East Side Show Room and STFU!

I will have you know, I have a VERY GOOD REASON for not having posted anything in over a week!  First, Logan's parents were in town last weekend, and were completely indispensible in getting all of his artwork on the walls of the Flightpath. And that's not hyperbole, we really honestly wouldn't have gotten it done without them, THANK YOU THANK YOU.

And then Logan got a last minute job (working for the first time since last Thanksgiving, not that I'm keeping track) and left for Hawaii on Tuesday!  Where he is eating spam musubi and taking pictures of waterfalls, and he of course took the computer with all of our to-be-blogged pictures on it.

But I guess the most important "reason" (by which I mean whiny excuse) for why I haven't blogged is because, well, I'm lazy and obsessed with time management games like Diner Dash, and I've been spending valuable blogging time reading all of Julie Powell's archives.  So shut up.

ANYWAY.

There's a beautiful brand new bar over on the East Side, in the several block wonderstretch that also includes the Shangri-La, Rio Rita, and the Good Knight.  It's called the East Side Showroom, and it's adorable, and they make different kinds of ice for their different drinks and they source everything locally and I'm in love!

We went there a couple of weeks ago (I already said I didn't want to hear it, dammit) with our awesome friends Crystal and Justin.  Crystal put up her post back in July.  Sigh.

This place could not be cuter, with its wire furniture (made by the owner, seriously!) and mismatched tables and chairs.

Cute can only take you so far in my esteem, though.  So we got some drinks.

Mine is the little pink lady-type drink in the foreground.  It's called a Framboise Flip, and is made with bourbon, peach bitters, and framboise shaken with an egg white 'til frothy.  It was a little sharp, kind of medicinal.  I think I'd peruse more of their menu before reordering it. 

Logan got an Anejo Manhattan, which is basically a manhattan made with anejo tequila.  He pronounced it OK.  I pronounce it a giant glass of tequila, which if that's your thing, you'll like - but it wasn't much like a manhattan, so I kind of think they should change the name, so people don't come in with false preconceptions.

I also tried their Diablo, with the ginger beer and the cassis and the lime and the tequila, and I liked it, but not quite as much as David's at Annie's.  I'd still order it again and again.

I've gotta hand the trophy to Crystal on this one, though - I think she got the best drinks.  Her first was called a Pink Pony, and was made with gin, aperol, grapefruit juice, and cucumber, and I really should have ordered it.  Then she got this spectacularly beautiful, vibrantly orange zanahorita, which was not only the prettiest thing to hit the table, was maybe the best drink.  Tequila, carrot juice,and cilantro agave, so it's healthy, right?  Betacarotenes and whatnot!

And that lovely chunk of ice.

Don't worry, in between all of these twee little drinks in their preshus little mason jars, we ordered some food.  With the four of us sharing, we were able to try out quite a bit of the menu. 

Speaking of the menu, which includes vegan entrees, I really appreciate how they've handled their specials.  Not only is there a soup of the day, like you'd expect (the day we were there, it was a chilled cucumber cantaloupe soup with shrimp - delicious), there's also a gratin of the day (which we ordered - tomato with chicken sausage!), a "meat of the moment" on the housemade charcuterie plate, and dessert and tiramisu specials.  Really.  And they write up where they're currently getting their food on a chalkboard up at the front.

I really enjoyed everything we ordered, and am excited that there's so much daily variation on the small menu.  I will say that it's pretty expensive, but I do sympathize - I know how expensive it is to shop at the farmer's markets around here!  You're looking at about $25 worth of food up there in that picture, though I know the scale's a little hard to tell.  Those are pennies in the top of the table, if that helps.

I guess Chef Cote saw the four of us with our cameras and giggles and obvious appreciation for her food, because she brought out a little sampler of the charcuterie plate for us to try.  The meat of the moment was a beautifully done chicken galantine, though I think my favorite was the decidedly rich bourbon liver mousse with candied bacon.

We didn't try the dessert special, which was a Chartreuse mousse (yeah, the liquor!).

Now that Logan has a jobby job, we'll definitely be back. There's still so much to see on the drinks menu, not to mention the food tasties we didn't get to try!  Just be sure to bring your wallet, and not much of an appetite - we were bad children and went to Taqueria La Canaria for sopes and then to a fruteria for giant cups of chile-spiked fruit afterwards.

By the way, I actually baked something yesterday, and I'm hoping to put up a post about it!  and I apologize to all you wonderful people whose blogs I haven't been checking lately - I promise to get back on that.  Unless you'd just like to meet up at the East Side Showroom for a drink?

East Side ShowRoom.  1100 East 6th Street. 512.467.4280.  Current hours 5-midnight daily.

Oh yeah, and they put CHARD on the tables.  AW.

Rachel

Comments

[Crystal]

Yay! We have to go back to this place soon... it's just so darn lovely in there...

[Optimista]

Aw, we are in blogger sync! I blogged about East Side Show Room earlier today. Funny.

Your photos are a bajillion times more gorgeous, though. Love them...and your post...as always.

[adam]

happy to see you've checked this place out. a friend and i went here for a nightcap(s) after a crazy good dinner at little thailand. i had the absinthe cocktail and a gibson made with house-made pickles that were both pretty damn good. between the ambiance (old silent buster keaton flick projected on a brick wall), cool and personable crew and a creative menu, it appears they have got a good thing going. holla the next time you two go!

[Rachel @ boots in the oven]

We so do, Crystal! And this time, I'm ordering that Pink Pony. Wednesday? Eh?

Thanks, Optimista! Glad to see you liked the entrees - the shrimp and grits look SO good.

Adam, glad you liked it too! I need to try that Gibson; I'm a sucker for anything with pickles, and if they're housemade, well...

[RONW]

stormy weather this week for the islands. However, restaurants get more people during the day in that situation.

[Rachel @ boots in the oven]

I saw, Ron! You're on Oahu, right? Logan was on the big island and Kauai, but he's actually in the air on his way home as we speak.

[jeff]

Pink pony was indeed great.

They also do some very good grits dishes (although they said they source their grits locally which i'm skeptical of; but i'll follow up and see).

happy hour special plate is an excellent deal.

I think their drink costs are about a dollar or two high for the pour but they are hand crafted unique amazingness.

[Rachel @ boots in the oven]

They told us the same thing about the grits, which definitely made me cock an eyebrow - but we didn't follow up either! Let us know if you find anything out.

I have to get that happy hour plate - it sounds really good.

Thanks for commenting!

[Jenna]

local grits?

I must know! I did love the pink pony and thought the carrot cocktail was lovely as well. Love the big ice.

Can't wait to go back and try the food!

[Su-Lin]

I love that chard vase thing! So cute!

[Rachel @ boots in the oven]

Right, Jenna! It's interesting that they're telling people the grits are local - I really want to know from where. And I wanna pink pony!

Su-Lin, isn't that a cute idea? I might steal it for particularly pretty broccoli rabe or something.

[Sexy Emo Girl]

Great photos! Wanna eat =)

[jeff]

So I talked with Sonya and they use organic grits (but not local). Last night was bob's red mill organic grits (regular, not course) although I think they source Anson Mills as well depending on what the ordering & delivery schedule is. Sad that there aren't locally sourced available but I would be pleasantly shocked to fine good corn locally (available more than one week of the year).

Also - their greens are sublime & amazing; perfectly cooked local goodness. oh - & honey brulee - very nice.