Restaurants of Yore: How Quickly we Forget!
I was actually cleaning out my office the other day (a rare event for someone with ADHD) and I came across some memorabilia from the early part of the last decade. I was amazed at how many restaurants that I had either reviewed or was making tasting notes on had not survived the daily struggle that characterizes the high end restaurant business in Austin.
See how many of these you can remember? It certainly brought a brief smile to my face as I recalled how much I had enjoyed many of them. Shall we begin with Girasole at 4th and Lavaca? It’s now the home of 219 West but back in 2003 it was a rocking, upscale Italian joint with a killer wine list and private cellar (Sandra Bullock was fond of lunching down there). Chef Harvey from the Belgian Restaurant on Bee Caves Rd (another fine restaurant that is no longer with us) was in the kitchen and I’m still upset about this one closing.
And do you remember Demi Epicurious on W. 6th? (Now the home to Maiko). This had Robert Barker in the kitchen and the food was amazing. But it’s hard to open an under-financed fine dining operation in this city in May and that’s what they had to do.
Another restaurant I truly enjoyed was Crimson on Colorado. They were one of the true fusion restaurants in the city and their food was generally quite good. But Bubba had a hard time conceptualizing dishes like Thai Jambalaya and Crimson faded out after a quick but notable run. (It’s now home to Frank.)
And I really liked Vin Bistro at Jefferson Square. The chef was from New Orleans and he did calamari like no one else: three versions of it that were amazing. And alas, this fine place also bit the dust.
And who can forget Mars, that wonderfully eclectic spot that was first on San Antonio and then moved to S. Congress (now occupied by Perlas). Always loved their food and their passion. That was a real loss to local foodies. As was the amazing Little Bistro in Buda. Chef Paul Petersen simply ruled with this delightful little spot in downtown Buda. Out of place yes, but never out of touch!
Another place we all loved was Emelia’s on 3rd and Red River. Chef Will Packwood first made his debut here and the restaurant was opened by a Dellionaire who had THE wine list in the city at the time. (I recall a $16,000 bottle of Chateau Petrus). But the opening coincided with the first layoffs ever of 90’s wunderkind Dell Computer and Emelia’s run was short lived (it’s now the home to Moonshine Patio Bar and Grill). Packwood and Sam Dickey, late of the extraordinarily popular Granite Café (why Reed Clemons couldn’t leave that concept alone was beyond my understanding) also opened 7 on South Congress. The food was great but the idea of letting customers decide how many ounces of fish they wanted to order in their entrée was a deal breaker.
Another one I still miss was the popular Gilligan’s, the restaurant that had really launched The Warehouse District. They had the greatest conch fritters around and it was a terrific spot to just chill out and enjoy the parade. The chef later made a bold move out to Volente Beach with the spectacular Café Bleu, a northern African concept that had amazing tagines and cous cous. Alas, the building was never closed in and they had to shut it down when the weather got cold. Today, it’s home to comfort-food styled Café Blue.
I also miss Ruggles Grill in Westlake at the site of some spectacularly unlucky restaurant locations. The place had, in my opinion, good food but they got zero traction. This area bound by 360 and Bee Caves Rd. has been a Bermuda Triangle for restaurants. The Canyon Café’s luck was so bad that it was torn down and now hosts a bank! I also miss Café Spiazzo that was down the street on Bee Caves. A great little Italian joint, it too fell victim to the Westlake curse.
And remember the engaging Ray LeMay and his wonderful Ray’s Steak House on Guadalupe? Ray made the best Chicken Fried Chicken in the world and his servings would overlap the plate. He closed because he just got tired of the rat race (in addition to his ill-fated expansion to Research) and we were all worse off for it. Another classy little place that ran afoul of construction was the Veranda at what’s left of Northcross Mall. Sam Kattan was an Austin restaurant legend and he left a lot of disappointed fans. And how many miss Ted’s Greek Corner on Congress at what is now the site of McCormick and Schmick’s? These guys were a laugh-a-minute riot as they piled good-natured insults on top of killer Gyros. And I really miss Thai Tara on W. 6th. Yupa Rushing’s food was amazing but she could never generate a dinner crowd. Too damned bad.
As I sit back and write this, I’m struck by the fact that of all my favorite BBQ joints and Tex Mex joints that have been around for awhile, they’re all mostly still here and thriving. Makes me glad that anyone still has the pluck to open a high-end restaurant!
To comment on this article, email Rob at info@diningoutwithrobbalon.com.
