Matt's El Rancho — Review by Food Network
Austin, United States — American, Comfort Food, Fusion
This compilation features multiple standout dishes from an Austin establishment where passionate chefs create restaurant-quality food with meticulous attention to detail. Highlights include a world-class pastrami sandwich made with 20-day cured brisket and artisanal sourdough bread, innovative Spanish fideuà, creative chicken burger, unique rib sandwich, and perfectly executed chicken fried steak with distinctive seasoning blends.
What was great: Juicy, perfectly seasoned pastrami with incredible 20-day cured bark, homemade sourdough bread with 20-year-old starter, creative fideuà with house-made bacon and seafood, flavorful chicken burger with curry and fresh ingredients, tender ribs in sandwich form with soul glow sauce, chicken fried steak with perfect crispy batter and unique bell pepper seasoning
What could improve: Nothing mentioned
The Dishes
The pastrami sandwich is the crown jewel, featuring brisket cured for 20 days before being smoked for 10 to 13 hours, creating incredible bark and tenderness. The meat sits between homemade sourdough bread made with a 20-year-old starter, providing the perfect vehicle for the juicy, well-seasoned meat. House-made whole grain mustard, pickled onions, and kosher pickles complete this New York-style masterpiece with the right balance of flavors.
The fideuà is a pasta dish toasted before cooking in broth with house-made bacon, mussels, and clams. The pasta gets additional richness from béchamel, eggplant butter, and green tomato jam, finished with pumpkin seeds and herb salad on toasted baguette with bacon fat.
The chicken burger stands out for its complex flavor profile. Ground chicken is mixed with fresh garlic, jalapeño, red onions, crushed red pepper, yellow curry, local organic honey, and salt and pepper. It arrives on a wheat bun with sweet potato fries, delivering spice with underlying curry notes and impressive moisture and tenderness.
The rib sandwich features St. Louis ribs rubbed with a complex spice blend including cinnamon, then smoked and served between bread with soul glow sauce made from mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, chili powder, and soy sauce. Pickles and onions provide palate-cleansing contrast to the sweet sauce.
The buffalo burger features ground meat cooked to medium rare, smothered in an intensely spiced wing sauce with cayenne pepper and Tabasco. It arrives on a specially made larger bun with blue cheese for heat relief.
The jambalaya in a stuffed red pepper showcases a dark roux with trinity vegetables, jalapeños, andouille sausage, rice, and seafood stock made with shrimp shells. Crawfish and crab simmer into the jambalaya before the pepper gets bread crumb topping for crunch.
The chicken fried steak receives a double dip batter made with eggs, milk, self-rising flour, seasoned pepper, dried bell peppers, and ranch dressing mix. The result has an exceptionally thick, crispy crust that can be cut with a fork, revealing tender meat underneath with hints of ranch dressing flavor.
The Experience
This establishment operates with a small kitchen and dedicated staff creating high-volume meals with impressive technical skill. The atmosphere is one of passion and fun, with chefs clearly enjoying what they do and their creative freedom. The operation maintains consistency and quality despite the challenges of a tiny kitchen operation.
Value and Pricing
No specific pricing information was provided in the review, but the complexity of preparation, house-made ingredients, and quality components suggest this offers excellent value for the quality delivered.
Notable Moments
The pastrami will knock your socks off. Reminds me of New York, where there's more meat than bread.
You guys are the first ones in the history of Triple D that I've seen actually make a rib sandwich. That's gangster.
You not only pulled it off, you crush it. You just get freedom. It's like William Wallace made this.
That tastes about as close to that as I've ever seen. It's a perfect ensemble.
The Verdict
This Austin restaurant deserves high praise for executing multiple dishes at an exceptionally high level with creativity and technical proficiency. The commitment to house-made components, from the 20-year sourdough starter to in-house bacon and complex spice blends, demonstrates dedication to quality. This establishment is perfect for adventurous diners seeking creative, flavorful interpretations of classic comfort food elevated through meticulous preparation and ingredient sourcing. Whether seeking a legendary pastrami sandwich, innovative seafood dishes, or unique takes on American classics, this is a must-visit destination.