La Traviata Will Have You Singing Its Praises By Dale Rice American-Statesman Restaurant Critic Thursday, October 16, 2003 The color of coffee beans, the dark, crisp exterior of the two legs of duck gave way to moist, tender, succulent meat inside. A simple, classic preparation of water fowl, it was among the best bites of duck I've savored in Texas -- without even considering the rest of the plate, which only heightened the pleasure. The pair of legs stretched across a bed of haricots verts that retained just a bit of their natural crunch, with a red wine-fig sauce underneath that added a touch of sweetness. To the side was a potato-leek gratin that echoed the robust qualities of the duck. In this Traviata, it's Marion Gillcrist's food that sings. Chef-owner of La Traviata, a small downtown bistro, Gillcrist is an extraordinary cook who puts intense effort into the simple dishes of Italy. (I've found no Bolognese sauce in the United States that is superior to hers.) The duck confit entree ($19) is a perfect example of her approach. First, a dry rub is applied to the duck legs. The next day, the legs are covered with fat and cooked for hours, which actually renders much of the fat from the legs themselves, while retaining their moisture. Then the pan of legs is cooled and refrigerated. When a diner orders the duck, the legs are pulled from the fat and finished in the oven on high heat. It's the thin layer of fat that adheres to the duck that creates the crisp skin in the oven, while leaving a loose, almost-braised texture underneath. Gillcrist, who applies that kind of time-intense method to great success, also knows when seconds count. Her calamari puttanesca ($16) is a large mound of pasta coated with a spicy tomato sauce and featuring large rings of wonderfully tender squid. To avoid the tough, rubbery qualities that so often inflict calamari, La Traviata's squid is cut fresh and added to the pan when the tomato sauce -- finished off individually for each dish -- is less than two minutes away from its ideal consistency. At the moment the calamari turns from translucent to white, it is plated and served quickly to preserve its tender attributes and produce enjoyment at the table. It's the mastery of those basics that puts La Traviata, owned by Gillcrist and her brother and sister-in-law, Dan and Olga Gillcrist, on a par with many small trattorias in Italy, where simple dishes with immense flavor abound. The long, narrow restaurant also has the ambience of an Italian trattoria, with its tables grouped closely together. Though diners are near enough to listen to adjacent conversations, that closeness did not seem to dilute the intimacy of couples -- ranging from their 20s to their 70s -- who were dining there on a recent Saturday night. Perhaps that trattoria feel, with the stone walls, dark-wood bar and subdued lighting, recalls romantic European settings for them, too. Although the entrees, recommended by an attentive server who knew minute details about each dish, were the stars of the evening, the supporting chorus was no slouch. The Parma prosciutto ($8) featured thin slices of the classic ham over leaves of bitter endive garnished with shaved Parmesan cheese and olives. For the tomato-relish bruschetta ($8), a chopped tomato mixture topped grilled bread with a side of greens large enough to stand in for a pre-entree salad. The panna cotta ($7), a traditional Italian dessert, was a light custard, while the chocolate torte ($7) was a dense, rich, brownielike confection. Together they formed a meal worthy of many encores. You may contact Dale Rice at drice@statesman.com or 445-3859. | ||||
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