"Foreign & Domestic first opened in 2010, around the height of gastropubs, farm-to-table dining, and Angry Birds. But unlike all the restaurants (and mobile games) that came and went, Foreign & Domestic is still a household name in Austin. Because while it may look like a 2010s gastropub from the inside—craft beer and wine, local and seasonal produce, heavy wooden tables—the North Loop restaurant brings creativity to the table. photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel The dining room is small and intimate. You’ll want to make reservations a day or two in advance—or longer, if you hope to snag a seat during their famed Tuesday Happy Hour when East Coast oysters are a dollar and bottles of wine are half-price. The rest of the week, you’re there to eat dishes like handmade mafaldine with braised goat neck, tomato leaf risotto with pickled tomatoes and hazelnuts, and black pepper popovers with charred onion butter. The food is comforting, and everything feels like it was cooked in some rustic cottage on a farm where absolutely nothing goes to waste. There’s even a four-course offal-tasting menu that features dishes like veal sweetbreads and pork blood spaghetti with goat heart bolognese. We still enjoy the medium-rare burgers and bacon-topped everything that the gastropub boom brought us (and we still play Angry Birds occasionally). But more importantly, we appreciate that it brought us Foreign & Domestic. Food Rundown photo credit: Richard Casteel Gruyere & Black Pepper Popovers The popovers arrive two to an order, and each one is enough to carb-load multiple guests. They’re light and airy on the inside, with a mountain of freshly shaved gruyere on top to up the savory factor. Most of the menu changes seasonally, but this is one of the few consistent items we’ve found. photo credit: Richard Casteel Parisian Gnocchi Unlike its more common potato-based counterpart, Parisian gnocchi is flour-based, and a little lighter and fluffier. We prefer the tuber version, but this is a well-executed version of its style. photo credit: Richard Casteel Goat Neck Mafaldine The mafaldine has a great texture, and the small ribbons allow each noodle to pick up tons of sauce. The goat meat is slightly gamey but incredibly tender. photo credit: Richard Casteel Wagyu Bavette This plate is on hand to satisfy anyone who just wants a very good steak, and it feels like less of a wild card than some of the other dishes. The bavette has a rich, beefy flavor, and the dijon cream sauce adds a hint of acidity to each bite." - Nicolai McCrary
