If you are standing on the northeast corner of 5th and Colorado in Downtown Austin, put the food trailers on your right and walk forward. You'll clear the wall of the parking garage. Look to your right. You'll see something that looks a little like an Airstream trailer.
That's the Garage lounge. It's on the Hidden Bars of Austin list I'm determined to work through this year. That list is here. I wouldn't call this location *hidden* so much as *subtle*. You certainly need to know where it is, but there aren't the hoops to jump through such as the ones The Midnight Cowboy or the Firehouse Lounge have in place. You just go up the walkway and follow it around.
Once you've gone through the curving, patio entry to get inside, the word that really applies is *intimate*. The space is small, the lights are low and the seating is clustered into compact groups. This is a great place if you want to sit close together and lean in to talk. The interior is heavily influenced by the clean lines of the early 1960's. The right angles and neutral colors are pleasing. I happen to really like the curving bar with the under-the-surface lighting.
My dining companion and I have really good counter karma, so we were able to snag a spot at the bar. I like to watch the bartenders and barbacks do their thing. My dining companion has the firm belief that you get better service at the bar. He's very picky about bartending. He bartended for a long time, developing his own set of quirks and pet peeves. When he's not sure the staff knows what they're doing he orders a single malt scotch neat since that can't be messed up.
As in most of the upscale places in town, the staff leans heavily towards the hipster side of things. They're attentive though. They've got the non-verbal, bar service communication down. When my glass was empty, one of the guys behind the bar picked it up and raised his eyebrows at me. I understood this to mean "Do you want another?" I shook my head and asked for an Indian Paintbrush.
The Indian Paintbrush was named the Official Drink of Austin in 2015 at The Austin Food and Wine Alliance Competition (Check that out here) The Indian Paintbrush is a riff on a Greyhound, vodka and grapefruit juice with lime, rosemary syrup, bitters and a garnish of fresh rosemary. The whole thing is shaken and served in an old school, shallow champagne glass. It's a delicious libation.
It's also heavily ordered so the show behind the counter is a lot of shakers being shaken by almost everyone who is available to shake.
I did, as a part of my Quest for the City's Best Martini, have a martini. It was very good. I enjoyed it very much. The last few I've had around town have been underwhelming, so this was a refreshing change. I like the martini at the Midnight Cowboy a little better, so they're still in first. But, Garage's impressed me.
Garage is small and seating is limited. It's a good idea to get there early and avoid standing.
Basically, this is a cool place with an old-school vibe that I like very much. I think we'll be getting drinks here on a regular basis.
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Saturday, January 9, 2016
Swift's Attic
I read about the Big Ass Burger at Swift's Attic a number of places. It's a burger patty with ham, turkey and two cheeses on sourdough. The whole thing is dunked in Coke tempura batter and deep fried. They only make 12 and they are only served on Monday nights. They recommend you arrive at 7:30 to put your name in and wait for the BAB to be brought out at 9. They're only served at 9 p.m. But you have to arrive at 7:30.
I find this simultaneously an obviously, irritating way to sell drinks and goal I desperately want to achieve.
Since I didn't know about having to get there early for a burger I made reservations for 9. We ate anyway.
Before I tell you about Swift's there are a couple of terms that need to be defined:
Hipster: (from dictionary.com)
I find this simultaneously an obviously, irritating way to sell drinks and goal I desperately want to achieve.
Since I didn't know about having to get there early for a burger I made reservations for 9. We ate anyway.
Before I tell you about Swift's there are a couple of terms that need to be defined:
Hipster: (from dictionary.com)
a usually young person who is trendy, stylish, or progressive in an unconventional way; someone who is hip.
Gastropub: a pub that specializes in serving high-quality food, generally prepared in an unconventional way.
Swift's Attic is a hispter gastropub. Someone one asked me if Austin was a hippie city. I said "No, it's a hipster town." It's staffed by hipsters who wait on diners that carry Michael Kors bags and wear expensive shoes. Very much a new Austin hangout. An upscale bar that serves food presented in a way that's outside the mainstream.
I like the interior, which is shabby-chic-meets-1920's-speakeasy. But, there are quite a few places in the city with this theme.
Anyway. Since we missed the bulletin on how to get the Big Ass Burger we went with something else.
Looking at the menu, the prices are all over the place. From a $9 crab special to $90 for a 28 ounce Heartbrand Texas Akaushi New York Strip. Everything is combined in interesting and clever ways. Grilled butternut squash is served with granola, a cranberry emulsion, sage chips and a pumpkin seed sauce. Braised goat shoulder comes with ricotta gnocchi, a fig and tomato ragout and pesto.
I had the Haute Country Shrimp Boil. Wild gulf shrimp, sausage-corn sofrito (a Spanish style sauce consisting of minced herbs, veggies and other stuff.), new potatoes, rouille (olive oil with breadcrumbs, saffron, garlic and chili pepper.) and preserved celery.
Each of the elements was executed really nicely, but it didn't exactly come together. The sofrito is delicious, but the strong flavor and rough texture overwhelmed the shrimp. The rouille was very good, but didn't really mesh with the celery.
It was so close. But many of the flavors just sat on top of each other without cooperating.
My dining companion went with the scallops. Seared with salsify (a root vegetable from the daisy family), carrot pepper coulis and a pickled peppercorn chimichurri (a sauce from South America made with parsley, garlic, vinegar, olive oil and chili pepper.) The results were the same. The scallops were done gorgeously, but the sauce just sat there and didn't bring out any flavor in the shellfish. The coulis was great, but was too much for a delicate scallop.
Dessert was the same way. A Commander Crunch is dark chocolate mousse, chocolate soil (another term for cookie crumbs), chocolate tuile, (crunchy chocolatey bits), chocolate ice cream and blueberry bubbles. The mousse had the best texture I've ever experienced and very little chocolate flavor. I liked the texture blends, but with so little chocolate to go with the blueberry tang it wasn't the experience I was hoping for.
On to the martini. Everywhere we go I order the same thing, dry martini with a twist bartender's choice on the gin. This wasn't my favorite. I think the ice was melty when they shook the drink, because it was watery. It wasn't smooth all the way to the bottom.
I do want to experience the Big Ass Burger, but that's going to require some forward planning, possibly sending some friends down to get the table and sandwich spoken for so I can arrive later.
Swift's Attic was, hmm. It was good, just not great. It's not going to spring to mind when someone asks me where to get some good eats.
Saturday, January 2, 2016
Stuff I'm gonna eat in 2016!
In 2015 I discovered there are a LOT of lists that give suggestions for food in Austin. Things to eat before you die. Best burgers. (One best burger list stated that Casino El Camino didn't impress. My jaw dropped and I decided to let that go.) Best cocktails. Best best best best.
I've selected 2 that I'll work through in 2016.
The first is Austin's hidden bars, as listed by Thrillist. Slide this bookcase..... Obviously, I can tick off the Midnight Cowboy. This is going to have the potential for looking foolish and never figuring out where some of these places are located. But, I'm going to give it a shot.
I'm glad my dining companion has patience and enjoys new adventures, as tame as they may be. (face it, this isn't exactly hacking through the rain forest or skydiving.) I've invited some other adventurous friends to come along on the 16th to start on this project. I will, of course, be on the quest for The City's Best Martini as we visit these secret locations.
The other is The Most Indulgent Burgers in Austin, via Mode Drool trigger here.. The first one on the list is already scheduled for January 4th, 2016 at 9 p.m.!
We've got a jump on this one as we've been to 3 of those on the list. Hopdoddy? Check! Mighty Fine? Check! Casino El Camino? Check!
12 to go!
Here's to a delicious year!
I've selected 2 that I'll work through in 2016.
The first is Austin's hidden bars, as listed by Thrillist. Slide this bookcase..... Obviously, I can tick off the Midnight Cowboy. This is going to have the potential for looking foolish and never figuring out where some of these places are located. But, I'm going to give it a shot.
I'm glad my dining companion has patience and enjoys new adventures, as tame as they may be. (face it, this isn't exactly hacking through the rain forest or skydiving.) I've invited some other adventurous friends to come along on the 16th to start on this project. I will, of course, be on the quest for The City's Best Martini as we visit these secret locations.
The other is The Most Indulgent Burgers in Austin, via Mode Drool trigger here.. The first one on the list is already scheduled for January 4th, 2016 at 9 p.m.!
We've got a jump on this one as we've been to 3 of those on the list. Hopdoddy? Check! Mighty Fine? Check! Casino El Camino? Check!
12 to go!
Here's to a delicious year!
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Cafe No Se.
Look, I'm FINALLY putting up something new. Apologies.
So, my dining companion and I were sitting around saying "I don't know. Where do YOU want to have brunch?" while I was leafing through Austin magazine. It was their year end, best of issue. I found a little blurb about a place called 'Cafe No Se' that had recently opened on South Congress.
He said he was up to try something new. I got us a table and off we went.
Cafe No Se (which translates to the "I Don't Know Cafe") opened about 3 months ago in the South Congress Hotel, which also opened about 3 months ago.
South Congress was, at one time, a nasty part of town that featured drugs, prostitutes and violence. Now, it's got a quirky, local, arty, vibe which maintains an upscale aura. It's laid back and a cool part of town. If you dropped me there, I could immediately tell you where I was.
Cafe No Se fits right in. The interior is crisp and clean with whitewashed, plank walls, hammered tin behind the wall shelving and light wood tables. A few gorgeous, abstract paintings are hung. There are huge windows that look right out onto South Congress, so if you're a people watcher you have ample opportunity.
The servers, likewise, are crisply attired in white button downs, khakis and light denim aprons.
There's a nice little patio space outside that can easily accommodate bigger parties. There was a BIG table set up in the center of the restaurant when we arrived, easily for 16, obviously for a reservation.
We found an unmolested New York Times on a side table, so I got to sit and read the Book Review, showing everyone how smart I am.
Charlie took care of us and he did a great job. He was attentive but didn't hover. Was casual in his approach but you could tell he was paying attention.
This restaurant offers french press coffee, which is my favorite. The press is brought right to your table and you can let it brew as long as you like. Tea is served in an individual pot with a basket built into the lid.
I waffled for a while but chose to go with their daily scramble. This changes from day to day but is always 2 eggs scrambled with something. I got to have them with butternut squash and kale. Then some Parmesan cheese was added to the top, adding the salt it needed. I thought it was great. It comes with an arugula salad. I'm not arugula's best friend, which probably loses me points on the food snob scale, but I'm still not eating it so I can't tell you how it was.
(An aside here. Arugula is huge in Austin. Almost every nicer restaurant I've been to this year features arugula. Salads, sandwiches, on top as a garnish, blended into smoothies this stuff is all over the place. What is it with arugula. I'll be pleased when we move on to a leafy green that I like.)
But I did like the sausage patties, although my friend tasted it and said "You can have the rest of that." This translates to: Ew. They're on the sweet side, like an English sausage, and the consistency was moist, like it's supposed to be. And no anise seeds in it. That drives me crazy, little nuggets of licorice in sausage. Sage? Fine. Onion? Great. Garlic? Bring it on. Licorice? Yeah, not so much.
My dining companion went with the ricotta pancakes (ricotta pancakes have ricotta mixed into the batter rather than having ricotta spread on the top) that are served with pecan butter, bananas and maple syrup. A nice sized stack he said he didn't think he'd be able to finish, but his plate was shiny clean when Charlie picked it up. I got to have a bite and they were very light, with the bananas layered, not just piled on top and cooked just right.
Our serving sizes were appropriate. I've experienced a lot of places that pile you up for breakfast/brunch and then you have this box of food that rattles around in the fridge for a while until you find it behind the expired milk and toss it out. I was able to finish everything.
There are a couple of quibbles. The breakfast potatoes were underdone. Not hugely underdone, just enough to notice. The seasoning was good, they just weren't totally cooked.
And, this one may be my own fault, my cappuccino was more of a latte than a cappuccino. But, I like them very dry. I may need to specify the next time we go there.
There's a ham and cheese croissant on the menu that looks intriguing.
https://cafenoseaustin.com/
So, my dining companion and I were sitting around saying "I don't know. Where do YOU want to have brunch?" while I was leafing through Austin magazine. It was their year end, best of issue. I found a little blurb about a place called 'Cafe No Se' that had recently opened on South Congress.
He said he was up to try something new. I got us a table and off we went.
Cafe No Se (which translates to the "I Don't Know Cafe") opened about 3 months ago in the South Congress Hotel, which also opened about 3 months ago.
South Congress was, at one time, a nasty part of town that featured drugs, prostitutes and violence. Now, it's got a quirky, local, arty, vibe which maintains an upscale aura. It's laid back and a cool part of town. If you dropped me there, I could immediately tell you where I was.
Cafe No Se fits right in. The interior is crisp and clean with whitewashed, plank walls, hammered tin behind the wall shelving and light wood tables. A few gorgeous, abstract paintings are hung. There are huge windows that look right out onto South Congress, so if you're a people watcher you have ample opportunity.
The servers, likewise, are crisply attired in white button downs, khakis and light denim aprons.
There's a nice little patio space outside that can easily accommodate bigger parties. There was a BIG table set up in the center of the restaurant when we arrived, easily for 16, obviously for a reservation.
We found an unmolested New York Times on a side table, so I got to sit and read the Book Review, showing everyone how smart I am.
Charlie took care of us and he did a great job. He was attentive but didn't hover. Was casual in his approach but you could tell he was paying attention.
This restaurant offers french press coffee, which is my favorite. The press is brought right to your table and you can let it brew as long as you like. Tea is served in an individual pot with a basket built into the lid.
I waffled for a while but chose to go with their daily scramble. This changes from day to day but is always 2 eggs scrambled with something. I got to have them with butternut squash and kale. Then some Parmesan cheese was added to the top, adding the salt it needed. I thought it was great. It comes with an arugula salad. I'm not arugula's best friend, which probably loses me points on the food snob scale, but I'm still not eating it so I can't tell you how it was.
(An aside here. Arugula is huge in Austin. Almost every nicer restaurant I've been to this year features arugula. Salads, sandwiches, on top as a garnish, blended into smoothies this stuff is all over the place. What is it with arugula. I'll be pleased when we move on to a leafy green that I like.)
But I did like the sausage patties, although my friend tasted it and said "You can have the rest of that." This translates to: Ew. They're on the sweet side, like an English sausage, and the consistency was moist, like it's supposed to be. And no anise seeds in it. That drives me crazy, little nuggets of licorice in sausage. Sage? Fine. Onion? Great. Garlic? Bring it on. Licorice? Yeah, not so much.
My dining companion went with the ricotta pancakes (ricotta pancakes have ricotta mixed into the batter rather than having ricotta spread on the top) that are served with pecan butter, bananas and maple syrup. A nice sized stack he said he didn't think he'd be able to finish, but his plate was shiny clean when Charlie picked it up. I got to have a bite and they were very light, with the bananas layered, not just piled on top and cooked just right.
Our serving sizes were appropriate. I've experienced a lot of places that pile you up for breakfast/brunch and then you have this box of food that rattles around in the fridge for a while until you find it behind the expired milk and toss it out. I was able to finish everything.
There are a couple of quibbles. The breakfast potatoes were underdone. Not hugely underdone, just enough to notice. The seasoning was good, they just weren't totally cooked.
And, this one may be my own fault, my cappuccino was more of a latte than a cappuccino. But, I like them very dry. I may need to specify the next time we go there.
There's a ham and cheese croissant on the menu that looks intriguing.
https://cafenoseaustin.com/
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Casino El Camino
Let's get this out of way first thing. Casino El Camino is a bar. Yes, they serve food and the food is good. But it's not a cocktail lounge.
It's a bar.
Okay, let's get started here. Casino El Camino is located near 6th and Red River in downtown Austin. It's really difficult to describe this place, as it's really an experience more than a place to describe.
It's your typical dark bar, but there are some very unique things they do. For instance, the jukebox is amazing. The staff selects which CDs are placed for play. And, the staff are all alternative/punk/goth/rocker individuals. The jukebox includes The Cramps, The Misfits, The Ramones and early Van Halen. But it also features Loretta Lynn, Tennessee Ernie Ford (On my birthday I put five dollars in the jukebox and put on 16 Tons a bunch of times in a row.) and Johnny Cash. There's a bunch of stuff that I've never heard of as well. Sing alongs have been known to break out. I wish they'd add Tom Jones.
The other fun thing is that horror movies are played on the telly. I've seen Teeth, Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, Tusk, a lot of straight to DVD features and Sharknado here. During the holidays they swap over to Christmas horror movies. The subtitles are always on, so you can follow along while you chow down on your burgers and fries and listen to the jukebox.
Now, let's get to the food. Casino El Camino refers to their fare as "Pub Grub". Burgers, dogs, wings, big sandwiches and fries with a variety of toppings. They even have vegetarian options.
Everything is fresh and made to order, so be prepared to wait a little while for your eats. Nothing comes out of a freezer. They're worth it though. The burgers are big and cooked to your liking. The fries, crispy. I highly recommend the chili-cheese fries.
When you order, you can look right into the tiny kitchen which is staffed by a crew of big guys who are usually pretty jolly but can be a little surly if they're having an off night. When you're order is ready they call your name so you can run back to get the stuff you've been waiting for.
They've recently started carrying cane sugar sodas including Mexican Coca-Cola. The choices of beers is wide and they carry just about every liquor you could want.
This is probably my favorite place in the city. My dining companion had a whole career managing some very fancy-schmancy restaurants, so I was a little nervous taking him to this dive the first time. But, he converted immediately and it's one of our go-to places.
There's always something fun going on here. Whether it's a guy dressed as Mario standing up to cheer when the guy in Sharknado chainsaws his way out of the shark that just swallowed him or the twenty-something next to you yelling "This place is AWESOOOOMMMEEE!" or the female bartender telling the drunk customer "You know? You don't have to be a dick to me!" and then walking away grinning, it's always fun.
www.casinoelcamino.net
It's a bar.
Okay, let's get started here. Casino El Camino is located near 6th and Red River in downtown Austin. It's really difficult to describe this place, as it's really an experience more than a place to describe.
It's your typical dark bar, but there are some very unique things they do. For instance, the jukebox is amazing. The staff selects which CDs are placed for play. And, the staff are all alternative/punk/goth/rocker individuals. The jukebox includes The Cramps, The Misfits, The Ramones and early Van Halen. But it also features Loretta Lynn, Tennessee Ernie Ford (On my birthday I put five dollars in the jukebox and put on 16 Tons a bunch of times in a row.) and Johnny Cash. There's a bunch of stuff that I've never heard of as well. Sing alongs have been known to break out. I wish they'd add Tom Jones.
The other fun thing is that horror movies are played on the telly. I've seen Teeth, Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, Tusk, a lot of straight to DVD features and Sharknado here. During the holidays they swap over to Christmas horror movies. The subtitles are always on, so you can follow along while you chow down on your burgers and fries and listen to the jukebox.
Now, let's get to the food. Casino El Camino refers to their fare as "Pub Grub". Burgers, dogs, wings, big sandwiches and fries with a variety of toppings. They even have vegetarian options.
Everything is fresh and made to order, so be prepared to wait a little while for your eats. Nothing comes out of a freezer. They're worth it though. The burgers are big and cooked to your liking. The fries, crispy. I highly recommend the chili-cheese fries.
When you order, you can look right into the tiny kitchen which is staffed by a crew of big guys who are usually pretty jolly but can be a little surly if they're having an off night. When you're order is ready they call your name so you can run back to get the stuff you've been waiting for.
They've recently started carrying cane sugar sodas including Mexican Coca-Cola. The choices of beers is wide and they carry just about every liquor you could want.
This is probably my favorite place in the city. My dining companion had a whole career managing some very fancy-schmancy restaurants, so I was a little nervous taking him to this dive the first time. But, he converted immediately and it's one of our go-to places.
There's always something fun going on here. Whether it's a guy dressed as Mario standing up to cheer when the guy in Sharknado chainsaws his way out of the shark that just swallowed him or the twenty-something next to you yelling "This place is AWESOOOOMMMEEE!" or the female bartender telling the drunk customer "You know? You don't have to be a dick to me!" and then walking away grinning, it's always fun.
www.casinoelcamino.net
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Farm to table with a side of 'tude
I like brunch. I like brunch buffets. I like the general attitude surrounding brunch. When my dining companion got a new job that gave him weekends off. I got excited about Eggs Benedict. I think that was the first thing I said. "We can go for brunch and get Eggs Benedict!" That's where my head's at.
So, now for a place to get brunch.
Today, is all about Olivia on South Lamar in Austin. Olivia specializes in farm-to-table style with unique takes on classics.
I'm going to get a rant out of the way. Austin is becoming a very important food city receiving national and international attention. As restaurants are moving into the spotlight, the hosting staff is getting snotty. Not necessarily the service staff, but the people who have the job to show you to your table. It's found all over the city and it bugs me to no end. Is it that hard to say hello, show me to a table, give me a menu and say "enjoy"? Jeziz, what is your problem?
Sadly, when you first walk into Olivia you are met with a host staff with an attitude. I've been on more than one occasion and on each of those occasions there's a young woman working I've never heard speak. No, I take that back. I heard her say 'No' when her co-worker asked if she's the one who took our reservation. And she's always wearing these nasty flip-flops.
My first visit involved calling for a reservation and the host staff stating they had nothing under that name upon our arrival. They questioned how the reservation was made. A huffy sigh was made. Then they said they had a bar table.
Again, how hard is is to say "I'm so sorry, I'm not showing anything. But, we do have a table available in the bar. Please come this way."
Okay, enough of my bitching.
Olivia is a gorgeous space done in a mid-20th century style with huge windows that let in a lot of light. It feels open, fresh and clean. The sage green, white and chrome motif is upscale but you don't feel out of place if you arrive in jeans. There is a garden in front of the restaurant and the menu reflects what is in season. Summer time leans more towards greens and fruits. There's a chicken house on the grounds so you can eat eggs while watching the chickens roam around if you sit outside.
The food they serve is very fresh. The side salad reminds me of the salads I had at my grandparents' house that were made completely of vegetables my grandfather grew. The from scratch, buttermilk dressing is wonderfully creamy but not so heavy that it overwhelms the veggies. I liked it very much.
For brunch, they offer a very nice selection of dishes. I prefer to actually do things after brunch instead of collapse into a food coma, so I skip the Willie Nelson.
The Willie Nelson is a 6 ounce chicken fried steak, red-eye gravy, 2 fried eggs, herb mashed potatoes served with a green salad. In addition to the nap inducing Red Headed Stranger, there's a veggie quiche, fried quail, pancakes, french toast and eggs florentine. The menu changes with the seasons, so as the weather shifts around the menu will have new things to try. They also offer an a la carte menu so you can put something together to your liking.
For the most part, I like the food here. The hollandaise is, what's the word I want to use? Off. It's off. It just tastes like melted butter. This makes me sad, since hollandaise is one of my favorite things ever.
But, everything else has been pretty much spot on. The potatoes are crispy and cooked through. (I've had the unfortunate experience of getting excited about breakfast potatoes and then not being able to get my fork into them, they're so underdone.)
Except, the host staff. They're always a pain to deal with.
So, now for a place to get brunch.
Today, is all about Olivia on South Lamar in Austin. Olivia specializes in farm-to-table style with unique takes on classics.
I'm going to get a rant out of the way. Austin is becoming a very important food city receiving national and international attention. As restaurants are moving into the spotlight, the hosting staff is getting snotty. Not necessarily the service staff, but the people who have the job to show you to your table. It's found all over the city and it bugs me to no end. Is it that hard to say hello, show me to a table, give me a menu and say "enjoy"? Jeziz, what is your problem?
Sadly, when you first walk into Olivia you are met with a host staff with an attitude. I've been on more than one occasion and on each of those occasions there's a young woman working I've never heard speak. No, I take that back. I heard her say 'No' when her co-worker asked if she's the one who took our reservation. And she's always wearing these nasty flip-flops.
My first visit involved calling for a reservation and the host staff stating they had nothing under that name upon our arrival. They questioned how the reservation was made. A huffy sigh was made. Then they said they had a bar table.
Again, how hard is is to say "I'm so sorry, I'm not showing anything. But, we do have a table available in the bar. Please come this way."
Okay, enough of my bitching.
Olivia is a gorgeous space done in a mid-20th century style with huge windows that let in a lot of light. It feels open, fresh and clean. The sage green, white and chrome motif is upscale but you don't feel out of place if you arrive in jeans. There is a garden in front of the restaurant and the menu reflects what is in season. Summer time leans more towards greens and fruits. There's a chicken house on the grounds so you can eat eggs while watching the chickens roam around if you sit outside.
The food they serve is very fresh. The side salad reminds me of the salads I had at my grandparents' house that were made completely of vegetables my grandfather grew. The from scratch, buttermilk dressing is wonderfully creamy but not so heavy that it overwhelms the veggies. I liked it very much.
For brunch, they offer a very nice selection of dishes. I prefer to actually do things after brunch instead of collapse into a food coma, so I skip the Willie Nelson.
The Willie Nelson is a 6 ounce chicken fried steak, red-eye gravy, 2 fried eggs, herb mashed potatoes served with a green salad. In addition to the nap inducing Red Headed Stranger, there's a veggie quiche, fried quail, pancakes, french toast and eggs florentine. The menu changes with the seasons, so as the weather shifts around the menu will have new things to try. They also offer an a la carte menu so you can put something together to your liking.
For the most part, I like the food here. The hollandaise is, what's the word I want to use? Off. It's off. It just tastes like melted butter. This makes me sad, since hollandaise is one of my favorite things ever.
But, everything else has been pretty much spot on. The potatoes are crispy and cooked through. (I've had the unfortunate experience of getting excited about breakfast potatoes and then not being able to get my fork into them, they're so underdone.)
Except, the host staff. They're always a pain to deal with.
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Don't let the mini-series name fool you.
"I feel like I need a phone book."
We had just sat down at the Lonesome Dove, celebrity chef Tim Love's western style bistro on 5th and Colorado in downtown Austin, and I was cross. I'd had a short work week, 4 days, but I'd managed to put in over 40 very stressful hours. My friend who comes with me on these dining adventures had been late. I was tired. I was cranky. I'd debated cancelling our 9 o'clock reservation in favor of pajamas and cereal for dinner. (Yes, it was a 9 o'clock reservation. I'd tried to get something at an earlier hour, but my choices were 9 o'clock or 5:30.)
The table height was high and the chair was low resulting in my face being closer to my plate than I was used to. Hence, my commentary that I might need something to sit on to bring my chin closer to the ceiling and farther from the tabletop.
I had very low expectations. I don't put a lot of stock into the connection that if someone is well known, therefore, they are good. Just because you're on TV or in the movies doesn't mean you're talented. *insert bitchy comment about the celebrity you think is overrated here* And, if the person who owns the restaurant is good, the staff needs to be as good at the execution or it all falls apart. The theme of the Lonesome Dove is game meats. Both of my grandfathers hunted, so I've had my share of venison. I like dove but I don't like squab. A little gamey in the game meat is okay, but I'm not a salivating fan of forest food.
So, there I sat with my face close to my plate and my little Moleskine notebook pretentiously placed next to my water glass and I'm sure a sour look on my face while I looked at the menu. The offerings are very unique. Rabbit and rattlesnake sausage, wild boar ribs, kangaroo and elk-foie gras are all possibilities. The accompaniments to these include huckleberries, cured egg, crispy collards, shepherd's pie and hen of the woods mushrooms. Then there was the wine list to consider. It's really big, at least 20 pages, with enough variety that anyone could find something to match their taste and budget.
The space is very open and done in what I call "upscale cattle ranch". Very high ceilings with open beam work, big but simple chandeliers, a longhorn trophy cow on the wall and the leather seats all bring you to the conclusion that you are definitively in Texas.
After much debating, I decided to have the rabbit and rattlesnake sausage with a crispy, cheesy potato cake to start (What? I'm going to be somewhere that offers rabbit/rattlesnake sausage and NOT eat it? Come on!) and then move on to the elk loin with mushrooms and crispy collards. My dining companion had the elk-foie gras sliders with blueberry jam, the summer squash soup and fireside snapper done in the "en papillote" meaning it's cooked in paper.
I'm not going to go into descriptions of everything because I could go on for days about the goodness of this food. This was one of the best meals I've ever had, one of the best experiences I've ever had dining out. My mood lifted. I was closing my eyes as I tasted things. Later, I slept well.
The kitchen staff are amazing at what they do. Everything served to me was done beautifully. The elk loin was seared, with a very nice carmelization on the outside. There's a fine line between medium rare and underdone. I've been disappointed before, ending up with something chewy instead of tender, but this was just right.
There are two things I noticed. One, is that the chef doesn't try to fight the flavor of the food. Collards are bitter, he lets them be bitter. Summer squash is sweet, he complements that by fire roasting the vegetable to add a smoky flavor. Snapper is delicate and can't take a heavy sauce; it's served with lighter vegetables, mint and lime juice.
Two, is the juxtaposition (I love that word) of textures in all of the dishes. The foie-gras sliders especially had a wonderful composition of toasty bread, the rich foie-gras and the chunky blueberry jam. Individually, each texture is perfect for the taste and the combinations are simply divine.
We ended up ordering three desserts, because, yes. A trio of sorbets, cappuccino flan and the ancho chile chocolate cake. Desserts can be tricky. Many desserts make the mistake of putting in too much sugar, especially in raspberry based sweets. Yes, I like sweet. But too much of it makes a cloying, over done pastry that leaves a coating on your tongue.
Again, these are executed beautifully. All three get the sugar just right. They just kiss the boundary of too sweet but don't make the commitment. Texture plays a big role in these dishes as well. The flan is wonderfully silky with a sweetened coffee flavor accented with chocolate. The ancho chile chocolate cake is served warm. The cake doesn't fight the bitterness of the cocoa, it brings it together with the sweet heat of the chile and then the ice cream cools everything. It's a beautiful medley.
Our server, David, was fantastic. Austin is getting to be a big city and with the growth I'm starting to see some restaurant staff with big attitudes. Not David. He was attentive, answered questions, offered opinions, was sincere in his desire to make sure we were enjoying our meal and generally made our experience very, very good.
The Lonesome Dove is going down on my list of wonderful places.
http://lonesomedoveaustin.com/
We had just sat down at the Lonesome Dove, celebrity chef Tim Love's western style bistro on 5th and Colorado in downtown Austin, and I was cross. I'd had a short work week, 4 days, but I'd managed to put in over 40 very stressful hours. My friend who comes with me on these dining adventures had been late. I was tired. I was cranky. I'd debated cancelling our 9 o'clock reservation in favor of pajamas and cereal for dinner. (Yes, it was a 9 o'clock reservation. I'd tried to get something at an earlier hour, but my choices were 9 o'clock or 5:30.)
The table height was high and the chair was low resulting in my face being closer to my plate than I was used to. Hence, my commentary that I might need something to sit on to bring my chin closer to the ceiling and farther from the tabletop.
I had very low expectations. I don't put a lot of stock into the connection that if someone is well known, therefore, they are good. Just because you're on TV or in the movies doesn't mean you're talented. *insert bitchy comment about the celebrity you think is overrated here* And, if the person who owns the restaurant is good, the staff needs to be as good at the execution or it all falls apart. The theme of the Lonesome Dove is game meats. Both of my grandfathers hunted, so I've had my share of venison. I like dove but I don't like squab. A little gamey in the game meat is okay, but I'm not a salivating fan of forest food.
So, there I sat with my face close to my plate and my little Moleskine notebook pretentiously placed next to my water glass and I'm sure a sour look on my face while I looked at the menu. The offerings are very unique. Rabbit and rattlesnake sausage, wild boar ribs, kangaroo and elk-foie gras are all possibilities. The accompaniments to these include huckleberries, cured egg, crispy collards, shepherd's pie and hen of the woods mushrooms. Then there was the wine list to consider. It's really big, at least 20 pages, with enough variety that anyone could find something to match their taste and budget.
The space is very open and done in what I call "upscale cattle ranch". Very high ceilings with open beam work, big but simple chandeliers, a longhorn trophy cow on the wall and the leather seats all bring you to the conclusion that you are definitively in Texas.
After much debating, I decided to have the rabbit and rattlesnake sausage with a crispy, cheesy potato cake to start (What? I'm going to be somewhere that offers rabbit/rattlesnake sausage and NOT eat it? Come on!) and then move on to the elk loin with mushrooms and crispy collards. My dining companion had the elk-foie gras sliders with blueberry jam, the summer squash soup and fireside snapper done in the "en papillote" meaning it's cooked in paper.
I'm not going to go into descriptions of everything because I could go on for days about the goodness of this food. This was one of the best meals I've ever had, one of the best experiences I've ever had dining out. My mood lifted. I was closing my eyes as I tasted things. Later, I slept well.
The kitchen staff are amazing at what they do. Everything served to me was done beautifully. The elk loin was seared, with a very nice carmelization on the outside. There's a fine line between medium rare and underdone. I've been disappointed before, ending up with something chewy instead of tender, but this was just right.
There are two things I noticed. One, is that the chef doesn't try to fight the flavor of the food. Collards are bitter, he lets them be bitter. Summer squash is sweet, he complements that by fire roasting the vegetable to add a smoky flavor. Snapper is delicate and can't take a heavy sauce; it's served with lighter vegetables, mint and lime juice.
Two, is the juxtaposition (I love that word) of textures in all of the dishes. The foie-gras sliders especially had a wonderful composition of toasty bread, the rich foie-gras and the chunky blueberry jam. Individually, each texture is perfect for the taste and the combinations are simply divine.
We ended up ordering three desserts, because, yes. A trio of sorbets, cappuccino flan and the ancho chile chocolate cake. Desserts can be tricky. Many desserts make the mistake of putting in too much sugar, especially in raspberry based sweets. Yes, I like sweet. But too much of it makes a cloying, over done pastry that leaves a coating on your tongue.
Again, these are executed beautifully. All three get the sugar just right. They just kiss the boundary of too sweet but don't make the commitment. Texture plays a big role in these dishes as well. The flan is wonderfully silky with a sweetened coffee flavor accented with chocolate. The ancho chile chocolate cake is served warm. The cake doesn't fight the bitterness of the cocoa, it brings it together with the sweet heat of the chile and then the ice cream cools everything. It's a beautiful medley.
Our server, David, was fantastic. Austin is getting to be a big city and with the growth I'm starting to see some restaurant staff with big attitudes. Not David. He was attentive, answered questions, offered opinions, was sincere in his desire to make sure we were enjoying our meal and generally made our experience very, very good.
The Lonesome Dove is going down on my list of wonderful places.
http://lonesomedoveaustin.com/
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