Great food at Austin’s

I had heard many things about Austin’s Steak & Ale House, online and from friends. The outward appearance is that of an average bar on Austin Street, and I had some doubt when I walked past the lively bar towards the back. I learned on that day that looks can be deceiving.
Austin’s has been open since 1992, and includes the aforementioned bar, an OTB room, a pub room, where each table has a TV with satellite, and another dining room that doubles as a private party room. There is also an outdoor area, connecting the annex of Austin’s. Conveniently located next to the Kew Gardens Long Island Rail Road stop, it is hard not to fall in love with this neighborhood marvel.
The owner, John Kohout, personally selected some unusual beers for my party to taste. A venerable United Nations of brews, Austin’s had an overwhelming list to chose from, including 21 draught beers ranging from Brooklyn Lager to Franziskaner Hefeweiss, among the usual fermented suspects. Chimay Rouge, a Belgian ale, produced by monks in a Trappist monastery, was a dark and nutty beer, while the Lindemans Peche, a naturally fermented beer, had a sweet peach flavor and aroma with a bright orange hue.
Our meal started with some familiar appetizers done in an amazing manner. The acclaimed chef and a veteran of 30 years of cooking, Cliff Botelho, told me, “The only thing I don’t make is the mayonnaise.”
Golden fried thick potato pancakes came with homemade chilled applesauce, while the plump Maryland Crab Cakes were partnered with tartar sauce and scarlet chopped tomatoes, courtesy of Botelho and his efficient team in the kitchen. Chicken Brochette, tender skewered chicken kabobs with ivory Tzatziki sauce, dotted with parsley and pureed cucumber, rivaled any Greek sauce I have tasted.
Chef Botelho chose two dishes that have brought him much fame, for taste and presentation, for our entrees. The seared Ahi Tuna, displayed like a blooming flower, had a glowing red color inside, perched on top a mound of wilted spinach, and was served with a glowing basil pesto sauce. If someone had told me it was a steak, I would have believed that person.
With steak on my mind, the next dish was the marinated skirt steak, which has won “Best Steak” multiple times at the Jacob Javits Center and has been featured on several television shows. It was simply tremendous.
Resembling the Leaning Tower of Pisa, this daunting dish was stacked high into the stratosphere. Curly shoestring fried onions sat atop this mountain, the base wrapped with the long pieces of citrus teriyaki marinated meat. Within the structure was a core of mashed potatoes, absorbing the drippings of the onions and the marinade like a sponge. At the foot of the mountain rested the verdant string beans, seasoned and served with diced red bell pepper. The medium rare cut of meat, stemming from the belly of the beast, was melt in your mouth savory, combined with the crunch of the onions and soft texture from the potatoes.
The menu also included a huge amount of notable distinctions, including Irish Nachos, Sambuca Salmon and Shell Steak au Poivre, a shell steak with a peppercorn cognac sauce. For the gastronomically daring, there is the Bull Burger, which according to the menu is “a real heart stopper,” fully loaded with a fried egg, bacon and American cheese.
The dishes were served in rapid succession and delivered by the attentive wait staff, eagle eyed but never bothersome. “Austin’s also runs nightly events, including karaoke and “Law School” nights. Come for a quick drink or a quiet dinner and enjoy a meal you will not soon forget.

Austin’s Steak and Ale House
82-70 Austin St.