Yesterday, I was really bored and wanted to go out to dinner. I thought about all the new dresses in my closet and how badly I needed a new Facebook profile picture. I usually replace my profile photos when I put on makeup and look presentable. Bill came to my office and asked if I’d be okay with burgers for dinner. I blurted out, “I want to go out!”
Bill looked a little chagrined. I think he was thinking about the cost of a nice meal and the fact that he’d pulled the ground beef out and didn’t want it to turn. Bill asked where I wanted to go out and I said I wanted to go downtown… perhaps to Saveurs 209. I saw Bill cringe as he considered the traffic involved with going downtown. Then I said, “I want to put on a dress.”
Bill and me, dressed to the nines…
Bill relented and made reservations. I got all pretty. We went downtown and much to my delight, when we stepped into the restaurant, were immediately recognized! The last time we went to Saveurs 209 was for Thanksgiving! I told our host, Sylvain, that we’d been meaning to get back to their restaurant.
We were seated and proceeded to enjoy a wonderful authentic French meal for the third time in San Antonio. Here are some photos from our delightful dinner!
Bill peruses the menu…
I had a glass of champagne– Piper Heidsieck, to be exact. Bill ordered a very nice chenin blanc to go with our seafood heavy meal. The wine had a strong mineral taste, kind of like a chablis. It was a good choice. We enjoyed very fresh baguette bread with equally fresh butter…
A velvety smooth chilled gazpacho amuse– avocado, green pepper, green onion, cucumber and, I would swear lime, though I didn’t hear that mentioned in the list of ingredients. It was very refreshing!
My asparagus salad. It was served with Parmesan cheese and San Daniele Proscuitto. I love how this salad looks, but it also tasted very good. The asparagus was firm and flavorful and the Parmesan and prosciutto added a delicately salty flavor.
Bill was eyeing a fish soup, but I talked him into the Comte cheese soufflé, which came with a small salad with walnuts and vinaigrette. I would have ordered this myself, but cheese is kind of a hit or miss thing with me. Very strong cheeses are a turn off. I’m happy to report that this starter was delicious… not too strong and very comforting. I would order it if it’s available during our next visit (but I bet it won’t be– they change the menus frequently!)
For dinner, I had lobster with green peas, tomatoes and mint pesto. The lobster was very generously portioned and delicious… It was garnished delicately with roe. The mint and peas complemented the lobster very well. I’m not a huge fan of tomatoes, but the two included with this dish were flavorful and succulent. They also added a dramatic dash of color to the dish, making it look like a work of art.
Bill had halibut with asparagus and roe… I tasted the halibut, which seemed delicately poached. It was tender and moist, cooked to perfection.
Dessert! Bill ordered for me while I was in the restroom and I ended up with a dreaded lava cake… Actually, it was a nice dessert, served warm with vanilla ice cream. I have nothing against lava cake, except that everyone is doing that now! I was hoping for a chocolate biscuit with raspberry ganache and chocolate chips. Oh well… I didn’t refuse the dessert! Bill had a very interesting streusel with strawberries and pistachios.
Bill and I finished with a round of espresso. We basked in the afterglow of a delightful meal. Afterwards, we chatted a bit with Sylvain, telling him how much we love Europe and that we hope to be there next week. Where exactly we’ll end up is still “up in the air”, but there’s a good chance we could go to France. If we do, this meal will make an excellent kick off to our vacation. In all, our meal cost just under $200. It was definitely worth every penny. Bill tipped 20%, which brought our total to about $240.
I also told Sylvain that if Bill doesn’t get a job soon, I might have to approach him for a job waiting tables! I was half kidding. His eyebrows raised when I told him about my experiences working at The Trellis, restaurant that for over 30 years, was owned by Marcel Desaulniers, a French American chef who graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. I told him how stressful it was to work in that place, because we learned how to serve food properly. It took me a long while to get it right, but I finally did… and now, thanks to Marcel, I appreciate good food and good service. And thanks to Europe, I appreciate the fantastic unhurried experience one can have at Saveurs 209. If we can’t live in Europe anymore, we can at least enjoy European people.
I think Saveurs 209 is probably the only authentic French restaurant in the San Antonio area. It is also the only “nice” restaurant Bill and I have visited three times. And if we don’t move out of the area, we’ll definitely be back. If you are inclined to dine on French cuisine and you happen to be in San Antonio, I highly recommend Saveurs 209.