hank's garage tasting - the food

Hank's Garage, a new Belgian gastropub in downtown Austin, held a media tasting event recently that Meggie and I were thankfully invited to. Armed with a great concept and an old 1940's garage, executive chef Jeffrey Kuhn decided to take the old garage, sledgehammer in hand, and build a new restaurant out of it. Hank's Garage claims to be a relaxed dining environment that focuses on the comfort food and ales of Belgium. Meggie and I thoroughly enjoyed the relaxed feel that Hank's had to offer, and I especially enjoyed the Belgian ales.

If you're familiar with my beer blog You Stay Hoppy Austin, then you might have recently seen a similar post to this, just more focused on the beer that was served. This post will focus on the food, with a little emphasis on the food and beer pairings as well.

Check out the menu below.

Now check out the menu AFTER the tasting. I went a little crazy with taking notes.

You see that, your eyes are not deceiving you. Those are in fact duck fat fries, and it's exactly what it sounds like. Big, thick-cut fries that are fried in duck fat. Fries are good enough on their own, but when they're fried in liquid gold, they transcend to a higher level of 'pommes frites.' These things were perfectly fried. They had an excellent crispy and salty exterior, and a fluffy interior. Oh, and don't bother with boring 'ol ketchup to dip these into. With choices like smoked paprika mayo, french ranch, Sriracha mayo, and wasabi mayo, you'll be asking yourself 'What's ketchup?' They had to keep bringing out fresh bowls of this because they were so popular with the crowd. Give me a beer and a bowl of this and you will see one big smile.

Duck Fat Fries

The first thing off the menu that we were given was the Chicken Tikka Masala Fries. Those same duck fat fries were drenched in an Indian inspired curry sauce. Supposedly this is a staple among Belgians, which I did not know. We thoroughly enjoyed this one as well. This was paired with the Stella Artois, which I was not a big fan of. I thought the Duchesse de Bourgogne would have paired perfectly with this. Duchesse has a tart vinegar flavor and would have shined after having the strong curry flavors.

Chicken Tikka Masala Fries

Next off was, unfortunately, a bit of a disappointment. Meggie and I usually go crazy over fried calamari (fried squid). However, even a perfectly coated and seasoned piece of calamari won't disguise the fact that it's rubbery. Maybe we got a bad basket? I don't know, but we could not get over how chewy the calamari was. I will say though that the coating and seasoning was spot-on. If they are able to get a more tender piece of calamari under that crispy coating, this appetizer will be wonderful.

Calamari

Oh my, what happens when you take tender lobster, and put it in between two pieces of sweet brioche bread from Moonlight Bakery? You get the lobster club of course. I will say the lobster was cooked perfectly. However, the sandwich would have been even even better with just a little bit of salt, as it was a little bland. They paired this one with the Saison Dupont, a perfect combination if I do say so myself. The bright lemon flavors of the saison really helped brighten up the sandwich.

Lobster Club

I was excited for the next one, which was mussels. Oh how I love mussels! They brought out our little bowls, and holy tomato! The mussels were drowning in a sea of tomatoes. I really missed the sea of an herbed butter sauce with this one, as my piece of bread was quite lonely without its favorite companion. The beer they paired this with was the Ommegang Hennepin saison, another great combination. I would love to see them make an herbed butter sauce for the mussels using the Hennepin saison. The pairing would really shine then!

Moules

The best dish of the night came next, the beef carbonnade. Beef carbonnade is similar to beef bourguignon in the sense that it's a slow braised beef stew. This one just happens to be made with St. Bernardus Abt 12, a Belgian strong dark ale with dark fruit qualities, and Duchesse de Bourgogne, a Belgian sour ale. Not only did they make the stew with the St. Bernardus Abt. 12, but they also paired the two together. The two stood great alone, but really sang when paired together. There's something poetic about perfectly slow braised meats. It brings you back to your childhood, running through Grandma's house with the perfume of beef burgundy following your every step. I loved this dish, and I know you will too.

Oh, and there were fluffy mashed potatoes underneath the beef. Need I say more? I didn't think so.

Beef Carbonnade

A happy cup

Last, and definitely not least, dessert. A sample sized glass of Lindeman's Framboise, a raspberry lambic beer (last minute substitution from the Unibroue Maudite) paired absolutely harmoniously with their chocolate mousse. Their mousse was creamy, delicate, and absolutely perfect. A lot of people don't like raspberries and chocolate, but I do, so the pairing was perfect.

Chocolate Cointreau Mousse

So besides a couple of misfires, we were very happy with the offerings that Hank's Garage provided us. If you're in the neighborhood looking for a relaxed environment and a different take on down home comfort food, Hank's Garage might just be your best bet. With a great selection of Belgian beers and a dog friendly outdoor patio, Hank's could become your new favorite hangout.