Austin

(From June 2009) Though best known for its steaks, Finn & Porter—the Hilton’s recently remodeled upscale restaurant—also offers an extensive sushi menu. A plate of complimentary edamame (here served cold) is a pleasant way to start your meal, as is the Chuka salad, a tangle of green seaweed served over ponzu-marinated sliced cucumber. Standout sashimi includes the house-smoked escolar, so buttery it all but melts on your tongue. Overall, we found the rolled sushi a little fussy, though; the Finn Roll was a smorgasbord all by itself of spicy assorted fish, avocado, and tempura flakes on the inside, with thin-sliced tuna and salmon wrapped around the outside, plus a dusting of chives. Given that fresh fish is flown in three times a week, the sushi chef could make us happy simply by observing the adage “Less is more.” Bar.

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(From March 2009) Over-the-top exuberance smacks you right between the eyes at this luxe new downtown steakhouse, the first Austin outpost of a Houston-based group. Tucked into the lovely historic Norwood tower, Perry’s embraces the “more is more” design mantra with a wall of wine spanning two floors. The food keeps pace. The Australian lobster tail tempura arrives with both aioli and melted butter to fatten it up. Double-cut lamb chops, seared to a crisp outside yet rare inside, come two to an entrée, while potatoes lyonnaise are roasted in bacon fat. We felt the prime ribeye, gilded with an emphatically seasoned compound butter, actually needed a make-under to let the pure quality of the steak shine through. Were you hoping asparagus might be a light side dish? Too bad. It’s deep-fried and topped with colossal lumps of crabmeat. Bar.

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