Christmas specials in San Antonio

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Hotel Contessa is one area business offering Christmas Eve and Christmas Day menus.  Photo: Hotel Contessa, used with permission.

Christmas is fast approaching and for anyone looking for dining out options, area restaurants are having menu specials and special offers. (Hotel Emma, Bakery Lorraine, Boiler House, Hotel Contessa, Esquire Tavern, Downstairs, Rosella, Twang, 2017)

Hotel Emma will offer special holiday themed menu items Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day at Supper. On Christmas Eve Supper will have a Whole Bronzino grilled and stuffed with braised fennel, crab and lemon on toasted cauliflower puree with herb salad for dinner from 5p.m. to 10p.m. On Christmas Day Supper will have Cider and Spiced Roasted Porkloin with Apple Marmalade, Pickled Mustard, Blistered Beens and Almonds, Parmesan and Rosemary Potato Gratin for lunch and dinner. Lunch hours are 12p.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner hours are 5p.m. to 10p.m.

Bakery Lorraine has an assortment of different holiday themed desserts throughout the holiday season such as chocolate covered gingerbread men, ornament moon pies and more. Customers may place and pick up orders of specialty large pies and seasonal macaroons. Large pies, 9” are $26 and Macaroon holiday flavor packs are $12  for a 6 pack or $20 for a 12 pack with flavors like eggnog, hot cocoa, cinnamon, peppermint, and angel food. Christmas Eve hours are from 7a.m. to 6p.m. and the restaurant will be closed on Christmas Day.

Boiler House will be serving holiday themed cocktails and dinner items on Christmas Eve from 5p.m. to close. The restaurant will be closed on Christmas Day. Cocktail items include Gingerbread Martini for $14, Hot Buttered Texas Rum for $12 and dish items include Lemon Chive Crabcake for $15 – Sweet pepper relish, achiote aioli, sunny quail egg; Calamari Piccata for $21 – Pan roasted calamari, charred tomato concasse, capers, rapini and arugula; Roast Leg of Lamb for $29 – Pappardelle, roasted garlic, mustard greens, pan jus, parmesan and Eggnog Pound Cake for $8 – Candied fruit, cocoa nibs

Hotel Contessa is offering a pre-fixe dinner menu on Sunday, Christmas Eve and a holiday brunch on Monday, December 25th from 11a.m. to 2:30p.m. Reservations required for Christmas Day brunch, $55/person, $25/children ages 8-13 and children 7 and under eat free.

Downstairs at Esquire and Esquire Tavern will be serving aged Egg Nog. Guests can experience a very traditional Egg Nog whipped up by the folks behind The Esquire in San Antonio and based on recipes dating back to the 1700s. This classic Egg Nog uses Paul Beau VS Cognac, Four Roses Bourbon, El Dorado Demerara Rum, milk, cream, sugar, and eggs and is spiced with a bit of cinnamon, star anise and nutmeg.

Rosella at The Rand will be serving a White Chocolate Peppermint Latte throughout the holiday season for only $4.75. The restaurant will be serving brunch on Christmas Eve from 9a.m. to 3p.m. and closed on Christmas Day.

Twang is offering “The Beer Lover Party Buckets” for this holiday season.  Both party buckets will retail online for $39 each with free shipping. Bucket 1 (Texas Themed) includes 1 Texas Themed Twang Beer Salt T- Shirt, 2 Holster Koozies that carry Twang Beer Salt, 8 Beer Salt Longnecks, 1 Twang Beer Salt Steel Bottle Opener, 2 Beer Salt Drink Glasses and 1 Twang Beer Salt branded bucket to keep drinks cool. Bucket 2 includes 1 Twang T- Shirt, 2 Holster Koozies that carry Twang Beer Salt, 8 Beer Salt Longnecks, 1 Twang Beer Salt Steel Bottle Opener, 2 Beer Salt Drink Glasses and 1 Twang Beer Salt bucket to keep drinks cool.

New Bakery Lorraine locations

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Bakery Lorraine is opening its third San Antonio location next month and its first Austin location next year.  Photo: Nick Simonite, used with permission.

With locations at the Pearl and the Medical Center, Bakery Lorraine has rapidly become a San Antonio favorite and a nationally recognized pastry shop famous for its colorful macarons and exquisite French pastries. Owned by chefs Anne Ng, Jeremy Mandrell and operator Charlie Biedenharn, Bakery Lorraine was named one of the best new bakeries in the U.S. by Food & Wine and CNN’s Eatocracy blog, as well as one of the “13 Destination Bakeries” by Conde Nast Traveler. Bakery Lorraine offers handmade French pastries and macarons as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner items including its breakfast parfait, the quiche Lorraine, chicken potpies and an assortment of salads, soups and artisan sandwiches. (Bakery Lorraine, 2017)

The owners are now pleased to announce the opening of its third location scheduled to open in December 2017 in San Antonio’s RIM shopping center at 17503 La Cantera Pkwy, Suite 108. Bakery Lorraine has grown in San Antonio and received so much support that they are opening the first ever Austin location in Rock Rose at Domain Northside scheduled to open in fall 2018. It will be in Austin’s premier shopping district. Both locations will offer pastries, breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. Not only will the menu feature macarons and delicious pastries, it will also include a variety of savory lunch dishes.

Spooky Halloween specials at Bakery Lorraine

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Spooky Halloween treats available at both Bakery Lorraine locations.  Photo: Josie Rees, used with permission.

With the fall season comes all things spooky and fun, including sweets and treats. For anyone looking for Halloween themed edibles, Bakery Lorraine is offering such delicacies as witch fingers, ghost moon pies, mummy tarts and more. Below are some of the treats available at both locations through Halloween. (Bakery Lorraine, 2017)

  • The Great Pumpkin Mac – $5.00 – 4” macaron shaped as a pumpkin with a pumpkin spice cream cheese filling
  • Witch Finger – $4.00 – Éclair filled with pistachio cream topped with a glaze and white chocolate nail
  • Mummy Tart $6.00 – Lemon curd filling with a lemon meringue topping
  • Pumpkin Spice Cake $7.00 – Pumpkin spice cake with layers of a cream cheese filling
  • Graveyard Tart $6.00 – Caramel with chocolate ganache
  • Ghost Moon pies $5.00 – Graham cookie with honey marshmallow filling
  • Gingerbread Voodoo Dolls $4.00 – Gingerbread cookie decorated in royal icing
  • Blackberry Cassis Cake $7.00 – Layers of blackberry mousse, blackberry gelée and joconde cake topped with buttercream, a mini cassis mac and fresh blackberry
  • Phantom Cake (Opera Cake) $6.00 – Layers of a spiced soaked joconde with pumpkin buttercream and dark chocolates ganache topped with a dark chocolate glaze

With locations at the Pearl and the Medical Center, Bakery Lorraine has rapidly become a San Antonio favorite and a nationally recognized pastry shop famous for its colorful macarons and exquisite French pastries. Owned by chefs Anne Ng, Jeremy Mandrell and operator Charlie Biedenharn, it was named one of the best new bakeries in the U.S. by Food & Wine and CNN’s Eatocracy blog, as well as one of the “13 Destination Bakeries” by Conde Nast Traveler. Bakery Lorraine offers handmade French pastries and macarons as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner items including its breakfast parfait, the quiche Lorraine, chicken potpies and an assortment of salads, soups and artisan sandwiches.

7338 Louis Pasteur Dr., Suite 201
San Antonio, TX 78229
(210) 303-0330

306 Pearl Pkwy, Suite 110
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 862-5582

Easter Sunday specials in San Antonio

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Bakery Lorraine will have dessert options like Neapolitan Bunnies for the Easter holiday.  Photo courtesy of Bakery Lorraine, used with permission.

Easter this year is on April 16 and several restaurants are offering Easter Sunday specials for their guests who would rather eat out with their families. Boiler House, Bakery Lorraine, Hotel Contessa, Southerleigh and Hotel Emma will have special holiday themed menus and desserts. (Giant Noise, 2017)

Boiler House – Boiler House will have specialty menu items and regular brunch items served on Easter Sunday. Brunch Entrees include Bunny & Brie Pierogies, Maple Cured Bone-In Pork Belly and Lobster Pot Pie. Dessert includes Poteet Strawberry Parfait. Special Libation includes Southtown, basil-serrano infused lime juice, local honey and Monopolowa Gin. Dinner hours are from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Bakery Lorraine – Bakery Lorraine will have special pastries available on Easter Sunday and throughout the beginning month of April including: Egg-Shaped Moonpies: Colorful Easter pastry eggs that’s made with homemade graham cracker cookies filled with marshmallow in the center ($4 each). Neapolitan Bunnies: Cute bunnies made with vanilla cream, strawberry and chocolate ($6 each). Lemon Berry Chicks: Designed baby chicks in a basket of lemon berry filling ($6 each). Carrot Cake: Bakery Lorraine’s specialty carrot cake ($6 each). Hours are from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hotel Contessa – Hotel Contessa’s restaurant, Las Ramblas, is offering a special Easter brunch on Sunday, April 16 between 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., reservations required. Prices is $55 per person, $20 for children ages 6-13, free for children under 5. Brunch hours are from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Southerleigh – Southerleigh will be offering Easter brunch specials as well as its full brunch selection. Business hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hotel Emma – Supper will be offering an Easter special that includes Hudspeth Farms lamb patty melt on pumpernickel with gouda and pickled Vegetables. Lunch hours are 11a.m. – 2 p.m. Dinner hours are 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. Larder will be offering an off the menu Easter Special of an Egg Salad Tartine with avocado, radish and carrot top salsa verde. Larder hours are from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.