Nestled in the northwest corner of The Shops at Highland Village, Shoal Creek Tavern is your local gastropub — a great place for craft cocktails, gourmet meals, and an unrivaled atmosphere. As a fixture at The Shops for seven years, this is a great place to get steak and seafood from a made-from-scratch, chef-driven kitchen.
We visited Shoal Creek Tavern to check out their new menu and were fortunate to get the scoop from General Manager Nico Ponce. He explained that they like to change up the menu to keep things fresh while also relying on customer feedback and requests as well as input from their entire staff. The new, two-week-old menu keeps the fan favorites with a focus on home cooking, but it is elevated with added healthier options, revamped salads and some amazing new entrees. We were treated to three different starters and two stunning entrees.
Shoal Creek’s Steel Boat Cocktail Shrimp has a whopping one pound of jumbo shrimp in a steel boat full of ice. The cold shrimp is amazing on its own, but the cocktail sauce and fresh lemon take it to a new level.
Staying with seafood, the next starter item was the creamiest Crab Bisque with jumbo crab and a chilled baguette that perfectly balanced the flavors. It’s pretty to look at, but even better to eat — slowly to savor the flavors and the wonderful, creamy texture.
Shoal Creek added a Bake Brie Board with an appealing array of fruit (grapes and berries), cheeses (sharp cheddar, gruyere, and bleu), meats (Prosciutto, spicy Capicola, and Salami,) baguettes and crackers, smoked almonds, and some made-from-scratch fig jam. But the surprise is a ball of puffed pastry wrapped around a chunk of brie then baked to a beautiful golden brown and just the right mix of crispy and chewy.
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After all that deliciousness, we found room to try two of the signature features — a prime-choice 8-ounce filet mignon that was cooked medium-rare, wet-aged 45 days and grilled to perfection. It was so tender it almost cuts with a fork. That was accompanied by a 16-ounce Tomahawk Pork Chop from Allen Brothers — highest grade and humanely raised — then grilled by Chef Mario and delivered sizzling to your table.
To perfectly complement these two centerpieces, we tried three of Shoal Creek’s stunning sides. First were Peruvian Mashed Potatoes. The purple color was a treat, but the taste and texture were fabulous. The grilled asparagus was the ideal amount of crisp and tender with the sea salt and olive oil leaving you wanting more. Finally, we were tempted with a dish of Lobster Mac & Cheese. Whatever you think of Mac & Cheese, this dish showcases the passion for creativity that colors everything served here.
Shoal Creek Tavern, is after all, a tavern, so they have an extensive list of wines, cocktails, spirits and beer. Christian put on a show making Shoal Creek’s signature Smoked Old Fashion. First, he lit a pile of cherry wood chips on fire and turned a glass upside down on it. This makes the smokey flavor. Expertly mixing in Basil Hayden Whiskey, homemade vanilla syrup and Angostura Bitters, he finished it off with a flourish. We also sneaked a peak at an espresso martini ordered by a customer. It was anything but ordinary.
This new menu is something to celebrate. Stop by and find your new favorite.
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