Aquarelle

Aquarelle gives you time to savor spectacular meals

By Dale Rice
American-Statesman Restaurant Critic
Web posted: Oct. 20, 2004

The flavors danced. They leaped from dish to dish -- with the grace of a waltz or the sensuousness of a tango or the energy of a polka -- to imbue Aquarelle with a vibrancy that was matched only by the elegance of the performance. My taste buds applauded.

This small French restaurant on the western edge of downtown Austin, the work of chef-owners Robert Brady and Teresa Wilson, embodies the essence of fine dining and remains one of the best eateries in the city.

A diner doesn't have to move beyond the first course to understand why.

Aquarelle
606 Rio Grande St.
(512) 479-8117
Hours: 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays, 6 to 10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays
Credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners
Wheelchair access: Yes
Wine: 18 by the glass ($7-$15), 80 by the bottle ($27-$220)
Rating:

Oct. 21, 2004 Reviews:
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Beyond that type of fare, Aquarelle is one of two restaurants (Driskill Grill is the other) to further enhance the dining experience with complimentary hors d'oeuvres to launch the meal and sweets to end it, along with a sorbet palate cleanser after the main course.

The beginning amuse was a nugget of cauliflower mousse drizzled with truffle oil. The sorbet featured cantaloupe delicately spiked with Pernod, while the mignardise at the end offered three miniature confections.

Those added touches make diners feel special, as do seasonal items from the menu, such as the second course of mussels bouillabaisse ($12).

The mussels were steamed in a traditional bouillabaisse broth of white wine, fennel, onion, tomato and garlic and served with a saffron aioli on the side. By themselves, the shellfish were light, tender and steeped in flavor. With the aioli, they became rich, sumptuous morsels.

In the crispy shrimp salad pannequet ($12), a crepe was filled with shrimp and seasonings, lightly brushed with lobster oil and fried until it was barely crisp. It was presented over two sauces, a shrimp emulsion and a cilantro aioli, with a salad of baby lettuce and herbs (cilantro, tarragon and dill) in a lemon vinaigrette.

In a meal like this, Aquarelle gives diners sufficient time between courses to enjoy each one fully, a style much more revered in France than the United States.

The setting lends itself to that approach as well. The subdued lighting, soft pastel walls, fresh flowers and accessories create an appealing ambience to savor dishes such as the Atlantic salmon and pork tenderloin.

Pan-seared, the salmon ($23) rested on a bed of creamy lentils cooked with carrots, onions, bacon and cream. But it was the sauce, a smoked bacon gastrique, that was captivating. With smokiness from the bacon, sweetness from the caramelized base and tartness from the white balsamic vinegar, it contained all the elements of a barbecue sauce, albeit a very sophisticated one.

The thick medallions of pork ($28) rode atop crisp circles of fried polenta, with several other elements on the plate: oven-roasted tomatoes, an arugula salad and a sauce of pan juices and red wine finished with butter.

Over the course of the meal, the attentive service never receded nor intruded on the meal. The staff simply took care of everything in deft fashion.

For dessert, the vacherin ($7) was delectable. The meringue wreath, sitting in a pool of raspberry coulis, held a passion fruit sorbet topped with passion fruit coulis. The pear ($9) managed to top that, though. Previously poached in red wine and spices, the cored fruit was filled with pastry cream and wrapped with a butter crepe that was tied to give it a ruffled look. Baked until crisp, the crepe was accompanied by two syrups -- honey and red wine -- and garnished with fresh pear and mint.

It was a glorious finale to a perfect meal, one in which dynamic flavor never diminished and my tastebuds were never disappointed.