We walked in late, of course, and I was immediately struck by how small and intimate the place was - I love it when restaurants have small seating. There were maybe two other tables besides or selves there - and everyone seemed to be celebrating something. We immediately sat down and looked at the wine list - and settled on a Carmenere.
They had a special menu and we decided to try the ceviche at the urging of the CHEF himself. It was stripped bass and onions and other goodies tossed in hot oil versus lime juice - totally awesome and unexpected. I'd definitely recommend this - and since I'd never had it this way, I loved trying something new. It's still considered ceviche since it never actually is cooked over a flame - the raw fish is cooked when it touches the hot oil!
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| Stripped Bass tossed in hot oil. |
I love that their dinner menu is small - cuts right down to business and you know they'll make whatever they're making it their bitch. I also super heart the fact that they offer half plates AND whole plates - because, really. Have you ever eaten everything on your plate when you've gone out?
Lindsey decided on the low country crab cake over house mashed potatoes & collard greens with sriracha aioli. OMG. We had never seen such a ginormous crab cake. It really was a cake. And. Best of all, it actually had crab in it. Tons of it. Oh. Em. Gee. I wanted to slurp all of hers up. However, the real scene stealer were the collards. She had never had them because, like most people who aren't raised around them, had an aversion to them, but after she tried them she wasn't so happy with me stealing bites. Raised in Deep East Texas, I'm pretty serious about my collards (and mustard green...and well...greens in general) and I'm pretty picky about whose are good and whose are not. Hands down, these were the best greens of my entire Southern life. Good God Have Mercy. The sriracha with the greens were perfect. I'm dying to try this on my own.
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| Low Country Crab Cake w/ Sriracha Collards |
As for my own entree, I went with the half plate of the spicy Cajun blackened amber jack over creamy grits with house smoked tomato-sweet corn beurre blanc. House smoked tomato-sweet corn beurre blanc, you ask? That my friends is fancy creamed corn that will make you want to slap your mama. Possibly one of the top 5 bites I've had in Austin. I decided on the amber jack because it isn't often featured on many menus and it's a personal favorite - and then blackened? You surely can't go wrong - it was cooked medium and was mouth watering. However, the creamed corn blew our socks away.
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| Blackened Amber Jack w/ fancy Creamed Corn. |
The chef personally delivered our food, as well as the cutlery, and watched us take our first bites. Then he rushed to tell us that his personal fave was the crab cake covered in the creamed corn and that he had in fact had it for dinner and that he possibly had an addiction to it. I totally understand.
And, of course, for dessert we had cupcakes. Earlier in the day I had a tough time deciding - and since I could theoretically only pick two, I went with Black Bottom and S'mores. The waiter kindly lit our candles and helped me sing the dreaded song. She blew them out and posed for fabulous pictures. We split the cupcakes. They were divine. We were stuffed. Happy Birthday Lindsey!!!
Over all, amazing restaurant, amazing service. Can't wait to come back - even if I have to make up a celebration.
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| Happy Birthday, pretty girl. |
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