September 10, 2007
Austin Bites: MARS (Ya Dim Sum, Ya Lose Sum)
Mars Restaurant & Bar (Asian Fusion)
Location: 1400 South Congress Avenue (map)
Phone: (512) 472-3901
Cost: Brunch plates $4-6 dollars
Atmosphere: Sleek, modern décor; airy and sunlit; nice people-watching from the spacious deck; attentive waitstaff
Food: This just in: if you wake up on the weekend with a craving for a la carte Chinese hors d’ouevres, you no longer have to travel north of the river to get them! Mars, South Congress’ newest culinary addition, now offers dim sum each Sunday from 11am-3pm.
Plates range from only 4 to 6 dollars and include traditional Chinese fare with a contemporary flare in the form of chicken lettuce cups, duck confit egg rolls, egg foo young, steamed dumplings, and moo shoo pork with mandarin pancake. Other items, like kim chee and various tempura vegetables, shout out Korea and Japan respectively, keeping in the Mars tradition of Asian fusion. The BBQ pork buns are essential—the little bundles of joy come steamed or crispy and are heavy on the barbecue sauce, to any good Texan’s liking.
For a sample of their typical menu, try the wasabi salmon, a smaller version of their nighttime entrée, cooked to tender, juicy perfection - and its creamy horseradish accompaniment has just the right amount of bite. The shrimp toast is just that—crispy shrimp atop buttery toast with a smooth, avocado cream. Perhaps the most crave-worthy item, however, is the goat cheese and mushroom wontons—melty and flavorful, you’ll be tempted to grab another plate each time the cart passes by. Don’t let the experience end without a sweet plate—choose from mango sticky rice, bananas tempura, or fried chocolate wontons.
One big difference between traditional dim sum and the Mars version is their lack of a tea service. Instead, they offer specialty brunch cocktails like bloody marys, mimosas by the glass or bottle, and strawberry martinis. The cucumber sake ($5) is subtle and refreshing, a cool accessory to a spice-heavy meal.
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Is this a review or a press release?
Marco Polo's south of the river, isn't it?
"Mars, raising prices and cutting portion size since 19....errrr....the move to Congress"
Why would I eat fusion dim sum when I can have real dim sum for less money?
I think from the recent spate of food articles, it's quite clear that Austinist has no interest in honest criticism.
this sounds terrible.
why is it that salty, anonymous commenters hate anything that is too positive? it's like good review = conspiracy!! the austinist, along with the mohawk and mars, is trying to take over the world! mwuahahahahaha!!
I am posting as a guest because I am too lazy to register, but this does read like a press release. There is no critical engagement of the food at all in this "review."
Also, "ONLY" $4-6/plate for dim sum? Methinks the sweetish chef needs a reality check and should head to Shanghai.
I"ve had the dim sum at Mars and it's one of the best and most unique I've ever had. Here's guessing none of you have even tried it.
I'm definitely going to check this one out. Austin has some decent Chinese food here and there, but it'd be nice to find something good in an unexpected venue like Mars.
Mars is a great rest., but #3 is correct. I have run into numerous Mars faitful who have tried this new location only to be dissapointed and a little lighter in the wallet than before.
I feel like Mars has always been hit and miss, but I like any idea that involves brunch that strays from the requisite green chili grits or what the hell else ever the soul food patrol recycles.
Strawberry martinis sound a little ehh ... how are the bloody marys?
I am a server at Mars and I love the food there. The Dim Sum is excellent. The chefs work very hard to make unique and tasty items. Thanks for the nice review.
Seriously, I don't mind positive reviews. I like them, as a matter of fact, because they generally give me a good new restaurant to try. But a positive review that starts out with a sentence as blatantly ignorant as "You don't have to go north of the river for dim sum!"? That's not a positive review at all, it's just positively identifying the reviewer as someone who doesn't really know the full dim sum scene in Austin all that much. Cause, yeah, Marco Polo is south of the river, and it's tasty and cheap.
I'm glad you like the food at the restaurant you work in though, Mars waiter. It'd be really annoying to eat when you were on break if you always had to run down to Homeslice or something.
hey #13- maybe YOU should be writing for the austinist, with your keen attention to cardinal direction and whatnot. yes, marco polo has good dim sum AND is in the south- way to go! but anyone can tell you MOST dim sum is up north. stop nit-picking & use your energy on something more productive.
als0- "only" 4-6 dollars meant in relation to normal mars prices, not dim sum in general.
but, in my humble opinion, the spectrum of comments on this post makes the heading that much more appropriate.
-the sweetish chef
(in too much of a hurry to sign in)
Seriously haters, can you at least take a holiday for 9/11? I'm really sorry the corner of 6th and Lamar is no longer a grass field with a used car lot, but we need to accept that Austin is all grown up. I'm not trying to go all Dallas, but it we are going to be paying $2/sft for an apartment, we should be able to diversify our dining experience as well.
Margaritas and migas become boring after a while, thus I am excited about the Mars brunch menu. Comparing the prices of Mars to the north Lamar dim sum places is along the lines of comparing a steak at the Frisco on Burnet to III Forks. *gasp* Sometimes restaurants charge more because *gasp* they use better ingredients.
Thanks for the review sweetish chef. I'll definitely be at Mars this Sunday, and I will not complain about the wait for a table, because seriously....it's Sunday...what's the rush?
If we're paying $2 a square foot for an apartment, some of us are going to have to eat Alpo when we want meat.
Their dim sum is terrible! I went last Sunday looking for normal mars Asian fusion deliciousness, and I got a mediocre dim sum. i got there at 2:15, told dim sum was for another 45 minutes. Thinking this was ample time and that Mars is usually very delicious decided to stay. Boy was I wrong! I had maybe three dishes in that 45 minutes, then was told I couldn't get dim sum anymore and could order off the happy hour menu. I left still hungry and spending more money than intended. the service was slow and awful. but, yes, it was still fairly delicious. will never go to their dim sum EVER AGAIN.
Funny = people thinking Mars is a new restaraunt in town. Would this be the same review if they were in their "north of the river" location like they were for years and years and years. I get it though, its on SoCo now so it's SoCool.
In general people who post comments about restaurants, i.e. the above people, are assholes, and don't have anything good to say about anything. Check out the Dim Sum. It's great. And for those who said Marco Polo is good: Can you identify any of the meats you were ingesting?
Neither could I.
some of the dim among us are gonna choose to hate, they might have pre-ACL shpilkes, who knows. ;)
but what nobody can EVER take away from you, sweetish chef, is that precious pun.
touche! :)
heh heh...i think i got a little vicariously offended cuz it's like, c'mon, guys!!! dontcha even wanna *try* a goat cheese and mushroom wonton?
shoot. i know i do!
Wow #19, hello pot, have you met kettle?
OMG! The actual Austinist writer took the time to not sign in and attack me for my knowing north and south! When I'm sure the Austinist would provide them with the opportunity to go in and change the original post to replace the grievous error!
That's AWESOME that *most* dim sum is up north! And congratulations on knowing *everyone* who would be able to tell anyone that! So how about you don't be such a lazy writer and say something to that effect instead of STARTING YOUR REVIEW WITH A HORRIBLE AND ERRONEOUS LEAD THAT WILL IMMEDIATELY DISCREDIT EVERYTHING ELSE YOU SAY??
Oh, right. Because you right online under a pseudonym and when you write a blog entry you're supposed to think that any comments are good. At least people are reading this, right? Awesome! Way to go! I bet you're totally helping to drive people towards CNN.com and raising the advertising revenue for the blog! You go, the_punny_pun! Don't let anyone take your awesome incorrectness away from you!
While you're at it, you should consider a career in writing for the Austin Daze, too. Then you won't even need to worry about using proper spelling and your grammar can be just as bad as your attention to detail and facts!
I think I love you, 24.
you love him because he has the right to write, and that's not a sound reason.
What can I say? I right for the Daze!
Why can't we all just agree that this is A BLOG. Not a credible source for news OR reviews. It's just locals that have enough of an interest in this town to actually write something about it.
Want "credible" reviews? I usually check out the Austin Chronicle...or ask a friend.
Because I don't know if they actually pay anything, but the Austinist hires reviewers because they have a set amount of people who officially write for them and they audition potential writers to see if they'll join those ranks. So if you're going to take the time to audition to be a writer, you should take the time to write well. Do some research, write a couple of drafts before you post your final, and maybe have a friend edit it for you! Yeah!
#24 writes: Because you right online under a pseudonym...
followed by: While you're at it, you should consider a career in writing for the Austin Daze, too. Then you won't even need to worry about using proper spelling...
love it.
and no, i have no intention of correcting my "grievous error." lol.