Wink Restaurant, Austin TX

To date, my best meals in Austin have been at Uchi and Uchiko. But I've only being commuting out here for 4 weeks and there are many, many more eateries to try.  :)  Like Uchi/Uchiko, Wink is serving up interesting, mostly well-executed dishes. I loved the casual, friendly vibe starting with being personally greeted by the host which put us in a good mood.

We opt to go a la carte but tasting menus are available. First, we are gifted with a beautiful amuse bouche from the chef (thank you!). A slightly sweet little orange custard (?) over a smooth panna cotta. I missed the full description due to me futzing with my camera. A great start! The egg mimicry amuses me! Haha. So cute.

BTW, had some noob-related problems with my camera so only a few photos survived. I'm learning a lot about digital photography though!

Amuse Bouche of Orange over Panna Cotta.

For my appetizer, I choose what I think is the most interesting dish. The chevre panna cotta is light in texture and flavor, very smooth like a gelatin, slightly creamy.  Candied walnuts bring the sweet; gastrique and shallots bring the sour.  By themselves, each side component is simple and just plain good. (Where do I buy a jar of those shallots?) All together, it is a jazz concert in your mouth.

Texas Chevre Panna Cotta with Candied Walnuts, Pickled Shallot, and Sherry Gastrique. 

My friend Virginia chooses coriander spiced hamachi for her appetizer. She's very generous :) and shared a forkful with me.  I love how we are starting to see raw fish partnered with non-traditional ingredients. Wink does this very well, careful not to overwhelm, leaving in your mouth several flavors but what you walk away from is the clean tasting hamachi.

Coriander Crusted Hamachi Sashimi with Arugula, Fuji Apple, adn Chile Vinaigrette

For me, the winner of the night is the Seared Foie Gras. By far, the best foie gras dish I have had in a long, long time. Perhaps ever. Foie gras is good, decadent stuff and some restaurant just serve it simply. But this; this is exceptional and I had to put my spoon down after tasting it so I could express my joy! Buttery foie gras with sweet blackberries and vanilla creme, which is basically melted ice cream. Two types of vinegar (red wine and something I can't remember) give this dish a brightness that goes so well with the fullness of foie gras. Some might consider this foie gras slightly undercooked, but I like the texture a lot.  (again, sorry for the sad pic ... this one from my iPhone.)

Seared Foie Gras with Blackberry Compote and Vanilla Creme

We splurge on three desserts. Chris wants the Chocolate Soup; Virginia ... the El Rey Flourless Chocolate Cake. My favorite is the Lemon Curd in Lemon Meringue cup. I would eat that crunchy meringue on its own, it is so good.  It is great fun to crack and eat with the curd; we giggle while eating it. Lemony and sweet!

Lemon Curd in Lemon Meringue with Candied Lemon Peel, 

This is considered one of the best restaurants in Austin and I can support that.  The one misstep in the meal is the overly-salted bone marrow risotto that came with my Pan Roasted Sweetbreads (sorry no pic).  The sweetbreads, though, are perfect. The service is professional and friendly. We never feel like we are a burden despite being the 2nd to last table out. They also have a wine bar with a different menu. Some mighty, good-looking things were being walked that way.

We girls had a really nice night, full of laughing and conversation, thanks to the warm atmosphere, perfect service and remarkable food.

Good friends for almost 10 years, growing up with the game industry, enjoying a well-deserved night out.