12/28/08

WILD BOAR RIBS ... MORE, MORE, MORE!

by waylandsq

Just can't get enough of those thing, juicy, sticky, succulent. Just the best bar food. Can't just have them as appetizer as you will keep ordering more. Wish they had a dinner size of it. The specials are good too, but the Ribeye could be better. Also you WILL smell like mesquite when you walk out of there!!

• Pros: Wild Boar ribs!
• Cons: Beef ribs & Ribeye leave a lot to be desired

09/09/08

HORRIBLE experience

by gusslesprouts

First of all, yes, we did not have reservations, but it was Tuesday night and there were 2 people total. The wait was over an hour and that was awesome considering there is absolutely NO WAITING AREA. We had to literally stand in front of the crowded host stand for an hour while we watched dirty tables sit for way too long. By the way, the hostess was extremely unpleasant and ignored my boyfriend when he first asked her a question. The open kitchen would have been cool if the line cooks weren't so repulsive. I saw a lady preparing food literally stuff her face with meat--I'm talking fingers inside the mouth and no gloves. She didn't wash her hands after. I saw another cook rub his hands through his hair and play with his beard MULTIPLE times. Yep, no gloves or hint of hand washing to come. We finally got sat and had some ridiculous looking hipster as our waitress. In her defense though, she was really nice.

All of that wouldn't have ticked me off if the food had been delicious. We ordered the deviled eggs and I'm not exaggerating-- I have french's mustard and garlic powder in my kitchen and I could have made WAY better. They were horrible! Then we ordered the $15 brisket to split between us and wow, that was a mistake considering it came with FOUR TINY PIECES of mediocre meat. It was fatty and seriously was just not good. We also ordered the macaroni which from afar looked promising, however it is SO THICK that you literally cannot swallow it. It was horrible. The whole experience was really disappointing. The "fanciness" doesn't equate to the horrible service and food. I would rather eat at the run down hole in the wall next to my house than ever go to this place again.

• Pros: none
• Cons: everything

08/30/08

Fantastic

by branv

I would love to comment on the bbq, if I could ever bring myself to order anything but Lambert's drool-inducing Fried Green Tomato Salad. I ordered it on my first trip during lunch with a friend, and actually took my husband back two days later for dinner to order the same thing. Lightly-fried green tomatoes topped with crab, over salad greens and a delicate green goddess dressing, this may very well be the reason God created tomatoes. I tasted my husbands brisket, though we actually found it to be good but not awe-inspiring (harder to take given both the higher price and the availability of top-notch brisket in the area). Their roasted vegetables are, however, in the realm of, "can these really be vegetables" decadent and rich through lovely roasting and caramelization. Another outstanding feature is their fried pies. The pie is cooked so well that you would never believe that it is actually fried (as any chef will tell you an item fried correctly, at the right temp, absorbs very little grease). We enjoyed the apple that night, with I believe a ginger ice cream and caramel drizzle. Refreshing but decadent at the same time. We were lucky enough to try brunch on Saturday (I think they've discontinued this one). I ordered their take on Eggs Benedict, and my long search in Austin for remotely decent EB is over! The problem with Eggs Benedict is balance -- you have to make sure nothing, the sauce, the meat, etc, overwhelms any other part of the dish. This was perfect, every ingredient able to stand both alone and with the others. Finally, I have to give major kudos to Lamberts for their drinks. They are quite steep, but top notch. They do not skimp in both measure and quantity of good liquor, and the mixing ingredients are fresh-made and natural, not bottled and unnaturally-hued mixes. Overall, Lamberts reminds me of the best parts of Austin: original, little kitchzy and unexpected, down-to-earth meets top-notch all the way.