Eating Out (with) a Provider

Will be in Austin next week and need advice on a good place to eat with my provider dinner companion. Looking for good-great menu and wine list that is quiet/quaint/romantic and fitting for the 40+ crowd. Price not overly important. Any help is greatly appreciated. Friends have suggested Eastside Cafe and Wink. Cuisine type not overly important, but Italian, seafood, upscale American are preferred. Search wasn't very helpful. Thanks again.

Will be in Austin next week and need advice on a good place to eat with my provider dinner companion. Looking for good-great menu and wine list that is quiet/quaint/romantic and fitting for the 40+ crowd. Price not overly important. Any help is greatly appreciated. Friends have suggested Eastside Cafe and Wink. Cuisine type not overly important, but Italian, seafood, upscale American are preferred. Search wasn't very helpful. Thanks again. Originally Posted by Spelunker

Vespaio, Parkside, and Perla's are also excellent. I love Wink but it is so close quartered that people will be able to hear your conversation. I think Eastside Café is over rated. Justine's is a lot of fun too but good luck getting a table. I don't know if Vespaio is taking reservations these days but if they aren't, you best get there early. The others take reservations for sure. If you want to go swank, the Driskill grill is FANTASTIC. Hudson's on the Bend is also very famous but I've never eaten there. Olivia too. Olivia is sorta all the rage these days.

I'd say the Driskill Grill and Hudson's on the bend are some of the few restaurants in Austin where you could get away with being dressed up and not feel way overdressed. The typical uniform for Austin 3 and 4 star dining is business casual, trendy or slacker. You almost never see guys in jackets and ties or ladies in cocktail dresses -- sad if you ask me. I love dressing up and you can easily be at $100 a plate meal in this town sitting next to a table full of people in flip-flops and shorts.

I second Olivia, Vespaio and Wink and would also add Jeffrey's and Restaurant Jezebel to that list. All are reliably good and often feature locally and sustainably sourced ingredients. Wink does an excellent tasting menu with wine pairings.

Hmmm, I like TruLucks and a place I ate at 3 weeks ago that was very nice and romantic is Maria Maria, a restraunt owned by singer Carlos Santanna. Its on Colorado downtown. Hope this helps!

www.mariamariarestaurants.com

Sandra Bullock's restaurant, BESS on W.6th st near West ave.

Although you have had some good suggestions I would like to add Trio to the mix. This is the site of the Cafe at the Four Seasons. It was redecorated and has a relaxing and calm ambience. I like it because it is a quiet place and one can dine and look out the windows at the river. Or,weather permitting, one can eat on the patio. They have a deal where you can get a small flight of 3 wines, 2 ounces each, that gives a little variety. The bartenders there are good and make a very good French 75.

One of my favorite places to eat in town is Vespaio but you cannot possibly carry on a conversation there because of the immense noise level. That is, unless one sits in the little wine room but that is not a definite possibility. I haven't tried Olivia's or Perla's yet( Perla's coming up Wed. night as part of Austin Restuarant Week) so cannot comment on them.

Another place I found that has good food and has a rather large dining hall is The Carrillon. They are in the AT&T place on University Ave. It is a smart, although rather traditional, dining room with good service and food. Also you can park in their parking garage and get your ticket validated by the cashier, Bon Appetite, all ways possible. J.

No one has said Eddie V's.

Also check out the Roaring Fork.

Vespaio is authentic and romantic, but they still didn't take reservations when I was there fairly recently. They will take your phone # and call you when your table is ready (expect at least an hour wait on weekends), so you can walk up South Congress Ave. while you wait. My date and I stopped in Guero's (Tex-Mex, btw) for a drink while we waited for the call. FWIW, the bar at Vespaio was also packed -- Guero's was crowded, but we were able to sit at the bar. Vespaio is a little close-quartered, but you can probably have an intimate conversation if your voice doesn't carry (mine does -- lol).

North serves decent Italian -- it's in the Domain, which is a trendy outdoor mall in north Austin. They take reservations, but it's very close-quartered, and it's practically impossible to talk privately. Has anybody been to the new place in the Domain, btw? I'm blanking on the name, but it's also Italian (I think).

Trio in the Four Seasons is upscale American -- I've been there a few times. They take reservations. You can definitely have an intimate conversation there. A little pricey, but not too bad. I've found the waitstaff to be a little inept -- you would expect better from the 4 Seasons -- but tolerable, and friendly. Be sure to get the rosemary steak fries -- yummy. After dinner, you can go upstairs to the lounge for dessert, before you have the provider for dessert Chicks dig the Four Seasons

Good luck!

Chicks dig the Four Seasons Originally Posted by Assman of RR

We sure do!

And I have wanted to go to Trio for quite some time. Thanks for reminding me. Next on my list.

Will be in Austin next week and need advice on a good place to eat with my provider dinner companion. Originally Posted by Spelunker

Have you asked her for her favorites? That's usually not a bad idea. Or you might offer her choices from some of the good suggestions in this thread.

Monk

Siena, great food and plenty of room and I think they take reservations!

I know it's a chain-but Ruth's Chris is wonderful! The waitstaff is always attentive and courteous without being intrusive. You can walk right up anytime of the day and not have a reservation and they will seat you-at least all the dozen times that I have gone they have been that way. Gumbo's is wonderful cajun fine-dining with intimate setting and great food and great waitstaff as well.

Sullivans downtown in the Warehouse district. Impeccable service, fantastic food.

Steiner Ranch Steakhouse might be a good option as well.

North serves decent Italian -- it's in the Domain, which is a trendy outdoor mall in north Austin. They take reservations, but it's very close-quartered, and it's practically impossible to talk privately. Has anybody been to the new place in the Domain, btw? I'm blanking on the name, but it's also Italian (I think).

Good luck! Originally Posted by Assman of RR

Were you thinking of Maggiano's? Highly recommended; excellent italian and romantic atmosphere.

http://www.maggianos.com/locations/d...d=001.025.0208