Restaurant: The Falls Bistro & Wine Cellar
Location: 202 Main St., Marble Falls
Hours: Tues.-Sat.: 11 am - "closing"
(when business slows); Sunday brunch:
11 am-2:30 pm
Phone: 830.265.4580

The revitalization of downtown Marble Falls, while showing no signs of slowing down, has brought with it a new dining hot spot: The Falls Bistro & Wine Cellar.

Described as "casual elegance in the Hill Country," the newly opened establishment is the work of managing partners/owners Susan Yewell and Leslie Haley.

"Our food is really the flavors of Spain, influenced by ingredients from interior Mexico, and prepared using classical French techniques," Yewell said "We're trying to create a new paradigm and the food and wine is all part of that.

And in keeping with the Spanish theme, the restaurant offers a wide variety of tapas (loosely meaning "appetizers" in Spanish cuisine). The Falls Bistro Chef Rafael Omar Garcia says the best way to enjoy the dishes is to order several of them for the table for all to sample.

"Tapas are small plates that are meant to be shared...it unites people," he said. "It is important to us that people come in here and feel like they are family, even if they are not."

There are 15 tapas to choose from including: sea scallops wrapped in Serrano ham, empanadas, duck tostadas, Acapulco-style ceviche, paella mixta, garden terrine, smoked trout dip, vegetales de la casa, Chihuahua cheese sticks, green lip mussels, The Falls plate with foie gras, charcuterie plate, olive medley, roasted garlic bulbs served with artisan bread, and an artisan bread basket. Prices range from $5-$17 for all of the items, excluding the paella, which is higher because of the quality ingredients used.

"We use the freshest ingredients... nothing is frozen, except for things that need to be frozen, like ice cream. Everything is made in-house," Garcia said. "We deal with a lot of Spanish Mediterranean, and interior Mexican ingredients...that is what I've focused my culinary training on before fine tuning everything with French techniques."

They offer a selection of wines from all over the world including: Texas, Italy, France, Spain, Argentina, and Chile.

"It's fun to order 2-3 tapas and enjoy the food with the wine and the wine with the food," Yewell said. "It's all about pairing and matching food with wine. Some wines just taste better with certain foods."

And what goes better with wine than some good cheese. The Falls cheese platters include blue, semi-soft, soft and hard cheeses with different levels of sharpness and flavor. Patrons can choose a three or a five-cheese assortment for $12-$16.

Chef Garcia's lobster bisque is a popular item along with the sea scallops. Sopa de tortilla (tortilla soup) is also offered along with salad choices of Mediterranean couscous salad and a Caesar salad. The soups and salads range from $6-$8 and chicken or shrimp can be added to the salads for $3-$5.

Yewell describes the food and décor as eclectic, but she says the bistro is reasonably priced for everyone, not just for a certain few.

"All people can come in and feel comfortable visiting here," she said. "That is why we say it's 'casual elegance'."

-- Jason Hanselka

Acapulco-Style Ceviche

2 - celery stalks

2 - carrots (peeled)

1 - large red onion

3 - Haas avocados

1/2 cup of lime juice

1 cup ketchup

1/3 cup Louisiana hot sauce

1 bunch cilantro (cleaned and chopped)

1 pound red snapper

1/2 pound shrimp

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

salt and pepper to taste

1 bag crispy blue corn tortilla chips.

Chop snapper and shrimp in food processor then refrigerate with lime juice for four hours. Mince celery, carrots and, onion then place in a large mixing bowls with seafood and remaining ingredients. Marinate for one hour then serve.

-Rafael Omar Garcia, chef, The Falls Bistro & Wine Cellar

Photo by Jason Hanselka

The Falls Bistro & Wine Cellar co-managing partner/owner Susan Yewell, standing, talks with Horseshoe Bay residents Beverley and Bill Gillespie during lunch.