Late in 2009, at a time when everyone else was gearing up for the Christmas season, a pair of brothers drove all the way from Wisconsin to Texas to buy the Fleetwood Mallard trailer. Within the next few years, Bryce and Dylan Gilmore developed Odd Duck, a restaurant in the heart of the Texas capital city renowned for preparing and serving dishes with food items straight from the farm.
DESCRIPTION AND DECOR
Accommodating 110 seats, Odd Duck sports an outside patio that provides patrons with a view of downtown Austin from the corner of Gibson and South Lamar. The restaurant sources its food items from more than 40 local farms and breweries, which include Milagro Farms, Johnson’s Backyard Garden, Houston Dairy, Broken Arrow Ranch, Mill-King Market & Creamery, and Real Ale Brewery. Odd Duck’s menu offerings comprise an enviable mix of local and seasonal fare, with a wide selection of dishes, drinks, and breads. The restaurant is at the center of Gibson Flats, Austin’s newest and most vibrant apartment community.
BRIDGING THE GAP
Late for breakfast but a little too early for lunch? Odd Duck has a menu dedicated to the folks stopping in for brunch. For those who lean towards the “breakfast” side, there are items like the breakfast taco, granola, croissant, pancakes, bacon oatmeal, cast-iron duck eggs, and French toast to try out. There’s also the smoked fish salad, quiche, grilled shrimp, fried egg sandwich, and fried half-quail with a cheddar biscuit and topped with buttermilk dressing. The brunch menu segues into the lunch and dinner menus, which share the tater tots, offers (Cajun) grilled shrimp, and presents three salad choices (grilled potato, chicken, and heirloom tomato). Other items range from the more familiar, such as fried fish tacos, black olive pasta, and spiced bacon sandwich, to the more delightfully obscure, such as Fig Napoleon and lemon verbena panna cotta. Lighter fare include cola cake, seasonal sorbet, and foie gras mousse. Regardless of the time of day, customers get a “Beer for the Kitchen” beverage option for only a dollar.
WHAT’S FOR DRINKS?
Odd Duck has a healthy selection of drinks. The extensive, 41-wine list includes red, dessert, and sparkling/rose/white selections. Beer can be served from the cask or keg, or presented in “small format” or “large format.” The 13 available cocktail choices are split into regular and barrel aged categories, with wacky names like Melonious Monk (no relation to the jazz pianist), 12 Year Itch (five more than the Marilyn Monroe movie), and Trident (the chewing gum brand’s very distant cousin).
HOURS OF OPERATION
Odd Duck is open for lunch, brunch and dinner. Lunch is served Monday to Friday from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, while dinner is available Sunday to Thursday from 5 pm to 10 pm. Brunch is only served on Sunday, from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. The bar is open for drinks on Monday to Thursday from 11:30 am to 10 pm, Friday from 11:30 am to 11 pm, Saturday from 5 pm to 11 pm, and Sunday from 5 pm to 10 pm. Happy Hour time is designated as Monday to Friday from 3 pm to 6 pm.
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