Hudson’s On The Bend reopens

Hudson’s on the Bend, the iconic restaurant staple, a longtime darling of the Central Texas culinary scene, has officially reopened as of today, better than ever. New ownership has assembled a first-rate culinary team and new menu, and artfully modernized the space, all the while preserving the soul of the original restaurant. The Prime Thyme Restaurant Group purchased Hudson’s from founder and restaurateur Chef Jeff Blank in the spring of 2016.

 

Joining Chef Caruso in the kitchen are Chef Silver, a seasoned culinary expert whose past experience includes working at the world-class Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark, as well as at Austin’s Qui; and Chef Gibson, formerly the pastry sous chef at Launderette, whose handcrafted, whimsical desserts often include produce harvested from the Hudson’s gardens.

 

 

Menu

Hudson’s game-centric menu includes Patio selections such as Yellow Bolita Wild Boar Tamale with house mole negro; Snapper Crudo marinated in citrus-based “tiger’s milk” and served with blood orange and basil; Chicken-fried Quail with a sweet potato-rosemary roll topped with honey butter; and Alligator Ribs with tomato fresco, aji amarillo aioli and guajillo salt. Appetizers include Venison Tartare with cucumber, fermented Fresno chili and Texas-sourced Ruthie’s Homemade Yogurt; Sous Vide Octopus served with corn, fennel and tangerine vinegar.

 

Dessert Menu

Chef Gibson’s Dessert menu echoes Hudson’s savory menu, highlighting in-season ingredients in the refined Hill Country style, and includes such imaginative treats as Corn Pavlova with plum, lime, passion fruit, cilantro and house-made corn ice cream; Chevre Poppy Cremeux served with lemon, amaranth, white chocolate and a lemon goat’s milk sherbet; and Smoked Vanilla Panna Cotta with dark chocolate, candied buckwheat, orange and toasted buckwheat ice cream.  Award winning advanced sommelier McFall, will oversee Hudson’s new wine program in the new wood-and-leather-embellished wine cellar, which includes a welcoming tasting space for sampling Hudson’s extensive selection of wines from throughout the world.

Cocktails

Bar Boss Stephen Keys, a longtime bartender and mixologist has created a farm-to-glass-focused beverage menu that includes many grown-from-scratch ingredients, house-made bitters, syrups and tinctures, infused alcohols and cold-pressed fruit-and-vegetable juices, as well as weekly featured sangrias and punches, signature cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages such as handcrafted sodas, cold-brew coffee, green tea and herb lemonade.

 

Key to the renovations outdoors are additional idyllic landscapes, including a new rooftop garden paradise, showcasing native plants and a variety of herbs, vegetables and edible flowers for use in Hudson’s dishes and cocktails. Architects Ben May of Ben May Design worked together to recreate a more open and airy structure and include a more modern yet rusty element to reflect the history of the building.