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XL Dining Guide 2003

Next To The Best

Photo by Mark Matson For AA-S

After sampling the Venetian, you'll have a real appreciation for Bellagio chef Steven Loiacono's skill with a saute pan.

Bellagio

6507 Jester Blvd.
(512) 346-8228

Chef Steven Loiacono is a master of the saut� pan.

In the Venetian appetizer, he saut�s fresh calamari, scallops, clams, mussels and shrimp with a variety of ingredients and finishes them with a crisp white wine and light touch of lemon to produce a scintillating broth and enticing aroma that engulf the tender seafood.

Fare like that contributes mightily to making the upscale, family-owned restaurant near Loop 360 and RM 2222 one of the best Italian spots in Central Texas.

Photo by Tom Lankes/AA-S

Dishes at Bistro 88 are so artfully prepared they look almost too good to eat.

Bistro 88

2712 Bee Cave Road
(512) 328-8888

Make even the simple things seem special.

That's the approach that underlies the dining experience at Bistro 88, a Euro-Asian restaurant that combines the two styles of cuisine.

A salad of greens and julienne jicama, for example, is highlighted with a honey-balsamic-soy dressing that is so good it should be bottled and sold in grocery stores.

Chef-owner Jeff Liu also is keen on the visual presentation of his food, frequently bringing his sophisticated sense of artistry to the plate in items such as the crispy seafood rolls.

Caf� Josie

1200-B W. Sixth St.
(512) 322-9226

Chef-owner Charles Mayes is serving some of the most vibrant flavors in Austin.

His "cuisine of the American tropics" features the regional influences of northern South America, coastal areas of Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Although Mayes will leave spice out of a dish at a diner's request, it's the zest that sets Caf� Josie apart in dishes like honey-chipotle glazed shrimp and oysters with lime cilantro aioli and honey chipotle sauce that inject each bite with sweetness that gives way to heat.

Photo by Ha Lam For AA-S

The skilled waiters at Castle Hill Cafe have the knowledge needed to help you pick the right dish.

Castle Hill Cafe

1101 W. Fifth St.
(512) 476-0728

One reason Castle Hill Cafe has been one of the city's best restaurants for more than a decade is a seasoned waitstaff that complements the excellent food.

They set the tone (helpful and friendly) and the pace (prompt service, but no rushing) for the rest of the meal, giving ample time to savor executive chef David Dailey's emphasis on big flavor.

The crispy duck showcases Dailey's approach, with a zesty pasilla chile-blackberry-red wine sauce, an herbed cr�me fra�che and an almond-dried fruit pesto on one plate.

Photo by Shelley Wood/AA-S

Fonda San Miguel's Miguel Ravago has helped turn the restaurant into an Austin institution.

Fonda San Miguel

2330 W. North Loop Blvd.
(512) 459-4121

Fonda San Miguel, founded by Tom Gilliland and chef Miguel Ravago in 1975, is an Austin institution with a national reputation for its upscale, interior-Mexican fare.

The ambience alone -- the work of famed Mexican artists hanging on the deep terra cotta walls -- signals to diners that they are in a special place.

Traditional offerings include sopitos, nine small masa cakes topped, three each, with refried beans and nopalitos, refried beans and salpicon (chopped fish) and guacamole and shrimp cooked with adobado.

Siena

6203 N. Capital of Texas Highway, Building B;
(512) 349-7667

This Siena has a real sense of place: the hilltop towns of Tuscany that were the inspiration for owner Stan Adams and chef Harvey Harris when they opened this classy Northwest Austin spot.

And when it comes to the fare (such as the bavette with shrimp and sausage or the bruschetta with wild boar), Siena has reached its potential, producing leisurely paced, tantalizingly flavorful meals reminiscent of many Tuscan restaurants.

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