Cypress Grill

Cypress Grill

Written by Toby Baker Friday, 13 June 2008

I was born in Beaumont, Texas, which is about as close as one can get to Louisiana and still call themselves a Texan.

Some of my fondest memories while growing up deep in east Texas are the neighborhood crawfish boils during crawfish season.

A close second was waking before dawn and driving to New Orleans to spend the day. It was here I was first introduced to the famous muffaletta sandwich at Central Grocery. It was here I heard my first live music that I can remember.

Now that I live in Austin, day trips to New Orleans are no longer a possibility and the gas money would require taking out a small loan. Fortunately, I found a place much easier to reach than the Big Easy right here in South Austin.

One block west of MoPac next to Gold’s Gym off William Cannon Drive is a little joint with a big Cajun heart called Cypress Grill. Immediately upon entering, I noticed the sense of family.

It is apparent from the quick glance around that these patrons are from the neighborhood. I also noticed the outdoor seating. It is not quite New Orleans’ Cafe du Monde, but pretty close for a small operation in South Austin.

Owned by John Haug, who is originally from south Louisiana, Cypress Grill boasts a menu containing no hydrogenated oils, no trans fats and zero cholesterol. I honestly did not know it was possible to cook good Cajun food without the aforementioned ingredients.

How does Haug do it? First, everything is made from scratch. Second, the seafood is freshly caught and the chicken is all natural. Third, maybe it is something about the zydeco music playing in the background or the warm, friendly service, but I felt like I was a returning customer even though it was my first visit.

We started with crab cakes. Cypress Grill is one of the few places patrons really get their money’s worth. Two large, crispy cakes were a bargain at $8.99. I am used to getting one for the same price or higher at many places in town.

The Blackened Chicken Salad ($9.99) was made up of greens, candied pecans, carrots, tomato and, of course, blackened chicken.

What really caught my attention, however, was the homemade raspberry vinaigrette. The subtle sweetness of the dressing complimented the chicken without masking other flavors.

We picked the Crawfish Delight, a fantastic plate of both fried crawfish tails and a light and tasty etouffee over rice with a slice of fresh garlic bread ($11.99). For a moment, I thought I had died and gone to heaven, as I was able to enjoy two of my favorite Cajun entrées on one plate.

Although we were stuffed, we could not leave without trying the blackberry cobbler ($4.99). This is one of the better of its kind I have enjoyed in Austin. Served with a scoop of ice cream, it was a cool ending for a hot day.

All in all, Cypress Grill is a great find and a good value, possessing a fun atmosphere made up of South Austin locals and really good food. Let the good times roll you down to Cypress Grill next time you are looking to try something new.

What to know before visiting Grill

1. It is easy to put the fire out from the pepper sauce with a cold beer or a glass of wine from Cypress Grill’s modest, well-priced list.
2. Live music plays every Thursday night.
3. On Sunday, flip a coin and see who pays for dessert, you or the wait staff.
4. While not the same as a neighborhood crawfish boil in Beaumont, during crawfish season fresh crawdaddies are boiled up every Tuesday and served until they are gone.
5. Owner John Haug has certain parts of his muffaletta fixins delivered straight from New Orleans. He then pairs it with a bowl of gumbo, calls it Troy’s Favorite Lunch and serves it for $8.99.
6. Happy hour starts at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and goes all day on Sunday.

Cypress Grill, 4404 W. William Cannon Drive, Ste. L, 358-7474