A Warm Welcome
Southern-inspired food and the hospitality to match
Words by Sam Lauron photos by Shelby Bella
Inspired by a woman whose home served as a family gathering place, Colleen’s Kitchen is a neighborhood destination for good food among good company.
Ashley Fric, co-owner of Colleen’s Kitchen, remembers how she felt every time she went to her Aunt Colleen’s home for a family meal or special occasion. Ashley says her aunt’s house was the place everyone in the family wanted to gather for celebrations and home cooked meals.
“Every time my husband and I would be at her house celebrating a family event, we were like ‘this is how a restaurant should be: bringing people together around a table in an environment that feels like home,’” she recalls.
With an extensive history in the service and hospitality industry, the couple worked together at former West 6th Street bar, J. Black’s, where Ashley’s husband was a partner. The two eventually decided it was time to open a restaurant as a family. After several years of working on the concept, Ashley and Sean Fric opened Colleen’s Kitchen in January 2018. As longtime residents of Mueller, the decision to open Colleen’s in their neighborhood was a no brainer.
“We wanted to open [a restaurant] in the community that we live in, that we contribute to, that our daughter is a part of, and that we’re a part of,” smiles Ashley.
Located on the corner of bustling Aldrich Street, the restaurant’s proximity to a variety of activities allows it to serve as a neighborhood spot ideal for any occasion, whether that’s Sunday brunch, a celebratory dinner, or post-workout drinks. And, as Ashley knows well from the many meals spent at her Aunt Colleen’s, nothing makes for a comfortable, yet memorable, experience quite like Southern food and stellar hospitality.
“Southern food is the food that I want to gather around a table of friends with,” Ashley says warmly. “I want to serve food that I would feed my family and friends.”
The scratch-made dishes at Colleen’s Kitchen are comfort food favorites with a refined twist. Their signature buttermilk fried chicken, for instance, is served with a side of Haricot Verts, creamy mashed potatoes, and buttermilk biscuits. The biscuits can also be enjoyed on their own and are served with wild orange butter and tomato jam, which offer a balance of citrus sweet with the savory bread.
As a restaurant that prides itself on being a place for celebration, Colleen’s also has a cocktail list that should not be overlooked. New to the menu this fall is the Nine to Five, which is composed of vodka, Aperol, basil, lemon and simple syrup and topped with Topo Chico. The light sip is a refreshing complement to the homey dishes that grace the menu.
The restaurant’s dedication to serving well thought-out dishes in a welcoming, full-service environment all goes back to the woman who inspired it all: Aunt Colleen. Her hospitality and warm spirit influenced the restaurant’s mission to celebrate any and all occasions.
“Every day deserves celebration,” Ashley enthuses, “and we fully believe that.”
No Waste
As a made-from-scratch kitchen, Colleen’s is dedicated to sustainable practices like repurposing food scraps. A staple menu item, the Smoked Redfish Spread, is made from the trimmings and leftovers from the redfish filets they serve. Additionally, the tomato jam that’s served with the biscuits is produced from the tops and bottoms of tomatoes that would typically go unused.
Contact:
(512) 580-2413
1911 Aldrich Street, Suite 100
hello@colleensaustin.com
colleensaustin.com
@colleensaustin
