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The pork tenderloin at Four Corners has some kick thanks to a marinade featuring lime juice, garlic and chipotle.

Four Corners
701 S. Capital of Texas Highway
(512) 329-0400
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday
Credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners, Carte Blanche
Wheelchair access: Yes
Wine: 20 by the glass ($5-$9), 21 by the bottle ($18-$35)
Rating:

Thursday, Nov. 20 Reviews:
• Four Corners
• Gene's

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Four Corners

Restaurant isn't boxed in by its past

By Dale Rice
American-Statesman Restaurant Critic
Thursday, November 20, 2003

Change the name. Keep the concept.

Change the owner. Keep the manager.

Change the menu. Keep the ambience.

That is the fine line a restaurant walks as it eases into its next life, a metamorphosis completed a few months ago by Four Corners.

The Southwestern restaurant, just down the hill from Macaroni Grill in the shopping center at Loop 360 and Bee Cave Road, was formerly Canyon Cafe, part of a national chain.

Earlier this year, Guido Doria, a former restaurateur who lives in New York City, bought the Austin location and put his spin on it.

Doria kept the Southwestern theme, the restaurant's interior and Mike Mathot, the manager. But there was a huge difference: local control. The restaurant, no longer forced to follow corporate dictates, was free to remake itself in a way that was more consistent with the community in which it was located.

And it remade itself quite nicely.

Mainly, Mathot says, Four Corners did not want to be "quite as myopic" as the previous restaurant, which emphasized spicy Mexican fare.

"We had a lot more to offer," he says, noting that Four Corners added barbecue, smoked flavors and hand-cut steaks (among other items), as it "went from 80 percent spicy to 40 percent spicy" and developed a bigger menu.

"We had the experience of listening to people say what we should do," he says. "We were definitely willing to adapt."

Although the flavors are supposed to be representative of the Four Corners area -- the point where New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado meet -- they also reflect Texas and the border in an almost indistinguishable way.

While it is possible to avoid spicy dishes on the new menu, there is still a lot of zing among the selections, as was demonstrated by the rolled chicken, pork tenderloin and stuffed avocado.

A tasty entree, the pollo del mar ($11.99) featured chicken breast stuffed with shrimp and cheese and rolled in a thin tortilla. Cut in slices and fanned on the plate, the chicken was served with rice, vegetables and a jalape�o cream sauce that supplied the zest.

The pork ($10.99) was marinated in lime juice, garlic and chipotle, which gave it the zip. It was served with skins-on mashed potatoes and barely cooked spinach.

An appetizer, the avocado ($7.99) was filled with tiny cubes of chicken, cheese and onion, battered and fried. Rather than being thick and crusty, the coating was so light it was negligible. The avocado, presented on a bed of rice, was topped with a spicy queso. My dining companion and I concluded that -- with a side of spinach -- it would make a delightful entree.

The broadened appeal of Four Corners showed up in the barbecue beef quesadilla ($7.99), which was filled with cheese and tender, lean meat in a barbecue sauce that was more sweet than tangy.

All of those items had been recommended by our waiter, who worked to alleviate problems before they became an issue. For example, he explained that two large parties had placed orders immediately before us and apologized that it might take longer than we expected to be served. (The wait actually didn't seem long at all.)

Even if there is a wait, the setting is pleasant. The large, kivalike dining area, a few steps down from the entry level, features rustic wood posts and planks in railings, walls and ceiling that give the place a Southwestern feel.

The only disappointment of the evening was dessert: bananas foster ($4.95). Served in a conical margarita glass, the hot (and grainy) caramel sauce quickly melted the vanilla ice cream to form a caramel-cream soup with floating banana slices. I prefer my bananas foster with ice cream that remains largely intact.

Bananas aside, Austin's Four Corners is an intersection of good food, generous portions, moderate prices and friendly service. I'm glad it's not a state-and-a-half away.

You may contact Dale Rice at drice@statesman.com or 445-3859.

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