Good Impressions

Photo By John Anderson

Si Bon

Si Bon is French for "so good." And very good it is. The restaurant is located on South Lamar in a comfortable old home. Step through the door and you find a warm, friendly atmosphere: happy customers tended by smiling staff. A cozy bar. White tablecloths, a comfy fireplace, and lip-smacking aromas. Before you ever get to your table, Si Bon makes a good impression. Once seated, you'll notice that the tables are not jammed together; you have enough space to share some intimate words without being overheard. Chef/owner Peter O'Brien makes a visit to each table to introduce himself and genially greet his customers. The whole impression is informal and understated but still attentive and polished.

On our first visit, Si Bon was jammed to the gills with people, including some waiting for tables. This on a Thursday night! Thankfully, our reservation was ready the second we walked in. The three of us started the evening with cocktails. The bartender made a Manhattan ($7.50) using the (perfect) traditional recipe and served it ice-cold in a miniature shaker. Their Old Fashioned ($7.50) was equally spot-on. We took a few minutes to study the menu. Nine appetizers and five entrées, including a vegetarian offering, and all of them sounded great. Si Bon has a short but well-chosen wine list. An especially nice touch: All of their wines are available by the glass.

You might think, as crowded as it was, they would be in a hurry to turn the table. Yet as we lingered over our cocktails, our waitperson exhibited just the right level of attentiveness without ever making us feel rushed. Once we gave our choices, a bread basket arrived and gave us an indication of the care shown to the little things at Si Bon. It is so easy to just throw some anonymous bread in a basket and drop it on the table. Bread maker and pastry chef Phillip Crossley's offerings show unusual care, especially the buttery and tasty cornbread. His take on this Southern staple is similar to your Mom's cornbread, though it's a little lighter and fluffier with a higher ratio of cornmeal to flour and just a touch of poblano pepper. The basket also had slices from a French loaf with cracked black pepper and thyme that was dense yet moist and an ideal balance to the fruity olive oil. The restaurant's attention to detail also showed up in the service. Even though the restaurant was packed, water glasses stayed full, tablecloths were kept clean, and utensils were changed at each course.

The first courses arrived, each beautifully arranged on the plates. Suzanne, our guest, had the Salad Si Bon ($6.50), a delicious concoction with pimientos, anchovy fillets, and Roquefort cheese over the greens, which were simply dressed with lemon and extra virgin olive oil. My wife had Escargot over Butter Lettuce Dumplings With Mushrooms, Artichoke Hearts, Prosciutto, and Parsley Sauce ($11). She seriously loves these little snails and judged Si Bon's to be exceptional, especially the earthy accompaniments. I chose the Maine Crab Cakes ($10), rich with an herbed remoulade with capers. The crabmeat was sweet and plentiful, underscored by the tangy sauce. All three of us coveted each other's dishes, so, like an assembly line, we kept passing dishes around. Noticing there was not one empty seat in the house, we kept wondering how they could keep up with the huge crowd they were dealing with.

For the main course, Suzanne ordered the filet mignon ($20/petit, $29/full). It was cooked to perfection. Wrapped in apple-smoked bacon, the steak luxuriated in a delightful sauce made from cabernet sauvignon and herbs. She paired it with Domaine de la Renjarde Côtes du Rhone ($8.50/glass, $30/bottle), a wine with a peppery character that made the steak taste even better. My choice was the Crab Crepes ($20), two large crepes stuffed with crabmeat, mushrooms, and spinach and topped with an extravagant cream sauce laced with Asiago cheese. Slightly oversalted, but delicious nonetheless. I paired it with one of my favorite wines, Le Mas du Cedre Côtes du Rhone ($8/glass, $28/bottle), a French white wine made mostly from Grenache grapes that has enough acidity and richness to compete with the Asiago cream sauce.

Emily ordered the sautéed sole ($22), prepared very simply with browned butter, lemon, and capers. Unfortunately, it was at room temperature. This was the first indication that the crowd might be overwhelming the kitchen. We told our waitperson about the problem. He apologized and reappeared 10 minutes later with a completely new -- not reheated -- entrée. The fish was exceptionally fresh; the sauce was simple in the best possible way. Each flavor was distinct, yet it all melded pleasantly. She also had the Mas du Cedre, but in retrospect it wasn't the best choice. The delicate flavors of the sole and the lemon in the sauce didn't match the acidity of the wine. Maso Poli Pinot Grigio ($9/glass, $35/bottle) would have been a better choice.

We ended up sharing a delicious Ginger Pear Tarte Tatin With Crème Anglaise ($7). Melt-in-your-mouth crust, just the right amount of ginger, and a decadent sauce. I asked for an espresso and was surprised to hear they didn't serve it. In its place, they offered a French Press ($3.50) that was very potent. At this point, it was about 9:30 and the place was still jammed. Everything had been exceptional except that room-temperature sole. Given the crowd, we didn't feel too bad about getting one dish that was substandard.

Six days later, Emily and I returned to see how Si Bon would perform on a slower night. We arrived early, about 7pm. Only one other table was occupied. They seated us and, just as before, Peter O'Brien came over to greet us. He remembered we had been in the prior week, a good sign that the attention he pays to the customer is not superficial. Our waitperson walked over and said, "Oh hi, Mr. Marshall. I waited on you last week." I began to suspect special treatment, even though there was no way they would have known we were reviewing the restaurant. But as more diners appeared, we listened and noted that everyone was getting the same out-of-the-ordinary treatment.

The Degustation Menu ($55) caught my attention. Five special courses pre-selected by the chef, paying attention to what is fresh and available in the marketplace. Chef O'Brien passed by, noticed I was considering the menu, and started giving me some details about it. I was convinced, but wanted a wine recommendation. He offered to pair a different wine with each course. How much? He told me he had never done it before, so he didn't know, but promised it wouldn't be too much. Emily ordered the Caesar salad ($10), which was prepared tableside with all the classic ingredients, including a raw egg and anchovies. The lettuce was crisp and fresh, and the dressing was ideal and filled with flavor. Our waitperson recommended a glass of Pra "Monte Grande" Soave ($7.50/glass, $27/bottle) which was a very good choice -- brisk enough for the dressing, fruity enough for contrast. For her entrée, Emily had halibut topped with Sea Scallops on Ratatouille with Yellow Pepper Nage ($24), the special that evening. The halibut and scallops were wonderfully fresh. The Yellow Pepper Nage left its mark on each bite. Nage is French for "swim," but the cooking term refers to making a potent aromatic poaching broth in which the primary ingredient swims. Emily pronounced it "divine." She chose the Le Mas du Cedre Côtes du Rhone mentioned above as her wine and felt the pairing was just right.

The Degustation Menu started with Risotto Cake topped with Sea Scallop and Gulf Prawn With Mushroom Beurre Blanc. Four individual flavors (cornmeal, shellfish, mushroom, and butter) coexisted seamlessly. O'Brien kept the flavors individual yet ended up with a dish that is greater than the sum of its parts. O'Brien consistently seems to find just the right balance to his food. Next up was Prince Edward Island Mussels with Portobello Mushrooms, Collard Greens, and Ham Hock Stock. What an odd combination. But somehow he was able to keep the ham hocks and collards from overpowering the mussels -- in fact, the ingredients enhanced the mussels, bringing their sweetness into focus. The wine he chose to match these first two courses was Pra "Monte Grande" Soave, a wine with significant backbone to stand up to both sauces.

After these two brilliant courses, the Capon Salad With Roma Tomatoes, Capers, Calamata Olives, and Lemon-Oregano Vinaigrette was only very good. The problem was one of expectation, not of technique. The chef's wine choice was Le Mas du Cedre Côtes du Rhone, its floral character matching vividly with the capers and olives. While delicious, there was very little capon. O'Brien then knocked one out of the park with his Shellfish Sausage with Lobster-Chili Sauce. Delicious sausage stuffed with chopped shellfish and a slightly picante, wonderfully rich sauce. He picked Louis Latour Montagny Premier Cru "La Grande Roche" ($10/glass, $43/bottle) to go with this course, and the match was ideal. The final cost for the four glasses of wine was $20, a very fair charge. The dessert was Plum Soufflé With Bitter Sweet Chocolate; it was delicately plummy and the sauce was impressively intense. As I finished my last bite, I turned around and noted that the restaurant was virtually full.

Finally, you may have noticed the prices are fairly high. I don't want to sound like an old fart pining away for the good old days when Austin was cheaper, but I do remember fondly the great meals we used to get for under $20, and that was as recently as the Nineties. Si Bon is expensive -- no more expensive than 20 other restaurants in Austin -- but be aware that the prices are world-class. Luckily, so is everything else.