DINING FEATURE Sundancer Grill Local restaurant reimagines lakeside dining S ituated in Lakeway at the Sail & Ski Yacht Club, Sundancer Grill is a lakeside restaurant
BY GRACE DICKENS
of typical lake food. We’ve always kind of found that helped make us successful.” Easy access to the water allows tourists and boaters to ride in and walk up, but Clark said he also wants the restaurant to be a year-round staple for local residents. With the exception of Christmas and New Year’s Day, the restaurant is open year-round. Since opening around 2013, Sundancer Grill has had its share of ups and downs, such as having experienced two oods and now a potential drought. Developing a strong customer base has helped get through these setbacks, Clark said. The sta ng “The post-COVID[-19] shutdown world is kind of an environment we’ve never found ourselves in before,” Clark said. “The guests are plentiful and ready to re-engage, and we have more clientele than we’ve probably ever had, but the workforce isn’t there.” Like other businesses, Sundancer Grill is learning to navigate these challenges every day, Clark said. “There are certainly challenges in the marketplace post-COVID[-19] … but we can control the food,” Clark said. “The more good restaurants that are on the lake, the better it is for all of us. It’s more about being good at what you do.” shortage, however, is a problem he has not dealt with in over 20 years in business.
aiming to turn the shores of Lake Travis into a culinary destination, part-owner Pete Clark said. The restaurant dishes up American favorites such as hamburgers and steak alongside salads and seafood. While most patrons come for quick and casual dining, Clark said he wants to cater to the diverse needs of his clientele. “Most of our guests get burgers and sh tacos and things like that, but we do have a few di erent items that wouldn’t be considered in that area,” Clark said. “We’re very into food that wasn’t necessarily typical in lakefront environments.” A personal favorite dish of Clark’s is the Texas Patty Melt, with grilled onions, bacon, green chile queso and thousand island dressing on buttered Texas toast. The restaurant also serves entree salads with protein options such as miso glazed cedar plank salmon and Coca-Cola marinated sirloin steak. Sandwiches, tacos and Cajun-style dishes are also available. “The di erence is not what we make, but how we make it,” Clark said. “We tend to use fresher prod- ucts and do more things from scratch than what most people conceive laid-back in our design and lake culture, but we always wanted to put added quality
Pete Clark is part-owner of the Sundancer Grill at Lakeway’s Sail & Ski Yacht Club.
PHOTOS BY GRACE DICKENS COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
DIVING IN
The restaurant serves up a variety of options for customers, such as traditional American food, tacos and salads. All except for two items on the menu are under $20.
“THE DIFFERENCE IS NOT WHAT WE MAKE, BUT HOW WE MAKE IT.” PETE CLARK, PART OWNER
Texas Patty Melt ($14.95)
The Cat sh Pontchartrain ($19.95)
The Cat sh Pontchartrain o ers blackened cat sh served with garlic- smashed potatoes and grilled zucchini, topped with shrimp Cajun cream sauce.
Served with a side of fries, the Texas Patty Melt has grilled onions, bacon, green chile queso and thousand island dressing on buttered Texas toast.
Cedar Plank Salmon Salad ($16.95)
One entree salad features miso glazed cedar plank salmon over mixed greens, a variety of vegetables, goat cheese, mandarin oranges and sliced pecans all tossed in a ginger-lime vinaigrette.
BUFFALO GAP RD.
Sundancer Grill Sail & Ski Yacht Club, 16410 Stewart Road, Lakeway 512-266-2268 www.sundancergrill.com Hours: Mon.-Thu. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.-10 p.m.
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LAKE TRAVIS WESTLAKE EDITION • JUNE 2022
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