Mommas, Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowgirls

Posted for Veronica Meewes

How’s a mom to celebrate Mother’s Day when she’s stuck working a double at the Yellow Rose? Or catering someone else’s mom-day brunch? Or doing any of the number of things Austin’s plentiful parental population will be busy doing this and every Sunday?

Well, the folks at Patsy’s Cowgirl Café feel your pain and they’re offering a Post-Mother’s Day service industry lunch special this Monday, May 14 for those who can’t celebrate on the weekend. Patsy’s is the latest brainchild of Shannon Sedwick and Michael Shelton (of Esther’s Follies notoriety), just recently opened on 290 near Montopolis, built from scratch where an abandoned warehouse once stood. Local muralist Michael Priest designed and completed most of the vibrant wallscapes (both here and at Follies), and various specimens of Americana memorabilia deck the interior, making for an effect that is far more Austin than Applebees. Everything is hand-picked by the art-lovin’ co-owners: old guitars, rusty metal cowpokes playing instruments, tumbleweed suspended from the ceiling, and gnarly branches everywhere. A glowing purple horizon lights up from behind a decent-sized stage where Patsy yee-haws while you dine and local acts play cover-less country, swing, and bluegrass sets Wednesday through Friday. The bar area is spacious and so is the wooden deck which wraps around the front and is bordered by a row of greenery (conveniently at head-level, which helps shush the sound of 290 traffic flow.) And for moms with truly wee ones there’s an impressive playscape out front too (free babysitter, anyone?)

Manager Jeanne Gianas is no stranger to the restaurant industry. “Mother’s Day, no matter where you are, is the busiest day in this business. We were trying to think about how to celebrate everyone who has to work that Sunday. So instead of sending dead flowers, we thought we’d have a special lunch the day after.” Ric Gonzalez has recently signed on as the new head chef and he’s bringing his fine dining background to the table (so to speak) as the dinner menu (“good ol’ home cookin’ with a modern flare”) evolves. On the 14th, moms and otherwise can enjoy a free-range oven-roasted chicken basted with a pecan butter, molasses sweet potato mash, and pumpkin-seed-crusted asparagus. Mention you’re ist-sent and receive a complimentary piece of homemade pie: “because we truly believe that pie fixes everything,” says a straight-faced Jeanne.

Patsy’s Cowgirl Café
5001 E. Ben White Blvd
512-444-2020