Bonhomie Delights Chronicle and Texas Monthly Critics

This week, critics flocked to Philip Speer’s French bistro-inspired diner, which seems poised to become an Austin darling. In his review, Chronicle editor Brandon Watson believes the restaurant “arrived at such the right time that it seems almost prescient.” He praised both the classic French fare, like rotisserie chicken, French onion soup, and steak bavette, as well as the more American takes like the burger.

But Watson gave special recognition to the desserts (Speers was the former pastry chef of Uchi):

As full as you might get from all that, the dessert selection is essential. Two – the chicory-cream filled mille feuille and the apple tatin – are exacting showstoppers, but it's hard to contain the joy behind a dish like the banana split profiterole with its long caramelized hazelnut comet.

Texas Monthly critic Pat Sharpe has also found herself a regular, favoring an arugula salad with the “scandalously rich” croque monsieur or the double cheeseburger. She recommends the pommes rosti, particularly the version with Greek yogurt and applesauce, and another potato-based creation, the gnocchi:

If you can bear to skip the pommes rosti on your next visit, you should start with the gnocchi parisienne in brown butter. Far from the usual rubbery potato-based gnocchi, these are little clouds fashioned from cream-puff dough and gilded in brown butter.

Across town, Statesman critic Matthew Odam stopped by food truck Dee Dee, whose name means “good good” in Thai. He celebrates the harmony of flavors from Eater Austin’s food truck of the year in 2016, and notes that dishes are at a two-chili baseline:

Even a seemingly tame vegetarian stir fry ($9) that features a bed of perfumed jasmine rice studded with mushrooms and cherry tomatoes and laced with zucchini, snow peas and tender tofu will jump on you with its hidden heat.

Overall though, he declares the year-old food truck “not just good, but great.”

THE BLOGS — Chekmark Eats explored the extensive dim sum offerings at New Fortune, Dine With Shayda found hidden bar Garage and savored the cocktails.

• Restaurant Review: Bonhomie [Chronicle]
• Cheers for Speer [Texas Monthly]
• Thai food truck Dee Dee isn’t just good; it’s great [Statesman]