Quorum Report: Links

Bistro 88
Another lovely Austin treasure nestled in a strip center on Bee Cave Road just minutes from downtown Austin. Whether your tastes lean to sushi or hotter fare, this is one of the more creative Asian fusion menus we have encountered. Among appetizers, The Baked Avocado and the Thai Chili Soft Shell Crab rank high ... Followed by Baked Salmon stuffed with crab and ginger or the Rack of Lamb. Bistro 88 also has a solid lunch menu. Decent wine selection. If you meet the owner, Jeff Liu, ask him about his new Texas BBQ restaurant... in Xiamen,China.
Fabi and Rosi
This unassuming European style restaurant nestled on just west of Mopac off of Lake Austin Drive is a delight. A reasonably priced menu reflecting its Austrian roots ranges from standbys like authentic schnitzel to the more exotic like a mushroom strudel. A recent visit had me sampling the steak tartare blended with home made horseradish as an appetizer and a bouillabaisse . Both were subtle, yet robust. The wine list was relatively small but very well chosen. My guest and I enjoyed $56 spanish priorat that was delicious. Even better, the $15 corkage combined with the creative menu makes this a true value for the wine-inclined.
Hecho en Mexico
This unpretentious neighborhood strip center restaurant in Southwest Austin has some of the best interior Mexican cuisine in town. A slightly modernist design inside is the perfect backdrop for some of the best sopa de tortilla and mole' in town. A personal favorite is the Pescado al Tequila ... HK
Mirabelle Restaurant
Nestled in Northwest Hills on Mesa Drive, Mirabelle Restaurant is the brain child and creation of Austin wine guru Michael Vilim. The menu is creative, the wine selection is one of the best in Austin and the prices are reasonable. The menu is frequently updated with new dishes but an old favorite is the Spicy Duck and Sausage gumbo -- a dish described by one friend as the best Louisiana swamp water in town. HK
Paggi House
First the good news. Fabulous venue, fabulous wine list, wonderful sommollier. Now the bad news. The food was well done but nothing exceptional. An heirloom tomato salad billed with 50 year old basalmic vinegar seemed free of vinegar. The mustard crusted ahi was perfectly cooked but had no flavor of mustard seed. We waited 45 minutes for a table which was to be expected. My party enjoyed a bottle of fine wine. A perfect evening to eat outdoors, they seated us next to the only cigarette smokers on the deck. We gave them our food order along with an order for another bottle of wine at the same time. With few actual diners, it still took over two hours to be served a salad, a foie gras and an entrée (tuna, salmon, scallops). It felt like they were trying to milk us for a third bottle of wine. I will go back for their excellent wine service, but it is not often I have three hours to commit to a three course meal.
Quality Seafood
Nothing upscale about the former fishmarket with a new emphasis on seated dining. Old timers will remember Quality Seafood as the fishmonger that supplied Austin families and restuarants with what was then the only fresh seafood in town. Since then, QS has added several dozen tables and a bar. This restuarant is as close to the coast as you can get in Austin with a strong hint of New Orleans. Different specials every night. The neighbors have discovered this treasure so there may be a wait. HK
The Woodlands
A recent visit to the Woodlands on South Congress reminded us how much we enjoyed the food. A basic menu with original twists warrants a trip. It is not often a restaurants side dishes upstage the entree, but the Woodlands does so regularly. The spinach sauteed in garlic was exceptional (not for delicate palates) and the mac and cheese is the best on the strip. A full bar and an acceptable wine list round out this casual diner with an tree inside. Only downside is that the service is so laid back it verges on the disinterested -- a stark contrast to its neighbor, Vespaio, down the street.