David Bull Returns to Austin!

With some trepidation, given the 95 degree heat, Austin members arrived to dine outside at David Bull’s new restaurant “ Congress “ at the Austonian on Second and Congress for our June event.  Our dining area was the second floor balcony overlooking Second St and the pedestrian activity below. With fans circulating above, we settled at a long modern farmhouse table for a pleasant and memorable Austin-style outdoor dining experience arranged by Alex Ladage. 

We began with a modern presentation of wild arugula with beets, grape agro dolce and soft burrata cheese. Paired with a slightly fruity St Urbans-Hof Riesling 2009, redolent with the taste of apples, the salad made a refreshing start. 

The second course was a light offering of fluffy galic and chive potato gnocchi tossed with sunchokes , sunflower sprouts and parmesan. The Cascina Bruni Villa Lisa 2009, a medium bodied Piedmont Barbera d’Asti, tasting of  spice, paired nicely with the course and allowed the gnocchi to shine. 

The entree of grilled ribeye loin was beautifully presented on a bed of duxelles, a subtle sauce of Madeira and horseradish, and capped with a constellation of crunchy cipollini onions. Chef Bull paired the perfectly seared loin with a lovely, medium bodied, slightly chewy, Once Wines “ The Table”, Napa 2009, a Cabernet Sauvignon, with some menthal and minerality. Softness in the wine appeared to be due to a small addition of cabernet franc and verdot, blended to create a young, accessible wine to pair with red meat. 

The finish to this delightful experience was again a beautiful, modern presentation of a small chocolate terrine with a warm white chocolate center. This was garnished with a crispy tuile of gianduja, surrounded by hazelnuts, raspberries and finished with a dusting of hazelnut. To complement the nuts in the desert, Chef Bull selected a nutty 10 year old Quinta do Noval LBV Tawny Porto.

The menu was superbly selected to provide a refreshing, light dining experience in the summer heat and acknowledged Chef Bull’s experience and creativity. The staff were friendly and attentive, and we were honored to have Chef Bull introduce each course throughout the evening. We were looking forward to seeing what Chef Bull is doing at Congress and we were not disappointed. We and Austin are truly fortunate to have Chef Bull back in Austin, continuing to create his magic.