Comedor

On the corner of Fifth and Colorado in downtown Austin behind a matte black and reflective brick facade is Comedor, an upscale modern Mexican restaurant helmed by chef Philip Speer (previously of Uchi). The restaurant was designed by world renowned architect Tom Kundig and is one of Austin’s most beautiful and architecturally significant restaurants. Immediately upon entering you are greeted by a hidden courtyard, surrounded with cactus and agaves and closed in by a large red brick wall on one side and a wall of glass peering into the restaurants interior on the other. The dining room is a moody and dramatic setting with high ceilings, dark steel, poured concrete and an inviting marble and brass bar. The beauty of the restaurant itself finds its perfect counterpart in the menu which feels like it could be taken from one of Mexico City’s finer dining establishments. The dishes here are meant to be shared and for me the seafood dishes were outstanding, the most notable being the tuna aguachile served in a watermelon broth and the shrimp tostada covered in an umami packed salsa macha. The star and most overwhelmingly popular item on the menu are the bone marrow tacos.  Two large split bones on a bed of kale sautéed in smoked butter and topped with a pecan, mint and chili gremolata, served with warm house made tortillas. It’s a clever nod to Texas and one of the most interesting tacos in town. The tequila and mezcal selection as you can imagine are incredible but the cocktails are the move here and have been developed by next door speakeasy The Garage. Make sure to end your meal with one of Speer’s desserts which are as delicious and considered as anything else on the menu and will cap off one of the most beautifully immersive dining experiences you can have in Austin.