Best of Austin: Dining
Austin long ago shed its reputation for offering only Tex-Mex and tofu. we’ve ranked fifteen restaurants that are serving up some of our favorite dishes in the state.
(Page 2 of 2)
3. La Traviata
Just a block outside the warehouse district, La Traviata seems removed from the frenzy of the area. Nevertheless, tables at the quaint spot, with its hardwood floors, antique bar, and crystal chandeliers, are booked well past nine o’clock on a weekend night. If you want to avoid the din bouncing off the rough limestone walls, try for one of the desirable tables set in the two bay windows up front. Ensconced there, you can actually chat while you wait for your basket of bread and seasoned olive oil to arrive. Salads are always good, especially the arugula with roasted red beets, goat cheese, shaved fennel, and tapenade with crostini—an all-time favorite. The list of entrées might collectively be described as creative Italian comfort food, and each one has its fan base. There are customers who have never ordered anything other than the spaghetti alla bolognese (with its mix of ground veal, beef, and pork in a rich, cheesy, tomatoey ragù). Ditto for the veal picatta with lemon-caper sauce. If these folks did want to branch out, though, they could switch with the customers who’ve never strayed from the rigatoni with spicy lamb meatballs, basil, and pine nuts. As the saying goes, it’s all good. 314 Congress Ave., 512-479-8131 or latraviata.net. Lunch Mon—Fri 11:30—2. Dinner Mon—Thur 5:30—10, Fri & Sat 5:30—10:30. Closed Sun. $$
4. North
The busiest restaurant in Austin’s classiest shopping village is North. If you make an impulse dinner visit at eight o’clock on a weeknight, the cool, lofty dining room will be abuzz. If you stroll by at lunch on the weekend, you might have a short wait to get an umbrella table on the stone patio. (Later on, the adjacent grove of giant oaks provides plenty of shade for a sundowner.) As the name suggests, North focuses on the dishes of northern Italy. The ever-popular prosciutto, fig, and goat cheese pizza is a simply brilliant mix of flavors and textures. So is the dauntingly rich strozzapreti (loosely rolled ribbon pasta lavished with Parmesan cream speckled with mushrooms, wilted spinach, and pine nuts). If you’re in the mood for pasta but counting your carbs, try the classic angel hair tossed with fresh tomato, basil, and ricotta. You can often find pan-roasted Alaskan halibut on the menu, served atop vegetable risotto and sided by a tomato and pea-sprout salad. It makes a lighter entrée, while the likes of oven-roasted New York strip with vegetable ragoût and whipped potatoes will keep any carnivores in your group purring like contented lions. Domain shopping center, 11506 Century Oaks Terrace, 512-339-4400 or foxrestaurantconcepts.com/north.html. Open Sun—Thur 11—10, Fri & Sat 11—11. $$—$$$
5. Enoteca Vespaio and Vespaio Ristorante
Consider this a twofer: sibling restaurants at the same address. The little brother is casual, serving pizzas, pastas, desserts, and a handful of entrées (that would be Enoteca, as locals shorthand it). The older brother is more formal but not by much, offering beautifully prepared Italian entrées and pastas (that would be Vespaio). The only question is, How big a deal is your meal? Enoteca—with its tile-topped tables spaced elbow to elbow—is oddly often easier to get into, even though it’s smaller. Vespaio has the more ambitious menu, and its spare dining room, with dark woodwork and cream-colored walls, is many people’s destination for that important but fun night out. Almost everything that chef Ryan Samson prepares for the happy, noisy crowd is excellent, especially his veal-filled raviolini in grappa-accented tomato butter. Among the main courses, his oak-fire-grilled Niman Ranch hanger steak with Chianti reduction, fried potatoes, and sautéed baby spinach straddles the line between Italian and American.1610 S. Congress Ave.
Enoteca Vespaio, 512-441-7672 or austinvespaio.com. Open Mon—Sat 11—10. Brunch Sun 10—3 $$
Vespaio Ristorante, 512-441-6100 or austinvespaio.com. Dinner Sun & Mon 5—10, Tue—Sat 5—10:30. Reservations taken Mon—Thur & Sun until 6:30. $$—$$$
OUTDOOR DINING
1. Shady Grove
Don’t be put off by the trailer park down the street. In fact, embrace your inner park personality and wash up in the kitschy Airstream trailer restrooms behind the restaurant before diving into your chicken-fried steak or “Big Thicket” Cajun meat loaf. If veggies are more your style, bite into a Hippie sandwich (grilled vegetables with pesto and mozzarella). In true Texas fashion, we prefer the country-fried-chicken salad, with juicy tenders that melt in your mouth. Of course, it’s easy to melt in the Texas heat; one of Shady Grove’s frozen margaritas is sure to keep you cool out on the massive patio, with its umbrella-shaded tables and cozy lights (despite persistent rumors, your canine friend is not allowed). From April to mid-September take advantage of Unplugged at the Grove, a weekly showcase featuring artists like James McMurtry, Brave Combo, and Carolyn Wonderland, or watch a classic silent film at the Starlight Theater. This fun family restaurant is just a skip from Barton Springs and Zilker Park, so head on over after a day of swimming, throwing a Frisbee, or just good old napping in the grass. 1624 Barton Springs Rd., 512-474-9991 or theshadygrove.com. Open Sun—Thur 11—10:30, Fri & Sat 11—11. $—$$
2. Blue Dahlia Bistro
A romantic sanctuary in the middle of town, Blue Dahlia Bistro is a cute, European-inspired cafe that prides itself on using organic products whenever possible. Take, for example, the excellent salads, most of which are topped with a hearty vegan pesto that tastes as good as the cheesy variety. Each is served with fresh artisan bread on a tray with the requisite jams and jellies, but chocoholics will rave about the inclusion of Nutella. Sandwiches come open-faced on handsome slabs of wood or slate (try the chicken salad with pine nuts, pesto, and dried cranberries). We ordered sparkling wine that showed up flat, but the bread pudding that accompanied it was warm, gooey perfection. The real attraction here, though, is the luxurious backyard that transforms even a quick lunch into a lazy afternoon. With the sunlight filtering through the wood slats above your head, patterning your tabletop while potted trees and chimes sway in the breeze, you’ll feel as content as Buddha. The tables in this tiny courtyard go fast, but it seems like there’s always at least one waiting just for you. 1115 E. 11th, 512-542-9542 or bluedahliabistro.com. Open Mon—Fri 8—10, Sat & Sun 10—10. $$
3. Sampaio’s
Let the sweet smell of jasmine envelop you as you savor the atmosphere of this upscale neighborhood restaurant, where the verdant vines twist through the metal fence on one side and strings of lights brighten the dusky patio all around. Sampaio’s is great for a cool summer night, either for tapas, drink specials, or a scrumptious evening meal. We started with mussels in a poblano-fennel broth with a sauté of onions and peppers, served with fresh-baked bread. Although the light sauce lacked oomph, the mussels popped with flavor. As the waitress set our main courses on the mosaic stone table, the tarps of caramel-colored fabric above our heads blew in the slight breeze. The porco grelhado, a coffee-crusted grilled pork tenderloin with a delicious cherry sauce sided by grilled asparagus and served atop mashed yuca with goat cheese, was definitely the best dish of the evening. As we savored the last bite, a cat purred at our feet, demonstrating that everyone in the Allandale neighborhood wants to relax on this fabulous patio. 4800 Burnet Rd., 512-469-9988 or sampaiosrestaurant.com. Open Sun—Thur 11—10, Fri & Sat 11—11. $$$
4. Vivo
Who knew there was a lush jungle in the heart of Austin? Well, a sophisticated, romantic jungle with fans and waiters, that is. Entering Vivo, you’ll find beautiful stone pots housing bushes and trees with leaves as big as beach towels. Along the railings are dozens of flowering plants, purple and orange and yellow, all almost as vibrant as the exterior’s mod crimson. It’s easy to find a clandestine nook here for a dinner just for two. And if you aren’t quite cozy in the wrought-iron chairs, there are plenty of built-in benches with comfy cushions (we nabbed the sectional in the bar area of the patio). The food is pure Tex-Mex, complete with queso, puffy tacos, and fajitas. We opted for the traditional enchiladas verdes—a rich green sauce blanketed the enchiladas filled with moist, shredded chicken—and toasted the meal with one of Vivo’s many specialty margaritas. And what’s a romantic evening without flowers? After dinner, venture inside to find roses by the dozen (even the sink is filled with petals), and when you come back to your table, try not to blush as your waiter hands you a single long-stemmed rose to remind you of your gorgeous evening. 2015 Manor Rd., 512-482-0300 or vivo-austin.com. Open Mon—Thur 11—10, Fri & Sat 11—10:30, Sun 5—9. $$
5. The Oasis
There’s a reason the Oasis is so popular. About seventeen miles from the city, this mostly outdoor restaurant overlooks Lake Travis and provides front-row seats to sparkling sunsets that morph from aquamarine to gold, ruby, and amethyst as the evening gives way to night. In this enormous establishment, you’re nearly guaranteed a good view of sand-colored cliffs and shimmering water as you savor (slightly overpriced) fare like crab cakes, chicken sandwiches, and fish tacos. The bar level offers an endless supply of drinks, and naturally it’s open-air too, so you can let the wind wash over you while you listen to live music from Sunday to Wednesday and special talent like Guy Forsyth and Django Walker on weekends. When we went there, the wait was longer than the line at the DMV, but we sat down immediately at the bar, ordered, and were eating within fifteen minutes. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the grounds; the complex is decorated with stone statues (a favorite is one of a boy diving from the decks), a grass hut, and even a flying saucer called the Starship Oasis, an apt name for a structure surrounded by refreshing water and the twinkling night sky. 6550 Comanche Tr., 512-266-2442 or oasis-austin.com. Open Mon—Fri 11:30—9, Sat & Sun 11—10 (weather permitting). $$—$$$
Pages: 1 2
My Library
