The Oasis: Shrooms with a View
Written: May 12 '00 (Updated Feb 06 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Best sunset view in Central Texas
Cons: Not a choice for the gourmet palate. Long waits.
The Bottom Line: It's an Oasis of calm amidst the storm of traffic. Stop here for beautiful sunset views.
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| counsel's Full Review: Austin Restaurants |
In Houston, you see, there's no horizon unless you work in one of the skyscrapers downtown. Otherwise, you're relegated to views of blocky buildings, trees and highway superstructures - you seldom get to see anything more than a quarter mile in front of you, if that, and most "views" are punctuated with ten thousand or so automobiles in varying stages of non-movement on the freeways. Houston has its good points, but grand scenic views are not one of them.
So, I can appreciate, perhaps even more than most Austin residents, the views available when climbing around FM 2222 in west Austin on the way to The Oasis. During the trip from the intersection of highway 290 and IH-35, the road changes from a quasi-residential street to a twisting, climbing Hill Country - looking farmer's market road, winding about the curves of Town Lake and headed out to the eastern reaches of Lake Travis. And that's where you'll find The Oasis, one of my favorite restaurants in Austin.
Don't get me wrong. The Oasis isn't my favorite place because of the food: far from it. The food, consisting of various American and Tex-Mex offerings, is at best mediocre; the drinks are o.k., but a mere pastime while you sit on one of the outside decks facing westward and wait.
Wait for what?
The sunset, of course. For your tables are situated on 450-foot cliffs high in the air overlooking Lake Travis, and there are few sunsets that can match the ones to be seen while nursing a drink on those worn wooden decks.
Note: the picture chosen by Epinions for "Austin Restaurants" is an umbrella-laden Oasis outdoor deck.
The trick, of course, is getting there in time for sunset. No reservations are taken for deck seating, and if you arrive within a half-hour of sunset, chances are your wait time will be very, very long - and you'll miss the prime moment. I recommend arriving at least an hour before sunset. Put your name in the hat, then tour the Oasis Gift Shop and Marketplace; buy a T-shirt, watch the other people milling about, listen to the live music emanating from the Starlight Terrace (one of the cliffside decks set aside for the live bands), smell the cedar and live oak Hill Country smells, or just be happy you're not fighting traffic in Houston.
When your name is called, ask for deck seating. The Oasis started out with just a few outdoor decks as well as indoor dining - it was a small, converted warehouse on Comanche Trail Drive (which, I believe, is the same road to the well-known Hippy Hollow) that has since grown to a sprawling complex with 28 outdoor decks. The place can accommodate over 450 people, and during a clear day toward evening time, you can be sure that all 450 people will be there, facing westward, and enjoying the moment.
Which is a more profitable pastime than enjoying the food, I should note. Most of it is palatable (decent stuffed mushrooms for an appetizer), and they have added a few steak offerings and some more mixed drink choices (to their credit, they do have some decent beer selections). But do not go there if you are looking for a supreme dining experience. That is to be found in other places in Austin: see the links for Austin Restaurants elsewhere on this site. No, the experience to be had at The Oasis is not one of the palate, particularly, but it is a feast for the eyes - especially the starved eyes of a Houstonian.
And there are some things that need feeding besides the stomach. The Oasis bills itself as Texas' "Sunset Capital." That is somewhat debatable - I've seen Panhandle sunsets, west of Amarillo on the road to New Mexico, and they stand up well to the view from the terraces of The Oasis. But this east Texas boy can't get to the Panhandle very often, and the Oasis has the best show going for serene sunset moments that can be reached with only a couple hours of driving.
You can find the Oasis at 6550 Comanche Trail, west of Austin on the shores of Lake Travis. Call them at (512) 266-2442 for more specific directions. All your major credit cards will be happily accepted for a cliffside seat to the red, glowing splendor that is a Hill Country sunset. Do it at least once before you die, o.k.?
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
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 - Top 1000 |
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Member: Dwight
Location: Houston
Reviews written: 117
Trusted by: 499 members
About Me:
If I smell flowers, I start looking around for a coffin.
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