First Look: Kicked Up Grub

Editor's note: closed April 2019. This location is cursed!

The restaurant industry is notoriously tough, and even in booming cities like Austin, we see the waves of openings and closings. The newer multi-use developments around the revered Broken Spoke dancehall have seen a lot of turnover in their short years. I would wager the foot traffic isn't at expected levels in addition to what I am sure are high rents. The corner unit directly south of the Broken Spoke at 3403 South Lamar is now on it's third restaurant incarnation in about the last nine months. aRoma was there for a couple of years, and ManinPasta could barely make it six months.

Newcomer Kicked Up Grub has just recently debuted in their place, and based on this one visit so far, I'll give it a thumbs up! And cross my fingers that they can last.  Calling themselves a farm to table gastropub, their website says the place was created for people who love food and drink, and with a mix of heavier and lighter options, with plenty of vegetarian choices. Following in the footsteps of their predecessors, I see a lot of Italian influence on the menu.

We arrived at 5 pm when they open; currently they are not doing a happy hour, but hopefully that will change soon. They are actually open earlier in the day for breakfast and lunch, 7 am - 2 pm, and then reopen at  5 pm; closed on Mondays.

Hibiscus Martini and Watermelon Daiquiri, both extremely drinkable especially on a hot day!

Very nice and crispy calamari with a panko breading, and a killer lemon aioli sauce.

Beet salad?

We ordered the beet salad;  the waiter came back to us a few minutes later, and apologized that the beets weren't finished marinating and would figs be okay? I was a little confused at first because I thought to myself "a full salad of figs?" along with the goat cheese and walnuts? The menu description doesn't state there are salad greens involved, so once our waiter clarified the description, yes, we agreed figs would be fine. {And while I am positive he said marinating, looking back now at the original menu description, maybe he meant roasting?} It was a tasty salad, complete with a pomegranate dressing, which fortunately was not over-used.

Bechamel Pie, a white pizza with sausage, olives, and mushrooms. The pizza oven was inherited from the previous restaurants, and are close to a Neopolitan style.The leftovers were also quite tasty reheated for lunch the next day.

Cannolis for dessert. The shells were a bit on the thick side, so while they were sturdy and held up well to the ricotta filling, they were almost TOO sturdy.

I spy on the menu that their pasta is handmade so I will certainly be back to try that! And maybe the actual beet salad too. 😊 I should add our server was pleasant and did seem to know the menu. Hope Kicked Up Grub lasts a good long while!

aRoma Italian Kitchen and Bar

I drive up and down South Lamar Blvd. everyday, and have watched with curiosity over the past 1.5 years as the mixed retail project surrounding the Broken Spoke takes place. The first two food establishments that have gone in are national chains -- Boardwalk Burger + Fries and Bruegger's Bagel's. {Sidenote: I tried Boardwalk about a month ago; great friendly service, and I loved the fries, but the burger was meh.} So I was thrilled to see a locally-owned place -- aRoma Italian Kitchen and Bar --  take center stage (literally) next to the Spoke. You can't tell from the picture, but aRoma's patio seating is practically in the Spoke's parking lot.

I was invited to aRoma for a media tasting a couple weeks back, and this was my first look and taste. (No money exchanged hands, and I was not paid for my opinion.) Owner Dave Whitney was a head honcho at Threadgill's for over a decade, but always had a love for Neapolitan-style pizza. He found Chef Jason Garcia in San Antonio, who shared his love for classic Italian. Dave is also related to the owners of Mockingbird Domestics, the homegoods store a little further north on SoLa, who helped with the decor of aRoma.

We were started off with a salumi and formaggi plate ($12), with mostarda and castelvetrano olives.

Next was a modern take on a beet salad ($9) with goat cheese, farro, pine nuts, and onion rings. Beets and goat cheese are always a good thing in my book!

The classic Margherita pizza ($12); their pizzas cook for 60-90 seconds in a 900 degree wood fired brick oven! Hot!

And the arugula prosciutto pizza ($16), which I loved! The arugula is very gently tossed in truffle oil, but it's extremely subtle, and oh so good!

The fettucine gamberetto ($12) is tossed in a lightly smoked tomato cream, that imparted some very nice flavor to the dish, and didn't make it too heavy. We also had the brasato al vino ($21), or wine-braised short rib, though I did not get a worthy photo.

aRoma is absolutely a welcome addition to the changing face of South Lamar. Check them out for happy happy hour, from 4 - 7 pm, with half-price pizzas; full dinner service starts at 5 pm and they are open seven days a week. Free parking onsite as well. Benvenuto!