Restaurant Review: Birdie’s – Food

It is easy to overlook Birdie’s if you do not know what you are in search of. Located on the nook of twelfth and Harvey streets, the gray-and-white constructing with “Grace Fellowship Baptist Church” in blue painted letters on the window dealing with twelfth Road blends in with the panorama. If you happen to had been to drive by at 6pm on a Friday or Saturday night, you’d surprise what was occurring upon seeing the handfuls of individuals standing exterior, milling about and ingesting wine.

That nondescript constructing homes one in every of Austin’s hottest eating places, opened in July 2021 by chef Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel and her husband, Arjav, each of whom have deep roots within the restaurant business each right here in Austin and in New York Metropolis. Equal components considerate wine bar and cafe, Birdie’s provides a minimalist Continent-inspired American meals menu that modifications subtly regularly alongside a deep and various wine record.

The primary-come, first-served counter-service mannequin is the rationale behind the traces exterior. Diners who’ve to attend to position their order inside have the chance to order from a restricted choice of by-the-glass wines and a modest choice of beers and ciders. On my first go to, it was cool sufficient exterior to justify a glass of purple wine whereas I waited for my mates to reach, so I chosen the 2020 Presqu’ile Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County, California. Whereas I typically like a juicier pinot noir, this one balanced earth and tannins properly with purple fruit.

As a result of we arrived early (I used to be ready exterior when the doorways opened at 4:30pm), we had been in a position to order and be seated with minimal ready. On the counter, the cashier explains the menu after asking about any allergic reactions or particular diets, solutions any questions, and recommends what number of plates to order primarily based in your celebration dimension. This transaction can take a number of minutes. That is the place you additionally order your drinks, together with glasses and bottles of wine. One in every of my companions ordered a bottle of G.D. Vajra Dolcetto, which was handed to her in a plastic Birdie’s-branded tote bag for ease in carrying the bottle to desk. (This was not a freebie; if friends do not end their bottles on premises and do not need to carry it out with their naked arms, the luggage can be found for $18.)

The menu is split into shareable smaller snacks and midsize small plates, and two entrée-sized bigger plates. We ordered liberally from the menu, deciding on the olives, anchovy toast, and panisse from the snacks menu. The olives had been plump and agency, with a powerful oregano taste; we might have most popular extra chili. The anchovy toast was introduced in 4 petite squares slathered with butter and topped with the powerfully umami tiny fish; the butter helped maintain the anchovy from overwhelming the palate, however I solely wanted just a few bites to attain satisfaction. The panisse, lengthy rectangular chickpea fritters, had been crisp on the surface with a creamy middle and topped generously with pecorino Romano and served with wee slices of lemon, which lent a beautiful acidity and brightness to the mellow bites.

From the small plates menu, we selected leeks with trout roe and the cavatelli with turnip greens and lemon. The tender leeks had been served on a mattress of creamy sauce and bore a really nice smoky taste that added dimension to an typically missed vegetable. The hands-down favourite of the evening was the cavatelli pasta, which was gentle, buttery, and creamy. My companions swooned at how intently the dish hewed to its European origins. We did surprise why it was served on a flat plate somewhat than in a bowl to maintain the warmth from dissipating, however this was a minor quibble, as we disappeared each final noodle in document time.

We accomplished the primary a part of the meal with the minute steak, a modest portion (about 4 ounces) of steak served with a mustardy hollandaise and some stalks of broccoli rabe. I can not say that I would advocate this dish. It wasn’t dangerous, per se, however the steak was a bit of powerful and simply did not fairly dwell as much as the excessive bar set by the pasta.

For dessert, we break up the Heilala vanilla soft-serve ice cream and the nice and cozy chocolate chip cookie. The ice cream, drizzled with Agrumato (olive oil crushed with citrus), was like a grownup Creamsicle and we could not get sufficient. It paired superbly with the frivolously salted cookie, which was giant sufficient to fulfill the three of us. We left full and comfortable, particularly since there was a protracted line out the door after we left.

I returned to Birdie’s just a few weeks later with my partner, early sufficient on a weeknight to keep away from ready in a discouragingly lengthy line. This time, I ordered a glass of the glowing Meinklang Frizzante Rosé “Prosa,” from Austria. That is an natural pinot noir rosé that’s solely very frivolously fizzy and berry-forward.

As a result of it was simply the 2 of us and the menu hadn’t modified a lot since my earlier go to, we ordered in a extra focused vogue, beginning with the broccoli with pickled peppers and tonnato, plus the strawberry and ricotta toast. The crisp, blanched broccoli was certainly a snack-sized portion, served in a small pool of tonnato, the favored Italian condiment produced from tuna, anchovies, lemon juice, olive oil, and mayonnaise or aioli. The strawberry and ricotta toast was pleasant, nearly like a savory strawberry shortcake, topped with black pepper honey and tarragon.

Subsequent got here the easy salad, which was a heap of leaves and herbs, frivolously dressed with a white balsamic French dressing and dotted with tiny squares of brunoise white onion. It is a good factor it was giant, as a result of it stored us occupied through the lengthy look forward to the following course, the campanelle pasta with garlic, tomato, and basil, which was distinctive. The elements mixed right into a margherita-style sauce that was totally irresistible; I wished some bread to sop up each final ounce of it. It was one in every of my favourite dishes throughout my visits to Birdie’s.

After one other excruciatingly lengthy wait throughout which we questioned our reminiscence of truly ordering it, we lastly obtained our final course, the rockfish with pea shoots, radish, and mustard. The fish, two smallish items served amongst a jungle of pea shoots and 4 curls of shaved French radish, was tasty, however by the point we obtained it, we had been so prepared to go away that it hardly registered.

We had been so anxious to go away as a result of Birdie’s is just not a snug place to hang around for a very long time, from the backless picket cubes upon which to sit down within the yard eating space to the too-loud music. I am not curious about hollering over Glen Campbell or the Velvet Underground over dinner, no matter how a lot I take pleasure in their music. (I didn’t have the chance to dine indoors, which might be extra conducive to hanging out.) Whereas eating outdoor when it is 115 levels sounds horrifying, the newly constructed patio enclosure will doubtless present some respite from Austin’s unforgiving summer season. The service was competent and customarily attentive, with servers dropping off meals, refilling water glasses, and taking orders for wine and dessert, however not very warm or pleasant.

I fear about accessibility at Birdie’s. I observed that there are not any locations to sit down out entrance for individuals who have to attend their flip to order, which generally is a whereas as a result of bottleneck attributable to the counter-service mannequin. These with mobility points that preclude standing for a very long time or navigating the landscaping rocks within the out of doors eating space could also be out of luck.

I ponder how accessible this neighborhood restaurant is to Rosewood residents, with a median revenue of about $44,177, when the least costly glass of wine is $15 and dinner for 2 can value $100.

I additionally surprise how accessible Birdie’s is to Rosewood residents, with a median revenue of about $44,177, when the least costly glass of wine is $15 and dinner for 2 (excluding drinks, however together with tax, tip, and a 3% “well being and wellness” price) prices $100. In response to a consultant from the restaurant, about half of their friends are from the neighborhood at giant, however the variety of automobiles (a few of them very costly) parked on the close by streets means that a lot of the friends once I visited weren’t strolling over for dinner. Each neighborhood ought to have a restaurant/bar/cafe that serves as a “native,” a snug gathering place for close by people, but additionally welcomes individuals from throughout the town. When such a spot has moderately priced, scrumptious meals and tastefully curated wines, everybody wins. Whereas Birdie’s comes shut with its easy but refined menu, some people could discover that it misses the mark on the subject of consolation and a few bodily and financial limitations to entry.

Birdie’s

2944 E. twelfth St., Unit A
Tues.-Thu., 4:30-9pm
Fri.-Sat., 4:30- 9:30pm
Closed Solar. & Mon.
birdiesaustin.com