Nearly 25 years ago, I made my first visit to The Lone Star State for a friend’s rehearsal dinner in Houston. I distinctly remember the bride-to-be coming over to my table when she realized I ordered the chicken, whispering, “Darlin’, in Texas you get the steak.” My plate was switched out before I even lifted a fork, and I found the replacement dish was tender and rich with flavor.
Once my husband and I moved here, we consistently sought out steakhouses serving Texas meats, though not all left a great impression. So when VanHorn’s invited me to give its new Austin outpost a try, I was skeptical. Surely the chef-owners, Daniel Berg and Dylan Salisbury, know how to please locals since they are part of the restaurant group behind Bill’s Oyster and Teddy’s, but how?
The owners worked with local interior designer Johanna Barger and MMD Architecture.
The answer, it turns out, was by creating a spot just steps from Austin City Limits Live that lacks pretension and serves Pat LaFrieda’s prime dry-aged meats from small domestic farms all across the country. Yet, before that derails any enthusiasm, consider the atmosphere here, akin to a New York steakhouse. The sounds of lively conversations and martini-shaking bounce off the wood-paneled surfaces, the wine list is impressive, tables are covered in white linens, the lights are dim, and the service is professional.