best-new-restaurants

Inside Stylish Restaurants Jeffrey's & Josephine House

Images from the Austin, Texas restaurants Jeffrey's and Jodephine House, Andrew Knowlton's pick for 2013's eighth best restaurant(s) in America
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It's the little things that define a great restaurant. Monogrammed cocktail napkins. Warm bread and soft butter. A hostess's simple "Good night," as a guest exits. Thanks to 31-year-old Austin empire-builder Larry McGuire, there are few places that nail those details better than his reinvigoration of local institution Jeffrey's and its sister spot, Josephine House.

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    Records range from Willie Nelson to Daft Punk.

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    Jeffrey's Valets Luke Bedillion (left) and Justin Finney.

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    Wood-roasted lobster thermidor pays homage to classic haute cuisine.

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    Brass valet parking tickets.

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    A Martini cart makes the rounds.

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    Jeffrey's back waiter Laura Maddox in the main dining room.

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    The Violet Translation cocktail is finished with a fresh sage leaf.

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    The larger, more casual of the dining rooms.

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    The Jeffrey's logo features an oak leaf from a tree on the property.

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    The luxurious and intimate barroom features custom-made wood and brass stools.

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    Escargots and beech mushrooms in ramp butter with sorrel and wood oven-toasted baguette.

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    Gazpacho with house-made ricotta, Marcona almonds, and fennel blossoms from Jeffrey's garden.

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    Menus are tucked into laser-cut leather books.

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    A Manhattan and an Old Fashioned are prepared tableside.

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    Jeffrey's cocktail recipes on flash cards for diners to take away.

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    Chocolate Soufflés

    You may get six or eight soufflés out of this recipe. Older eggs will create more voluminous whipped whites, meaning more batter. Dry days (as opposed to humid weather) will help make the meringue loftier, too.

    View Recipe
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    Josephine House Bartender Tiff Dyess.

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    A simple salad of heirloom tomatoes and herbs keeps flavors clean at this lunchtime favorite.

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    Neon signage welcomes guests to the property.

Deputy Editor. Andrew has worked at Bon Appétit since, like, forever (2000 to be exact). He oversees the magazine's restaurant coverage, including the annual Hot 10 list, and writes the rather opinionated Foodist column that has run in the magazine since 2008. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and ... Read More
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