Restaurant Of The Day
Fino
Austin
Whether abetted by ceiling fans or outdoor heaters, eat on Fino’s broad concrete patio, one of the city’s best treetop venues. Chef Jason Donaho seems to have the Mediterranean menu arranged to his liking now, and we liked it too, especially the chicken tajine: juicy chicken on top of fluffy almond-and-currant couscous. A grilled lamb-beef burger, with dill yogurt, shaved cucumber, and red onion, gave a Middle Eastern twist to an all-American favorite. The best dessert we’ve had in ages was the petite almond-crusted fritters with a sultry dollop of orange-mascarpone cream and poached vanilla bean–scented cherries alongside. Bar.
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Easy Recipes From the Experts
Sautéed Salmon in Macadamia Crust And Coconut Curry Sauce
Chef John Carver, of Eddie V’s in Austin, creates a perfectly light dish--think salmon rubbed in olive oil and macadamia nuts--just in time to beat the intense heat.
Street Smarts
Natsumi Gelato + Frozen Yogurt
I-am-what-I-eat M Street pedestrians and Lakewood families park it here for the stellar organic treats, made daily on the premises. Relax on white Barcelona chairs and ottomans inside the futuristic lounge and nosh on tangy all-natural yogurt or the exotic gelati. By Kristie Ramirez
New and Noteworthy
Max’s Wine Dive
No more “divey” than the Houston original, this hot spot has taken Austin by storm. Obviously not trying to fit into a summer maillot, Max’s augments its well-selected wine list with classed-up comfort food like fried chicken and Max & Cheese.
Vineyard Hopping
Texas runneth over with wineries; more than 160 are scattered from the Panhandle to the Piney Woods. But for a doable weekend that blends good wine and well-run tasting rooms with wonderful scenery, side trips, varied shopping, and restaurants both fabulous and funky, the Hill Country is hard to beat.
Pat’s Pick
Perla’s
Why do some restaurants have you at hello and others never get to first base? The campaign starts with good PR. And then there’s the mysterious mojo that results when the crowd, the mood, and the food all mesh. Whatever the combo, three-month-old Perla’s Seafood and Oyster Bar has it. By Patricia Sharpe
More Food Stories
That’s the Spirit (July 2009)
Vineyard Hopping (June 2009)
How to Eat Well in Hard Times (April 2009)
Where to Eat Now 2009 (February 2009)
The 40 Best Small-Town Cafes (December 2008)
Your Bird Here (November 2008)
Keeper of the Flame (July 2008)
BBQ08 (June 2008)
Where To Eat Now 2008 (March 2008)
Eat Their Words (February 2008)
Meat Your Maker (December 2007)
The Right Stuffing (November 1991)
Eat Sweet (April 1989)
Tempest in a Taco (October 1988)
Texas Primer: The Chilipiquin (November 1987)
The Great Texas Taco Tour (April 1986)
Dining Out is Fun (July 1984)
The Texas Food Manifesto (December 1983)
Requiem for a Margarita (February 1979)
Feature Story
A Star-Spangled Spread
Six top Austin chefs set off culinary fireworks with a potluck picnic for the Fourth of July. By Patricia Sharpe
Texas Primer
The Chilipiquin
More fiery than the jalapeño, it answers the burning question: What’s the best chile in Texas? By Patricia Sharpe
Books That Cook
Great Bar Food at Home
Life is too short to enjoy cocktail hour with a bag of Doritos. In Kate Heyhoe’s new book Great Bar Food at Home, we learn that you can have a sophisticated bar atmosphere in the comfort of your own pad. You just have to plan. Review by Ashleigh Whaley
Get Cooking
David Bull’s Green Been and Prosciutto Salad
French green beans wrapped in thinly sliced prosciutto top a lovely green salad with orange-cucumber viniagrette. David Bull tells you how to make it.
Column
Mix Masters
Mexico has always been passionate about its native cuisine, but it has never quite believed that anyone else shared the conviction—at least, not anyone who counted. That attitude is now under siege. A small but dedicated cadre of reformers is fashioning a credo that says Mexican cooking is not just a peasant, stay-at-home cooking style but an international one. By Patricia Sharpe
In Memoriam
Norman Brinker
The restaurateur credited with popularizing the salad bar and casual dining died June 9, 2009, at the age of 78. Brinker, who founded Steak & Ale and Bennigan’s, eventually started his own company, Dallas-based Brinker International, which has bought and sold restaurants including Chili’s and On the Border. He stepped down as chairman in 2000.
Video
Bull’s Eye on Food
Patricia Sharpe talks with chef David Bull, of Dallas’s Bolla (one of Texas Monthly’s ten top places to eat this year), about his new interactive cookbook.
Hill Country Peach Cobbler »
This simple cobbler has an appealing, almost puddinglike consistency.
Beans and Cornbread »
A meal of beans and cornbread isn’t fancy, but it’s one we just plain love.



