THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED The Belmont

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED The Belmont Restaurant Review:

You can almost envision the Rat Pack huddled in one of the swank leather booths of this downtown hot-spot paved in handsome marble and Lucite chandeliers. It attracts an equally smart-looking set of Austinites for after-work drinks and dinner. In Frank Sinatra fashion, well prepared cocktails are mandatory. They’re fine to sip while you nosh on the fried calamari or pork belly appetizer in Louisiana hot sauce. Lunch is best under the palm trees on the street-level patio. Try the two-fisted Belmont burger with fresh-cut fries, or the lighter smoked salmon salad with pickled shallots, fried capers and lemon citronette. For dinner, the evening’s preparation of ahi is typically a favorite, though if you like it rare, it’s sometimes necessary to stress that point. Our favorite steak is the marbled Akaushi flank, adorned with fennel chimichurri. Retire to the über cool rooftop patio for people-watching and live music.