River City Grille • Round Rock

River City Grille • Round Rock

Written by Mark Collins Thursday, 07 February 2008

In an age when diners seem to spend more time waiting to be seated than enjoying their meal, River City Grille offers the refreshing experience of being ushered to a table soon after walking through the door.

River City Grille, which opened in May 2001, is a sophisticated eatery situated on the first floor of the Marriott at La Frontera. Even though the kitchen does provide room service for the entire hotel, diners will be quick to forget their locale when they stroll past the subtle waterfall into dimmed lighting and large, private seating areas.

With wireless Internet and quiet surroundings, the River City Grille is ideal for a working lunch.

The menu offers traditional starters, including fried calamari, sautéed crab cakes and a soup of the day. I opted for the signature item, Chicken Tortilla Soup, which was filled with onion, avocado, rice, cheese and topped with crispy tortilla chips ($4.25). The soup was laced with hints of spice, and the base did not blur the taste of the other ingredients.

For the main course, I ordered a grilled Reuben ($9.25). The classic corned beef, marble rye, Swiss and sauerkraut construction was served double-decker style with a crispy pickle wedge and a pile of onion rings. The Thousand Island dressing complemented the obviously fresh ingredients and the crispy onion rings had just the right amount of seasoning.

Also satisfying, the Catfish Sandwich ($8.95) combined a generous helping of fried fish delicious enough to be consumed on its own with a spicy, tangy remoulade sauce on marble rye. For vegetarians and the health conscious, River City Grille delivered with the Grilled Vegetable Sandwich ($8.95). The onion, lettuce, tomato, squash and portabella mushroom all had grill marks and were piled high on sourdough bread.

The menu also includes a variety of steak, seafood and poultry entrées. The wine list is not expansive, but does provide adequate companionship for any meal on the menu.

When the dessert tray makes its rounds, it is nearly impossible to resist ordering the Grasshopper Pie ($6.95). Made in-house, a towering slice of the icy lime green pie is served in a lake of crème de menthe, and easily finds the delicate balance between mint and sweetness. The Bread Pudding ($6.95) is also a fine choice. A warm, gooey ball of pudding filled with sweet raisins and sprinkled with powdered sugar offers a mellow, but fitting end to a luscious meal.

The friendly wait staff was attentive throughout the course of the meal and encouraged us to return soon.

Good luck getting a table now that the secret is out.

What’s on the buffet?

One of River City Grille’s dining options is an excellent buffet.

• Breakfast buffet hours: Mon-Fri 6:30 – 10 a.m.; Sat. 7 a.m. – noon; Sun. 7 – 11 a.m.
  • The two options include beverages and eggs and omelets cooked to order.
    • Good start – features fresh salmon and cheese tray as well as a fruits, yogurt and granola
    • All-American – two types of eggs, two types of potatoes, five different breakfast meats and a featured item such as eggs benedict, French toast or cheese blintz.
• Lunch buffet hours: Mon-Fri 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Soup and salad option offers soup of the day or signature tortilla soup and five different kinds of salad. Full buffet features two fresh entrees, such as steak, fish, chicken, fajitas, lasagna, fresh vegetables and either pasta or rice.

River City Grille, Marriott at La Frontera, 2600 La Frontera Blvd., Round Rock, TX, 733-6767