Welcome to EAT THIS CITY, your tour of the best restaurants in one of our favorite cities, as chosen by a world-class chef, celebrity, or local hero.
This week we’re meeting in San Antonio, Texas, where Chef Jason Dady will be our guide to River City’s culinary scene. We couldn’t ask for a more intrepid leader — Jason’s mantra in the kitchen is “explore your palate,” and it’s a principle that not only holds true in the restaurants we’ll be visiting, but his own work as well.
If you’re remembering the Alamo and want to try some of Dady’s food, you’ll find flavors to please every palate — whether it’s family-style Tuscan Italian at Tre Trattoria and house-made pastas and wood-fired pizzas at Tre Enoteca, or classic Texas BBQ at Two Bros. BBQ Market and B&D Ice House. If seafood is more your style, try the oysters, crawfish, and lobster rolls at Shuck Shack, and wash it down with a cocktail or an ice-cold beer.
Really getting into the spirit of discovery? Try The DUK Truck, “Dady’s Underground Kitchen” — a roving extension of Chef Dady’s restaurants, trackable only by social media.
With all of this on his plate, he’s still found the time to appear on The Today Show, the Cooking Channel, and Fox Morning News and to co-found the San Antonio Chefs Coalition, which “has raised thousands of dollars for young culinary students and local charities.”
Ready to explore? Let’s see what San Antonio’s culinary scene has to offer!
PIZZA
Have to go with a “Homer Pick” — A thin, crispy, cast-iron pan cooked pizza at Tre Trattoria is the bomb. And unlike any other pizza in town. The San Marzano tomato sauce, soppresatta and pepperoncini are the perfect combo of sweet, fatty and spicy.
TACOS/MEXICAN
I have a few options. My number one taco in town is the Crispy Carne Asada at El Charro de Tapatio. Small hole-in-the-wall joint. The meat is super crispy, great housemade flour tortillas. Garnished with lime, cilantro and onion. And, the fresh corn tortillas at Los Barrios are easily the best in town. Nothing compares. Light, fluffy, made to order and with a plate of chorizo, beans, and pico de gallo. You simply have the perfect taco.
ASIAN
Thai Dee is my go to. A small quaint, Thai joint with legit spicy curries, fantastic summer rolls and service that every restaurant could learn from. Literally eat here for damn near every birthday celebration in our family. BYO-Wine makes it even better.
STREET FOOD
Picadillo Gordita at Fiesta San Antonio
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During “Fiesta” in San Antonio, the best food in the world is a hot, picadillo gordita with sour cream, avocado and a nice hot sauce. I don’t care how full you are, you order another one.
SWEET FOOD
Bakery Lorraine. Fantastic pastries, macarons, and cakes. Their Strawberry “Pop-Tart” is ridiculously good.
FINE DINING
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Rebelle. Sexiest restaurant in town and chef Stefan Bowers is a genius with flavors. His food is as good as it gets in Texas.
CASUAL DINING
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La Gloria. Sit on the patio, order a margarita and a tlayuda — Mexican-style pizza. Delicious, authentic and casual. Perfect for day drinking by the North Reach of the famed Riverwalk.
VEGETARIAN
I prefer Café Bahar for their fantastic Indian fare, great flavors, naan bread and the best lentil dal I’ve ever had.
BRUNCH
Brunch in San Antonio is about one place, and one place only — Feast. Biscuits, eggs, blueberry pancakes and stiff cocktails. It’s the perfect setting.
ICONIC FOOD OF THE CITY
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Puffy Tacos from La Hacienda are the most iconic dish, from the most lovely people. Diana Barrios is the best in town, making these fantastic, light, crunchy masa tacos.
ODD CULINARY EXPERIENCE
An Avant-Garde Filipino Mystery Restaurant
A long time ago, from a restaurant no longer here, but there was this very avant-garde Filipino restaurant that served me ice cream with frog legs for dessert. This restaurant would be uber popular today, just too far ahead of their time.
GUILTY PLEASURE
“Homer Pick” again, but grabbing a luscious lobster roll and couple dozen oysters with a glass of rose at Shuck Shack is as good as it gets.
HANGOVER FOOD
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Trash Can Taco….Carne Guisada, Bacon, Potato, Egg and Cheese. Solves all your life’s problems.
DATE NIGHT
Bohanan’s Prime Steaks and Seafood. Downtown with the best cocktail bar around and a great sommelier. Chilled crab and cocktail shrimp with French onion soup, bone-in NY Strip (rare) with Béarnaise, lobster mac-n-cheese, and creamed spinach. Finish the meal with a negroni at the bar with live jazz music. That’s a perfect date night.
RESTAURANT RUN BY A FRIEND
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So many to count. Zinc, run by Robbie Nowlin. Perfect place to grab a perfect burger, some frites, a couple glasses of wine and enjoy your friend’s success.
Thank you, Chef Dady, for taking us on a culinary tour of San Antonio!
Stay tuned for more EAT THIS CITY — where each week we’ll feature a premier chef in a different city sharing their insider eating tips! Missed a week? Check out Return to Las Vegas, Manhattan, Oakland, Paris, Portland, Tampa, Durham, Toronto, Baltimore, Monterey, Vail, Lexington, Bentonville, San Antonio, Warsaw, Kansas City, NYC, Washington DC, New Orleans, Cleveland, Miami, Seattle, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Sydney, Portland, Chicago, Austin, Los Angeles, Brooklyn, New Orleans,Providence, Memphis, Orange County, Boston, and Detroit.
See you next week!
