College Station

(From October 2010) Duilio Tani stayed true to his Italian heritage and to his father, Luigi, by creating a lovely European alfresco setting complete with a waterfall. Live music enhances the atmosphere, as well as your appetite. The salmon filet boasted simple flavors with its basil-lemon pesto, grilled vegetables, and side of fettuccine. Our waiter suggested adding shrimp to our order of fettuccine Alfredo, which turned out to be good ad-vice, as the bland cream sauce needed a punch. There was plenty of punch, though, in the triple chocolate truffle martini! Bar.

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(From February 2012)

Relinquishing mammoth pieces of delectable flatbread to leave room for the main course can be a struggle here. Dipped in a bowl of creamy hummus, said flatbread could easily make a meal. But there are too many other temptations at the sole Middle Eastern restaurant in this area. We enjoyed skewers of perfectly seasoned game hen and marinated lamb, each bite testifying to the quality and freshness of the meat. Vegetarian options are also plentiful, ranging from stuffed grape leaves to khoresht fesenjan, a Persian pomegranate-and-nut stew. If you still have room, Shiraz offers an enticing baklava.

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(From July 2011)

Indian restaurants have come and gone here over the years. But College Station has never seen anything like Taz. With a seven-page, multi-region menu—vegetarian options, tandoori and biryani dishes, breads (12), curries (42), rice plates, seafood—making a decision can be excruciating. Thank goodness for the First Time Special. For $15, you get a plentiful sampling, beginning with soup (we chose tamarind); continuing with mixed vegetable pakoras, a yogurt-based vegetable korma, and a flavorful chicken tikka masala; and ending with a sticky-sweet ball of gulab jamun (like a little doughnut) for dessert. Taz’s lunchtime buffet—offering different dishes each day—is often crowded, so get there early. 

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(From January 2012)

In a college town, restaurants come and go. But for three decades, Cenare—hidden in an unassuming shopping center—has beaten the odds with super food and a charming atmosphere. We started our meal with two antipasti items: spicy cheese ravioli (breaded and toasted—a Midwestern American specialty) and crab-stuffed mushrooms topped with a zesty Creole mustard sauce. For the main course, we tried two distinctly different dishes: gnocchi (potato dumplings) in a thick, rich pesto cream sauce and spaghetti alla vongole (clams with a white wine and garlic sauce, a lighter option). Even though sangria originated in Spain, Italy and other countries love it too. Cenare’s refreshing fruity version went well with almost everything.

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(From April 2011) Subtle sophistication and bold farm-to-table flavors intoxicate the senses of the diamond and denim guests of Wade and Nathan Barkman’s Republic. Go off menu for a center-cut, 16-ounce New York strip; sauces are offered to rev up the flavor, but we thought the meat, finished with smoked sea salt, required no revving at all. If you’re a little curious as to what chicken and dumplings look like at the best steakhouse in College Station, you’ll be delighted by the roasted chicken with glazed gnocchi and sautéed cremini mushrooms, all topped off with a bacon-y shallot sauce. Bar (till midnight).

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(From February 2011) Classically trained chef Tai Lee has a swank, contemporary backdrop for his happy hodgepodge of Asian and American cuisine. The sophisticated surroundings go well with the hearty entrées (center-cut ribeye, duck breast with English pea purée), imaginative sides (if you think your momma makes good mac and cheese, wait till you try Lee’s white truffle version), and elegant sashimi and sushi op-tions. Don’t miss the signature “crispy” roll: soft-shell crab, shrimp, and scallops with zippy wasabi, creamy rémoulade, and sweet soy dribbled alongside. Bar

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