Roaring Fork Stonelake
10850 Stonelake Blvd.
Austin, TX 78759
512.342.2700 P
Roaring Fork has a lovely atmosphere. We went for the first time recently, and it was a lovely evening. We asked to sit on the patio, but we were told it would be a 1.5 hour wait, so we were seated inside instead. The patio overlooks water, and it very picturesque. As we discovered later tho, the patio doesn't have any lighting after dark, so we were glad we were seated inside! The interior was quite dark as well, with the candle on the table providing most of the light.
The menu is an interesting (somewhat predictable) medley of tex-mex, steaks, wood fire grilled items, and some seafood choices. I choose the Pecan Crusted Haddock. P choose the lamb shank. Keeping up with the current trend, all sides are purchased separately. This is a huge pet peeve of mine. Just create a plate with sides people! I don't WANT to share with my fellow diners and have to order things everyone likes. We ordered asparagus and mashed potatoes.
Overall, I was not impressed with my meal or the menu. The asparagus was served cold. The mashed potatoes were fine. The Haddock was just fine, but the pecan crust was very thick. I ended up picking some of it off. The lamb shank, according to P, was just "fine". I doubt we will be going back, the food was OK, but overpriced and the menu options were not enough for me to want to go back.
Overall: Overpriced, but nice atmosphere.
Showing posts with label austin restaurant review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label austin restaurant review. Show all posts
Monday, May 16, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
Restaurant Review-Andiamo Ristorante
Andiamo Ristorante
2521 Rutland Dr
Austin TX 78758
(512) 719-3377
http://www.andiamoitaliano.com/index.html
I will start this off by saying I think this is my favorite restaurant in Austin. We had have a great experience both times we visited, and the food is delicious!
Our last visit was the Saturday before Easter, when our family was in town. We made reservations, and we were seated quickly.
Roadside appeal: Low. Situated in a strip mall behind a Jack In the Box, Andiamo could definitely have a better location. Having said that, once you know it is there, you will go back! I only tried this place because of favorable reviews online, otherwise I may have driven by!
Interior Appeal: Once inside, the atmosphere improves. They have music, nice lighting, and the dining area is pretty but nothing fancy.
Service: We had had the same server both visits. He is helpful, and very nice. I'm not convinced his wine knowledge is on par with the wine offerings they have...but he tries to be helpful. The one thing I will say, do not expect speedy service. This is not a bad thing, it encourages you to savor your meal and experience, but don't expect a quick dinner! If you enjoy making an evening out of a dinner out-Andiamo will be perfect!
The Food: The cheese plate has a nice selection and is a solid appetizer. Others in the party tried the Capesante dello Chef (I don't care for scallops) and seemed to enjoy them! The salads are all single serving sized, and a standard blend of flavors. The main courses really shine. At the last visit, I tried the risotto special (spinach, sausage, white wine) and it was amazing. The best risotto I have ever had. Two in the party tried the pork with plums special, and were raving about the taste. The Ravioli Ripieni ai Fungh is very good, and has a nice comfort-food feel to it. The Vitello Porcini (veal in a brandy cream sauce) has a lovely (although rich!) flavor. For dessert, we tried the Tiramisu and the Millefogli. The Millefogli had a delicate crust and light sauce that was delicious!
The verdict: If you enjoy Italian food beyond pizza and lasagna...this is a place to try! I know you will enjoy it!
2521 Rutland Dr
Austin TX 78758
(512) 719-3377
http://www.andiamoitaliano.com/index.html
I will start this off by saying I think this is my favorite restaurant in Austin. We had have a great experience both times we visited, and the food is delicious!
Our last visit was the Saturday before Easter, when our family was in town. We made reservations, and we were seated quickly.
Roadside appeal: Low. Situated in a strip mall behind a Jack In the Box, Andiamo could definitely have a better location. Having said that, once you know it is there, you will go back! I only tried this place because of favorable reviews online, otherwise I may have driven by!
Interior Appeal: Once inside, the atmosphere improves. They have music, nice lighting, and the dining area is pretty but nothing fancy.
Service: We had had the same server both visits. He is helpful, and very nice. I'm not convinced his wine knowledge is on par with the wine offerings they have...but he tries to be helpful. The one thing I will say, do not expect speedy service. This is not a bad thing, it encourages you to savor your meal and experience, but don't expect a quick dinner! If you enjoy making an evening out of a dinner out-Andiamo will be perfect!
The Food: The cheese plate has a nice selection and is a solid appetizer. Others in the party tried the Capesante dello Chef (I don't care for scallops) and seemed to enjoy them! The salads are all single serving sized, and a standard blend of flavors. The main courses really shine. At the last visit, I tried the risotto special (spinach, sausage, white wine) and it was amazing. The best risotto I have ever had. Two in the party tried the pork with plums special, and were raving about the taste. The Ravioli Ripieni ai Fungh is very good, and has a nice comfort-food feel to it. The Vitello Porcini (veal in a brandy cream sauce) has a lovely (although rich!) flavor. For dessert, we tried the Tiramisu and the Millefogli. The Millefogli had a delicate crust and light sauce that was delicious!
The verdict: If you enjoy Italian food beyond pizza and lasagna...this is a place to try! I know you will enjoy it!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Restaurant Review: Alborz Persian Cuisine
3300 W Anderson Ln Ste 303
Austin,TX78757
http://alborzpersiancuisine.com/index.html
Situated in a strip mall next to a gym, the roadside appeal is pretty low. Upon entering, they have the typical middle eastern decor on the walls, and we saw that on Friday/Saturday nights they have a belly dancer. The hostess immediately asked us if we had a coupon, which we did not. Not sure why they need to know that ahead of time!
The seating is average, bare bones. The dining room atmosphere is so-so. The belly dancer was quite good, and tips are collected at the end of her set which is classier than during the set. She did seem a bit out of place in the dining room though, due to the decor and the buffet.
I tried the Vegetarian Delights plate, P tried the Lamb Kebab with bagahli polo (rice with lima beans and dill). The veggie plate was good. The baba ghanooj was among the best I have ever had, the dolmehs were good. The only complaint I had was the hummus was sub-par, runny and grainy. P had the same complaint he has at any kebab place, which is that he wants a veggie on the side as well as rice. I enjoyed my meal, I would Alborz again (especially since the middle eastern cuisine is Austin is limited), but next time I would try one of the Persian stews for variety.
The verdict: Austin could do better...but if you are craving middle eastern food, this is an OK option.
Austin,TX78757
http://alborzpersiancuisine.com/index.html
Situated in a strip mall next to a gym, the roadside appeal is pretty low. Upon entering, they have the typical middle eastern decor on the walls, and we saw that on Friday/Saturday nights they have a belly dancer. The hostess immediately asked us if we had a coupon, which we did not. Not sure why they need to know that ahead of time!
The seating is average, bare bones. The dining room atmosphere is so-so. The belly dancer was quite good, and tips are collected at the end of her set which is classier than during the set. She did seem a bit out of place in the dining room though, due to the decor and the buffet.
I tried the Vegetarian Delights plate, P tried the Lamb Kebab with bagahli polo (rice with lima beans and dill). The veggie plate was good. The baba ghanooj was among the best I have ever had, the dolmehs were good. The only complaint I had was the hummus was sub-par, runny and grainy. P had the same complaint he has at any kebab place, which is that he wants a veggie on the side as well as rice. I enjoyed my meal, I would Alborz again (especially since the middle eastern cuisine is Austin is limited), but next time I would try one of the Persian stews for variety.
The verdict: Austin could do better...but if you are craving middle eastern food, this is an OK option.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Review: Cover 3
2700 West Anderson Lane #202
Austin, TX 78757
(512) 374-1121
Austin, TX 78757
(512) 374-1121
Last night, since SXSW is in town and downtown is off limits unless you want to fight the crowd...we decided to stay on the north side of Austin for dinner. I had been to Cover 3 once before for appetizers, and thought it was worthy to try again. As a side bonus, P was swayed by the fact that they have March Madness on the many televisions inside. Ugh. Basketball.
The drinks: The bartender was not familiar with a sazerac, so P settled for a decent, but not awesome, martini. I had the Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio, which I've had before.
The dinner: I ordered the Allandale salad. Nice arrangement of chicken, avocado, bleu cheese, and candied walnuts over greens. Since I had been craving a salad for several days, it fit the bill. P ordered the sauteed Snapper with crab. The caper lemon sauce looked nice, but unfortunately the fish was not flaky and rather tough. In keeping with many restaurants lately, sides had to be ordered separately. At certain places, this is OK by me, but at a pseudo-sports bar? They should probably create plates with sides, in my opinion. That being said, the garlic-chive mashed potatoes were served in adequate portions and did not have an overly strong garlic flavor.
The verdict: Divided. I had a good meal, P had a slightly below average meal. Not sure if we will try again.
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