San Antonio

(From February 2012)

Bronzy, breezy rooms, a garden patio, and an interesting global menu find that just-right balance between rustic and polished, starting with the big semi-open kitchen, with a mesquite-fired grill for meats and a brick oven for wonderful upscale pizzas. Select carefully. Many of the dishes are quite hearty and, unfortunately, sometimes a bit heavy; a seafood platter delivered oysters that had disappeared in their breading and a delicate flounder filet that could have been cod for what one could discern of the flavor. On the other hand, the crab cakes here can’t be beat, and the grilled fish dishes are generally impeccably cooked and sauced. Bar.

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(From August 2011)

Perched above the river, a bit away from the madding throng, Acenar is the most stylish culinary and architectural adventure of local restaurateur Lisa Wong (of Rosario’s and China Latina). Here you’ll find bold colors, cutting-edge design, a busy bar, good service, and, best of all, contemporary Mexican food. The guacamole is a work of art; the chips are served in those trendy cones; the margs are made with fresh-squeezed juices. Tender corn crepes, from huitlacoche to pato (duck), are among the unusual options, along with tender cabrito and Mexican-style grilled redfish. It’s far from your ordinary taco joint. Bar.

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(From January 2012)

More cheerful and informal than Bruce Auden’s downtown chapel of gastronomy, Biga on the Banks, the Kitchen shows the maestro in his relaxed, unbuttoned mode, where casual excellence ensures a steady stream of customers. Our fine Scotch egg (a hard-boiled egg coated with sausage and breading, then fried, served with jalapeño aioli) competed with a bountiful plate of toast and sautéed wild mushrooms for appetizer honors (it was a stand-off), while a gloriously light salmon filet, served on a crisply crusted bed of polenta, outshone the heavy and, we thought, heavy-handed lamb stroganoff. Even the old stand-by, lemon meringue pie, assumes new life here: its lemon curd is tart and intense, its billowing meringue thick and sweet, and its flavor reflecting a bit of brown sugar. Bar.

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(From May 2011) Chef Bruce Auden’s English origins (and his Texas/Southwestern flair) show up in his masterly renditions of game; take a recent pairing of grilled quail and roast venison. Or his signature dessert of sticky toffee pudding—bread pudding (well, perhaps closer to spice cake) on steroids. But Auden’s outpost defies borders: First on our table was a classic American salad of baby iceberg with smoked bacon and blue cheese. Then came bourguignonne-inspired beef tips over garlicky mashed potatoes and a citrusy filet of mahimahi with red parsnips—Paris on a plate. All amid a glimmering, sophisticated, well-tended setting with just enough of the rustic for contrast. Bar.

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011, 1:03 pm
Jenny says:
Biga on the Banks showcases chef Bruce Auden’s signature New American cuisine. Biga’s main dining room welcomes the discerning traveler, convention-goer and downtown entertainment crowd in a relaxed upscale ambience. Floor to ceiling glass windows offer gorgeous views of the River, upstream from the hard-partying noise of the busier blocks. Menu standouts include Close-to-Bouillabaisse, fish and shellfish in tomato saffron broth; and the Eleven Spiced Axis Venison with Grilled Quail, crowned with juniper sauce. Perennial favorites Radiccio & Bibb Game Packets and Salmon Nachos get your party started, and be sure to conclude your meal with the eponymous Sticky Toffee Pudding, a little piece of English heaven.

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(From June 2011) This venerable north-east-sider offers plenty of specialties in the French idiom, but at the moment, the prix fixe dinners stand out for both value and accomplishment. Among the offerings are appetizers of smoked salmon (served with capers, toast, and crackers) and silky truffled pâté, itself worth a visit. Both the beef Wellington and the rack of lamb proved to be tender, flavorful standouts, especially if you skip the mint jelly with the latter and ask for the port sauce in-stead. Crumpets, with its big, high-ceilinged dining room looking out over a bosky glade, is enjoying a high point. If you haven’t been in several years, this would be the time to try it again. Bar.

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(From March 2011) This enjoyable little find is as offbeat as San Antonio can dish up. Crispy pig’s head with coleslaw? Got it. Brown sugar pork belly with balsamic? Ditto. Roasted bone marrow? Check. And on it goes. Most amazing, though, is that the dishes are so good. The porker’s head (not the whole thing, just meaty pluckings) proved slightly crisp yet succulent and satisfying, while the bone marrow, still encased in hefty shafts of bone, defined richness. Informal and comfortable, with tables inside and outside (a heated garden patio), Monterey is a true one of a kind. Service is amiable but a little disorganized; your dishes will appear whenever the kitchen puts them up. Beer (extensive, quirky international list) & wine.

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(From February 2012)

Both upscale and upstairs, Silo supplies Alamo Heights with celebratory gourmet dinners. Longstanding favorites include appetizers of chicken-fried oysters with a mustardy hollandaise and duck spring rolls with glass noodles and shiitake mushrooms. Main courses run from shrimp and grits to grilled salmon with a crab-tomato-basil beurre blanc, and there’s a nice tip of the hat to vegetarians with the vegetable risotto served on a portobello mushroom. The classy but subdued mien and the responsive waiters complete a pleasantly posh picture. Bar.

Monday, February 15th, 2010, 10:40 am
Coral says:
Outstanding food and service! Not a cheap night, but worth EVERY penny! Dress ranged from casual to semi-formal. We recommend the Oysters and Pearls, Petit Filet Mignon, Lobster Bisque, and Coconut Cream Pie (the best I’ve ever had, by far!). Loved the optional four course meal arrangement. Come hungry, generous portions!

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(From April 2011) Some restaurants aim for excitement, but Silo (despite its ultra-hip bar), marches to a serene beat with its sky-toned colors, earthy metallics, and spacious dining room. Not that the cuisine is boring, by any means. The chicken-fried oysters have a near cult following. And any of the fish dishes are bound to bring a great wave of delight. Brunch is a good bet here; try the salt-and-pepper calamari to start and then delve into something eggy, like richly sauced eggs Benedict with Black Forest ham and spinach. Bar.

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(From June 2011)

As much as we enjoy the dignified and ornate dining room, we decided to forgo its swank (and more attentive) service for one of the tables on a little ledge just above the River Walk proper. The menu, though short, is studded with standouts like appetizers of Meyer lemon risotto with crab and spinach salad with duck confit, both of which are exotic and inventive. Main courses, similarly fetching, include striped Texas bass with crab and Marcona almonds and savory grilled scallops with mushrooms. Bar.

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