Food: La Sombra Opens This Week On Burnet Road
At first glance, La Sombra's ceviches seem pretty typical -- a hodgepodge of seafoods cooked by the acidity of citrus juice, rather than heat. But then the eye grazes the menu entry for cebiche de hongos, or wild mushroom ceviche with sweet yellow corn, red onions, jalapenos and blackened tomatillo-truffle salsa. One thing leads to another. Pretty soon you're ogling the plantain soup, and you find yourself curious about the Peruvian purple corn juice. It's always nice when a menu arouses curiosity, as well as appetite.
That said, there are entrees enough to satisfy those who just crave a testosterone fix. Take the Shiner Bock marinated hangar steak with garlic sausage, chili-rubbed pork ribs, roasted potatoes, spring onions and seasonal squash with a duo of red and green chimichurris. (Yes, those elements are all in the same dish!) It will set you back $19, but, all things considered, that's not too bad.
La Sombra's drink menu is world-class, with a selection of global wines and cocktails put together by some kind of beverage brain trust. The Fig & Basil Martini, $9, looks good no matter where in the world you're from: Monopolowa vodka, Cointreau, muddled figs and basil, and Fee Brothers lemon bitters. The menu also highlights Pisco Sours, and explains that these are "iconic cocktails of both Peru and Chile, made with a liquor distilled from grapes." They're also made with egg whites, so they may not be for everyone.
The brunch menu at La Sombra takes what the main menu has already curated, pares it down, mixes it up, and arrives at a food and drink selection that is (presumably) the finest of La Sombra's, and the finest of Latin America's. Maybe that's giving the restaurant too much credit...though corn cake, braised beef, raisins, olives and poached eggs with a mimosa for about $13 still strikes us as both a good deal and a great idea.
La Sombra is located at 4800 Burnet Road, and the phone is 512.458.1100. Closed Mondays.
