419 E. Third (on the town square), Blanco, 210/833-5776
6-10pm, by reservation only
Feel like a dining adventure? Plan on a 45-minute drive or so, and head into the Hill Country to enjoy the by-reservation-only “Night With the Chef” at Blanco’s Sunset Restaurant. A four-course, Continental cuisine meal featuring glamorous tableside cooking, “Night With the Chef” came into being when Sunset’s chef and owner Steve Becker decided he’d had enough of “doing all the stuff I’ve got to do to make a living — burgers, chicken fried steak, etc. — and wanted to have a little fun.” So, on selected Tuesday evenings, Becker, who spent five years working under a Swiss chef on the Eastern seaboard, closes his restaurant to regular business, lights a blazing fire in the stone fireplace, and prepares a prix fixe ($19.95, excluding beverages) menu for his guests, a group Becker characterizes as a mixed crowd of locals, Wimberley artist types, and adventurous urbanites from San Antonio and Austin.
The Tuesday night we visited the crowd was slim, but dinner was no less festive. The first thing to arrive at the table was a warm loaf of freshly baked bread followed by a cup of thick, hearty cream of asparagus soup. A salad of romaine lettuce, marinated hearts of palm, and mushroom caps tossed in a fragrant herbal vinaigrette provided the second course. While we ate, Becker discreetly prepared his tableside kitchen — two gas burners and a prep table covered with tiny bowls of herbs, butter, spices and bottles of liqueur. There were three entr�es to choose from, and we managed to cover all the bases, watching intently as Becker whipped up the Beef Oscar, a filet mignon with crab meat and asparagus in a Bearnaise sauce; the Chicken France, a split breast dipped in a light herbal egg and cheese batter and topped with julienned vegetables and strips of ham; and the Trout Almondine, a freshwater trout saut�ed with almonds, sweet butter, and almond liqueur. Moving smoothly, silently, and confidently, Becker prepared each dish, tossing in periodic additions from the prep table. Then, with a dash of alcohol and the flick of a wrist, he sent the skillets up in flames. Each entr�e served was cooked to perfection, the beef moist and tender, the chicken surprisingly aromatic, and the trout flaky and delicate, if slightly too sweet. All were accompanied by a ruby-red broiled tomato and a whimsical mashed potato fritter in the shape of a pear. Dessert was an equally dramatic affair, both choices flaming favorites as well. The cherries jubilee was tasty, but the rich, gooey bananas foster — its sauce a sinful blend of butter, brown sugar, cream, and liqueur — took top honors.
— Rebecca Chastenet de G�ry
This article appears in April 11 • 1997 and April 11 • 1997 (Cover).