Ok, so I have to fudge this one a little bit. I didn't actually make it to happy hour. I was late. But camp girl's soccer practice started at 6:30 and happy hour ended at 6! Instead of sitting in the heat for the duration of practice, dwelling on the terrible story told by another soccer parent contemplating giving up their 9 year old lab they've had since it was a puppy in lieu of a new puppy (seriously? Who does that! You can't just give up a dog you've had its whole life because you got a new toy! And you certainly don't tell that story to rescue people and pretend like it's no big deal!), happy hour was the only reprieve. After a small mix-up with the (nonexistent) host we sat on the unsurprisingly stellar patio at Eleven. Couldn't get a picture of the view because they had sun screens down, which was the only reason why we were able to actually sit outside. That just means we'll have to come back!
So I didn't order solely off the happy hour menu. Oops. But their specials are great! $5 select cocktails, a selection of cheap appetizers, $3 off wine by the glass, $11 off wine by the bottle. I believe I read that there's also $2 off beer, which would make most beers around $2-$3. But don't hold me to that.
Bubbles!
Of course this is bubbles. $10 prosecco. Not on happy hour. Meh. But la mère et moi love bubbles. So we got two.
Brussels Sprouts
And a handful of appetizers. This is the brussels sprouts. The one thing that was actually on the happy hour menu. Yes. Amazing, but somewhat cancels out the nutritious aspect of ordering vegetables. They are truly decadent, but don't think you're being good by getting them. 
Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Salad
Now the heirloom tomato and burrata salad, however, might actually be good for you und a gastronomic delight. Fresh tomatoes, an awesome balsamic reduction, turning the vinegar from sour to almost sweet, crouton crumbles to add a subtle crunch to the fleshy fruit, and arugula for bitterness and color. But the star is the cheese. I've been struggling to find a mozzarella comparable to the european variety. Creamy, almost spreadable, the texture almost matched the indescribable flavor of the burrata. Props, dudes. 
Crispy Tiger Shrimp
Please don't take this the wrong way. The shrimp were fresh and savory, none of the squishy frozen seafood often found fried in this Central Texas city. But the first thing I thought of was Wendy's chicken nuggets. No! Wait! I promise that's a good thing! It prompted a personal nostalgic montage of returning from soccer practice and driving through Wendy's who had the only chicken nuggets I liked. These shrimp had the perfect combination of spice and flakey fried batter and what I believe was a southwest aioli/mayonnaise/sauce-thing that beautifully accented the lemony sea-creature. Ok. There's probably a more succinct and proper way to describe the flavor that brought me back to Wendy's, but hey, it's what I thought at the time.
Basil Smash
And this. I thought this was on the happy hour menu. Sadly, it's not. But this is the Basil Smash. A limey gin cocktail, I originally couldn't put my finger on the liquor it was mixed so well (not to mention, they didn't go easy on the gin). Will definitely be updating with the $5 happy hour cocktail experience.Outside of happy hour, Eleven could get a bit expensive even if I weren't on a student budget. But the quality is certainly not lacking in any of the dishes or drinks, happy hour or no.
Eleven plates & wine -- Happy Hour: Monday-Friday 3-6
3801 North Capital of Texas Hwy, Austin, TX 78746
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