Although Oasthouse Gastropub opened in a space that formerly housed a sports bar, the restaurant’s atmosphere is intended to be the opposite of a typical chicken wings and beer joint. The eatery opened in November in the Trails at 620 shopping center.
The word “oasthouse” was first used to describe the buildings where hops were dried as part of the brewing process, said managing partner Jeff Cox.
And although the restaurant’s name will soon be changed to “Oasthouse Kitchen and Bar” to deter people from thinking only pub food is served, the term “gastropub” was coined in Great Britain to describe a bar that also serves high-quality cuisine, said Amir Hajimaleki, Oasthouse owner and executive chef.
“We aren’t a chain restaurant, and we don’t offer Tex-Mex,” he said. “It’s a whole new level of quality to offer in the area.”
The restaurant has 21 taps of beer and cocktails as well as seasonal food menu items, such as spring pasta with roasted vegetables ($12), Caribbean jerk pork tenderloin with fried plantains and a mango pineapple sauce ($20) and a mahimahi fish option ($19). The gastropub’s staple offerings include truffled deviled eggs ($8); a Farmhouse Pub Burger ($15) made with local Wagyu beef, Guinness cheddar cheese, bacon, brown ale bacon, bourbon mustard and greens served on a brioche bun; the Texas Shepherd’s Pie ($16) featuring prime tenderloin, carrots, green peas and onions braised in pecan porter beer; and Ruby Trout ($17) with cranberry almond wild rice, roasted cauliflower and cilantro lime pesto.
All of the restaurant’s ingredients are farm-to-table and support local partners, including Vital Farms Eggs and Oak Hill Farms, Hajimaleki said.
“We are all locally sourced, and everything from the menu is made in-house,” Hajimaleki said. “By supporting us, you are also supporting local businesses.”
Hajimaleki, who graduated from Westwood High School in Austin, attended the local Le Cordon Bleu campus. He said he learned the restaurant industry from working at Freda’s Seafood Grille and Kona Grill in Northwest Austin. He also founded District Kitchen+Cocktails in Southwest Austin.
Hajimaleki said he wanted to open a gastropub concept in North Austin that would be unique for the area. As a result, he and his partners—including brother Ali and friend Cox—created elevated pub fare in a casual, modern environment, he said.
“We want people to know you don’t have to go to downtown to get good, quality food,” Hajimaleki said. “You can stay in the area and still have the same atmosphere.”
8300 N. RR 620, Austin
737-222-5779
www.oasthouseaustin.com
Hours: Mon.-Wed. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Thu. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m.-midnight, Sat. 10:30 a.m.-midnight, Sun. 9:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
