Serving Up the Sunny Side of Life: Sunny’s Backyard
Vegan Pub Food That Even Seasoned Carnivores Will Crave!
Words by Jessi Devenyns Photos by Baptiste Despois
The words “pub food” makes mouths water, regardless of dietary preference. There is just something about a table of friends, cold drinks, good conversation, and comforting food that is alluring to even the most conscientious diner. And it is at this intersection of plant-based pub food that the menu at Sunny’s Backyard shines.
Merritt Vaughn, Sunny’s Backyard owner as well as a plant-based acolyte and Sunday night bartender, reveals that he regularly indulges in Sunny’s plant-based pub grub. He is particularly fond of the Hot Chicken Sandwich and the Brussels Sprouts Salad. Although menu items are listed under decidedly un-frilly names, their flavors are anything but average. Merritt laughs as he explains the addition of ponzu, gochujang, black garlic, and bulgogi to an array of quintessentially American dishes “wasn’t necessarily intentional, but we just liked those combination of flavors.”
Not only do Merritt and his wife Charrissa serve up nibbles they personally enjoy, they also create the dishes together. Merritt shares that he often performs R&D on slow nights, but usually it’s Charrissa who serves as the appointed taste tester because “she has a better palate than me,” Merritt grins.
While not all of the couple’s concoctions will make it onto the menu, there are regular improvements to existing dishes as well as rotations to the listed items depending on what is locally available. But Merritt seems to relish this iterative process. “We’re gonna throw spaghetti on the wall and see what sticks,” he laughs. One thing that has stuck around are the Loaded Fries, which are a culinary community service project from the couple. The sharable beer battered waffle fries are adorned generously with Credo Queso, jalapeños, and a citrus-marinated spare rib and are sure to leave everyone in a better mood.
If vegetables are required for balance, the Brussels sprouts are in order. They are fried in a ponzu reduction before finding their way into a bowl accompanied by pickled vegetables and then touched with gochujang aioli. The star of the show is a hearty dish with layers of flavor: their Hot Chicken Sandwich. The plant-based Tindel chicken replicates the texture of meat to a T. It is so convincing that Merritt divulges that when a sample was dropped off for him to test, he immediately switched to the product, despite its higher price tag. That price tag is not, however, passed along to diners.
Sunny’s Backyard is a neighborhood eatery in every sense. Filled with painted picnic tables, a live music stage, and sharing a space with Bike Farm, Sunny’s Backyard has become a mainstay for many over the last two years, and Merritt hopes to continue creating a space that provides good food that is accessible to everyone.
Saturday Night Live
In 2023, Sunny’s Backyard is planning to host live music performances on Saturday nights. Keep an eye on the pub’s social media for updates on the upcoming acts.
Contact:
(512) 520-5760
3526 E 7th St.
sunnysbackyardatx.com
