The Saturday Dining Conspiracy: September, 2005

September 3, 2005: A La Carrera.

Dwight's comments:

Mediocre TexMex.

Lawrence's comments:

As far as strip-mall TexMex joints along 183 go, I kind of like it. The service was pretty good, the queso flameado was pretty good, and my beef fajitas were OK, and the price was fair.

Nothing special, but around here basic technical competence is nothing to be sneazed at.

September 10, 2005: None.

Dwight's comments:

I had a work-related social event.

September 17, 2005: Bellagio Italian Bistro.

Dwight's comments:

I was looking forward to eating at Bellagio: I hadn't been there before, but I had eaten takeout food from the restaurant. Unfortunately, this was a disappointment.

I did enjoy the mussels (especially with fairly good bread to collect the remaining sauce). The service left me feeling somewhat uncomfortable, though, as if I was being condescended to, and the fact that the restaurant was nearly deserted on a Saturday night didn't help much.

I could have gotten past both of those things, though, if it wasn't for the fact that my main course wasn't very good. The "Porchetta Florentine", a grilled pork chop stuffed with spinach, cheese, and pine nuts, was terribly bland: it needed something to punch it up. As it was, eating it was an awful lot like work.

I just can't bring myself to recommend Bellagio: I felt disappointed with what I got and what I paid.

Lawrence's comments:

There's nothing particularly wrong with Bellagio, but something seems missing.

The mussels and calimari were fine, if not exceptional, and I liked the bread, the garlic butter, and the efficient service. However, my lasagna didn't taste quite right. For a restaurant that prides itself on all pasta being made in-house, the pasta itself didn't strike me as being particularly good. But it was certainly filling; between that and the bread I was too full for dessert.

I wouldn't object to a return trip, but right now there's nothing here that would tempt me away from Reale's or Ciola's.

September 24, 2005: Gumbo's.

Dwight's comments:

This is more in the way of a collection of random notes than an actual review:

• I've always been very fond of Gumbo's pasta dishes. I still am, but the size of the dishes has decreased significantly since I first started eating there. I'd have to recommend that you order something else unless you have a small appetite. In retrospect, I wish I had ordered the Beef Wellington: I thought the idea of ordering Beef Wellington at a Cajun place was appalling, but the people at the table who did order it told me it was excellent, and that Gumbo's even managed to put a Cajun spin on the dish.
• Dear schitzophrenic waiter: I'm sorry that we told you 15 people and ended up with closer to 10. Unfortunately, projectile vomiting and Category 5 hurricanes are not things that are within our control, so drop the attitude, okay? You're still getting your 18% mandatory tip.
• Don't get me wrong, though: it was still an excellent meal. I was surprised (and delighted) to discover that I'm not the only person in my family who has an Oysters Rockefeller fetish. Speaking of which, may Antoine's reopen soon.
• Unrelated (somewhat) to Gumbo's, but why was there not a single restaurant in Texas, let alone Austin, participating in the Museum of the American Cocktail's "Save New Orleans Cocktail Hour"?

Lawrence's comments:

The food at Gumbo's remains excellent. My cup of seafood gumbo was still the best in Austin, I love their garlic butter, and the chocolate bread pudding is every bit as good as the regular version. However, do note that the prices have increased to the point it's no longer the amazing bargain it used to be (as Gumbo's or Yoli's). Given how packed the place is, I can't argue with the implacable logic of raising prices as long as the demand stays strong. Also, I liked the previous blackened dishes I had there better than the Salmon St. George I had this time around.