If you're planning to move to Austin (especially from a bigger city)... (Houston: real estate market, hotel)

[S6Sputnik]

Yes, you can hardly find good food around here?

For the top experience in Austin-area dining, it's still the Driskill Grill

Driskill Grill
With tantalizing tastes and sparkling artistry, the Driskill Grill has triumphed for the third straight year.
• Read more here | Video interview with executive chef David Bull


Aquarelle
Dining at Aquarelle remains such an enticing experience.
• Read more here | Inside Aquarelle


Café at the Four Seasons
The Café has been one of Austin's best restaurants for nearly two decades, thanks to Elmar Prambs.
• Read more here | Video of chef Elmar Prambs


Hudson's on the Bend
The blending of regional flavors (and the outstanding preparation of game) is the hallmark of Jeff Blank and his staff.
• Read more here | Video: A night at Hudson's


Jeffrey's
Executive chef David Garrido melds the flavors of the region into innovative cuisine at Jeffrey's.
• Read more here | An interview with chef David Garrido


Café 909
Chef-owner Mark Schmidt is cooking, plating and garnishing virtually every dish.
• Read more here.

Uchi
This is one of those rare places where it's worth the wait, and there almost always is one.
• Read more here.

Zoot
It would take a catastrophe to derail the service at Zoot.
• Read more here.

Wink
At Wink, chicken is treated the way a four-star restaurant should handle all its dishes: with an emphasis on outstanding taste.
• Read more here.

Little Texas Bistro
Paul Petersen is a talented, creative cook who has steadily added to and refined his menu.
• Read more here.

Inside the 2005 Dining Guide

• Intro: Austin has it all on its plate

Asti
408-C E. 43rd St., 451-1218



Emmett and Lisa Fox have created an upscale trattoria in Hyde Park that broadcasts an appeal beyond the neighborhood. Their Italian fare includes dishes such as linguine in a white wine sauce with tender Littleneck clams ringing the edge of the bowl and a sprinkling of fried breadcrumbs across the dish. Now they have a second location featuring Mediterranean fare: Fino, in the former Granite Cafe site.

1. 
   Austin Land & Cattle Co.
   1205 N. Lamar Blvd., 472-1813
   
   Looking for a reliable steak that won't empty your pocketbook as quickly as the top-tier steakhouses? Then head to Austin Land & Cattle Co., which can turn out a tender and flavorful steak with a charred, black exterior that has the look of a well-done piece of meat, but is cooked barely past the rare stage — the perfect medium-rare as ordered. This solid steakhouse also handles sides and seafood with aplomb.
   
   Backstage Steakhouse
   21814 W. Texas 71, Spicewood; (512) 264-2223
   
   Raymond Tatum, the longtime Austin chef who enticed diners at Jeffrey's and the former Jean-Pierre's Upstairs, hasn't lost his touch. At Kent and Beth Hayner's spot a half-hour west of Austin, Tatum can turn a house-cured, smoked pork chop into a jewel surrounded by red chile jus and topped with pineapple-ancho chile chutney, one of many reasons he gives to drive to Spicewood.
   
   Café Caprice
   900 W. 10th St., 477-5576
   
   This charming cafe, run by Paul (the chef) and Joani Constantine, has the most romantic table in town, tucked inside an alcove in one of the restaurant's small dining rooms. There, diners can enjoy fare that changes with the seasons, such as this fall's smoked pheasant, which is served with juniper pappardelle (wide ribbons of pasta), sauteed pears, beets, butternut squash chips and natural pheasant jus.
   
   Carmelo's
   504 E. Fifth St., 477-7497
   
   An elegant Italian restaurant in a historic building in downtown Austin, Carmelo's comes with a setting that invokes a romantic feel (plus the added bonus of free valet parking on-site). Although occasional inconsistencies pop up, the fare overall is lovely and the multitiered dessert cart delivers such a broad range of scrumptious confections that it's tough to leave without having dessert.
   
   Chez Nous
   510 Neches St., 473-2413
   
   A recent dinner reminded me just how much I adore this wonderful little bistro, the first place I dined in Austin shortly after it opened in 1982. Chez Nous brings a taste of Paris to Central Texas in classic dishes that range from several styles of pâté to some of the best salads in the city and a smooth, creamy chocolate mousse.
   
   Clay Pit
   1601 Guadalupe St., 322-5131
   
   The Clay Pit has attracted a local following and national attention for its modern Indian cuisine that is imbued with strong flavors. In the badami korma, for example, tender cubes of beef are cooked in a slightly sweetened curry sauce with a creamy base of pureed almonds and cashews. The restaurant is in the historic Bertram Building, one of the oldest commercial structures in the central city.
   
   Eastside Cafe
   2113 Manor Road, 476-5858
   
   [SIZE=1]Photo by Deborah Lykins/AA-S[/SIZE]
   [SIZE=1][/SIZE]
   [SIZE=1][/SIZE]You've had crab cakes before, but none like the curried crab cakes at the Clay Pit Indian restaurant. One of the things that has made Eastside Cafe a personal favorite is the ease with which you can entertain a disparate group of people there. With its eclectic menu, there is something for everyone, from chilled fruit soups to mushroom crepes to pasta dishes (where half orders are available for those who want to eat lighter). Don't miss a walk through the garden or a visit to the adjacent garden shop.
   
   Eddie V's Edgewater Grille
   301 E. Fifth St., 472-1860
   9400-B Arboretum Blvd., 342-2642
   
   The Gulf Coast is the dominant influence at these restaurants owned by Z Tejas founders Larry Foles and Guy Villavaso. However, it's tough to choose between the prime steaks (one of the few places in the city where prime beef is available) and the popular seafood dishes, such as the snapper topped with lump crab meat and encircled with a small amount of lemon chive butter.
   
   European Bistro
   111 E. Main St., Pflugerville; 835-1919
   
   Sisters Anni Zovek and Piroska Althouser feature Hungarian food, as well as dishes from other parts of East Europe, in this charming fine-dining venue in old downtown Pflugerville. Their fare — from the homemade breads and Russian pierogis made hours in advance to the schnitzel that is prepared minutes before being served — is justification for hopping in the car and immediately heading to Pflugerville.
   
   Finn & Porter
   500 E. Fourth St., 482-8000
   
   One of the city's young chefs to watch, Christopher Bauer, presides over Finn & Porter, the fine-dining spot in the Hilton Austin at the Convention Center. Diners should try his fare as an alternative to more established steak and seafood places. He turns out 28-day-aged prime steaks that are tender and flavorful and seafood dishes that are creative and appealing (plus there's a sushi bar for those so inclined).
   
   Fleming's
   320 E. Second St., 457-1500
   
   Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar helped launch the rejuvenation of Second Street between Congress Avenue and the Convention Center. It maintains a wide-ranging wine-by-the-glass program and tasty fare that includes meats such as lamb and steak and appetizers such as crab cakes and shrimp. The steakhouse ambience — with all the cherrywood on the walls, booths and ceiling — is equally appealing.
   
   Green Pastures
   811 W. Live Oak St., 444-1888
   
   [SIZE=1]Photo by Kelly West/AA-S[/SIZE]
   [SIZE=1][/SIZE]
   [SIZE=1][/SIZE]Vegetables may have no higher calling than to mingle in the lima bean, corn and basil soup at Eastside Cafe. This restaurant is located in a graceful Victorian mansion in South Austin, where peacocks roam the grounds and its past is served up in the yeast rolls that Texas cooking legend Mary Faulk Koock baked there. Beyond that, though, the cuisine is tantalizingly modern, with executive chef Charles Bloemsma augmenting his fare with produce from the garden during the growing season.
   
   Gumbo's
   710 Colorado St., 480-8053
   
   It might be a while before the Big Easy is ready for swarms of tourists, so diners might have to find a taste of New Orleans closer to home — at Gumbo's. One dish that will put the Crescent City on your plate is founding chef Michael Amr's oysters Rockefeller. He bakes six oysters with spinach and licorice-flavored Pernod and then tops each one with a fried oyster, doubling the enjoyment.
   
   Hill Country Dining Room
   8212 Barton Club Drive, 329-7923
   
   Although this restaurant is at Barton Creek Resort and Spa, it is open to the public for some of the classiest dining in Central Texas. Special touches abound, including a complimentary glass of champagne while waiting to taste a sorbet palate cleanser with a chilled spoon. The food is enticing as well, with items such as basil gnocchi served in a tomato-butter sauce with veal bacon, mushrooms and pecorino cheese.
   
   La Traviata
   314 Congress Ave., 479-8131
   
   It happened again recently: Someone asked me where he could find great Italian food in Austin and when I replied, 'La Traviata,' he nodded knowingly. That's why I keep telling people I haven't found a better place this side of the Atlantic for Bolognese sauce, thanks to chef-owner Marion Gillcrist's combination of ground meats and vegetables that are cooked for hours and then finished with a touch of cream.
   
   Louie's 106
   106 E. Sixth St.; 476-1997
   
   This downtown eatery, owned by Joe Elmiger and executive chef Norbert Brandt, requires tough choices. Do I feast on the tapas, such as pimiento-stuffed olives dusted with Parmesan cheese and fried to form tiny, crunchy bites of goodness ready for dipping in a romesco sauce of finely ground tomatoes, garlic and nuts, or do I go for the more substantial Mediterranean plates? Some nights the answer is both.
   
   Main Street Grill
   118 E. Main St., Round Rock; (512) 244-7525
   
   A historic building houses Main Street Grill in downtown Round Rock, where Jim and Monica McKinney and chef Jim McNeill settled in this beautifully renovated bank, complete with a vault that has been turned into a private dining room. McNeil's fare has built a loyal customer base with dishes such as the Filet Elizabeth, a filet mignon coated with Cajun spices and topped with a Gorgonzola gratin.
   
   Mansion at Judge's Hill
   1900 Rio Grande St., 495-1800
   
   Andrea Kontus, 30, has stepped into the top position — the third executive chef in a year — and put together his first menu. Conceptually, it's appealing, with small portions that encourage multicourse meals. The offerings also are cleverly divided into land, sea, air and garden categories. My favorite dish is the maple cider-glazed quail, with two leg-breast halves served over haricots verts in horseradish vinaigrette.
   
   Moonshine
   303 Red River St., 236-9599
   
   Partners Chuck Smith and executive chef Larry Perdido have turned this historic compound at Third and Red River streets into a hopping place for sophisticated American comfort food. Dishes range from macaroni and cheese (made with pimiento cheese and topped with bacon gratin) to a flat iron steak (with a delicious port wine sauce and dollop of blue cheese butter) to the skillet apple pie (big enough for three to share).
   
   Musashino
   3407 Greystone Drive, 795-8593
   
   [SIZE=1]Photo by Robert Godwin for AA-S[/SIZE]
   [SIZE=1][/SIZE]
   [SIZE=1][/SIZE]Go 'ster crazy at Gumbo's, where fried oysters top Pernod-infused Oysters Rockefeller. The delectable sushi of chef-owner Smokey Fuse and his cadre of chefs is so popular that the plates of raw fish can produce long waits on Friday and Saturday nights. This Japanese restaurant is located below the Chinatown restaurant on the MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1) access road, where Musashino delivers virtually everything with flair, even the simple tempura vegetables.
   
   Patton's on Main
   201 Main St., Marble Falls; (830) 693-8664
   
   Here is an internationally trained chef who understands a small Texas community. Patton Robertson, who studied at Le Cordon Bleu in London and then worked his way up the ranks in Las Vegas, grew up in the Texas Hill Country and graduated from Marble Falls High School. That blend of experiences comes through in dishes such as the chicken fried pork loin that is at once sophisticated and down-home.
   
   The Range
   101 N. Main St., Salado; (254) 947-3828
   
   Salado's three-story Barton House, built in 1866 and expanded in the 1890s, is home to an appealing restaurant with a rustic charm. While the setting is 19th century, the American bistro fare of chef-owner Dave Hermann is decidedly 21st century, with items such as the smoked salmon and corn pancakes with chive creme fraiche and the crawfish-stuffed quail over creamy polenta with a fresh fruit compote.
   
   Reed's Jazz & Supper Club
   9901 Capital of Texas Highway N., Building 1, Suite 150; 342-7977
   
   This supper club harkens to a bygone era of dinner and music. In this case, though, the boisterous bar and music is downstairs, with tranquil sophisticated dining in the upstairs restaurant. The tasty fare at Reed's leans toward the traditional, with an abundance of seafood and steak items, as well as appetizers such as the classic steak tartare, fried oysters and shrimp cocktail.
   
   The Roaring Fork
   701 Congress Ave., 583-0000
   
   On the ground floor of the Stephen F. Austin Intercontinental Hotel, the Roaring Fork possesses one of the most popular bars in town, where a standing-room-only crowd frequently sups on its less fancy fare. In the dining room, the upscale cowboy cuisine (with a Old West setting to match) rides on a strong border influence, shown in dishes such as the honey-jalapeño shrimp and beef short ribs.
   
   Roy's
   340 E. Second St., 391-1500
   
   National and local converge in this fashionable restaurant. Half of the menu features the classic dishes of Hawaiian super-chef Roy Yamaguchi, founder of the restaurant chain. The other half boasts the daily creations of Austin branch chef Bill Treviño, who follows Yamaguchi's 'Hawaiian fusion' approach that mixes tropical and Asian influences with classical European techniques and ingredients.
   
   Ruth's Chris Steak House
   107 W. Sixth St., 477-7884
   
   [SIZE=1]Photo by Jay Janner/AA-S[/SIZE]
   [SIZE=1][/SIZE]
   [SIZE=1][/SIZE]Seared scallops with heirloom tomato and frisee salad at La Traviata will have you singing its praises. Year in and year out, the best steak in town can be found at Ruth's Chris. And the recipe is not filled with secret ingredients or cooking methods. The restaurant simply takes an outstanding piece of prime beef, ages it to enhance the flavor, puts it in an 1,800-degree broiler to quickly seal in the juices and serves it on a 500-degree plate with sizzling butter (hold up a protective napkin to avoid splatters).
   
   Shoreline Grill
   98 San Jacinto Blvd., 477-3300
   
   Executive chef Dan Haverty loads his menu with regional flavors that are hard to resist, such as the ancho-cured lamb rack with chorizo mashed potatoes and baby vegetables. However, if you or a dining companion faces special dietary needs — including those that make dining out difficult — Haverty is one of the most accommodating chefs in town. Call him in advance, and he'll work with you.
   
   Sullivan's Steakhouse
   300 Colorado St., 495-6504
   
   One of Austin's most well-known steakhouses, this spot is the flagship in the upscale chain owned by Kansas-based Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon. It has a classy, New York steakhouse ambience, a dining room with tables packed together (increasing the noise level) and flavorful, tender and moist steaks, including the 20-ounce, bone-in Kansas City strip and the 24-ounce, bone-in cowboy ribeye.
   
   Truluck's
   400 Colorado St., 482-9000
   
   Executive chef Johnny Carino has helped make this upscale Texas chain a seafood destination for Austin diners. Beyond the eatery's stone crab legs, which it harvests at its own fisheries near Naples, Fla., and in the Bay of Campeche off the Mexican coast, Carino has established a pattern of hauling in the freshest fish that can be found on the East, West and Gulf coasts.
   
   Vin Bistro
   1601 W. 38th St., Suite 1; 377-5252
   
   Vin, the former Zin, might sound new, but the heart of this bistro hasn't changed. The name underscores the emphasis on wine on the menu, where a suggested wine is listed ahead of each food item in an effort to create a synergy between wine and food pairing. Underneath it all, however, remains the appealing cuisine of executive chef Sean Fulford, who uses his talent to create a broad range of dishes.

I am amazed that the OP and MLassoff has found so little to like about Austin!, maybe you just live in the wrong spot and visit the wrong places???

[SweethomeSanAntonio]

Originally Posted by dldupuy

Alright here we go: Things that I missed or wanted to do while living in Austin.

Going to see a professional football game in Reliant Stadium

Going to see the Rockets play in downtown Houston

Being close to the coast. Galveston is not the prettiest beach but the ocean sounds the same there as it does anywhere. I missed driving to Galveston (it is not far from Houston) and walking along the seawall down to a jetty just to sit and listen to the ocean and watch the sun go down. Then go and eat at Clarey's seafood restaurant and on the Poop Deck to sit out and watch the moon over the ocean and all of the people walking along the seawall and play their awesome juke box. This was all pre-Ike. But now that I am back I ride my motorcycle to Galveston and sit on the seawall or jetties and listen to the ocean and watch the sun go down. I love being close to the coast! You really feel that loss living so far away from it...something I was very surprised I noticed while living in Austin.

Rollerblading down the seawall on a cool sunny day!

Visiting the shops at the Strand in Galveston.

I enjoy the museums and theater district in downtown Houston.

I enjoy the large concert attractions that come to Houston.

I enjoy the multitude of schools and colleges in this area with many many different disciplines to choose from.

I enjoy visiting the space center and Kemah boardwalk.

I enjoy the diverse culture and all of the many different cultural events that take place here in downtown Houston.

I enjoy meeting the people from all over this planet that come here to live.

Rollerblading in downtown. Downtown Houston is pretty and a lot to see there!

Riding my motorcycle downtown.

Being able to dress up and go to many excellent restaurants. Not just one or two good ones but any ethnic taste bud you can imagine you can find here in Houston. It is a wonderful thing to go out meet up with good friends/family or your loved one and sit down in a very good restaurant and share an excellent meal.

Walking around in downtown Houston in the theater district and just feeling the energy of the surroundings and looking at the wonderful architecture.

Taking the metro-rail into work everyday in the Texas Medical Center.

I missed being in a city with some of the best medical care in the world! I misssed walking through the Texas Medcial Center. It is very pretty there.

I missed the fast paced exciting energy.

I missed all of the resources this city has.

I missed the big salary and the advanced technology.

I missed my life long friends!

I missed living in a modern progressvie city.

Now there are things that I don't miss about Houston but at least there are many different things to see and do here.


[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]

Houston is cool. but downtown San Antonio and Austin have the most lively downtowns in Texas. As for Downtown L.A. , it's a yawner.

[jcorfry]

what about the drought? travis is low.

[TexasHorseLady]

The lakes go low, and then they fill up again. As the weatherman said some years back during a weather report, "Drought. Flood. Drought. Flood. Drought. Flood. In other words, normal Texas weather."

This is a worse drought than we've seen in quite some time, but it's not unprecedented. When it breaks, we'll likely have too MUCH water.

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

The lakes go low, and then they fill up again. As the weatherman said some years back during a weather report, "Drought. Flood. Drought. Flood. Drought. Flood. In other words, normal Texas weather."

This is a worse drought than we've seen in quite some time, but it's not unprecedented. When it breaks, we'll likely have too MUCH water.

I hate to rain on your parade (), but with articles like this: Market Skeptics: Texas Drought Conditions Becoming Historic

I worry that we are paving over land and deforesting at such a pace that we're chaning the enviroment and climate at a rate from which we'll never recover. It makes me worried to be in a state like Texas that could really suffer from lack of water. It might become, at some point, unsustainable.

[TexasHorseLady]

That article is quoting one Texas A&M professor (granted, Texas A&M is quite reputable). What I've mostly heard this compared to is the drought of the 50's.

However, even in the article you linked to, it gave a precedent, so, yes, this drought is not unprecedented.

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

That article is quoting one Texas A&M professor (granted, Texas A&M is quite reputable). What I've mostly heard this compared to is the drought of the 50's.

However, even in the article you linked to, it gave a precedent, so, yes, this drought is not unprecedented.

Your optimism is admirable.
I for one am not feeling quite as positive about the future of water in Texas.
Here are some more links:

Comptroller Susan Combs Says Future Water Shortages Threaten Texas’ Way of Life

“By 2060, more than 46 million people could be living in Texas, and demand for water will increase by an estimated 27 percent,” Combs said. “According to the Texas Water Development Board, failing to meet this demand could cost businesses and workers in the state approximately $9.1 billion per year by 2010 and $98.4 billion per year by 2060.”



Perpetual Drought Projected for Texas As Early As 2021 - Science - redOrbit

Texas almost certainly faces a future of perpetual drought as bad as the record dry years of the 1950s because of global warming, climate scientists said in a study published Thursday.

The trend toward a drier, hotter southwestern U.S., including all of Texas, probably has already begun and could become strikingly noticeable within about 15 years, according to a study led by Richard Seager of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

Drought conditions are expected to resemble the Dust Bowl years of the 1930s and Texas' worst-ever drought of the 1950s, Dr. Seager said. Unlike those droughts, however, the new conditions won't be temporary, the study found.

"This time, once it's in, it's in for good," Dr. Seager said.

[TexasHorseLady]

Here's an interesting Texas drought map.

We moved to our little piece of Texas in August 1996. We closed on August 9 - the long drought broke the night of August 8, it rained for 3 months, and the creek running through our property came up to the hundred year flood plain mark 3 times. That shows up on this map. This drought is clearly worse than that one

Here's some more historical perspective on drought in Texas.

[flamingjupiter]

This is turning into quite a hodge podge of confetti! Very stream of consciousness LOL. Droughts,bookbanning,and good food for thought. I just wanted to say that ONE of the places i'm from is brooklyn,and i love it here,and i love brooklyn! But frankly,i'm a sunny type whose not easily bored,so i would probably be happy almost anywhere! Lets face it ,theres many places that are god awful to live and this isn't one of them! If you're from a big eastern city(in particular) your gonna probably have huge culture shock, and thats natural,just let it ride out,and enjoy austin for what it is. Having any kind of expectation with anything in life you will be let down. Enjoy the sun,and play outside its lovely today!

[mlassoff]

Originally Posted by S6Sputnik

I am amazed that the OP and MLassoff has found so little to like about Austin!, maybe you just live in the wrong spot and visit the wrong places???

Yes, Austin, has some good restaurants. A couple are extraordinary. I've eaten at every location on your list. A couple are closed, others are terrible and coasting on reputation, and the rest are quite good.

I just prefer a list 10x that size and more diverse. I'm a bigger city guy, I guess.