Boomtown Dining

Ever since the days when Marble Falls was a tiny quarry settlement on the Colorado River, people have been drawn here by the attractive natural assets. First, it was the beauty of the Colorado River tumbling over granite boulders, and next it was the distinctive pink granite quarried nearby – residents wisely bartered the highly prized stone with the builders of Austin's new Capitol building for a rail line connecting them to the city. Later, when the river was dammed to create the Highland Lakes and the falls were obscured, recreation became the area's stock in trade. The exclusive Horseshoe Bay Resort came along in 1971, attracting folks to the beautiful lake and the championship golf courses. Up until a few years ago, Marble Falls remained a quiet resort town, busy with part-time residents in the summer and on weekends – a favorite destination for retirees and folks with enough disposable income to afford second homes. Now, the impact of Austin's booming growth is obvious in Marble Falls. As housing developments sprout up along highways 71 West and 281 North, many new folks are commuting to Austin for work but calling Marble Falls home, treasuring the natural beauty and recreational amenities offered here. One positive aspect of all the growth is an increase in dining opportunities. Sure, the population growth has brought some regional chains, but good local, independent restaurants flourish. From longtime locals' favorite breakfast spot, Atwood's, to the legendary Blue Bonnet Cafe to the much newer fine-dining mecca, Cafe 909, Marble Falls is a serious dining destination. – Virginia B. Wood

Russo's Texitally Cafe (1)

602 Steve Hawkins Pkwy., 830/693-7091

Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-10pm

www.texitally.com

Russo's Texitally Cafe deserves recognition for being among the first restaurants in Marble Falls to believe the local populace would support a high-end restaurant. Your first attraction will be the sprawling picture windows offering one of the prettiest views in Central Texas as you gaze over Lake Marble Falls from atop the highest hill in town. Longevity counts in small towns, and Russo's has made its place by keeping the customers satisfied with Texas ingredients and Italian cooking methods. At lunchtime, pastas and tomato sauce reign, with the Spaghetti and Italian Sausage ($6.95) being one of the best New Jersey-style entrées. For a little more excitement, try the Texalfredo Blue ($7.95), penne pasta in Alfredo sauce with grapes, pecans, jalapeños, and blue cheese. At dinner, meats take over the menu, with certified Angus beef steaks (all market-priced and hand-cut) being the popular draw. Shrimp lovers can try the Seafood Giovanni ($17.95) with shrimp, scallops, and penne pasta, baked with white wine, butter, cheese, mushrooms, bacon, and jalapeños. Russo's also has a full barista operation, using Starbucks coffee, offering espresso and a number of espresso-based drinks. The coffee bar is open from 10am till 10pm. – Wes Marshall

Patton's on Main (2)

201 Main, 830/693-8664

Tuesday-Saturday: lunch, 10am-3pm; dinner, 5-9:30pm; Sunday: brunch, 10:30am-2pm

www.pattonsonmain.com

If Cafe 909 isn't the best restaurant in town, then Patton's on Main is. There are interesting differences between the two. Cafe 909 is intimate and quiet with a backdrop of owner Mark Schmidt's first-rate iPod offerings like Blossom Dearie and Billie Holiday. Patton's place is bustling, multileveled, and features live music that rocks the patio. Cafe 909 is only open for dinner; Patton's is also open for lunch. And, where Cafe 909 has a few seats devoted to drinking fine wine and beers, Patton's offers a fully equipped sports bar.

Where they coincide is with an enormous amount of talent and creativity in the kitchen. Patton Robertson graduated from Marble Falls High School in 1988 and headed off to Ole Miss. He fell in love with cooking and decided to attend Le Cordon Bleu in London, where he earned the institute's highest honor, the Grand Diplôme. Upon graduation, Wolfgang Puck hired him to work at Spago in Las Vegas. He stayed for seven years, then was recruited to be the executive chef of Cili restaurant, where he was named one of the Star Chefs of Las Vegas.

Married and with a couple of children to raise, it seemed like a good time to go home to Marble Falls. Robertson rescued an old building on the town square and set about creating a challenger to Cafe 909.

His dishes have a sense of place. Classic Texas dishes like grits get dressed up to be Shrimp and Grits ($13 at lunch, $23 at dinner), a marvelous concoction of spicy, cheesy grits with smoked bacon, scallions, and mushrooms topped off with sautéed shrimp. Chicken-fried steak becomes Chicken-Fried Pork Loin ($21 at dinner), served with chipotle mashed potatoes and rich creamed spinach. The restaurant exudes Texas class without ever being formal.

The Patton's wine list is short but nicely chosen. On the red side, jump at the chance for a bottle of MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir ($8.95/glass, $32/bottle). Another great food wine, and nice to see at a Hill Country restaurant, is Fall Creek's Granite Reserve ($27). On the white side of the menu, the best bet is Frog's Leap Sauvignon Blanc ($11/glass, $44/bottle), a wine that goes with virtually any meal you can imagine, short of a grilled rib eye. – W.M.

Blue Bonnet Cafe (3)

211 Hwy. 281, 830/693-2344

Monday-Thursday, 6am-8pm; Friday-Saturday, 6am-9pm; Sunday, 6am-1:45pm

www.bluebonnetcafe.net

River City Grille (4)

700 First, 830/798-9909

Sunday-Thursday, 11am-10pm; Friday-Saturday, 11am-11pm

www.rivercitygrilletx.com

John Kemper used to eat breakfast every morning at the Blue Bonnet Cafe. He loved the place so much that in 1981, he decided to try to buy it. He's now the owner of the Blue Bonnet Cafe, one of the oldest ongoing restaurants in the Hill Country. At the spry age of 77, the cafe continues to pack in the customers. Even with the 60 seats added a few years back, you can count on standing in line for lunch for at least a while. Most people don't mind the wait; it gives them a chance to enjoy watching the waitresses perform their deft maneuvering as they rush – in a friendly manner – to serve more than 2,000 people per day. The crowds pack the place for the fair prices, good food, and incredibly tasty baked goods. Every day, they bake biscuits, yeast rolls, and an assortment of delicious pies, all from scratch.

A few years later, Kemper met Paul Brady, a veteran executive who had worked at Victoria Station, Chili's, the Olive Garden, and Chuy's. They bought a property right on the water and named it River City Grille. The gorgeous views are the initial draw, but the sports bar offers a great opportunity to sample the cold beer; the 2-inch-thick, double-hand-battered, deep-fried onion rings; and a burger while watching the Longhorns beat up all the other teams in the Big 12. The River City Grille also specializes in prime rib and Black Angus steaks. – W.M.

Atwood's (5)

311 Hwy. 281 N., 830/693-2663

Wednesday-Saturday, 6am-2pm

Former Blue Bonnet Cafe owner Louis Atwood opened this little burger joint as a hangout for area high school kids in the late Sixties and sold it to the Sivells family when he retired in 1971. The Sivellses have been cooking for a fiercely loyal clientele ever since. Mom Virginia does most of the baking: She's famous for her biscuits and the individual German-style fruit pies (apple, apricot, cherry, peach, and pineapple) that are baked, not fried, and are so popular they come with a four-per-customer limit. Local pit master Billy Ray Inman turned us on to Atwood's, describing how he and other longtime residents gather here regularly to discuss community events over the hearty Texas country breakfasts. Most of the cooking is still done by proprietor Charles Sivells and his son, Hardy, who tells us many members of the lunch crowd are partial to his enchiladas. We mean to try them first chance we get. – V.B.W.

Cafe 909 (6)

909 Second, 830/693-2126

Monday-Saturday, 5-10pm

www.cafe909.com

Cafe 909 is undoubtedly our favorite fine-dining destination in the Highland Lakes area. Chef/owner Mark Schmidt uses the term "rustic gourmet" to describe his restaurant, and we've come to understand that means excellence without pretension in every aspect of the operation. Schmidt's sophisticated menus always include inviting preparations of sweetbreads, foie gras, Texas game, Angus beef, pork, and seafood flown in fresh every few days. Menus change with the four seasons, allowing him to add elements of the freshest seasonal ingredients to his flavorful presentations. The wine list is well-stocked with food-friendly vintages, and the selection of delightful aperitifs is not to be missed. Dress up or come casual, sit at a white-clothed table or grab a tall seat at the bar overlooking Schmidt's open kitchen, and prepare for a remarkable meal, expertly conceived and served. – V.B.W.

Inman's Ranch House Barbeque (7)

Highway 281 North & Sixth, 830/693-2711

Tuesday-Friday, 9am-5pm; Saturday, 9am-2pm; Sunday, 9am-1pm

Inman's Ranch House in Marble Falls started in 1964 as a satellite of Inman's Kitchen in Llano, and for the last 42 years, it hasn't changed a lick while remaining the definitive barbecue spot in town. It is run by Billy Ray Inman, son of founder Francis, who still comes in and pulls shifts and trades gossip with the regulars. (Francis himself is in fine form these days after his successful bypass operation.)

Inman's smokes two things in their oak-fired classic pit: Spice-Rubbed Beef Brisket ($7/pound) and an amazing Smoked Turkey Sausage ($6/pound; Billy Ray made 26,000 pounds last year). The brisket has a thick smoke ring and a complex and beefy flavor; it is so tender that you can cut it with a plastic spoon. The sausage is chunky, with pepper and garlic adding to the smoky turkey flavor; the casing has a good snap to it when it's cut. This is quite simply one of the best sausages we can find in the state.

Most folks get a plate when they come in (small: $5, large: $6) which gets you a single meat or a combo, delicious spicy and thick pinto beans, a delectable vinegar-based slaw, onions and pickles, white bread, and your choice of sweet or unsweet tea. The barbecue sauce is rich, thick, and dark, with a subtle sweet-sour flavor that perfectly complements the spicing used on the brisket and the sausage. It's a hell of a bargain, and when you get finished, you know what all the fuss is about. – Mick Vann

Jamin House Cafe (8)

617 Broadway, 830/693-3979

Thursday-Monday: lunch, 11am-2:30pm; dinner, 5-9pm

www.jaminhouse.com

Years ago, Jane and Bill Allen traded a life in the Cayman Islands for a Caribbean restaurant in this friendly Highland Lakes resort town. The popular Jamin House is now in its third location, a charming Victorian house a few blocks off Highway 281. Jane Allen is convinced this third spot is finally home. "Moving to the big building on the lake a few years back eventually forced us to become a much different restaurant than we really wanted to be," she says. "That place seated over 300 people and had a very big bar. This house seats 90 people and has a much cozier feel to it. It's much better suited to Bill's style of cooking." Bill Allen's cuisine reflects a Caribbean influence, with island herbs, spices, and peppers showing up in many dishes, be it beef, pork, poultry, or seafood. His jerk sauce and jerk mayo proved to be so popular with customers that they are now bottled and available for sale in the restaurant and online. Be sure to save room for dessert here: The light, tangy Key Lime Souffle Pie and decadently rich Banana Caramel Cream Pie are both delicious. – V.B.W.

Janie's Mexican Food (9)

710 Ave. N, 830/693-7204

Monday-Saturday, 7am-9pm; Sunday, 8am-1:45pm

Janie's Mexican Food started more than 30 years ago as a taco shack. Janie only had $1,000 when she started, so she would have her daughter run things in order to keep the place going while Janie cleaned houses. She knew that her homemade tortillas and scrumptious hot sauce would draw customers eventually, and she was right. Today, she has hosted some of Central Texas' most discerning Mexican-food aficionados, all of whom love her food and the friendly service. Part of her secret: She buys everything fresh, often going to the supermarket and paying higher prices than she would with a wholesaler, just to make sure she gets the best ingredients. The attention to detail makes for wonderful cuisine. – W.M.

Brothers Bakery (10)

519 Hwy. 281 N., 830/798-8278

Monday-Friday, 6:30am-4pm; Saturday, 7:30am-3pm

www.brothersbakery.com

After hometown boy Ryan Malamud graduated from the baking and pastry program at the Culinary Institute of America, he returned to Marble Falls and created what every small town needs: a local bakery. Malamud describes himself as "a bread guy," and he keeps the shelves here loaded with loaves, rolls, and buns baked fresh daily. The pastry cases here are filled with cinnamon rolls, sausage kolaches, cookies, brownies, croissants, and Danish pastries. There's a full line of coffee drinks to enjoy with the pastries, and the lunch menu features hearty sandwiches ($5.99) on your choice of their fresh breads with chips, salsa, and a pickle spear. The sandwiches can be paired with tasty soups ($3.99) or a selection of inviting salads ($5.99). Brothers is the perfect place to order box lunches ($6.99 for a sandwich, chips, and a cookie), whether you're taking a boat out on the lake or taking a driving tour of area wineries. – V.B.W.

Peete Mesquite BBQ (11)

2407 Hwy. 281 N., 830/693-6531

Tuesday-Saturday, 10:30am-7pm

Wayne and Lanell Henderson's 1992 vintage restaurant is in a wooden building decorated with memorabilia and has air conditioning for the communal tables. Kevin and Debra Monks manage Peete's and do the cooking on the custom-built, rotisserie cabinet smokers fueled with mesquite coals.

The Dry-Rubbed Brisket ($8.25/pound) spends about eight to 10 hours spinning lazily around in a smoky cloud, with direct and indirect heat. We found some slices well-marbled and juicy, while the leaner cuts were a tad dry, but tasty after a dip in their tangy barbecue sauce. The ribs ($8.25/pound) are smoky and tender, with most of the fat properly rendered away in the smoker. Their sausage ($6.50 per ring) is a blend of beef and pork, made for Peete's in Austin. It's a fine grind, large-diameter ring, with subtle spicing. We prefer a more assertive flavor, but the locals seem to like it just fine.

They are also famous for their Pork Steak ($6.95 per steak), which is a thick bone-in cut from the shoulder. You can get turkey breast ($8.25/pound), chicken ($8.25 whole, $4.50 half), and chopped beef ($7.95). Sides include pintos, spud salad, macaroni salad, and a sweet slaw. Plates range from $9.95 for three meats to $7.95 for brisket and sausage, with family packs ($23.95 to $12.95) and daily specials at $6.45.

The Highlander News has thought enough of Peete Mesquite to pick it the best local barbecue for the past seven years, and regulars fiercely defend the quality of the dining experience. – M.V.