On my last day in Austin, my friends took me for a farewell lunch to The Oasis Restaurant at Lake Travis. What a stunning place; sitting high on top of a cliff side overlooking Lake Travis. This spot has something for everyone. It seems as though they have tried to build a little shopping and dining village around this huge restaurant, but by the looks of things, I am unsure how successful they have been. However, the restaurant itself is so cool and interesting, I can see that it draws its own crowd.
I don’t think that this restaurant is really known for its food. The menu seemed pretty standard, but the cocktail menu was extensive. The many patios and levels with its unique decor and art were amazing; it made everything taste better. This place has an amazing view. Make sure you go during daylight hours so that you can really appreciate how gorgeous it is. Although the interior of the restaurant is unique and lovely, this is a place where you want to be out on one of their many decks looking at the view.
My friends and I perused the menu whilst enjoying the beautiful warmth of the late spring day. I ordered the shrimp tacos and a cup of their chicken tortilla soup. My friends ordered a simple hamburger with fries and another order of the shrimp tacos. We also ordered my new favorite, a margarita with a sangria swirl.
Our margaritas arrived and they were delicious. It was interesting that every single place I had them were a little different. All were frozen, none had salt, but each of them varied in quality, flavor, and alcoholic content. The margarita that was served to me at the Oasis was wonderful. Tart lime and slushy, a boozy margarita, with the lovely soft and fruity sangria swirled in the glass. Perfect on a warm day with friends.
When our food arrived, I was pleased with our meals. There was nothing outstanding to rave about, but all the dishes were fresh and served nicely. The shrimp on my tacos was gulf shrimp so it had a slightly muddy flavor with which I am not familiar. All in all, though, we all enjoyed our meals. The beans on both of the taco plates were really good; nicely spiced and well cooked. The rice too was unusual. It was a green rice, rather than red and it was packed with flavor. When I asked about the burger, my friends said that it was cooked to order, but the meat balance was very dense and didn’t have a lot of flavor or juiciness. They did however rave about the quality of the french fries and managed to get through a few of those. My chicken tortilla soup was probably the highlight of the meal; great flavors and textures in the bowl.
After our meal ended I got up to take photos of this massive restaurant. It was as if each nook, corner, and terrace was its own little place and completely different from the rest. I really loved its quirky flavor.
I would love to come and revisit this place in the evening when the music begins and to view sunset over the lake from the terrace. I can’t even begin to imagine how beautiful that would be. I will have to put that on my list of things to do for next time.
