Austin Grill
7278 Woodmont Avenue
Metro: Bethesda (red line)
www.austingrill.com
$9-$12
Grade: A-
The next time that craving for Mexican food takes over, avoid walking into Guapo's in Tenleytown and instead take the Metro to Bethesda's Austin Grill for some savory Tex-Mex.
As a resident of Texas and a seasoned appreciator of fine Tex-Mex, its not a far stretch for this writer to say Austin Grill does the zest-filled cuisine good justice. The restaurant prepares its meals with more than 25 salsas, sauces and dressings from scratch and uses more than a dozen different chili peppers with fresh ingredients, according to its Web site.
One look at the menu is enough to make patrons' mouths water with delight. A notable aspect of the menu is that its vegetarian dishes are indicated with a green symbol, making the grill vegetarian-friendly. The vegetarian grilled vegetable burrito is a classic option for vegetarians. It consists of grilled onions, peppers, spinach and yellow and green squash stuffed in a sizable burrito. For the meat-eater, the Austin Special is an ideal choice. Patrons who order this flavorful dish get one chicken and one cheese enchilada drenched with tomatillo, ancho and suiza sauces. Not everyone knows what these sauces are, but it can't be denied that they make the enchiladas taste great.
Because the Austin Grill is often bustling with large groups of customers that require more table space, the wait can be slightly aggravating. Still, once customers take in the scenery and the tantalizing smells of the grill, it becomes hard to remember there ever was a wait.
The lively grill also harbors its connection to Austin, Texas, with full pride. The restaurant's Web site notes, "Austin is the kind of town where people have fun together, enjoy eating great food, appreciate good music and don't take life any more seriously than necessary to make next month's rent." This easygoing philosophy for the restaurant makes it a down-to-earth option for a laid-back evening with a group of friends looking for a place to fraternize.
In the restaurant, signs and pictures of Texas road maps lend themselves well to the southern-roots theme. The restaurant's array of browns from its wooden floors and walls, along with the arrangements of red and yellows that remind one of salsa and queso, appeals greatly to a true Tex-Mex atmosphere. The grilled smells of fajitas, enchiladas and burritos mixed with the refreshing sight of salsa and guacamole adds another essential Tex-Mex flare to the environment.
The Austin Grill is also known for its live performance stages featuring a wide array of local talent. Unfortunately, the Austin Grill location in Bethesda does not have a live performance stage, but there is another location in Silver Spring, Md., that does feature one. The lack of a live performance stage at the Bethesda location seems to take away an important part of what an Austin Grill is about.
Still, while D.C. is a great place to find exotic cuisines like Ethiopian, Thai or Lebanese meals, it's hard to find restaurants like the Austin Grill that provide a combination of traditional ethnic foods and authentic American tastes. The grill made Washingtonian Magazine's "50 Best Restaurants" and "50 Best Bargain Restaurants," as well as Hispanic Magazine's Best Restaurants USA, according to its Web site.
The Austin Grill is fun and leaves patrons stuffed with rich and hearty food. Those who choose to be head honcho this weekend can take their friends out for an enjoyable evening of leisure and fiesta-like festivities at this happening and stimulating restaurant.
