FOOD & DRINK

The Austin dozen: Taste the full plate of restaurants that typify our city

By Dale Rice
AMERICAN-STATESMAN RESTAURANT CRITIC
Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Ask any longtime resident to name a dozen restaurants that epitomize Austin, and I'll bet no two lists will be the same. For me, any inventory of restaurants that exemplify the city (particularly one aimed at out-of-town visitors for South by Southwest) must reflect where we've been, where we are and where we're going. So here's my list of places that sing — melodically and harmonically — of Austin past, present and future.

Chuy's

One glance — at the wooden fish swimming overhead in the bar or at the hubcap-decorated back dining room — will give you insight into Austin's quirky personality and help you understand why the city was attracting creative, artistic talent well before it became a high-tech center. This eatery, almost as popular with the older crowd as with University of Texas students, features a New Mexican style of Mexican food, with plenty of green chiles to spice things up. Besides signature dishes such as the Chuychanga, its version of a chimichanga (a fried burrito), the restaurant makes its own tortillas in more varieties than any other in town: flour, corn, blue corn and whole wheat. 1728 Barton Springs Road. 474-4452 (See chuys.com for other locations.)

Cisco's

The flavors of old East Austin and a bygone era of Democratic-controlled state politics still permeate this Tex-Mex joint that was a favorite of lobbyists, officeholders and power brokers when the neighborhood was relatively poor and mostly Hispanic. Gentrification is rapidly taking hold around Cisco's now. This is old-fashioned Tex-Mex, the way it has been served for decades in many family-run restaurants in this part of Austin. Hearty breakfast and lunch items, including the eatery's well-known picadillo (a homemade roll stuffed with well-

seasoned taco meat) are the mainstay here. 1511 E. Sixth St., 478-2420.

Jo's

A homegrown java joint, Jo's occupies a prominent midblock spot in the new Second Street entertainment district, where more urban living and upscale retail are joining a new City Hall in what was until relatively recently a barren part of downtown. People-watching is the main sport here, as it is at the original at 1300 S. Congress Ave., next to the Hotel San José. Though both offer the same tasty coffee, the Second Street Jo's takes the menu up a notch with hot sandwiches, burgers and salads that have proved to be a popular draw. 242 W. Second St. 469-9003.

Mozart's Coffee Roasters

The lakes help define this city, recreationally, geographically and spiritually. That applies equally to Lady Bird Lake and Lake Austin within the city limits, and to the rest of the Highland Lakes that stretch well into the Texas Hill Country. A coffeehouse on the edge of Lake Austin, Mozart's roasts its own coffee beans for its dark, rich brew and offers a wealth of pastries to go along with it. With tables inside and out, and a great view of the lake, it draws a strong college crowd for caffeine and study. 3826 Lake Austin Blvd. 477-2900.

Parkside

With the same entrepreneurial spirit that produced some of Austin's greatest companies, chef Shawn Cirkiel is gambling that late-night fare and sophisticated surroundings linked to Austin's past will bring success to a big restaurant in the heart of the Sixth Street entertainment district. Cirkiel, whose previous restaurant Jean Luc's was rated with five stars, says he is proud of his burger and his fried egg sandwich, which might make you think the menu is decidedly low-brow. In fact, it's the opposite, with a wide array of sophisticated dishes that will make the new restaurant attractive to an equally wide range of consumer tastes. 301 E. Sixth St. 474-9898

Sam's Bar-B-Cue

Although late-night fare is getting easier to find in Austin, it still isn't widespread, and that could be a disappointment for someone looking for a hearty meal after a late performance. But, as it has for many years, this East Austin barbecue joint comes to the rescue. It's open until 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and till 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday. The barbecue at this down-home spot includes the standards such as ribs and brisket, plus mutton, a variety of homemade sides and a tasty barbecue sauce made with a recipe that's a closely guarded secret. 2000 E. 12th St. 478-0378.

Hut's

Inside, this burger joint is still energized the way it has been for more than 50 years, featuring a rustic atmosphere and plenty of sports nostalgia. Step outside and look around, and it's easy to see Austin's future within a block in any direction: a huge growth in downtown lofts, apartments and condos that represent a transformation of the city center. There are three great reasons to stop by Hut's: thick milk shakes, the best onion rings — large, thick and spiced with black pepper — that you'll find anywhere and an extensive lineup of burgers. 807 W. Sixth St. 472-0693.

Primizie

This sleek new restaurant represents both the redevelopment of East Austin and the growth in big-city fare. In the heart of the city's longtime African American community, East 11th Street is seeing new residential and business buildings go up, including the one that houses this modern Italian eatery. Primizie Osteria features robust pastas, panini, appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts and is one of a dozen new Italian places that have opened in the past year or so, broadening extensively what was once a relatively limited cuisine in Austin. 1000 E. 11th St. 236-0088.

Threadgill's

Music history and Southern cooking come together here. Performers such as Janis Joplin in the 1960s and Jimmie Dale Gilmore in the 1980s put the original north location on the musical map. The newer south location is a tribute to the famed Armadillo World Headquarters and the music of the 1970s that was played there just steps away from the restaurant. Besides an amazing list of vegetables that includes casseroles, starches and salads, Threadgill's emphasizes Southern favorites such as chicken-fried steak, fried chicken livers and meatloaf. Save room for dessert; it's worth it. 6416 N. Lamar Blvd. 451-7201; 301 W. Riverside Drive. 472-9304.

Uchi

This sushi restaurant represents Austin's food scene on a national scale. Food & Wine magazine selected Chef-owner Tyson Cole as one of the nation's top 10 chefs in 2005, the third time in five years an Austin chef had picked up that honor. At Uchi, Cole and his staff blend American ingredients with a Japanese aesthetic to produce unusual and artistic sushi and sashimi dishes, along with tantalizing entrees and some of the most creative desserts to be found in Austin, making it one of the city's top restaurants. 801 S. Lamar Blvd. 916-4808.

Vespaio

The Italian translation of the restaurant's name, "bee hive," tells part of the story: The place is swarming and full of energy. The part it doesn't reveal is its history; this restaurant opened in SoCo before it was a popular destination, helping create a hip shopping and dining district south of Lady Bird Lake. Vespaio produces upscale Italian fare in a restaurant that almost always has long lines because it doesn't take reservations for the main part of the evening. If the place is buzzing too much for your liking, you can try its somewhat quieter, next-door sibling, Enoteca (although the wait here was an hour and a half on a recent Saturday night). 1610 S. Congress Ave. 441-6100.

Whole Foods

This grocery has grown as the city has grown, from a small, unpretentious natural foods store to the flagship of an international chain. Now it is one of the most sophisticated supermarkets in the nation, whether it's featuring imported items or ones made in-house. Grab some food to go or dine at the food bars distributed throughout the store or pick up some dishes and take your meal to the patio or the dining area near the front door of the facility at Sixth Street and Lamar Boulevard. The fare includes soups, salads, breads, pizza, sandwiches, entrées and desserts prepared from fresh ingredients in the store's kitchens and bakery. 550 Bowie St. 477-4455.

drice@statesman.com; 445-3859