Get your stretchy pants ready. Culinaria Restaurant Week, San Antonio’s annual restaurant showcase, begins August 15. Despite the name, the celebration of the city’s culinary scene lasts for two weeks, through August 29. Participating restaurants offer special three-course, prix-fixe, lunch and dinner menus that are too tempting to pass up.
Restaurant Week offers two price levels. Tier 1 restaurants offer $15 lunch and $35 dinner menus. The more price-conscious Tier 2 menus feature $10 lunches and $25 dinners. Reservations aren’t required, but they are recommended, so give the restaurant a call ahead to make sure you can get a table.
With over 70 participating restaurants, diners have an abundance of special menu choices. So here is a selection of Restaurant Week menus that got our stomach growling. Get familiar with all the Restaurant Week menus at culinariasa.org.
La Botánica
2911 N St. Mary’s,(619) 886-2594 vivalabotanica.com
The recently opened, vegetarian-friendly eatery from Danny Delgado and Rebel Mariposa is offering a dinner-only sampling of some of their stand-outs, including their must-have ceviche Huehuecoyotl, which we highlighted in our review last week. The vegan-friendly ceviche features lime-infused oyster and clam mushrooms. (Tier 2, $25)
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Biga on the Banks
203 S. St. Mary’s St., Suite 100, (210) 225-0722, biga.com
Deciding between the Kobe burger and the red snapper with crispy bacon on Biga’s dinner-only menu will be a hard choice. (Tier 1, $35)
Kobe beef burger on a caramelized onion bun
The Granary ‘Cue & Brew
302 Avenue A, (210) 228-0124, thegranarysa.com
Go for the meat. Stay for Chef Tim Rattray’s unconventional ice cream. (Tier 1, $35)
Fried green tomato with onion marmalade and ranch ice cream
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Grilled lettuce with pistachio vinaigrette, smoked garlic and cured egg yolk
2nd course (pick one)
Beef clod with tomato caramel, pickled celery, coffee quinoa crunch, “corn bread”
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Smoked chicken, carolina gold rice, tomato, marjoram, olive, bread crumb
3rd course (pick one)
Buttermilk chess pie, cane syrup, chantilly
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“Beer & Pretzel” soft serve, ice cream swirl, mustard caramel, pretzel crunch
The antelope braised short ribs have our mouths watering, but hurry their dinner-only Restaurant Week menu only lasts until August 22. (Tier 1, $35)
Ocho tortilla soup (traditional tortilla soup with pull chipotle chicken, avocado, cilantro and tortilla chips)
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Havana chop salad (mix arugala and heart of the romaine with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, carrots, queso fresco and alfalfa sprouts
2nd course (pick one)
Antelope braised short ribs (coffee braised antelope short ribs with guajillo creamy polenta, natural jus and roasted corn relish)
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Applewood smoked amberjack (mix vegetables hash with pineapple butter sauce)
3rd course (pick one)
Havana mini churros with sugar, cinnamon, lemon cur and cajeta
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Shiner beer cake with fesh fruit, mix berries sauce and Texas honey crema fresca
312 Pearl Pkwy, Building 3, (210) 354-4644, boilerhousesa.com
1st course (pick one)
Grilled Figs Prosciutto (house cured prosciutto, stilton cheese, smoked butter crouton, olive oil)
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Oyster & Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs (buttermilk fried oysters, pimento cheese, pickled vegetables, Old Bay mayo)
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Hog Jowl Entomatada (hog jowls carnitas, green chili mole, queso quesadilla, cilantro lime cabbage slaw)
2nd course
BH Wedge Salad (candied malted bacon, tomato, cucumber, blue cheese, green goddess)
3rd course (pick one)
Braised Pork Shank (goat cheese country ham risotto, natural jus, salsa verde)
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Cracklin’ Ruby Red Trout (chicharone dusted, mascarpone mashers, charred black garlic green beans,smoked apple butter)
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BH Prime Rib (popcorn grits, roast beef drippings, shoshito béarnaise, shredded horseradish)
Make Surf & Turf add Gulf crab salad ($9 supplement)
$6 Supplement (choose one item)
Lemon Olive Oil Cake with berry compote
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Mr. Ed’s Peanut Butter Bar
This article appears in Cold Cases.