Chef Steven McHugh presides over Luke’s kitchen and is himself a renowned chef in his own right having worked in some legendary New Orleans kitchens from Metro Bistro to Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse to Bacco.  Before becoming Luke’s Chef, Steven worked alongside Chef Besh in several of his other restaurants.

Luke’s offers a nice selection of menu items created from classic German and French cooking techniques with a New Orleans touch. This reminded me of one of my favorite regions of Europe, the Alsace-Lorraine region which has some of the best food and wine in all of Europe, in my opinion.  Both Foie Gras, a light, flavorful pate of duck or goose liver and Quiche Lorraine, a rich egg pie, come from this region.  Luke’s menu offered a Chef Besh variation of both of these dishes.

First I must mention there was a small mix-up with our reservations when we arrived, but all was made right thanks to Justin Solomon, the manager.  He responded quickly to make sure we had a table to our liking and then apologized by sending out an appetizer of Rabbit and Quail Pate. The pate was accompanied by a flavorful stone ground mustard, house made tomato jelly, house made pickles and pickled watermelon rind and crisp bread to slather everything on.  I thought the pate was milder than goose liver pate and was nicely flavored with undertones of white wine and other seasonings.  All the accompaniments went nicely with the mildness of the pate, adding to the flavor but not masking it.

While studying the menu, three of the four people at my table realized it was going to be a difficult decision choosing just one entrée.  But we were able to choose, just the same. I decided to try the BBQ Oysters as a starter and was glad I did.  The oysters had been chargrilled on the half shell with herbs and other wonderful things, giving the oysters a slight smoky flavor in a bed of wonderful broth.  Thank goodness this dish was served with a side of French bread slices so I could sop up that wonderful broth.

I, along with one other person decided on the  served with the traditional German pickled red cabbage and spätzle as our entree.  A small pot of mushroom bacon gravy was served alongside the schnitzel.  The schnitzel was a large size, about what I remember getting at any restaurant in Germany. It was lightly breaded and was moist and tender.  The pickled cabbage was the right mixture of sweet and sour and the spätzle was cooked to perfection with a hint of fresh lemon.  This is the first time I have had a Jaeger schnitzel served with a white gravy (usually it is accompanied with a hearty brown gravy with mushrooms) but the gravy was very flavorful and went nicely with the veal.

Another guest at our table chose the house made Bratwurst accompanied by sauerkraut and country roasted potatoes with caramelized onions.  Again the Bratwurst was incredible.  It was mild yet flavorful with a nice blend of seasonings. The sauerkraut was also cooked very nicely with a mild, not tangy vinegar taste which made it a perfect complement to the Bratwurst. The potatoes had a slight sweetness to them thanks to the caramelized onions and were also very flavorsome.

The fourth person at our table decided on the Luke Burger.  He had seen several people partaking of this enormous burger when he walked in the door of Luke’s, so that had pretty much sealed his gastronomic fate.  I believe Matt, our server told us this burger was 7 ounces, but I am sure it had to be much more.  It was served atop a nice thick bun topped with caramelized onions, Allen Benton bacon, Emmenthaler swiss cheese, lettuce and tomato.  Of course it was accompanied by a cup of house-made fries.  I was surprised anyone could actually put this burger in their mouth it was so large, but even more surprising was this guest was able to finish it.  He said it was wonderful and would come back next week for another one.

I did try a glass of Helfrich, Riesling, an Alsace white wine.  Whenever I see a wine from the Alsace region on the menu, I absolutely order it as they are some of the best wines in Europe and very rarely offered on most menus. This wine was just what I expected, light, fruity, not very sweet and clean and was a great complement to my Jaeger schnitzel.

If you are planning a trip to San Antonio, be sure to stop by this restaurant for one of your meals.  It is conveniently located close to many downtown attractions and is on the river walk.  Luke has a nice selection of German, craft, draft and Texas beer, as well as a nice wine selection.

Open daily from 11AM – 11PM

Sunday Brunch from 10AM – 3PM

Live Dixie Land Jazz on Sunday

210.227.5853

http://www.lukesanantonio.com/

Brasserie Pavil - Classic Creme Brulée

Brasserie Pavil - Pulled Duck Confit Sandwich

Brasserie Pavil - French Onion Soup

Total Grade: 92%
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Customer Service: 9
Food Quality: 10
Atmosphere: 9
Parking: 9
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Category: French Food
Price Range: $$ ($10-$20 = Average)

In My Opinion:
Brasserie Pavil – San Antonio, TX – I was invited to lunch by Shawn Owens to celebrate Kathy Cunningham’s birthday today at Brasserie Pavil. I was very surprised that local Tweeps would invite me to dine with them. Needless to say, it was a great experience to sit down one-on-one and have a great conversation with two wonderful people. Upon entering the restaurant, I was kindly greeted by the hostess and showed to the table where my party was sitting. The atmosphere and decor of the place is very well done. Once you leave the entry way, you get that feeling that you’re not in San Antonio anymore. You feel that it’s more like Brasserie Pavil in the middle of Paris, France.

Wow! Everyone was right about the French Onion Soup, it is a must have! I have to say, the onions and cheese have such a rich flavor. It’s absolutely delicious. My main course was The Pulled Duck Confit Sandwich which included: Anjou Pear, Walnuts, Frisée, Dijon, Tomato Relish and it was truly an amazing sandwich. I must admit that I’m a huge fan of duck! Anytime I see duck on the menu at a place, it’s usually a must have for me. The duck had an amazing variety of flavor, the meat was tender, and there was a generous helping. In fact, I was only able to eat half the sandwich, along with the soup, despite being a big guy with a healthy appetite.

Now, on to dessert. I ordered the Classic Creme Brulée, I know what you’re thinking “I can get this anywhere.” Well you’re wrong, because the quality and attention to detail placed into this dessert was amazing. For Kathy, they personalized her plate with “Happy Birthday”, especially for her. The quality of ingredients they used were undeniably top notch. The first mouth full was a mouth watering adventure that hit me with a cascade of vanilla flavor leaving me speechless. All I’ve got to say is Brasserie Pavil can be consider one of the best restaurants I’ve ever dined at, hands down!

Our service was excellent, as Hector (our waiter) came by our table several times and was prompt about telling us the day’s special. I will be going back again soon with friends and family to Brasserie Pavil to give them a taste of great quality French cuisine. One of the many shining moments of our dining experience at Brasserie Pavil, was Luciano (the General Manager) and Scott (the Executive Chef) both coming by our table to talk to us. It was a wonderful opportunity to ask Scott some questions about his background, experience, etc. They did comp our appetizer and Kathy’s dessert. They’re both such awesome guys!

By the way, there’s plenty of parking space, with a parking garage located right next to the restaurant so you can safely park after business hours. This is now one of my top dining options, for sure. Thank you and you all enjoy!

www.brasseriepavil.com

Location Visited:
1818 N. Loop 1604 W.
San Antonio, TX 78248
Tel: (210) 479-5000

Google Map:

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In My Opinion By Kim Fischer:
Bistro Vatel in San Antonio, TX – This is by far my favorite restaurant in San Antonio! I don’t believe any place is ever a 10 (there’s always room for improvement) but this place gets close every time.

Right when you walk in, the place has a very comfortable feeling. The wait staff walks you through the menu with ease and can easily help you pair your meal with the perfect wine. And on a good night, the pastry chef will make you a floating island for dessert. My suggestion: tell your waiter/waitress what kind of entree you’re craving, and let them take you from there.

Enjoy!

www.bistrovatel.com

Location Visited:
218 E. Olmos Dr.
San Antonio, TX 78212
Tel: (210) 828-3141

Google Map:

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COCO Chocolate Lounge & Bistro

Total Grade: 84%
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Customer Service: 8
Food Quality: 9
Atmosphere: 9
Parking: 8
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Category: French Food, Desserts
Price Range: $$ ($10-$20 = Average)

In My Opinion:
I’ve been recommending COCO to everyone that I know of and for them to try it as soon as possible. COCO’s atmosphere is amazing and the owner is very nice to talk to. It is a great place to have your social happy hour drinks with your friends and family, even for a romantic night out. Everything on the menu is AMAZING!!! I personally love the Duck Pizza, its the best. The chocolate martinis and drinks here are to die for! I guess you can say that the bottom line is if you’re looking great food, great drinks and a great atmosphere to hang out with your friends or family, Coco’s is the place to go! Try It, Rate It, & Chat It!

www.sa-coco.com

Location Visited:
18402 US Hwy 281, Suite 114
San Antonio, Texas 78259
(located on the North East corner of Hwy 281 & Loop 1604 next to Motif)
Tel: (210) 491-4480

Google Map:

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