3825 Lake Austin Blvd. (Oyster Landing), 476-7372
Mon-Thu,11am-10:30pm; Fri & Sat, 11am-11pm; Sun, 10:30am-10:30pm
As we walked down the ramp into the Lodge dining room, memories of the dining
hall at the New Mexico mountain summer camp I attended as a teenager flashed
through my mind. The flashback must have been inspired by the rustic blend of
stone fireplaces, soaring wooden beams, outdoor equipment, and taxidermy that
make up the interior of the very popular West Austin restaurant and watering
hole. The Lodge also boasts amenities unavailable in that camp dining hall such
as a well-stocked inside bar complete with TVs tuned to sports events or an
outdoor bar built on a deck over gently lapping lake waters.
True to the old real estate maxim, the Lodge’s main attraction is location,
location, location. The Lodge is part of a large mixed-use development known as
Oyster Landing on the site of the former BoatTown marina and began as an
equally popular neighborhood hangout across the street known as the Lakeview
Cafe. These days, whether the clientele are crunching on homemade Ranch Chips
with cocktails in front of a roaring fire in the comfortable, casual bar or
chowing down on 8oz. Buffalo Burgers on the breezy deck, the lovely lakeside
setting draws large, loyal crowds during every season.
An early dinner on a recent rainy evening began with an order of the house
special Ranch Chips ($2.50), crisp, greaseless homemade potato chips with a
side of Ranch dressing for dipping. Deep-frying potato chips must be delicate
art because many of the basket of chips were too brown to eat but the edible
ones were great, definitely in the “betcha can’t just eat one” category. There
are several substantial salads available at the Lodge and my companion chose a
Chicken Spinach Salad ($8.50), specifically requesting the salad dressing be
served on the side and the mushrooms listed on the menu be left off her salad.
Our friendly young waitress assured that would be no problem. The huge fresh
bowl of spinach arrived topped with mushrooms, Swiss cheese, red onions, and
strips of blackened chicken breast with a light balsamic vinaigrette on the
side. The enjoyable salad was really about two meals-worth of food, making a
fine lunch the next day. The salad is also available topped with a grilled
chicken breast.
The dinner menu features chicken, seafood, and steaks in various preparations
and the Mixed Grill of grilled quail, tuna, and venison ($21.95) paired with
wild rice and saut�ed vegetables was my entr�e of choice. Though
the good-sized tuna steak and flavorful link of locally made venison sausage
had unfortunately been cooked to the point of toughness, the little quail was
just about perfect — small, juicy bites of meat beneath a crisp, spicy skin.
The meats are well-complemented by a smoky-sweet chipotle chile and tomato
sauce. The wild rice and saut�ed vegetable turned out to be a rather
cold and pasty serving of southwest mashed potatoes and broccoli. As we
finished dinner, the lights around the lake began to twinkle, reflecting off
the gently lapping water, reminding me that the comfortable Lodge has a
dynamite location. However, I can’t help but feel that everything on the menu,
from a $2.50 order of potato chips to a $22 entr�e could be prepared
with much greater attention to detail. It can’t all be about the view.
— Virginia B. Wood
This article appears in March 28 • 1997 and March 28 • 1997 (Cover).