Every year around the time of my wedding anniversary my husband asks me the same question: “What do you want as an anniversary gift?” Every year I give him the same answer: “A trip to Paris, France.” Eighteen years later I’m still waiting.

Why Paris? “The Louvre,” I say. He replies that I’ve already been to the Prado Art Museum in Madrid, Spain, and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. “The Eiffel Tower,” I exclaim. He tells me I’ve visited equally famous landmarks around the globe, such as the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, and the Sydney Opera House in Australia. “The cafes.” He responds that there is no better place for French food than at Bistro Vatel in Olmos Park. I hate it when he’s right!

Those who have dined at Bistro Vatel say it truly captures the feel of a Parisian eatery, being at once both classy and unpretentious. Indeed, chef and owner Damien Watel studied in Paris at the Ecole de Cuisine Promhote and trained in Paris restaurants for four years before launching his career in Texas in 1984. From that time, he has successfully owned a restaurant in Dallas, been the chef at Café Soleil in San Antonio, and since 1999 been the owner and chef at his own venture, Bistro Vatel.

Dining at Bistro Vatel is like having your own personal French chef. First, there is a printed menu with classic dishes such as Coq Au Vin (chicken in red wine sauce), Confit de Canard (preserved duck), and Medallions de Filet de Boeuf Grilles avec Béarnaise (grilled beef tenderloin medallions with béarnaise sauce). While classic, the daily preparation of each of these dishes is often tweaked by the use of seasonal ingredients. Next, there are Plats du Jour (daily specials) listed on the blackboard, a trademark of French cafes. Chef Damien says he buys the season’s freshest products each day and then decides how to prepare them, based on how they will look and taste the best. He also makes food selections according to the desires of some of his customers. Chef Damien explained that he has several regular patrons, some who dine at his restaurant every day, and that he will customize dishes or even prepare special ones just for them.

That is the reason why Bistro Vatel is also the ideal place for celiacs to dine. When a person with celiac requests a certain dish, Chef Damien will first evaluate it for gluten content, such as whether or not the stock used in a sauce was thickened with flour. If any part of the meal is deemed unsuitable, he will prepare it differently or make substitutions, with the presentation looking as if no special accommodations were made. Chef Damien is also very aware of cross contamination issues for celiacs, ensuring that clean pans and utensils are used whenever necessary.

On the day that Anne Barfield and I ate lunch at Bistro Vatel, several lunch specials appealed to us. Anne was most interested in soft shell crabs but assumed they would be coated with a flour mixture and then fried. When discussing her concerns with Chef Damien, though, she was told the crabs could just as easily be coated with a cornstarch mixture and fried separately. Likewise, Chef Damien said he would make French fries in a separate pan for any celiac who desired them. I ordered Grilled Escolar, a firm white fish, accompanied by assorted vegetables and a light sauce. A creamy potato gratin dish was also prepared especially for Anne and me.

Chef Damien readily admits that customizing a meal may be more difficult and time consuming, but that it is very doable. Reservations are suggested for dinner at Bistro Vatel, and it is similarly suggested that celiacs indicate at the time of the reservation if they have a preference for a particular entrée, be it chicken, duck, beef, veal, pork, rabbit, liver, sweetbreads, or seafood. Even without a preference, though, celiacs will not find it difficult to order gluten free; the preparation of the meal may just take a little longer. The servers, especially Nancy, are also quite proficient at guiding celiacs through the menu and making suggestions for suitable appetizers, entrées, and desserts.

Do save room for dessert! It may be an afterthought at many restaurants (and often off-limits for celiacs) but dessert at Bistro Vatel should not be missed. Crème Brulee is my personal favorite though Mousse au Chocolat and Ile flottante, small poached meringues floating in a sea of handmade caramel sauce, are on my “must try” list for a future visit.

Bistro Vatel was the 2003 San Antonio Express-News Editorial winner of “Special Occasion Dining.” With authentic French cuisine and a chef who understands and accommodates the gluten-free diet, there’s no doubt where I’ll be dining for my next special occasion – my anniversary. And although I may never be able to say, “We’ll always have Paris,” as Humphrey Bogart did to Ingrid Bergman in the film classic, Casablanca, I will be able to say, “We’ll always have Bistro Vatel.” (MP September 2004)