This week I was invited to a media tasting at Starlite downtown. I’ve eaten there several times before, and have always enjoyed my meals. They’ve recently changed things up a bit, renovating their upstairs dining room and offering two different menus: an upscale menu upstairs and a bistro menu downstairs.

I was so excited to be invited to the tasting…I was able to meet up with people I hadn’t seen in a while, like Joe and David from Tipsy Texan, and I met a lot of great people, including Associate Publisher for Edible Austin, Jenna Noel, and the new food editor for the Statesman, Addie Broyles.

As for the food, it was enjoyable, with some hits and some misses. The caprese salad was good, though I was hoping for redder, riper tomatoes. The Caesar salad was a bit dry and boring, but the potato gnocchi were great…light and flavorful in a parsley pesto, and not at all gummy, which happens so often with gnocchi. The croque madame was totally delicious, with toasted brioche, ham, gruyere and a fried egg on top (in my book, it’s hard to go wrong with fried eggs). The fries on the side were good but not wonderful. The duck confit was served with sweet potatoes and warm frisee; everyone agreed this dish was a standout. Finally, the roasted salmon with lentils and spinach was tasty…the lentils were perfectly seasoned with a great texture, and the salmon was good, if a little boring. Dessert was a single spoonful of chocolate mousse, rich and velvety.

We tried a few cocktails as well…the Pimms Martini (Pimms No. 1, Hangar One Kaffir Lime, lemon and sugar) was good but not great, and the Man Ray (plymouth gin, rosemary, citrus, and organic Q-Tonic) was just a bit off. The Candide (coconut puree, light rum, dark rum and palm sugar) was sweet and summery, but the standout was the sour cherry rita (tequila, cointreau soaked cherries, lemon and cherry brandy)…tart and sweet, with a lovely cherry flavor. 

Overall, the meal was good, and I’d be interested in trying the upstairs fine dining menu. I love their upstairs bar and lounge area, (so cute and cozy) so it might be worth it just to stop by sometime for a sour cherry rita. I’ve found the service to be a bit on the slow side, so definitely visit when you have plenty of time to enjoy the food and company.

Starlite
407 Colorado Street
512.374.9012