Contigo

Contigo

Contigo has made its debut in our Top 20 just about a year after they opened on 2027 Anchor Lane near the old airport. The idea behind this place is the creation of many simple yet provocative dishes modeled after the cuisine served to guests at Contigo Ranch in south Texas. Chef Andrew Wiseheart has crafted the kind of dishes where a roaring campfire would not seem to be the least bit out of place.

The appetizers at Contigo are to say the least, unique. Not a single bite of calamari or spinach and artichoke dip to be found. I like the Pigs in a Blanket (and why not?). They go great with a glass of beer. The White Bean Dip with duck fat and parsley is another keeper. Smooth and delightfully mellow flavor. The Crispy Green Beans served with a sambol aioli are another very tasty and texturally interesting dish. And again, they cry out for a crisp lager. The Confit Chicken Wings with a house wing sauce and shaft blue cheese are seriously tasty. What a great way to do wings! And in keeping with an appetizer menu that stands apart from others in the city, the Chicharrones are spot-on. And would you have expected Kimchi with them? That’s the beauty of Contigo. And how about Grilled Zucchni with smoked tomato, basil and fennel? We are talking about originality here with seriously enhanced flavors.

The Charcuterie offerings immediately caught my attention. The Crepinette is just flat-out stunning. This is ground pork, earl gray currants, creminis, and a herb salad. And the flavors are beautifully integrated. The Cotechino is a mix of fresh salami and pickled spring onions. I couldn’t pick two more complementary flavors. Great balance. And I have to mention the Pork Liver pate with eggplant fritters and contigo ranch honey. Are you kidding me? This is spectacular.

The plates at Contigo continue Wiseheart’s impressively tasty and just a bit unusual array of choices. The Rabbit and Dumplings are particularly flavorful with the tender meat and the sage dumplings. Did I say tender as well? You have to try this. Chef Wiseheart knows a thing or two about sausage and the daily offering is a joy to behold. The beauty of this is the simplicity of the baguette, dijon, onions, french fries and saurkraut and the wonderful sausage. And the Tomato Salad? Who else would make this work so well. I’m talking Quinoa from Peru, goat’s milk ricotta, and black eyed peas. This is not your average Caprese, not by a long shot and that’s what intrigues about Contigo.

Contigo opens at 5pm each night for dinner. The ambiance is simple, and the service is impressive. As noted, they are new to our Top 20 and deservedly so.