With the glut of grand, new upscale restaurants opening up in Austin, I'm always delighted to tell you about a place where dinner for two AND a bottle of wine comes in at around $60. And I'm happier still to report that the influence is cajun and the food is quite good. Welcome to Ms. B's at 8105 Mesa.

Ms. B's is the result of a passionate collaboration between Brenda and Billy McGowan. They love to cook and their imprinature is stamped all over this little restaurant. I started with the seafood gumbo and it had the most lovely roux. Delicious and zesty, I almost ordered another bowl. We also tried the boiled shrimp. Very good, but I thought a little pricey at $11.00 for a dozen.

Then it was on to one of the most amazing dishes I've had in this city or elsewhere. The smothered pork chops. Done with a roux-based sauce and laced with killer spices, the pork chops were indeed smothered in this delightful sauce, and served along with rice, red beans, and andouille sausage. The chops were cut with a fork tender and absolutely savory at every bite. A rich dish, indeed, but worth every sinful bite.

Equally delicious was the shrimp etouffee. For my money, etouffees are all about flavor. And Ms. B's gets it. The brown sauce had a lovely quality to it and had us smacking our lips on more than one occcasion. The rice was perfectly cooked, but I do wish they'd peel the shrimp in dishes like this. When you're going to eat it with your hands like a BBQ shrimp, that's one thing. But I would have liked to not worry about deshelling those tasty little crittrers. That however, is only a minor point. We had a serviceable bottle of Chilean Cabernet that went well with the mingled cajun influences.

And then, the desert. Brenda swears that her grandma's recipe for sweet potato pecan pie is at the top of the food chain. After just one bite, and I am a serious student of pecan pies, I was inclined to agree. It was incredible. What pie! And the bread pudding is at the same level of excellence!

As I said, the prices are reasonable. Our dinner, with full bottle of wine, came to a shade over $60.00. And your probably don't order as much as I do so your bill is likely to be even lower. Ms. B's is a very small place. But I like em like that. You can see right into the kitchen and if your vision is good, right into the heart and soul of this fine little restuarant.

You can find Ms. B's at the corner of Mesa and Spicewood next to the Delaware Sub shop. Dress is casual, but the execution of the food here is anything but!

Rob Balon

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