Austin

(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 May 2012)

We quite liked the airy, open feel to this artfully designed space in the Domain, Austin's uber-upscale shopping destination. Who wouldn't like to cool their Manolos while partaking of a civilized lunch? We began with three tricked-out deviled eggs - white truffle oil, Dijon, truffle shavings, and a roasted red pepper aioli for dipping (quite necessary for a burst of flavor) - before moving on to a satisfying Philly cheesesteak soup; splendidly cheesy yet not too filling. Our Cake Ball Cobb - "red velvet" chicken, queso fresco, applewood-smoked-bacon crumbles, and dried cranberries tossed with a French onion vinaigrette - missed the mark, though; the consistency and sweetness of the bird simply didn't work. What did work was the namesake dessert. We're partial to the lemon drop, natural lemon oil with Meyer lemon curd, but we also adore the tiramisu and chocolate mint. Bar.

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(From May 2011) Warm and inviting easily describe this new little spot for Neapolitan-style (i.e., thin-crust) pizzas located behind Parkside and run by Parkside chef-owner Shawn Cirkiel. At the bar, we snagged a couple of stools—made from old wine barrels—and admired the glowing Italian-made brick oven while awaiting our order. We loved our appe-tizer, morsels of gooey prosciutto-wrapped mozzarella bathed in a garlicky marinara. But, as expected, the flat-bread pizzas stole the show, especially the rich mushroom and ricotta on a super-crispy crust. We also loved the jar of chocolate-hazelnut budino that we had for dessert, but we wished it had had a bit more chocolate rather than a whipped cream topping. Beer & wine.

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(From February 2012)

Yes, the tucked-away setting off Lamar has been inauspicious for many a restaurant. And, yes, a few of us are suffering from pork fatigue. But it’s hard not to be charmed by this cheerful yellow house, with its hodgepodge of porcine decor and enthusiastic young staff. And it’s also hard not to wonder if this place got named for the wrong animal. Sure, the ubiquitous bacon was great—sprinkled atop a mound of cheesy fries, sandwiched with juicy tomatoes between thick slices of toasted bread. But what really got our attention were the massive chunks of golden-battered fried chicken, in an appetizer (strips served with bacon gravy, of course) and in the chicken BLT, in which the B, the L, and the T got seriously upstaged. Beer.

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(From January 2012)

The more things change, the more they change. Longtime central Austin restaurant Zoot moved way out to Bee Cave Road two years ago but never really thrived. Stewart Scruggs and Mark Paul put it out of its misery, and about a month or so later, reopened as BC Tavern. Intelligent move. Within two weeks, the nice but less dressy restaurant and bar was busy most every night. What's bringing in the customers are backyard and down-home dishes like four different burgers and fried chicken on Sundays. But because the owners are chefs, not just cooks, they can't resist French bistro favorites like an excellent duck confit with al dente vegetables and moist, if dense, quenelles (which they disguise under the name Duck-n-Dumplins). Also very fine: a ribeye with new potatoes and a balsalmic-drizzled broiled tomato. In need of a thnk-over: clunky onion rings and delicate but disturbingly nugget-size sweetbreads.

See also Pat's Pick, page 133.

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(From January 2012)

You can't help but feel a tinge of Paris at the turn of the twentieth century when you're dining in this gothic basement-level restaurant, especially tucked away in a cozy booth beneath an antique chandelier. Gulf shrimp simmered in a garlicky tomato broth and served with a slice of crisply grilled ciabatta started the meal out on the right note. Easily keeping pace was a hearty chicken potpie with a puff pastry shell. Grilled tenderloin in a mushroom reduction with a pat of foie gras compound butter tasted as decadent as it sounds, but a seared scallop dish laden with butter and salt was too much of a good thing. Bar.

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(From February 2012)

The more things change, the more they stay the same. In the case of Mirabelle, the changes come in the form of new owners, a new chef, and an authentically French menu, while the friendly service and warm neighborhood vibe remain. Duck rillettes pleased us more in taste than in presentation, but butter leaf lettuce with an herbed vinaigrette achieved both eye and palate appeal. Classic trout meunière hit the right notes (citrusy, savory, and buttery), and a merguez sausage sandwich with crispy french fries made a lasting impression. We swooned over a chocolate custard tart sprinkled with sea salt and an apple galette served with brown butter ice cream. Beer & wine.

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(From March 2011) This popular Houston fast-casual restaurant initially developed by renowned chef Robert Del Grande has made its way to Central Austin (it occupies a former La Madeleine location, utterly modernized and transformed). The bright, cheerful setting makes for an inviting lunch or dinner stop, especially for those on the go. We got off to a shaky start with watery baked potato soup and an overdressed Greek salad, but the bacon blue cheese burger on a toasted kaiser bun hit the spot. So did a warm and gooey molten chocolate–cream cheese cupcake. Beer & wine.

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(From April 2012)

Don’t let the nearby Taco Bell and cigarette shop deter you from dining at this delightful Mediterranean spot. We were charmed the minute we walked in and surveyed the long, stylish bar and small tables dressed in white and topped with brown parcel paper. Our congenial waiter walked us through the specials—we couldn’t resist the roasted apple and radicchio salad (delicious)—and clued us in to all the house-made breads, pastas, and gnocchi. We approved of the lightly toasted baguette (baked early that morning), which proved to be the building block of our scrumptiously comforting croque-monsieur. But the honors went to the lovely house-roasted pork shoulder over roasted apple couscous and warm ratatouille. Bar.

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(From April 2012)

Folks from all over Austin—not just UT faculty and staff—have embraced this near-campus dining room as that elusive civilized place where you can actually talk over dinner. From chef Josh Watkins’s open yet almost silent kitchen emerged ethereal beef tartare—USDA Prime chopped to an almost melting consistency, served on toast slivers and dusted with Parmesan. Salmon filet, rather plain, was redeemed by a salad of crabmeat and hearts of palm. A two-chop rack of lamb, poached sous vide with bacon and offered on the standard Hellenic pool of cucumber yogurt sauce, was as tender as could be; we did wish, though, that more fire had kissed the meat, to lend a toasty exterior. An end-of-year hiring coup snagged Congress’s avant-garde dessert chef Plinio Sandalio; we admired a multi-faceted creation involving coconut cake and tiny coconut sprinkles, but our favorite part was his simple grapefruit sorbet, which melted sweetly on our tongue. Bar.

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