Austin has never really had a shortage of steak houses. Billion-dollar (mid-price) players like Texas Roadhouse, Outback Steakhouse, and Longhorn Steakhouse have been here for years. More upscale venues like Eddie V’s, Jeffery’s (possibly the most expensive steak in town), Fleming’s, Perry’s, and homegrown Austin and Cattle Co. have been celebration/go-to restaurants for decades. The ever-growing list shows that Austin’s appetite for over-the-top steaks, classic sides, and signature desserts has certainly not diminished post-pandemic.
Our latest arrival, J-Prime, on the corner of Third Street and San Jacinto, is a welcomed addition to the high-end field, but this new powerhouse comes with a rare perk… nearly all of their steaks are dry-aged forty-five to sixty days in-house.
In “dry-aging,” large cuts of beef are stored on open racks in special refrigerated lockers or sometimes rooms allowing for optimal airflow at carefully controlled temperatures and humidity levels. (A display locker is in the wall just to the right of the bar entrance.)
The technique allows the meat to gradually lose moisture and concentrate its unique flavor. The storage can range from a typical twenty-one days to as many as seventy-five.
Dry-aging also helps break down tough connective tissue, making the meat more tender. Each time I’ve had a dry-aged steak, flavor intensity has always been the number one takeaway.
J-Prime came about in a bit of a circuitous way. In 2008, João Carlos Ongaratto, a twenty-year veteran of Fogo de Chao, was eager to strike out on his own and founded the Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse in San Antonio. What better education in steak than from a restaurant chain so focused on grilling traditions? (Incidentally, Chama Gaucha has prospered well and now has locations in Houston, Chicago, and Atlanta.)
Six years after opening Chama Gaucha, João Carlos set his sights on opening a “classic” steakhouse, but still with a few Brazilian touches here and there. He opened J-Prime in north San Antonio in 2014.
The new restaurant was just down the road from the original Chama Gaucha and the tony Sonterra Country Club. Over the years, J-Prime’s sleek, airy dining room, anchored by an imposing glass wine cellar, has become one of “San Antonio’s most romantic dining spots.”
The Austin location, second in the new chain, is perfectly positioned in the Whitley Apartment building within eyeshot of the Four Seasons Hotel, conveniently one block west of the Convention center and coincidentally one block away from Fogo de Chao.
One thing that stood out in my recent visits to J-Prime is a very decided attention to detail and a noticeable elevation of items offered at other restaurants.
My first visit was for a friend’s birthday – The bartender told us that their Cucumber Cocktail was “better than the others,” and he wasn’t wrong. A house-made sweet-chili rub on the rim of the glass made the intense cucumber/lime drink delicious but deceptively mild.
Although this may change a bit as the restaurant becomes busier (it’s only been open for two months), there seemed to be a small army of waitstaff. There was always someone there to fold a napkin or refill a wine glass, yet the service felt unobtrusive.
Our first bites were of a steak tartare amuse-bouche surrounded with micro greens that made you wish it was appetizer size. For such a tiny bite, the flavor was incredible.
Since this was a celebration, our first few courses were pure luxury; chunks of lobster tucked in melted butter, a giant crabcake with serious pieces of crab meat, and tender, garlicky escargot, each with a little puff pastry cap. We paired the first courses with generous glasses of G.H. Mumm Champagne.
The menu has both hot and cold appetizers, including an enormous seafood tower and a rare, now legal, Beluga Caviar offering. (Their sushi-grade tuna and salmon were fantastic on a separate visit.)
The birthday dinner continued with 30-day aged filet mignons and stunningly white lobster tails. I chose the Oscar steak topping, a decadent lump crab hollandaise, which was probably unnecessary given the quality of the steak, but fantastic nonetheless.
Bread service came with the mains and was the first of the few Brazilian touches on the menu. Warm, round puffs of “Pao de queijo,” or Brazilian Cheese Bread, were placed on our plates. When these are well made (as these were), you will be tempted to eat way too many.
Our sides were difficult to decide on as most steakhouses know this is a great place to make fans. We chose a trio of creamy risotto with fresh basil, steamed asparagus, and very flavorful, crispy Brussels Sprouts with walnuts, feta, and shaved prosciutto. (Very little of these made it to the doggy bags home.)
The mains were enjoyed with a 2018 Gaja Sito Moresco from Langhe. The blend of Nebbiolo, Cabernet, and Merlot was perfect with the steaks and cut through the rich Oscar sauce in the most perfect way.
J-Prime’s wine list is predominately big California Cabs, with seventy-five labels available in that category alone. The wines range from a fifty-dollar Joseph Carr Napa Valley to over a thousand for some of the “California cult wines.” (Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer, Scarecrow, Schrader, and Opus 1 round out the high-end of the menu.) There are thirty-five Pinot Noirs, various Malbecs, Shiraz, and Zins, plus an excellent selection of French, Italian and Spanish wines.
By the end of the meal, we had little room left, but what birthday could be complete without something sweet? Unlike some steakhouses that focus on just a few “signature” offerings, J-Prime has ten different desserts on its menu. Items range from classic Crème Brûlée to several “sharable” monster cake slices. Our ‘Celebration Cake’ had moist layers of yellow vanilla cake, cream cheese frosting, colorful sprinkles, and two brilliant sparklers.
I always remember that some pets just shouldn’t be alone; some birds do better in pairs, cats are happier, and dogs benefit from having friends. I feel that way about desserts. I like to have more than one. As nice as our birthday cake looked and tasted, the Banana split with ice cream, drunk’n caramel sauce, toffee crumble, chocolate sauce, and pecans was a-m-a-z-i-n-g.
The amply stocked bar cart provided our last course for this visit. One of the other nods to Brazil still on the menu is an exceptional coffee drink called a “Carajilo.” This is a drink that comes with a show. Snifters of ’43’ (vanilla-flavored liqueur produced in Spain using 43 flavoring ingredients…. citrus and other fruits, herbs, and spices.) are set on fire, creating a vivid blue flame. The liquor is poured dramatically into a cocktail shaker with ice and strong coffee. The resulting drink is unique and very delicious.
Our birthday dinner finished with a tour of the lovely new restaurant.
The entire space is modern, with high ceilings, clean lines, and lots of glass. The palate is neutral earth tones in both walls and furniture. On several walls, large LED screens feature brilliant NFT ‘non-fungible token’ paintings, making the walls come alive.
Color is also provided by some of the wine and spirit bottles in display cases and several floor-to-ceiling wine walls. The restaurant has several private dining rooms available, which can be made more intimate with the flip of a switch. The glass becomes completely opaque when power is provided to some of the glass walls.
As the dinner service was winding down, I briefly met Chef Juan Piedrahita. I thanked him for a beautiful dinner and noted that you could see the thoughtful touches beyond decoration, from the amuse to the desserts. Flavor and care seemed to go into each element of the dishes. If this is maintained, J-Prime will have no choice but to succeed well into Austin’s future.
On a subsequent trip, I met with restaurant manager Omar Bejarano and discussed one of the other pleasures of the meal at J-Prime, the staff. The waitstaff seemed a small outpost of the United Nations with folks from the U.S., Puerto Rico, Mexico, Colombia, and Croatia. What they all had in common was a very high presentation of professionalism. There was a polish to their bearing and movement. I’ve seen this a few times before, and it’s always been the hallmark of a great restaurant.
I am really looking forward to many more meals at J-Prime Austin.
Richard Arebalo
Features Editor