Clementine — Restaurant in Castle Hills

I have to begin by saying thank you to the Resy article I read about places one must try if visiting San Antonio, Clementine was fabulous! My love and I were visiting San Antonio for a much needed break, celebrating her upcoming graduation for her Masters of Fine Arts degree she's receiving from the University of Texas at Austin. We stayed in an amazing hotel and ate some amazing food but when we got to Clementine, this place blew us away. Everything was perfect our server Dario was amazing, the food was amazing, the atmosphere was incredible, a perfect neighborhood spot in a strip mall just like it's supposed to be. I could not say enough about everything we had so I'm going to go straight into the food. We started with the flame tart which is the most amazing crunchy light bread with really slowly sauteed onions it's exceptional order 2 if you're hungry it's worth it, Then on to the ricotta cavatelli you should definitely watch the video they mix it at the table for you. Every bite is just exceptional it's perfectly layered it hits on all your senses salt, fat, acid, umami, what a great dish. Then we lightened things up with the beat salad which was so delicious we were literally asking for more. Then we split the wagu New York strip it's perfectly prepared, perfectly seasoned, every bite exploded with flavor it was paired with an amazing red wine that I picked. We started with champagne then onto a white and then we finished with this amazing red. I think this food would be described as Italian but it was much more than that, it really complimented and had highlights of everything that makes food delicious they have a prefix menu that the chef will prepare a really nice course I would recommend it but we were not feeling that we needed to go that way we really just wanted to try some specific items and I'm glad we did. You definitely need to watch the video and check out the coffee creme breule with banana sorbet, it was absolutely amazing. I had the pleasure of having another amazing dinner with the love of my life, a woman that I have come to realized is someone I don't ever want to be without. This dinner was so good it is a reminder of all the wonderful things all the beautiful times, all the fantastic meals that we've shared and how when you're with someone who creates that warmth of energy inside you, everything is better, everything you put in your mouth, everything you touch, everything you see and smell is elevated, heightened! So the next time you have dinner with someone you care about put your phone down, look across the table and realize how important that person is. What they mean to you. How they make you feel you. You might just realize that the food just got better, mine did. Thank you for your love, you are my Sun, and I your moon. Love you forever and...

We live down the street and have been talking about going for way too long! Well finally we made it out on a Saturday night for date night. We tried making reservations earlier in the week but all that was available was super early (5:45) or relatively late (8:30) for parents of a baby. We left baby with a sitter and took it chance at a walk-in around 7:15. We were able to be seated immediately outside, which we were completely fine with because it was an unseasonably warm day for March. So the evening temp was in the 70s and perfect. We waited a few minutes and watched 2 other parties get seated outside as well. Both of them had wait staff attend to them immediately, while nobody had come to us. We received water but still nobody came to take our drink order or welcome us to the restaurant. Finally, the waitress filling water stopped by and asked if we needed anything else. We kindly asked if she was our server and she looked around frantically and said "I can be - what can I get you?" And so we ordered the "feed me" option because we had heard such good things about it. Another table had ordered it as well and their waiter was extremely helpful in explaining each course as it arrived, so we eavesdropped on the information since our courses were coming out at about the same time. Beyond the initial lack of wait staff service, the food was excellent and they accommodated a no-fish menu for us which was greatly appreciated! We especially loved our first course, Grandma's greens sauteed in an apple butter with a sesame strudel on top. We also had hush puppies served over a delicious sauce similar to tzatziki, red lentils with crema + cotija cheese, pesto cavatelli pasta with Sichuan peppercorns, chicken under a brick, a mini dessert of cardamom donut holes with coffee ice cream, and an actual dessert of the Clementine Crunch Bar (amazing) with sorbet. We were definitely well-fed with this "feed me" option! Multiple waitstaff brought out each item and our drinks, used plates, and silverware were all promptly attended to throughout the evening. Will definitely come again, but if coming on a weekend at dinnertime, we will be sure to make a reservation in advance so that there isn't any confusion about our wait service. The inside also looks intimate and a nice atmosphere, so we want to experience that too. The service certainly didn't ruin the experience for us, but we had higher expectations for it after hearing so many good things about Clementine overall. If you are wondering if it's worth it, do yourself a favor and come support a local eatery with...

Clementine provides the Castle Hill area with some of the best food San Antonio has to offer.

Executive Chef and recent James Beard semi-finalist, John Russ has remained steadfast in his dedication to ensuring that even after being open for years, the quality and commitment to the food are still front and center. Unlike other chef’s in the city who are content to stand up a new restaurant and leave it in less capable hands, Chef Russ displayed his commitment by being at dinner service on a random (and bustling) Thursday evening.

Although we weren’t too impressed with the Full Fat Burrata (we aren’t huge olive fans), dishes like Ms. Julie’s Beets, the Tuna Crudo and the Ricotta Cavatelli left us thoroughly impressed. The beet salad was the stand out here for me and surprised in the absolute best way. The earthy flavor of the thinly sliced beets combined with the gorgonzola, balsamic, cocoa and grapefruit made the dish complex and something that became better than the sum of its parts — unlocking different and unique flavors with each bite. I believe Chef Russ’s creativity and penchant for thoughtful flavor construction is really where he flexes his muscles and is something that elevates his food and makes the restaurant stand above others who offer similar fare in San Antonio.

For our mains, we went coastal and paired the Aussie Barramundi with the Country Fried Softshell Crab. There is something about eating a whole soft-shell crab that is primal and satisfying; ripping off a little crab leg, eating it whole, and following it up with that asparagus soaked in buttery goodness is a joy. The Barramundi left me in awe. Cooked perfectly with a nice charred crispy skin, and then made more complex with the addition of the basquaise sauce and artichoke barigoule, I found myself pushing past feeling full just to get another taste.

Word to the wise — don’t skimp on dessert here. We ordered the Clementine Crunch Bar with coffee and every bite was yet again stunning and more complex than you’d anticipate upon first glance. I’m surprised the pastry chef hasn’t won an award for this stuff. It’s killer.

Clementine shines for the creative construction of flavor that transforms what could be a seen as a boring dish (like a beet salad), into something better than the sum of its parts, and something that is truly special and worth your time. I personally can’t wait to come back and try more of Chef...