South Congress Cafe
Austin, TX
Migas
w/ Refried Black Beans, Wild Boar Sausage, & Potato Pancake
Dish Score: 73
Overall Score: 73
Price: $
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SCORE BREAKDOWN
- Presentation & Creativity: 14/20
- Portion Size & Nutritional Value: 7/10
- Ingredient Compatibility: 8/10
- Flavor, Taste, Texture, & Doneness: 30/40
- Service: 7/10
- Restaurant Appearance: 3/5
- Cost vs. Value: 4/5
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Quail Sandwich
w/ Truffled Remoulade
Dish Score: 73
Overall Score: 73
Price: $$
__________________________
SCORE BREAKDOWN
- Presentation & Creativity: 17/20
- Portion Size & Nutritional Value: 9/10
- Ingredient Compatibility: 7/10
- Flavor, Taste, Texture, & Doneness: 26/40
- Service: 7/10
- Restaurant Appearance: 3/5
- Cost vs. Value: 4/5
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REVIEW
SOUTH CONGRESS CAFE IS VERY BUSY! I apologize for the yelling, but it is the only way to be heard over the bustling dining room of the innovative Austin cafe. Although they have some interior design issues (free-standing tables are cramped together like sardines, yet the boothes are too far away from the tables), the creative menu is very appealing.
After a couple failed attempts of Chris trying to take our order, due to the noise levels, we finally got in our ticket: a quail sandwich with truffled remoulade for myself and a Tex-Mex specialty, migas, for the lady.
As to be expected with a restaurant this packed, service was slow. The meal began with a starter of bread and butter. The bread was fresh, but this was no ordinary butter; it’s a compound butter with a kick!
My quail sandwich was a slight disappointment. The quail was dry and the textures did not meld very well. I also felt there were a bit too many mushrooms on the sandwich. The accompanying fries were overwhelmingly spiced up with cayenne making them inedible to all but the bravest heatseakers. Luckily, I like heat. This dish was a swing and a miss.
The migas were another story. Although the accompanying potato pancake was slightly burnt, my significant other’s tastebuds were enthralled. She liked the texture of the migas, the flavor of the beans and boar meat, and appreciated the boar’s grill marks. Her only complaints were the beans were a tad dry like they’d been sitting, and that the dish could have benefitted from some additional seasoning.
Although a few tweaks would benefit the restaurant, South Congress Cafe is pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a cafe.
