Austin

(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 August 2009) This sleek new fast-food franchise—which boasts sanitizing “hand Jacuzzis” in the dining area—looks too squeaky-clean and corporate to produce a good burger. Luckily, it serves up chow that has the heart and soul of a greasy spoon. The mouthwatering made-to-order half-pounder is hand-formed from all-natural beef that’s ground in-house daily. The hand-squeezed lemonade has just the right balance of sweet and sour, and the crinkle-cut fries, which are dusted with sea salt, are homemade.

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(From February 2009) Sometimes you don’t want a cutting-edge meal. Sometimes all you want is a pleasant restaurant serving good, reasonably priced food in a fun part of town. Lunch or dinner, Italian-inflected Taverna (based in Dallas) fills the bill. The trattoria look is convincing, and there’s a small enclosed sidewalk for cozy alfresco dining in the Second Street district. Carpaccio had all the requisite elements: thin-sliced raw beef, capers, shaved Parmesan, and Taverna’s own twists, pine nuts and truffle oil. Yum. Mussels were superb in a garlic-and-white-wine broth. And the ultrarich porcini mushroom lasagne, with Parmesan and two sauces (bolognese and béchamel), had us at “Buongiorno.”

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(From June 2009) Come for a cocktail; stay for dessert. But brace yourself for more than an hour’s wait at this casual hipster spot on the south end and west side of SoCo. The food is all about comfort with a Texas twist. Fried cheese curds—crispy Wisconsin cheddar bitelets served with marinara—go down quick and easy, leaving room for main courses like a grilled Berkshire pork chop in an apple-whiskey glaze with hazelnut-brown-butter mashed potatoes and broccoli rapini. For dessert, indulge in a slice of homemade pie (the chocolate–peanut butter is a fave). Perusing the cocktail menu, we liked the sound of the Miss Eudora (bourbon, vanilla, basil, and ginger). Bar.

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(From July 2008) A mixed-use development goes down well when it includes a wine bar that overlooks Lady Bird Lake. Watch joggers puff and sweat as you swirl glasses of wine from the “dispensing fountain.” We found a glass of cava to be perfect with the ahi tuna topped with preserved Meyer lemon and tarragon, while a Bordeaux was just right with silky veal cheeks in a tomato-anchovy sauce. A cheese plate held some delicious pairings, including Gorgonzola dolce with kumquat chutney. Panini and salads are available for lunch. Crisp, clean lines in a light-filled space fit the “new urbanist” aesthetics. Wine.

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(From April 2009) While its menu may not be as extensive nor its setting as grand as those of the cafe at the Kimbell, in Fort Worth—the benchmark by which all museum cafes should be measured—this casual new cafeteria-style dining venue across from UT’s Blanton Museum of Art is well on its way. Choose from a varied light menu designed by UT chef Josh Watkins (formerly of the Driskill Hotel), including yummy flatbread pizzas, crisp build-your-own salads, and panini (we raved over the Italian, with prosciutto, smoked ham, salami, and provolone). Visit the adjacent gift shop on your way out. Beer & wine.

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(From August 2009) During any given lunch hour, more than half the customers are having burgers, despite a menu with first-rate crab cakes and fried oysters. That’s what happens when you have a monster hit. This simple, flawless burger is like an expertly composed three-minute pop song: There are no wrong notes. The hand-pressed patty is six ounces of plump and succulent Niman beef from Colorado, cooked to order. The sweetness of the bun plays treble against the meaty bass line, and the toppings all contribute excellent backup. The lettuce is Boston, the onion is Bermuda, the cheese is very good cheddar, and the tomatoes are ripe. Elegant, uncomplicated, addictive.

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(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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(From February 2009) It may feel like a vast, albeit attractive, corporate dining room (and it kind of is), but the food is far, far better than you might expect. Why? Josh Watkins, formerly of the Driskill Hotel, is the executive chef. Crab cakes with a roasted-corn-and-tomato salsa and a dollop of avocado mousse were delicious even though not pure lump meat. Berkshire pork tenderloin, bursting with flavor, came with cannellini beans and a topping of smoked tomatoes. The Apple Blossom, a rustic tart, had a tender, buttery crust and a pretty garnish of candied pecans. Bar.

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(From August 2009) Can this really be a sports bar? The joint’s too classy, and so’s the burger. Half a pound of freshly ground beef cooked to rosy perfection rests regally on a square ciabatta bun. The bread is toasted, and if you lean in close, you can sniff the buttery aroma. The cheese is good Longhorn cheddar, and the bacon is just about as supreme a sliver of pig as we’ve ever encountered. Shredded lettuce and slices of ripe red tomato and purple Bermuda onion round out the plate. The fries—delicate potato shoestrings dusted with Parmesan and chives—underscore the better-than-it-has- to-be philosophy here.

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