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Hey there, restaurant fans.
Emillia's is one of my top 15 restaurants. It will host the Share our
Strength gourmet dinner for Austin charities that feed the hungry on
Wednesday, June 20, from 6-9 PM and rightfully so. This place has pushed
the bar another notch higher in Austin.
The ambiance is cozy, comfortable, and finally a
restaurant with chairs that welcome rather than assault your derriere.
On my last visit, I tried the Foie Gras. Beautiful
to look at, wonderful to consume, and thank God it wasn't seared! Someone,
finally, who has the chutzpah to buck the current rage. Also tried the
Soft Shell Crabs. The crab was sauteed beautifully and was served in
a perfectly circular presentation with the crab atop a spring vegetable
caponata. For a second, I was reluctant to damage this lovely collage
of edibles, but only for a second. Delicious. Great convergence of flavors.
I had the grilled lamb loin for an entree. Cooked
medium rare, and served in a roasted garlic jus with a potato-leek gratin
underneath, the distinctive taste of this dish lingered. It filled the
night with its presence. Again, I was sad to see it disappear so rapidly.
Of equal merit was the Smithfield Bacon Wrapped
trout. Impeccable flavor. Flawless in its preparation and execution.
And the accompanying potato pancake was the perfect foil to the trout.
Together, the two entities combined to gastronomic bliss.
I would highly recommend either entree.
For desert we tried the chocolate covered cherries.
Preserved in port, with a chocolate zabaglione gelato, they were a bit
too sweet for my taste. But the chocolate banana pie with peanut butter
ice cream was superb. Now, they came out with a little dollop of ice
cream about the size of a large grape. NOT ENOUGH. I cried. So, my cordial
waiter brought out three more little grape sized scoops. That did the
job. A delightful treat.
I must say I did not like the bread. It was flat
and uninteresting. For a restaurant of Emilia's calibre, they should
have done better.
The entrees are pricey, ranging from the mid 20's
to high 30's. This is definitely a raid the piggybank kind of restaurant.
But I'd say worth it.Their wine list alone is worth the visit. I don't
imagine anyone has ordered the 83' Petrus yet, but it looks kind of
interesting sitting there on menu for five figures!!!!
In truth, their wine list is impeccable. Heavy with
Burgundy's and Bordeaux's, it shows impeccable taste and selection.
So next time your rich mother in law comes into
town, and she seems to be in a buying mood, say MOM, have we got a restaurant
for you!!! For Fox 7 news, I'm Rob Balon dining out at Emilia's.
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