hen I saw a cowgirl enter the room, I knew I was in a sacred place.
Clad in a wide-rimmed black cowboy hat, a western shirt, long black leather skirt and boots, she made her way through Austin's Texas Barbecue restaurant, taking a seat with her companion in a comfy vinyl booth.
For me, a born northerner, the aura at Austin's made me feel like I was in a foreign country. It is decidedly southern, crafted especially for the thousands of Texans who currently make their home on the Peninsula. All kinds of southwestern doodads like hats and spurs hang on the dark walls. Truth be told, there's not much of a notable ambience in the two main dining rooms at Austin's, but it's not really about that.
It's all about the barbecue. Owner Richard Clark opened the restaurant five years ago in the space formerly occupied by Tony Roma's. Prior to that, he had fallen in love with smoked meats and had studied barbecue techniques in the southwest, specifically Austin, Texas.
I eagerly awaited getting the Texas lowdown on the food from my friend, Vince, a Texas native who, along with his family, joined us for dinner. We started on the complimentary cornbread muffins, brought warm to the table. Filled with flecks of red bell pepper inside, they had jalapeno-orange marmalade and whipped butter for spreading.
The dining room filled up fast with casual diners of all ages and stages. "Texas Vince" ordered the chicken-fried steak ($9.25), which he said was going to be the true test.
"It must have creamy white gravy -- not brown gravy, which is annoying," he told me.
They came through for him. The plate had white gravy-drenched fried steak on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes, surrounded by bright green beans and vivid orange carrots, presented nicely with minced parsley. He pronounced it authentic and ate every bite, citing it not too tough or chewy.
All the orders came on heavy off-white dinner plates, consistent with Austin's home-style atmosphere. All barbecue items come with the sauce on the side, either hot or mild. (Apparently many southern cooking aficionados prefer to taste the smoky meat on its own, without sauce altogether.)
The beef brisket, a cut which can spend over 12 hours in the smoker, was juicy and tender ($7.25 sandwich/$9.95 platter). Pulled pork, so named because it is pulled off the bone after about 8 to 10 hours of cooking, was also smoky and adequately flavorful ($7.25 sandwich, $9.95 platter). The andouille sausage links were nicely coarse and spicy, with a charbroiled flavor ($8.95 sandwich/$8.95 platter). In the hill country sampler appetizer, you can taste small portions of both the pulled pork and andouille sausage for $7.95, and it comes with a side of sweet-tart braised red cabbage.
Another time I ordered the smoked baby back ribs, which were good but even better with a generous slathering of the slightly sweet barbecue sauce ($11.95 for a half slab). My husband ordered one of the "country specialties," southern-fried catfish served with a caper tartar sauce, and found it satisfactory ($11.95). Gladly, it wasn't too fishy tasting.
Sandwiches and platters come with basic pinto beans and a choice of potato salad, coleslaw, or French fries. The coleslaw was unique, with rough-cut cabbage, pineapple, apple and toasted pecans in a creamy and tangy dressing ($1.75 if you want just a side of slaw). The French fries, unbelievably delicious on my very first visit, were thick-cut and skin-on. They came alongside a gigantic and well-prepared half-pound burger ($6.95). Unfortunately, on subsequent trips, the fries were not as stellar, lacking crispness.
Austin's has a full appetizer menu. I recommend the fried calamari ($7.50), featuring wide rings of tender squid and lots of tentacles. They come in a crispy coating served with a sparky jalapeno mayonnaise -- really more of a chipotle aioli, made with smoked dried jalapeŇo, garlic, mayonnaise and other spices. Soups, salads, vegetarian offerings, half-pound burgers, steaks ($14.95-$28.95), and sandwiches each have their own menu categories -- lots of choices for the hungry ranch hand. Junior cowpokes will likely find something on the kids' menu ($4.95-$7.95).
My favorite menu item, consistent with my bent toward California cuisine, was the red and green leaf salad. Even the "half size" was a generous portion, and I savored every bite of the greens, pecans, dried red currants and crumbled bleu cheese, all tossed with a citrus vinaigrette. I also added the smoked chicken to it, which was a nice option ($5.95 for the half size with chicken).
If you still have room for dessert, get the caramel custard ($3.50), a creamy, light flan-style treat. The bread pudding ($3.75) was on the dry side, and the cobbler ($4) had a slightly bitter aftertaste. Although I never tried it, the servers swore the white chocolate cheesecake ($4.25) is wonderful (but not made in-house like the other desserts).
The waitstaff at Austin's was consistently friendly. Many of their customers are regulars, and many of those regulars are Texans, according to Clark and a couple of the servers.
One customer is such a regular that a menu item is named after her: "Michele's Chicken Platter," due to a specific combination of vegetables she repeatedly requested, including eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash. Michele was even eating there during one of my evening visits.
In honor of its fifth anniversary, the restaurant is beginning to feature Texas college sporting events on multiple televisions (University of Texas, Texas A & M and Texas Tech). And for the next month and a half, a karaoke contest will continue to be held on Friday and Saturday nights from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., in conjunction with radio station KRTY. Country music is the dominant theme, but pop, rap and big-band selections are also available. A winner will be selected each night of the contest, all of whom will compete in a final showdown in April.
So sidle up to the bar, pardner, and practice that twang.
Austin's Texas Barbeque & Steakhouse, 1616 West El Camino Real, Mountain View (650) 969-9191
Hours: Mon. 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Tues.-Thu. 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri. 11:30 a.m.-12 midnight; Sat. 8 a.m.-midnight; Sun. 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Breakfast is served on weekends.
Atmosphere: Two very casual dining rooms, with comfortable vinyl booths and some tables. The atmosphere is a little on the dark side. People of all ages and stages, some regulars, chatter while they enjoy their barbecue.
Highlights: Smoked meats are definitely the focus here, such as pulled pork and beef brisket ($7.25 sandwiches to $19.95 smokehouse platters). Try the red and green leaf salad with citrus vinaigrette (including dried red currants, bleu cheese and smoked chicken, $5.95/half-size). If you're going on a Friday or Saturday, make reservations to avoid a wait. Stay for the karaoke contest, which runs through April 13 (10 p.m.-1 a.m.).
Reservations: Yes
Credit Cards: Yes
Valet Parking: No, dedicated lot
Alcohol: Yes
Takeout: Yes
Highchairs: Yes
Wheelchair Access: Yes
Banquet: Yes
Outdoor seating: Yes, in warmer weather
Noise Level: Medium
Bathroom cleanliness: Average
