Restaurant Congress The Austonian THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Restaurant Congress THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Restaurant Congress

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Restaurant Congress

The Austonian
200 Congress Ave. (Second St.)
Austin, TX 78701
512-827-2760
Map
Cuisine: Contemporary / Eclectic
Chef David Bull turns out artful presentations that complement his bold flavor profiles.
Openings: Dinner Tues.-Sat.

Features

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Restaurant Congress, Austin, TX


THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Restaurant Congress Restaurant Review:


Chef David Bull, formerly of Driskill Grill and most recently Bolla in Dallas, returned to Austin to orchestrate the opening of an ambitious triple-establishment affair. The crown sophisticate is Restaurant Congress, replete with crystal chandeliers and white lounge chairs that invite a lengthy stay. In a city proud of its casual image, Restaurant Congress ups the ante quite a bit. Nonetheless, Bull knows this town, so he pipes in classic rock music lest the proceedings go too black-tie. Choose from a three-course menu (with several options in each course) or a fixed seven-course tasting menu, which changes nightly. Some creations are redux classics, such as the steak tartare with green beans and a delightfully piquant curry mustard, or rack of lamb with cardamom yogurt rather than the pedestrian mint jelly. A less conventional dish is the chilled pea soup with horseradish and tête de cochon, a laboriously reinvented head cheese sans aspic. A lighter option featured blue cobia --- a flaky white fish with just enough oil to add character --- with crushed pistachios, marjoram and flavor-packed pioppini mushrooms. Innovative desserts have yielded sweet potato beignets with salted butter ice cream, pecan brittle and toasted meringue. The 500-plus-bottle wine list has a pairing for every bold course, and while one could easily spend four digits on a couple bottles of wine, there are also some values under $50.