THE MAIN COURSE

Cedar Grove Steakhouse

Delicious steaks still the norm at Wimberley restaurant

By Dale Rice
AMERICAN-STATESMAN RESTAURANT CRITIC
Thursday, April 03, 2008

When a founding chef leaves a well-tuned restaurant, it's difficult to predict what will happen. Most often it falters; after all, the menu and style were based on the original chef's vision of what the place should be.

Sometimes, though, the operation remains steady, making a few changes here and there but staying true overall to that initial mission.

Cedar Grove Steakhouse, located 4 miles south of Wimberley on RM 12, came to that crossroad when the young, talented executive chef, John Galindo III, left the restaurant after a change in ownership. He was replaced by a triumvirate of chefs (there is no executive chef now), all with backgrounds at the Texas Culinary Academy, who are deftly executing the upscale steakhouse fare in the same style and with equal quality, for the most part, as the previous chef.

The aged Black Angus steaks and side dishes were the best evidence of that steady trend.

A New York strip ($30), nicely seasoned and cooked medium-rare as ordered, was moist and tender, and the filet Toscano ($31), a new entrée of beef topped with Texas goat cheese, roasted red peppers and capers with a balsamic-reduction sauce, was tasty and tender as well.

The sides were simple yet particularly good, especially when compared with some of the steakhouse classics. The sliced, sautéed mushrooms ($3.99) were a bounty of flavor, and the spinach ($3.50), lightly sautéed rather than heavily sauced with cream, was delicious.

The evening dinner special, bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin ($34), delivered a generous portion of tender meat accompanied by Parmesan mashed potatoes and green beans, although it was more expensive than expected when compared with the price of the steaks.

To start the meal, the bruschetta ($9) presented four thick slices of grilled Asiago cheese bread topped with a chopped tomato-basil-garlic mixture in olive oil that still managed to have a decent tomato taste despite the season. In what is usually a good sign of kitchen prowess, the large bowl of calamari ($9), served with a marinara sauce for dipping, featured mostly thick rings of squid (along with a few tentacles) that were lightly battered and perfectly cooked.

Our waiter, who had heartily endorsed our choices, supplied a dry wit to go with his attentive service.

With a lovely ambience, Cedar Grove Steakhouse boasts a two-story dining room that has a large section of the second floor cut away, revealing the huge wooden beams that run near the summit of the tall, peaked roof.

The single shortcoming of the evening was the cheesecake, a specialty of former chef Galindo, who managed to turn out cakes that were light and luscious at the same time, as well as intriguingly flavored. The white-chocolate-lavender cheesecake ($8) of my recent dinner was dense, heavy and — even though I could detect specks of the herb in the cake — had no noticeable lavender flavor. The margarita cheesecake ($7), similar in taste to a key lime pie, offered better flavor but no lighter texture. Both had unattractive dark brown tops.

So, though I no longer would drive 40 miles from Austin to Cedar Grove Steakhouse just for the cheesecake (as I would have previously), I wouldn't hesitate to head there for other reasons. Cedar Grove has a welcoming atmosphere, good service and delicious steaks, which all add up to a fine upscale dining experience in the Hill Country.

drice@statesman.com; 445-3859