While browsing around Restaurant.com, we noticed that Louie's 106 restaurant has a $25 off $35 coupon certificate for it. The menu looked pretty good so we decided to check it out. It was a Sunday so I called at around noon to make a reservation for the evening, but no one answered the phone. It turns out that they only offer dinner service, and on Sundays they're open from 6 to 10 PM. I called at 5 and made a reservation for 6:30 PM no problem.
Getting to Louie's 106 / Cake at Whole Foods Market
It was only 5:30 PM so we decided to visit Whole Foods first on Lamar, so we went east on 6th St and saw Louie's 106 on the corner of the 6th and Congress, right next to the Driskill. At the market we got a delicious white chocolate mousse cake. Whole Foods make really good cakes. I heartily recommend them if you're buying a cake.
On the way to the Louie's 106, we went on 5th street then turned right on Brazos St and parked. After a short walk we were at the restaurant. The building itself was connected to others on the sides, and a sign said "Louie's 106 Grill and Tapa Bar".
Restaurant Impressions
As we opened the glass doors and went inside, we were greeted by a hostess (who turned out to be our server). She lead us to a secluded section behind the cash register. The restaurnt seemed stately and well decorated with an English feel. I need to go to the restroom and a waiter told me that I had to go down a flight a stairs to get there. After walking down the stairs I was surprised by the size of the lower level of the restaurant- it seemed like they could seat 100 or more people down there. After a good walk I finally got to the restroom, which had old but clean fixtures.
Service and Food Taste/Quality
After returning to the table we looked over the menu. Our server brought us bread, which was Italian style. It was cold but went well with the olive oil and garlic. We then placed our orders. We had ice teas ($2) for beverage. We then decided on two appetizers- the Crispy Softshell Crab ($10) and Escargots ($9.75). After about 15 minutes of waiting, our appetizers came out. The Softshell Crab came with baby greens and diced mangos in a champagne vinaigrette and wasabi-honey aioli. That was really delicious. They were pretty generous with the amount of softshell crab which was crunchy and tasty. The mango salsa was good, though we couldn't taste the wasabi. The escargots were good- maybe a bit too well done, and nothing out of the ordinary. We did ask for extra bread to soak up the wine and butter sauce ;-).
For our main courses we went for the Jumbo Shrimp and Diver Scallop Risotto ($24), and the Sambal and Honey Marinated Sea Bass ($26.50). The shrimps on the risotto were big and crunchy. The scallop was pretty tasty as well. The risotto, which was cooked in lobster consomme, was a tad too salty, however. The sea bass was a bit burnt and small, and the basil risotto it came with was also a bit too salty.
The Verdict for Louie's 106
The ambiance was nice, and certainly more romantic than Cafe Josie. The highlight of our meal was the Cripsy Softshell Crab appetitizer. Unfortunately we were not nearly as impressed with the rest of our meal. It was good- but not great. Our waitress gave good service, and it was a good value after the $25 Restaraunt.com certificate. Overall we enjoyed our experience at Louie's 106.
On a scale of 1 through 5, I would give Louie's 106 4 out 5 Stars.
Louie's 106 Restaurant Info
Address: 106 E 6th St Austin, TX 78701
Phone: 512-476-1998
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