Suzi's Blog
A Tale of Two Restaurants: Austin, Texas
How do you know if a restaurant is great even if you can’t eat there? Last weekend in Austin we went to Barley Swine, where Chef Bryce Gilmore has created an astonishing food palace. We met him a few weeks ago in New York City when Food and Wine had him shooting a video at Cooking by the Book for their award to him as one of the nation’s top new chefs.
So, last Saturday, we were off to Barley Swine. Which does not take reservations. As we pulled into the parking lot, we knew there was a wonderful problem. There was a line. And at the end of the line the staff told us it was a two hour wait. We had to pass. So we could not taste:
• Grilled carrot salad, goat feta, and almond brown butter
• Pickled gulf shrimp with grilled asparagus and farm egg dressing
• Grilled rabbit terrine, bacon-liver mousse and sweet onions
• Spice rubbed quail, beets and yogurt
Suzen is returning to Austin next month. She is returning to Barley Swine.
Why do I call Barley Swine great? Because when they could not serve us, and we asked what to do, with graciousness they told of several places to go. They knew the specialties, the prices, the best lights of each space they told us about.
We took their top suggestion and went up the street 100 feet to Olivia, which specializes in dishes based on local farmers, ranchers, foragers and artisans. There we were able to sample:
• Wagyu tri tip and frites with house ketchup
• Spiced quail with chickpeas, lamb chorizo, chard, chermoula, and fried parsley
• Beef stroganoff served to tagliatelli with arugula, egg yolk, horseradish sour cream and a caraway tuile
We did not suffer that night. I can recommend both restaurants if you are in Austin and find yourself across the lake on South Lamar.
Oh, I think Olivia is bordering on great, too. That beef stroganoff was wonderfully bright. The tuile was a gem: soft, filled with flavor, and simply an unexpected adornment.
Save room for dessert. The crème brulee is made with local duck eggs. It is the biggest portion of crème brulee I have ever seen. And the richest. The creamy orange contribution of the duck eggs was impressive. I’m now in the hunt for duck eggs!
Mercato: Perfection in Red Hook, New York
Beyond Brooklyn, there is another Red Hook. Red Hook Village is nestled in Dutches country among berries and apple trees. East of the Hudson, you can see the Catskills a dozen miles away, without being buried by the snow.
There is only one stoplight in Red Hook. And just a a few blocks away is Mercato, a charming restaurant in a century-old home. Simply said, Mercato is an exceptional restaurant. Exceptional. When Brian and I ate there last week for the first time, we were so peeved at ourselves. For several years, people had told us to go. And we hadn’t. There was always a reason not to make the 30 mile journey from our house west of the Hudson, over the bridge, and up to Red Hook. We seriously regret our foolishness. If you are visiting or living in Manhattan, you have many food choices. Your first step should be to rent a car and travel the hundred miles up to Red Hook. Mercato can match, dish for dish, any restaurant in Manhattan. It’s that good.
Take a look at www.mercatoredhook.com. The Italian menu is intriguing, and actually understands the excellence you will be sampling. We asked our server what to begin with and she said the kale salad. The menu does NOT mention the citrus vinaigrette that just slightly begins to soften the perfected sliced kale. Brian does not eat vegetables unless they are made of chocolate. He loved his kale.
To complement our pastas, we had subtle beans: braised maine heirloom cannellini beans with olive oil. All the pastas are fabulous bundles of exceptional flavor. The ingredients are fresh by the hour, local, and perfect. The online menu will give you some idea of the chef’s creativity, but you’ll have to go there yourself to see just what is on tap for that evening. The “specials blackboard” is actually colored red and was too tightly packed with specials for us to even try to read. Our server — all the staff is lovely and brightly intelligent — gave us that night’s rundown and we went with two pasta specials.
For dessert, we shared a pine nut tart that was better than anything we’ve ever had, anywhere.
Restaurants often have “soft spots.” It’s very difficult to have everything perfect from appetizer through dessert. It’s even more impossible to have each dish reflect the same “signature” of cooking style. The same level of adding spices, of salt, of the degree of “doneness” of the meat or pasta. Each dish at Mercato gives you flavor but always just a pinch understated, urging you on to the next bite. Nothing here is going to blast your pallete with over the top intense flavor: this food thrives on its sophistication, not fire. The portions are fine, but you will still be oh so sad when your plate is clean and there is not just one more bite of ragu to sample.
It is rare for Brian and me to say we had a perfect meal. We did at Mercato, and we are going back for more. If you can get to Red Hook, then give yourself a serious culinary treat, one that you will never forget.
