BEST OF 2007: DINING

15 menu items to keep us coming back

By Dale Rice
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, December 26, 2007

This year continued to be a stellar time for dining in Austin, with creative and skillful chefs taking their cooking to new heights. Looking back on 2007, there were 15 dishes that dominated my culinary memory. Here they are, in alphabetical order:

Brazilian-style barbecue

The cuts of meat at Estância Churrascaría are varied and plentiful, including the classic picanha (tri-tip roast), garlic-coated picanha, beef filet, bacon-wrapped filet, fraldinha (bottom sirloin), maminha (top sirloin), pork sausage, beef ribs, pork ribs, lamb and chicken. The meat is moist, well-seasoned and moderately to extremely tender. Furthermore, it is prepared as authentically as you could find in the United States. 4894 U.S. 290 W., 892-1225.

Cannoli

The crisp, fried shell of the cannoli at Enoteca, filled to order so as not to moisten and soften the crust, held a ricotta-mascarpone filling that seemed to have no sweetness at all. It was all about the flavor of the cheeses and the finely shaved dark chocolate that was mixed with it. The ends, in keeping with one strong Italian tradition, were coated in roasted pistachios. 1610 S. Congress Ave., 326-4411.

Crab cake

At Hudson's on the Bend, the crab cake was the topmost element in a molded tower that included layers of roasted corn, goat cheese ricotta and sliced avocado in a fire-charred salsa. The cylinder was surrounded by a chipotle sauce, garnished with fresh flowers and crowned with a bouquet of microgreens. Visually arresting, it was an extraordinarily strong offering. 3509 RM 620 N., 266-1369.

Figs

Presented in a classic martini glass, the dessert "tini" at Wink held slices of roasted mission fig interspersed with grapefruit sections in a ginger-citrus soup. Sweet, tart and spicy, it was one of the most refreshing and creative desserts to be found in Austin, right up there with Wink's orange-and-lavender-flavored risotto tart gilded with peach chutney. 1014 N. Lamar Blvd., 482-8868.

Foie gras

The knock-your-socks-off dish of the night, the month and the year was the trilogy of foie gras at Aquarelle. It appeared on a long, rectangular plate in three roles: in the traditional pan-seared method with a sweet-sour glaze over peach chutney, in a more adventuresome crème brûlée and, finally, in a wild-and-crazy ice cream. As startling as it might sound, this trio was a triumph. 606 Rio Grande St., 479-8117.

Fried green tomatoes

The most perfectly fried green tomato slices I've eaten were at Starlite, which used a coating that was crisp, golden and solid. To finish the dish, Starlite crumbled Neal's Yard cheddar cheese on the fried tomatoes, accented the slices with preserved lemon-tarragon aïoli and paired them with a side of minted lime and cucumber salad. It was a dish I loved. 407 Colorado St., 374-9012.

Lemon grass beef

At Sunflower, a Vietnamese restaurant, the lemon grass beef is the type of dish in which the heat builds and builds to the point that it could be excessive for many diners. Nonetheless, it is an addictingly tasty dish and a hearty meal, too, served with a light and sweetly dressed cabbage salad, soup and a fried imperial roll in the lunch special. 8557 Research Blvd., No. 146, 339-7860.

Needlefish

Small and delicate, needlefish requires extraordinary technique to remove the skin and debone it — a task easily mastered by Uchi chef-owner Tyson Cole. The sashimi was served with the rest of the body of the needlefish — a Japanese tradition in sashimi — beautifully displayed as a sort of flying dragon accompanied by a citrus vinaigrette that was presented in an oyster shell on a bed of salt in a wooden bowl. 801 S. Lamar Blvd., 916-4808.

Salsa

At the beginning of the meal at Casa Chapala, the waiter brought three dishes — two with seasonings and one with chopped fresh tomatoes — and a molcajete. Using a pestle, he crushed the tomatoes in the molcajete and added the seasoning, creating salsa as we watched — a powerful first impression of this Mexican restaurant. 3010 W. Anderson Lane, Suite D, 459-4242.

Shrimp and grits

The shrimp and grits appetizer at Jasper's isn't just good; it's superb. The two jumbo, prosciutto-wrapped shrimp recline on a bed of amazing grits in a blue corn tortilla bowl with a lemon-thyme butter sauce. The saltiness of the prosciutto beautifully balances the sweetness of the corn grits, which appear to have remnants of fresh corn kernels stirred into them. 11506 Century Oaks Terrace (The Domain), No. 128, 834-4111.

Snapper

The Gulf snapper at Zoot was presented in small portions: one served raw as sashimi, another seared and a third that had been poached in green tea. The cold sashimi was served on a warm avocado purée, the seared fish was presented over an apple-ginger purée, and the poached snapper appeared on a bed of kohlrabi and cabbage, and each was garnished with tiny candied elements that gave the appetizer a unifying theme. 509 Hearn St., 477-6535.

Tacos

It's a twofer at Zocalo: When ordering the tacos de carnitas, you can choose to have one of the soft tacos made with pulled pork and the other with green-chile chicken. And that's a good thing because both are so good. They come on small flour tortillas, with a side of pineapple pico de gallo. Consider a delicious jicama salad in place of the rice and beans. 1110 West Lynn St., 472-8226.

Tamales

If there are better tamales in Central Texas, I haven't found them. Wrapped in banana leaves, these rectangular tamales at Oaxacan Tamaleo provide a perfect balance between masa and robust fillings: black bean and cheese, pork with green sauce and chicken with red mole sauce. The black bean and cheese, a vegetarian option, is the mild choice, while the other two bring a fair level of zest to the table. 1634 Texas 71 W., Cedar Creek, 289-9262.

Tiramisu

The tiramisu at Gypsy is just like the dessert that my mother fell in love with when we stopped for lunch one day in Italy near the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Served in a martini glass, the Gypsy tiramisu is a not-too-sweet combination of rum, eggs and mascarpone cheese mixed with lady fingers dipped in espresso and rum. 1025 Barton Springs Road, 499-0200.

Watermelon gazpacho

This soup from Jeffrey's executive chef Alma Alcocer-Thomas is divine. It is a cold, light, sweet, fruity soup garnished with two exquisitely prepared shrimp — tender, chilled and infused with a lemon flavor that permeates the shellfish. Once a sleeper on the menu, Alcocer-Thomas now serves it throughout the months when she can find flavorful watermelons. 1204 West Lynn St. 477-5584.

drice@statesman.com; 445-3859