Café Blue

Café Blue

We’re here today at Café Blue at the Galleria at Bee Caves. This is a fun combination of sea foods, steaks, salads and sandwiches. It’s got a great interior layout, and the decor is sophisticated but yet still very accommodating. And the food under the skillful eyes of exec chef Ben Nathan and sous chef Chelsa Bucheister is as good as its ever been.

When you’re craving fresh oysters out this way, Café Blue is THE answer. Be it Malapecs, Blue Points, Gulf Oysters or a variety of others, I assure you they’ll be ice cold, freshly shucked, and seriously tasty.

Then there’s the exquisite Clam Chowder, my favorite in Austin. There is just a hint of bacon in this creamy-clam laden elixir and it works every time.
And do try the Oysters Rockefeller. This is a new touch to a retro classic and I adore the way the team in the kitchen has laid this out.

Finally, the Lump Blue Crab Cake is nicely sauteed and presented with very little filler and a lovely white wine mustard sauce. Very hard to resist this one.

Also worth sampling is the Coconut Shrimp which was a favorite at the Volente Beach location as well. The crispy shrimp are finished with a killer jalapeno-apricot marmalade. Chefs Ben and Chelsea also do a really nice Lump Blue Crab Cake. The lump crab is nicely sauteed with very little filler and a lovely white wine mustard sauce.

The salads are also popular at Café Blue and for good reason. I always get a Blue Wedge salad if I’m having an entree. This is a crispy treat with iceberg lettuce, Maytag bleu cheese, bacon, cherry tomatoes, red onions (to err on the side of excess here would be just fine) and a smooth ranch dressing. If I’m having an entree salad I might get the Brown Sugar Salmon Salad as my main course. This is Atlantic salmon that is ancho-chile crusted along with the brown sugar. It’s served atop a bed of mixed greens and finished with a lovely raspberry vinaigrette. Great dish.

Great sandwiches abound at Café Blue as well. Ben’s classic Cubano stands alone as the best around. This is slow-roasted pork and ham with Swiss cheese and a chipotle mayo pickle relish. The bread is baked and then grilled, and the result is an uber-tasty OMG delight.

And then the entrees. The Redfish Louisane is beautifully blackened, and topped with an essential Cajun shrimp and crawfish brandy cream sauce. Every bite of this is moist, flavorful, and compelling. The Crab Stuffed Gulf Flounder also scores. This one is topped with lump crabmeat and a citrus butter sauce. Every element complements, and the presentation along with the taste is admirable. And then you must try Ben’s Rotisserie Chicken, a dish he originated at the Belmont. This is a slow-roasted half chicken covered with (and I mean covered) with lemon sage brown butter that just literally dissolves into goodness on your palate. The mashed potatoes with this are irresistible. And for meat lovers the Filet Oscar is an exceptional choice. This is old school with beef tenderloin topped with crab meat and Bernaise sauce. Oh, and it’s also gluten-free!

Café Blue also offers up a really nice Sunday brunch. But then what would you expect from a place firmly planted in our Top 20?