Aquarelle

http://www.aquarellerestaurant.com/

Aquarelle prides itself on using fresh local produce and attempts to bring an authentic taste of France to Austin.  How well they succeed at this is the topic for another time.  For the Stars Across Texas, Aquarelle brings a tuna tartare served over a tangy sorbet with chard micro greens.  The sorbet nicely accents the tuna and is offset by the savoriness of the garlic crouton. 

The Cafe at The Four Seasons

http://www.fourseasons.com/austin/dining.html 

The Cafe at the Four Seasons has perennially been ranked one of the top restaurants in Central Texas.  The lakeside restaurant is popular for their Sunday Brunch which features many tempting selections at a relatively affordable price.  The dish for the evening features potato and basil gnocci with braised beef and garnished with chard  microgreens.  (microgreen garnish seem to be especially popular this year...)  The dish is decidedly salty, but the beef is tender and makes a nice combination with the gnocci.  The sour cream dressing helps to lend a richness that would otherwise be missing from the dish. 

Cafe Josie

http://www.cafejosie.com/

Cafe Josie delivers a dish that reflects their goal of equitorial style cuisine.  That is, Cafe Josie focuses on blending influences from South and Central America, Asia, Africa, and the Mediterranean.  The result is a spicy flavor combination that evokes the palate with their origins.  The dish bears a strong resemblance to nachos with the use of a tortilla chip as the central item.  The chip blankets several slices of roasted pork and is topped with an assortment of onions, sauces and cheeses.  Above the layers sits a final sliver of roasted chicken.  Together, the combination delivers both a savory and spicy kick.

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