If you're drawn to out-of-the-way restaurants that blend refined charm and laudable cuisine into a quiet package -- and who isn't? -- Zoot may be just the ticket. This bistro's carefully crafted culinary repertoire, delivered unpretentiously in a quaint cottage close to the University of Texas' married-student housing in southwest Austin, has made it a favorite with many of Austin's best-known citizens (among them, former Texas governor Ann Richards).

Check out the duck breast, pan-roasted pork chop or crayfish salad for chef Patrick Ehemann's spin on contemporary bistro cooking. If you're going as part of a special group, you might want to reserve the Green Room in the east wing of the restaurant, which offers special menus and private dining for up to twenty people. Know, however, that the menu shifts with the seasons, and the entrees listed in November will be gone by March. -- Wes Simonds