(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)

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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(From January 2011) Across from the Alamo, dining choices are unfortunately limited to fast food, burgers, and pizza, so if you want something a bit more locally sourced, stop into the casual dining room of the new Hotel Indigo, a restoration of the old Gibbs Building on the site of the Maverick homestead. Living up to that heritage is a challenge, but the light, and lighthearted, menu and clever kitchen seem up to it. Witness hand-cut potato chips with Texas blue cheese, smoked chicken and Gulf shrimp salad served in avocado halves, and even pan dulce “imported” from Mi Tierra. As old Sam (Maverick) himself might have said, “Bring it on!” Bar.

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(From December 2010)

Looking like a small, colorful Tower of Pisa were stacked rounds of buffalo mozzarella brushed with pesto, slices of yellow and red heirloom tomatoes, and a sprinkling of tiny sourdough croutons and water-cress. A pyramid of truffle whipped potatoes and baby vegetables came parked beside a hefty hunk of wood-roasted beef tenderloin napped with a velvety red-wine butter. If you’ve never had sage ice cream—who has?—it’s a treat, especially paired with a blackberry crisp, as it is here. Note the sizzling bar scene, where everyone seems to be celebrating some sort of corporate coup. Bar.

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(From June 2011) We found a table for two in the back of this airy downtown space, then sipped some pinot grigio, taking in the lively scene up front by the bar. The Market Slaw—shaved fennel, apples, and spring vegetables plus frisée and endive in an overdose of buttermilk dressing—didn’t impress, but the moules, mus-sels in white wine with chorizo, took us back to a lovely lunch in Saint-Malo many summers ago. A bowl of French onion soup satisfied our companion, while we noshed on ultra-crisp pommes frites and a perfectly cooked steak drizzled with heavenly béarnaise. We left as the band was warming up, de-termined to plan our next trip abroad. Bar.

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(From January 2011) Whether it be the sandwiches (especially the Reuben on pumpernickel, instead of the more traditional rye) or the wonderful heavy soups (white chili with chicken, beans, and cheese is a delight), Cap-pyccino’s has nailed the art of the quick, substantial American meal. Add the cool potato salad and maybe the dense chocolate cake, and there’s no way you’ll leave less than satisfied. The small booths hold only two, and even the tables are small (go elsewhere if you’ve got a big group), but for good service and good food in a little spot, this is just the place. Bar.

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(From March 2011) Christopher Lampo’s uptown menu keeps this hip farmhouse hopping. Our dinner started with a “whet your appetite” amuse of Italian sausage with a light pesto, which we followed with an entrée of savory cornbread-crusted chicken breast. Vegetables get proper attention here too; the chicken came with fresh spinach, a roasted corn–crawfish ragoût, and lobster mashed potatoes (proving that old adage “Everything is better with lobster”). The wine list is extensive; call on the well-trained servers to walk you through it. Bar.

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(From February 2012)

Under peripatetic chef Kevin Ascolese, this wine-centric bistro is putting out some well-conceived fare, most recently at its handsome location in West Ave. We paired flights of white wine with silky ricotta ravioli dotted with chorizo and peas and napped with herb butter, then main courses of chicken piccata in lemon caper sauce (with fingerlings and broccolini) and grilled salmon on couscous (with haricots verts and a basil-citrus sauce). Flights of cheeses, dishes made for sharing, and an assortment of stone-fired pizzas add to the appeal. Beer & wine.

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(From May 2012)

We love this intimate restaurant (despite its perpetually arrogant staff). It’s a perfect spot for celebrations and quiet lunches alike. We started with a smoked pepper soup and a sweet corn chowder, then followed that with the salmon salad: baby greens, spinach, and asparagus with hickory-smoked salmon, topped with a dill sabayon dressing. Bar.

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