Weekend Date at Lucky Robot

Date restaurant in Austin: Lucky Robot

Date restaurant in Austin: Lucky Robot

There’s nothing better than South Congress on a Saturday evening. I know, it’s touristy and everything has a line (even the “I Love You So Much Sign…), but it’s bustling with a lazy energy. (I just used “bustling” and “lazy” in the same sentence, which only makes sense in Austin, Texas.)

Also see: the ultimate guide to south congress

Last weekend Nate and I went on date night to The Lucky Robot to try an assortment of items from their menu. SO FUN! We walked over there from our house (I love that we can walk to SoCo now from our new house!!) and enjoyed an early dinner.

I kinda love not having to make any decisions when I’m at a restaurant. It’s a nice change of pace. We sat their there (<- Y’all, I’m making dumb grammar mistakes today! Tired brain. Sorry in advance for any I don’t catch…) and we ate our little hearts out as plate after plate of beautiful Japanese food was presented to us.

Date restaurant in Austin: Lucky Robot

Date restaurant in Austin: Lucky Robot

Date restaurant in Austin: Lucky Robot

Date restaurant in Austin: Lucky Robot

Date restaurant in Austin: Lucky Robot

Date restaurant in Austin: Lucky Robot

Date restaurant in Austin: Lucky Robot

Date restaurant in Austin: Lucky Robot

Date restaurant in Austin: Lucky Robot

Date restaurant in Austin: Lucky Robot

If you’re scrolling through these pretty quickly, I want to invite you to pause for a moment and look at the photo above…it was something really special! The chef at Lucky Robot has a Peruvian background, so one of the dishes he grew up eating for lunch was Tacu Tacu, a dish that Peruvians prepare using leftover rice and beans.

Now, this one is obviously not made with old rice and beans, but it’s the same idea. It’s called Taco Taco Nikkei, and it’s made with azuki bean nigiri, mussels, shrimp, tomato, ahi panda cream sauce, and cilantro. I was a little sad it looked so “meh” in the photograph because it was the tastiest thing I ate all evening.

If you’re heading to Lucky Robot sometime soon, will you please try this? It’s fabulous. I know it doesn’t look all that fabulous, but it is.

Date night in Austin

And for all of you who are curious about sake, Lucky Robot has their own certified sake sommelier! (There are only a handful of them in Austin.) Lora Blackwell brought us a half liter of Amabuki Ichigo Nama, an unpasteurized sake made with strawberry flower yeast. It was different than any sake I’ve tried (which, granted, is very few. But I’d love to continue trying more!)

After dinner we walked next door to Amy’s Ice Creams and each got a cone. German chocolate for Nate…

And Mexican vanilla with cookie dough and sprinkles for me! It was my first time trying their waffle cones, and even though they’re delicious, it ended up being a bit too much cone for the ice cream and I threw half of the cone away. 🙁

We ate ice cream cones and leisurely walked the mile back home. I love my husband, and I love Austin.


And for any of you weirdos who might want a description of all the food I ate in those photos above, this is for you:

Shiro Asparagus

white asparagus, charred ramp oil, cashew, crispy chicken skin, yuzu and chicken vinaigrette

Scallop Hot Rock
fresh day boat scallop, yuzu kosho, serrano ponzu
Spinach and Tofu Dumplings
spinach, organic tofu,  cashew cheese, candied cashew, cilantro, red curry oil
2 Pair Nigiri
pair striped jack (shima aji), pair ora king salmon (kingu) topped with ikura
Kona Midori
hawaiian amberjack (kona kanpachi), green strawberry, coconut water ponzu, shallot, borage, aji panca, cilantro oil
Tacu Tacu Nikkei
azuki bean onigiri, mussels, shrimp, tomato, aji panca cream sauce, cilantro
Nomnomiyaki
japanese pork belly and napa cabbage, topped with sunny side up egg, spicy mayo, tonkatsu, sriracha, crispy shallots, micro arugula
Salmon Cebiche
ora king salmon, leche de tigre, cherry tomato, shallot, bell pepper, cilantro oil
Sake:
Hakkaisan Junmai Ginjo
Amabuki Ichigo Nama

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Emily
5 years ago

Yum, can’t wait to get back to Lucky Robot! Maybe next time I go, I’ll be able to drink the sake too. 🙂

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2 years ago

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