NXNW Restaurant and Brewery

NXNW Restaurant and Brewery

Written by Kara Vaught Thursday, 07 February 2008

Though the North by Northwest Restaurant and Brewery makes its home in the same city as the South by Southwest music and film festival, the eatery is not out of place.

Owner Davis Tucker chose the name in reference to the region where many brew pubs and micro-breweries are born. Similarly, the décor of NXNW has the feel of a wintry lodge with vaulted ceilings, rugged stone and wood. Metal light fixtures and accents make the overall feel modern, and the live music on the back deck four nights a week cements NXNW in the Austin tradition.

We arrived on one of the few truly chilly nights of this winter, and were very pleased to find the valet parking was free. Once inside, we were seated immediately thanks to calling ahead, but I noticed no one waiting for a table in the large lobby looked bored — most already had a drink in hand. NXNW’s beers are all brewed on-site inside a tower, that is supplied by a working silo with 25,000 pounds of barley.

We began the meal with a NXNW Sampler Platter ($9.95) consisting of fried calamari, buffalo wings, fried artichoke hearts and sausage stuffed mushrooms with three sauces: grain mustard, marinara and jalapeño buttermilk. All were good, but the fried artichoke hearts were the favorite. Think of a fried blossomed onion — but lighter, smaller and crispier. The jalapeño buttermilk dip was delicious and didn’t burn my spice-sensitive taste buds.

Our other starter, Roasted Garlic Bulbs with goat cheese and black pepper crostinis ($7.95), were gone in a hurry. The recent Texas Culinary Academy graduate in our party explained that a crostini (“little toast” in Italian) is a slice of toasted baguette.

For the main course I ordered a house favorite: the Pork Chop Porterhouse ($16.95). The brined pork loin has a balsamic glaze and is served with roasted red potatoes and vegetables. The chop was juicy and thick, and the potatoes were salty with a crunchy crust and melt-in-your-mouth center.

Another house favorite entrée, the Beef Tenderloin ($21.95), convinced a strictly well-done meat kind of man that sometimes, medium rare is the way to go. The 7 oz. loin was topped with bleu cheese and haystack onions and served over wild mushroom risotto with a merlot butter sauce.

For dessert, we choose Crème Brulee ($4.95) and a Chocolate Torte ($5.95). I can offer no review of the brulee because a certain member of our party ate it so quickly that her date and my husband got only a bite each. Much teased, she promised to order one just for herself next time.

I got the majority of the torte, which was like eating a large, thick chocolate bar on a thin layer of cake. The menu suggests a wine to accompany each dessert, so the culinary expert sampled Warre’s Otima 10 year Tawny Port. It was while he was explaining the concept of wine’s legs — how it drips down the side of the glass after swirled — that the brulee was consumed.

The dinner experience was excellent. My only warning to other diners is this: Don’t get so caught up in the music, menu or atmosphere that someone usurps a supposedly shared dish!

Beer school – not an oxymoron

To learn more about beer, brewing and barley, sign up for NXNW’s Beer Education Classes. Those who complete all three receive a Beer Education Diploma. Classes are $35; call 467-6969 to reserve a spot.

Beer School — Participants learn how beer is brewed, what makes it pale, dark, bitter, strong, good or bad. Also included is plenty of beer trivia, a brewery tour, tasting of hops and malts and major beer styles. The next class is 11 a.m. March 15.

Beer and Cheese Class — Wine and cheese? So passé. Participants in this class learn about beer from NXNW brewers and tour the brewhouse. Then, they try various combinations of brew and dairy product. The next class is 11 a.m. Feb. 16.

Beer and Chocolate Class — Participants learn about the origins of both, including uses as currency. Head chef George Powell concocts truffles especially for the class. Check www.nxnwbrew.com for the date and time of the next class.

NXNW Restaurant and Brewery, 10010 Capital of Texas Highway, 467-6969, www.nxnwbrew.com

• Dining hours: Sun. - Thurs. 11-10 p.m.
  • Fri., Sat. 11-11 p.m.
• Bar hours: Mon. - Thurs. 11-11 p.m.
  • Fri., Sat. 11-midnight Sun. 11-11 p.m.