cakeaustin

I finally got to try Supper Friends on Saturday night, and was thoroughly impressed. Owners Stephen and Lauren Shallcross have created a jewel-box of a property on the grounds adjacent to the kitchen housing their catering company, 2Dine4. Raised bed gardens full of vegetables and herbs welcome guests up the path to the yellow SWOOP House, located at 3008 Gonzales Street in the lushest part of East Austin.

The tables are set...cocktails are served.

“Another supper club?” you ask. “Why, yes!” Not only is Supper Friends a great value (Saturday’s was $55 inclusive of starter cocktail, appetizer and four courses) but we found it a good setting for meeting interesting people. To my left was a gentleman who was in the process of moving his family back to Austin from NYC; a move I made nearly three years ago – and across from us were a couple who were into food gardening – so there was no shortage of conversation topics.

“But how was the food?” In a word, outstanding. To be frank, I went prepared to be satisfied but not necessarily dazzled. The portions were more than ample, but not obnoxious, and locally sourced items were incorporated throughout. Using tomatoes from the SWOOP House’s own garden was a nice touch. Course one was probably my favorite: Chilled Melon & Tomatillo Soup with Ceviche Boats & Baby Arugula – striking the perfect balance between acidity and creaminess. Bella Verdi microgreens atop the soup added to its appeal.

The second course was Homemade Ricotta Cheese Quenelles with Wild Greens & Watercress Salad tossed in Warm Creole Mustard & Tomato Vinaigrette. I don’t know when I last had quenelles, and their delicate lightness reminded me why I perhaps have not tried this at home. The mustard and vinaigrette combo was potent, in a good way.

Supper Friends is BYOB, but host Stephen is more than happy to pour his and other willing guests’ wine if a particular varietal goes well with a dish. I switched to Pinot Noir with the third course, for me, a Grilled Portobello Mushroom over Cheddar Grits topped with a Poached Egg, Creole Gravy & Southern Style Slaw and for Andrew, a Smothered Pork Chop with the same accompaniments – minus the egg – the egg was ALL MINE. I was thrilled to learn that Chef Chris Chism is in touch with Jim Richardson (Richardson Farms) and look forward to enjoying more locally sourced food at the SWOOP House very soon.

peach, berry, cinnamony

Almost forgot to mention dessert! Peach Ice Cream with Cinnamon Beignets and Fresh Berry Coulis.

For some reason, Supper Friends is the best-kept secret in Austin. I have a feeling this status won’t last for long.

To join their e-list and find out about upcoming dates, click here.

For the past several years I have done my best to keep up with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program. They’re a great example of conservationists keeping up with the times and evolving at pace with the culture they inhabit. My counterpart there called last year to tell me about the sushi guide pre-release, which is great for busy people who care to know where their fish hails from. The three-tier system provides a great, quick reference, allowing the user to weigh their desire for that bite of tiger prawn against the knowledge that it may be bottom-trawled or overfished.

Giant gulf shrimp and summer vegetable terrine

Over the weekend we grilled some truly excellent regional food – shell-on giant gulf shrimp with garlic, shallots, red jalepeño and cilantro; and a strata of yellow squash, zucchini, portobella, eggplant and Pure Luck chevre. I’d have prefered to use Wateroak, but they may still be a few weeks out coming to market. Wheatsville carries their goat’s milk ice cream in insane flavors like Amaretto and Dulce de Leche. Big thanks to my sis for the mammoth grill.

Sunday’s Dai Due (sans father) at the Hotel St.  Cecilia was dreamy. Jesse drew inspiration from The Picayune Creole Cookbook, which we had revisited for about a week prior, and which, upon arriving at the scene, were deflated to find that another guest had a copy more flamboyantly covered and more heavily worn than Buster’s.

Thankfully, we were not seated by those people, and stuffed blue crab arrived, plated with Kitchen Pride mushrooms topped with chorizo. Incidentally, Jesse has begun selling all manner of sausages and charcuterie. Do yourself a favor and subscribe to Dai Due’s e-list if you’ve not already, to learn more about the new products, made with locally raised meats, as well as get first notice when new events are scheduled.

Sweetbreads en croute – well, semi-en-croute, we agreed, appeared next. The mushroom-heavy sauce enrobing the sweetbreads was spot-on, and I had a pang of regret that I refused to try this dish when I worked at Shallots in NYC a few years ago.

For me, the difference is in knowing where the meat comes from. From ages 15-21 I was a vegetarian, then re-introduced fish and some poultry. Now I’m mostly veg, making exceptions for eggs and occasional meats which pique my curiosity.

Red snapper courtbouillon followed, accompanied by perfect Texas rice and a sauce whose composition was so elusive that it wasn’t until the final bite I exclaimed, “star anise!” If I am wrong and it was fennel, correct away.

The hands-down best dish was the guinea hen. Its skin was heavenly; both white and dark meat melted away from the bone (and into mah bellah). The only false note in the entire meal was the sorrel, which would likely have succeeded in working as a custard, were it not for the addition of too much lemon.

Dessert was a plum beignet-style ladyfinger of a pastry, created in edible, 2-3 inch oval shapes. I lost count after two. Is there anything better than licking powdered sugar off one’s fingers? Co-op Coffee was excellent. Post dinner pralines were followed by more wine on the lawn. The only thing we agreed would make Dai Due better is to attend with friends – so if anyone wants to save up for say, September, let’s get a group together and stop talking about it already.

Last week Chef Tyson Cole and his staff graciously hosted a group of food bloggers for a tasting at Uchi. The food was, unsurprisingly, delicious and the combinations of fish, vegetables and fruit, a marvel in my mouth. I was most delighted, however, with the assembled guests. Who knew Boots in the Oven were a pair! Dining in Austin, also! Rather than sink into despair over my solo blogger-dom, I relished visiting with Addie and Ian, reconnecting with Kate Thornberry and Pat Sharpe.

Yellowtail with meyer lemon and cilantro. I did not take the chance to ask Tyson what particulars of the menu are procured locally, but I’m interested, of course.