Outrageous Malfunction

Lyle and I visited the Austin Cantina in Seattle tonight. I had a cup of chili, a mojito, the chicken fried steak, and a banana-nilla wafer concoction. Lyle had coffee, chili, beef enchiladas, and a chocolate cake with raspberry purée. We both agreed the chili needs a lot of salt to make it edible; however, the table salt and pepper shakers were almost empty. Perhaps previous patrons had used it all on chili? Once seasoned, the Texas-style chili was great. I hate bean-based chilies; to be able to buy a real chili is a treat. The main course was very thin steak on artfully plated potatoes with grilled corn. The steak was did not require a knife to cut and was quite flavorful. The waitress brought us three hot sauces to try; they were not overpowering, which was nice. Next time I will ask for the hot sauce with the chili. Lyle reported that the beer used to cook the beef for his enchiladas was quite evident in flavor. The desserts were excellent; Lyle’s chocolate cake with purée got good reviews. The purée was unsweetened, which is a nice touch. My banana-nilla wafer concoction was nice, as well. The flavors were mild and understated, which is missing in a lot of prepared foods. My mojito was quickly served and not of the over-alcoholic type; I find lots of places put the emphasis on the alcohol to the extent of serving undrinkable beverages. Our tab was just shy of $60 for two; we left a tip of around $13 or $14 as the service was attentive. The downsides to the Cantina are that it is in Ballard, which means you’re in for a heck of a drive if you want to visit. If you’re trying to find it on the map, it is just north of the Ballard QFC on the other side of the street. The Austin Cantina is a warm, open place that I’ll be sure to stop by again. The owner has a blog, which is the primary reason I stopped by in the first place. If they were closer in, the Austin Cantina would easily replace Beth’s as the default place to eat.