Restaurant and Apiary Apis Captivates Austin Critics

The Statesman’s Matthew Odam believes Apis is changing the dining scene in Spicewood with its playful cuisine and international influences. He even went so far as to dub it "one of the best restaurants in the Greater Austin area." The kitchen’s use of honey throughout the menu was never overwhelming:

Fortunately Apis applies honey as an accent and not a culinary bludgeon or gimmick. They use it to glaze a tender lacquered duck with crackling skin served with honey vinaigrette and awakened by fragrant green coriander and electric blood orange. The exceptional aged bird serves two ($64).

The bee and honey obsession at Apis never got out of hand for Brandon Watson at The Chronicle. The dishes didn’t veer away from the heavy side, which he appreciated.

Roasted chicken breast ($31), usually a menu's afterthought for less adventurous eaters, was no less populist in its use of morels (stuffed with foie) and Carolina rice. With the white wine sauce, it was like a haute cuisine version of condensed soup chicken and rice casserole (to be clear, that's not an insult).

THE BLOGS: Foodie is the New Forty compares Cedar Park’s Soto to Uchi and Uchiko; The Hungry Chronicles had an intimate vegan meal at Counter 3.Five.VII; Forks Up brunched at Blackbird and Henry; and more tacos were had for Mike Sutter, this time from Kerbey Lane, Rudy’s Country Store, Arturo’s Underground Cafe, La Casa Del Sabor, Taqueria Morales, and Taquerias Las Chivas Jalisco.