A Prudent Gearhead's Guide to Good Country Eats

Baxters on Main

Baxters on Main is an established "nice" restaurant, housed in a historic building on Bastrop's original main thoroughfare. Their website states, "Take a step back into time and enjoy a jazzed casual fine dining experience enhanced by ... 1920s decor," and this line is eerily accurate; however, it is more like stepping back into the Eighties than the Roar­ing Twenties. The menu lists dishes such as blackened catfish, chicken fettuccine Alfredo, tilapia Veracruz, spinach and artichoke dip, baked French onion soup, and gourmet pizza. Which isn't to say that any of it is bad; everything at Baxters is nicely prepared and presented. It is just genuinely something of a time-warp, especially in the realm of "fine dining" as it is experienced in cutting-edge Aus­tin. What Baxters on Main does do extremely well are hand-cut Angus steaks and baked potatoes, hand-cut french fries, and fresh cold dinner salads with gorgonzola cheese and crispy onions. The service is excellent, if slightly theatrical, and there's also a solid wine list and a cozy bar. If you stick to a thick steak, a baked potato, and side salad you will have a perfectly lovely meal.