What to Eat at Luke (San Antonio)

It's been a while, but hopefully you have some clue why. As you can see if you've been with me for a while, this gluten girl has been busy...like these guys. I've been gussying up the place with the helpful of the lovely & talented Erin. She also helped me migrate to my own domain, so you'll notice the blogspot is gone from my web address. It's the little things that excite me!

Over Christmas, I traveled to San Antonio with the inlaws. I somehow conned them into taking us all to Luke, Chef John Besh's new Lone Star state restaurant! Of course, they were excited about it too and kindly indulged my desire to try it out. All of us food lovers in Austin had been discussing it since its opening.

At first glance, it was not what I expected...much more casual than I pictured. That was probably my fault. I've not been to the original location in New Orleans, so I can't compare, but with Chef Besh at the helm, I just pictured white table cloths and candlelight. Not here. Luke is located on the riverwalk in the first floor of a hotel. Considering the usual crowd on the riverwalk, he is probably wise to dress it down a bit. It's a more casual laid back feel along the river after all, and there's nothing wrong with that.

I dined on some very fresh tasting and plump gulf shrimp. They were delicious. What was even better was the remoulade. I asked the waiter if they sold it. I'm not kidding. I wanted it to buy a jar or a jug. Speaking of our waiter, he was outstanding. Super friendly, very attentive to my gluten free needs, just what you'd expect at a restaurant headed up by a top chef.

For dinner, I ordered a filet of white fish that was grilled and served with a side of divinely clarified butter. It's been a while since I was offered some clarified butter, and I forgot how it makes just about everything better. The two fish preparations on the menu both include a dusting of flour. Therefore, you'll need to notify your server you need some fish gluten free. They were happy to grill my fish separately for me, and it tasted warm, light and buttery.

My husband had a steak he declared one of the best he'd ever had! I did not ask if this was gluten free, so order at your own peril. There look to be some other gluten free options on the menu including oysters and some salads, like the one below with a poached egg my father-in-law ordered. I really wanted a bite, but it was full of croutons, so be sure to ask for no croutons in your salad.

The dishes were all a bit heavier and less refined than I expected but nonetheless tasty. Particularly when you consider what else is available on the riverwalk, Luke is a great option for lunch or dinner if you're a seafood lover. It would be great for groups and has ample seating. Eat upstairs if you can, so you can look in the window and watch the kitchen at work.