Day Trips
The New American fare at The Range in Salado alone is worth the 45-minute drive from Austin.
By Gerald E. McLeod, Fri., March 17, 2000
The Range gives fine dining a home in Salado. This is the kind of place that greatly expands the options of a visit to a town best known for its antique shops, bed-and-breakfast inns, and art galleries.
The elegant dishes are as delicious as the service is pampering. Every morsel seems to come with a medley of flavors that accent one another. Take, for instance, the sauteed fillet of sea bass and roasted garlic flan with crispy onions over an asparagus sauce. When blended on the end of a fork, the sauce accentuates the other tastes like a conductor in front of an orchestra.
Other special creations convert eating to a dining experience. The lobster bisque with sherry and chives is a creamy tomato soup topped with a star-shaped biscuit that would be great on chilly evenings. Save room for the chocolate pudding cake with a rich chocolate sauce pouring out of the center of a moist cupcake.
Executive chef Dave Hermann takes food preparation to a high level of creativity. "Eight of 10 of my ideas come in the middle of night. Then I take it back to the kitchen and tweak it," he says.
For inspiration in creating the restaurant's exquisite meals, he looks to the garden for what is fresh. The menu's offering of salads, as an example, takes the ordinary greens one step further to invent a work of art. A salad of field greens is garnished with goat cheese and port-soaked cherries in a pancetta vinaigrette.
"Most everything starts with a classic combination," Dave says. His secret for great food is the freshness of the ingredients, "start with the good stuff," he says. From there he builds a masterpiece of dining experience.
Classified as a New American Cuisine restaurant, Dave says that description is a bit vague. "New American fare is a melting pot of all the classic cuisines," he says, "it can pretty much cover anything." Dave doesn't like labels like French or Southwestern, but prefers to have a restaurant where the kitchen staff can experiment.
Because of the blending of cooking styles by the kitchen, one person at the table might select an Asian entree while another has lamb prepared Mediterranean style or fish fixed by a classic French method. The one rule is that the food is done right and stays true to the style, Dave says.
Dave and his wife Katie are both graduates of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, where they turned their love of cooking into professional expertise. He is a native New Yorker and she grew up in Temple, Texas, where she was a featured "Cook of the Week" in the local newspaper as a 12-year-old.
Their shared dream of opening a restaurant became a reality when they happened upon the historic Barton Home on Main Street in Salado. The couple was looking at other property in the area using a realtor whose office was next door to the three-story limestone block building. The Hermanns now live in the cottage that was a real estate office and work next door in the grand old house.
Built by Dr. Wellborn Barton in the 1800s, the house was a residence until the Hermanns bought the property. "The only construction we did was the kitchen area and adding supports to some of the floors," Dave says.
The restaurant is reminiscent of a comfortable and well-appointed home. The rooms break up the dining areas into semi-private areas that enhance the intimate dining experience. Most diners dress causal, but come with a serious love for good food.
The wait and kitchen employees at The Range are incredibly professional for a small town. Dave credits Katie's staff training for the high quality of service. The Hermanns have a core group of employees who have been with them nearly since they opened.
Over the past three years, Dave and Katie have also built a core group of regular customers. "Because we accept reservations, it's not unusual to have folks drive the 45 minutes from Austin," Dave says. "We can have them seated within a few minutes of their arrival."
In addition to the restaurant, Dave and Katie also offer cooking classes about once a month on Thursday mornings. The kitchen is available for private classes such as a bridesmaid's luncheon, where the guests learn to cook the meal before they enjoy it.
The Range is a couple of blocks north of Salado Creek at 101 Main St. in the heart of the new district of the historic Chisholm Trail town. Most entrees fall in the $18 range while appetizers, salads, and desserts range from $5 to $10. The restaurant opens at 5pm Wednesday through Sunday and for lunch noon-3pm on Saturday and Sunday. For reservations or information, call 254/947-3828.
To make the visit to Salado a complete trip, check out one of the many bed and breakfast accommodations in town. For a list of available options, call INNkeeping With the Times reservation service at 800/439-3828.
Coming up this weekend ...
Spring Festival & Texas Crafts Exhibition in Winedale presents contemporary Texas artisans and craftsmen to the accompaniment of live music from two stages and ethnic and regional foods, Mar. 18, 10am-8pm and Mar. 19, 10am-4pm. 409/278-3530.
Mud Dauber Festival in Luckenbach celebrates the spring return of the winged pests with a day of music and fun, Mar. 18. 830/997-3224 or http://www.luckenbachtexas.com.
St. Patrick's Day Parade moves through downtown San Antonio, Mar. 18. 210/497-8435.
Coming up ...
South Texas Polka & Sausage Fest in Hallettsville features dancing to live music while sampling the sausage, sauerkraut, and kolaches, Mar. 25-26. 512/798-2311 or http://www.hallettsville.com.
Elissa Sea Trials happen every spring when the 1877 tall ship spreads her sails from Pier 21 in Galveston to prove her seaworthiness on day sails into the Gulf and back. The best places to see the ship are from Pelican Island, Bolivar Ferry, or the east end of the Seawall. For times, call the Texas Seaport Museum at 409/763-1877.
