I've been eating great food in Austin for years, and today was no different. Well, it was a little different. Today I took a bite of my salad and said to myself, "Sweet Jesus, this is so good I outta write about it!" And Eating Up Austin was born.
I have been driving by Somnio's for a year now, on my morning commute up South First into the city, only I didn't realize it until just a couple months ago. I liked the name and planned to stop there at some point in the near future, however that was slightly more problematic then I thought it might be. You see, Somnio's is open for lunch from 11-2 PM and dinner from 5-10 PM. Since I'm always going by in the morning, I'm often a bit groggy and forget that I mean to stop in. One day, while running extremely late for work, I decided this would be the day I tried Somnio's; naturally this was a Monday, the one day of the week that they are not open! Well, this evening, the stars aligned and I got the taste of local goodness.
Somnio's buys their food from local farms and farmer's markets, and the menu is in constant evolution, based on the food that is in season. Although vegetarian-friendly with excellent options, there's plenty of meat on the menu to keep this carnivorous lady satisfied. We started off with salads; I had the "bud," which featured roasted beets, the freshest of greens, pecans, garbanzo beans, and cilantro topped with a chipotle vinaigrette. I actually thought to myself that if I could eat this everyday I could actually pull of being a vegetarian... That was until I got a bite of the orange pork tacos. That is how pig should taste. Succulent strips of orange-flavored pulled pork, topped with queso fresco and baby spinach excited my palate. Topped with their homemade salsa, this is a new favorite for me.
They feature french-pressed Fair Bean coffee, which is locally roasted and is, incidentally, one of my frequent morning stops (also on South First just across the street–try the chorizo and egg breakfast empanada!) I had Earl Grey Lavendar Iced Tea, with just a pinch of raw sugar. The beverage menu is delightful, however it's devoid of booze! No worries, though, you can BYOB if you like. For Sunday brunch, they even offer a homemade bloody mary mix.
I left Somnio's full, but the food was light and I walked away feeling very healthy. You simply cannot beat that freshness! Well, the moment of truth: the tab. My general complaint about organic food is that it hurts my pocketbook. But no aches tonight: entrées for myself and my fella, two small salads, a coffee, an iced tea, and shaved ice with berries to split for dessert ran just $25.
Affordable, high quality food, and an ever-changing menu. That could keep me busy for awhile...
Visit somnio's by clicking here
No comments:
Post a Comment