San Antonio

(From January 2011) Across from the Alamo, dining choices are unfortunately limited to fast food, burgers, and pizza, so if you want something a bit more locally sourced, stop into the casual dining room of the new Hotel Indigo, a restoration of the old Gibbs Building on the site of the Maverick homestead. Living up to that heritage is a challenge, but the light, and lighthearted, menu and clever kitchen seem up to it. Witness hand-cut potato chips with Texas blue cheese, smoked chicken and Gulf shrimp salad served in avocado halves, and even pan dulce “imported” from Mi Tierra. As old Sam (Maverick) himself might have said, “Bring it on!” 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 June 2012)

Is there a hint of executive chef Bruce Auden’s English birthright here amid the international comfort food? Big leather chairs in the bar, shelves of pottery, baskets and wine against the windows, batter-fried chicken, Auden’s famous oysters, and sticky toffee pudding seem to suggest it’s so. At lunch, a panko-crusted flattened chicken breast topped with seasonal greens and a truffle oil dressing hit the comfort target dead-on. At night, oven-roasted chicken with saffron Israeli couscous was just the thing for sharing across the table, along with the Bluebonnet Salad, with local greens, apples, avocado, and goat cheese. Beer & wine.

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(From May 2012)

Boasting food from South and Central America and “the islands,” Azuca’s menu is wildly varied. We started out with a peppery tortilla soup and a black bean soup enlivened with cilantro, both of which scored high for originality and flavor. A mixed grill with beef, pork, chicken, sausage, and plenty of chimichurri sauce could have served two or three of us, which was just as well, because the Argentinean beef shank was mostly bone and what little meat there was proved objectionably tough. Such problems are rare, though, and the jovial atmosphere combined with the exuberant Latino art make Azuca a destination like no other in town.

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(From November 2011)

The cavelike space once inhabited by Dolores del Rio has a new tenant, an appealing and imaginative Mediterranean restaurant that seems to do almost everything well. The noise can be a little high and the tables are closely packed, but the kitchen can turn out such dishes as fresh, tangy asparagus soup with yogurt, Eggplant Josephine (crisp eggplant, shrimp, cheese, and hollandaise), and a Barcelona-worthy paella full of shrimp, chicken, mussels, peas, and clams. Service was tentative and lacking in polish, but, to be fair, we were there in the restaurant’s early days. We will certainly be back. Beer & wine. 

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(From February 2012)

Street fare inspires the menu, although a few Tex-Mex standards (like the really tasty cheese enchilada specials) are on the menu too. But why choose the South Texas ubiquitous when this is almost the only place to find rare treats like exquisitely flaky empanadas? These flaky, eat-with-a-fork envelopes have fillings both savory and sweet; the pork guisada with red chile and comino is an entrée-worthy star, while the mango-raspberry proves a tropical pie to die for. Inside are booths and cafe tables; out back is a shaded beer garden/icehouse patio. Beer & wine.

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(From May 2012)

Dining at Bruce Auden’s outpost on the river is kind of like dining in a luxury ocean liner: the narrow balcony, the floaty fabrics, the glimmer and glint, the excellent service. But the food, we know, is far better than most seafaring kitchens can manage, and the local-food ethic is apparent in such dishes as warm spinach salad topped with quail and tender yet densely flavored Texas axis venison. Then there are the imaginative vegetarian specials, this time, a freshly made pasta with Rebecca Creek goat cheese, an English pea sauce, and tiny grilled yellow tomatoes. 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 2012)

The outdoor patio, with its canopy of oaks, is perfect for lunch or an early dinner; the sultry modern interior works for the late-night tapas crowd. And now there’s the owners’ mobile DUK Truck, setting up for special occasions and farmers markets. With a few larger plates on its once “all small” menu, Bin 555 is the go-to place for a convivial shared table of scrumptious noshes and nibbles, such as Gulf crab croquettes with lemon aioli and little grilled goat cheese
sandwiches. Bar.

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(From January 2011) Damien Watel (whose flagship Bistro Vatel is across the street) owns this simple but comforting French bakery and bistro run by his mother, Lucile. Since opening a little more than a year ago, the spot has nurtured a fine audience of regulars for coffee and croissants, not to mention the lunchtime quiches (the oniony lorraine is nicely authentic), sprightly salads, and delicious dessert pastries. Don’t miss the pineapple mousse—unless you’re walking out with a chocolate éclair. Dinner service is expected to start soon; stay tuned. Beer & wine.

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(From May 2012)

Restaurants used to pair duck’s robustness against a sweet orange or cherry sauce, but to- day’s chefs are more inventive; here, the slightly sweet, bright tartness of rhubarb combined with a hearty brown sauce to elevate duck breast to enormously good effect. Wild rice and endive on the side complemented the combo further. Similarly rewarding were flavorful sweetbreads with a light, crisp breading. Appetizers of curry crawfish soup (served lukewarm) and a disappointingly flavorless onion-Brie tart couldn’t compete with the main courses in this convincingly authentic French bistro. Beer & wine.

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