Finding a place to eat in downtown San Antonio is ridiculously easy - the three million people who visit the River Walk each year ensure a large number of restaurants within easy walking distance of the convention center and hotels. For the Dine Around, a knowledgeable member of the Local Advisory Committee will host a group dinner at a local restaurant. The Dine Around restaurants are downtown spots that are a little bit special, maybe a little bit different; where you will find a lively mix of tourists, conventioneers, and locals. Sign up for the Dine Arounds early to be sure that a space is reserved for you!
The facts:
The Dine Arounds will be held Sunday, July 17, 2005, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Local librarians will lead a group of up to 15 people to a restaurant and back to the Convention Center in time for the Opening Reception which starts at 8:30 p.m. Each group will meet at a prearranged spot and walk (or maybe take a trolley or river barge) to the restaurant. The price range of the restaurants’ entrées will generally be $10-$35. This price does not include alcoholic drinks, gratuity (usually 18% for groups), or tax. Diners need to be willing to split the bill evenly. The dress code for all restaurants is casual.
The restaurants:
Las Canarias
http://www.lamansion.com/dining
La Mansion del Rio Hotel (River Walk)
112 College
$19-35
The name Las Canarias hints at San Antonio's Canary Island heritage. In keeping with this theme, the dining room is Spanish Colonial with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the patio and the river. Though the setting may be Old World romantic, the cuisine is New World wonderful. First courses range from squash blossom-huitlacoche soup to crisp calamari while entrées include grilled swordfish (the chef’s speciality) and medallions of anise-barbecued duck breast on flash-seared vegetables, served with sun-dried cranberry sauce and flour tortillas. Full bar with wine list.
Paesanos
http://www.paesanosriverwalk.com
111 W. Crockett St.(River Walk)
$15-32
Paesano’s has been serving Italian food to San Antonio for over thirty years. To this day, the buttery, garlicky sizzle of the signature Shrimp Paesano is always enticing and rewarding. Incredible breads, crisp salads, an informed and attentive staff, and a stylish, post-industrial warehouse interior where wooden tables glow in jewel-toned light combine to create a quiet buzz of contented customers. Wine list and martini menu.
Pesca on the River
http://www.watermarkhotel.com/restaurant/restaurant.php
Watermark Hotel (River Walk)
212 W. Crockett
$13-28
At this riverside restaurant in the Watermark Hotel the menu is global, elegant, and imaginative and the look is modern, wood, and limestone. Wild and fresh seafood is flown in and paired with regional produce to create offerings such as grouper filet atop a tangle of spaghetti squash in a cream, cognac, and morel sauce; or grilled wild red snapper in a citrus-vanilla salsa; or Prince Edward Island mussels with chorizo and vinho verde; or just a simple selection of oysters on the half shell. Full bar and wine list.
Rosario’s
910 S. Alamo St. (Southtown/King William District)
$8-20
When I think of Rosario’s I think witty, hip, intense color, boisterous fun, and delicious food. People I queried each had their own favorite dishes but the consensus on best bet appetizer is the ceviche fina (scallops, shrimp and fish marinated in lime juice) with avocado and tostadas. Best bet entrée is the camote y pollo adobado, a sweet potato-and-chicken casserole smothered in a sweet and spicy ancho chile sauce and topped with crema fresca. Other favorites include the chile rellenos (fish- and shrimp-stuffed with a white wine sauce and cabbage-lime slaw or beef -stuffed with raisins and potatoes) and the incredible sauces of the pipian (grilled chicken breast smothered with a sauce of ground nuts, seeds and spices) and enchiladas de mole (mole sauce is made of cinnamon, chocolate and other secret spices). Warning: this restaurant can get very noisy and does not lend itself to intimate conversation. Full bar.
Zuni Grill
http://www.zunigrill.com
223 Losoya (River Walk)
$14-25
Zuni Grill features Southwest cuisine in a contemporary setting. The lively interior of brick walls covered with large and festive modern art opens to an expansive, Cypress-shaded riverside patio populated with colorful mosaic-tiled tables. The Cactus-Rita is the perfect match for this colorful décor; puréed cactus fruit, marinated overnight in tequila and cactus-juice schnapps, turns the potent, delicious drink a shade ranging from pink to startling purple, depending on the ripeness of the fruit. Zuni’s best offering is the popular honey-coriander pork loin in a citrus-based adobo sauce, served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes. You might want to finish with key lime mousse pie or the dazzling pecan crème brûlée that tastes every bit as good as it sounds. Full bar, wine list
