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Apple Annie’s: From ‘farm to table’

Posted in Eating. on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 by steph Tags: Austin restaurants, downtown austin, food

Jun 30

Austin, say “hello” to the grown up Apple Annie’s (319 Congress Ave). Formerly seated at the foot of Chase Tower serving lunch to busy 9 to 5′ers, Apple Annie’s has come into it’s own, now serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night fare.

In it’s new home, this fine dining establishment (est. 1982) joins the delicious 300 block of Congress, in the neighborhood of Kyoto, La Traviata, Manuel’s and Cork & Co. I normally give a new restaurant a few weeks to work out the usual growing pains and menu tweaks, but given Annie’s already established rep in town, I dined in on just their fourth night of dinner service.

The space is lovely inside: an elegant bar, the lofty ceilings and stately original architecture make you feel a little like you’re in a New York restaurant (we compared it to E.A.T. on Madison Ave.). Imagine uptown, but with a twist of “Hope Floats.”

Once we had drink orders in (a rich glass of red wine for me and a very potent watermelon martini for the hubby), we were promptly greeted with an amuse bouche - deliciously dense cornbread biscuits. We ordered one of the a la carte sides (at $6 each) to start. Mac ‘n cheese made with “Redneck Cheddar” and Gruyere. I’ve tried my share of trendy mac dishes - like the Boa Steakhouse version with truffle oil or Jasper’s mac featuring Gouda & ham… Apple Annie’s was also over the top good. Served in a mini-skillet pan, it was rich and had an unexpected tang of goat cheese. YUM!

Dinner was salmon on a bed or spinach and lentils. The fish was cooked to perfection and had a lot of flavor - an interesting blend of spices. However, the accouterments left something to be desired — I pretended the lentils were capers. My dinner mate was happy with his choice — a rustic flat bread pizza with mozzarella and sausage.

The very professional, knowledgeable waitstaff pointed us in the right direction for dessert, although we went with a safe choice. As far as creme brulee goes, was average, with that nice crispy torched top that everyone loves to crack first. The other dessert offerings at Apple Annie’s might be worth a return trip alone. Chef Mark Schmidt, formerly at the now closed Cafe 909 in Marble Falls was praised by Food & Wine Magazine for the same Pistachio Parfait he’s now serving up at Apple Annie’s.

All in all, we loved Apple Annie’s and we’ll be back. It was a great dinner experience with a relaxing, laid back vibe and excellent service. If you’re in the neighborhood at other times of day, note the amazing all-day takeaway offerings like made-to-order flat bread pizzas ($11-$12), entree salads and hearty sandwiches on artisan breads. Oh and try the breakfast - if dinner was any indication, it will be decadent!