Menu Details for Bullfight, New Spanish Spot Headed to Hyde Park

Shawn Cirkiel’s newest restaurant, Spanish-style tapas joint Bullfight, is slated to open later this summer on Airport Boulevard. Today pastry chef Erica Waksmunski (Red Star Southern, Parkside Projects), is ready to dish about some menu plans.

Waksmunski comes from the French fine dining world — places like Chez TJ and Congress — so the Spanish pastry is new to her. In a few weeks she leaves Austin for full immersion in Barcelona sweets. Naturally, what she learns will be adapted. "A lot of classic Spanish desserts are so simple, you have to find creative ways to take what it is but make it a little more interesting," Waksmunski said. "I mean, almond cookies are great but I’m not going to just serve that as dessert."

For Bullfight, that means crowd-pleasing chocolate desserts, like a spin on churros con chocolate, and possibly a chocolate custard layered with spice. Waksmunski's team also oversees breads and pastas, so you can expect her to crank out some savory flatbreads and fresh-baked baguettes to go with tapas-style meat and cheese plates. Try it all when Bullfight opens later this summer, and check back here for an exact opening date.

— Claire Canavan