Folks, it's that time of year again. A time that makes us all joyful, festive, and full of happiness. No, it's not Christmas, it's Austin Restaurant Week! This year's menu options sound delectable and interesting. Check one of these fine establishments out and if you try one, please let me know what you thought! These menu's are available Sunday the 26th through Wednesday the 29th.
Aquarelle - $35 (menu) Dinner only
Appetizer: Rabbit Terrine with green olive salad, pistachio, chili oil
Entree: Wild Stockeye Salmon, braised fennel, pernod butter, spicy tobacco onions
Dessert: Plum, Berry Timbale, caramel and red coulis
Carillon - $35 (menu) Dinner only (our review)
The Carillon is closed Sundays and Mondays, so they offer their menu Thursday and Friday too. What a good way to get in a few more days of good eating!
Appetizer: Crisp pork belly, asian pear, diablo glaze and fried mint
Entree: Brioche crusted rack of lamb with english pea risotto whole grain mustard and tomato confit
Dessert: Cherry Vanilla Bread pudding with limoncello gelato and salsa de agrumi
Cipollina - $25 (menu) Dinner only (our review)
Appetizer: Antelope Tartare, paprika, crispy capers, microgreens
Entree: Duck confit tortellini, consomme, oyster mushrooms
Dessert: Ginger cake
Corazon - $25 (menu) Dinner only
Appetizer: Chicken Flautas - Fried corn flautas filled with roasted chicken, Hatch green chiles, and cotija cheese.Served with crema espesa, and a spicy avocado salsa Cruz
Entree: Voodoo Shrimp with Caribbean Mango Sauce - Coconut crusted and fried large Gulf shrimp served on a generous bed of spicy Caribbean-style mango and habanero sauce . Served with a banana and corn pone filled tamale and tfresh papaya and pineapple relish and an electric lime and mango puree.
Dessert: Bread Pudding with Mexican Brandy Espresso Sauce - A bread pudding made from bread, eggs, fried bananas, canela, raisi Served with caramelized Mexican brandy espresso sauce
Eastside Showroom - $35 (menu) Dinner only (our review)
Appetizer: Lamb Rillettes with tomato, radish sprouts, mustard
Entree: Chicken Fried Rabbit with cayenne, celery, frites
Dessert: Bartlette Tartlette with housemade ice cream, lavender,
brown sugar
El Arbol - $35 (menu) Dinner Only
Appetizer: Ceviche Criollo - Citrus cured seasonal Gulf Red Snapper, tomato, red onion and spicy Peruvian peppers
Entree: Falda de Cerdo - Smoked pecan porter braised Richardson Farms pork belly, membrillo compote, sweet potato risotto and baby arugula
Dinner: Dos Natillas - Honey gelato, crispy vanilla custard, blackberry and port reduction
Fabi + Rossi - $25 (menu) Dinner Only
Appetizer: Horseradish – Buttermilk Mousse with apple speck
Entree: Pan Roasted Turbot with sautéed zucchini + crawfish velouté
Dessert: Bienenstich Cake
Fino - $35 (menu) Lunch and Dinner (our review)
Appetizer: Albondigas with Black Truffle Cream
Entree: Moroccan spiced vegetable cazuela with Chorizo with Roasted Eggplant, Butternut Squash, Garbanzos and Tomato Cous Cous, Marcona Almonds Preserved Lemon Yogurt
Dessert: Gianduja semifreddo with a dark chocolate and hazelnut crunch
Frank - $25 for 2 people (menu) Dinner Only (our review)
This menu is really the biggest bang for your big and trust me, it will be deliciously, unhealthy but well worth it. I've written about how wonderful the Poutine is at Frank, now's you're change to try it!
Appetizer: Canadian Waffle Poutine - Fries with brown gravy and cheese curds
Entree: Jackalope - Antelope and Rabbit sausage, huckleberry compote, sriracha aioli, smoked cheddar
Dessert: Cheries Jubilee - Cherries flambéed with Kirschwasser, served over vanilla ice cream
Garridos - $25 (menu) Dinner Only
Appetizer: Pork Bocaditos with watermelon, goat cheese, and pumpkin seeds
Entree: 3 coffee marinated pork tacos
Dessert: Chocolate Tres Leches
Green Pastures - $35 (menu) Dinner Only (our review)
Appetizer: Sake Bombed Lobster Tail - BBQ Kirin Tempura Lobster Tail with Black Pepper Ginger Sake Butter and Sesame Scallions
Entree: Texas Hydroponic Redfish - Coriander Spiced Redfish, Steamed Crab Cake, Coconut-Jasmine Rice, Fried Cilantro, Curried Cashews and Lime-Long Pepper Butter
Dessert: Helen Corbitt Texas Pecan Ball - Large Scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream Rolled in Crushed Pecans and Homemade Fudge Sauce
Imperia - $25 (menu) Dinner Only
Appetizer: Yuzu Crusted Oysters Wasabi crème friache
Entree: Grilled Sake w honey mascarpone and sake lees
Dessert: Sticky Banana Cake with vanilla bean ice cream and brown butter caramel
La Sambra - $35 (menu) Lunch and Dinner
Appetizer: Guasacaca - a venezuela style guacamole with corn arepas, chifles, and queso fresco
Appetizer 2: Sopa de platanos with homini, fried yucca and cilantro
Entree: Sancochado a savory peruvian stew with corn, rice, potatoes and veggies
Dessert: Arroz con leche
Lambert's - $25-$35 (menu) Dinner Only
Appetizer: Beer Battered Florida Rock Shrimp with Texas Ginger and Honey Glaze
Entree: Brown sugar and coffee rubbed beef skirt with house pickled escabeche
Mansion at Judges Hill - $25 (menu) Dinner Only
Romantic, but a pretty ho-hum menu (and the same as last year).
Appetizer: Boudin Balls with spicy creole remoulade and scallions
Entree: Fig and port braised short ribs with a parsnip and potato puree, swiss chard and a red chile fig marmalade
Dessert: Trio of Texas Miniatures
Max's Wine Dive - $25 (menu) Dinner Only
A nice, inexpensive, homey dinner downtown. This is downright inexpensive, too, compared to Max's normal prices.
Appetizer: Max ‘N Cheese - Cavatappi pasta tossed in truffle cream with mozzarella, white cheddar, gruyere, and Grana Padano cheese blend
Entree: Southern Fried Chicken - Three pieces of chicken with MAX’s own jalapeno and buttermilk marinade, deep fried slow and low and served with chipotle honey, mashed potatoes and collard greens
Dessert: Ancho Chili Brownie - Served with Bacio gelato and chocolate sauce
Olivia - $35 (menu) Dinner Only
Appetizer: Foie Gras Creme Brulee
Salad: Beet Salad with pure luck chevre and tarragon
Entree: White Wine Coq a Vin
Paggi House - $35 (menu) Dinner Only (our review)
The rest of the menu is pretty boring, but this appetizer intrigues me.
Appetizer: Peppered Aha Tataki with Horseradish Ponzu, Cucumber, Mache
Parkside - $35 (menu) Dinner Only
Though I haven't written
Appetizer: Grilled Texas Quail with blue cheese, celery and apple
Entree: Loup de mer with poached faro and oven roasted tomatoes and herbs
Dessert: Peach upside down cake with creme fraiche ice cream, blueberries and almond tuille
Perlas - $35 (menu) Dinner Only (our review)
Appetizer: Grilled octopus with papas bravas, capers, herbs and saffron aioli
Entree: Oak grilled loch duart salmon with cucumber yogurt, chickpea tabouli and lemon pepper jam
TRIO - $35 (menu) Dinner Only (our review)
Appetizer: Beef Carpaccio with farm egg, truffled arugula, manchego
Entree: Basil-Roasted Red Snapper and herb broth
Dessert: Black & White Creme Brulee with chocolate, vanilla and raspberry beet gelee
Uchiko - $35 (menu) Dinner Only (our review)
Appetizer: roasted golden beets with skyr yogurt, bitter greens, acacia honey
Entree: shiki sakana - seared sea bass with grilled tomato, shiso, brandy, and lemongrass
Dessert: Sweet corn sorbet - polenta custard, caramel salt, and lemon
