XL Food & Drink: The Sampler Plate

50 brief reviews from restaurant critic Dale Rice

From American to steakhouses and everything in between

By Dale Rice
AMERICAN-STATESMAN RESTAURANT CRITIC
Wednesday, November 22, 2006

AMERICAN

Liberty Tavern. With a Texas theme in part of the menu, this Hilton Hotel cafe is producing exquisite fried green tomatoes and an unusual jalapeño chicken-fried steak that features cutlets stacked with layers of mashed potatoes and a side of green bean casserole. Forks up. Cheap/moderate. 500 E. Fourth St. 482-8000.

Lucy's Boatyard Grill. It's tough to find true Italian pizza in this town, but it's being made at this spot on Lake Austin. The casual, lakeside ambience also features sandwiches and salads, but the terrific thin-crust pizza is the real lure. Forks up. Cheap. 3825 Lake Austin Blvd. 651-0505.

Nutty Brown Cafe. Once home to the Nutty Brown Mills, this cafe is serving 'American cuisine in a Texas Hill Country style.' That includes salads, pizza, Tex-Mex (including tender fajitas) and typical Lone Star entrees (such as tasty chicken-fried chicken with cream gravy). A big patio under huge live oaks creates a special ambience. Forks up. Cheap/moderate. 12225 U.S. 290 W. 301-4648.

Opal Divine's Penn Field. Put this place on the list of reliable South Austin spots, especially for bar food. Good choices include the fish and chips (with hand-battered fillets and peppered fries), cheesesteak tacos and a bratwurst sandwich with sauerkraut. Forks up. Cheap. 3601 S. Congress Ave. 707-0237.

AMERICAN BISTRO

Houlihan's. Just the kind of place city officials would want next to the Austin Convention Center. It offers welcoming service, generous portions and a rooftop bar with a great view. Standouts include the fried mushrooms stuffed with herb-and-garlic cream cheese, the prime New York strip steak, baby back ribs, grilled shrimp and mini desserts. Moderate/expensive. 309 E. Third St. 474-5757.

Hyde Park Bar & Grill. The cozy neighborhood spot with the big fork in front is famous for its batter-dipped fries with spicy mayonnaise. Other standouts include pan-fried chicken-fried steak, penne Florentine and chicken-salad sandwich. Save room for the Wom Kim peach pudding, served warm with cream sauce. Forks up. Cheap. 4206 Duval St. 458-3168.

Main Street Grill. Executive chef John Tomlinson and a fine waitstaff keep standards high at this Round Rock spot with savory green chili cheesecake, Asian duck springrolls, venison medallions and ruby trout. Moderate/expensive. 118 E. Main St., Round Rock. 244-7525.

Mars. A good stop on virtually any dining trajectory. The tandoori pork tenderloin was tender, flavorful and still moist. Potstickers, hummus and spring rolls made a good start, while the crème brûlée and homemade ice cream were a good finish. Moderate. 1610 San Antonio St. 472-3901.

Melting Pot. The fondue restaurant provides a sense of intimacy and private dining seldom found in modern restaurants. Appetizers include various forms of cheese fondue, while the entree fondues permit cooking of meat, seafood and vegetables in broth. Chocolate fondues wrap up the experience. Expensive. 13343 U.S. 183 N., Suite 350. 401-2424.

Mirabelle. This upscale bistro has become one of the city's best by maintaining balance, with high-quality seafood, meat and vegetarian offerings. Outstanding choices include the falafel, herbed lamb loin, smoked pork porterhouse and lemon-orange tart. Moderate/expensive. 8127 Mesa Drive. 346-7900.

BARBECUE

Buster's BBQ. Located in the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4443 near Texas 71, this joint knows how to ply the smoke and the home cooking. The 'pork H bomb' features jalapeños and garlic stuffed in the loin, and the vinegary pulled pork is extremely tender. Homemade sides include broccoli salad and peach cobbler. Cheap/moderate. 3927 RM 620 S. 263-3999.

Cartwright's Bar-B-Q. The smoking imparts a beautiful red border that runs across the top of each slice of tender brisket. On the eastbound access road of Texas 71, this joint also has a drive-through for when you have to grab it and go. Cheap. 490 Texas 71, Bastrop. (512) 321-7719.

Chisholm Trail Lockhart B-B-Q & Hot Sausage. Walk through the cafeteria-style line with cold salads (such as broccoli, carrot, pea and potato) and hot items (beans and macaroni and cheese, for example) and then select the meat to complete the plate. The moist, juicy half chicken is a good choice. Cheap/moderate. 1323 S. Colorado St., Lockhart. (512) 398-6027.

City Market. One of the granddads of Texas barbecue joints, this spot delivers its no-forks, no-plates fare in an old-fashioned, unadorned way, which lets the meats speak for themselves. And these tender meats can shout from the rooftops: We're pretty darn good. Cheap/moderate. 633 Davis St., Luling. (830) 875-9019.

BURGERS

Fran's. The reigning queen of Austin burgers, the semiretired Fran Junk built a South Congress Avenue landmark that packs 'em in for a good burger. Forks up. Cheap. 1822 S. Congress Ave. 444-5738.

Fuddruckers. The Southwest burger has a regional flavor, with guacamole and bacon topping the patty. The best condiment bar around offers piles of fresh ingredients to top the meat. Forks up. Cheap. 4024 S. Lamar Blvd. 444-8202.

CAFES

City Cafe. This home-style spot in a century-old building in the heart of Elgin offers appealing desserts and hearty food. Devour the pork chops, chicken-fried steak or Tuesday special of chicken and dumplings, but save room for the fantastic pies and cakes, including lemon meringue pie and carrot and German chocolate cakes. Forks up. Cheap. 19 N. Main St., Elgin. (512) 281-3663.

Cypress Creek Cafe. This Wimberley restaurant is both an old-fashioned meat-and-potatoes cafe and a breakaway spot. A tender 'home style' fried sirloin steak is the epitome of classic fare, while the chicken scampi in lemon-garlic sauce and Santa Fe egg rolls offer a more modern touch. Forks up. Cheap/moderate. 320 Wimberley Square, Wimberley. (512) 847-2515.

CAJUN

Cypress Grill. Virtually all of the food is made from scratch. The Cajun fare includes surprisingly good crawfish eggrolls, voodoo blackened shrimp, muffulettas and chicken and sausage gumbo. Forks up. Cheap/moderate. 4404 W. William Cannon Drive, Suite L. 358-7474.

Evangeline Cafe. Tops on the menu is the oysters contraband, fried oysters on homemade potato chips topped with sausage rémoulade sauce. Other reasons to go there include the boudin, crawfish Evangeline (a Cajun version of fettuccine Alfredo) and fried catfish. Forks up. Cheap. 8106 Brodie Lane. 282-2586.

CHINESE

Fire Bowl Cafe. This popular place for families features Asian noodle and stir-fried dishes, including a create-your-own bowl of stir-fried vegetables, meats and sauce over rice. Menu items included coconut shrimp, Tokyo soba (with grilled salmon and broccoli florets), chicken lemon grass and Beijing ravioli (crisp pan-fried pork dumplings). The portions were large, the prices were reasonable and the quality was good. Forks up. Cheap. 5601 Brodie Lane No. 550. 899-8998.

Lotus Hunan Chinese Restaurant. This West Lake Hills strip-mall spot turns out tasty moo shoo pork and an appetizer tray that includes beef strips, fantail shrimp and sesame pork. If the restaurant is not especially busy, it will even make egg foo yong, which is not on the menu. Forks up. Cheap/moderate. 3201 Bee Cave Road. 327-7776.

CONTINENTAL/FRENCH

Capitol Brasserie. This inviting new restaurant in the Warehouse District brings late-night dining and a different style of French fare to downtown Austin. The menu offers mixed results, but the steak with fries and the mussels were delicious, as were the profiteroles and the lemon tart. Moderate. 310 Colorado St. 472-6770.

Chez Nous. Over the past two decades, Chez Nous could have grown stale; instead, the small downtown bistro has remained vibrant and fresh. It's an approach that continues to charm me, with delicious dishes, such as escargots, pâté, scallops, duck confit, crêpes and profiteroles. Moderate/expensive. 510 Neches St. 473-2413.

DELIS

Hog Island Italian Deli. Send your tastebuds to the Northeast by devouring sandwiches popular in that part of the country. Hog Island offers a great Philly cheese steak, with melted cheese, shaved beef and grilled onions on a soft bun, and tasty hoagies featuring a variety of Italian cold cuts, such as mortadella and soppressata. Forks up. Cheap. 1612 Lavaca St. 482-9090.

Katz's Deli. A virtual institution in this city, the 24-hour deli continues to serve good food. In addition to the thick sandwiches and a good burger, try some of the dinner specials, such as the open roast beef sandwich or the half roast chicken (both with two sides). Forks up. Cheap. 618 W. Sixth St. 476-3354.

ITALIAN/MEDITERRANEAN

Italian Garden Restaurant. Serving hearty, traditional red-sauce food around town for almost four decades. From its current strip-center location, expect four-course dinners with chicken minestrone soup, salad, a mini cheese pizza and entrees such as sausage and cheese cannelloni or beef scaloppine served with lasagna. Forks up. Moderate. 14611 FM 1325. 388-1062.

La Traviata. Chef owner Marion Gillcrist serves classic Italian cuisine with a subtle twist, including crisp polenta with Gorgonzola cream sauce, spaghetti Bolognese with a veal-beef-pork ragu sauce, duck confit over a potato-fennel gratin with a Madeira-fig sauce and calamari puttanesca with a spicy tomato sauce and large rings of wonderfully tender squid. Moderate. 314 Congress Ave. 479-8131.

Louie's 106. From the small starters to the sweet finish, the Mediterranean-inspired spot delivered a solid performance. Enjoyable dishes included the tapas (fried olives, calamari and grilled asparagus), Andalusian gazpacho, Parmesan-crusted veal scaloppine and grilled pork chop. Moderate/Expensive. 106 E. Sixth St. 476-1997.

Macaroni Grill. Two of the 'Romano family recipes' — veal saltimbocca and pasta Milano — were tasty. The tender veal, stuffed with prosciutto and spinach, was served with a side of spaghetti, while the pasta Milano combined grilled chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms and bowtie pasta in garlic cream sauce. Forks up. Cheap/Moderate. 701 E. Stassney Lane, Building B. 693-9076.

Malaga Tapas & Bar. This Spanish-style tapas and wine bar offers diners an alternative. They can eat lightly, two or three plates at a time, across a broad spectrum of meats and vegetables, ending at any point when they are pleasantly satisfied. Moderate. 208 W. Fourth St. 236-8020.

Mandola's Italian Market. Based on the crowds, the customers love this new market and its self-serve dining even if the critic has misgivings. The salads are tasty (too bad there aren't half-sizes), the pizza is delicious and some pastas (such as the ravioli of the day) are on the mark. But it can be an expensive meal for a self-service place. Forks up. Moderate. 4700 W. Guadalupe St., No. 12. 419-9700.

KOREAN

Korea House. This restaurant might be hidden off an interior courtyard of the Village Shopping Center, but it has no problem luring diners. The sushi is fresh, and traditional Korean offerings, such as the barbecue beef, are generous and tasty. Forks up. Cheap/moderate. 2700 W. Anderson Lane, No. 501. 458-2477.

MEXICAN

El Chile Cafe y Cantina. Overall, the fare was good, but El Chile was overwhelmed by a big crowd. The result was a slow kitchen and slow service. From the menu, tasty items included the shrimp and beef fajitas, the chile relleno stuffed with pork and the shrimp in a chipotle barbecue sauce. Forks sideways. Cheap. 1809 Manor Road. 457-9900.

El Flaco. Irene and Flaco Martinez, whose restaurant name translates as 'the skinny one,' are attempting to make a healthier version of Tex-Mex cuisine. They boil most of the meat, as well as offering alternatives, such as soy-based chorizo and Eggbeaters in their breakfast dishes. In the process, the flavors remain strong and true. Forks up. Cheap. 3632 S. Congress Ave. 444-2767.

El Gallo. Located in the pink building with the large parking lot across from St. Edward's University, El Gallo has a widely varied menu with a dozen dinner specials such as baked young goat and chicken in mole, along with the typical fajitas, enchiladas, tacos and chalupas. There also are 10 lunch specials. Forks up. Moderate. 2910 S. Congress Ave. 444-2205.

El Jacalito. Not the most familiar Mexican place in Austin, but popular with those who know about it. An extensive lunch menu, including an especially enjoyable dish of pork and zucchini in a red sauce with vermicelli. Forks up. Cheap. 2030 E. Oltorf St., Suite 110. 445-4109.

El Jalisco's Mexican Restaurant. The parking lot here is often full, and there's a good reason: plentiful, tasty food at reasonable prices. The Jalisco nachos are topped with some of the best fajita meat around, the Tejano plate offers a hearty combo and the chipotle enchiladas are zestily appealing. Forks up. Cheap. 1419 W. Texas 71, Bastrop. (512) 303-0838.

El Meson. Knows how to ply the taste buds, particularly with dishes like squash blossom quesadillas, pipian (shredded chicken in a pumpkin-seed sauce), shredded beef enchiladas and the pork al pastor, cooked with tiny cubes of pineapple. Forks up. Cheap. 5808 Burleson Road. 416-0749.

El Patio. Simple, good and consistent since 1954. Appetizers include nachos and guacamole. Entrees include enchiladas, chalupas and tacos. For dessert, pralines with coconut and sherbet. Forks up. Cheap. 2938 Guadalupe St. 476-5955.

El Rey. We started with the puu puu platter before trying the chiles rellenos and the pork stew. The platter is almost a meal unto itself. The two cheese-stuffed peppers were fried and topped with a sweet golden raisin-pecan sauce. The Sonoran-style stew — tender chunks of pork with green chiles in a thick gravy — was served in a fried tortilla bowl. Forks up. Cheap. 4109 S. Capital of Texas Highway (Loop 360). 443-1911.

PIZZA

Buca di Beppo. The menu calls the Neapolitan pizzas 'bathmat sized.' That's an exaggeration, but this is a large pie by any standard. The Spicy Arrabbiata featured four cheeses, pepperoni, caramelized onions and sausage on an ultra-thin crust. Forks up. Moderate. 3612 Tudor Blvd. 342-8462.

Cipollina. The Italian-style deli owned and operated by the folks at Jeffrey's is producing a pie similar to those found in Italy, with a thin crust and good sauce. Forks up. Moderate. 1213 W. Lynn St. 477-5211.

SEAFOOD

Finn & Porter. Executive chef Christopher Bauer has brought this high-end restaurant at the downtown Hilton into the ranks of the city's best with offerings such as his smoked Pacific 'BBQ' oysters, swathed in melted Gruyere, garlic-lemon Bernaise sauce and wild onion-morel relish, and pan-smoked white sturgeon perched on a bed of corn-and-bacon risotto. Expensive. 500 E. Fourth St. 493-4900.

STEAKHOUSES

Houston's. Popular enough to pack the place on a midweek night, serving a classic prime rib and thick pork chop, both of which were tender and flavorful. Start with the locally renowned, secret-recipe spinach dip and finish with a nicely tart key lime pie. Moderate/expensive. 2408 W. Anderson Lane. 451-7333.

Mesa Ranch. With the ambience of a West Texas steakhouse and the food to match, this new spot in Northwest Austin should be attracting diners from way beyond its neighborhood. Dishes that deserve ordering include the smoked pork babyback ribs, the fried jalapeños and the grilled quail. Moderate. 8108 Mesa Drive. 853-9480.

Ruth's Chris. It doesn't get any better than this: Prime beef is aged, cooked under an 1,800-degree broiler (almost instantaneously searing the outside and locking the juices inside), lightly seasoned with salt, pepper and parsley and served on a plate heated to 500 degrees, with a dollop of butter that rapidly melts and sizzles for minutes after the steak is delivered. Expensive. 107 W. Sixth St. 477-7884.

SUSHI

Bistro 88. This Rollingwood favorite now offers sushi on a par with some of the best spots in Austin. From the new-style sashimi section, the salmon rolls were spectacular. Other rolls and sushi were superb. Dishes such as the rack of lamb from the main menu remain top-notch. Expensive. 2712 Bee Cave Road. 328-8888.

THAI

Madam Mam's. A good spot for lunch, with food arriving quickly. Enjoyable dishes included the chicken pad Thai (noodles stir-fried with chicken and spices) and the guay teaw nuer sod (a flavorful beef soup). Forks up. Cheap. 2514 Guadalupe St. 472-8306.

VEGETARIAN

Mr. Natural. Offers the same quality vegetarian (including vegan) fare and whole-wheat bakery as the East Side original. There is an emphasis on Tex-Mex items in the cafeteria-style lunches, plus a number of tasty salads. Forks up. Cheap. 2414-A S. Lamar Blvd. 916-9223. 1901 E. Cesar Chavez St. 477-5228.