Roberta and Craig B. wrote: > > Mark wrote re Austin Land and Cattle > Company: > ... > : Even after tonite's dinner, I'm willing to give the place another shot > : because of prior experiences. My girlfriend is not so forgiving; she > : has no interest in returning. > > Roberta and I ate there last night for the first time and we're > siding with your girlfriend: we're _never_ going back. I'll post > a longer, more detailed review sometime soon, but the short version > is that it's average food at unbelievably high prices. They should > be ashamed of themselves. Two thumbs down. > > Craig I'll add my short review.. I had been there three times, the first two were fine, they had some pretty good beef. I'm pretty picky about beef, coming from the midwest where cattle never eat grass. The third and last time, I got a ribeye that was 50% fat, it was a core of fat surrounded by meat, whoever cut that steak had no idea what they were doing. I mentioned it to the staff, and got a 'so what' response. The meat was still pretty tasty, but not worth the $15 it cost. This was about a year ago, it sounds like the meat quality has declined since then. Too bad, I really like to go out for a decent steak once in a while.. Decent being aged, cornfed beef, not any of that range fed or worse, silage fed stuff usually served, it gives a sour taste.
Austin, TX
Austin Land and Cattle Company
Add "Dan McKluskey's" in the Arboretum and Mezzelune downtown to those eating establishments that have REALLY slipped in the past year or so. Dan's used to have table cloths, great service, and great food. Now the food is OK, the table cloths are gone, and the service is not as good. Mezzelune? Same - no table cloth anymore, much shortened lunch menu, and for some reason a VERY noisy kitchen. Bummer! Austin Land and Cattle was terrible last time I was there, so I agree with everyone else on that one. I still like Old San Francisco Steak House, but wonder when the pin will drop there?
In article , [email removed] (David Forbis) wrote: > So can anyone recommend some really good steakhouses here in Austin? Everyone I talk to about steakhouses practically has orgasms over what's available at Sullivan's Steakhouse, downtown on Colorado (third-ish, very near Mezzaluna and The Bitter End). Can't personally testify to them, however. I pretty much avoid red meat and haven't had a steak in a couple of years.
Craig B. wrote: >Mark wrote re Austin Land and Cattle >Company: >... >: Even after tonite's dinner, I'm willing to give the place another shot >: because of prior experiences. My girlfriend is not so forgiving; she >: has no interest in returning. > >Roberta and I ate there last night for the first time and we're >siding with your girlfriend: we're _never_ going back. I'll post >a longer, more detailed review sometime soon, but the short version >is that it's average food at unbelievably high prices. They should >be ashamed of themselves. Two thumbs down. > Good to hear these negative reactions before I went there, which would probably have been in a week or so. So can anyone recommend some really good steakhouses here in Austin? -Dave
we went out for an anniversary feed too- bad stuff happened. being a major foodie, i was thrilled when austin got its own ninfa's. we've been there three times. the first was ok, the second was fabulous, the third [last weekend] was pathetic. last time but one that we ate there, the chow was to die for- little succulent riblets, wonderful guacamole sauce/dip with sour cream and rich flavor, plus the only time i've ever actually liked a chile relleno. [usually a nasty glob of wet dough and vegetable goo, this one was light, delicate and truly lovely.] this last time, and the word last is accurate, the combo plate i'd so enjoyed previously was no more- the current menu looks more like a refugee from one of those restaurants with farm equipment on the walls. [you know, the ones with the phony irish names-] basically i don't want to see 'baby back ribs' on the menu of a respectable mexican restaurant. my associate ordered something called 'enchiladas verdes,' which turned out to be a flat mass of tortilla painted with something parakeet-colored and weak. ok, it tasted ok, but it wasn't exactly brilliant [except in color.] me, i had a plate of [misplaced] baby-back ribs [dull, but tasty- dead ordinary] with some shrimp for art. let's discuss this shrimp. ok, this is me. i make reeeally good chili. i put chile powder in basically everything, and where no chile powder will go, melinda's sauce will. my tolerance for mouthfire is just fine, thank you, so when i say that the slice of fresh jalapeno inside the shrimp-n-bacon is waaaay too much, i can be assumed to know what way too much is. it took me upwards of ten minutes to get to where i could breathe right, forgossakes, so that sucker was really, really badly balanced. ok? like, toxic waste with a tail? ok, here's the thing. ninfa's, which was once a nice classical mexican place, is now a trendoid yuppiezone with inedible food and truly stupid waitstaff [me-"maybe the fresh jalapeno is a bit much with shrimp?" waitdork-"heh-heh-heh..."] so, i'm really sorry to have to say so, but ninfa's has declined to the condition of tgi-whateverday's. it's a damn shame. space <following is from the stuffed parakeet eater...or the associate part of the team> can verify much of what space had to say...have to mention that she is a bit of a chef in her own right, has been collecting recipes for lo these many years, and in particular the ones that have been published from ninfa's <yah...it *is* better when we eat at home>...so i must agree with the thread that the quality of the cheffing in austin has deteriorated to a significant degree...particularly when a restaurant can't even follow its own standard recipes... martin [space again] me, i figure it's all mark miller's fault- all our capable cooks are standing in line behind the coyoteclone cafe, right? [poor babies] Eric H. wrote: >In article , [email removed] (David >Forbis) wrote: > >> So can anyone recommend some really good steakhouses here in Austin? > >Everyone I talk to about steakhouses practically has orgasms over what's >available at Sullivan's Steakhouse, downtown on Colorado (third-ish, very >near Mezzaluna and The Bitter End). > >Can't personally testify to them, however. I pretty much avoid red meat and >haven't had a steak in a couple of years.
Someone wrote: > Roberta and I ate there last night for the first time and we're > siding with your girlfriend: we're _never_ going back. I'll post > a longer, more detailed review sometime soon, but the short version > is that it's average food at unbelievably high prices. They should > be ashamed of themselves. Two thumbs down. My thoughts exactly. We visited a couple of months ago, and I decided to try the lobster, which the waiter recommended. Undercooked shellfish isn't a culinary delight, and when it was "made right" it was tough and chewy... I had to get a steak knife to cut it. It seems that changes in the kitchen are in order, pronto. FWIW, the place was nearly empty when we went.
Someone wrote: : I was there at Austin Land and Cattle last September. Texas Land and Cattle : is still my favorite. Austin Land and Cattle is a little fancier atmosphere : if you like that kind of thing. Kind of quieter than Texas Land and Cattle : and darker lighting. I personally like the relaxed kind of atmosphere at : Texas Land. The food at Austin Land is quite good, as is the service, but : you pay for the fancier atmosphere. It is definitely pricier than Texas : Land and Cattle. I've been to both several times. Austin Land and Cattle is where I learned to like steak rare, and it is still one of my favorites, esp. for out of town guests. I agree that the atmosphere is fancier, but it is still pretty laid-back. When I asked for a cup of ice, so I could put some in my over-warm red wine, not only did the waitress guess why, but agreed and apologized. Jeffery's would have snootily said it is the correct temp and been a pain. I love the steaks, and have pretty much stuck to those and can't comment on their other entrees. The snail appetizer, cooked in port, garlic and who knows what else, is great. There is often a wait, but they have a decent sized bar area to accomodate it. they also have a smoking section that is well off to the side, but not like being banished. Texas Land cattle has peanuts on the floor, a staff that on several occasions has required help to open a bottle of wine and once served me the dirtiest spinach I've ever seen. The food is less expensive, the steaks are ok, and I've never had to wait very long there. All in all I think they are two pretty different steak experiences. Jen
NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1999 10:06:54 CDT Organization: Giganews.Com - Premium News Outsourcing X-Trace: sv1-7yA/RMQKrEAKoc9nuXy/qoSpaM6bt3FMfwOo4dLDVgV82mNnjiZG3V2N6AwN/== X-Complaints-To: [email removed] X-Abuse-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers X-Abuse-Info: Otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1999 10:06:53 -0500 Xref: alexander.INS.CWRU.Edu austin.food:4852 I was there at Austin Land and Cattle last September. Texas Land and Cattle is still my favorite. Austin Land and Cattle is a little fancier atmosphere if you like that kind of thing. Kind of quieter than Texas Land and Cattle and darker lighting. I personally like the relaxed kind of atmosphere at Texas Land. The food at Austin Land is quite good, as is the service, but you pay for the fancier atmosphere. It is definitely pricier than Texas Land and Cattle. Worth a try if you haven't been there and feel a need to spend some extra money. Richard D. wrote in message ... >Anyone been here ? How does it compare to say Texas Land and Cattle Company >or Ruth Chris etc. > > >