Elite Traveler Spring 2022

etr li at ve eler SPRING 2022 115

Left and inset Some of the o ff erings at Bar Loretta

Prada Marfa , a middle-of-nowhere sculptural installation by Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset

SAN ANTONIO SUPPERS

Manhattans are the special libation at Bar Loretta , a new bar and eatery in the King William Historic District. Two-century-old structures comprise the atmospheric hotspot, designed to pay tribute to a less stereotypical Texas and to evoke the state’s distinctive gravitas. Porches and a small stage for live music proclaim a cozy elegance. Nibble the chicken liver gratiné (with brandied red pepper, gruyère gratiné and grilled bread) while you sip the Reverse, a Lustau Sweet Vermouth with a Lone Elm Texas Whiskey concoction. barloretta.com Cured At Pearl is a popular brunch and dinner spot nestled in the Pearl and ensconced in a historic building, which seems apropos for James Beard- favorite Steve McHugh’s whole animal and regional food philosophy and ethics. With a must-sample charcuterie plate (smoked duck ham, jalapeño sausage, apple jalapeño pork rillettes), and dishes such as chicken and doughnuts with jalapeño syrup, the restaurant fi lls to the brim at all hours. curedatpearl.com

Foodies will delight at the chance to be gastronomic guinea pigs at Savor , located at the Pearl on the campus of The Culinary Institute of America. Highly regarded, Savor puts diners into the classroom for an au courant dining experience, where students have the opportunity to show o ff their talents — all under the watchful eye of the college’s esteemed faculty. savorcia.com Tender and toothsome carnitas — a braised pork dish and specialty of Mexico’s state of Michoacan — is the only thing served at unpretentious, family-owned Carnitas Lonja , a taqueria planted in San Antonio’s south side. For their expertise and crowd pleasing ‘little meats’ (served with fresh tortillas and beans), chef Alex Paredes has been nominated for a James Beard award. carnitaslonja.com Mixtli began as a kind of culinary laboratory, showing curious and experimental diners the range of food available across Mexico. Meaning ‘cloud’ in Nahuatl, the Aztec language, the metaphorical name, Mixtli, references a sense of both dreaminess and movement, which happens at this fascinating, 10-course, tasting-menu-driven restaurant. Chefs utilize prehispanic and ancient techniques as well as modern innovation, deeply researching and passionately sharing each thematic menu. restaurantmixtli.com At the casual 2M Smokehouse , the lines for all-night cooked brisket begin at breakfast time. Handmade and handcrafted on every level — from the fence post tables to the sausages — this acclaimed barbecue joint matches the meaty menu by marrying classic sides such as coleslaw with unexpected ones like pickled nopales and chicharoni macaroni. Pitmaster Esaul Ramos began as a backyard griller, and his passion to share his e ff orts feels like a neighborly invitation for dinner. 2msmokehouse.com

GET OUT OF TOWN El Paso

It takes eight hours to drive to El Paso via artsy Marfa from San Antonio, but in a state that measures nearly 300,000 square miles, that’s considered a short jaunt. As long as you’ve come to South Texas, don’t miss the chance to explore the unexpected city. An artists’ haven in the desert, it was made famous by the likes of Donald Judd and known for its middle-of-nowhere Prada Marfa , a fake storefront and sculptural art installation by Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset. It’s also where the movie Giant was fi lmed, so it oozes James Dean and Liz Taylor sexiness. Equally seductive, culturally vibrant El Paso, on the Mexican border, was one of the Wild West’s most provocative boomtowns. Stay at glamorously restored The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park, where Liz Taylor lived in the penthouse suite during the fi lming of Giant in the 1950s. Her abode, now the hotel’s speakeasy-style rooftop bar with starlet-worthy animal prints and velvets in abundance, serves special Liz Taylor-inspired cocktails to a reservation-only clientele. plazahotelelpaso.com

Photos Bob Howen, Jonathan Alonzo, jmanaugh3 / Shutterstock.com