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Le Reve - CLOSED
Rating Details »
152 E Pecan St
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 212-2221
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 212-2221
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Attire:
- Formal (Jacket Required)
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
10 reviews for Le Reve
I would argue that many people associate French cooking with the atmosphere as opposed to the food. It invokes the stereotype of the snooty waiter serving baguettes and escargot and charging an outrageous price for the privilege. They're not too far off with regards to the price - you can find an Italian, Chinese, or Mexican restaurant to fit a wide variety of price ranges from upscale to fast food, but you don't see chain French restaurants on the corner, nor are there many French food trucks offering their wares outside crowded office buildings. No, to eat French is usually at least a somewhat costly endeavor, but it's not because they don't care for Americans; the French revolutionized the way food was prepared and how was served. Today's restaurants follow in many of the techniques derived from France, but there are some aspects that remain foreign, such as the concept of haute cuisine - the concept of several small courses with emphasis on presentation. The chef that undertakes such a task has to be extremely skilled, and it seems that in San Antonio Chef Andrew Weissman may be the only man up to the task. Over the past 11 years Le Rêve has been widely considered to be the best restaurant in the city (some go so far as to expand that claim to the state). It was a five-star meal even before I entered the small dining room alongside the river, and it only got better as the night went on.
The tasting menu is claimed to be eight courses, but really it extends much farther than that through the amuse bouche, palette cleanser, and several dessert courses. I tried to remember the dishes as best I could, though fast-speaking gentlemen with thick French accents and the insidious buzz of wine prevented me from getting too detailed. Not many criticisms follow because there was scant about which to quibble.
Amuse Bouche - oyster atop cucumber spaghetti in a wasabi cream sauce, garnished with wasabi caviar.
Course 1 - fluke capaccio with fennel and pistachio garnish
Course 2 - sweet onion tart with a white truffle oil garnish
-These were quite possibly the sweetest, most carmelized onions I've ever eaten
Course 3 - pork sweetbread with crawfish and wild mushrooms underneath a puff pastry
- The composition of this dish was more like what you would expect from a pot pie, especially with the piece of puff pastry on top. The pork flavor permeated the dish.
Course 4 - warm duck salad of watercress leaves, golden raisins, pomegranate seeds, and pine nuts
- This was by far the most frustrating dish of the evening because I couldn't pierce the watercress with my fork, forcing me to scoop them and balance them on my fork as they made their way to my mouth.
Palette Cleanser - grapefruit sorbet with a touch of vermouth
Course 5 - lobster mousse-wrapped around a sole tenderloin
Course 6 - beef with whipped potatos, candied carrot, and chantrelle mushrooms
Course 7 - sheep's milk bleu cheese and aged white cheddar with dates and apricots, garnished with balsamic vinegar and pepper
Course 8(1) - tiny créme brulée
- They had the tiniest little spoons for the brulée and sorbet
Course 8(2) - lemon meringue tart
Course 8(3) - Sampler including, among other things, bite-sized versions of flan, macaroon, and truffle
Throughout the meal a waiter would bring around several types of bread that were baked in-house. They were all wonderful, but the potato bread and foccacia were standouts.
If you're willing to pay for it, versions of the tasting menu offer wine pairings for each course. Had I been allowed more than 5000 characters, I would have praised the sommelier here.
It took us three hours to travel through the meal, and by the end we were satisfactorily full and slightly buzzed - just about the perfect state in which to be at the end of a meal. Many people may scoff at the idea of paying $250 per person for dinner, but this wasn't just a meal for the purposes of nourishment; of the many things that make French food great (and more deserving of praise than the average American is willing to give) is that haute cuisine is equal parts cooking and service. Let alone the fact that we can count the number of San Antonio chefs capable of creating a meal such as this on one hand, the ingredients are impeccably fresh and made from the small kitchen within sight of the dining room, and for 8+ courses, the tasting menu (sans wines) is worth the $100 they're asking. The service during the meal was unparalleled, and all without pretentiousness that many think accompany French restaurants.
It's a bit saddening to consider that the restaurant that put San Antonio on the map is now just a memory, but Weissman is still in the Alamo City, and is looking to add more restaurants to his stable in the coming year. Food is at its best when it's challenging and exciting, and in those respects Le Rêve exceeded my expectations in every possible way.
Le Reve is closing on October 31, so now if you haven't already!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
6/30/2009
How can I properly describe this experience? Let me try: it was awesome.
The end.
Just kidding.
We all… Read more »
Arguably the best food in San Antonio, if not the entire state of Texas. I had the priviledge of being one of the first to dine here all those years ago. Today, it still impresses with top-notch consistency in all areas of fine dining: freshness of ingredients, flavor, service, wine list, cleanliess (you can eat off the toilet seat my friends;), ambiance, and professionalism (without pomposity or arrogance). Weissman is a genius and must have been given been given his creative culinary skills by way of divine intervention. His lovely wife sometimes serves as the matre'd. She's an absolute pleasure.
Favorite foods...anything with fish as the protien is going to be a 5 star experience. The breads and little surprises (amuse bouche) that come between servings are delightful. The only issues I might have with the restaurant are the occasional wait times to get a reservation! This is the best my friends. 5+++ stars.
I agree that Le Reve is the best fine dining in San Antone.
The wait staff are very fussy. You kinda get the feeling that they're bowing down before you, making gutteral utterances that end in, "Ohh, yes, my liege, my life is but to serrrve you," et cetera. Maybe it's just me, but a huge part of service (except for the sommelier and perhaps the head server) should probably just float around you in a silent, yet attentive, whir, instead of grabbing your attention or interrupting your conversation. Really, they were lovely, but they could have pulled off their service just a SMIDGE more smoothly. The environment is perfect, though; very French, very cozy, pretty quiet. As the night moves onward, people start filing in and the place achieves a veritable buzz.
Ultimately, it was terrific; we had the tastings menu and wine pairings, too. I've had my share of fine meals, but this one is in my top five for sure. Highlights that I remember: foie with citrus gastrique-bathed apples and a nice, crispy 'skin'; lightly-fried tempura prawns with julienned mango; a very delicious onion tart; very tender, flavorful beef and some carrots and parsnips; and a handmade tortellini stuffed with pâté. Even the cheese dish didn't offend my coarse palate (I'm not very refined at all; I detest cheese, especially if it's fancy.) Dessert was creme brulee and a flourless rocky road chocolate thing served a la mode (playful, huh?), which came out beautifully because of the homemade marshmallows.
All in all, a Texas must. Gourmet and the New York Times have named it the best restaurant in Texas.
Oh, P.S. We spent four hours there. Four. Make the time. You will need it.
Now maybe I'm going to the wrong places in Paris thus far but what I imagined I would find there is what I experienced here at Le Reve.
It would be a crime to live close to San Antonio and not enjoy Andrew Weissman's culinary talents. The atmosphere, the service, the presentation, the layering of flavors throughout courses and wine pairings is nothing short of spectacular.
The glassware, the paintings, the fois gras, the attention to detail, the melt-in-your-mouth heavenly goodness of it...
Trust me...put on your swanky best and treat yourself to an evening you'll be "dreaming" about for a while.
Good gosh, where do I start?
The food was exquisite, the ambiance was commendable, the setting was very intimate, the service was excellent, and the food - did I mention how good the food was? I will NEVER forget the foie gras that melted in my mouth. It was HEAVEN.
When my dad mentioned that it was featured in NY Times, I just had to see for myself what the hype was all about. Went there in 2006 to celebrate my boyfriend's new job and not only did La Reve live up to my expectations, it exceeded them! The food and the dining experience were definitely worth the money.
Note: Reservations are a MUST.
Eating here in 2007 was unforgettable. The meal, the ambiance and the service were absolutely impeccable. The quality, preparation and presentation of the food were all superb. The service was friendly, dignified and attentive. The cost was in line with the quality of the meal. For me, this exemplifies fine dining.
The credible only rap I have read about this place is the difficulty getting a reservation. Be smart about that, and you are in for a treat. If I return to San Antonio and still have a buck in my pocket, this is where I want to go.
Le Reve ranks right up there with The French Laundry as one of the finest French restaurants in the USA. Please know that you must make a reservation and book in advance. Jacket is required but most men were wearing ties and the ladies had everything from high-end resort wear to cocktail dresses. The service was impeccable, friendly and everyone was willing to help. We thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience and will definitely return again.
Last night we dined there and my husband had:
1. Garlic soup with morels, snails, asparagus and cultivated clamshell mushrooms.
2. Caramelized onion tart, French goat cheese and balsalmic drizzle.
3. Tuna salad with fresh wasabi dressing, enoki mushrooms and daikon radish ribbons.
4. Wild Tile fish on Honshimejii mushrooms, broccolini and clams.
5. Chocolate and hazelnut tart, chocolate mousse and caramel ice cream.
I had:
1. Spring sweet pea risotto, asparagus, morels and laughing bird shrimp.
2. Tuna salad with fresh wasabi dressing, enoki mushrooms an daikon radish ribbons.
3. Wild Tile fish on Honshimejii mushrooms, broccolini and clams.
4. Mixed berry and chantilly cream tart, buttered almond slivers.
(I skipped the cheese course and went right to the dessert)
We were celebrating a special occasion and it could not have been a more perfect place. If you love fine dining, make a reservation ASAP as it is worth the trip to San Antonio and everything was absolutely delicious!
It's swanky, the service is exceptional and the food is served on that big plate /small but arty portion theory but it's always delicious and consistent. I like the intimate setting, it's the type of place where people who chat on cell phones while dining will probably (and should be) glared at by other patrons.
Weissman has done well in establishing himself as our own local culinary rock god. You go, boy!
Simply the best San Antonio has to offer. You must make a reservation. Coat (required) and tie encouraged. Allow several hours for dining as you are treated to sorbet between courses to cleanse your pallet. You will not be disappointed. I usually have something funny to share in my reviews, but this place is too good to joke around. Find a night to get formal and experience something decadent in San Antonio!
Une exprience merveilleuse qui devrait tre partage avec le monde.
