Chronicle Misses Mulberry at Seafood Replacement Coast

The Chronicle’s Brandon Watson took a stroll down memory lane at Coast Bar + Kitchen only to discover the present has better food. Last September, cult favorite Mulberry wine bar on Nueces Street shuttered to make way for a new seafood concept inspired by Southern California and the Texas Gulf coasts. The resulting restaurant, Coast, opened with the same chef, Ruston Richardson, helming the kitchen. Watson checked it out—with a memory bank full of good times at its predecessor in tow.

Mulberry’s original cozy space’s physical transformation included grays and whites replacing the warm wood and marble bar, of which Watson said bluntly: "To be perfectly frank, I hate it." Luckily, looks aren’t everything.

Enter Coast’s city-meets-sea finely-tuned menu, anchored by small plates like the Coast Burger (with jalapeno marmalade, Monterrey jack, and chorizo) and barbecue prawns. Corresponding sides and starters from green ceviche to broiled gulf oysters to sautéed broccolini round out the menu. Watson discovered:

Coast is [Richardon’s] own show and he smartly keeps the menu as minimal as the decor – listing 15 or so offerings that are all about lightness and warmth.

And for a not-to-miss dish? Watson points to the Catch of the Day dish, which:

[...] easily shadowed them all. Chorizo infuses a broth that would have overwhelmed a fattier fish, but here it plays with the earthiness of oyster mushrooms and radish for an everyday triumph.

Even if he isn’t a fan of Coast’s aesthetic compared to Mulberry’s, there are plenty of cocktails to help dilute the memory.

THE BLOGS — Fed Man Walking discovered a star of a burger at Sandra Bullock’s Walton’s Fancy & Staple, Sushi in the ATX grabbed a burger and fries at the new Hopdoddy Burger Bar in the Triangle, and Dine With Shayda previewed the new fall menu at Kerbey Lane (spoiler: there was a burger), and The Austinot enjoyed Sunday brunch at The Park at the Domain—where, you guess it, there were more burgers.

• Review: Coast: Simple seafood stars in tiny space [Chronicle]