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Aquarelle
606 Rio Grande St, Austin, TX 78701 · 512-479-8117
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WAREHOUSE DISTRICT. One of Austin's best restaurants, Aquarelle is ideal for a leisurely gourmet meal in elegant surroundings. In fact, you can easily linger two and a half to three hours over dinner. Starters may include pan-seared foie gras with an apple beignet and escargots in puff pastry. Inventive main course dishes showcase seasonal produce in dishes like duck breast with butternut squash ravioli, and red wine-braised lamb with fennel sausage. Dessert options range from profiteroles au chocolat to black plum and almond cream tart. About 20 wines by the glass; many more by the bottle.
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Driskill Grill
604 Brazos St, Driskill Hotel, Austin, TX 78701 · 512-391-7162
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6TH STREET. Everyone recommends this restaurant, and the food is not the least of it. As evidence, consider octopus chimichurri with Granny Smith apples and chile-orange vinaigrette to start, or maybe beef tartare with fried oysters, caviar and hot mustard. A main-course possibility is roasted veal tenderloin with red pepper capellini, roasted garlic, sweetbreads and sauce Mornay. Finish up with a subtle chilled pear soup, which comes with a small Camembert cheesecake and whiskey apples. Tasting menus and prix fixe options are available; a more casual menu is offered in the bar.
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NORTH AUSTIN. Great things sometimes come in unassuming packages – such is Fonda San Miguel. Located in an ordinary neighborhood in south-central Austin, it offers an interior and food that are nothing short of extraordinary. The decor transports you to an Old World Mexican hacienda, decorated with colonial Mexican antiques, Talavera tiles, and hand-thrown pottery. The beautiful courtyard is alive with flora and splashing water. Authentic interior Mexican cuisine is the draw, and traditional Yucatecan and Veracruzano dishes are deliciously savory but not unnecessarily hot.
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WEST AUSTIN. Esteemed Hudson's is located within a small Hill Country cottage, and a smokehouse and herb garden are housed just outside. Chef/owner Jeff Blank and chef Jay Moore are famous for their use of wild game and exotic ingredients. If you're adventurous, sample Omar's rattlesnake cakes with chipotle cream sauce or the Axis antelope. Fine cuts of steak cater to those feeling less bold. Hudson's offers charming atmosphere with small, intimate dining rooms. If you have to wait for a table, which is not at all unusual, have a seat in the garden, where hundreds of twinkling lights shine from the trees.
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Jeffrey's
1204 W Lynn St, Austin, TX 78703 · 512-477-5584
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WEST END. Located in a restored house in the Clarksville area of town, Jeffrey's offers an art-infused setting. Founded by three UT graduates in the 1960s, it delivers a fusion of tastes from around the world, including local Southwestern flavors. Complex dishes employ a variety of textures and themes, as proven in duck rillette and shrimp with black French lentils or a bone-in beef tenderloin with vanilla potatoes and smoked piquillo crab sauce. A visit will leave you in a state of gastronomic bliss! Tasting menu $79; with wine pairings $115.
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Mirabelle
8127 Mesa Dr, Austin, TX 78759 · 512-346-7900
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NORTH AUSTIN. Mirabelle's dining room is elegant, warm, and inviting – casual enough that suits aren't required but upscale enough for special occasions. The cooking is international in scope but completely French in technique and presentation. A variety of culinary tricks adds depth and complexity to basic foods. Meats and seafood, for example, are spice-rubbed, smoked, marinated, or roasted to bring out their amazing flavors. Sauces are top-notch, and soup stocks are all made from scratch. The lunch menu has similar entrees, plus gourmet sandwiches and salads.
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Uchi
801 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704 · 512-916-4808
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BARTON SPRINGS DISTRICT. If you believe sushi can only be prepared properly by a Japanese chef, are you in for a surprise! Uchi's owner-chef, Tyson Cole, is as American as they come, although he did spend several years under the tutelage of Austin's master sushi chef, Takehiko "Smokey" Fuse. The food, particularly sushi, is colorful and artfully presented. Cole strives to make sushi approachable to the masses, so in addition to traditional varieties, you'll find cooked sushi and creative American versions designed to appeal to folks who don't like seafood.
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Vespaio
1610 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704 · 512-441-6100
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SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE. Austin has several very good, upscale Italian restaurants, and Vespaio is right at the top of the list. The garden out back provides a bounty of heirloom tomatoes that are showcased in dishes like a lovely salad caprese – a simple combination of fresh mozzarella, homegrown tomatoes, and just-picked basil with a drizzle of olive oil. The roasted portobello served on a toasty polenta round is a revelation, and seafood lovers should opt for saffron risotto, studded with scallops, crab, shrimp, and mascarpone. About 40 wines are available by the glass, and reservations are essential if you plan to dine any time after 6pm. Next door is the more casual wine bar and cafe, Enoteca. Reservations not accepted Friday or Saturday nights.
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Wink
1014 N Lamar Blvd, Ste E, Austin, TX 78703 · 512-482-8868
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WEST END. Fashionable and casually upscale, Wink has garnered rave reviews and a loyal bastion of regulars. Although it's possible to order a traditional appetizer and main course, the best way to appreciate the culinary skills at work is to order a series of small plates. The menu changes often to take advantage of the freshest seasonal produce, but past winners have included scallops with baby sweet potatoes, grilled lamb loin on Stilton polenta, duck breast with wild mushroom risotto, and sautéed sweetbreads on Yukon Gold potatoes. Fabulous selection of by-the-glass wines.
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Zoot
509 Hearn St, Austin, TX 78703 · 512-477-6535
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WEST AUSTIN. The same creative forces that gave birth to Wink offer this stylish eatery. The innovative menu is arranged by size – from small plates to main course-sized portions – so you can sample several tastes or keep things simple. Highlights include a roasted sea scallop with ratatouille and a lemon tuile, veal sweetbreads with walnut bread pudding, and grilled quail with jalapeno-sunflower seed salad and fried oysters. For dessert, try chocolate fondue or El Rey chocolate cake with zinfandel-soaked cherries. The carefully chosen wine list offers many varieties by the glass.
Looking for a restaurant? We've explored the options, checked with critics, and pounded the pavement to offer only the best. Recommendations come complete with contact information and a brief description highlighting the important features of the restaurant. Fit our choices to your mood, or let us guide your tastes. You'll likely find a few places that not even locals know about.
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