Odam Tackles Ramen; Austin Chronicle Gets Judgy

This week, Austin food critics ate at Ramen Tatsu-Ya and the Mansion at Judges' Hill.

Mega-event producers C3 Presents (Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Austin Food & Wine Festival) have taken over the Mansion Mega-event producers C3 have not taken over the mansion, as the Austin Chronicle reported, but Gracie Salem stopped by over Formula One weekend to judge the Judges'. Despite the big race, Salem ate in a "completely empty" dining room, attended by a "timely, efficient, and, in times of uncertainty, honest" server. She enjoyed Rob Snow's "perfect" carpaccio and "perfectly cooked" beef tenderloin; the "flavorful, creamy" smoked gouda and poblano soup was the highlight of her meal. However, Salem writes that she was totally confused by pastry chef Taff Mayberry's offerings, calling the bread and pastries "odd, off-putting, and a struggle for even our server to describe."

Transitioning from old-school upscale dining to Austin's hottest culinary trend, ramen: it's a 7.5 out of ten for Ramen Tatsu-Ya. The queued-up North Austin noodle shop impresses Odam, who prefers the miso bowl (it "brings more to the table") to the tonkotsu, even though the latter's a Ramen Tatsu-Ya headliner with "sumptuous pork belly." In both offerings, the 24-hour pickled egg is the "star of the bowl." And as for that wait? Don't freak out, writes Odam, who hasn't had to wait more than 15 minutes in line. And even if you come at rush hour: "you can spend your wait time catching up with friends or making new ones."

· Review: Mansion At Judges' Hill [Austin Chronicle]
· Ramen Tatsu-Ya Helps Usher In Austin's Ramen Craze [Austin360]
· All Week In Reviews Coverage on Eater Austin [-EATX-]

Ramen Tatsu-Ya. [Photo: Spencer Selvidge/EATX]