A visit to the San Antonio Botanical Gardens reminded me once again that there is a delightful Carriage House Bistro on the premises offering brunch on the weekends and lunch on Tuesday through Friday. The building itself once was a carriage house downtown behind the Sullivan mansion located at 4th and Broadway. The mansion came down and the carriage house sat there, fenced off, until 1988 when it was taken apart, stone by stone, and moved to the botanical garden where it had to wait even longer for fund raising and craftsmen to reassemble it into the beautiful building it is today. It serves as the entrance to the gardens and also houses the Carriage House Bistro, along with the Garden Gate Gift Shop.

Our focus of the day was lunch! When Bev Wymer and I pulled into the parking lot on a Thursday morning we were reminded that there is a weekly Farmers Market held there during the market season and it just happens to be on Thursday morning. First we visited the various stands and came away with eggplant, bell peppers, okra, canning cucumbers, tomatoes, and jam. Potted herbs and quite an array of other vegetables were available, but of course no two weeks will offer exactly the same produce. After stashing our fresh produce in the car, we proceeded to the Carriage House Bistro, anticipating something good for lunch.

When asked about the menu and possible modifications, the manager told me, “We are here to be sure that our guests are fed in a manner that they can enjoy to the highest degree. It is very important that guests know to be comfortable making special requests, especially ones who have dietary restrictions.”

Besides the regular menu, there is a daily special soup, entrée, or vegetable offering on the blackboard. My dining companion opted for the special, which was a pistachio-encrusted halibut with whipped Yukon potatoes, along with steamed and buttered broccolini and carrots. I chose almost the same, but didn’t want the pistachio crust, so Chef Andrew Varela was kind enough to prepare my fish without it. By this time we had asked how they prepare the potatoes, did they marinate the fish, etc. and found that indeed it would be gluten free prepared without any special modifications.

As we ate our delicious meal the manager and Chef Andrew answered questions about the regular menu. This changes at least quarterly, so there are going to be different things to choose from every few months. For this reason, I will alert you to several things to ask about when you are reading the menu.

The most likely hidden gluten source would be the frozen broth they get from Ben E Keith. One of the ingredients is wheat gluten. They do not use it to steam their vegetables, but it is used in some soups and sauces. Once you have decided on a menu item, be sure to ask if it is made with this Ben E Keith broth.

The seared salmon is gluten free, but the jasmine lentil rice is made using the frozen broth that is off limits. Ask them to substitute, using the cilantro rice.

Another good entrée choice is the Braised Veal Short Rib with CHB Potato and vegetables. Remind them to leave off the Pan Jus. The Carriage House Bistro does not have a dedicated fryer for gluten-free items, so do not order anything from the fryer.

There are several salads to choose from, but I suggest you avoid the bleu cheese and remember to ask questions about any ingredients that are not fresh grown salad items, like crostini, cooked chicken, fried vegetables, etc.

There is a Brunch menu on the weekends. I have not eaten brunch, but some of the salads are the same. Ask them to omit the fried vegetables if you order the Bistro Salad.

You should be able to order eggs prepared however you like them, and the Apple Wood Smoked Bacon is gluten free. If you plan ahead, you can take your own muffins or bread with you. Other suggestions would be the Chili Rubbed Tenderloin served with eggs; omit the CHB hash.

Avoid the Seared Goat Cheese Salad, as the cheese is rolled in bread crumbs.

Eggs in a Basket is not for us, as the basket is made of bread. CHB hash is not hash brown potatoes and is quite likely not a good choice for us, although there is no gluten listed on the ingredients.

Using a bit of caution, you should be able to enjoy a lovely meal here in the Carriage House or on the adjacent outdoor patio with a view of the Botanical Gardens. We ended our lunch by strolling through the gardens to see what was blooming. If you have never been to the San Antonio Botanical Gardens, I highly recommend it. Being able to visit the Bistro for lunch makes it even better (AB February 2009)