Last night, Adam and I visited Contigo Austin, that he learned was open through a little social media detective work. They are currently in their soft opening period, with the grand opening announced for May 7. We are super excited about Contigo because:

• It is an 8 minute drive, 45 minute walk, and 2.5 miles away from our house
• We can hang out with all of our friends who live nearby — including those with kids!
• It’s dog friendly
• They have a great menu that includes interesting drinks, small plates, and entrees

Here’s the sign with the Mueller walking path in the background:

We started out with the Contigo Ranch Swizzle ($8) made with tequila, mescal, tangerine, lime, soda; and an El Pepino made with tequila, cucumber water, mint, and lime. They were refreshing and I especially enjoyed the El Pepino ($7), deemed “a spa in a glass,” by Adam. My next drink was a Moscow Mule ($6) with vodka, ginger brew, and lime, and we also tried a Left Hand Ju Ju Ginger — a beer on tap made with ginger — that was very nice.

Contigo Ranch Swizzle and El Pepino

I love a restaurant built around trees and especially those that are dog friendly. Behind this wall, there was a huge party going on in the neighborhood with amplified music and an MC speaking in Spanish on the microphone. I heard they had a bouncy house over there too.

Outdoor bar at Contigo

This gorgeous bouquet was in the bathroom. I appreciated quality touches like the flowers, high quality hand towels, and cloth napkins at the table.

Indoor bar

And now, for the food.

SMALL PLATES

Adam and I ordered the pickled beets ($6), crispy green beans ($6), and an ox tongue slider ($3). The rest of these dishes were ordered by the folks who sat with us at our communal table. Very cool and neighborhoody.

My favorites were the beets and watercress and the fried potatoes & pig ears.

Pickled Beets with Sauce Grabiche and Watercress

A table full of new friends:

At our Contigo communal table

Johnny with his fried potatoes + pig ears dipped in lemon aioli. He generously shared them with everyone, exclaiming that they were, “a delight.” Johnny works at FoodHeads, Salt & Time, runs a supper club called Family Dinner.

Johnny with Fried Potatoes and Pig Ears

Pigs in a Blanket ($6)

White Bean Dip with Duck Fat and Parsley ($6)

Crispy Green Beans with Sambol Aioli ($6)

Ox Tongue Slider with Arugula, Pickled Green Tomato, Dijon

CHARCUTERIE

They offer four different charcuterie plates at $7, with all the charcuterie made in-house.

Ciccioli Charcuterie Plate with Slow Cooked Pork, Toast, Dijon, Pickled Green Beans

PLATES

There are six main dishes, and Adam and I tried the rabbit & dumplings ($13) and the chicken & apple sausage ($8). The rabbit & dumplings would be wonderful on a cold winter day and the fries are perfectly crisp and delicious.

Rabbit and Dumplings with Carrots, Cippolini Onions, Sage

Cheddar Grilled Cheese on Brioche with French Fries ($7)

Chicken and Apple Sausage on a Baguette with Sauerkraut

On this visit, we didn’t get to try the bar snacks (nuts, pickles, and olives – each $3-$4) or the desserts (strawberry shortcake, ice cream, or cookies & milk – each $3-$5), but look forward to tasting these next time!

We’re thrilled Contigo opened in our East Austin hood, and can’t wait to hang out there with friends old and new.