The Road to Skipjack
I’m late, I’m late…
At 1:30, Michael walks into my girl-cave-studio-office and says it is time to stop what I am doing and get ready for our very late lunch at Skipjack. I nearly have a heart attack — where did the time go? Wasn’t it just 10am?
To make it to our reservation on time, I have a bare thirty minutes to repair this morning’s damages, change clothes, powder my nose, leave for the long drive to Austin, and be at the restaurant by three. I wonder if I am up to the challenge.
Imaginings
Winding through the Hill Country, with the nose of our car pointed north and an Audible book entertaining us, I relax and think about what may lie ahead.
Two days before Christmas, I got a wild hair and decided we needed to go out for Christmas dinner — somewhere quiet, elegant, with good food. I went to OpenTable, entered my parameters — date, time, and number of people — and, much to my surprise, I had to wade through more options than I thought possible.
I threw a dart and picked Skipjack, a seafood restaurant in the newly remodeled Westin Hotel. The information on their website stated they had a special Christmas menu that would be served on both the 24th and 25th from 11am – 10pm and, “These items are served alongside our a la carte dinner menu.”
I imagined a cozy out-of-the-way table for two, soft music, and delicious food. I was already planning on having Oysters Rockefeller for my appetizer.
At Skipjack’s Doorstep
Once in Austin, the traffic is worse than anticipated, and a long line of cars is already parked at the Westin’s valet stand. Watching patrons enter the restaurant, I can tell we are overdressed. Michael is wearing casual slacks, a collarless shirt, and a sports coat. I am dressed to match. We are overdressed.
Skipjack is not quiet or intimate. The music is not soft. I should stop imagining things. This is a happening place. It is a restaurant intended to be filled with busy Austinites and visitors taking a break for lunch, meeting for happy hour, or having dinner after a hard day at the office. It is meant for groups of friends, laughter, drinks that flow, and lots of fresh oysters from their oyster bar to be slurped down.
Getting to Know the Options
Seated in a booth that could easily hold six or eight, I am sure we look lost, but I am happy to be somewhat away from the fray. We are handed four laminated pages of items to peruse before we order.
Oysters
The first is a list of all the fresh oysters available. The list is impressive. The first oysters I see are from Rockport, Texas, then there are offerings from Canada — PEI and New Brunswick — before naming those from the Damariscotta River in Maine, and two varieties from Cape Cod in Massachusetts. I look at Michael and exclaim, “Michael, we have been to all of these places!”
But we only ate oysters in PEI. We dined on lobster in Maine, clams in Massachusetts, and shrimp in Texas. Perhaps I need to learn to love raw oysters as much as I do fire-grilled oysters. Something to think about.
Cocktails and Christmas Offerings
A page listing special cocktails was next, and then came the small card with an abbreviated Christmas menu — two entrees, one dessert, and a cocktail — slightly different from the online information I read. I had intended to order the Acorn Squash Risotto with an add-on of Seared Scallops and Prosciutto Crisps, BUT the scallops are missing from this menu.
Appetizers and Entrees
The fourth laminated sheet of paper is a list of appetizers and sandwiches. Something is wrong — this is not what their website promised. I ask our server to please explain. She checks, then relays the information that the only food available is the Christmas menu and Happy Hour food.
We order a shared appetizer. I order duck for my Christmas dinner. Michael orders a burger and fries. We’ll wait to order dessert. This is not going at all according to plan. BUT — it is what it is, and we are here.
A Shared Appetizer
Hot Smoked Salmon, Chive, Boursin
I love smoked salmon. So, I am eager to try the Kennebec Chips and Salmon Dip that has been placed in front of us. Michael doesn’t love the idea of salmon as much as I do, but he is accepting of the situation. I notice the dip is garnished with pickled red onions, and I think this is a brilliant idea — one I must try at home.
I dip a potato chip into the thick Boursin mixture, but it breaks immediately. It is stuck in a sea of white. I decide the mixture is too thick to dip — it must be spooned. There is no spoon. So, I’m forced to requisition my fork to scoop and spread. Taking a bite, I’m in chip and dip heaven. The chips are phenomenal! We almost inhale them; they are so light, crisp, and delicious. When they are gone, most of the dip remains.
I’m not sure if the Kennebec is a brand of gourmet chips or a description of a potato. When our server comes by, I ask, “Are the potato chips purchased or house-made? They are delicious!”
They are house-made, as I thought. The Kennebec must be the potato — and it is — which is another story altogether. I make a mental note to pursue finding this special potato locally and try making the chips at home. We ask for additional chips to help finish the dip.
Entrees
Tea-Smoked Duck Breast, Parsnip Silk, Black Cherry & Juniper Jus, Wild Mushroom Pilaf, Brush Creek Ranch Wagyu Cheeseburger with Tomato Jam, White Cheddar, Grilled Red Onion, Dijonnaise
What can I say? Michael’s burger looks like — a burger. I don’t request a bite, but it does sound tasty.
My duck looks more like a late Christmas lunch should look, at least in my estimation. I take a bite of the Parsnip Silk, and it lives up to its name — it is almost ethereal in its delicacy in both flavor and texture. After pouring the Black Cherry and Juniper Jus over the crispy skinned duck breast, I slice off a bite — or I try to slice off a bite. I only have a table knife to cut what is equal a 3/4″ piece of steak. Our server comes by and I ask for a steak knife. Within seconds, one is in my hand. The flavor is there, but the duck is tough. Michael informs me, “Duck breast is always tough; that is why I didn’t order it.” Hmmm.
I know overcooked proteins are tough, but this duck looks the opposite — it’s dark red, almost the color of raw meat. But I am no expert, and I know nothing about duck, except for duck confit, which I love. A third of the way through the duck, I give up. Cutting and chewing are more difficult than I anticipated.
I tell Michael, “We need to order dessert.”
A Yule Log
“Driftwood” Yule Log, Chocolate Hazelnut, Sea Salt, Spirulina Mousse
The Yule Log is a thing of beauty — flawless! A meringue mushroom grows beside it. Sparkling sprigs of sugared rosemary continue the image of Christmas in the Maine woods. Michael takes a bite of the rosemary. “What are you doing?” I ask, not believing what I am seeing. I decide to follow suit, and the sugared herb is delicious — just the leaves — not the stem.
The portion of dessert is so generous that it takes a long while to nibble our way to the middle and beyond. Straight out of the refrigerator, the yule log benefits from our dawdling. Room temperature is better.
Reflections
At times, I throw a dart, hit the bullseye, and serendipity brings me magic. Other times, I don’t even hit the board. Today was a little of both.
I’m going to do further research on when and where to buy Kennebec potatoes, make my own sugared rosemary, and serve my salmon rillettes scattered with pickled red onions.
Would I return? Yes, but with friends for Happy Hour and I’d order a shrimp and lobster roll with their delicious Kennebec chips, or I would come for dinner and try their raw oysters and one of their tasty-sounding entrees of seafood, beef, or chicken — which I thought would be available for Michael today, but sadly, it was not. This may be a future problem. I probably need to work on Michael’s interpretation of our dining experience.
Lagniappe – A Little Something Extra
Skipjack Oyster Bar and Seafood Restaurant
https://www.skipjackoysteratx.com
A Delicious, Easy SalmonAppetizer for yo to Prepare at Home
Crystalized Rosemary
Below is one of many sugared rosemary recipes. Just Google.
https://www.threeolivesbranch.com/sparkling-rosemary-sugared-rosemary
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.