Plan a jaunt to Bastrop’s Main Street to check out the newest venture of chef Sonya Cote, of Austin’s Hillside Farmacy. She’s rented a nineteenth-century commercial building and is doing a savvy menu of country favorites with city touches. There’s seating inside and out. Order this to go: Quail knots are hefty halved birds, so expertly fried they hardly need their accompanying dill ranch dip. Or try a Wagyu-blend bavette steak with a blue cheese garnish (ours was tender on one side, rather chewy on the other, but perfectly medium-rare). The fries alongside are super crunchy, thanks to a panko-cornmeal crust, and the fat vegetable fritters are made, whenever possible, with produce from the restaurant’s own farm, down the road. Pro tip: During Friday afternoon rush hour, traffic slows waaay down on Highway 71 coming into town.
Note: Review reflects COVID-19 protocols in place at the time of visit.