July 3, 2009 - The Austin Chronicle

food36CAFE BLUE8714 Lime Creek Rd., Leander,512/996-8188Monday-Thursday, 4-10pm;Friday-Saturday, 11am-11pm;Sunday, 11am-10pm; Sundaybrunch, 11am-2pm; happy hourMonday-Friday, 4-6pmwww.cafebluetx.comLake dwellers, especially thosein boats, usually get short shriftwhen it comes to fine dining. OnLake Travis, Cafe Blue is justabout the only place trying to providea viable fine dining option. Forthose who remember the originalversion of this lakeside eatery, onevery important thing has changed– 90% of the restaurant area isnow under a roof – still not air-conditioned,but between the fans andthe breeze, it can be quite comfortableat brunch/lunch times.We tried both a Sunday brunchand a Saturday lunch, faring muchbetter with brunch. Eggs BenedictArnold ($15) featured a good-sized, well-madecrab cake, topped with a poached egg and adecadently rich shrimp and crawfish creamsauce. The steak and eggs ($21) were justthat – a decent-sized rib eye and a couple ofeggs, all cooked precisely to order. The VolenteVolcano ($9) was a very good version of thepopular molten chocolate cake, which createdsome magic with the side scoop of Amy’sMexican vanilla ice cream. With the beautifulview, a nice breeze, and an ice-cold Blue Moon($4.75), lake life was feeling pretty appealing.Our second visit was not so satisfying.There were no gross errors, but nothing wasexactly right either. We started with bluecrab spinach dip ($11), an intensely richconcoction with plenty of crab flavor but nochunks of crab in sight. The calamari ($10)had a dense sesame crust that was perfectlycrisp, but the underlying squid was rubbery.The crab mac ’n’ cheese ($18) claimed tohave a “light cream sauce,” but by the end ofthe meal, it was thick enough to stand aspoon in. The special was fish and chips($12.95), which featured portions of fish soregularly sized as to suggest a factory formation.Chips that should have been crispy werelimp. The worst surprise of all was the WhiteLightning Margarita ($8), chosen becauseit was described as lime juice, simple syrup,tequila, and Cointreau. If there was really anytequila in it, I certainly couldn’t taste it.Recommended for Sunday brunch. Hopefullythe rest will be sorted out soon. – Wes Marshallrecently reviewedBRAZILIAN: RIO’S BRAZILIAN AT THE VINTAGE LOUNGE The Vintagetransforms during the day into a full-service restaurant servingRio’s popular Brazilian pastries, salads, and soups, all accompaniedby its spicy malagueta sauces. 504-B Trinity, 636-8534.www.howdoyourio.com.Lake Eats Revisited 38 Restaurant RouletteTERREDORA DI PAOLOTerredora di Paolo’s jolly and very talentedwinemaker, Lucio Mastroberardino,likes to explain to American wine loversthat, despite outward appearances, pizzawasn’t invented in Pizza Hut. It comesfrom the Italian region of Campania. Hedraws that comparison to make anotherpoint, that wine as we know it today originatedin Campania (the area whichincludes Naples and Pompeii)under the Romans more than 21centuries ago. Notwithstandingthe possibility of alternativeviewpoints from Greek orEgyptian food historians, thepoint is that people havebeen making wine from boththe Fiano and Aglianicograpes grown outside Pompeiifor more than 2,000 years. All thatexperience has helped them master themaking of wine from those grapes.wineof theweekEvent Menu July 4-8Fiano is a white grape with lovelystone-fruit fragrances and acidity thatworks nicely with chilled or raw shellfish.Its greatest strength is in a subtle area:The grape’s flavors and aromas tend tolast long enough to give extra appeal tofood. The Aglianico is a bold red grape,powerful enough to please someone wholoves Sonoma Zinfandels. Its main aromasare of dark berries and black pepper,which make it an ideal match withgrilled meats. Serve it just slightlycooler than you would normallydo with a red wine.The red TerredoraAglianico Irpinia will runabout $17 and is available atWhole Foods on Lamar and atselect Twin Liquors andSpec’s. The white TerredoraFiano di Avellino should costroughly $26 when it hits stores soon.In the meantime, you can try it at Vespaioand at 360 Uno Trattoria. – W.M.› Celebrate the Fourth of July at Becker Vineyards (830/644-2681, www.beckervineyards.com) bycompeting in its Independence Day Chili Cook-off to benefit Greater Fredericksburg Habitat forHumanity. 2008 Terlingua International Chili Championship winner Susan Dean will be cookingher chili at the event. For official Chili Appreciation Society International rules, schedule details,and entry fees, contact Alan Dean (512/809-4140; 112 Leaning Oaks Dr., Johnson City, TX78636). Brian Mullin will provide the music, and chili-tasting fee is $5 per person. Judgingbegins at 2pm. Saturday, July 4, 10am-6pm.› The A22 Wine Bar at Central Market Westgate (4477 S. Lamar, 899-4300) presents twowine dinners, featuring six small courses paired with the wines of McPherson Cellars in theTexas Panhandle. Each dinner will be $30 per person, and reservations are necessary. Tuesday,July 7, and Thursday, July 9, 6:30pm.› Sagra (1610 San Antonio, 535-5988, www.sagrarestaurant.net) invites you to indulge in the bountyof summer tomatoes at a five-course Tomato Dinner. Each course will be paired with fine wine,and the cost is $50 per person. Reservations are necessary. Wednesday, July 8, 7pm. – V.B.W.JOHN ANDERSONfood-o-fileBY VIRGINIA B. WOODIn the off-with-our-heads department, we offersincere apologies to the folks at Natural Grocersby Vitamin Cottage (3901 Guadalupe, 323-5100,www.naturalgrocers.com). They do indeed offer a fineselection of both fresh and frozen meats, poultry,and seafood, as well as a deli aisle with preparedfoods from local companies. We regret the error.And to the angry caller who described the story as“a lie, probably phoned in by some pot-smokingteenager”: The piece was actually written by aresponsible adult who made an embarrassing mistakeshe truly regrets. We consider ourselveslucky the people at Natural Grocers were graciousenough to accept our apology and a correction…Both readers and new business owners are goodsources for information about the local food business,and we always appreciate tips. Several peoplecontacted us in distress over the recent closures ofGypsy Italian Bistro (1025 Barton Springs Rd.),Taste Select Wines (202 W. Cesar Chavez), andLatin Cafe Austin (formerly Doña Emilia’s at 101San Jacinto). On brighter notes, Delish Bakery(209 W. Third, 473-4118, www.delish-cupcakes.com)is now open to service the Downtown area withcupcakes, desserts, coffee, and other sweettreats, and we’re also very appreciative for the tipthat sent us to a new little family-owned spot inthe campus area. After more than 20 years inNew Orleans, the Haddad family moved to Austinthis year to open their first restaurant, FlyingFalafel & Po-boys (2001 Guadalupe Ste. A-1,494-1400, www.flyingfalafelaustin.com). The menufeatures a combination of Middle Eastern andNew Orleans-style specialties, and so far everythingwe’ve had has been first-rate. Mom NuhaHaddad whips up different dishes from her nativeJordan as menu specials every day – be sure todrop in on Thursdays for Mensseff, a dish of fluffyrice and toasted pine nuts in a tangy yogurt saucetopped with tender chicken ($9.99) or succulentlamb ($11.99) – truly marvelous! The other newMiddle Eastern spot we’re hearing about isTarbouch Lebanese Grill and Hookah (534 E.Oltorf, 326-2001, www.tarbouchfood.com), whereLebanese chef Paul Nader is preparing classicdishes from his homeland. We haven’t made it inthere yet, but we can’t imagine a location with betterinherited vibes than the former home ofTexicalli Grille… Fans of the delicious handheldvegetarian pies from Boomerang’s GourmetVeggie & Meat Pies (3110 Guadalupe,380-0032, www.boomerangspies.com) will be pleasedto know they are now available at both localWhole Foods Markets. Popcorn fanciers can nowpurchase their favorite snack from the CornucopiaPopcorn trailer in the 1600 block of SouthCongress Thursdays through Sundays from noonto 9pm… While you’re watching the on-cameraramblings and elimination challenge snafus in theFood Network’s culinary reality competitionseries The Next Food Network Star this summer,do you find yourself thinking “I bet I could do abetter job than that”? If so, here is your chance.Casting producers from the Food Network will holdan open casting call in Austin this month lookingfor chefs, line cooks, home cooks, caterers, orfood enthusiasts who are “passionate about cookingand knowledgeable about food” as potentialcontestants for the 2010 season of the program.Show up at the Hyatt Regency Downtown(208 Barton Springs Rd.), Friday, July 17, 10am-4pm, and show ’em what you can do!a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o m JULY 3, 2009 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E 35