Dishola: Reviews by the Dish

3016 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX, 78705

laura on 01/02/08

Although I love most greens, I'm not a huge fan of zucchini (something about the texture). That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the stuffed zucchini at Austin's newest Greek eatery, El Greco. Stuffed with a blend of beef, Greek spices, and rice, this dish is Greek comfort food at its best. It's served with an egg lemon gravy, that adds just the right amount of tangy creaminess to the stuffed zucchini and rice. Just as I was thinking how fresh and homemade the whole plate tasted, the wife (of the wife-husband team that owns El Greco) walked over and asked me how I was enjoying the daily special. I told her I loved it. She beamed. She said she'd be sure to tell her sister, who had made stuffed zucchinis just that morning.

401 W 2nd St, Austin, TX, 78701

laura on 01/01/08

Hands down, this is the best bread pudding I have eaten in Austin in the last five years. Could it be because every bite, like a true brioche, is rich, moist, egg-y, and buttery? Or maybe it has something to do with the decadent maple bourbon hard sauce the pastry chef at Lamberts has concocted? Is there any chance the vanilla bean ice cream acts as the real piece de resistance? I'm not sure...I beg you to try it, and let me know what you think. Only a few hours until 2008. New Year's resolutions be damned! Head out and get yourself some of this brioche bread pudding.

801 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX
(512) 916-4808

laura on 01/01/08

If you're not in the mood for raw fish at Uchi, I highly recommend gin dara, a dish on the restaurant's "permanent" menu. Gin Dara is blonde miso-marinated black cod, with a tempura scallion splayed across the top. The sous-chefs must marinate this cod for hours, as it is as moist and tender inside (and imbued with a rich miso flavor) as it is sweet and caramelized on the outside. One poke with your chopsticks will break the delicate cod apart. Let the fish caress your tongue as you savor the flavors. Try a bite with a piece of the crisp, salty scallion tempura. At $12, this is an Uchi dish you should not miss.

3016 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX, 78705

laura on 12/27/07

If you like hummus, you'll love El Greco's fresh, homemade hummus plate. Many of the dishes at El Greco come from old family recipes, and I'd wager that this is one of them. (El Greco was recently opened by a Greek family who moved to Austin from Buffalo, New York.) There are a couple of things I love about this hummus: 1) the ratio of garlic to lemon juice in it is nearly perfect. Neither ingredient cancels the other out. Instead, each allows the other to sing. And... 2) the texture is outstanding. This is not one of those mounds of hummus that has the texture of a dollop of whipped cream. Instead, you can taste the granularity of the chick peas mixed with the tahini. The actual chick peas served along side the hummus are a nice compliment as well, particularly because they are dressed in a bit of olive oil with a touch of parsley and marinated red onion.

3016 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX, 78705

laura on 12/27/07

Sink your teeth into this warm, flaky spanakopita, and you won't be disappointed. Stuffed with spinach, onions and feta cheese, this dish makes a lovely appetizer or a light lunch - especially when paired with a Greek salad or a plate of savory hummus.