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(June
3, 2005)
Several years ago, the owners of a restaurant with iconic status, the
legendary Salt Lick in Driftwood, decided to open a second location
of the revered BBQ joint in Austin. But they did not open an exact duplicate
as many expected. Instead, they opened in a space In toney Davenport
Village in Westlake, next to Susan Dell's dress shop. It was BBQ with
white table cloths no less, and a much more diverse and ambitious menu.
To some hard core BBQ afficionados, this was almost heresy. Well, several
years have passed and both Susan's dress shop and the white table cloths
have bitten the dust. But the Salt Lick in Davenport has established
itself in a building that has not been exactly kind to the former restaurants
that were once housed there. Care to know why?
Well, to paraphrase former Clinton advisor James Carville, it's the
food, dummy. The Salt Lick Davenport has got the chops.
If you want what the Salt Lick Driftwood is famous for: mouthwatering
brisket, ribs and sausage you can most certainly get that. And it's
every bit as good as Driftwood. But there's much more to sample and
enjoy at the Davenport location. I love the Brisket Stuffed Mushrooms.
They use a mixture for this that includes smoked brisket, cheddar cheese,
breadcrumbs, and a hint of BBQ sauce. The flavor of this dish is uniquely
satisying and just a little bit jacked up. Very tasty. Another Davenport
innovation is the Queso Flameado. This is Mexican/cowboy comfort food
at its sizzling best: with the white cheese and the chopped brisket
the Salt Lick's unique touch. This dish does not have a long shelf life,
so go for it when it hits the table and you will love it. I've also
enjoyed the Barbecued Shrimp. What makes this dish work on the taste
buds so well is the way the shrimp are pan sauteed in a wonderfully
spicy cajun butter. The accompanying baguette is, of course, a requisite
for this preparation. And I was pleasantly surprised on my last visit
when the chef rolled out an artichoke in a buttery sauce that was accompanied
by a succulent rib. Not on the menu at this time, but it should be.
The flavors are etheral and the heart of the artichoke was just perfect.
There are many way cool entrees to enjoy at the Salt Lick Davenport.
Owner Scott Roberts created one called the Chicken Fried Turkey. I love
this. It's starts with a smoked turkey cutlet that's breaded in seasoned
flour along with buttermilk. It's fried and served with a rich and fulsome
jalapeno bacon cream gravy. For turkey fans, this is a must try. The
Baby Back Ribs are absolutely stunning. The meat falls off the bone
and the there's a deep, pleasing flavor imparted from the sauce. My
wife Marge, who is not a rib fan as a rule, literally pirated several
of these babies from my plate. Easy to see why. Another of my favorites
is the Grilled Pork Tenderloin. What lights up this dish is the flavor
from the red chili marinade. The pork is grilled and served in slices
over a cheddar potato cake that is the perfect complement. The sauce
of red chili roast garlic is classic. Another neat Davenport offering
is the Baja Taco Plate. The idea here is to get primal. A flour tortilla
filled with smoked chopped brisket, shredded cabbage, and a cream sauce
with a decidedly zesty Baja buzz. Also available with tequilla lime
chicken, but I prefer the brisket.
So don't think of a BBQ place as a tautology just because it's in an
upscale building in Westlake. The food, after all is what matters most.
And the food is just fine. The ambiance, come to think of it, is kinda
nice as well. The Salt Lick Davenport: it's not your father's BBQ place.
And that's just fine with me.
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