Fork it over, Boston!: Second Bar + Kitchen (Fork it over, Austin!

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Second Bar + Kitchen (Fork it over, Austin! - Part 20)

After our dinner at Papi Tino's on the fourth day of the trip, we had a girls' night out at Second Bar + Kitchen, a...bar and kitchen...near the hotel. It's under the same ownership (and in the same building) as Congress, a highly praised restaurant we had intended to try at some point during the trip, but those plans fell through. Second Bar did not disappoint, though. On our first visit, we enjoyed the drinks, the truffle pommes frites, and the fact that Rocky Horror Picture Show began to play silently on the bar televisions at midnight, so we returned on the fifth night after the SXSW interactive opening party, this time with food in mind.

We sampled (and greatly enjoyed) nearly everything on the 'small plates' portion of the menu:

buffalo fried pickles with gorgonzola and bull's hot sauce (probably our favorite!)

veal meatballs 'arrabiata' with fennel and grana padano

goat cheese ravioli with wild arugula, green olives, bread crumbs, and red pepper

avocado fundido with queso fresco, house chorizo, and chipotle masa chips

salt and pepper ahi with soy syrup, burned orange, and sprout salad

baked ricotta and goat cheese with fruit mostardo and toasted ciabatta

Rocky Horror started playing again, leading us to wonder if it was a nightly tradition. We were also curious (and perhaps a bit creeped out) by the German audiobook playing quietly in the restrooms.

We liked the food, drinks, and ambiance so much that we returned yet again on our final night to get those fries one more time...and some drinks on the side, of course.