Local Gem: Austin Land & Cattle Company

Have you ever had a dish you couldn’t help but feel a little stressed over, because it's so tasty and you know you won't finish it all? You ask yourself 'Should I cut everything up in half so I won't overeat and then still have an extra meal for myself? Or do I maximize my food intake so I don't have to take home that last little bit of food that won't even amount to a full meal?’ Because then you have to microwave it which only ruins your near perfect leftovers. In all honesty this depresses me when I have to re-heat delicious leftovers and then my mouth figures out real quick that the rough, dry, flavorless meat isn't what was on my plate taunting me the night before. These are the kinds of questions I ask myself during dinner at Austin Land & Cattle Company.

Here's the deal though, I have only been to ALC twice, but I still remember how this place left an impression on me the first time I ever took a bite of their steak. But guess what? I don't eat beef anymore. So my husband wondered what I would do going back into a restaurant that serves beef as its award-winning item. Would I get seafood or chicken or something vegetarian? And if I did would I be disappointed and never go back? Not the case.

I decided to get the Grilled Pork Chops which had honey, garlic and Tabasco seasoning along with the garlic mashed potatoes and the chef's veggies which included spinach and cooked carrots. I should point out that I LOVE spinach, but do NOT like cooked carrots. I decided I would try them out any way and I kid you not, I ate those carrots like they were candy. So good. Um, needless to say I started asking myself questions on how to handle the amount of food and leftovers right after the first bite. The meat was savory and spicy, but not too spicy. I enjoyed each and every fork-load.

My husband ordered the spicy sirloin soup, baked potato and the 10 oz sirloin. He had no issues with any of his meal (well, except for the chef's veggies, but he doesn't like 'healthy' stuff anyway so this is nothing new to me). We had to stop ourselves from eating anything else, which unfortunately included dessert

Our waiter was super nice and talkative. He gave us a lot of recommendations, but also let us take our time on ordering. I must also mention that we went with my grandparents who are regulars at ALC and enjoyed it just as they have every visit before. We had this sort of private room where we were separated by some French doors that could open up into another larger room. It was very nice and cozy. People have mentioned how dark it is inside. Yes, it is somewhat dim and there is a ton of candle light, but I'm not sure why this is a complaint. It is very romantic and elegant inside so I can't see the lighting being any other way for the atmosphere they are going for. The building itself has a beautiful and classic feel to it. It's unlike any restaurant I go to on a week to week basis. Perhaps this is why it is so special to us and yet we've only come here twice in the past four years.

People may not understand why I give it such high praise when I haven’t made several trips back. It is because of the price (mainly) and it's one of those places you just don't think about going to when it's far from home. More times than not we just want a no fuss, cheap meal that sits in some grease (not literally, but you know what I mean). We want ALC to remain a sacred 'once in a blue moon' dining experience we can enjoy sparingly. I mean why ruin a good thing?