South Congress Cafe - Austin, TX

Who likes short shorts?

I do, I do.

But that has zero bearing and nothing to do with this review, terribly that just happens to be the song that's stuck in my head right now.  Not sure what I did to deserve this.

South Congress Cafe

This is a place on my "must go to" list for anyone going to Austin for short visit, particularly for a weekend.  Specialties:  dinner and brunch.  This place embodies Austin culture in a nice, clean setting better than anyplace in town, and with more than just the food.  A funky little spot on the continually growing South Congress strip, it offers a true taste of Austin featuring game, southwestern fare, and innovative creations with bold flavors.  It's also a fantastic place to belly up to the bar and have a drink and a meal.  AND, don't quote me on this because I'm not sure if it's still true, but if you sit at the bar, it's 20% off.  I'm not sure there is a better place in town for a morning after a long night for a bloody mary and some grub.

Let me start with brunch, because that's where I found myself on Saturday morning.  First off, YOU WILL WAIT for a table, but maximize it.  My recommendation is to pack yourself into the bar area and start with a bloody mary, or a beer, or a poison of your choosing.  It's tight, but there are seats for waiting around the bar area which you can snag if you're lucky.  On a nice day, if you don't feel like starting with booze before food, sit outside and watch all of the people, it's some of the best people watching you'll find in the city, with all walks of life, or stroll up and down and stop in the shops and outdoor stands filled with funky art, furniture, vintage clothing, costumes, and all sorts of crap you don't need.

So, the brunch menu features all sorts of incredible entrees ranging from breakfast to lunch to dinner to appetizers.  I'd recommend starting with some chips and salsa or queso as well as the prosciutto wrapped quail while you figure out what to order.  The breakfast options lean toward the savory, and include three to four omelets, three to four different benedicts, a smoked briskey hash, and the standard Mexican migas, and the lunch-type options range from burgers to venison meatloaf to fish.

I opted for the Italian omelet on this most recent trip, after a really tall bloody mary garnished with celery, olives, and a pepperocini.  The omelet was a fluffy egg disk stuffed with wild boar Italian sausage, a spicy pepper and onion mix, fresco, panela and asadero cheese, and was topped with a creamy tomato gorgonzola sauce, which was incredible.  Awesome combination of flavors, very savory, and served with a smoked gouda potato pancake with a dollop of sour cream, which is worth ordering in and of itself.

On the dinner side, I particularly like the mesquite smoked pork chop, the jalapeno-venison meatloaf, and most of all the barbecued quail, which is served on a bed of goat cheese bacon grits.  Yeah, that's right.  Goat cheese and bacon.  But choose what sounds good to you, as the menu is a great mix of steaks, pasta, and seafood, all of which are no doubt flavorful and well prepared.

This is one of my favorite spots to hit up if I'm looking for a good, casual dinner and am by myself.  It's the kind of bar you sit at, and will have conversations not only with the friendly staff, but with the locals as well who are also bellied up.  As I said from the get go, a must stop to experience Austin on a short trip for a short trip.

Summary

Atmosphere:  truly Austin, funky, great bar to sit at, fantastic place for a weekend brunch, good for groups, great if you're flying solo, great people-watching, nice place to take a date or meet a friend, great spot for meeting new people

Food:  southwestern, game, meats and seafoods

Dog Friendly:  no

Best Time to Go:  weekend brunch, dinner

Crowd:  eclectic, 20somethings, 30somethings, hotchicks, hipsters, beatniks, artists, musicians, loners, hangovers

What to Order for the First Timer:  quail