Dining on Tapas at Fino

I guess I'm glad I didn't name my blog "Austin Food Dilettante" as I will be leaving Austin and relocating to the DC Metro area very soon.  Last year around the same time, I went through rounds of dinners to send my grad school pals off into the professional world.  It's finally my turn now!

I shared a relaxing farewell meal at Fino with a dear friend whose courses I've had the pleasure of taking in undergrad and in grad school.

We wanted to check out tapas in Austin and found out that Fino had a nice tapas selection. 

I enjoyed every dish, but nothing in particular stood out.  I remember feeling this way when I tried Fino for the first time during Austin Restaurant Week spring 2010.  

We started with a complimentary amuse bouche of beet gazpacho.  This was funny because I've recently began a fruit and veggie smoothie breakfast regimen, and red beets are required in every kind of fruit and veggie combination.  I felt a major liquid beet overload, but Fino shouldn't be faulted for my own high consumption of beets.

Beet Gazpacho with Coriander Seeds

The piquillo pepper tasted like a regular red bell pepper.  Stuffing it with crab definitely made it an exciting treat.

Piquillo Pepper with Gulf Crab and Basil

The grilled pork pinchitos was a heavy and smoky contrast to the crisp and summery taste of the stuffed piquillo pepper.

Pork Pinchitos with sea salt

During my last semester of grad school, I discovered that I love hummus, all kinds of Mediterranean spreads, and pita bread.  Fino offers quite a few different spreads that are served with grilled pita.  The walnut, red pepper, and pomegranate spread was awesome!  I wish they would sell their spreads in tubs at grocery stores!

Walnut, red pepper, and pomegranate spread with grilled pita

The grilled octopus was cooked just right.  It was chewy but not rubbery.  Pairing it with fennel and grapefruit salad lightened up the smokiness and meatiness of the seafood.

Grilled octopus with fennel, grapefruit, parsley vinaigrette, and pimenton

The garlicky Gulf prawns were super flavorful.  It was my favorite tapas dish of the evening.  You can tell that the prawns are really fresh by the snap from each bite.  

Gulf Prawns Ajillo with olive oil, lemon, and garlic

The salmon crudo was a bit dull, perhaps because I felt like the flavors in this dish seemed like a variation of the other dishes.  The piquillo peppers, coriander, and orange were present throughout the course of the meal.    

Salmon Crudo with piquillo peppers, orange, yogurt, and coriander

The highlight of the mussels is the fragrant broth.  Because I didn't have French bread to scoop up the broth, I dipped my fries in it to get as much of the broth as possible.

PEI Mussels with harissa, fries and lemon aioli

I couldn't wait to get to the desserts because I wanted to try the olive oil ice cream that came with the donuts and the pistachio-polenta crust of the Meyer lemon tart.  The subtlety of the olive oil got lost in the sherry and golden raisins.  It was delicious nonetheless.  The pistachio-polenta crust was definitely different in that it was really loose and nutty.  The sandy texture worked nicely with the creamy, eggy filling.

Cinnamon Sugar Donuts with olive oil ice cream, sherry, and golden raisins

Meyer Lemon Tart with pistachio-polenta crust, blueberry compote, and lemon sorbet

Even though we had fun tasting the different tapas offerings at Fino, we were too focused on conversing about the past, present, and future to give the food the attention it deserves for a food blog post. 

I'm going to miss our long talks Prof. H.!

Second Bar + Kitchen and Google Places

I attended a food blogger cocktail party hosted by Google Places at Second Bar + Kitchen almost a month ago.  Apologies for the long delay in posting.  Finishing grad school got in the way of food blogging!

Spicy Mango at Second Bar and Kitchen

Food Bloggers

This event was the first time I heard of Google Places and my first taste of Second Bar + Kitchen.  Google Places is a recommendation engine of local restaurants and businesses that's tailored to the preferences of each user.  Users can link their Google Places profile and recs to their own blogs and websites.

While we learned about how Google Places works, we also enjoyed a cocktail and food tasting with the focus placed on rating 3 different off-menu mixed drinks created by Bill Hankey.  The winning drink of the evening is now on their cocktail menu!

First, the spread:

Cheese Board

Beef Short Rib with truffled grits

Beet, Watermelon, and Blue Cheese Skewers

Queso Fundido with avocado and sausage and chipotle masa chips

Veal Meatball

Black Truffle Pomme Frites; Buffalo Fried Pickle

Pomodoro San Marzano Pizza (mozzarella, basil, and olive oil)

Roasted Vegetable Pizza

On to the drinks!

The first cocktail we tried was Forever My Queen which was a strega concoction with lemon juice, tequila reposado, and orange liqueur.  This was really strong and really sweet.

"Forever My Queen"

Next was the Dickle Daisy, which I thought would contain pickle juice (just shows you how much I know about alcohol...).  It's George Dickey sour mash whiskey with lemon juice and powdered sugar.  This was surprisingly good.  I was ready to vote for this until I got a taste of the last cocktail...

"Dickle Daisy"

The Gin and Jam (housemade raspberry preserve) appealed to me with its presentation, and it tasted fresh and moderately sweet.  This made voting a no-brainer.

"Gin and Jam"

Ballot Jars

And the winner is...
*
*
*
*
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Gin and Jam!

Spring 2011 Austin Restaurant Week: Sunday Brunch at Garrido's

I really enjoyed this year's Austin Restaurant Week.  Unfortunately, it had to end on a so-so note.  I checked out my very first Garrido's Sunday brunch and thought that the food didn't come close to the awesome ARW kick-off party.

First, when we were seated, the ARW brunch menu was no where to be found.  When I asked for it, the wait staff did not know about whether they were even serving an ARW brunch though it was clearly listed on the website.  Our kind waiter went on a search for the ARW brunch menu but could only find their ARW lunch menu.  He offered to look the menu up on the ARW website, but luckily, I did my homework and memorized what everyone wanted to order. 

Free Chips and Salsa

The most prominent difference between the ARW brunch at Garrido's from the meals I have had at other restaurants participating in ARW is that the portions of each course is cut down.  I ordered the queso because I enjoyed it tremendously at the kick-off party, but the queso came in a condiment cup that was smaller than the one containing the complimentary salsa!  Seriously?  The pork quesadilla was underwhelming.  The filling was a bit too mushy and bland.  In contrast, the mushroom quesadilla was quite tasty.

Pork Quesadilla with mango pico and tomatillo-habanero salsa

Mushroom Quesadilla with ancho crema and cilantro

Tiny cup of queso

The main course was a big improvement from the generally lackluster appetizers.  The snapper blt was light and fresh.  The bacon helped make this dish.  The lamb sausage omelette was a bit heavy on the cheese, but pretty good.  The lamb sausage tasted almost like chorizo.  The smoked salmon was pretty standard.

Snapper BLT Tacos with habanero aioli and pico de gallo

Lamb Sausage and Cheese Omelette with asadero cheese, caramelized onions

Smoked Salmon with cilantro cream cheese, capers, and cucumbers and toast 

Well, the meal got progressively better with dessert marking the high point.  The creme brulee would have benefitted from more mango flavor, perhaps if the creme brulee was infused with mango rather than using just diced mango as an accoutrement.  The Patron Cafe XO was powerful in the chocolate tres leches, which my mom enjoyed.  My favorite dish of the meal was the zucchini bread pudding.  Zucchini doesn't really have a strong smell or taste, but somehow, you can really pick out the fragrance of the zucchini in this dish!

Creme Brulee with habanero mango honey

Pastel de Calabaza (Zucchini Bread Pudding) with lemon crema

Patrón Café XO Chocolate Tres Leches with chocolate whipped cream

Spring 2011 Austin Restaurant Week: Aquarelle

Aquarelle

I always lamented how Austin lacks French restaurants.  We have an abundance of inventive establishments that have successfully woven together a variety of culinary traditions, but sometimes, I get a hankering for authentic cuisines.  Ever since I left Paris, I haven't had another experience comparable to L'Os à Moelle's amazing prix-fixe dinner in the U.S. 

My first visit to Aquarelle last Friday brought back a hint of that French magic, the bright colors and palatte of the dishes leading up to the main course, the uncomplicated taste of a piece of well cooked meat against the backdrop of an exquisitely balanced sauce, and the dainty portion of subtley sweet dessert to bring the dining experience to a comfortable close.  However, the main thing that prevents Aquarelle from capturing more than just a hint of that French magic is the sometimes heavy-handed use of salt and the over-cooking of some minor ingredients.

Austin Restaurant Week Menu

Aquarelle really made it convenient for restaurant-goers by offering their Austin Restaurant Week menu on Thursday and Friday evenings in addition to the regular ARW days.

Interior

I love the quiet, cozy yet elegant atmosphere at Aquarelle. It's a slightly sterilized take on French hospitality, but it still manages to be one of the most charming and inviting dining rooms in Austin.

Chilled Asparagus Mousse with Baked Prosciutto

Dinner started with an amuse bouche of chilled asparagus "mousse" with a piece of prosciutto that was baked to a crisp. I was actually a bit worried about cracking a tooth on the prosciutto after producing a hollow wood sound when I knocked my spoon against it. I soaked the prosciutto in the asparagus mousse for a few seconds in an attempt to soften it. That didn't help, but at least it didn't break my teeth when I decided to chomp on it. Although the amuse bouche was light and delicious, the contrast between liquid and solid was a bit much.

Crusty French Roll

The French roll also prompted teeth concerns.  Similar to the prosciutto, the roll made a hollow-sounding thud on the plate.  It certainly didn't quell my toothy fears when the roll felt like a baseball in my hands.  Fortunately, the roll was just a slightly crustier version of the baguette, but it didn't wow me.

Pork Ravioli with apple compote, grilled Swiss chard, almond brown butter

I picked pork ravioli for the first course.  The ravioli itself was cooked just right and it was a very tasty version of the common pork and apple complement.  However, the almond brown butter was overly salty.  It killed the sweetness of the pork and apple.  I usually scoop up all the sauce from a dish, but I found myself deliberately pulling the raviolis away from the puddles of butter on the plate.

Lump Crab Salad with zucchini, ginger and leek vichyssoise

My dining companions' lump crab salad, which was presented in a shallow pool of leek vichyssoise, turned out to be the lighter and more balanced dish, but it was still slightly too salty.

Filet of Red Snapper with chickpeas, tomato confit, kale, and garlic butter

I was super happy that a party of three meant being able to try out all three main course and dessert dishes offered on the restaurant week menu.  I was especially happy when I found out that the main course was the turning point of dinner, and the food started to impress.  I ordered the red snapper, which was perfectly cooked with a crunchy skin.  The garlic butter this time wasn't overwhelming like the almond brown butter on the ravioli.  The tomato confit under the snapper gave the fish a delightful sweetness instead of the expected tartness of tomatoes.

Filet of Flounder with orange orzo, spicy pickled cucumbers, watercress salad, and orange beurre blanc

The winner for me that evening, was the flounder.  The texture of the fish was buttery and tender.  The orange beurre blanc was perfectly light and sweet.  I haven't had a fish this good outside of Uchi and Uchiko in Austin.  The spicy pickles were a bit random.  I didn't quite understand how it contributed to the overall dish.

 

Beef Tenderloin in Cinnamon Demiglaze with farro, sundried cherries and marscapone, wilted spinach, and parsnip curls

The beef tenderloin was a close second to the flounder.  It was beautifully pink, moist, and tender.  The cinnamon demiglaze was not overpowering.  The focus of this dish was really about the high quality beef.

Lemon Fromage Blanc Tart with raspberries and lemon cream

The desserts were all not too sweet, which is perfect.  I thought that the lemon fromage blanc was going to be like a cheesecake, but it turned out more like a cake in a tart crust. Regardless, it was a very tasty treat.

Profiteroles with rum raisin and chocolate sauce

The rum raisin cream in the profiterole was sublime, but the puff was a bit too tough and chewy.

Nocello Crème Brulee with candied walnuts

The creme brulee was the simplest but the best dessert of the evening.  It was creamy, smooth, nutty, and not eggy.

Overall, Aquarelle has a lot of potential to be a great French restaurant.  It just needs to make each dish consistent, season the ingredients delicately, and watch out for over-cooking.