The Early Word on Downtown French Brasserie Le Politique

Le Politique opened in September with French offerings from executive chef Derek Salkin and wife, executive pastry chef Alyssa Hurlstone, served in a stunning space. The restaurant is the newest member of the New Waterloo group (which also includes La Condesa, Sway, and the South Congress Hotel and its restaurants). Read on for the early word on the expansive Le Politique:

The space — Patricia Sharpe of Texas Monthly first visited the large, bright restaurant, lauding the attention to detail on chairs (“in the unmistakable brasserie style”) and plates (“très French”). Brandon Watson of CultureMap wrote that “he pale palette gives the space the dreamy feel of a midcentury department store dining room.” A Taste of Koko already named Le Politique “the best new restaurant in downtown Austin” in large part due to the “beautifully designed space.”

The food and drinks — Sharpe pointed out Salkin's impressive culinary history, which includes stints at the French Laundry in California, Per Se in New York, and Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas. The raw bar’s selection rotates daily, as do specials from the kitchen (Tuesday is duck confit). A Taste of Koko called out the burger and pastries as early favorites, and Watson described the desserts as “showstoppers.” Though there is a full bar, the “thoughtful” wine list is the way to go, according to Veronica Meewes of Zagat.

The service — Here is where Le Politique seems to fall off. Several Yelp users have complained about long waits after ordering and being served cold food.

The overall experience — A Taste of Koko recommended the restaurant for those looking to impress, like, say, a business lunch. Sharpe suggested one should “settle in with a cheese plate and a glass of wine.” Watson took the trust from other insiders as an indicator of “great things to come.”

• A First Look at Le Politique, Austin’s Newest Brasserie [Texas Monthly]
• Hot new restaurant brings French cuisine to downtown Austin [CultureMap]
• Le Politique, Best New Restaurant In Downtown Austin [A Taste of Koko]
• Le Politique [Zagat Austin]
• Le Politique [Yelp]
• All coverages of Le Politique [EATX]