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Crimson in Austin

claire797

By claire797
in Texas: Dining

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claire797

claire797

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No, but I met their pastry chef in a cooking class last week! First I'd heard of it. Do we have to go???

I don't know. It was good and I'd go back to try a few more things; however, there are too many other restaurants in town I'd rather visit. I hate to give the place a bad review because there was nothing *bad* about it -- it just didn't wow me.

The restaurant is in the old Gilligan's space. If you've never been to Gilligan's, just imagine yourself in a cavernous two-story warehouse with muted tones of crimson, brown and soft light. For a warehouse/loft, the acoustics were good and my friend and I had no trouble hearing each other. Then again, maybe that was because it was a Monday night and the crowd was sparse. I need to go back on a Friday or Saturday.

The menu had a lot of interesting dishes. To see more, click here http://www.crimson.austin.com. I ended up ordering a chicken breast breaded in soda crackers and covered with Tszaski sauce and my friend ordered Asian style fried chicken -- a rich piece of fried chicken bathed in a rich, dark, sweet oriental style sauce.

We put in our orders and the food appeared at our table in about 8 minutes. This was an omen.

My dish tasted okay, but I could have made it at home. The chicken was cooked perfectly, and the Tsasiki sauce was creative touch, but there was something missing in the taste -- probably all the fat that usually makes restaurant food so good. The side dish of couscous lacked flavor and was served luke-warm. It wasn't horrible, but I could have whipped up a better box of "Near East" myself. So while I enjoyed the dinner -- nice atmosphere, great conversation, good wine (glass of Philips Toasted Head Chardonnay -- $6), you could put me at the same table in the same restaurant with the same staff -- serve me a Lean Cuisine and I'd be just as happy.

I should have tried my friend's chicken dish, but it looked kind of greasy, I was getting full and just sort of blew it off. She said it was great and I took her word for it. She didn't rave, but she never really does. We both saved room for dessert

We did not get a dessert menu. Instead, the waitress announced the choices. I hate it when they do this, as half the fun of dessert is perusing the menu and making a decision. At any rate, I nearly fell out of my chair when she said one of the desserts was red velvet cake -- my favorite. Sadly, it was a let-down. Instead of a big slice of cream cheese frosted layers, the cake was a tiny mini-bundt size cake covered in some sort of sugary, tasteless icing/sauce. I guess it was cream cheese -- I couldn't even tell. Whatever it was, the cake needed it because it was dry. The red velvet cake was not nearly as good as the kind you buy at H.E.B. bakery nor the red velvet cake recipe I make from The Cake Mix Doctor book.

I really wanted to love this place. The atmospere was perfect, the staff was very nice, but the food was mediocre. The dishes sounded so good, but were disappointing in the end.

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coolranch

coolranch

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Thanks for the review, I was contemplating that place for lunch next week.

Speaking of Gilligan's, has anyone been to Zin?

It opened up in the Ella's restaurant space on Kerby Lane, with the same chef from Gilligan's. Maybe I'll give it a try instead of Crimson... :wink:

Challah back!

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claire797

claire797

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Or maybe you'll go to Crimson and have a fabulous dish. I don't know. I really wish I could go back and try something else.

As for Zin, it's on my list of places to try. Unfortunately, I am afraid I'll like it and then it will close. Isn't it in one of those "doomed restaurant" spots?

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foodie52

foodie52

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Yeah, but who cares what the masses say? I rely more on you guys for recommendations!

Someone at work told me about a new soulfood restaurant at the corner of 6th and Waller Creek ( I think...) He says it's really good ( this guy is Black, lives on the east side and his mama is a fabulous cook!)

He's bringing me the menu tomorrow. Can't remember the name of it offhand, but I will report back, maybe in the get-together thread?

Apparently the chef used to be head chef at the Motorola plant on Ed Bluestein ( don't laugh...I taught there for 2 years, and the cafeteria food was excellent). He makes his own desserts....

My friend, Charlie, says that the food is wayyyyy better than Hoover's ( which I don't care for, anyway.)

More as this develops!!

By the way....I give Crimson ....6 months....whatdayasay?

Changing the lives of at risk youth in Colombia
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claire797

claire797

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Can't wait to hear your review on the soul food place.

As for the Citysearch reviews, does this strike you as odd?

Crimson -- been around for a month, has 16 glowing reviews.

Lamberts -- been around for a little over a year, only 12 reviews, mostly good

Castle Hill -- been around forever -- only 16 reviews

Vespaio -- been around over 3 years and has 25 mixed (mostly good) reviews

Eastside Cafe (great place -- been around forever) -- 22 reviews

Something's up.

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coolranch

coolranch

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Posted (edited)
Yeah, but who cares what the masses say? I rely more on you guys for recommendations!

exactly...this is the site where PF Chang's was voted "best Chinese restaurant"

BigBoy---I thought about that...who would open a restaurant in Austin and call it Crimson? I heard the owner is a 'Bama alum...

Edited by coolranch (log)

Challah back!

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coolranch

coolranch

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Can't wait to hear your review on the soul food place.

As for the Citysearch reviews, does this strike you as odd?

Crimson -- been around for a month, has 16 glowing reviews.

Lamberts -- been around for a little over a year, only 12 reviews, mostly good

Castle Hill -- been around forever -- only 16 reviews

Vespaio -- been around over 3 years and has 25 mixed (mostly good) reviews

Eastside Cafe (great place -- been around forever) -- 22 reviews

Something's up.

I assume they just had several FOP's (Friends of the Program) or employees flood the review page. :hmmm:

Challah back!

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claire797

claire797

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Can't wait to hear your review on the soul food place.

As for the Citysearch reviews, does this strike you as odd?

Crimson -- been around for a month, has 16 glowing reviews.

Lamberts -- been around for a little over a year, only 12 reviews, mostly good

Castle Hill -- been around forever -- only 16 reviews

Vespaio -- been around over 3 years and has 25 mixed (mostly good) reviews

Eastside Cafe (great place -- been around forever) -- 22 reviews

Something's up.

I assume they just had several FOP's (Friends of the Program) or employees flood the review page. :hmmm:

Definitely something like that.

I wish one of you would try the place and let me know what you think.

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foodie52

foodie52

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You payin'?If so , I will gladly share my opinion!!! :raz:

Not sure now that I want to fork out the bucks for this place.

Joe's restaurant is at 1206 East 6th.....on the north side of east 6th, on the east side of the freeway.

Anybody up for soul food Saturday lunch? I don't have to be at work til 2:00....

Changing the lives of at risk youth in Colombia
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Jaymes

Jaymes

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Anybody up for soul food Saturday lunch? I don't have to be at work til 2:00....

me me me

When and where.

Call me....

Oh never mind, I'll call you :biggrin:

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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Jaymes

Jaymes

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Never been to Crimson. But, I have thought about openning a place in Oklahoma City called The Burnt Orange Cafe - whatta' ya' think?

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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foodie52

foodie52

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OK; Joe's is at 1201 East 6th....not 1206. There is apparently a big picture of the chef on the side of the building. East side of the freeway, and north side of the street....sure hope the directions I was given are right, but it won't be that hard to find.

Jaymes and I are eating there tomorrow at 11 am. I'm going to the Farmers' Market first to check it out.

fun fun fun!!

Changing the lives of at risk youth in Colombia
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foodie52

foodie52

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Well...first of all, it ain't "Joe's", and it ain't "Mike's". It's TONY'S!!

And it's great.

Memesuze, jaymes and I met there with three of my friends from the Central Market cooking school. We had....chicken fried steak. We had fried catfish. We had porkchops ( done 2 ways...fried and char-broiled.)

All entrees were very, very good. The cf steaks were mostly meat, tender with little breading. The gravy was flavorful. Catfish came hot and in huge pieces with tartar sauce on the side. The porkchops were done well, too. I particularly liked the char aspect of the one I ordered broiled. Our waitperson had no problem with me ordering one fried and one charbroiled.

Sides were excellent. The sweet potatoes were not too sweet. We determined that there was pineapple in them. Greens were simply prepared....no "stuff" added to them.

As for dessert...we had NO room at all, but ordered one banana pudding. The vanilla wafers were still crisp, the banana was fresh and the pudding was creamy and fresh-tasting. We scraped the bottom of the plate.

We all agreed that this is a place we would come back to. Prices were more than reasonable. Atmosphere was no nonsense. We felt comfortable and welcome there.

You need to try it out.

Edited by foodie52 (log)
Changing the lives of at risk youth in Colombia
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Jaymes

Jaymes

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And the greens?  Did anyone try the greens?  Maybe I just need a decent, less than 4-hrs to simmer receipt so dear spouse doesn't have to harangue the folks at Hoovers and Sally's and Luby's and Cracker Barrel . . .

The greens were wonderful. Several people ordered them, and they were kind enough to pass out bitesful. For sides, I got the sweet potatoes and broccoli/cheese/rice casserole, both of which were delicious, but after tasting the greens, decided that next time I'm goin' for the sweet taters & greens.

I didn't have the CFS, but those that did said that they thought they were the best in town. Heavy on the tasty meat and light on the crunchy crust. This place is a real winner and deserves to succeed.

I just somehow wish that all of this was over in Austin Food Trail - (where in fact I did post about our lunch as well) - because I'm afraid folks might miss it here in Crimson....

But that's probably a silly concern, right. I mean, we have so few of us Austonions that I guess we eagerly devour anything that pertains to us.

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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claire797

claire797

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And the greens?  Did anyone try the greens?  Maybe I just need a decent, less than 4-hrs to simmer receipt so dear spouse doesn't have to harangue the folks at Hoovers and Sally's and Luby's and Cracker Barrel . . .

The greens were wonderful. Several people ordered them, and they were kind enough to pass out bitesful. For sides, I got the sweet potatoes and broccoli/cheese/rice casserole, both of which were delicious, but after tasting the greens, decided that next time I'm goin' for the sweet taters & greens.

I didn't have the CFS, but those that did said that they thought they were the best in town. Heavy on the tasty meat and light on the crunchy crust. This place is a real winner and deserves to succeed.

I just somehow wish that all of this was over in Austin Food Trail - (where in fact I did post about our lunch as well) - because I'm afraid folks might miss it here in Crimson....

But that's probably a silly concern, right. I mean, we have so few of us Austonions that I guess we eagerly devour anything that pertains to us.

Yeah. It's sad to think that such a mediocre place is getting discussed so much.

Last word on Crimson -- Fair.

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