Standout Sister Act

Photo By John Anderson

Mirabelle

Mon-Fri, 11am-2pm; Mon-Thu, 5:30-9:30pm; Fri-Sat, 5:30-10pm; Sun,10:30am-2pm

Money moves mountains. As our fair city is reshaped by the current economic boon, we watch as popular businesses gravitate to the 183/MoPac/Arboretum/Gateway Plex -- the new center of Austin (or, if you prefer, the center of New Austin). Banks of newly constructed apartments and housing developments require their share of mallbound retail boutiques and 24-hour home improvement warehouses. It was only a matter of time before Austin restaurateurs started adapting local franchisees to soak up some of the late Nineties new money. After all, people gotta eat, and the chain restaurants shouldn't get all the fun. Mirabelle, the self-described "sister restaurant" of the central district's Castle Hill Cafe, is co-owner Cathe Dailey's response to this northwesterly migration and represents an admirable adaptation of the mothership's cuisine to more suburban surroundings. At their new location in a strip mall near Spicewood and Mesa, Mirabelle provides a valued northwest option for those who want to avoid the increasingly busy Arboretum. And in many ways, the new eatery must delicately toe the line between carrying on the Castle Hill tradition and developing its own.

Anyone familiar with Castle Hill's ochre-tone ambiance will immediately recognize a striking family resemblance in atmosphere. The large dining room borrows the hardwood floors and color combinations of its older sibling -- a scheme that cleanly echoes the aesthetic of the little house on Fifth and Blanco.

Not too surprisingly, the family similarities are more than skin deep. Both kitchens constantly experiment (and successfully integrate) multiple layers of taste and texture while routinely drawing on culinary traditions from across the globe. Pacific Rim, Italian, Southwest, and a host of other influences combine under chef Jesus Torres' interpretation of "New American cuisine." It's not uncommon to encounter an entree featuring multiple sauces, a chutney, and a coarse-chopped salsa of complementary flavors. For example, the Sage Crusted Pork Tenderloin ($7.95 at lunch) deftly juxtaposes a rich, earthy wild mushroom, cheddar, and sherry sauce with a splash of green apple puree (for tang) and sweet-sour fig slaw (for crunch). Despite the complexity of such preparations, Mirabelle avoids flavor-related missteps with the same solid execution of its influential forerunner.

Photo By John Anderson

A side-by-side comparison of the sisters' menus reveals direct imitation with regard to time-tested entrees and standby appetizers. Fans of Castle Hill's Spicy Szechwan "Hacked" Chicken Salad will find an identical version at Mirabelle. The same goes for trademark starters such as the Spicy Duck and Sausage Gumbo ($3.25 cup/$5.95 bowl) and Lucinda's Basil Cheese Torta ($3.50). It's a case of a younger kitchen playing off the success of a more experienced line, and the staff of Mirabelle has clearly chosen their overlapping dishes carefully.

The Mirabelle menu also draws liberally on other Castle Hill traditions, including near-encyclopedic entree descriptions and a deep, fairly priced selection of fine wines. The kitchen routinely attempts ambitious dishes that incorporate disparate flavors, so the extensive descriptions often help diners map out the final product, even if it makes for a long read. For example, the light yet substantial Picadillo Empanada appetizer ($3.25) is described as "two fried empanadas with beef tenderloin tip picadillo in a Parmesan crust served with a Guajillo sour cream cilantro dipping sauce." (Just add a few measurements and a scattering of verbs and there's your recipe.) On the plate, the plump little pies are greaseless and bursting at the seams with well-spiced chopped beef as the peppery dipping sauce provides gentle heat and soothing sweet in the same bite.

When it comes to wine, co-owner and general manager Michael Villim sees to it that Mirabelle's cellar is stocked with reasonably priced vintages and that his staff can effectively match wine with the very active flavors of Torres' specialties. On two separate occasions, our waiters asked several questions about personal tastes and our overall order before suggesting appropriate vintages. An exceptional fish dish -- the Chilean Sea Bass in Shiitake Butter -- was well paired with a 1997 Morgan Pinot Noir ($7 glass/$26 bottle). The fruit and spice of the wine balanced perfectly with the delicate fish, served atop a bed of crunchy steamed asparagus and tender large-bead Israeli couscous. (As has been mentioned in these pages some weeks back, Mirabelle also plays host to monthly wine tasting dinners featuring prominent wineries.)

In the dessert arena, the most notable entries depart from the "tried and true" dishes of the Castle Hill songbook. On the light side, the Sabayon with Fresh Fruit ($3.75) is the perfect combination of sweet, ethereal custard and a pleasantly tart raspberry puree. The layered confection is served with sliced berries and is accented with the delicate flavors of sweet Marsala wine and a hint of orange liqueur. The Bittersweet Chocolate Tart ($4.25) is true to its name and contains enough pure cocoa flavor to sate even the most hardcore chocoholics. This dish is intense, but not particularly sweet -- a dense layer of bittersweet chocolate "custard" contains very little sugar -- and is perfect for those non-sugary dessert moods.

Since it's just over a year old, Mirabelle shows some of the minor stumbles common to fledgling operations -- mostly during the busy lunch shift. On the whole, the level of presentation is just a hint off during daytime hours (vegetable side dishes a bit overcooked, no bread available, etc.), but on the whole the substance and flavors of the dishes remain intact. It's a simple case of the flourishes being less refined than they are at dinner time. The menu rotation also occurs less frequently (a few dishes changed out about every five-six weeks), but will likely increase as Mirabelle comes into its own.

Like most little sisters, Mirabelle will no doubt become more comfortable with its own identity as time passes. (There will no doubt be changes in the next few months as Villem and Dailey choose a replacement for the recently departed Torres, who returned to cook at the Four Seasons. Chef de cuisine Sebastian Weddle is currently at the helm.) But judging from the quality of the current experience, Mirabelle will grow up just fine.