A Visit to Cannon + Belle
Though it's been open a while, I hadn't had a chance yet to dine at Cannon + Belle, so I jumped at their generous offer for a complimentary tasting at the restaurant. South Austin Foodie joined me for a fun and delicious meal - read on to see what we tried!
We kicked off the meal with cocktails - a Metabolic Mule (Dripping Springs Orange Vodka, KTonic Original Kombucha, Domaine Canton Ginger Liqueur, ginger simple syrup, and lime) for Suzanna and an Angelina's Punch (Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka, blackberry shrub, mint, and soda) for me. Both drinks were refreshing, well-balanced, and not too sweet - perfect cocktails for Austin weather.
From the Shared Plates menu, we chose the Honey & Black Garlic Wings and the Sweet Pea Cake. The wings were messy, but finger-licking tasty. Honestly, the Sweet Pea Cake was not our favorite - it was rather dense and too salty.
Honey & Black Garlic Wings |
Sweet Pea Cake |
We tucked into a White Pizza next, which was probably my favorite savory dish of the meal. It was so impossibly cheesy in only the best way, and the fresh oregano that dotted the top helped cut through the richness of the cheese. After trying this, I was a little sad to set the leftovers aside so we would have room for more!
White Pizza |
Our final savory course was this lovely seared scallop dish, which was served with a smooth brown butter and sunchoke puree, mushrooms, green beans, and tomatoes.
Seared Scallops |
Could we really have left room for dessert? No, not really, but we ordered some anyway: a piece of their Salted Chocolate Stack cake and the Seasonal Fruit Crisp. I had also been eyeing the Chocolate Mexican Fizz (Z Resposada Tequila, coconut milk, vanilla simple syrup, egg white, Aztec chocolate bitters, and soda) from the regular cocktail menu and could not resist ordering one to sip with our desserts. It was the right decision.
Chocolate Mexican Fizz |
Both of the desserts were excellent, but the salted chocolate stack was particularly sublime. I could not get enough of that cake - the brown butter and salted caramel elevated the chocolatey layers into something much more special. Plus, it is just an impressive looking dessert, stacked high with enough sugary goodness for several people to share.
Salted Chocolate Stack. I mean, just look at this slice! |
Seasonal Fruit Crisp |
We had a fabulous time at Cannon + Belle and thoroughly enjoyed our meal. The service was impeccable thanks to our wonderful server, Lindsey, and the space was comfortable and - at least when we were there - it was quiet enough to have a conversation at normal volume, which is a rare find downtown, these days. You can bet I'll be back to try more of the menu at Cannon + Belle - or maybe I'll just have another white pizza and a slice of that cake!
500 E. 4th Street (in the Hilton hotel - note that they validate self-parking in the Hilton garage)
Austin, TX 78701
512-493-4900
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