Hudson's on the Bend - Rattlesnakes, Rabbits & Elk, Oh My!
Written: Dec 14 '00 (Updated Dec 14 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Sauces and unusual game
Cons: Service is not up to par
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| tanz's Full Review: Austin Restaurants |
Unless you are already part of the casually dressed in Ralph Lauren crowd, you will need my advice to fully enjoy your first experience at Hudson’s on the Bend. This unique restaurant carved out its niche by serving up game –- everything from quail to venison to kangaroo, and doing so with style. Located on the outskirts of the Austin area (about a mile west of Mansfield Dam on 620) and owned by lead chef Jeff Blank, Hudson’s on the Bend attracts a loyal following. If you want an unusual dining experience, but don’t want to look like a newbie in the process (and trust me, you don’t,) then take a moment to learn from my experiences.
1) Be sure to dress down by wearing your khakis and $100 golf shirt -- remember, this is a casual environment
Hudson’s is casual and comfortable. The restaurant is composed of several small rooms, so you feel more like a guest in the chef’s home than a patron in his restaurant. The walls are covered with attractive artwork painted by Shanny, the owner’s wife. I remember reading about the artwork before I saw it, and I was afraid of what to expect. After all, paintings displayed because of the artist’s relationship to the property owner usually raises a flag for me. I’m here to tell you, however, that this Shanny is quite skilled and her art is very pleasing to the eye. I would not mind having a piece in my own home, but her style would not fit in with my décor.
Now as I said, Hudson’s has a relaxed atmosphere. You need to keep in mind, however, that “casual” for the regulars of Hudson’s does not mean jeans and a t-shirt -- far from it. The patrons dress business casual or better and pull it off with an ease that convinces me they dress this way just to check their mail. You can get away with fairly formal attire if you so desire, but leave the sequined dress at home. Please.
2) Enjoy your food – and try not to think about how many movie tickets you could buy for the price of this meal
This is generally easy to do, because the food really does taste good. Meats you might not normally try (elk anyone?) are carefully prepared, most of the time. Although the menu changes every month, the changes in dishes are fairly minor. The first time I visited I ordered a rabbit and veal dish. It cost $32. The meat was tender and juicy, and the sauce –- well, I’ll get to the sauce later. Let’s just say that if rabbit always tastes this good, the Easter Bunny will be in serious danger next spring.
The last time we ate at Hudson’s, however, the meal lacked that special zing that makes the cost worthwhile. The vegetables tasted like vegetables, and the meat tasted like, well, meat. Don’t get me wrong. I like my meat to taste like meat. My disappointment lies in the fact that the dish lacked pizzazz, and tasted like I had spent $15 per entrée, not $35.
As a side note, you must try Omar's Rattlesnake Cakes with Chipolte Cream Sauce. It’s an appetizer that runs about $10. Just try not to squeal with delight as you savor each morsel. You will be marked as a first-timer for sure.
3) Realize that the colored stuff on your food is the good part
Any chef knows that preparing the sauce is one of the most difficult aspects of creating a gourmet meal, and the chefs at Hudson’s know their recipes. They should, since they invented them. Hudson’s even sell bottles of their sauces on site and in select grocery stores. Expect to pay $6-$14 for a 9-13 oz. bottle. I have to say that while eating kangaroo is interesting in and of itself (not that I actually tried kangaroo, since they were out when I wanted it), it is the sauce that makes the meal. If memory serves me correctly, my veal and rabbit dish was served with “Guava Sour Cherry Sauce.” Just the name of it makes my mouth water. I also tried their “Madagascar Peppercorn Sauce” which was served with elk. I did not enjoy this sauce as much, but this is because I am not a big peppercorn fan.
The sauces overall are delightful, and I would likely order a different dish each time just to sample the various sauces. Now that I think about it, Hudson’s should offer a small sauce sample that allows you to taste all their sauces. Technically they already have a sampler, but their $40 sauce gift set is not exactly what I had in mind.
4) Nothing says "I’m rich" like expensive wine
I definitely recommend ordering wine, not because the wine at Hudson’s is anything special, but because everyone drinks it. If you must, just drink water, but for heaven’s sake, do not order soda! Nothing marks you as a member of the unwashed masses like ordering a soda.
Fortunately, due to the vast selection available, you are sure to find an agreeable wine (or champagne). Be prepared to spend, however, as few bottles are under $50. I have never learned to love the taste of wine like most people, so my husband and I settled on a half bottle of Tattinger Brut (champagne) for about $34. I recommend it.
5) Oh, did you want an order of service with your meal?
Considering the caliber of the restaurant, one would expect a similar quality of service -- this not so at Hudson’s. If you are a stickler for attentive and polite service, it’s likely the staff here will ruin your fun. I will say that they are excellent at refilling your water glass, but do not expect much more. If you need something between ordering and pay your bill, you may just be out of luck.
The last time we ate at Hudson’s, the server accidentally placed on our bill several glasses of wine ordered (and consumed) by a neighboring table, totaling almost $30. Everyone makes mistakes, and this in and of itself was not a problem. I was turned off, however, by our server’s reaction to the error. He flippantly shrugged his shoulders and said, “Oops. Guess that belonged to another table.” Then he walked away to correct the bill. Excuse me? Did I just tell him that his shoe was untied? No. I told him that he billed us incorrectly by almost $30. He never even apologized. I find that unacceptable, especially in such an upscale establishment.
Hudson’s on the Bend is guaranteed to be a novel experience, for better or for worse. The sauces are divine, and eating rattlesnake makes for great conversation the next day. The next time I have $100+ to blow on a meal, however, my husband and I are going to try somewhere else.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
tanz
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Location: Austin, TX
Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 9 members
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