February '10

Fabi + Rosi

February 19th, 2010

For February, AFDA members ventured to the German/French owned Fabi + Rosi. Walking up the steps to the house where the restaurant abides, one would never think modern vibes and splendor await. The house is perfectly decorated with chandeliers, black and white motifs, and warm lighting. We were fortunate to have the back dining room to ourselves, with 14 diners. The menu was exactly the perfect combination of German and French choices. We decided on a few starters to well start the night off right. First among the picks was an all time favorite, Escargot. The dish was broiled in garlic and served with parsley butter. If you haven't tried escargot or are weary, at least dip some bread in the butter. You will be one happy camper. We then chose the Handcrafted charcuterie (Duck rillette, Boar sausage, Liver paté). I must admit, the selections were a bit overwhelming for our pallets. Not a favorite of the table. On the other hand, the Trio of Artisan cheeses with accompaniments were fantastic. We gobbled up every bite of Sottocenere, Manchego, and Valdeon cheeses. The entree choices were on opposite ends of the Fabi + Rosi spectrum. We had Vegetarian Cottage Pie (stewed vegetables in tomato and herbs de provence topped with crispy golden mashed potatoes), Handmade Lobster Ravioli (in a champagne velouté, topped with lump crab meat) This was a definite favorite very creamy and rich. Our German pick was the Jägerschnitzel and Spätzle (local, farm raised pork loin breaded, served with german pasta topped with creamy mushrooms). If you're a fan of schnitzel, this is right up your alley. Delish. Next were Fresh Rainbow Trout (with herbed creme fraiche cucumber salat and crispy rice balls), Steak and Frites (marinated tenderloin with crisp frites and green peppercorn sauce), Grilled Leg of Lamb (with ratatouille, pommes dauphines, port wine demi), and finally the Special which was Roast Lamb that was cooked to perfection with potatoes and green beans. We can never call it a complete meal without dessert. We picked every dessert on the menu, go figure. Handmade chocolate truffles, Profiteroles with valrhona chocolate sauce, Belgium chocolate mousse, Chevré tart on gingerbread crust with candied meyers lemon, and Apfel strudel and vanilla eis. They were all so different, but so incredibly good. The Chevre tart was a favorite of mine. Light, tart, and satisfying. This place became on of AFDA's all time favorites. We did not feel rushed, and took advantage of our semi-private space to laugh, eat, and enjoy the company. Fabi + Rosi is a perfect spot for date night, or a celebration. Stop in when you feel like an excellent, affordable experience.

Top picks: Escargot, Trio of Artesan Cheeses, Lobster Ravioli, Lamb, Steak and Frites, Chevre Tart

http://www.fabiandrosi.com/index.html

*As fate would have it, I lost my camera after mouth watering images were captured from dinner. Please enjoy the restaurant for yourself, and the mental images you've gained from this post. To tide you over, here are some pictures courtesy of Forklore from Austin360