(March 15, 2007)

Carlos and Charlie’s is one of those lakeside joints that just screams out fun, food, music and the almost irresistible Austin laid back lifestyle. Readers to our site often acknowledge that the fun and the music are a given, but many want to know about the food. And my answer is, while it may not be the Four Seasons (and no one’s expecting it to be) by and large the food is pretty darn good. OK, so it’s noisy and there aren’t any white table cloths. Well, that table of eight beach maidens in bikinis over to your right is not too hard to deal with either.

Carlos and Charlie’s blends traditional American style sea food along with Tex Mex into an appealing lunch or dinner. Some of my favorite appetizers include: I love the Changitas. These are little mini chimichangas stuffed with seasoned chicken and Monterey Jack cheese. They are crispy and very tasty. And no visit to C&C’s would be complete without a basket of chips and their Monkey Dip. This is their chili con queso and it has a all the requisite textures and flavors that one would expect from good Tex Mex.

Another favorite is the Fried Shrimp and Crawfish Basket. The key to the taste here is the seasoned bread crumbs and the Chipotle Cocktail and Tartar Sauce. And they never over fry this. They’re light and crunchy. Yum. And you need to try the Fajita Chicken Quesadillas. These quesadillas are not in the least bit dry and the Monterey Jack cheese blends beautifully with the chicken. I like to dip mine in some of their piquant salsa. Good stuff. And those of you watching the waist line will appreciate the Boiled Shrimp. I had a pound of these last time and they had a lovely, fresh taste, like they’d just been hoisted off of some Gulf shrimper.

What on the water joint would be worth its salt if it didn’t serve some mountainous Deep Fried Seafood platter? They call it All Fried Up at Carlos and Charlies and unlike some of these I’ve had down on the gulf, this does not disappoint. Carefully fried Catfish, shrimp, oysters and crawfish along with all the sides make this worth trying. For those who prefer another mode of cooking, try the Grilled Alaskan salmon. This is a neat dish. It’s topped with artichokes, mushrooms and served over Angel Hair Pasta in a lemon butter sauce. And you should try the Fish Tacos. I love the robust flavor here. Soft tacos filled with blackened, spiced white fish with slaw, tomatoes, and their special sauce. Still hungry? Charlie’s Grilled Tuna Sandwich features mesquite grilled tuna, caught on the line, and not in some mesh net. This has got a very pristine flavor and they’ve nailed the texture both times I’ve had it. Cooked perfectly. And on the Tex Mex side, do try the Shrimp Fajitas Famosas. I had these on my last visit and the flavors, the key to fajitas, were very intriguing. I loaded up several tortillas with cheese, the shrimp and veggies, pico de gallo, and guacamole and it was a blast with each bite.

Carlos and Charlie’s is on 5973 Hiline Road off highway 620 just West of Mansfield Dam. It’s at the end of the road. Any further and you’re in the lake baby. Which you may indeed want to do. But make sure you include Carlos and Charlie’s in the visit. Some things just go together.

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