Wink

 
Wink is a fine little restaurant with an impressive culinary pedigree. Stuart Scruggs and Mark Paul, with the innovative Zoot and Brio already on their resumes, decided to create a concept where food and wine were deliciously as well as artistically paired.

Giving their wait staff free rein to put patrons under the care, they planned the type of menu with somewhat smaller entrée sizes where people could share, mix, and mingle, thereby opening up a wider variety of possible tastes than most Austinites typically experience at dinner. And Stuart changes the menu almost daily.

The term Wink actually comes from the concept of the little meal that the French often have in the late afternoons. And we began ours at about 5:30pm on a recent weeknight. We started with an amuse bouche which was potato and leek soup: creamy with a smooth, comfortable character.

Next we tried the seared foie gras on puff pasty with a maple cranberry compote. It produced a marvelous first bite sensation and when paired with the Deutz “Brut Classic” Champagne it was idyllic. After that we tried the Soup of Spring Lamb with barley. This was a rich, savory broth with tender morsels of lamb offset with kernels of barley. Paired with a Costano Hercula Yecle 1999,it was terrific.

Next was a duck breast, very crisp, on roasted eggplant over baby carrots and garlic with duck jus. The eggplant had nice texture and the duck was tender with a dead-on flavor. The jus was not greasy as one often gets with duck. This was served with a lovely Rhone wine (Syrvedre Corbieres).

Next we tried a grilled lamb t-bone on celery root puree. This was delicious. Difficult to share, but lovely. Served with a Martinez Bujanda Finca Valpiedra Rioja Riserva the flavors mingled perfectly.

The final chapter: a delightful chevre cheesecake. Now, you may think of goat cheese and maple poached pears as a odd pairing with cheesecake. But the goat cheese did not overwhelm… only complemented in the a most favorable manner. So there you have it. Wink. Mix. Match. Share. And above all, enjoy. It’s at N. Lamar and 11th St. For Fox 7 News, I’m Rob Balon, dining out.