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(November 10, 2006)
There’s a lot to be said for consistency, unmitigated
good taste, and an unerring sense of accuracy in nailing the dishes
that please the palates of Austinites. Then again, there’s a lot
to be said for Eddie V’s downtown. Eddie V’s is typically
one of the hottest restaurants in Austin with a lively bar scene, lots
of A-list celebrity diners, and a spacious dining area where only the
best seafoods and steaks are served. It’s a people pleasing kind
of environment. One that makes for lingering over that last drop of
Haut Brion.
| I could not begin
a meal at Eddie V’s without something from the oyster bar.
The recent bad blood between Texas and the Pacific Northwest may
have eliminated the pleasing Kumomoto oysters but there are still
plenty from the North Atlantic. And they’re terrific. (I can
take or leave Gulf oysters) Another appetizer that continually rewards
is the Cold Water Maine Lobster tail. I can’t get enough of
the batter-coated lobster in a delightful honey-mustard sauce. Rich
and rewarding. And one of my new favorites is the Crispy Salt and
Pepper Shrimp. This is a ying-yang kind of dish where ginger, scallions,
and red chiles meet crispy rice noodles around an eminently tasty
salt and pepper shrimp. Great flavors here with wonderful texture.
And you’ll love the George’s Bank Scallops in Tempura.
These plump scallops in a fresh tempura batter are presented with
wok seared shitake mushrooms (a smash) and asparagus. The deal is
sealed with a glaze of honey and black beans. Oh my! |
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One final appetizer that I inevitably order: the
Sweet Corn and Crab chowder. This soup has an enticing flavor that screams
out New England and is not tricked up with the usual annoying Sherries
that one often finds in preparations like these. Very satisfying.
Eddie V’s covers the gamut on the entrée side. If you’re
a fish lover, well you are in luck. And if prime steaks are your forte,
then the dice are also rolling your favor. One dish that I repeatedly
return to, and critics aren’t supposed to do that, (but I just
can’t help it) is the Sauteed Gulf Snapper Filet piled high with
lump crab meat and presented with a fulsome lemon butter sauce. The
texture of the fish is perfect and the sauce enhances the delicate and
searing flavors. And I love the Chilean Sea Bass steamed in the classic
Hong Kong tradition with a light sherry broth and pickled ginger. This
dish is subtle, and the flavors creep up on your in layers and even
better, they linger. And shrimp lover that I am, the Grilled, Crab-Stuffed
Colossal Shimp always pleases. I must confess, run of the mill stuffed
shrimp does very little for me. But this is far above the norm. The
Remoulade sauce completes it and the parmesan, and herb and garlic crumbs
offer very interesting yet complementary taste contrasts. Try this dish.
My friend Augie Garrido always get a steak at Eddie
V’s. And I’d recommend the US Prime Bone-In Ribeye. This is
22oz. of beautifully marbled meat literally bursting with flavor. Medium
rare is best for this beauty. And if you don't mind trading in one of
your 401K's, try the latest iteration of dry-aged beef: the 32oz. Tomahawk.
Eddie V’s has expanded of late and moved into
Scottsdale and Newport Beach CA. And why not? Good taste knows no geographical
boundaries. For those of you who have wondered, the name comes from
co-founders Larry “Eddie” Foles and Guy “Mr. V”
Villavaso. Gee, come to think of it, my middle name is Eddie as well.
Perhaps I should apply for part ownership. Well, if not that, perhaps
they’ll at least keep my seat warm because you can bet I’ll
be back.
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