Austin

Photograph by Brian Birzer

(From June 2011)

Smoke is wafting into the air again from the site of the former Ben's Longbranch. But the occupant of the revamped old building is a young'un, namely Aaron Franklin, who had quite an avid following at his barbecue trailer. Acolytes at this altar of 'cue start the vigil hours before the the door opens, and the Last Man Standing sign (sold out!) has reportedly appeared as early as 12:30. Happily, the move into cinder-block-and-mortar hasn't changed the meltingly moist brisket or the fluffy (yet crusty-edged) shreds of pulled pork. We can't attest to the pork ribs; they were gone by the time we reached the counter. A nice touch: Wife and partner Stacy Franklin sometimes comes around to offer a Mexican Coke while you wait. Beer.

Saturday, October 1st, 2011, 1:19 pm
bill says:
First time there today. The brisket was tender and melt in your mouth. Portions were great.

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(From May 2012)

When everything—cutting-edge food, an impressive wine and cocktail list, intelligent service, and a setting of quiet luxury—must come together, Congress is the place. Depending on the night, chef David Bull’s scintillating set menus might include an irresistible burrata salad (a voluptuous marvel set off by squares of earthy golden beet and dabs of blood orange agrodolce). Or, just for fun, he might do a smashing send-up of a New York deli plate: luscious beef tongue pastrami with mustard-miso dressing and crispy fried rye toast strips. Fine surf (lobster salad) and turf (ribeye cap) are offered, of course, but it would be a shame not to have the lovely signature ravioli filled with a purée of Thumbelina carrots under a heady cap of lemongrass foam and a garnish of bright shiso leaves. Congress is a showstopper. Bar.

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(From March 2012)

We let our server do the talking on a recent cozy evening inside this tiny red-walled cottage. And as we sipped on a lovely albariño, taking in the animated tables around us, artfully arranged plates of delicious sushi and sashimi appeared: striped snapper; baby yellowtail with ponzu and Thai chile; oak-grilled escolar with candied citrus, yuzupon, and myoga (amazing); bigeye tuna with pumpkin seed oil and Fuji apple, and silky Japanese sea bream with the perfect pop of sea salt and mint. Chef Tyson Cole’s vision impressed once again. Next visit we’ll resume our spots at the bar; we missed watching the sushi chefs and learning about flavor pairings and combinations. Bar.

Friday, September 19th, 2008, 1:50 pm
sushi lover says:
This is the best restaurant in Austin, period. AMAZING food! And where else do you see guys in cowboys hats eating sushi.

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(From May 2012)

A meal at Uchiko raises lots of hard questions. You wonder which of the intriguing dishes to order. You ask yourself how the kitchen can maintain such high standards night after night, keeping diners on their toes with an ever-shifting combination of esoteric ingredients. It occurs to you to ponder how you’re gonna pay for it all. But so exquisite are the myriad tastes and textures that ultimately you have no choice but to surrender to the culinary carnival, one that includes the likes of Shigoku oysters iced with a blood orange sorbet and adorned with a tiny marigold leaf; luscious Kurobuta pork belly sprinkled with black-lime powder and swiped with an espresso-laced caramelized fish sauce; thinly sliced buri (Japanese amberjack) with pickled Hakurei turnips and miso crème fraîche. Even the bar snacks, like shishito peppers lightly blistered on the grill and sprinkled with flaky sea salt, are ridiculously good. Is it any wonder executive chef Paul Qui just won Top Chef: Texas? Beer, wine, & sake.

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(From May 2012)

To nab a community-table spot at a reasonable time in this tiny, informal, highly lauded eatery, you may need to loiter at the door for at least half an hour before it opens. But the wait pays off, especially when, once inside, you’re served artful plates of fresh beets with candied pistachios, shaved fennel, and smoky grilled greens; perfectly fire-grilled shrimp in a creamy green-garlic risotto; or a modern spin on barbecued brisket-n-beans, with the meat treated to a decadent coffee rub prior to smoking. It doesn’t hurt that the food comes from local farmers and the prices are reasonable. Nor that the service is friendly and well informed, though our small dishes did arrive rather too quickly for food that deserves to be savored. Beer & wine.  

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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 January 2011)

Even a snack like a huarache, a masa tart topped with chihuahua cheese, mushrooms, truffle oil, and huitlacoche (an earthy corn fungus), had layers of flavor. And imagine what the kitchen does with a dish like tacos arábicos, filled with spice-rubbed venison swabbed with two sauces: a cooling tzatziki-type yogurt and a spunky chipotle blend (these tacos were served at the James Beard House in New York recently). The Oaxacan black mole (with both sliced breast of duck and confit of leg) is emblematic of the avant-garde Mexican cuisine that is Condesa’s signature. For fun, though, Mexican-street-fair corn on the cob has been added to the menu; it’s not all serious here. Bar.

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(From May 2012)

Once a regular haunt for barhoppers in the Warehouse District, this sleek and sophisticated cocktail-driven locale has upped its game and decamped to the vibrant West Sixth Street area, offering its familiar menu of mini burgers as well as a handful of dinner items matched to cocktails, wine, or beer. We liked the Kansas City strip lamb loin served medium-rare with rosemary and the beef tenderloin salad with Gorgonzola dressing and crispy shallots from the “Scotch” menu. We’d advise a different preparation sauce for the tuna tartare on the “Martini” menu, but we absolutely loved the toasted banana bread pudding with caramelized bananas from the “Julep” menu. Bar.

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(From June 2011) From our vantage point in the small, mod-looking dining room, its bright walls adorned with local art, it was clear that this oldie but goodie still draws a steady crowd. We contemplated a charcuterie plate to start, but the more than generous bowl of Drunken Citrus Mussels had us at Thai chiles and fresh cilantro. A silken cauliflower bisque soothed with each rich and buttery bite. Panko-crusted chicken piccata came lavished with beurre blanc, but it was the haystack of crisp french fries atop the well-seasoned hanger steak that had us begging for more. Beer & wine.

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(From June 2011) If this counter-order place reminds you a bit of Asia Cafe, a mere half a mile down the highway, it’s because both a chef and some servers from the front of that house have gone over to this one. A+A is a place to be adventurous, friends. Try the Cold Jelly Noodles, chopped thick and sea-soned with ma la (also called prickly ash or Sichuan pepper-corn), which produces a tingly, tongue-numbing sensation and has a lemony taste. Or check out the twice-fried pork, identical to thick bacon and as rich as the description sug-gests; stalks of garlic shoots, a cross between green beans and asparagus in texture, soak up the delicious fat. After that, the deep-fried triangles of sesame tofu in a light, sweet sauce will seem like diet food.

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