Do Get Fresh

Locally grown ingredients allow Wink’s menu to stay dynamic

Twice a week you can spot chef Eric Polzer of the popular Austin restaurant Wink at nearby Boggy Creek Farm, stockpiling pink turnips, kohlrabi, and spinach. We caught him there recently taking all but the last bunch of baby carrots. “People here either love me or hate me,” he says. “I take almost everything.” After you’ve sampled these ingredients as prepared at Wink, perhaps in a salad with local chèvre, alongside grilled venison or roasted gulf ahi tuna — “globally influenced local cuisine,” as the restaurant describes it — it’s nearly impossible to hold a grudge.

Austin is known for its naturally cool vibe, so it’s no surprise to find a restaurant as fresh as Wink, which local natives Mark Paul and Stewart Scruggs opened in 2001. Paul had dreamed of owning his own restaurant since he was a 15-year-old busing tables and washing dishes. He received formal training as a pastry chef and built up his resume with stints at restaurants like Le Cirque in New York and Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago.

Paul notes that his return to Austin was perfectly timed. “You could feel the energy in the food scene changing,” he says. Paul’s pastry chef training combined with Scruggs’ skill with savories made the pair a natural fit. With Polzer on board, all the pieces fell into place.

In contrast to many restaurants, Wink doesn’t have a “head chef” creating a preplanned menu. “What we do is pantry cooking,” Polzer explains. “I bring in all the ingredients, and that’s the cooks’ palate.” There’s no particular method to what he picks up — he simply gathers what looks good. And Polzer should have a good eye, having spent three months getting his hands dirty working at Boggy Creek.

“It all depends on what the ingredients say needs to happen,” says Paul of Wink’s ever-evolving menu. The changes, made daily by the restaurant’s team of cooks, are constant but subtle. Seared scallops with yellowfoot mushrooms, hearts of palm, and Riesling syrup might be offered one day, and the next day it could be seared scallops with fennel, golden beets, chives, and Riesling syrup. Desserts stay fairly constant — which is not a bad thing given addictive Paul creations like chocolate soup with milk chocolate–ginger mousse.

Expanding the culinary definition of “local” has also been key. “Come here and it’s not just about food,” Paul explains. “It’s about relationships and emotions.” The hum from welcoming hugs, chatty servers, and conversation between tables creates a relaxed feel within an otherwise formal setting of white tablecloths and low lighting. The adjoining wine bar, where patrons can order from an extensive wine list, nosh on bar snacks like brie burgers or pâté with clarified foie gras butter, or order from the full menu in a lower-key setting, adds another facet to Wink’s neighborhood feel.

Paul credits his audience for allowing Wink to push the envelope. “There is a level of exposure and a level of curiosity that allows us to make left turns when everyone else is making rights,” he says. Though this laid-back city is growing and changing rapidly, that’s not a bad thing for Wink. It’s what the nimble restaurant is all about.

— Louise Flaig

Getting There: Continental offers daily nonstop service to Austin from its hubs in Houston, New York/Newark, and Cleveland.

1

Uchi. 801 S. Lamar Blvd., 512.916.4808. Chef Tyson Cole has been eliciting oohs and aahs for his avant-garde sushi stylings. Sip a glass of sake at the swank bar or in the bamboo-surrounded courtyard.

2

El Chile Cafe y Cantina. 1809 Manor Road, 512.457.9900. Locals know this East Austin bungalow is the place for deftly prepared Mexican food and great margaritas.

3

Counter Café. N. Lamar Blvd., 512.708.8800. It’s a diner done Austin-style, which means you’ll find great comfort food, like steak and eggs and fluffy biscuits, made with locally sourced ingredients when possible.

4

Hudson’s on the Bend. 3509 Ranch Road 620 N (1.25 miles southwest of Mansfield Dam), 512.266.1369. Enjoy game meats like wild boar, venison, elk, and even rattlesnake prepared to the nines in this cozy upscale ranch house in the hills on the west side of Austin.

5

Vespaio. 1610 S. Congress Ave., 512.441.6100. Though Vespaio’s sleek dining area and bar can get noisy, star dishes like risotto and polenta con funghi will win your heart. — L.F.

Spring’s sunshine has returned, and on days like these, light, fresh fish tacos can really hit the spot. Lately they seem more popular than ever, making it easier to enjoy them coast to coast.

South Beach Bar & Grille, San Diego. 5059 Newport Ave., 619.226.4577. San Diego is fish taco country, so it really means something when locals rave. Here you’ll be well rewarded with a beachside view and top-notch tacos like grilled mahi mahi, wahoo, and shark.

La Verdad, Boston. 1 Lansdowne St., 617.421.9595. Right behind the Red Sox’ home field, here’s your gourmet, affordable, alternate to the Fenway Frank. Local celebrity chef Ken Oringer’s spin, with avocado puree and chipotle mayo, hits it out of the park.

Z Grille, St. Petersburg, Fla. 269 Central Ave., St Petersburg, 727.896.3101. There’s a Latin American flavor to the Baja-style fish tacos at this casual eatery. The self-proclaimed “mouth candy” of Dos Equis–battered halibut, cabbage, tomato, cheese, and cilantro oil maintains a regular crowd. — L.F.