Salty Sow — Restaurant in Austin

Salty Sow, impeccable restaurant, service, and food without a doubt! We started off with a round of drinks (pictured) Mr. Shaw, Maple Glazed Old Fashion, and The Petey.

Shortly after with appetizers: Truffled Deviled Eggs which were so rich and yummy…the perfect amount of truffle and the bacon was a good accent.  Dirty Fries, HOT and CRISPY the way fries should be! They came out as soon as they were done, you could tell there was still steam piping off the plate and they didn’t disappoint. The jalapenos were a nice touch, never had that before and the crisp of the Chicharonnes with the beer cheese…I’d definitely order them again. It was like the regular cheese fries on steroids.

Dinner was a hit, we went for the family style and ordered a few things and each had a bite.

Crispy Brussel Sprout Leaves - (wasn’t a fan  while reading the menu of the raisins but, I went ahead and you couldn’t really taste the raisins which for me was just fine!) But boy were they crispy, I’m typically not a fan of Sprouts either but, this turned a new leaf for me after my sister convinced me, and I’m glad she did! The Pecorino cheese was a great complimentary flavor, the crunch and saltiness were amazing.

Crisp Chicken Thighs-Typically, I would never go to a restaurant like this and order chicken (to me, I can make that at home…) But, we decided to give it the benefit of the doubt and again…they did not disappoint. The Crisp was as Crisp as could be! They were moist, tender, flavorful, the neck bone gravy was flavorful and paired just right and you can’t go wrong with the fried smashed potatoes.

Roast Leg of Lamb- It was interesting, I’m not sure I would order it again. It didn’t taste bad, it just wasn’t served the way I typically like my lamb. Keep in mind, it was VERY COLD out…we sat on the covered patio (we were comfortable but, food gets cold quickly). My first bite of the lamb that had the bed of spinach beneath it wasn’t as hot as I’d expected (but, again…weather was a factor and we were outside..) It was cooked well though, still enough pink in the center as we like it. The Smashed White Sweet Potatoes that came with it, I think is what turned me off. I don’t typically do sweet potatoes but, I tried them and it was a 50/50 for me. The rest of the table LOVED it though.

Dessert, we weren’t going to leave without the Bananas Foster Beignets with Amy’s Nutmeg Ice-cream, and the only male at the table thought it was a bright idea to order the Dark Chocolate Truffle Cake. They were both, wonderfully rich! We polished the Beignet’s but then struggled to finish the cake, which again so rich and thick but, if you can handle both…you’ll love them!

Needless to say, I’ll definitely be going back and recommending...

DINNER REVIEW

What an amazing meal for $35 including a lot of food, a drink, tax, and tip!

The Salty Sow is one of my local friend's favorites so on my last night in Austin, I thought it would a a great place to check out, especially to ward off the Sunday scaries. My other friend doesn't eat pork and there is a pig in this place's logo but we were able to have an amazing meal without ordering any pork.

We came without a reservation Sunday at 7 PM to a busy restaurant but we got seated immediately.

Menu: This is a new American place that has a significant variety while also maintaining a relatively small menu. It's not so big that you have choice overload.

Setting: Very modern with interesting decor (we noticed that the chandeliers have forks and spoons hanging from them).

FOOD: I will rank what we ordered in the order in which I would recommend it. We all just ordered different things and shared (my favorite thing to do).

Bananas Foster Beignets: DAMN. JUST DAMN. This comes with 4 good-sized beignets filled with bananas and 2 big scoop of nutmeg ice cream. This was more than enough to share amongst 3 people, especially after the meal we had. 100% would recommend finishing with this.

Blackened Red Fish: Perfectly cooked over an amazing sauce (chipotle Tobasco lemon butter - I mean, just read that!)

Crispy Brussels Sprouts Leaves: We got this as a side to our burger instead of fries (the waitress was nice enough to let us do that) but I would recommend getting a full order. You can eat these like brussels sprouts potato chips

Special Wagyu Burger: This was on special and was juicy and saucy but wasn't the best burger we've had.

Triple-Fried Duck Fat Fries - came with an egg on top and had to break it over the fries of course and it came with a side of cold bearnaise which wasn't even necessary. Some of the better fries I've had.

Cauliflower and Wild Rice Casserole: I'm not much of a casserole person but this was still good...if you are looking for a vegetarian casserole, this is a great option.

Special Farm Salad: This was on special as well and was just an okay salad, nothing too special

Next time I am in Austin, I will...

Looking for a happy hour with a unique drink selection and discounted food options as well? Then Salty Sow is the place to be!

Their happy hour is 4:30-6:30pm daily and food ranges from $4-$7 where you can find items such as:

Honey Rosemary Dipped Fried Chicken: comes with a biscuit and neck bone gravy. Great texture of crisp outside, soft tender chicken on the inside. The gravy is rich and buttery due to the use of pork neck bones that are cooked in it. Generous portion and pair this with a drink and you will leave satisfied. This is only available during hh. ($7) - 4.75/5

Crispy Brussels Sprouts Leaves: thin & crisp texture and they cook it well here, so you don't have to worry about these coming out burnt. Get this! ($5.50) - 4/5

Triple Fried Duck Fat Fries: these come with an egg, but I got it without. I can't really tell the difference that these were cooked in duck fat, but nonetheless it's still great and dipping it in the bearnaise is the move. ($4) - 4/5

Banana Fosters Beignets: 3 big pieces of beignets with 3 scoops of vanilla ice cream for just $9? What a steal. This could be shared amongst 2-4 people depending on how full y'all are. This isn't a happy hour item, but is still a delicious dessert that is a must get. - 4.5/5

They have 17 fun cocktails to choose from and are all $2 off during happy hour and I got:

Rosemary's Piglet: a sparkling wine-based cocktail with pomegranate juice and rosemary syrup. Bright, refreshing, with a slight kick of herbal flavor. ($7 for hh) - 4/5

Maple Glazed Old Fashioned: a bourbon-based cocktail with maple syrup, pomegranate, bitters, and a cherry. A contrast of smokey, sweet, and slightly bitter flavors. ($10 for hh) - 3.75/5

Sparkling Sangria: a sparkling wine-based cocktail with elderflower liquer, citrus juice, and grapes. Bright, bitter, and slightly sweet notes throughout. ($7 for hh) - 3.75/5

Overall, I give this spot a 4.125/5 for having a great variety of food and vast drink selection to choose from at good prices. Check them out for your...