Aquarelle (Reported Closed)

Doesn't Recommend

robgoose

Joined 6 years ago

poor service disappointing ambience. I had asked for a special table for my wifes birthday. we arrived at 7 pm early for a nice dinner. I was told I would have a special table. The table was in the middle of the room. Sad but true we were jostled all night and rushed through a fairly expensive meal. We will not be fooled again. there are enough good (I do consider aquarelle good not great) restaraunts in Austin.

Doesn't Recommend

dupree

Joined 6 years ago

Over Priced!. The food and service were very good. The prices are just too high for the this locations good. The client base appears to be over 50 and they may believe in the higher the price the better the quality. For the rest of us, I say no. The house doesn't truly work for business or a night to impress.

Recommends

drridder

Joined 11 years ago

Perfect Place for a Special Night!. Aquarelle is THE perfect spot for a special night with a loved one or another couple. The atmosphere is romantic and the service is very personable. The food is fantastic! A perfect spot to linger over a glass of wine with friends.

Recommends

cuisineboy

Joined 7 years ago

didn't live up to the hype. I had heard good things about Aquarelle via this site and the Chronicle, and got the opportunity to go when I took my girlfriend to celebrate our one year anniversary. Sadly, for all the hype about the restaurant, my girlfriend and I were really disappointed. We knew things weren't starting off well when the bread they brought out was as hard and cold as a rock. Now I know French bread, which this wasn't, it was more like a ciabatta roll from Jack in the Box, is supposed to have a crisp outer crust, but when it's fresh it's supposed to be soft too. For such an upscale restaurant one would think they'd serve warm fresh bread. Following that, my girlfriend who happens to be from New Jersey and knows a thing or two about seafood, ordered the soft-shell crab appetizer. Again, thinking this place would serve fresh food she could tell there was something not quite rite about its taste and unfortunately paid the price the rest of the evening and following morning by being sick. As for myself I had a substitute soup for their bisque which was some sort of cold and bland avocado cream soup. If I wanted cold avocados I would have asked for guacamole, and was hoping to eat it with my fresh warm bread, but since I didn't have that either, it made for a lackluster second course. For the entree my girlfriend and I both ordered the beef tenderloin. Although it was cooked great, the cheese they put on top of it was so overpowering in smell and taste, it literally smelled like sweaty socks, it took away from the overall presentation of the dish, and I most likely could have gone to Outback to get a same cut of meat for at least 1/3 less of the price. The desserts were good, I had the chocolate creme brulee, and our waiter or the chef went out of their way to write "happy anniversary" on our plates which was really nice. Other than that, the atmosphere is nice and quaint with mood setting french/italian music playing in the background. Overpriced and overrated

Recommends

Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Austin's premier Provencial French bistro continues to wow with perfect meals.. In Short
A well-tended garden flanks the entry to this gracious yellow cottage with neat white trim. Inside, the small dining rooms feature long wood-planked floors, tall ceilings and vases of garden-picked flowers on the tables. A decidedly upscale clientele of older couples and businessfolk dominates the space. The soft shell crab is a hearty appetizer, covered with Japanese bread crumbs. The beef tenderloin is seared and shrouded in stout blue cheese, button mushrooms and walnut persillade.

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sfowler

Joined 8 years ago

wonderful food wonderful atmosphere. This restraunt is wonderful. The food is so good , the service is great , and the atmosphere is beautiful.The food was not inexpensive but it was worth every cent .I will go back again and again. Thank you for a wonderful experience.

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mcjilton

Joined 11 years ago

Sacre blue. Good lord! I was actually speachless for a few minutes after my first bite of the beef tenderloin. Blue cheese. Shallot-Port reduction. Mushrooms. Heaven.

My wife and I went here for an anniversary dinner and the entire staff was outstanding. From the hostess to our waiter, everyone was great. Oh... and did I mention the food?? Awesome. The only small let down was the profiteroles. But that was a tiny blimish on an otherwise outstanding dinner and entire evening.

Try the beef tenderloin. Sacre Blue!

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episternum

Joined 8 years ago

Pretty good overall. The fois gras with blueberry mango gastrique was so good; ditto the red pepper soup. My entree, the rabbit with North African spices and baba ganoush, was a swing-and-a-miss. The scallops, on the other hand were seriously tasty. The spiced wine sorbet was terrible but the profiteroles with pistachio ice cream made up for it. Extremely romantic atmosphere, but not stuffy. I'd go again for sure.

Recommends

pistor

Joined 11 years ago

Best table in town. This is definitely the best restaurant in Austin. Try the Chef's Confiance menu. You won't be dissappointed.

Recommends

samuel522

Joined 9 years ago

Elegant Exprience. The service was excellent-- each dish was perfectly timed to arrive after the other with only a moment's hesitation for us to prepare for the next gastronomic feat. My friend and I both had the gourmand tasting menu and we were thoroughly impressed. Our waiter suggested the perfect wine to complement our dinner and by the end of the meal, I was very satisfied. I highly suggest Aquarelle to anyone craving that elegant, sophisticated dining experience that is so hard to find in Austin.