SWEET CHIVE CHINESE SS
NEW Chinese | Not all fast-casual concepts deliver
on authenticity and hospitality. But this low-key East
Austin spot brings a fresh approach to home-style Tai-
wanese cooking. The friendly server at the counter
guided us through the menu and helped us settle on a
few gems, including the beef roll, which apparently flies
under the radar but more than delivers with its combi-
nation of cilantro, scallions, and cucumber rolled up on
a dumpling wrap with grilled beef (the hoisin dipping
sauce brought the whole dish together). Pan-fried pork
dumplings were a highlight, also served with hoisin, and
the rice dish Three Cup Mushroom was bright and fla-
vorful with a bounty of mushrooms and fresh basil in a
sauce of soy, wine, and sesame oil. 2515 E. Cesar
Chavez (512-394-5557). L & D Wed–Mon. $Bryan–College Station
SWEET PARIS CRÊPERIE & CAFÉ SS
UPDATE Crepes | This Houston-area chain made its
debut here last summer as part of the trendy Century
Square development. And though the food is good, it’s
the atmosphere that makes Sweet Paris a standout.
While it’s a stretch to say that you’ll think you’re in France
instead of Central Texas, the restaurant goes to great
lengths to make this mental transition plausible. Stand-
ing in line to order, you can’t help but notice the attention
to detail in the French industrial design elements. But the
real allure is the patio, where, on a pleasant evening, you
can spend time visiting with friends while kids play on
the spacious adjacent lawn and shoppers, moviegoers,
and hotel guests stroll by. With light, tasty crêpes filled
with everything from scrambled eggs and smoked salmon
to Nutella, marshmallows, and graham crackers, Sweet
Paris is an attractive, relaxing option for any hour of the
day. Beer & wine. 143 Century Square Dr, College Station
(979-704-6200). B, L & D 7 days. $$Dallas
BITTER END SS
NEW American | New to quirky Deep Ellum, with
its saloons, music venues, and tattoo parlors, this ca-
sual bar with cement floors and wood-topped tables
attracts a party crowd. The cocktails are the main fo-
cus, and they’re strong; check out the Walk the Line,
made with bourbon, spiced pear, and lemon, or the
Ziggy Stardust, with rum, maraschino liqueur, and
grapefruit. But also vying for your attention are neon
words that proclaim “The World Is Your Oyster” and a
ponytailed guy ready to shuck ’em until 2 a.m.! The restof the menu is small, but the flavors are big. Think
Double Dipped Hot Chicken Sliders with seasoned
fried chicken, melted cheddar, lettuce, tomato, and hot
sauce and thick and spicy mac and cheese to which
you can add pulled pork or lobster. Bar. 2826 Elm (214-
792-9888). D 7 days. B Sat & Sun. $$CARBONE’S SSS
UPDATE Italian | Freshly made pastas and sauces
set this limited but delectable menu apart. There’s
nothing basic about the generous portions of simple
spaghetti and meatballs or lasagna bolognese, with
tangy tomato sauce, almost creamy beef, and melted
mozzarella with crispy browned edges. At night, the
white tablecloths come out and the menu shifts to
elevated dishes like veal Parmesan and grilled market
fish with braised lentils and salsa verde. Beer & wine.
4208 Oak Lawn Ave (214-522-4208). L Mon–Fri. D 7
days. B Sat & Sun. $$CASA KOMALI SSSS
UPDATE Mexican | Tucked away in the Oak Lawn/
Turtle Creek area, this comfortable neighborhood spot
offers exquisite modern Mexican food. There’s a large
bar serving tequilas mixed with all sorts of fresh citrus;
the dining room and the light-strung patio have a Mexico
City feel; and the servers don’t miss a beat—you know
you’re in for a treat when they bring out the house-made
chips with verde and rojo salsas. It all sets the stage for
dishes like seared scallops bathed in lemon butter and
served atop a bed of spicy mashed potatoes garnished
with tender sautéed squash (a special, and a little salty,
but divine). Salmon in adobo, grilled in a banana leaf,
comes out moist and cooked to perfection with a slightly
sweet, smoky undertone. Bar. 4152 Cole Ave (214-252-
0200). L Tue–Fri. D Tue–Sun. B Sat & Sun. $$$TACOS MARIACHI SSS
NEW Mexican | A year after the original taqueria’s
star turn on the Food Network, this outpost launched.
Traditional tacos make good on the menu’s “Tijuana
Street Flavors” boast; the shredded barbacoa in chile
rojo is a standout. But the “Gourmet” and “Funky” tacos
really show chef-owner Jesus Carmona’s culinary chops.
A delicious pulpo taco features tender, pesto-bathed
octopus cradled in pillowy corn tortillas with molten
cheese and avocado. Tuesday’s chicharrón-crusted fried
cod taco is also a winner, especially if augmented with
squirts of mango-habanero salsa (one of three house
salsas). A vegetarian Tesar Taco salutes chef John Te-
sar, for whom Carmona worked at meat-centric Knife.
Extras like mole fries and tres leches cake round out the
menu. Bar. 2018 Greenville Ave (214-702-5325).
L Mon–Fri. D 7 days. B Sat & Sun. $WABI HOUSE SS
UPDATE Japanese | We’re addicted to the tsuke-
men at this cozy ramen house: thick, springy, house-
made noodles served in a richly flavored dipping broth
that’s simmered for sixteen hours. A caramelized sliceof pork belly, bacon bits, scallions, and a marinated
soft-cooked egg complete this dinner-only offering. At
lunch, we took comfort in spicy miso ramen with
minced pork, an umami-rich dish with fiery chile paste
(ask to add it yourself). Don’t miss the small plates,
like the fried pig’s ears and the karaage, piquant fried
chunks of chicken thigh served with spicy aioli and a
chile-tinged watermelon salad. The dining room offers
comfy booth seating, even at two-tops, and the casual
patio has a fun street-stall vibe. Bar. 1802 Greenville
Ave (469-779-6474). L & D 7 days. $$El Paso
ANSON 11 SSSS
UPDATE American | Downtown El Paso seems to
be on a roll. New hotels and restaurants are popping up
everywhere, and this fine-dining establishment, in the
historic 1910 Anson Mills Building, has come a long way
in its six years of operation. Downstairs, the dining is
casual—a pizza, a wagyu burger, a rice bowl—the bar
is hopping, and the people watching is great. Upstairs
means an elegant atmosphere and fabulous seafood,
steaks, and specials like mussel-and-clam-studded
paella and squid ink pasta with grilled prawns. Bar. 303
N. Oregon (915-504-6400). L & D 7 days. $$$$YVONNE’S CANTINA & GRILL SSS
NEW Mexican | The location is familiar, as it
housed a Mexican restaurant for more than twenty
years. When Yvonne Loya, who has a wonderful little
eatery on El Paso’s east side, decided to share her
talents with the west side, she was welcomed with
open arms. It’s an inviting spot with an open kitchen
that sends out fresh tostadas with fiery hot red salsa,
expertly crafted gorditas, fish tacos, ceviche, and
more. Wash it down with a glass of the glorious san-
gria, chilled and filled with fruit. A sunset view from
the patio adds to the experience. Bar. 4772 Doniphan
Dr (915-881-4001). B, L & D 7 days. $$Fort Worth
AUSTIN CITY TACO CO. SSS
NEW Mexican | Inspired by Austin taquerias, this
sunny, stylish upstart in the Cultural District serves
tacos as delicious as they are elaborately conceived
and constructed. Magdalena’s chef Juan Rodriguez
moonlights here as menu engineer, creating corn-tor-
tilla tacos like the Bohemian, packed with oak-smoked
chopped brisket, guacamole, queso fresco, shredded
cabbage, and a creamy serrano sauce, and the al car-
bon, brimming with achiote-marinated rotisserie
chicken, guacamole, queso fresco, pickled carrots, andAUSTIN116 TEXAS MONTHLY