The Guest House - Review - Downtown Austin - Austin - The Infatuation
"To our knowledge, The Guest House is the only restaurant in Austin that employs a DJ seven nights a week. Despite the chaotic mental image that might evoke, it’s surprisingly relaxed inside this Downtown spot. It’s not clubby, but it is lively. It’s dimly lit, and everybody looks like they just got fresh haircuts and are dressed to take revenge on casual Fridays. Cocktails arrive under smoked-filled cloches, tucked away in little terrariums, or in tea kettles that leave vapor trails wherever they go. video credit: Nicolai McCrary Thankfully, it’s not all show at The Guest House. The food is much more reasonably priced than the gussied-up interior would lead you to believe (some of the entrees are even cheaper than the cocktails), and most of it is quite good. On the menu, you’ll find everything from tartares and crudos to seared scallops and dry-aged bone-in ribeyes. Simple dishes like buttermilk chicken tenders have been cheffed-up enough to feel like an adult dinner, and there’s a small menu of market-price caviar services available if you want to trade a lot of money for tiny fish eggs. This is a place you show up to with a date, or with the hopes of finding one. Come here for drinks and a few light bites, and if you decide to turn that into dinner, you won’t be disappointed. Food Rundown Brioche Feuilletée Mark our words: This is the best free bread in the city. It’s croissant-like in its flakiness, and it tastes great with a dip of olive oil. A few of our visits had less flaky bread than other times, but it’s still a satisfying start. Most importantly, it costs nothing. PlayMute video credit: Nicolai McCrary Cocktails There’s a whole section of “theatrical” cocktails that arrive with some sort of smoke, fog, or terrarium display. If you’re here to impress, you’ll probably find yourself ordering one. Most of them can be ordered as normal cocktails for about $15 less if you’re just in the mood for a solid olive oil-washed martini without the accompanying theatrics. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary Buttermilk Chicken Tenders These aren’t quite as moist as we’ve had at places that specialize in chicken tenders, but they’re seasoned well and nicely battered. Grab an order for the table. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary Spicy Rigatoni Does this feel like a Carbone knockoff? Sure. But the pasta is cooked nicely, even if the sauce is a little watery. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary Heirloom Apple & Endive Salad These apple and endive slices are tossed in a lemon truffle vinaigrette that’s a little too heavy on the truffle oil to make the salad feel as refreshing as it should. But it’s a nice way to add a few vegetables to the meal. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary Steak Au Poivre This is a steak au poivre in name alone. Because while the steak is cooked to a perfect pink, it’s missing the creamy, peppery “au poivre” sauce that gives the dish its name. Instead, it’s topped with a blue-cheese butter that’s overwhelmingly salty. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary Dessert There are a handful of desserts on any given day, which your server will list out after your meal. We ordered one that was described as looking “like a charcuterie board, but made of sweets.” It’s cute, but after eating a couple of nothing-but-marzipan “olives,” the novelty starts to wane. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary" - Nicolai McCrary
