Austinites hankering for a meal of fresh, seasonal Gulf fish and shrimp can finally forgo that laborious trip to the Texas coast. Mongers Market + Kitchen showcases classic, simple seafood dishes, combined with a retail market highlighting freshly caught Texas Gulf shrimp and fish — all in a relaxed, warm setting reminiscent of sunbaked afternoons beachside; and now offering weekly fresh oyster specials every Wednesday beginning July 8th.
Behind the scenes at Mongers are longtime friends, Austin chef and restaurateur Chef Shane Stark and professional fisherman and Texas seafood specialist Roberto San Miguel. Thanks to the co-owners’ emphasis on seasonal Gulf seafood and meticulously crafted plates, the recently opened Mongers is already gaining loyal customers. Mongers is open for lunch and dinner service, as well as Sunday brunch, with each menu highlighting Chef Stark’s beautifully prepared dishes and rotating fresh specials. A wide variety of local craft beers, bubblies and wines perfect for pairing with seafood dishes are available, and the brunch menu features carafes of delicious house-made Sangria and Mimosas.
Oyster lovers can fight that mid-week slump with specials every Wednesday from 2 to 6 p.m., including half-price Raw Oysters from the best mollusk spots on the East Coast and $5 select wines and bubblies by the glass.
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Equally as beautiful as the Mongers menu and market offerings is the restaurant’s seaside décor, designed by Chef Stark’s wife, Julie Stark, who also runs the front of house. The seafaring theme extends to the walls, which are lined with whitewashed boards and a beautiful shade of turquoise-ocean blue, and an eye-catching Gulf of Mexico mural adorning an entire floor-to-ceiling space. Nautical elements are scattered perfectly throughout the restaurant, and the seashell and driftwood hanging curtains evoke a quaint beach-cottage vibe. The Mongers patio, with its several picnic-style tables topped with wide umbrellas, is equally welcoming and the ideal spot for Sunday brunch or Wednesday happy hour ‘afternoon oyster social’ for half-price oysters and a glass of bubbly.
What To Order: Smoked fish dip, baked oysters, freshly shucked oysters, clam chowder, crab cake sammy, pork cheeks, gulf red snapper (Koko’s top pick), and 44 Farms Chuck Steak.
Mongers Market + Kitchen
Table of Contents
Smoked Fish Dip
Pickled fresno chile, radish, celery
PEI Mussels
Andouille, fennel, tomatoes, toast
Baked Oysters
Tarragon, mornay, breadcrumbs
“Angels on horseback”
Crispy oysters, pork rillette, raisin rhubarb, pecan crème fraîche
Clam Chowder
kennebec potatoes, MMK bacon
Fish BLT
Smoked bacon, chile aioli, heirloom tomatoes, butter lettuce
Crab cake “sammy”
Fried green tomatoes, tartar sauce, apple-jalapeño slaw
Short Rib Sandwich
Blue cheese, caramelized spring onion, argula
Barnegat Scallops
Arugula, almond pesto, braised fennel, grapefruit
Pork cheeks
Dry cider braised, sunchoke thyme puree, and brussels sprouts.
Gulf Red Snapper
Spring peas, morels, chervil cream, pea greens salad
Crispy Red Snapper Tacos
Crispy red snapper, cabbage, chipotle crema, cilantro, gallo pinto, and jicama salad.
44 Farms Chuck Steak
Hondo creamed corn, lollipop kale, jalapeno chimichurri
Crab Cake Benedict
Crab cake, black pepper biscuit, old bay hollandaise, skillet potatoes
Smoked Grouper Omelette
Button mushrooms, mornay, scallion
Mongers Market + Kitchen
2401 E. Cesar Chavez St.
Austin, Texas
(512) 215-8972
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