Happy Monday, everyone! I hope that everyone had a happy Easter holiday yesterday! Hooray!
This Easter-eve, my husband Michael and I decided to take advantage of our much-needed alone time, and made it a date-night. But where would we go? I’d been hearing some serious buzz surrounding Paggi House, touted as “an Austin experience unlike any other,” by CultureMap Austin.
The article goes on to say, “The house itself is a historical landmark, built in the 1840s near the edge of Lady Bird Lake, and its charm has been updated by the edgy vibe of the new restaurant. The sleek, modern outdoor patio wraps around the front exterior of the house and is the perfect setting to meet with friends (or a date) and enjoy the signature drinks made on the handmade stone bar.”
The part that really caught my attention was the fact that this was a true historical landmark. I mean, the structure itself was built pre-Civil War, and that would make it one of the oldest structures in Travis County. I’m a big history nerd, and have an affinity for all things Civil War and historical landmarks. I also have an affinity for edgy vibes and outdoor patios.
In an Austin Chronicle article from January of 2009, (it’s old, I know, but relevant just the same.) the author explains, “The name honors Michael Paggi, an Italian who traveled to Mexico in the 1860s as part of Emperor Maximilian’s entourage. When that ill-fated venture collapsed, Paggi migrated to Austin to become a prosperous entrepreneur with a carriage business, an ice company, an ice-cream shop, a Barton Springs bathhouse, and a steamboat. He purchased the inn on the bluff in 1884 to house his nine children.”
So Paggi House it was, and I just crossed my fingers and hoped that there would be something on Chef Ruston Richardson’s seasonal menu that would not be too out there for Michael’s taste, since we saw online that the daily special was Pan Fried Veal Sweatbreads, Carrot Butter, Fresh English Peas, Pan Jus. He scrunched his face up at the idea of veal sweatbreads, aka baby cow insides, and once again, I just hoped and prayed there would be something.
We arrived downtown just in time for our reservation, despite the crazy amount of traffic due to the Reggae Festival taking place at Butler Park, which happens to be a hop, skip and a jump from Paggi House.
Pedi-cab drivers these days…
After expertly navigating his big blue truck through the (unique) crowds, Michael pulled up to the (complementary) valet just in the nick of time.
We walked up the long stair case that lead to the entrance of The Paggi House, where we checked in with the hostess, and I got to examine the historical marker where I learned that it is indeed a pre-Civil War era home, and is known as the second oldest home in Austin, dating back to the 1840′s. It’s a Greek Revival home, first serving as an inn, where Rebel General Robert E. Lee once stayed. This now-restaurant has SO much history, and I have to say, it got me pretty excited.
We were escorted to our table on the expansive, wrap around patio, and were left to check out the menu, and settle in. It was a PERFECT night for outdoor dining, and I couldn’t have been happier.
The menu was way more approachable than I had anticipated, and for this I was grateful. We started off with a plate of warm olives, with chili, feta and some warm baguette.
So. Good. The flavors were incredible. A touch spicy, a bit acidic, a lot savory and perfectly salty. The two of us were happy campers, as we savored every single bite of this dish. I especially loved pairing the chili-soaked feta with the olives on my fork for an incredibly mouth-watering bite. I believe it was at this point where I exclaimed, “I could eat these olives for the rest of my life.”
But the mussels looked too good to pass up, with bacon broth, lemongrass, prosciutto, and some more of their grilled baguette. So we ordered them too.
Another winner. Michael and I were fully impressed with the size of the mussels. But the flavor of that broth was one that we, without any shame at all, took our empty mollusk shells and used them as a vessel for drinking that deliciously bacony broth, since the delicious sopping bread was long gone. My favorite little element was the added super sweet cherry tomatoes. These little surprises added that necessary brightness that cut through the richness of the rest of the bold dish. Perfect.
It was about this time where the the whole outdoor patio started shaking. Glasses were clinking. Tables were rumbling. I looked up to see a candy apple red low rider traveling at a truly sub-customary, snail’s pace. Candy paint drippin’…
It was certainly an interesting night, and I couldn’t have asked for it to be any better. That’s the beauty of dining out in Austin. You never know what you’re going to get. Especially with the Reggae Fest happening a walk away. Also spotted: a white bus traveling roughly 800 miles per hour down the tiny side street that only minutes before played long-time host to the bass-blasting low-rider. Then there was the struggling scooter, which could have used a new muffler. That thing passed by us several times, and I kept wondering if it was Déjà vu and we were secretly in The Matrix. All the while, the sun was splashing down on our table beneath the beautiful white canopy, where we enjoyed every moment of our fine-dining experience.
Next up: our entrees. I had a tough time deciding, so I ended up going with two smaller dishes: The tuna, with orange, fresno chili, scallion, ginger brown butter, and the Pork Jowel with pickled carrot, cucumber, shallot, jalapeno-mayo. Our super helpful/knowledgeable and kind waitress explained that this dish is a lot like a deconstructed Bánh mì, with the pork and pickled veggies. Michael went for the Mahi Mahi, with leeks, mushrooms, pickled kumquat, cauliflower creme, marcona almond chive oil.
When the tuna came out, I had two reactions: First, I was glad I ordered both the jowels and the tuna. This was a small plate! Second, I was glad I ordered the tuna. This was a stunning plate, and I absolutely loved the sweet panna cotta with the chilies and tuna. I thought the whole thing was sort of genius. Even the raw-fish hater said it was delicious. Boom.
My jowels arrived with Michael’s Mahi Mahi, and both were a sight to be seen! I loved every single dish’s presentation thus far, and these two were artistic, to say the least.
Michael’s Mahi Mahi was incredible. I’m so lucky he let me take a taste, because holy cow. This fish was perfectly cooked, crusted beautifully, and when paired with the delicate deliciousness of the cauliflower puree, which we later learned was spiked with a bit of vanilla bean, our tastes buds were sent to heaven. Sensational. Michael loved it, and honestly, that made me a really happy girl. The stress of not being sure that our date-night meal would be suitable for our tastes melted away as he so obviously enjoyed bite after bite of the whole meal, and we were having a wonderful time indulging in our time together. Best.
The Pork Jowels were ultra tender, and didn’t even require the use of the sharp knife they brought out for me. The pickled veggies were tart, and bright, and cut through that fatty richness of the meat. I loved the spicy mayo, and our waitress was right. Each element, when put together, represented the yummy flavors of a delicious Bánh mì. Excellence.
After we took our time with our dinners, we decided to rest a while and enjoy the beautiful evening. I also took the opportunity to check out the rest of the historic space, before the sun went down.
Gorgeous. The interior of the house is very elegant yet still inviting. The tone is restrained and unobtrusive, which struck a chord with me. Waking through the house was fun, and I especially loved how the two intimate dining rooms, one on each side of the entry hall, gave way to a glass door, which takes diners to the well. I don’t know why I became entranced with how they preserved the well, which is where that hand-made stone bar is located. It’s the original well from the 1800′s, and I do believe it serves as a neat center piece to the covered yet open-air bar in the old courtyard. Moving outside, you’ll find a small garden, where a lot of the herbs are grown, cultivated and then used in the Paggi House dishes.
As I returned from my journey around the house, the sun started to disappear and the night crept in, and dessert became a really good idea. We went with Chipotle Pecan Pie, with Bulleit bourbon panna cotta, and sweet tea toffee to share. With the bass pumping from the festival in the background, and the beautiful setting before us, we were just feeling really blessed to be where we were with each other.
To say that this dessert was interesting would be a gross understatement. While the place certainly lived up to their mission of providing diners with an enticing and innovative take on new American cuisine, I do believe that maybe, just maybe, classics like the southern staple of pecan pie, should remain the way they were meant to be. I did enjoy the sweet tea toffee, however. That was pretty good.
Aside from the dessert, the rest of our meal was truly remarkable, and will be remembered as one of the greats that we have had the pleasure of visiting and enjoying. I wish I could say it better, but the author of the 2009 Austin Chronicle article mentioned above hit the nail right on the head when he said, “The new improved Paggi House has just about everything going for it – good food and drink, good service, and good design – and those who dreamed up and executed its reincarnation are to be commended.”
We loved it, and will for sure be back again. And, as a result of our incredible and surprising dinner, we made a decision to create a new tradition of finding a culinary gem to enjoy as part of our Easter-eve celebrations. And I must say, I do think that’s a mighty fine idea.
