Oasthouse Gastropub – Not Your Ordinary Bar Food

Oasthouse Gastropub, located in northwest Austin, is brought to you by the seasoned owners of District Kitchen+Cocktails. After receiving rave reviews for their success at District (voted Top 100 neighborhood gem restaurants in America by Open Table), Owner and Executive Chef Amir Hajimalki and his brother Ali moved on to their next culinary journey. Oasthouse Gastropub focuses on locally sourced elevated pub fare and signature craft cocktails.  After spending a day with Chef Amir, it looks like these boys have another success on their hands.

Upon entering Oasthouse Gastropub you quickly realize this is not your typical neighborhood pub. Exposed piping, Edison bulb lighting, reclaimed wood tables, brick walls and floor-to-ceiling storefront windows framing the kitchen set the scene.  By the time you are handed a menu, your standards have been rightfully elevated.

To start, there are several small plates worth sharing.  Since it was brunch, the Gravlax, made with house cured salmon, egg yolk, shallots, capers and lemon dill creme fraiche was the way to go.  Light and delicate, it really opened up the palate for the heavy pub fare that was soon to come.

The bangers and mash is a necessity for pub fare.  But rather than have heavy mashed potatoes, this hand-made sausage is served on top of cauliflower mash and topped with fried onion strings for that necessary crunch.  And on the side, bacon jam!

It is hard to mess up a chicken wing in my book, but these sticky beer glazed hot wings are perfect finger-food for watching the game on one of several TVs surrounding the bar area. While you are at it, order a pint from a selection of 20 local craft beers.

The Fish N Chips come with a perfectly fried and beer-battered piece of cod, which is refreshing in a city not well-known for its seafood. Served on top of house-made chips (french fries) with a personal bottle of vinegar (which is cute to boot), this could be a meal in itself.

The star of the show for me, was definitely the Farmhouse Pub Burger – wood-fired grass fed beef, guinness cheddar, a sunny duck egg, brown ale bacon mustard on top a brioche bun.  These were coming out of the kitchen as fast as they could make them.  Easily understood, as this perfectly cooked beef patty with ooey-gooey cheddar and yolk dripping down from the duck egg with the salty crunchiness of bacon made the perfect bite.

Saving room for desert was difficult, but well worth it. The Sticky Toffee Pudding with brandy toffee sauce, peanut butter stout ice cream, toasted peacans and seat salt was divine and probably one of the best things I have eaten yet this year.  The warm toffee pudding, with the melted toffee sauce, cold ice cream and crunchy pecans – I could not ask for more in a dessert.

But if you are looking for more, do not fret – there are Cookies and Milk.  Three cookies to be exact: warm chocolate chip, peanut butter bacon and chai snickerdoodle, served with cinnamon mocha milk and egg-less cookie dough.  picking a favorite is like choosing your favorite child, but if forced to do it, I would choose the snickerdoodle every time.

With a large outdoor patio coming soon, I see Oasthouse Gastropub not only becoming a neighborhood favorite but drawing patrons from afar.  Its warm, inviting atmosphere and cool, casual food make this the perfect spot for weekend brunch, date-night, Friday happy hour or just a nightcap.

Click here for another Austin bar with a great take on bar food!