Dining Guide 2004: Honorable Mentions

20 worth tasting

There is a multitude of good restaurants in Central Texas, and not all of them could make the Top 50. Here are another 20 of note:

On the edge of Barton Creek Square Mall, Lubbock-based Abuelo's operates under the philosophy established when it was founded in 1989: Provide a choice of upscale, interior Mexican food or more basic Tex-Mex fare.
• Click here for the full review.

Baxter's on Main
919 Main St., Bastrop; (512) 321-3577

Terri Knop, who had virtually no experience in the restaurant business until 2003 when she opened Baxter's, is bringing fine-dining to Bastrop's historic Main Street in the form of aged beef and tasty seafood.

Bitter End
311 Colorado St., 478-2337

With the work of executive chef Reggie Ferguson, Texas fare is in full bloom at the Bitter End, the Warehouse District pub where the award-winning beers are brewed on site and pair beautifully with the food.

Photo by Larry Kolvoord/AA-S Abuelo's serves as an ambassador to Mexico's interior, but also offers Tex-Mex.

One of the largest restaurants in Texas, Cool River became an overnight success as a steakhouse with items such as the filet on a portobello cap that offered a trio of flavors: aged meat, grilled mushroom and brandy peppercorn sauce.

Dan McKlusky's
301 E. Sixth St., 473-8924

Attracting one of the most racially diverse crowds I've seen in Austin's fine-dining establishments, Dan McKlusky's tries to age its steak for 28 to 45 days, which is considerably longer than many steakhouses.
• Click here for the full review.

Doña Emilia's
101 San Jacinto Blvd., 478-2520

The small, home-style Colombian restaurant went upscale this year, moving downtown to significantly larger and fancier surroundings, hiring a professional chef and expanding the menu to include "New Latin" cuisine.
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Houston's
2408 W. Anderson Lane, 451-7333

This is a good meat-and-potatoes place that can deliver quality food in a nice atmosphere without pretense. Houston's delicious offerings include the city's best prime rib, which is finished on an oak-fired grill.

Kenichi
419 Colorado St., 320-8883

A swank Asian restaurant that is an offspring of the upscale restaurant of the same name in Aspen, Colo., Kenichi is a place of straight-line geometry in its décor and sushi that is as beautiful (and tasty) as the surroundings.

Photo by Ha Lam for AA-S Cilantro garlic butter slowly melts over the gaucho ribeye at Doña Emilia's.

Serving many classic interior Mexican dishes, Manuel's delivers strong, wonderful flavors that penetrate virtually every bite, such as its tortilla soup that features a thick, highly spicy base made from ancho chiles.

McCormick & Schmick's
401 Congress Ave., 236-9600

This restaurant aims to do for the street level what the jagged, lighted crown did for the top: draw attention to the new Frost Bank Tower in downtown Austin with an extensive menu of fish flown in fresh daily.
• Click here for the full review.

Mezzaluna
310 Colorado St., 472-6770

Mezzaluna is once again a strong player in the downtown dining arena. It is serving hearty, pungent, rich, immensely satisfying Italian fare, such as the fusilli della nonna with its grilled chicken and pasta in a robust Gorgonzola sauce.

North by Northwest
10010 Capital of Texas Highway N., 467-6969

The restaurant, which has an Adirondack-lodge feel thanks to the high wood ceiling and stone walls, has a strong meat-and-potatoes approach. It's also the kind of place you'd expect to find a good beer, which is brewed in-house.

Ms. B's
8105 Mesa Drive, 372-9529

This tiny bistro can deliver a gumbo as good as any I've had in New Orleans. Owners Billy and Brenda McGowan (for whom the restaurant was named) dish up the Cajun and Creole dishes of Louisiana.

Old San Francisco
8709 N. Interstate 35, 835-9200

This is a steakhouse that's reliable and straightforward, a place where diners can feel secure. Patrons get a good steak, with sides and salad included in the price of the meal, plus live entertainment: the girl on the swing.
• Click here for the full review.

Photo by Matt Rourke/AA-S Banana slices add another layer of texture and flavor to the tiramisu at Palmer's in San Marcos.

Originally built as a home in the 1920s, Palmer's is an upscale respite in a town full of college-oriented eateries. Main courses and desserts were the strong points, and the lush courtyard is a perfect place for a drink or dinner.
• Click here for the full review.

34th Street Café
1005 W. 34th St., 371-3400

This is a relatively quiet place where diners can enjoy conversation as much as the food, with a dinner menu — developed by owner Eddie Bernal and cafe chefs — that offers a mix of longtime favorites and seasonal dishes.

Thistle Café on Sixth
300 W. Sixth St., Suite 103; 275-9777

An offshoot of the Thistle at Davenport Ranch on Capital of Texas Highway, this downtown version also offers a cafeteria-style lunch. At night, however, it becomes a first-class dining venue, with full service.

Tokyo Steak House and Sushi Bar
201-D Sundance Parkway, Round Rock, 388-7896

There are items here to please the more sophisticated adult sushi palate at the same time there is entertainment (at the grills) to enthrall young children. That makes Tokyo Steak House one of the area's few upscale restaurants for family dining.
• Click here for the full review.

Uchi
801 S. Lamar Blvd., 916-4808

The sushi produced by chef-owner Tyson Cole and his staff at Uchi is superb. Cole is even prepared to help people who aren't ready for raw seafood but are interested in the idea of sushi by serving a roll based on chicken salad.

Z Tejas
1110 W. Sixth St., 478-5355 9400-A Arboretum Blvd., 346-3506

The quality of the dining experience is high at both spots, now part of an Austin-based national chain. Southwestern flavors are the mainstay, but those of Louisiana, Asia and other points imbue the menu as well.