Z’Tejas Southwestwern Grill

 
Z-Tejas at the Arboretum turned eight years old in February of this year. And Jack Gillmore’s culinary creation is doing just fine in the hands of chef Carlos Monzano. Some prefer to label the food at Z-Tejas as Southwest, while others say New American; but the best and most enduring label I can think of is just flat out Austin tasty. Each dish is singular both in concept and in taste and that makes the Z experience so unique and rewarding.

A good example of this is Z’s cast-iron skillet corn bread. They don’t use lard in their cornbread. The moisture comes from plain yogurt that also gives the bread its delicious density. The flavor also somes from fresh roasted corn along with sweet corn. They don’t allow it to sit for more than 30 minutes so you’re always getting something fresh. The Crab Cakes are 90% crab with very little binder. They’re quick seared (helps keep them together) and served with jicama and they are a delight.

And then the Dumplings. A pork and shrimp mixture steamed and then pan fried in the cast-iron skillet and served with a sweet red ginger sauce. Very tasty.And you will love the Fish Tacos. The flour tortillas are full of blackened catfish, shredded red cabbage, cucumber-carrot slaw and an ethereal jalapeno tartar sauce. These are irresistible.

Z-Tejas serves up a lot of salads each day and for good reason. The Jerk Chicken salad is my favorite. And while the jerk chicken strips have just the right flavor, like most salads, it’s the dressing, in this case a sesame-ginger vinaigrette that really takes it over the top.

The entrees each have their own appeal. The Gorgonzola NY Strip, in a sauce of caramelized onions, butter, and garganzola cheese is a delight. They used to serve this with a Jack Daniel’s sauce that was a trifle much for some palates. I enjoyed the old sauce but it’s hard to argue with the change. Tender and delicious. And the Pan-Fried snapper is a real people pleaser. The cilantro cream sauce features a pesto of roasted pumpkin seeds, olive oil, and garlic finished with cilantro, Texas blue crab, and a little cream. The taste sensations of this dish are huge!

Another favorite is the Diablo Chicken Pasta. This intriguing dish mixes jerk chicken with a blend of jalapeno and red pepper linguini with a Diablo sauce made of spicy jerk rub and heavy cream. And finally, try the Horseradish-crusted salmon which is pan roasted and served with mashed potatoes, sautéed green beans, and mixed vegetables. The horseradish is the perfect complement to the salmon. I like the way this dish is mellow and little kicked up at the same time.

The service at Z-Tejas is good. Most restaurants in this city can’t make that claim. And that’s because the manager has been there since the opening and there’s training and protocol there. And up the food chain there’s also Larry Foles and Guy Villavaso, two men who know a thing or two about running a quality restaurant (Eddie V’s, Roaring Fork).

So head on out to Z-Tejas at the Arboretum this weekend. And tell ’em Rob Balon sent you.