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One
of my favorite movies tells the story of Ray Kinsella, an Iowa farmer
who hears a voice in his cornfield telling him to "build it and
he will come."
Unbeknownst
to most of you, there's an Austin chapter in the Kinsella saga.
Almost twenty years ago, New Yorker Paul Kinsella heard a voice
telling him to build an Irish restaurant in Austin on Highway 71 near
620. "Trust me, as I live and breathe, they'll be comin'"
said the voice, in a rich brogue. Well, lest we get too carried away
with our fable, the closest that Paul Kinsella ever came to meeting
Ray Kinsella was when he saw Kevin Costner in “Field of Dreams,” and
the voice actually belonged to his wife, Marge, who's from Ireland.
Nonetheless,
the Emerald Restaurant was born, and we're all better off for it.
You
can drive by the Emerald Restaurant if you're not careful, so be careful.
It's just past Rosie's Mexican joint on Highway 71. It's set back
from the road in an old house. But once inside -- and I don't know
if it's the leprechauns afoot or not -- but magic happens.
For
us, it began with a basket of delicious traditional Irish breads.
After that, a salad with an original dressing that tasted of celery
and shallots. Lovely. Then, a fabulously tasty potato soup. The Irish
and potatoes go back for centuries, so they don't take this dish lightly.
Make sure you try it.
We
then had imperial shrimp that was sensational. The shrimp were sautéed
in a creamy mustard base that just crackled with flavor. A heavy dish,
but one worth the calories.
We
also tried the Dublin Lawyer Special, which featured two rock lobster
tails served in a puff pastry after being simmered in heavy cream
and Irish whiskey. The best we could do after eating this terrific
dish was to agree to a plea bargain to run eight miles the next day.
Then,
a sensational New Zealand rack of lamb with a light bread stuffing.
This is the kind of dish that's so good you've got to find a thesaurus
to look up some new complimentary adjective. The lamb was mild and
beautifully cooked and presented.
One
thing the voice did not tell Paul Kinsella to do was to charge low
prices. Reinforce your
wallet before you hit the Emerald Restaurant. But trust me, it's worth
every penny.
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