Ciclo Restaurant Dances With Latin Flavor Downtown

Introducing Ciclo restaurant and neighboring Live Oak inside Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Austin! Ciclo is the latest concept from world-renowned restaurateur Richard Sandoval, led by Chef de Cuisine James Flowers (TRIO, Wink, Asti Trattoria, Cipollina).

Ciclo and Live Oak dance with Latin flavor, with the latter taking menu inspiration from Guadalajara, Mexico. I had the pleasure of experiencing both concepts. The way they complement each other makes Four Seasons a superb destination for dinner and drinks.

Thank you to Ciclo at The Four Seasons for allowing me to sample food and drink at no charge. All opinions are my own.

Live Oak’s Poblano Cocktail

Head bartender Sarah Rahl and Executive Sous Chef Abril Galindo are combining their powers at Live Oak.

My favorite cocktail I tried during my recent visit was the Poblano, featuring poblano pepper-infused Patròn Silver tequila, homemade ginger-lemongrass syrup, and lime. It’s a fascinating spin on a margarita I can only assume was inspired by Chef Galindo’s upbringing in Guadalajara.

The Poblano is crowned with black crystals made of Himalayan sea salt, making it one of the most unique looking and tasting cocktails in town.

Dinner at Ciclo

For dinner, Ciclo served a spectacular six-course spread that included three types of dessert. As some of you may know, I’m mostly vegetarian, so I opted for the vegetarian version while my Austinot colleague Vi Chetan went meat-first into the night.

Here are a few of the highlights from both dinner versions.

Crispy Cauliflower Starter

The crispy cauliflower starter was my favorite due to its originality. The side featured slightly-hardened cauliflower, orange, sesame, green onion, and togarashi, a type of Japanese chili powder.

I’d never had togarashi before, and I appreciated the gentle kick it gave the cauliflower–without being overwhelming.

Lomo Saltado

The non-vegetarians in our party were served Ciclo’s signature lomo saltado, comprised of seared beef tenderloin, tomato, onion, and cilantro on a bed of crispy fries. While I can’t personally speak for it, our table was extremely quiet during this portion of the meal! So I’ll let the silence do the talking as a testament to this dish’s quality.

Sweet Potato Curry

While my friends were busy entertaining their taste buds with the lomo saltado, I was served the sweet potato curry. I was not the least bit disappointed with my meal. Garbanzo, fava beans, jasmine rice, and coconut yogurt combined to create a comforting, and flavorful, vegetarian entree.

Dessert at Ciclo

Mini chocolate tacos and bon bons took over the table after the main course. While the mini chocolate tacos were delicate delights, the stars of the show were the Texas bourbon bon bons. A dark chocolate shell housed frozen bourbon to make for an exotic, indulgent treat.

98 San Jacinto Blvd.- Website

 

@dollarsaenz86 wants to know:

Have you been to Ciclo yet?