Living Texas | San Antonio

Dorrego’s Argentinian Food on the San Antonio Riverwalk By Gabi De la Rosa

If you are looking for a restaurant with a great location on the San Antonio Riverwalk complete with an outside patio, stunning décor, a fun atmosphere and quality locally sourced food: Dorrego’s. The restaurant, located inside Hotel Valencia Riverwalk, opened last summer and brought an Argentinian flare to the Riverwalk. “With this menu, I’ve been able to bring a taste of Argentina to San Antonio and combine it with the flavors and ingredients found here,” said Executive Chef Anthony Mesa. “Some of the Argentinean influences we are showcasing include parilla, or grilled meats, empanadas with housemade fillings and the signature red chimichurri sauce I learned to make in Buenos Aires.” Walking into Dorrego’s is like walking into an Old World restaurant – the décor and attention to detail is amazing. Everything from the tile on the walls, the fabric on the benches and even the plates and cutlery were chosen specifically for the restaurant by design firm Rottet Studio. There are small details like an Argentinean bull on every table that are not only something to talk about, but add to the overall charm of the restaurant. In keeping with Argentinian tradition, each guest is given Un Poco Mas which translates to “a little more,” while waiting to be served. On the night I visited, I was delighted with a beautiful spoonful of cucumber and tomato crudo. “In every restaurant in Argentina, you are offered a little something extra to enjoy while

you wait for your meal,” Mesa explained. “I wanted to bring this special touch to Dorrego’s - it’s those little extra gestures that make guests feel welcome and appreciated.” All of the food at Dorrego’s is locally sourced and made in-house, including their famous chimichurri sauce, pasta and even the chorizo. I started out with the Matambre, which is an Argentine pork roll. It was filled with meat and seasonings. I then moved on to the Smoked Short Rib Ravioli, which my waiter assured me wasn’t leaving the menu anytime soon because it has become such a favorite. The dish—served in a cast-iron skillet—comprised several large house-made raviolis stuffed with smoked short rib and served with tomato concasse, basil and burrata cheese. The short rib is tender, and the flavor of the burrata is memorable. The sides at Dorrego’s are served family style. The Proveleta Flamado a la Mesa comes to your table while still on fire, but my favorites were the Grilled Street Corn and Brussels Sprouts. Crunchy Iberrico chorizo adds not only texture but great flavor. The Grilled Street Corn served with chimi-mayo, harissa spice and cotija cheese is just as tasty as its Mexican Street Corn counterpart. Don’t forget to leave room for dessert. The bread pudding is out of this world, and I am not even a bread pudding fan. Hotel Valencia won the 2017 Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Award and is ranked #1 in San Antonio and #2 in Texas by Conde Nast.

Gabi De la Rosa lives in Houston with her husband and three children. You can usually find her at a great local restaurant or out exploring #HTX with her family.

16 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring/Summer 2018