Four Restaurants You Must Try Now
There are some terrific restaurants around Austin that are kind of flying under the serious foodie radar scopes thus far. The purpose of this article is to let you know about these little gems before the rest of the vast majority Austin cognoscenti catch on. So don’t wait till next week or next month: go now! Hint: this list will not contain Franklin’s BBQ, Qui Austin, or LaV :].
1. Il Forte
This little family-owned Italian Bistro on 8th between Congress and Brazos has some of the best Italian food in the city. The husband [Cesar] is from a town in Italy from which the restaurant draws its name,
the wife [Renata] is from Mexico, and the chef [Giovanni] is from Sardinia.
It’s a cozy environment with terrific food ranging from the best Linguine and Meatballs downtown to an astonishing Arancini Siciliani and a killer Caprese di Bufala. The Panadina Pizza is also delicious [I see a new top ten addition coming in our next Pizza Wars] and the Wine List is original and reasonable: the Vecciano, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese goes beautifully with just about any dish and opens very quickly.
This place is relatively easy to walk by as it’s rather inconspicuous. But look for it on 8th. And walk in. Trust me, you will return and probably bring some friends with you. 512-212-9797
This little joint on 11220 N. Lamar is a haven for those who crave Mediterranean and Middle Eastern delights. Not much on ambiance [cafeteria style] but the food more than compensates. I first heard about this place from a local Israeli chef and man was he spot on.
Let’s start with the Baba Ganoush and the Hummus. Baba Ganoush is a celebration of the eggplant, plain and simple. Add a little lemon and tahini and a dash of sea salt and garlic and mix it up and you should have a creamy bowl of bliss. They deliver this at Peace. The Hummus recipe is similar except substitute chickpeas for the eggplant. Again, killer preparation!
I adore a great Lamb shank and the one at Peace is tender and wonderfully savory. Likewise for the Beef Shawarma. The flavor was not overpowering and the meat had great mouth feel.
I also love Baklava, but it’s difficult to find without an overdose of rose water [hence that cloyingly sweet flavor], but Peace found the appropriate balance. Perfect example of a properly made Baklava.
Prices are reasonable as well.
And if Peace is too crowded, or even if it isn’t, go up N Lamar to the Shahi Cafe near Parmer. This is a Bangladesh place and the Shahi Haleem is out of this world, Try the one with the lamb. 512-386-1152.
Georgetown has literally exploded in the past five years. While decent dining was once pretty much relegated to the downtown area around the courthouse, there are many new places west of I-35 as well. One of these is Milano Trattoria in the Wolf Ranch Town Center.
This is a chef-driven family-owned restaurant dominated by the inestimable talents of Johnny Braga. I’ve known Johnny for years, mostly from his stellar turn at Andiamo on Rutland. But his new place allows him to showcase all his skills as he sees fit on a daily basis.
I tried the Carbonara, always a favorite for me but a dish which can be tricky to properly pull off. It was beautiful. The pasta aldente, the pancetta crispy and the cream sauce to die for. The Gnocchi was also surprisingly light [butternut squash] but wonderfully tasty.
Johnny’s Veal Porcini was my favorite dish at Andiamo and he still makes it at Milano Trattoria. The veal is pounded, breaded, and sauteed in a brandy/ Porcini mushroom cream sauce. This is a splendid dish and by itself worth the visit to Georgetown. Somehow that schmaltzy John Denver song “You Fill Up My Senses” comes to mind when I taste this dish. OK. Couldn’t resist. But there’s nothing schmaltzy about any of Johnny’s Veal Dishes. They are the best.
The place is a bit hard to find, but it’s toward the back of the mall next to Sephora.
Well, at least that will help the ladies find it. And find it you should. Say hi to wife Roxy [from New “Joysee”] on your next visit. 512-869-0444
4. Mang Dedoy’s
There isn’t a Food Friday show on KLBJ that goes by without someone asking where they can find good lumpias. Well, the answer is simple: Mang Dedoy. This little Filipino restaurant and store at 8863 Anderson Mill Road offers a variety of delights from the Philippines.
The Lumpia is a classic Filipino egg roll that is hard not to like. It differs from the Chinese egg roll in that ironically, it does not use egg in the wrapper. Hence it is lighter. The seasonings also are slightly different. These can be dangerous to take out. I once got a half-dozen to take home but devoured all of them on the way. They’re that good.
The Tinolang Manok [chicken stew} is also very tasty with wonderful after flavors. The Pork and Chicken Adobo is a blast as is the Pinakbet [veggie stew].
And no Virginia, they don’t serve Balut [a developing duck embryo] that is first served with a straw so the inside liquid can be sipped. Then it’s cracked open and the yolk and the young chick are eaten. Where are you Andrew Zimmern.
Even though Balut may be a Philippine classic, I am Not upset that this dish is absent from Mang Dedoy’s offerings.
This place is a great bet on any day, even if you just get a bunch of lumpias! 512-249-0283.
