibb lettuce, red onion and ripe tomato for a burger that can stand with the best in town. Try it with sweet-potato fries. 626 N. Lamar Blvd. 708-8800, www.thecountercafe.com. (Reviewed June 2009: 7.6 out of 10)

The Coupland Thick Strip

The Old Coupland Inn and Dancehall

It's the clomp of boots on the wooden floors of the saloon-style main room of this century-old building. It's the drive to rural Coupland, about 35 miles northeast of Austin. It's the housemade barbecue sauce spiked with brisket. The whole experience adds to the allure of a plate-hoggingly massive New York strip: two barely trimmed sections full of cowboy-grilled flavor. Available Thursdays through Saturdays. 103 Hoxie St., Coupland. 512-856-2226, www.couplanddancehall.com. (Reviewed May 2009: 8.0 out of 10)

Escargot

Restaurant Jezebel

You've maybe had snails before, the classic way, in their shells or in a six-slot baking dish, the openings sealed with butter, garlic and parsley. At Jezebel, chef Parind Vora makes his own classic by plating perfectly tender loose snails with a tart balsamic reduction balanced by garlic and crushed red pepper. The flavor reminds me of spicy, wok-based cooking. Szechuan with less heat and a touch of French character. 914 Congress Ave. 499-3999, www.restaurantjezebel.com.

Falafel wrap

Kebabalicious

Even the guy who runs the Stony's Pizza van outside Emo's swears by this nights-only kebab and falafel stand. The falafel wrap starts with soft, steaming pita, then adds fried nuggets of spiced garbanzo beans, lettuce, tomato, tangy tzatziki sauce and, because this is Austin, jalape?o hummus. Hot, crisp and fresh, it's good food regardless of your Sixth Street state of mind. East Seventh and Trinity streets . 468-1065, www.austinkebab.com.

Fried barbacoa tacos

Taqueria Chapala

Like three of those Jack in the Box tacos, which I like, only filled with shredded, slightly gamey beef. Such is barbacoa. I wanted three more after that. Each taco is wrapped in two corn tortillas then deep-fried, 'dorados' style. Served with sweet grilled onions, chopped onions and cilantro and a sinus-clearing grilled jalape?o pepper. 2101 E. Cesar Chavez St. 320-0308.

Goii Roll

Finn & Porter

The main room at this surf-and-turf cathedral, its upward sweep broken by lighted cylinders as big as the spaceship in 'District 9,' might make you feel small. But at the intimate sushi bar, the Goii Roll will make you feel smart. Refreshingly crisp and wrapped in white rice paper, it starts with crunch and pop: carrot, frisie, cilantro, cucumber, chive and flying-fish roe with wasabi. Meaty hamachi and shrimp give it substance. Tangy ponzu and chive a?oli give it spice. 500 E. Fourth St., in the Hilton Austin hotel. 493-4900, www.finnandporter.com/austin.

Half-pound cheeseburger

Mighty Fine Burgers Fries Shakes

The meat is formed by hand from big sections of chuck ground fresh at the restaurant, so it's juicy and irregular in a backyard picnic way. The lettuce, tomato and onion are crisp and cool, and the dill pickles are cut crinkle-style, like the crisp and light fries cut in-house. Simple, but absolutely right. Order it red, white or yeller, if you can swing with the cheerful lunch-counter/cattle-auction vernacular. Or just say mustard. Mighty Fine understands. 10515 N. MoPac Blvd. (Loop 1), Suite 205, Shops at Arbor Walk, 524-2400. Also at 5601 Brodie Lane, Suite 1300, 735-2800; and 201 University Oaks Blvd., Suite 1380, Round Rock, 381-3310. www.mightyfineburgers.com. (Reviewed May 2009: 7.5 out of 10)

Hanger steak Benedict

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue

What would a list like this be without a dish you can get only three hours a week? The tightly packed and slightly unwieldy Sunday brunch buffet from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. is a grand tour of Lamberts' Southern accents: deviled eggs topped with caviar, Cheddar-poblano grits, maple and coriander-crusted barbecued ribs and brown-sugar brisket. The hanger steak Benedict is made to order, a perfect square of tender, smoky grilled beef on an English muffin, topped with a quivering poached egg ready to burst, crowned with creamy-hot Tabasco hollandaise. Save room. Stop and savor. 401 W. Second St. 494-1500, www.lambertsaustin.com.

Lone Star beef torta

Izzoz Tacos

One-time steakhouse chef John Galindo runs one of the best taco trailers in the city. But as good as his tacos with fried avocado or braised pork and pineapple are, this sandwich is even better. For less than $6, Galindo stuffs a flaky roll with pull-apart meat simmered in Lone Star beer, then tops it with bright cilantro-lime a?oli and a slaw of pickled cabbage and red onion. Then he brings it on home with a fistful of hand-cut fries suffused with salt and garlic. 1207 S. First St. 326-4996, www.izzoztacos.com.

Nynavae's Tacos

Somnio's Cafe

Two things come together well at the small and South Austin-funky Somnio's: farmers' market produce and rocking flavor. Salads carry the names and personality tics of 'Urban Cowboy' characters. The waitress will open and pour the wine you bring from home. Carnivores and vegetarians get equal respect with custom stir-fry bowls. But my kids and I fought the hardest over Nynavae's Tacos, fresh corn tortillas folded around fried croquettes of chopped mushrooms, topped with crunchy cabbage and served with chips and fresh tomato salsa. 1807 S. First St. 442-2500, www.somnioscafe.com. (Reviewed January 2009: 8.5 out of 10)

Pastrami sandwich

Walton's Fancy and Staple

A lot has been made of how actress and Austin regular Sandra Bullock is the money person behind this century-old stagecoach depot, restored and repurposed as a bakery, florist, coffeehouse and deli. But you can't slice fame and make a sandwich. You can, however, slice a big handful of lean pastrami and put it on some of the thickest, softest, crustiest rye bread in the city and wash it down with an artful cappuccino. 609 W. Sixth St. 542-3380, www.waltonsfancyandstaple.com.

Pork belly

Uchi

Are we over pork belly yet? Maybe the trend wave has crested, but what's left is that succulent strata of fat and meat. And few do it better than Tyson Cole's team at Uchi, known more for elegant proteins of the sea but not averse to roasted pork belly with Granny Smith apple pur?e and fennel. My incarnation of the dish was called 'bacon-steakie,' a plate of tall pork belly sections seared crisp, the fat almost molten, with a sweet and smoky glaze. 801 S. Lamar Blvd. 916-4808, www.uchiaustin.com. (Reviewed November 2008: )

Raw oysters

Parkside

Big deal. What does a restaurant — especially a minimalist wonder-bar and bistro like this — have to do to sell raw oysters? You mean besides tracking down a dozen or more varieties of North American oysters daily, doing it in months with and without the letter 'r,' getting them shipped, cleaning the shells, shucking them and putting them on ice with horseradish and lemon? How about making them (and champagne) half-price on Wednesdays? Done. 301 E. Sixth St. 474-9898, www.parkside-austin.com.

Roasted chicken

Zoot

Like Bruce Springsteen, Stewart Scruggs has a problem. No matter how good the new stuff is, all some people want to hear is 'Born to Run.' For Scruggs, roast chicken is 'Born to Run.' He's ceded the actual cooking of the dish to chef Andreas Exarhos at the relocated Zoot, but it's still spectacular in its simplicity. The skin is slightly crisp, the meat bubbling with juices. Underneath, bitter kale plays textural counterpoint to a custardlike polenta base. 11715 Bee Cave Road, 477-6535, www.zoot

restaurant.com. (Reviewed May 2009: )

The Signature Pork Chop

Perry's Steakhouse & Grille

You might argue that this Houston-bred steakhouse has all the d?cor finesse of a baroque cruise liner. But to judge Perry's on its titanic wall of wine, bank-vault dining room or faux alligator floors is to miss something Austin appreciates to its core: Perry's knows its meat. The Flintstonian smoked pork chop — which without exaggeration could be called a pork roast for four — is a bronzed butcher's tour of marbled fat, loin and pull-apart ribs with a sweet glaze and fireside spice. 114 W. Seventh St. 474-6300, www.perrys

steakhouse.com. (Reviewed December 2008: )

Steak tartare

Justine's

Justine Gilcrease — who co-owns this fledgling French brasserie with her husband, Pierre Pelegrin — believed in this dish from the beginning. 'Everybody told me, "No one's going to order steak tartare in Texas." And I said that's ridiculous. There's such great meat here.' She's right. About the meat, that is: shreds of raw beef with the married flavors of Worcestershire, capers, onion, pepper and garlic, finished with a raw quail egg and served with crisp fries. Cool and hot, like Justine's. 4710 E. Fifth St. 385-2900, justines1937.com.

Sushi-sashimi bento

Kyoto

The lunch menu reads like a picture book: 10 pieces of nigiri sushi for around $10, sushi combos, double-roll specials. But I marvel at every corner of a bento box with snapper, yellowtail, tuna and salmon nigiri, all of it firm and fresh, plus six pieces of sashimi (slices of raw fish) with shredded daikon. Crisp tempura bites include sweet potato, zucchini, broccoli and shrimp. With rice and miso soup, this is a reason to drive downtown. 315 Congress Ave., No. 200. 482-9010, www.kyotodowntown.com.

Texas Coffee-Rubbed New York Strip

The Carillon

There are almost too many players in this dish from Josh Watkins, chef of the Colosseum-sized University of Texas hotel restaurant: roasted parsnips, candied garlic, mesquite syrup made in-house, caramelized lemon and thick, perfectly mid-rare slices of steak with a subtle roasty bitterness from the coffee. But instead of tearing the dish apart, that roster of superstar ingredients makes a solid team, with the gossamer garlic as a cheerleader. AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center at UT, 1900 University Ave. 404-3689, www.meetattexas.com. (Reviewed November 2009: )

Veggie burger

P. Terry's Burger Stand

Finally, a veggie burger with big flavor and robust texture. The patties are made locally from real foods, including brown rice, black beans, mushrooms, oats, bulgur wheat, cheese, eggs and spices. The mushroom flavor comes through, but the wheat bun (worth the extra charge), lettuce, tomato, pickle and American cheese make it taste like a meal. 404 S. Lamar Blvd., 473-2217. Also at 3303 N. Lamar Blvd., 371-9975; and 4228 W. William Cannon Drive, 358-0380. www.pterrys.com. (Reviewed May 2009: 7.5 out of 10)