Let’s Go To The New Newk’s Eatery In Downtown Austin!
Newk’s Eatery just opened up a new location in downtown Austin, hooray! I was invited to tour the latest of these casual eateries and sample some of the dishes, and let me tell you – it made me a bit sad that I no longer work downtown because this would easily become a regular lunch spot at my old office. As it is, I’ll have to commute a bit, but it’s still well worth it. Anyway, enough of my blabbing – how does Newk’s shape up?
Sandwiches, Sammies, Hoagies, Heroes…Whatever You Call ‘Em, They’re Great Here
Possibly because I had indulged in no fewer than 47 slices of pizza during the extent of March Madness, I decided to forego the pizza options. They all looked delicious, though, and I felt a small pang of regret as one particularly hearty pie walked by our table. That regret didn’t last long, though, because our food was brought to us in a timely fashion.
We gave the Newk’s Q and Italian options a go – the former is also available in pizza form and comes with a super tasty white barbecue sauce. I’ve legitimately never seen white BBQ before, so this was a pretty cool twist. I imagine it’s even more festive on an entire pizza, but it complemented the sandwich quite well here.
The Italian was on par with solid renditions I’ve had at other places. It’s never been my favorite, but Haleigh’s all about ‘em so we had to give it a go. By the end of it, she had given a full thumbs up. Certainly better than a faux alternative that I stumbled across recently.
I should note that the sandwich rolls – Newk’s Famous Parisian rolls, as they’re called – appear to be buttered or seasoned in a way that I haven’t usually encountered. It’s not a bad taste, by any means, it just has a little bit of a different flavor on the taste buds.
We’ve Got Salads, Yes We Do
Whenever you’re ordering way too much food (easy to do at casual eateries), you have to throw a salad in there to balance everything out. I’ve been on an ahi tuna kick lately, and luckily, Newk’s has just the cure with its Ahi Tuna Salad. They flash-sear sushi grade ahi-tuna, mix it with some greens, wonton crisps, radishes and tomatoes, and house-made ginger wasabi dressing. Let’s just say it satisfied that ahi tuna kick perfectly. This is a big ol’ salad, so you can definitely share it with someone and still get plenty to eat.
Mac and Cheese, I’m On Your Side
I told a friend of mine I was going to Newk’s and she said, “GET THAT PIMIENTO MAC AND CHEESE OR WE’RE NO LONGER FRIENDS.” I thought that was a harsh demand, but since I’m a mac and cheese fiend, I thought I could pull it off. And wouldn’t you know it, this mac and cheese is QUITE wonderful.
It’s already got five kinds of cheese in it, and the pimiento on top is the…well, the proverbial cherry on top, just with pimiento instead of cherries. There are also some bacon crumbles, but not so many that it overwhelms the cheese, which is the real star of the show. We ordered it as a side but it’s also available as an entree if you’re feeling particularly festive.
Of course, desserts are plentiful, as well. I’d recommend a whoopie pie, because two cake buns with icing in between is something we all need more of in our lives.
How About the Ambience, Though?
I would say most casual eateries aren’t overly decorative, but Newk’s has a subtle charm to it. The upper level features some quaint patio seating, which I imagine would be quite lovely when it isn’t as windy as the second half of Twister, as it was on our visit. There are also cute little paintings on the walls, as well as an odd little live look at the street outside the restaurant. Nothing much was happening during our visit, but I suppose it could be appointment viewing during a weekend night.
All in all, Newk’s Eatery is a fine addition to the growing downtown Austin restaurant scene, and one of the more solid casual eateries in the area. I’ll for sure be making more visits, and if you’re hanging out on Congress, drop by for a bite to eat!
Newk’s Eatery
408 Congress Ave
512-647-2420
10:30 am – 9 pm Saturday through Sunday
