What to Expect at Big Slick, East Austin’s New 22-Seat Steakhouse
At chefs Phillip Frankland Lee and Margarita Kallas-Lee’s intimate new steakhouse, hearth-cooked steaks come with a theatrical touch
The seventh concept out of the couple’s Scratch Restaurant Group (which also includes Sushi by Scratch Restaurants, Not a Damn Chance Burger, and Shokunin), East Austin’s Big Slick is focused on a live-fire hearth and dry-aged steaks.
Going to Big Slick is a production — this is certainly a restaurant for ceremony. The space that formerly housed Pasta Bar at 1017 E. 6th St. has been completely transformed into a kind of gothic cowboy vibe, along the lines of the lair of a Lone Ranger villain. The experience starts with a welcome drink of local yaupon tea in hefty stone cups at a moody bar, with an antler chandelier overhead and dripping candles all around. Next guests are led through red velvet curtains into the dim dining room which, at only 22 seats, means everyone has an intimate view of the hearth and the goings-on of the kitchen. The menu arrives with a custom wax seal, some courses are prepared and presented tableside, and guests choose a branded steak knife from the Montana Knife Company for their entree. The Lees are certainly focused on getting the details right.
What’s on the menu at Big Slick
That care extends to the à la carte menu. Big Slick sources its steaks from Lobel’s of New York, and is the only restaurant in the country to do so. Steaks are dry-aged for maximum flavor and are served with an assortment of sides—on a recent visit, this meant a fresh tomato salad, grilled asparagus, smoked cabbage, and a truly stellar butternut squash. With a small, beef-fat-laden menu, Big Slick is not a destination for vegetarians, but the kitchen can adjust entrees if needed. (A recent vegetarian entree was a butternut squash steak in sauce, which, if anything like the side dish, may even inspire jealousy from meat-eaters.)
Of course, there’s more to the menu than just steaks: crispy duck, buttery leek and lobster pasta, and whole fish round out the entrees, with other dishes like a Texas cheese plate, smoked tuna carpaccio, and Margarita’s sourdough served with fancy butter prepared tableside. The otherworldly desserts are also a contribution from Kallas-Lee: a tart lemon and marigold sorbet served inside a lemon, a creamy goat’s milk mousse topped with berries, and rich beignets served with caviar.
All in on ceremony
The beverage program has over 350 bottles of wine on offer along with cocktails. A little-known (for now) tip is that the bar area serves the full menu — so while reservations are booked through October, walk-ins may get lucky with a bar seat.
With the particular care in sourcing, the ceremony of dinner service, and attention to hospitality, it’s clear that Frankland Lee has lofty aspirations for this restaurant. Two of the group’s other restaurants — Pasta Bar and Sushi by Scratch Restaurants — have one Michelin star each at their California locations, and Frankland Lee is openly vying for two with Big Slick. Big Slick is poker slang for ace-king, a premium hand that still needs the board to cooperate, and Frankland Lee, an avid player, is betting that Austin, and eventually Michelin’s inspectors, will deal him a winner.
Big Slick is open Wednesday through Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m., reservations book 60 days out.