EADA: How did it all begin for you in this industry?
DT: In 1987, I started my first company - called Pecan Street Lager - and at that time, we'd introduced a bill to allow brewpubs in the state of Texas. Finally, in 1993, brewpubs were legalized in the state, and I opened up Coppertank with two other partners downtown. In 1996, I left there to start putting together my own place, and after gaining interest from several investors, North by Northwest opened in late August of 1999. It was great to achieve my goal of creating a restaurant and brewery combination with a casual urban lodge environment.

EADA: Of course, the environment fits remarkably well with the name, so I have to ask if there was any Hitchcock inspiration?
DT: I knew I wanted to use the word Northwest in the title because it evokes images of trees and mountains, fitting with the lodge feel I was going for. And the final name decision definitely came from the Hitchcock movie, North by Northwest. I love the name, and we pay homage to it with some foreign movie posters from the film in the restaurant.

EADA: Do you experience much curiosity from your customers about the local ownership of the restaurant?
DT: Yes, actually we get a lot of questions about it. Many people are surprised to find that we are local.

EADA: The operations seem to run very smoothly around here, which some people might tend to attribute to large corporation training methods.
DT: When we opened, my original general manager came with a corporate management background, and I knew I wanted somebody who could work well in a local restaurant environment, but one who also had superb organizational skills.

EADA: Austin is a food-loving city. In order to cater to the wide variety of people, what makes your menu unique?
DT: We offer New American cuisine. It's an eclectic mix. For example, one of my favorites is the Smoked Pork Tenderloin with soy ginger sauce served with wasabi mashed potatoes and braised red cabbage. It's a dish with a variety of influences: Asian, American, and German

EADA: Not an offering you could find in many establishments.
DT: Definitely not. We also have a Smoked Salmon Pizza. It's phenomenal. The pizza dough is prepared first to make it a little crispy, then we put on chive goat cheese and field greens followed by the salmon, capers, and red onions. It all goes back in the oven briefly for an incredible end result. The menu offers several fine dining options, as well as casual. We have an amazing Angus Beef Burger served with Huntsman cheese that's been named one of Austin's top burgers.

EADA: You have obviously created a very successful restaurant with North by Northwest. Did you ever doubt yourself or your ideas in the development process?
DT: (Laughing) Basically, it never occurred to me that I couldn't do it. In the mid-80's I saw a guy from New York doing a microbrewery and thought, “Shoot, I can do this!” I had no idea that producing beer is really only an opportunity to taste and make good beer. Selling enough to stay in business is the real trick. Early on in the industry, a lot of people thought if they just made good beer, people would buy it. But honestly, my idea of good beer likely differs greatly from yours, so a lot more goes into the brewery business than just taste. Marketing and creating the right environment is key.

EADA: Do you have any special events that draw crowds?
DT: We just started a brewers' dinner. George Powell, our Executive Chef, works with Ty Phelps, Head Brewer, and Brewmaster Don Thompson to create a five-course meal, each course paired with a brew to compliment the flavors. For example, the very rich braised spare ribs were paired with a black lager. The chocolate undertone was a great complement to the cuisine. We are going to have a brewers' or wine dinner now every other month. Of course, we also do Oktoberfest every year during the third week of October. It's huge. We cover the parking lot with a giant tent, and we have oompah bands, face painters. The Austin Rock Gym brings out their rock-climbing wall. It's lots of fun.

EADA: Sounds like quite a crowd pleaser. Anything during the week?
DT: We have live music every Thursday, Friday and Saturday and can seat up to 100 people on the outside deck. It's a great space. We have lots of private parties on the deck. One couple used it for their wedding ceremony.

EADA: Any thoughts on expansion?
DT: You bet. This is a people business, a relationship business. We are currently looking for managers and staff that can help us grow the business in the next couple of years to new locations. I love to work with people who are self-motivated and able to make smart decisions on a daily basis. We're looking forward to it.

EADA: You must attribute your success to something… can you share it with us?
DT: A work philosophy… hmmm. Actually, I guess I try to be “present” as much as possible. Not just physically, but also mentally present and in the moment. Handling situations with a positive outlook has been a huge factor in the success of the restaurant.