Sip & Savor

Jardín

summer flings for the palate by Kimberly A. Suta

There’s no better place to have a summer fling right now than San Antonio! Light, flavorful bites are just waiting to entice you around every corner. With gardens ripe with seasonal fruits and veggies and a host of chefs with fresh, colorful inspirations, there’s no telling where these flings will take you, but they’re bound to be memorable.

JARDÍN

Located at the stunning San Antonio Botanical Garden, Jardín is taking full advantage of the vibrant summer bounty with a variety of scintillating mezze plates, which can be mixed and matched to the table’s liking in orders of three, six or nine. With 16 small sharable plates to choose from, including Roasted Red Beets, Garden Bruschetta, White CheddarStuffed Dates, Sicilian Cauliflower, BologneseStuffed Arancini and a Crudité of veggies sourced from the Garden itself, the only challenge is deciding what to eat.

Jardín is the newest offering from San Antonio celebrity chef Jason Dady, located in the old Sullivan carriage house and featuring a menu of bright Mediterranean dishes. Large windows with natural light, décor from the original carriage house and a marble bar only add to the incredibly charming farmhouse ambiance. Every Wednesday evening, guests can enjoy live jazz music on the patio, enveloped by the Garden’s trees and twinkling lights. Sounds like a romantic place to start a fling, doesn’t it?

LA GLORIA

If your heart desires something a little spicier, take a date or your favorite friends to La Gloria at the historic Pearl, where Chef Johnny Hernandez is always turning up the heat with his authentic street foods inspired by the diverse regions of interior Mexico.

As we reach the peak of summer, it’s the perfect time to nosh on a fresh ceviche, such as La Gloria’s Ceviche Verde made with tilapia, tomatillos, green olives, onions and lime juice or the Camarones Agua Chile made with shrimp in fire water.

My favorite summer dish is always going to be the fish tacos, of course! The Pescado Baja Califas are prepared either battered or grilled on three freshlymade mini corn tortillas with a cabbage slaw, pico de gallo and a not-too-spicy chipotle crema. Do yourself a favor and add a few slices of avocado for the perfect bite.

IRON CACTUS

Along the River Walk, another favorite go-to is Iron Cactus for its yummy Baja Fish Tacos and Veggie

Ostra

Summer fling thing! it’s a

Iron Cactus

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Boudro’s Texas Bistro

BOUDRO’S TEXAS BISTRO

www.Boudros.com

IRON CACTUS

www.Ironcactus.com

JARDIN

www.Jardinsatx.com

LA GLORIA

www.Chefjohnnyhernandez.com/ restaurants/la-gloria/

OSTRA

www.Omnihotels.com/hotels/ san-antonio-mokara/dining/ostra

Enchiladas. It’s been serving up contemporary Mexican food for more than 20 years now. The Veggie Enchiladas are made with a velvety charred tomato butter sauce and sun-dried tomatoes and are accompanied by a fluffy cilantro-lime rice and charro-style black beans.

Iron Cactus also offers a wide range of summer salads, from the new Grilled Romaine Salad, to which you can add some pepper-crusted tuna, to the Citrus Baby Spinach Salad for a meal that will keep you in swimsuit shape.

If you’re on the go, grab a few margaritas to-go while meandering along the River Walk for some shopping and sightseeing.

OSTRA

Also along the River Walk, you can enjoy some fine dining and exquisite cuisine at Ostra, located inside the Mokara Hotel & Spa. With a sustainable seafood menu of new exotic dishes and local’s favorites, an acclaimed Oyster Bar featuring the freshest oysters, crab, shrimp, clams and ceviche, not to mention an impressive selection of specialty tequilas and mezcals, it’s always a top pick for a lovely meal throughout the year, but especially during summer when seafood shines.

An ideal summer dish is their Gulf Fish Ceviche made with red pepper aguachile and served with housemade tortilla chips, which pairs nicely with the Citrus Bergamot Spritz. If you want to go for the gusto, try the Seafood Tower built sky high with oysters, chilled shrimp, snow crab claws, ceviche and lobster tails. I’ll take two, please!

BOUDRO’S TEXAS BISTRO

Finally, Boudro’s Texas Bistro is a must any day of the week and twice on Sunday, whether it’s rain or shine. They have a patio perfect for peoplewatching right along the River Walk but this place gets poppin’, so be sure to make reservations or get there early.

Everyone’s favorite is always the tableside guacamole. Made right before your eyes, this Southwestern delicacy doesn’t get any better with perfectly ripened avocados, freshsqueezed lime and orange juices, roasted and charred Roma tomatoes, Serrano peppers, red onions and cilantro. It’s a must for first-time visitors.

For dinner, dig into their MesquiteGrilled Quail made with an allnatural Texas quail drizzled with a chipotle demiglace and served with uber creamy pepper jack grits. Boudreaux’s Shrimp and Grits or Seared Scallops are always a good choice.

After a light dinner and a few famous prickly pear margaritas, it’s time to hop on a GO RIO Cruises river boat and learn more about our majestic Alamo City!

WRITER’S BIO

Kimberly A. Suta of Sutapants Productions is a local and national food writer, award-winning filmmaker and publicist for the culinary industry. She’s also the co-creator of Homegrown Chef (homegrowncheftv.com), a culinary series and catering and events company featuring our city’s best chefs and delicious eats.

08/31/21