Shannon and I decided to have dinner and cocktails at the East Side Show Room on Saturday night. Located in the heart of the increasingly popular East Sixth district and right next to the hipster bar Shangri-La, the trendy Show Room definitely fits right into the area.
As usual, it was crowded on Saturday night, with every space at the bar occupied. The interior’s dimly lit, almost with a red hue, as the place strives to be more than just a restaurant. Artwork lines the walls — the website describes the Show Room as a “modern monument to the cafés, music halls, and cabarets of pre-War Eastern Europe, Berlin, and New York.” In order to avoid a long wait, we opted to sit at an available table in the outdoor patio, which has a unique feel with a wooden fence enclosing about twelve tables and intermittently spaced trees. Despite the temperature being around 90 degrees, Shannon and I didn’t feel too hot due to a friendly breeze in the air.
The Show Room specializes in cocktails, and the executive barkeep has crafted some signature creations, along with 
serving an eclectic mix of classic ones, such as the Vesper and Sidecar. The Show Room even makes all of its own syrups, tinctures, and infusions, with locally-grown products forming the main ingredients.
For my first drink, I chose one of the signature cocktails, the Summer Swizzle, which is a refreshing gin-based concoction with a garnish of raspberry and blackberry. I enjoyed this drink, which featured a citrus flare, without any sweetness – just what I was looking for on a hot night. Meanwhile, Shannon ordered a class cocktail, the French 75, which combines gin, champagne, lemon 
juice, and sugar. Although she enjoyed it, she thought that it was a bit heavy on the gin, making it a little bit stronger than she’d have liked. The drink was served in a martini glass, so that might show the bartender’s leaning on this one, as I’ve also seen the same drink served in a champagne glass, and there was more of a dominant champagne flavor to that one.
For my second round, I tried another signature cocktail with the Smoke and the Fury. This tequila-based beverage featured a dominant smoky flavor, followed by a spicy kick from a jalapeno infusion. It was like a margarita on steroids. I definitely enjoyed this unique drink.
In terms of food, the Show Room’s executive chef describes her style as “rustic French with a soul food flare.” Everything is locally grown, which adds to the overall freshness of the cuisine. We started with the fromage plate, which featured a hard, aged cheese, a very mild blue, and a softer cheese. The hard one was accompanied by a red-sweet wine reduction and pear slices, the blue featured a honeycomb topping, and the soft cheese came with a basil pesto. Although we enjoyed the accompanying sauces, we weren’t very impressed with any of the cheeses.
Both of us ordered the Sicilian Summer Salad, which contained lettuces, cucumber, tomatoes, and feta, topped with an orange-fig vinaigrette. Although the ingredients were excellent, both Shannon and I felt that it was too skimpy on the dressing.
For a main course, we decided to split one of the few vegetarian entrées, the amberjack. The fish is blackened and then steamed in paper. It’s presented with the paper still on the plate, and the amberjack’s topped with sautéed vegetables and a sweet pepper sauce. I immensely enjoyed the fish, which was very nicely seasoned, and the vegetables went very well with it. Having the cooking paper still on the plate added to the rustic feel of the cuisine.
Although there’re restaurants in Austin that offer superior food, East Side Show Room’s a great change of pace, with its hip, lively atmosphere and emphasis on cocktails instead of wine. For an “alternative” evening date, I definitely recommend stopping by, even if it’s just for a drink.
