Restaurant Claudine
WORDS BY KIMBERLY SUTA | PHOTOS BY RESTAURANT CLAUDINE
As a food writer who is blessed to eat a lot of incredible food, it’s always a delight when a restaurant far exceeds my expectations, as Restaurant Claudine did recently.
Nestled in the increasingly popular-with- foodies Government Hill neighborhood, Claudine is situated in a building that was a residential home in the ‘40s. A significant renovation has transformed the home into something you wouldn’t believe. In a word, it’s stunning, with hand-painted wallpaper, vintage chandeliers and oversized crown molding.
Restaurateurs and power couple, Houston and Emily Carpenter of Carpenter Carpenter Hospitality, designed this restaurant — the third in their collection — to be an homage to Houston’s grandmother who grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana.
“Restaurant Claudine is focused on Southern comfort food with an elevated French twist,” explains Delia Flores, director of communications for the restaurant group. “It’s really a labor of love. When it comes to Houston and Emily, they never take on a project that they don’t put their whole heart into.”
Suffice it to say, I was utterly charmed from the moment I walked in — you could just feel the love and attention to detail that went into every aspect of the restaurant from Claudine’s cabinet filled with antique tea cups to the extraordinary cuisine.
Grandma’s Cornbread by Kimberly Suta
Cassie Ramsay is the chef de cuisine and it’s fair to say she’s successfully honed her craft at one of San Antonio’s most lauded restaurants, Mixtli (a progressive fine dining Mexican restaurant), for more than 10 years.
The first thing to come out of the kitchen was “Grandma’s Corn Bread,” served with the most divine and beautiful smoked wallflower butter. The warm bread was almost like cake — rich, dense and moist on the inside but with a toasty, crunchy crust on the outside — and soaked up the melted butter, making it a satisfying starter to the meal to come.
“It’s a recipe that took a bunch of tries to perfect it. We took inspiration from classic recipes in all regions of the South to create ours that is both savory and sweet. Next, we added smoke and some floral presence by smoking our butter and decorating it to resemble the wallpaper in the restaurant,” says Ramsay, hitting on yet another finely-curated touch.
For those who are familiar with the Carpenters, who also own Little Em’s Oyster Bar in Southtown, it will come as no surprise that they have some incredible oysters on the menu, and they did not disappoint.
The charbroiled oysters made with petiot butter and parmesan panko and served with charred lemon are so scrumptious it made me regret not ordering a dozen. The “Petit Bouchées” also include their signature blue crab beignets with a champagne vinegar gastrique and escargot champignon with oyster mushrooms, brie and baguette.
Next, I dug into the blackened shrimp salad with maque choux and housemade ranch. It was so refreshing and savory that I hardly needed more but I pressed on.
Ruby Red Trout
For our entrées, we chose the short rib (with a black garlic BBQ sauce, collard greens, confit potatoes and fried shallots) and the pork chop (with a roasted apple au poivre and limoncello haricot vert). It was a hard call, with so many thoughtful dishes on the list, including the fried chicken with fermented hot honey and pommel puree.
According to Flores the fried chicken has been a standout star since the restaurant’s opening, as well as the beignets.
I was impressed that Ramsay makes her own black garlic, which can take months to do, making Restaurant Claudine a truly scratch kitchen. Open for lunch and dinner daily, as well as brunch on the weekends, there’s a variety of options for you to choose from with varied dishes on each menu.
Smoked Wildflower Butter
Brunch, for example, showcases a bacon, kale, tomato and parm quiche, shrimp and grits, hot chicken and waffles as well as “Houston’s Hot Cakes” with mixed berry compote, another special tribute to grandma Claudine, who used to make Houston hot cakes in the morning as a kid.
“The recipes are also inspired by Chef Ramsay’s father and grandfather, who were passionate about cooking and made their own gumbo and crawfish during the week,” noted Flores.
I was also thrilled to discover they offer a classic Tea Time menu on weekdays from 2 to 5 p.m. that includes a plethora of tree tower- displayed delicacies such as finger sandwiches, scones, biscuits with brie and jam, tarts and macarons.
Charbroiled Oysters
“It’s our nod to grandma’s house and what that feels like,” shares Flores. “I love seeing people bring in their daughter and being so excited to get dressed up, wearing gloves. It’s so fun!”
Claudine also recently announced a Happy Hour with $7 signature cocktails and four special edible dishes as well. I honestly can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be right now for happy hour … or lunch, or dinner, or any other time, for that matter. For more information visit restaurantclaudine.com
About the Contributor
Kimberly A. Suta is editor of Edible San Antonio, a filmmaker, food writer, event planner, culinary tour guide and has a media company called Homegrown Chef. She loves nothing more than sharing the phenomenal food, chefs and restaurants that San Antonio and Texas have to offer.
