When we visited Vixen’s Wedding, we made a point of getting there early so we could fish for street art. We found street art (and a friend we hadn’t seen in a while), but we also found Domo Alley-Gato! Even better, we noticed that, at 5 pm, the place was practically empty. So we made plans to visit it soon.
Nestled next to a Ramen Tatsu-Ya, and a product of the same folks, Domo Alley-Gato is an outdoor bar with a limited (but delicious) menu and a serious cat theme (and we both love us some cats: we have eight, after all!). For drinks, The Bride pawed a sake ($12) while I lapped a Surf-Bored Cat (white rum, coconut, orgeat, pineapple nigori sake, and blue curacao; $12), both delicious (although mine, a chalky blue, was funner). We were there for Happy Meower, so wells were $3 off. Yes! The ladies behind the bar were Goths, so the soundtrack was (for us) fantastic, with a couple Joy Division and New Order deep tracks yowling in the alley, among other era faves.
Because Tatsu-ya is famous for its ramen (and we hadn’t had one in a long while), we both meowed for The OG tonkotsu (60+-hour pork bone broth, chashu pork, ajitama egg, kikurage, scallions, and sesame seeds; an absolute freakin’ STEAL at $12). I don’t see it on the online menu, but I also ordered an atomic bomb: an ice cream scoop of strip-the-paint chili paste. IT WAS HOT! Fortunately, I didn’t dump the whole damn thing in there (only half) since it had me sweating like late-stage covid. The ramens were just as good as we remembered them: repeated tidal waves of umami.
If you like cats, if you like fun drinks, if you like epically good ramen, if you like being outside, and if you like good tunes, Domo Alley-Gato should be your new scratching post!
web&where: interwebs; 1600 east 6th street, (512) 893-5561
what’s the deal? Japanese- and cat-themed outside bar with ramen; fast casual
overall: **** (food****; atmosphere****; service**; instagrammability*****)
cost: $$
our scale:
– meh [think twice]
* OK [it’ll get the job done]
** good [solid neighborhood joint]
*** damn good [we’ll definitely be back]
**** yippity-yikes that was amazeballs [fantastic; one of the best]
***** holy sh!t [transcendental; best of the best]
each $ = $10; cost is based on a typical dinner entrée and appetizer (no drinks)
austin wanderlist 