Snacks with Jeff Trigger at “2nd”

I first met Jeff Trigger when as the new manager of the Driskill Hotel, he had the good sense to bring chef David Bull to Austin.

Well, now Trigger runs the La Corsha Hospitality group and he and Bull have reunited at the two restaurants in the new Austonian high-rise: “Congress” and the more casual “Second” (2nd) We met at 2nd for a late afternoon sampling that somehow stretched into a three-hour conversation.

I started with Bull’s grandmother’s recipe, the Pepperoni Soup. It was think, more like a stew, and absolutely full of flavor. Served with Crostini, I would order this every time in. Also a delight were the Fried Pickles: something I would have not anticipated from Bull, but they were amazingly good. The texture was perfect.

Equally tasty were the Lamb Sliders and a Burger that came with a smoky catsup. We just scratched the surface but I was intrigued by the tastes, the lovely ambiance of 2nd, and the glimpse that I had of the very upscale Congress. More on that soon.