Battalion — Restaurant in San Antonio

My wife and I always try a new restaurant on our anniversary. This year was our 15th, and we chose Battalion. My wife has Italian heritage and was hoping not to be let down as she herself is a fantastic cook. Fast forward to parking in front of this beautifully restored old Firestation. The inside was kind of shabby sheik industrial with a very upscale vibe. After being seated, we were graced with the menu and wine list, both were modest in size. We picked a lesser expensive bottle of Italian chianti and made our way to the menu. Having never been here before, we decided to have 4 appetizers. The Olives were on point in a mix of gorganzola cheese and chile oil. We ordered 2 different bread courses, one with the obligatory Olive oil and roasted garlic, and I mean lots of roasted garlic! This was delicious, and the garlic cloves spread like butter on the bread. Our second bread course was paired with a Ricotta cheese drizzled with fresh Honey and cracked Black Pepper. At this point, it seemed as if every bite had more flavor than the last. The Ricotta simply melted in your mouth super creamy, lightly sweet with a nice hit of the savory cracked pepper to finish it off. Our next shared item was the Burrata. This was delivered to our table, and the plating was impressive this large portion of Burrata covered with the Chile oil and capers surrounded by thus delicious very light but highly toasted focacia bred wedges once cut the Burrata was very soft and creamy yet held together do you could enjoy it spread on the focacia or as a nice solid bite. The flavors again were amazing. This was my favorite shared course! We at this time had finished the bottle of wine and ordered another. At no time did we feel rushed or hovered over by the staff, which was perfectly attentive. While they were fetching the wine, we decided to skip the salad course and ordered a pasta course and a main course each. My wife ordered Orecchiette Alla Orecchiette Alla Campagnola and the Lamb Chops. I ordered the Lasagna and the Peppered Drunken Pork Chops. When the pasta came to the table the aroma of my wife's dish was almost hypnotic. You could smell the depth of the flavor, and it didn't disappoint. She had me taste it before I dug into my lasagna, and the pasta was so fresh and the sauce was so full of flavor. I said, "How does it get better than that...." that's when I had the first bite. The Lasagna, this thin, healthy portion of which I had just taken a bite, literally made me close my eyes and savor what just hit my palate. I gave my Wife a bite, she too was amazed at the complexity of the flavor. Needless to say, we were again sharing our courses. By now we can't wait for the meat course and it didn't disappoint. The Lamb Chops were crusted and served in a peppercorn demi glass they were cooked to perfection and bone knawing good! The Pork Chops were also crusted and served in a Red Wine demi glase with herbed, paprika roasted potatoes. These boneless Pork Chops were incredibly delicious! The wife had some leftover as we ordered so much food but we had to try the Apple Tart for dessert it was a very generous portion that we shared apple withba hint of lemmon and a light caramel topping it was yummy!Like everything else all night, the chef delivered the flavor, the textures, the aromas of what turned out to be one of the most memorable dining experiences we have had in a very long time! We can't wait to bring our friends! In closing Thanks for making our Anniversary such a...

Familiar with Battalion’s sister restaurants Feast and Rebelle, my hopes were high as I ventured into the 100-year-old renovated firehouse turned Southtown eatery. Those hopes were not dashed, and Battalion delivered on all counts: fantastic service, impeccable style, and incredible food.

Until a few years ago, Italian food in San Antonio was synonymous with red vinyl booths, empty Chianti bottles with melted candles, and posters from The Godfather and Goodfellas adorning the walls. Battalion doesn’t rely on these tropes, and it doesn’t comingle its cuisine with its ambience. The bones of the firehouse can still be seen in the exposed brick and concrete walls, and I was amused to see Battalion had left the original brass firepole as an accent in the dining room. The only challenge with this minimalist design is the acoustics are not great, and as the restaurant fills up, you will have to speak-up to be heard by your dining companions.

The noise is a small price to pay for the finely tuned menu. Simple, fresh, and straight forward, Battalion offers a selection of pastas, proteins, and vegetables. The fettuccine carbonara is a must have with a delicate cream sauce, and crispy bites of guanciale. It literally had an otherwise chatty table silenced in ah. The chicken parmesan was delightful. The chicken itself had been well seasoned, and the breading was dense without being soggy. The portion was a little overwhelming, but plan to share, and you will still be able to waddle out.

There was a misstep with the T-bone steak. Though seasoned and cooked to perfection, the cut of meat itself was tough. My take on this is there are plenty of solid steakhouses in San Antonio, and Battalion doesn’t have to be all things to all people. Skip it and try the seasonal fish dish instead.

We enjoyed a delectable tiramisu for dessert, and like the chicken parmesan, if you want to maintain your self-respect and ability to walk… share it. The pastry chef opted for extra dark chocolate (90% plus cocoa) shavings on top to compliment the Dutch processed cocoa powder and coffee-soaked lady fingers. Straying from the original 1960’s Italian version of the dessert, Battalion perfectly blended a hint of liquor (brandy or cognac), and once again, a chatty table fell into silent ah.

Something to be mindful of when indulging your sweet tooth with Battalion, they don’t brew or French press coffee. They only offer espresso, but are happy to pour a perfect Americano for you.

Last, but by no means least, the service at Battalion is spot on. You are warmly greeted when you arrive, and graciously escorted to your table. I highly recommend you ask for either Anna or Elissa at the time you reserve your table (reservations are a must), or upon arrival. Both ladies are engaging without being intrusive, and can thoroughly walk you through Battalion’s menu, while making pairing...

Excellent dining experience!! The restaurant itself was very cool looking and I loved the ambience. The lighting was perfect and the music was on point! Service was excellent. Charlie was absolutely WONDERFUL!! We felt as if we were having dinner at a friend's house. I have been wanting to try the restaurant since it opened however have not had the opportunity. My husband's colleague mentioned to us that it was "Restaurant Week" so they were offering a special menu. I am in hospitality so I was expecting not the best service. "Oh not one of those 'restaurant week' diners...with a hint of side eye" however we were welcomed by Charlie with open arms. We ordered a few drinks and Charlie was very knowledgeable and explained to us the different types of liqueurs used in the spritzers we ordered. Our first courses were so tasty...I had the bibb lettuce salad with Bleu Cheese dressing...the greens were so fluffy and just melted in your mouth with so much flavor. My husband had the meatballs and wow, they were so yummy!! I ordered the steak and my husband had the chicken parmesan. We also added on the spinach dumplings on the side, which were SO tasty!! After reading reviews, I felt like the portion sizes would be so small but I have to disagree. The portion sizes were perfect and so very filling. My steak was cooked perfectly and the chicken parm just melted in your mouth! Dessert was amazing...we had the tiramisu and a chocolate mousse. They were the perfect portions and so delicious to complete our meal. After dinner, we had chatted with Charlie about our amazing meal, our future travels and once it was time to go, he walked us out and sent us on our way with full bellies, amazing hospitality and great conversation. Even the staff member throwing out the garbage told us to be careful driving home because the weather was going to get very bad. Again, it just felt like we were having dinner with our best friends. It was an amazing dining experience. We will definitely be returning to...