(From July 2011)

The food is billed as “casual gourmet,” but the dining room, with its dark woods and high ceilings, is rather elegant. The summer heat inspired us to order a zesty entrée salad of spinach and arugula with chicken, roasted beets, Granny Smith apples, candied walnuts, and a tangy honey citrus vinaigrette; two almond-crusted rounds of goat cheese on the plate added just the right amount of heft. Swirls of raspberry and crème anglaise graced the decadent flourless chocolate cake

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(From May 2012)

Chef Jacques Fox sauntered over to talk about the food as we were seated along the halfmoon stainless steel counter surrounding his kitchen in this handsome new restaurant. Yes, we liked the fresh scallops resting in lobster cappucinno and the silky foie gras over thin slices of poached pear. Equally fine, we reported, was a juicy, tender, black-pepper-crused beef tenderloin, lavished with a green pappercorn sauce and sided with potatoes and buttery haricots verts. All in all, an auspicious first meeting. Bar.

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(From November 2011)

These cozy confines just off Voss seem just the setting for congenial Arturo Boada’s multicultural menu. Guests and staff alike appear in high spirits, no doubt inspired by dishes like Camarones Henesy en Hamaca (large shrimp piled atop an arresting blend of hearts of palm, tomatoes, capers, and plantains in a soy-ginger broth); rich rigatoni with chicken, peas, and mushrooms; and a thin-crusted carnitas pizza with red onions and cilantro. Beer & wine.. 

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(From March 2011) Expanding on its original location in Nuevo Progreso, Arturo’s in Weslaco continues a proud Mexican food tradition. The popular bean soup is a thick brew of mashed pintos seasoned with cilantro and garlic, and the chicken en mole is a freshly quartered bird in a spicy ancho chile–cocoa sauce served with traditional Spanish rice and beans. And, of course, a trip to Arturo’s is never complete without one of their famous fresh-lime margaritas. It’s a true taste of Mexico without crossing the border. Bar.

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(From December 2010) Peach-toned walls give a flattering glow to the interior of Arturo Boada and Bill Sadler’s Uptown Park restaurant, but its columned porch beckoned us on a mild evening. Two great salads kept our attention: a caprese of yellow and red grape tomatoes, mozzarella, capers, oregano, and basil and an inspired mix of baby greens, walnuts, pancetta, orange slices, and goat cheese. Sonia’s Ravioli, stuffed with chicken and porcini mushrooms and served with white wine–basil sauce, proved delicious and beyond rich, but it didn’t preclude our sharing a slice of tiramisu. Bar.

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(From March 2011)

This place, with its clean lines, stylized art, and accomodating servers, is always a pleasure. So too was our meal of summer rolls with peanut sauce, followed by crispy red snapper topped with basil sauce, baby corn, and slivers of red bell pepper; an orb of jasmine rice flecked with black sesame seeds came alongside. Green tea ice cream with sticky rice and a splash of coconut coulis was a refreshing dessert; coming in second was a classic cheesecake with mango sauce and fresh raspberries. Bar.

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(From June 2011) The setting is sleek and the offerings creative, extensive, and, as you might ex-pect, expensive. Here’s a hint. Go for lunch, where you can find bargains like sushi com-bos, noodle bowls, and bento boxes; we like the beautifully presented crab tempura box, its moist crab and vegetables pairing nicely with a fresh spring roll, a delightful Cali-fornia roll, and steamed rice with just the right amount of “sticky.” Bar.

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(From June 2011)

After an exhausting day of sketching at the museum (much fun for our youngest as-sociates), we sank into chairs facing gor-geous Chihuly glass flowers and listened to classical music while waiting for our lunch. Flatbread covered with a layer of garlicky pesto and then topped with locally made moz-zarella and sliced tomatoes was surprisingly good. And the small blueberry tart with a shortbread-like crust was just the ticket for dessert. Bar.

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(From June 2012)

Is there a hint of executive chef Bruce Auden’s English birthright here amid the international comfort food? Big leather chairs in the bar, shelves of pottery, baskets and wine against the windows, batter-fried chicken, Auden’s famous oysters, and sticky toffee pudding seem to suggest it’s so. At lunch, a panko-crusted flattened chicken breast topped with seasonal greens and a truffle oil dressing hit the comfort target dead-on. At night, oven-roasted chicken with saffron Israeli couscous was just the thing for sharing across the table, along with the Bluebonnet Salad, with local greens, apples, avocado, and goat cheese. Beer & wine.

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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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