Parkside — Restaurant in Austin

Boy, am I glad that my boss picked Parkside for our team dinner. I've been wanting to go to Parkside for a while; it's always been the outlier on Dirty Sixth in comparison to Malaia, Aquarium, and Bling Pig. The fact that it was on my boss' tab and that he insisted we go all out and get everything we wanted made it all the better. The food kept coming out, the drinks were flowing, and it was such a great experience overall. I would definitely return.

We started off with quite a few appetizers that we shared around, and among my favorites were lamb pastrami, ceviche, and the fried oysters. The lamb pastrami was so flavorful and was also a little fatty which made it all the more delicious. The ceviche was the table favorite and we had to order another because it was so popular - definitely really fresh. We also ordered other appetizers that were a miss - I would stay away from the crispy calamari, crab fritters, and potato gnocchi. There was just nothing special about these items and it was lacking in flavor. The potato gnocchi wasn't light and pillowy the way it should be and the calamari was a bit rubbery. No thanks.

One of my coworkers and I also shared a dozen oysters (I told you we were going all out) and they were DELICIOUS. We ordered the Blue Point, NY oysters and they were EXTREMELY fresh. Apparently, they get their oysters flown in every morning. Happy hour is probably the best time to come to enjoy their oysters as a dozen is only $14!! That's such a steal!!

For my main course, I ordered the seared scallops and they were absolutely delicious!! The white gazpacho at the bottom of the plate with the scallops was such a great pairing. One of my other coworkers got the branzini and was in love with it as well. We were all so busy eating that our table was so silent - the food was that good. Also, I'm a sucker for mac n cheese. Especially good mac n cheese. And no, I'm not talking about that Kraft or Stouffer's stuff guys. This was soooooo goood and incredibly rich. It was topped with gruyere and cheddar and after everyone tried a bite of mine, they ordered their own. Don't worry, I got a bite of everyone's to make up for my lost mac n cheese. Mmmm.

And nope, we didn't stop there. Next was dessert. I have no idea how, but I managed to finish a dessert after all of this food. My boss' wife was so insistent we couldn't say no, and I'm glad she was. I ordered the frozen goat cheese mousse. I know it sounds weird, but it also sounds like something that someone would make on Top Chef which is exactly why I got it. And if that is what food/dessert is like on Top Chef, I don't know how Padma Lakshmi hasn't gained 20 pounds over the course of a season. That mouse was delicious!! It came with basil ice cream (that was to die for!!!) and raspberry jelly that was an interesting contrast to the other flavors - I was a fan.

The service was exceptional. We were a group of six and ordered quite a bit of food - everything was brought out promptly, the waitress ensured that our drinks were filled, and she offered great recommendations of items she thought we would like. We actually liked her recommendations more than the items we picked ourselves, which doesn't always happen since waitresses at other restaurants sometimes just push the most expensive item. It was such a great dining experience and the service made it...

Redemption is a beautiful thing. Last night, I had a less than optimal experience at Parkside. I posted my first non-positive review ever. As I left this visually charming restaurant, where I had a sub-par culinary experience, I thought, "I wish the owner/manager knew what my unimpressuve experience was like." I could tell from the decor and the thoughtful menu that this restaurant wants to serve its customers well, but execution happened to be lacking last night. After leaving without even one person asking how my experience was, I posted a review, detailing where I believed the focus on the customer and failed promises were lacking. After I posted my review, I looked at other reviews, and I noticed a trend in a particular menu item I had also ordered. Again, I wished I coukd share my experience with the restaurant management. As fate would have it, I inadvertenrly left my wallet there, so I returned tonight to retrieve it, and had an opportunity to speak with the manager, Krista. Krista waa gracious, humble, and focused on solving the issue. She seated me promptly even during peak hours, and graced me with a complimentary champagne and small plates of my choosing. This wasn't expected or necessary, but she insisted on making it right for me. This is the sign of true passion for the customer, and longevity with legs for this restaurant. I enjoyed perfectly cooked gnocchi and broccoli head, and superior service without defensiveness and a true desire to make it right. Well done, Krista! I will return next time I visit Austin, and suggest the same for any others looking for superior customer service.

Review from last night:

Nice ambiance, cool vibe, but quite pricey for what you get. One small glass of wine was $15, and steak was $33. Wine was tasty, but expensive for the vintage. Service was adequate, but not at the level I've enjoyed with Texas hospitality elsewhere. A third of the steak was hard gristle an inedible. Alongside the undercooked steak (I ordered medium, and half of it was raw) was one miniature potato cut in half, which was the size of a small grape. When it was delivered, more than 35 minutes after I ordered, I felt like Dave from Wendy's ("Where's the Beef?!"). The entire meal (as small as it was) was cold and flavorless. As an out of towner who has heard the ravings about Texas steer, I was hoping this restaurant would deliver tasty beef. ...

My husband and I came here for Happy Hour and we're currently asking ourselves WHY did we wait so long??!!

Sunday-Friday you can get 1/2off select cocktails, beers and foods and the menu is pretty inclusive of what they offer!!

To be honest I'm confused on why the ratings at Parkside are so low. In our first time experience here everything was super yummy and the service was also fabulous! Nico was incredibly attentive and did a fantastic job in his recommendations!

We ordered every food item off their happy hour menu and while it was all tasty the standouts were definitely the fresh oysters, 7oz burger, the ceviche (was salmon and bass) and the tartare!

The egg sandwich was also really tasty, the crab fritters were tasty, but much lighter and airy than expected. The subbed the fries for the grilled sweet potato and holy crap that dish was a game changer!!!

Off the regular menu we ordered the lamb pastrami ribs which were very tasty and tender with a nice crisp. We couldn't finish without dessert and are so glad that we got the candy bar dessert!

You can't go wrong with anything here and definitely gotta come back for dinner! Do yourself a favor and be sure to check...