(From June 2012)

It appears to be just a modest house in Montrose, but it’s as close to truly regional Italian cooking as you’ll find in town. Understated surroundings and expert service put the emphasis on fine food and drink. Recent selections included shaved celery with thin slices of beet and pecorino; sweet corn ravioli surrounded by lobster claw meat; and roasted whole branzino, filleted and served alongside braised fennel and rosemary potatoes. It’s well worth the splurge.
Extensive Italian wine list. Bar.

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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 May 2012)

At Indika, the small touches of color, taste, and texture make all the difference. Deep burgundy-toned beet soup, puréed with coconut, garbanzos, and ginger, has a clever little slab of grilled paneer perched on the rim; a thick pork chop vindaloo is stuffed with paneer masala and sweet caramelized onions. Expect knowledgeable servers and a modern saffron-hued setting with soaring ceilings. Bar.

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(From May 2012)

Warm, yeasty rolls kept us occupied until our entrées arrived at this russet-hued, classy spot near the Arts District. If you’ve got a hefty appetite, look no further than the chicken-fried venison steak: two crispy, generous pieces sharing a plate with caramelized shallot–sage potatoes, chorizo cream gravy (now there’s a brilliant idea), and braised greens. Then end your feast with the apple and cranberry crisp (supplemented with cherries) with crunchy oatmeal topping and a scoop of cinnamon ice cream. Service is solicitous, even when the house is full. Bar. (opens at 5)

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(From May 2012)

We delighted in a new treatment of luscious buratta, served with warm polenta, herbs, and curls of rich pancetta. Alas, our entrée of Gulf Coast snapper was marred by overcooked fish (nicely moistened, though, by its pool of reduced barolo wine) and three minuscule potatoes and a smear of spinach—hardly what we would call sides. Expect expert service; a gracious, art-filled setting; and, perhaps, a tableside visit from longtime restaurateur Tony Vallone himself. 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 May 2012)

Dining at Bruce Auden’s outpost on the river is kind of like dining in a luxury ocean liner: the narrow balcony, the floaty fabrics, the glimmer and glint, the excellent service. But the food, we know, is far better than most seafaring kitchens can manage, and the local-food ethic is apparent in such dishes as warm spinach salad topped with quail and tender yet densely flavored Texas axis venison. Then there are the imaginative vegetarian specials, this time, a freshly made pasta with Rebecca Creek goat cheese, an English pea sauce, and tiny grilled yellow tomatoes. Bar.

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011, 1:03 pm
Jenny says:
Biga on the Banks showcases chef Bruce Auden’s signature New American cuisine. Biga’s main dining room welcomes the discerning traveler, convention-goer and downtown entertainment crowd in a relaxed upscale ambience. Floor to ceiling glass windows offer gorgeous views of the River, upstream from the hard-partying noise of the busier blocks. Menu standouts include Close-to-Bouillabaisse, fish and shellfish in tomato saffron broth; and the Eleven Spiced Axis Venison with Grilled Quail, crowned with juniper sauce. Perennial favorites Radiccio & Bibb Game Packets and Salmon Nachos get your party started, and be sure to conclude your meal with the eponymous Sticky Toffee Pudding, a little piece of English heaven.

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