Four-star runners-up to the Top 10

By Dale Rice
American-Statesman Restaurant Critic
Nov. 4, 2005

Andiamo
2521 Rutland Drive; 719-3377

Andiamo is a rarity among fine-dining establishments in Central Texas. It exudes an Old World charm, derived from owner Giovanni Cocciante's role as the consummate host, effervescently moving among the tables to make sure that patrons are enjoying themselves. On top of that, Andiamo's classic fare is delectable, with Cocciante's long-time chef, John Borga, helping make the restaurant one of the top Italian spots in the area. Items such as the crostino di polenta e calamari will rivet a diner to the plate. Sauteed rings of squid — each piece a tender morsel — rest on a mound of soft polenta covered with tomato sauce, bringing together three standards of Italian cooking in a dish that is unexpectedly appealing.

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Bellagio
6507 Jester Blvd., 346-8228

One way a four-star restaurant preserves its rating year to year is by balancing regular menu offerings and daily specials, devoting the attention that each requires. At Bellagio, the Italian restaurant in Northwest Austin, chef-owner Steven Loiacono clearly understands the importance of both routine and special items, such as his spinach-and-Gorgonzola-stuffed ravioli. For that, Loiacono fills seven large pillows of dough with spinach that has just enough blue cheese for flavor without overshadowing it. He cooks the pasta al dente and accompanies it with a tantalizing sundried tomato cream sauce. Then he takes it over the top with presentation, forming a nest of crisp, thin onion rings on top of the ravioli, with an orchid nestled in the center. It is the kind of dish that makes diners pause to observe before devouring it.

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Photo by Laura Skelding/AA-S Bistro 88 serves Muscovy duck breast with roasted pear salad.

Bistro 88
2712 Bee Cave Road, 328-8888

If there's one person who can manipulate perfection, it's the hyper-creative Jeff Liu. The chef-owner of Bistro 88, the Euro-Asian restaurant, improves dishes such as classic ceviche. Served in a martini glass and garnished with two entwined shrimp, the ceviche combines finely chopped shrimp, scallops, salmon and sea bass that has been 'cooked' in lemon and lime juice — a traditional Mexican way to make it. That's when Liu begins tampering. He adds Cointreau (an orange-flavored liqueur), cranberry juice and orange juice 'to give it that extra flavor,' he says. The result spins the ceviche to a new level, producing fare that is perfectly matched to the sophisticated ambience where Liu's artistic hand is evident as well.

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Café Josie
1200-B W. Sixth St., 322-9226

Café Josie continues to shine when it comes to seafood. In 2004, Café Josie delivered one of the best seafood meals I had eaten in Austin. This year, Café Josie did it again with trout and crab, plus a little help from some lobster and shrimp, a tribute to chef-owner Charles Mayes. His flavors of the 'American tropics' sail especially well on the fruits of the sea. In his appetizer of lobster cakes, for example, Mayes combines a high amount of shellfish with a tiny amount of Japanese breadcrumbs, provolone and manchego cheeses, fresh corn, poblanos and cilantro. Those ingredients produce great flavor, but do not overwhelm the delicate lobster, which receives an additional boost from the lime-cilantro and chipotle aiolis on the plate — zesty sauces that are another of Mayes' trademarks.

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Castle Hill Café
1101 W. Fifth St., 476-0728

This longtime Southwestern bistro has been running without a hiccup for years. It doesn't miss a beat — in service or food — even on a night when another event, such as an upstairs wine dinner, is competing for attention. That's because the restaurant maintains two kitchens, one for the dining room and another to handle special events. Without competition for stove space, dishes such as chef Arik Williams' outstanding pork loin continue to excel. The tender meat is crusted with pecans and sage and accompanied by a 'redeye gravy,' a robust and appealing sauce made from coffee, cream, bacon, blackened tomatoes and ham broth. It is served with grits and a pickled vegetable chow-chow, adding even more delicious flavor and complexity to the plate, a typical feature of Castle Hill Café.

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Fonda San Miguel
2330 W. North Loop, 459-4121

Photo by Larry Kolvoord/AA-S Mirabelle's smoked pork flautas are served with a sundried cherry chutney.

Fonda San Miguel passed a major milestone in 2005. The restaurant, one of the most famous in the United States for interior Mexican cuisine, turned 30. Founded in 1975 by Tom Gilliland and chef Miguel Ravago, the restaurant doesn't rely solely on good will and longevity to bring folks back. It has built a loyal customer base through its beautiful setting, resplendent art work and classic dishes. Those items, published in a new cookbook this fall to celebrate the 30th anniversary, include the ensalada de nopalitos, with its marinated cactus combined with cilantro, onions and tomatoes, and the chile relleno de picadillo, stuffed with a finely shredded pork filling.

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Mirabelle
8127 Mesa Drive, 346-7900

Balance, with flavors and textures working in harmony, is one of the most important elements to be found in a dish. Balance also is a crucial aspect of the menus for the area's best eateries. The effort to maintain that balance is obvious at Mirabelle, the Northwest Austin bistro where that attention to equilibrium affects the creative process of executive chef David Apthorpe. It is easy, he says, for fish and shellfish to dominate appetizers 'because they're so good in small quantities.' Therefore, he works hard to develop vegetarian and meat starters to complement the seafood, such as a pork flauta that he makes with smoked pork tenderloin and pairs with an avocado crema and a wonderful sundried cherry chutney.

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Siena
6203 N. Capital of Texas Highway, Building B; 349-7667

A few days after returning from Italy, I headed back to Siena. This time, though, it was for a vicarious Tuscan experience at the restaurant outside Austin. The first thing I tasted was executive chef Harvey Harris' cinghiale, a dish I had savored three times in Italy. His wild boar is cooked in a flavorful Chianti sauce, producing tender chunks of meat that he serves as an appetizer with large, thick slices of grilled rustic bread. It was as delicious as any that I had in Italy, proving that Harris serves food as good as can be found in the trattorias in and around the restaurant's namesake city. Beyond the cuisine, our Siena — built by Brick Oven owners Stan and Debbie Adams — is one of the most striking and romantic restaurants in Texas, with an ambience that seems straight from Tuscany.

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Photo by Larry Kolvoord/AA-S In the summer, Vespaio put lime panna cotta in a watermelon soup.

Vespaio
1610 S. Congress Ave., 441-6100

This restaurant prides itself on turning out Italian dishes that are a cut above expectations. So, handmade spaghetti luxuriating in a rich, creamy sauce accented with bits of pancetta is not enough. This spaghetti carbonara is crowned with extra flourishes — a poached egg, a fried circle of pancetta and a crisp wafer of fried Parmesan cheese, representing the eggs, bacon and cheese that are the key ingredients in this classic sauce. The added touches also bring more texture to the dish and produce a beautiful presentation of what is otherwise a visually uninspiring mound of spaghetti. But that's the way it goes at Vespaio, which remains one of the most popular dining venues in the city. Chef-owner Alan Lazarus' kitchen mixes innovation and tradition as easily as salt and pepper.