Austin

(From October 2009) Paris meets Austin in this new bistro (a reimagined Apple Annie’s), with its banquettes, soothing creamy-white color scheme, chalkboard specials, and lively recorded jazz. A beautiful halibut filet perched atop pea-and-corn risotto with perky tomato relish, while succulent roasted chicken was accessorized by perfectly plump herbed gnocchi, carrots, and summer squash. Bar.

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Rene Renteria

(From November 2009) The transformation of vegetables to mimic meat has been a tradition for ages, but the “living foods” movement nixes (almost all) cooking. Borboleta’s light, herb-flavored dollops of macadamia “cheese” had a ricottalike feel in the mouth. Tucked between thin layers of raw zucchini along with marinated portobello mushrooms, they created a light, flavorful lasagne. A caprese salad (featuring said macadamia cheese) was less convincing, while nut-crusted chocolate pie and cheesecake proved sweet but dull. The place is tucked into Bella Salon, so you may see clients grazing while waiting for their highlights to take.

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(From November 2009) Spend a couple hours in this salvaged east-side building with its young, ambitious kitchen crew and you might find yourself echoing our companion: “This is my new favorite spot in Austin.” Metal-working artist and owner Mickie Spencer built the bar by hand; chairs and tables are secondhand mix-and-match, giving the place an, um, “attic chic” appeal. And the food? Eclectic twists on classics.We loved the homey chicken cacciatore over handmade fettuccine and the lamb burger served with goat cheese and a fried egg on a brioche bun, though it needed mayo (or something moist). Astonishingly good was a lavender-infused dark-chocolate tart, even if it was served way too cold and hard. The specialty cocktails can be terrific. Bar.

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(From November 2009) One of our favorite cozy spots near Lake Travis was buzzing (inside and out) on a recent brisk weekday evening. And we know why: amazing food. We started with scallops wrapped in prosciutto (nice, though the strong flavor of the pork proved a bit overpowering) before moving on to the main affair: smoked backstrap of elk rubbed in espresso, chocolate, and chile, which tasted as luscious as it sounds. The watermelon-marinated pork tenderloin on watermelon salsa, on the other hand, was as delightfully light as the game was lush. What a smart move to pair it with a grilled Texas peach stuffed with fluffy goat cheese and drizzled with habanero honey. That little bit of sweet stood in for dessert, as did a crisp glass of Albariño. Bar.

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(From November 2009) At this quaint Clarksville favorite, location is everything. Originally seated near the entry, we were a bit bothered by the outdoor elements breezing in with each new guest’s arrival. But this was easily remedied with a simple relocation request. Dinner was sort of a mixed bag. We loved chef Deegan McClung’s new take on the signature crispy oysters (now served with a smoky bacon accent), and the caprese with heirloom tomatoes sang with smoked mozzarella. But our hanger steak with hearts of palm and a number of other cluttering ele-ments proved that too much creativity creates confusion on the plate. Bar.

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(From November 2009) A starter of falling-off-the-bone baby back ribs—glazed in hoisin and glitzy with cilantro and chile sauce—ignited our taste buds at this stylishly converted warehouse beloved of the downtown professional set. By comparison, the buffalo sliders seemed bland, and we snoozed through the trio of fried green tomatoes, pickles, and jalapeño slices. But we all—including the quasi-vegetarian at the table—snapped to over the silky richness of cola-glazed pork belly flanked by sauerkraut and warm potato salad. The combo was worth breaking any nutrition vows. The ultrarich mac and cheese almost did us in. Happy hour is popular, and l-o-u-d. Beer & wine.

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(From July 2009) You no longer have to wait a year and then queue up at the annual Austin City Limits Music Festival to score a Hudson’s on the Bend crunchy-chicken cone. Now you can get the warm chicken tenders—coated with crushed almonds, corn flakes, sesame seeds, and chile flakes, fried, and served in a tortilla with mango-jalapeño coleslaw—six days a week at this kitschy trailer on South Congress. The avocado and shrimp versions are almost as tasty as the chicken (the first two are deals at $5.45, the latter an equally economical $6.45).

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(From February 2009) Old meets new in this recently renovated 1840’s Austin landmark. Enjoy striking skyline views from Paggi’s chic new “outdoor lounge” while sipping a glass of bubbly from the lengthy wine list. Then move to the dining room of the cozy building and savor a knockout cheese plate, loaded with bite-size combinations (including Farmhouse Stilton), plus candied pecans and honey. While several of the entrées need tweaking, you won’t go wrong with the mero sea bass in a miso-lemongrass broth. Skip the German chocolate tartlets (think Girl Scout Samoas at about ten times the price) and go for the apple clafoutis gilded with a sumptuous toffee crème anglaise. Bar.

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(From July 2009) Rarely does the new site of a relocated restaurant retain the original’s vibe, and that’s the case here. The space seems twice the size of the cottage on Hearn but lacks the charm; think a Southwestern-ish exterior and a nondescript interior with completely bare walls. Happily, though—and more important—the food is as good as ever. We started with fabulous seared scallops on semolina gnocchi before moving on to spring greens with marinated root vegetables and fresh herbs (unfortunately, the truffle-lemon vinaigrette weighed it all down). But in the end, we were most wowed by the roasted pork loin with braised red cabbage and peppercorn demi-glace. Bar.

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