Austin

(From February 2012)

We liked the casual vibe at this wine pub and bistro tucked inside a shopping center in Steiner Ranch. Amid families, couples, and groups of friends, we noshed on a plate of zamorano, a Spanish sheep’s milk cheese with a delightful buttery taste, tricked out with crackers, walnuts, and dried cranberries. Our flights arrived as if on cue, and we deemed the sauvignon blanc selection perfect for sipping. We made the transition to a rich cab, which paired nicely with our entrées: grilled flank steak with walnuts and fresh blueberries and an iron skillet tenderloin served Mediterranean-style with eggplant, roasted bell pepper, and zucchini. Beer & wine (pub opens at 3).

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(From June 2011)

We quite like the cool, comfortable ambience; a mix between sleek and cozy at this small stone cottage near Lake Travis, and the artwork on the walls and neat display of wine bottles provide fodder for lively conversation. A masterful salad of Bibb let-tuce topped with strawberries, honey-tossed pistachios, and creamy feta warmed our in-sides, but our entrées sent us to a new level. The pecan-crusted snapper with lemon beurre blanc over cornbread pudding wowed (a delightful mix of textures), but we were un-abashedly envious of our companion's velvety espresso-rubbed smoked elk back strap topped with Gulf Coast crab and a chipotle-lime “beer blanc.” Warm cherry flambé atop home-made vanilla bean ice cream proved the per-fect ending. Bar.

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(From December 2010)

Boggy Creek arugula, topped with pears and shaved pecorino, nods toward local sourcing, while soft-shell-crab steam buns—the soft rolls also filled with pork belly and avocado, slathered with hoisin, and drizzled with a spicy-tart fish sauce—recalls certain hipster-food-trailer dishes. Even traditional steak tartare (melt-in-your-mouth filet bound by a quail egg and served with a delicate herb salad and two types of fancy potato chips) mirrors what is being served across town. But here, trends get a refined spin, and there’s nary a tattoo in sight (well, not on the servers at least). Bar.

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(From July 2011)

Chef Jean-Pierre Lacoste has added panache to lunch with a playful new menu of blue-plate specials. Choose one main and two sides from a list of gourmet Southern comfort classics such as kobe beef meat loaf, crunchy shrimp cakes, and gooey mac and cheese. We greedily finished every crumb of crisp, spicy fried chicken with chile-spiked honey and accompaniments of wilted collard greens and grandma-style butter beans spiked with house-made bacon. How better to finish than with rich red velvet cheesecake? 

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(From July 2011)

It was one of those magical nights. A free sparking spot about half a block away. Sweet. A pour of a red wine we'd never heard of that proved to be light and delicious. Even sweeter. And so it went the whole evening. We enjoyed a perfectly executed spinach salad with feta and olives dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. Then an entree of coffee-rubbed lamb T-bone (could have eaten about a pound of that) with crispy polenta cake (wow!), saffron yogurt, and celery salad. An interesting conversation with out-of-town visitors next to us (turns out we have mutual friends) finished with a glass of prosecco and a dessert of panna cotta, red-wine betties, and granola tuile. Then we walked back to our carriage to make it home by midnight.

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(From December 2010) Surprisingly serious food comes from the kitchen of this tiny historic brick house, and the dining rooms are quiet enough to let you talk—amazing. The New American menu frequently goes local; we saw fresh red snapper delivered to the front door in a cooler. Starters of proscuitto-wrapped prawns and grilled quail on a bed of truffle-and-corn risotto whetted our appetite for our favorite entrée, slices of simply prepared duck breast on quinoa and mushroom pilaf (the latter was so good that we almost begged for the recipe). Seared scallops were capably prepared but not showstoppers. With its cushioned chaises, the patio is a favorite for happy hour. Bar.

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