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BISTRO VATEL
218 E. Olmos Dr
(210-828-3141)
Lunch Tue–Fri 11:30–1:30. Dinner Tue–Sat 5:30–10, Sun 5–9. Closed Mon. Reservations accepted.
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$$-$$$ |
French /
Home Cooking |
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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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GUENTHER HOUSE
205 E. Guenther
(210-351-6305)
Open 7 days 7–3.
web site | map | latest review | photo | access + | add to library |
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$-$$ |
Home Cooking /
Deli |
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(From May 2011) Guenther really shines at breakfast. Whether you opt for biscuits (always a good choice, especially as part of the breakfast platter with fruit and bacon), waffles, or pancakes, the kitchen delivers, thanks, no doubt, to the freshly made mixes from the neighboring Pioneer Flour Mill. The shaded outdoor dining patio is the best choice in the spring, though you can’t go wrong with the airy, antique dining room, bedecked with hanging plants. If you arrive after 8:30 or 9 on a weekend, expect to wait for a table, and beware Sunday’s post-church rush. At lunch, the menu offers more choices, with a dependable array of soups, salads, and even a few Mexican dishes. We have never regretted ordering the spinach salad with bacon and a chipotle-flavored dressing. |
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LIBERTY BAR
1111 S. Alamo
(210-227-1187)
Open Sun–Thur 7–10:30 & 11–9:30, Fri & Sat 7–10:30 & 11–midnight. Brunch Sat & Sun 10:30–1:45.
web site | map | latest review | photo | access ++ | add to library |
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$$ |
American /
Home Cooking |
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(From May 2012) Depending on the time of day or night, you may find service upstairs, downstairs, and even outside this red-brick former convent. But wherever you’re seated, there’s something comfortable, familiar, and familial about the Lib. We continue to delight (after several decades of experience) in the edited simplicity, careful attention to flavor and texture, and all-round dependability of the kitchen and staff and their “serious food.” We started our lunch (after a hearty slice of the house bread) with grilled slices of potato and garlic sauce, then launched into a special of mole chicken enchiladas, rich and perfectly balanced with white Mexican rice and black beans. From the “basics” menu, roast lamb topped with arugula on whole-wheat toast exemplifies the approach. Bar. |
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