Jack Allen’s Kitchen – Round Rock

2500 Hoppe Trail Round Rock, TX 78681 (512) 215-0372

Sun-Thu: 11am-10pm Fri-Sat: 11am-11pm Sun: 10am-10pm

MENU jackallenskitchen.com — REVIEW – Oak Hill

 

One of the brightest stars in the Austin comfort food dining arena over the past few years has been Jack Allen’s Kitchen in Oak Hill. So their October opening of a second location in under-restauranted Round Rock has been a nice Christmas present for the beleaguered residents of this tech-centric city.

The menu at the new Jack Allen’s is almost identical to the Oak Hill location. An exception is the Sloppy Jack’s which uses chopped beef to put Jack Gillmore’s deft touch to the old school lunch room classic. Caution: this is a multi-napkin affair that’s worth every napkin. And there’s the Smashed Guacamole as well, one of the more original presentations of this popular avocado dish with cotija cheese and pumpkin seeds. It’s so good that chips can be superfluous. And the grilled Pork Belly Sliders fall into the category of what we fondly refer to as stupid good. Served with homemade pimento cheese, slaw, and green tomatoes the taste and absolutely perfect texture of this appetizer will amaze you. And do try the Blue Crab Gratin, another retro dish with modern sensibilities and rich flavors. The crab is baked with artichoke hearts, spinach and Parmesan cheese. The grilled Ciabatta is the spot-on accompaniment. And do not hesitate to try the soup of the day. I’ve never been disappointed.

The Grilled treats from Jack Gillmore’s creative kitchen should most definitely be sampled. The 13-spiced Chicken Pasta with red pepper linguine, Chipotle cream and numerous other flavor accents is a certified keeper. Delicious dish. And the Chorizo Stuffed Pork Tenderloin Medallions are a study in tenderness along with a roasted garlic cream sauce that is a marriage made in culinary Heaven.

And for those who have no caloric challenges, try the Chicken Fried Anything category. My God, these are good! The Chicken Fried Beef Ribs are as described: a home run with a beautifully crunchy and mellow taste that will leave you, literally gnawing at the denuded bone. And the Pork Chop carries the same impact: as good as the one at Hoover’s Cooking albeit with a different twist. Then head home and hit the treadmill for an hour! But you’ll be smiling.

There are burgers at Jack Allen’s that literally explode with flavor on first bite. That’s my kind of burger. The Fat Jack’s Burger with hickory sauce and cheddar cheese, bacon and jalapeno mayo is an indelicate affair with a huge taste profile. And the Green Chile Cheeseburger offers up a southwest style flavor that is moist, laden with green chiles and Jack Cheese and is just about irresistible if your taste runs to somewhat spicy.

Jack Allen’s Kitchen is like an oasis to the figuratively thirsty denizens of Round Rock. Good news is it’s no mirage!