Forklore
All other forms of entertainment considered, going out to eat is the one ticket everybody buys, whether it's fast-food cheap seats, big-steak luxury boxes or the chicken-fried arena seating in-between. Let American-Statesman and austin360.com restaurant critic
Mike Sutter be your all-access guide to the Central Texas dining-out scene.
In more than two decades at the Statesman, Mike's been a copy editor, Sunday editor, Page 1 designer and, for the past 14 years, XL art director. But after more than 700 XL covers, nine XL Dining Guides, managing the hundreds of listings in our restaurant database and writing stories about doughnuts, Vietnam and the Incredible Hulk, he'll finally be able to put his nine years of fancy restaurant job experience (thank you, drive through) to good use. This means he can write about trailer tacos on South Lamar, $250 anniversary dinners at Hudson's, smoking a cigar with Michael Moriarty at Louie's 106, brewing his own Anderson's Coffee stout beer and freeloading at kids-eat-free nights all over town.
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The entry titled "Good drinks: Blood orange margarita at Paggi House."
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2009 > September > 10 > Entry
By Mike Sutter
| Thursday, September 10, 2009, 05:00 PM
The same swollen-sunset hue as the Paggi House itself, the blood orange margarita is served in a tall glass rimmed with fat crystals of salt. It’s a ruddy color out of the crayon box (the big one, with a built-in sharpener) for $8, only $4 at happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
The margarita’s salty with a sultry citrus bite, rimmed with slices of the namesake fruit, a ruby shade so saturated it looks synthetic. The drink is emblematic of the restaurant’s ability to take a classic and breathe new life into it with a taste of the unexpected, like venison with an espresso rub and vanilla-parsnip puree.
Paggi House is a graceful old homestead repurposed with a modern breezeway bar and an expansive wooden patio in front with plush lounge seating. Inside, it’s renovated to suit modern tastes with straight chairs in black leather and classic sensibilities with scuffed wood floors and thick mouldings.
The patio lounge was warm, but sheltered from the direct sun by a dappled tree canopy. It was still warm enough to melt herbed butter served with bread alongside a happy-hour menu (changed by now) that included dense, luscious Niman Ranch pork belly ($12/$6 at happy hour) and crispy fried halibut strips with spicy remoulade ($10/$5 at happy hour).
Nothing a second blood orange margarita couldn’t fix.
200 Lee Barton Drive. 473-3700, paggihouse.com.
(American-Statesman photo by Mike Sutter)
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By Jodi
September 11, 2009 7:12 AM | Link to this
You had me at “blood orange margarita” and I made plans with my friend to check out Paggi House for Happy Hour next week. Can’t believe I’ve never been there!
By joann
September 11, 2009 4:55 PM | Link to this
OMG…look at this drink!! GOTTA TRY IT!!