THE XL DINING GUIDE

The Top 10

By Dale Rice
AMERICAN-STATESMAN RESTAURANT CRITIC
Friday, November 02, 2007

1. HUDSON'S ON THE BEND

3509 RM 620 N. 266-1369

Some years, the top spot in Central Texas dining has been determined by a culinary win as small as a pinch of salt. This year, Hudson's on the Bend grabbed the No. 1 position in a substantive way, and it did it by getting better than it has ever been.

Hudson's efforts to continually raise the bar on Central Texas cuisine were illustrated beautifully by its towering version of a Maryland crab cake.

The new plate began with an old recipe that chef-owner Jeff Blank included in his first cookbook, for a sesame-and-almond-crusted crab cake. Executive chef Robert Rhoades and chef de cuisine Kelly Casey went to work this year, using the cake as 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.

It was such an extraordinarily strong offering that it was hard to imagine other dishes standing up to it. But they did.

The lavender-crusted rack of lamb, for example, was split into four double chops, topped with a lavender-lime jelly and served with a prickly pear beurre blanc, which — like all the sauces that night — was poured on the plate by our server at the table. The lamb was accompanied by a custard flavored with roasted garlic, Asiago cheese and herbs, and sautéed vegetables. The lavender, accented with the lime and prickly pear, delivered a powerful perfume to the plate.

Veal. Venison. Wild boar.

All were as enticing as the crab and lamb, and each exhibited more grace and elegance than Hudson's has shown previously, solidly securing the No. 1 ranking for the Southwestern restaurant for the second straight year.

2. DRISKILL GRILL

604 Brazos St. 391-7162

It was the big question facing Josh Watkins. As the Driskill's new executive chef, could he do as well as or better than his nationally known predecessor?

It turns out that Watkins is David Bull's equal, not by imitating him but by putting his own distinctive stamp on the cuisine. Watkins' personality is coming through in two ways: a sense of adventure and a confidence to let ingredients speak for themselves.

Both aspects were evident in the Kona kampachi entrée, a fish that is one of Watkins' favorites. He created an exquisite plate to go with it, emphasizing Hawaiian ingredients: a coconut-olive oil panna cotta, hearts of palm, Maui onion confit and a salad of pea tendrils.

Watkins' willingness to let the ingredients come forward was showcased in the roasted pineapple sauce served with the fish. The only things he added to the ripe pineapple were butter and salt, allowing the fruit flavor to shine.

The chef's sense of adventure also appeared in the fish. The kamachi was so lightly cooked that it was the closest thing to sashimi I've eaten in a classic grill. It was wonderful.

However, rare fish is a turnoff for many, and Watkins took a risk when he presented it like that. But it's a gamble that might be paying off in other ways; there were more young diners than I've ever observed in the Driskill Grill.

It's a sign that Watkins' prowess is reaching a new clientele while maintaining the extremely high standards that Bull set not only for the Driskill but for all Austin dining establishments.

3. AQUARELLE

606 Rio Grande St. 479-8117

It was a year of change for Aquarelle, the small French restaurant on the western edge of downtown.

The classic — and classy — restaurant was founded by Teresa Wilson, Robert Brady and Jacques Richard in 2000 after Wilson and Brady worked in Richard's restaurant in France to learn the ways of the French kitchen.

Richard helped Aquarelle make its mark in Austin and then returned to his native country. Wilson and Brady shouldered the demanding workload and maintained Aquarelle's position as one of the city's best restaurants.

Last spring, Brady left the establishment and Richard rejoined Wilson, and they immediately launched another project: transforming a little-used waiting area into an inviting wine bar with its own menu.

With all that transition and upheaval, the restaurant is standing up superbly and producing dishes such as a knock-your-socks-off trilogy of foie gras.

Presented on a long, rectangular plate, the foie gras in this appetizer appeared in three roles: in the traditional pan-seared method, in a more adventuresome crème brûlée and, finally, in a wild-and-crazy ice cream.

It was a triumph, just like the rest of the meal, proving that all the change hasn't diminished Aquarelle in any way.

4. UCHI

801 S. Lamar Blvd. 916-4808

Uchi and its chef-owner, Tyson Cole, could be judged by its needlefish (terrific) or its Japanese black snapper (fantastic), two of the stars of a recent meal at one of Austin's most popular restaurants.

But another way to assess this Austin sushi restaurant is by its candied garlic, which played a small supporting role that evening in the amuse bouche. The complimentary dish brought together a sashimi of yellowtail belly, pistachio oil and the garlic.

To make this unusual element, garlic cloves were cut on the bias to make the slices as long as possible, cooked gently in simple syrup for an hour, dried and then deep-fried for a moment.

The result was a sliver of garlic candy that enhanced the dish by adding sweetness and crunch to the yellowtail. It exemplifies the lengths to which Cole will go to supply his guests with imaginative and artful dishes.

Cole also has an affinity for combining the Japanese aesthetic with Texas products, such as the madai sashimi of Japanese black snapper that he paired with ruby red grapefruit to form an outstanding duo.

Uchi and Cole never rest on their laurels, as plentiful — and deserved — as they may be.

5. WINK

1014 N. Lamar Blvd. 482-8868

Mark Paul, chef and co-owner of Wink along with Stewart Scruggs, began his career as a pastry chef, developing a number of exquisite desserts that did so well at Wink that they didn't make room for interlopers in recent years.

This summer, though, two new fabulous desserts appeared: the "tini" and a risotto tart.

Presented in a classic martini glass, the Wink dessert "tini" 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.

The sweet risotto, flavored with orange and lavender and held in a crisp crust, was gilded with a peach compote. It was the most elegant version of rice pudding I've ever consumed.

They formed a dazzling finish to an already impressive meal. With service that remains a high point of Austin dining, Wink produced a meal that was the best I've had there over the years. Like its new desserts, the restaurant remains a refreshing, creative force in Central Texas cuisine.

6. CAFÉ 909

909 Second St., Marble Falls. (830) 693-2126

One of the things that makes Mark Schmidt of Café 909 such an outstanding chef is his willingness to push the plate.

The kedgeree is his appealing twist on an Anglo-Indian breakfast dish that has its roots in colonial times. Schmidt became familiar with the modern version of it when he spent time in England as a kid. Rather than using the traditional rice and beans, though, Schmidt devised a lighter version of the dish by combining smoked trout with curried couscous, red onion and coriander and serving it with a quail egg and cucumber raita.

With the asparagus, the chef was showcasing one of the glorious products of the spring season in what he calls a "simple and straightforward way." Yes, the individual parts might be simple, but the whole becomes exquisitely sophisticated. Schmidt tops the warm white asparagus with Gulf lump crab meat, a fried sunny-side-up quail egg and green goddess dressing (a mix of homemade aïoli, Champagne vinegar, tarragon, green onion, parsley and anchovies).

With his cuisine, Schmidt has made Marble Falls a mandatory excursion for the serious foodies of Central Texas. He continues to demonstrate that the Top 10 restaurants of this region aren't all within 30 minutes of downtown Austin.

7. ZOOT

509 Hearn St. 477-6535

Many chefs gravitate to a comfort zone. Some take an inventive approach; others stick with the classics.

It takes a lot of confidence in the kitchen to swing between the two styles, showcasing modern and classic dishes on the same menu the way Zoot chef Jesse DeLeon did with an appetizer of snapper prepared three ways and an entrée of rabbit ballotine.

The Gulf snapper offered 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 appeared on a bed of kohlrabi and cabbage.

Each was garnished with tiny candied elements that gave the appetizer a unifying theme, its menu identity, and a marvelously modern flair.

The rabbit, on the other hand, was pulled out of the classic repertoire, a traditional ballotine in which the animal is deboned and the scraps are used to make a sausage-style filling for the rolled meat.

For DeLeon, there's no dichotomy in these modern and classical dishes. They pair nicely to keep Zoot an inspiring place.

8. JEFFREY'S

1204 West Lynn St. 477-5584

Executive chef Alma Alcocer-Thomas knows how to launch a meal in a divinely appealing way.

Her watermelon gazpacho this summer was a cold, light, sweet, fruity soup garnished with two exquisitely prepared shrimp — tender, chilled and infused with a lemon flavor that permeated the shellfish. It's hard to imagine a better representation of the season.

Equally delightful was Alcocer-Thomas' gold bell pepper and saffron bisque, made with peppers from the farmers' market and crowned with basil-spiked crabmeat. The soup began sweetly in the mouth and then faded to a zesty afterburn at the back of the throat. It was a sweet-heat process that was addictive.

Extending the seasonal emphasis, Alcocer-Thomas produced a perfect halibut entrée. Pecan-crusted, the moist fish was served with strawberries and a light strawberry sauce, with sides of morel mushrooms and a bundle of beautifully prepared wild asparagus.

Founded by owners Ron and Peggy Weiss and Jeffrey Weinberger in 1975, Jeffrey's is now in its fourth decade. But with Alcocer-Thomas's dishes such as watermelon gazpacho, it remains fresh and lively and among the Top 10.

9. STARLITE

407 Colorado St. 374-9012

9One of the bright spots of contemporary cuisine is chefs who take a mundane ingredient and raise it to new heights in presentation and on the palate. Joshua Hines, executive chef of Starlite, brought that artistry to bear in a fried green tomato salad. The tomatoes were perhaps the most perfectly fried tomato slices I have had. The coating was crisp, golden and solid, holding together around a slice of firm green tomato.

Instead of presenting them with typical ranch dressing, Hines crumbled Neal's Yard cheddar on them, accenting the slices with preserved lemon-tarragon aïoli and pairing them with a side of minted lime and cucumber salad.

A salad of roasted beets also boasted elements not often found on the same plate. Thin slices of organic red and gold beets formed a bottom layer of the salad, which was topped with greens, surrounded by kumquat preserves and sprinkled with toasted marcona almonds and crumbled blue cheese.

Despite an increasingly competitive field, Starlite remained among the elite by showcasing its artistry in items such as those salads.

10. CIBO

918 Congress Ave., 478-3663

Will Packwood transformed his Italian trattoria this summer, turning it into something more akin to Emilia's, the five-star restaurant where he built a national reputation.

He is again producing fare that captures the imagination and the taste buds. A dish of gnocchi, green sauce and pork belly had three foodies practically swooning. That was true with the risotto — made with kale, prosciutto and tiny cubes of potato — and the pork shank served over soft polenta with greens.

Many of Packwood's dishes are designed to be interactive; he lays out the ingredients on the plate, encouraging customers to try variations.

He did that with the potato gnocchi, which were finished with butter-braised leeks and presented separately with salsa verde (a classic Italian sauce for meats made with parsley, mint, lemon, anchovies and garlic) and a block of pork belly that had been cured, braised and grilled.

In any combination, they were captivating. And that could be said for all his cuisine.

UPDATE

At the Four Seasons, a former Top 10 restaurant location. Trio, the newly renovated and re-themed restaurant at the Four Seasons (98 San Jacinto Blvd., 685-8300), joins Austin's upscale steakhouses in style and presentation, offering a variety of steaks, other meats and seafood and more than a dozen sides that must be ordered separately. The colorful, lively cafe becomes more innovative with appetizers, such as the bacon and egg: three tender cubes of pork belly served with a poached egg that has been coated in bread crumbs and fried. Look for a full review after the restaurant has been open the requisite three months. — Dale Rice