Hank's Garage - Austin, TX

Admittedly and regrettably I haven't posted many restaurant reviews lately as I've been cooking at home nearly every night and when I have stopped somewhere for a bite, it's been for the old standbys that I've already written about.  That said, let's see if I remember how to do this.

                                  Hank's Garage                                          Belgian Pub

                                                Hank's Garage                  Belgian Pub

                                                         Hanks Garage, Belgian Pub

I know, doesn't really seem to jive, does it.  I'm afraid this place is suffering from location and identity issues.  I've been wanting to check out this "Belgian Pub" for a while now, and finally made it there last week for a quick dinner and a beer.

I wasn't sure quite what to expect, but was hoping it was along the lines of a place called Vol de Nuit in the West Village of Manhattan, which I visited a few years back.  Not having been to Belgium to see what a real Belgian Pub is like, I've got to believe that this is a pretty good replication...

...save for greasy tank tops, of course.

Small, intimate, secluded, dark only for the dimly lit red lights, dusty hardwood floors, fantastic Belgian beers of all sorts on tap, expertly executed fries, and mouthwatering mussels swimming in a flavorful broth.

Instead, we've got this...

...which doesn't look all that bad in these pictures, I realize, but just doesn't have that feel that I so expected and wanted.  First off, the place is huge, and with windows across the entire front of the joint, exposed ceilings and concrete floors, an open kitchen, and a menu meant to look like a clipboard list of garage services and estimates, it just doesn't scream PUB at me.  Give me dark.  Give me scary.  Give me food that comes from a mysterious room somewhere off the grid.

If the place isn't packed (and there were two other people there when I was there), sounds quietly echo
through the place, even over the horrific sounds of Brent Musburger ringing out from one of several flat screen TVs around the place.  It's identity crisis starts with it trying to decide if it's a restaurant, a pub, or a sports bar, and with a location at Second and San Jacinto downtown, it's more likely to attract name-tagged convention goers than thirsty locals looking for a place to drown the beating of a hard days work in some high-octane beer.

Now, I get that the place has a history, and is in fact a former garage, as the bartenders will clearly point out, but it just doesn't seem to fit with the theme they're going for.

That said...despite the odd format, the menu looked excellent, and I would have had trouble picking out what to eat if not for my craving for fries that lead me there in the first place.  Even with that, there are a lot options for fries, starting with regular or duck fat, and then a great list of dipping sauces including garlicky aioli, smoked paprika mayonnaise, dill creme fraiche, Sriracha mayo and Bearnaise.  They've also got poutine, a north of the border delicacy known more commonly to American Northeast stoners and ski bums as french fries and gravy, which caught my attention quickly.  They have a few different kinds, but I went with the classic, with brown sauce and cheese curds, and for no extra charge I added a side of smoked paprika mayonnaise.

Awesome.  It was awesome.

Fries leaning toward the soggy side, a combination of cooking technique and gravy, without being greasy, a flavorful gravy, chewy cheese curds, and a wonderfully flavored dipping sauce.

I paired it with a Duchess de Bourge ale, which was the closest they could come to a sour beer I was looking for, and though a little on the sweet side for my taste, it was very good and went perfectly with the fries.  I'd have liked to see a little more Belgian oriented beer selection, but I do realize this is Texas, so to survive they must have the basics.  It was a little disheartening though to see Coors and Coors light at the top of the draught menu, and only after twenty beers ranging the gambit from American mass-produced to widely-distributed microbrews to German, Scottish and Irish lagers did they get to nine Belgians that they feature, half of which are made on this side of the Atlantic.  That said, there's a taste on there for everyone, so if you're with a group looking for fries and beer, this is a good spot.

And it's a spot that I'll go back to.  For the fries, a great beer, and Brent Musburger's opinion on whatever it is he feels like talking about, God help us all.

Summary:

Atmosphere:  confused, sports barry, a little sterile, good for groups

Food:  Belgian influenced, fries, mussels, burgers, sandwiches, and meat dishes

Crowd:  two old guys in starched shirts (on my visit there)

Dog Friendly:  no

When to Go:  happy hour, dinner

What to Order for the First Timer:  Classic Poutine with Smoked Paprika Mayonnaise