FINO - Austin, TX
Now, i don't want to shock any friends, relatives or readers who may have missed this...but I loves me a tasty cocktail. FINO, in Austin, TX is just the place for lovers of tasty cocktails. Their Wine & Cocktail menu always lists a few seasonal or rotating specials, many of which I bet you've never heard of or never seen before. They break them up for you into three categories:
- Gin, Vodka & Grapes
- Cane & Agave
- Whisky, Brandy and Whiskey
Now, the astute but uninformed reader might say, "Wait, Whisky and Whiskey? What gives?" Whisky is the traditional spelling, referring usually to Irish Whisky or Scotch Whisky. Whiskey is more of an Americanism, referring to Bourbons, Ryes, etc.
A few cocktails I've really enjoyed there include:
VIEUX CARRE
rittenhouse rye, pierre ferrand ambre, sweet vermouth, benedectine & bitters
THE SAZERAC
old overholt rye, peychaud's bitters, sugar & herbsaint
JALISCO SOUR
gran centenario rosangel reposado, mint agave nectar, egg white & lime
CEDAR FEVER
hayman's old tom gin, zirbenz stone pine, st. germaine elderflower & peychaud's bitters
The big point is, they don't have bartenders, they have mixologists.
All this talk about tasty beverages is fine and good, but do they serve anything edible? Why yes, yes they do.
FINO has a great menu of Tapas, Small Plates, Salads & Soups, and Dinners. It's an excellent place to nosh on small plates and tapas. Some of my favorites have included...
Crab stuffed roasted piquillo peppers
Fried goat cheese with red onion jam and honey
Calamari with Garbonzos, harissa and mint
For dinners I have loved
Pork Chop with white beans and chorizo
Wagyu Beef Strip Loin with carmelized onions, oyster mushrooms and roasted fingerling potatoes
FINO Seafood Paella for two with Mussels, Scallops, Shrimp, Clams and a tomato, saffron rice (slightly burned on the bottom, just as it should be).
Each time I've eaten there, the food has been great, the drinks have been very tasty and I've enjoyed each experience more and more for the chance to enjoy the variety.
For those trying it for the first time, I strongly recommend taking a cab there on a cool night, sitting out on the patio, enjoying more than a few of their unique cocktails and indulging your appetite with a steady stream of small plates and tapas.
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