Posts Tagged ‘hotel contessa’
Sunday, April 24th, 10:30 am – 4:00 pm
Join us for an elaborate Easter Brunch that will include a
Reservations are filling up fast!
An Award-Winning Team…
hotelcontessa | April 8th, 2011 | Comments OffWell, here at Hotel Contessa it’s been a crazy past couple of weeks…
Cork Bar Wins Top Awards at 2011 San Antonio River Foundation Rivertini Pour-off
Daniel Quiroz and Jose Solis represented the Cork Bar team as they squared off at Brasserie Pavil and competed against top city bartenders and mixologists.
The Cork Bar humbly accepted the 2011 Rivertini Pour-off Champion and 2011 Rivertini Décor Awards. Their winning martini was a peach and citrus purée with cinnamon serrano simple syrup and grey goose vodka.
Las Ramblas, Cork Bar, and Hotel Contessa Take-Two at the “Best of Downtown”
Hotel Contessa wins the Downtown Alliance’s “Best of Awards” for Best Hotel Restaurant – Las Ramblas and Cork Bar and for Best Place for a Downtown Wedding at Hotel Contessa and Marriage Island.
Congratulations to everyone!
Luminaria: Arts Night in San Antonio – March 12, 2011
hotelcontessa | March 8th, 2011 | Comments OffComing down to San Antonio for Luminaria? It’s going to be an excellent event this year! Hotel Contessa is only two blocks away from HemisFair Park where Lumaniria is held. Enjoy dinner at Las Ramblas on the San Antonio Riverwalk then make it over to HemisFair Park for a great event.
Luminaria: Arts Night in San Antonio
HemisFair Park – FREE Admission, Open to Public
Saturday, March 12th, 2011 – 6pm to Midnight
About LuminariaSA: (from luminariasa.org)
Luminaria is San Antonio’s annual celebration of art and artists. Held in March and overseen by San Antonio’s creative leaders, it is free of charge and showcases all art forms in an outdoor setting and inside various venues downtown.
Luminaria spotlights San Antonio’s cultural assets for local citizens and visitors alike and is made possible through the generosity of artists, arts organizations, volunteers, and public and private donations.
In 2010, an estimated 200,000 people attended Luminaria.
Become a fan of Luminaria on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or contact us at (210) 271-2842 or by e-mail at info@luminariasa.org for more information.
Benchmark Hospitality International Chefs Featured at James Beard House, New York
hotelcontessa | January 18th, 2011 | Comments OffNew York, January 2010 …
Executive Chefs from Benchmark Hospitality International’s fine dining restaurants, luxury hotels and resorts were featured recently at the legendary James Beard House in New York City. The chefs prepared a seven-course dinner for the sold out event, featuring cuisine from around the country and the world.
Featured Benchmark Hospitality chefs were Brian West, executive chef, Hotel Contessa and its signature restaurant Las Ramblas on the Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas; Alan Gould, executive chef of Nine18, the restaurant located at the Villas of Grand Cypress in Orlando, Florida; Peter Csikos, executive chef, The Heldrich and its signature restaurant, Christopher’s, in New Brunswick, New Jersey; Francisco (Paco) Aceves, executive chef of Stonewall Resort and Stillwaters Restaurant, located in Weston, West Virginia.
Mary Watson-DeLauder, Benchmark Hospitality’s chief sommelier, paired each of the seven courses with domestic and international fine wines. To do so she worked closely with several wineries, including Quintessa of Napa Valley (2006 Quintessa, Rutherford, Napa Valley) and Veramonte of Colchagua Valley, Chile (2007 Primus, Colchagua Valley, Chile).
Attached Photo L-R: Chefs Paco Aceves and Alan Gould, Benchmark Vice President Food & Beverage Giorgi DiLemis, Chefs Peter Csikos and Brian West in James Beard’s original kitchen at the James Beard House in New York. Missing from the photo is Mary Watson-DeLauder, Benchmark’s chief sommelier.
For the complete seven course menu, visit: http://www.benchmarkhospitality.com/Media_Center/Press_Releases/Featured_Chefs-6th_Year.asp__________
Chef Brian West – Media Appearance KENS TV Morning Show
hotelcontessa | December 13th, 2010 | Comments OffBrian West prepared a Seared Muscovy Duck Breast w/ Cranberry Goat Cheese Sweet Potato Gratin & Blood Orange Molasses with Stacia Wilson (host) of KENS TV’s Morning Show on December 4th. Bright and early, West showed off one of his signature menu items from Las Ramblas and everyone loved it! Video to come soon!
Las Ramblas at 2010 CIA Opening!
hotelcontessa | October 21st, 2010 | Comments Off
The Las Ramblas team from Hotel Contessa showed off their skills at the Culinary Institute of America opening at the Pearl Brewery right off the San Antonio Riverwalk REACH.
Pictured from the left is Director of Food & Beverage, Shane Bruns; Executive Chef, Brian West; and Sous Chef, Jacob Campos.
The team made a delicious samplers for the hungry crowd: a Lobster Chorizo Stuffed Squid with Pickled Tenticles and Squid Ink Reduction and Micro Pea Shoot & Piquillo Pepper Salad. It truly is as amazing and as decadent as it sounds!
The “Hepburn” by Daniel Quiroz
hotelcontessa | September 30th, 2010 | Comments Off
The "Hepburn"
Ingredients:
2 oz Hendricks Gin
1/8 oz Canton Ginger Liqour
1/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Strawberry/ Rosemary Infused Simple Syrup
Directions:
Mix ingredients, Served in Chilled Coupe
Garnish Rosemary Sprig with Lemon Zest Twist
Sips & Salsa Returns September 9th!
hotelcontessa | September 2nd, 2010 | No Comments »
SEPTEMBER 9TH, 5:30 – 730 PM
$10 Cover includes Valet and Specialty Cocktail
• Receive a 25% Discount on Dining at Las Ramblas the Night of
Sips & Salsa (valid that night only)
• Enjoy Happy Hour Prices on Drinks and Tapas until 7pm
• Salsa and Latin Jazz Music
• Salsa Instructors and Dancers from Semenya Ballroom
• September Specialty Drink & Salsa
• “Melon Pear Mojitos”
• “Mango Salsa” (with chips) – Complimentary
Enter to Win a VIP Office Party
• Register with Business Card to Win a VIP Office Party for your
company at an Upcoming Sips and Salsa
• Office Party Includes: Free VIP Room for Your Office Party,
Private Bartender, and 50% Off Full Tapas Menu.
Grilled Seafood Salad with Roasted Wild Mushrooms and Cannellini Beans
hotelcontessa | July 29th, 2010 | No Comments »
Grilled Seafood Salad with Roasted Wild Mushrooms and Cannellini Beans
August marks the height of Summer, which we all know can be devastatingly hot. No worries, Andrew Gutierrez, Executive Sous Chef for Las Ramblas, has taken to the drawing board and created a fun summer dish, a Grilled Seafood Salad with Roasted Wild Mushrooms and Cannellinni Beans. Drew’s Dish would be nicely paired with a Spanish/Mediterranean white wine such as an Albariño; we’d recommend a 2008 Martin Codax. Get the recipe now, impress the significant with your culinary skills – this is a relatively easy dish and is absolutely amazing!
We hope to see you unwind this summer at the Cork Bar, especially during “Sangria Alegre”, our happy hour inspired with Spanish cocktails and spirits. Or stop by for a quick sangria as your shopping the Riverwalk.
Have a great summer! If you make Drew’s Dish make sure to give him feedback on our Facebook page, we’re always curious on our foodies thoughts!
Here’s the recipe!
Prepares: 2 Salads
Ingredients:
1 ea, Tomato, Red beef steak, thinly sliced
1 ea, Tomato, Yellow beef steak, thinly sliced
2 oz, Spring Mix
1 oz, Croutons
2 oz, Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette
2 oz, Button Mushrooms, Roasted
2 oz, Shitake Mushrooms, Roasted
2 oz, Oyster Mushrooms, Roasted
2 ea, Piquillio Peppers, Sliced
2 oz, Cannellini Beans, Cooked
1 oz, Corn Kenels
To Taste, Pimenton
4 oz, Calamari, Bodies and Tentacles
2 ea, Diver Scallops
2 ea, White Anchovies, Boqueron’s
1 ea, Hard Boiled Egg, Sliced
To Taste, Salt and Pepper
Garnish, Pilment Espelete
Method:
- Prepare tomato rings using ring molds
- Toss spring mix with croutons and hardboiled egg and vinaigrette.
- Place salad into tomato mold
- Toss mushrooms corn and white beans together season with salt and pepper and vinaigrette
- Season calamari with salt and pepper and pimenton, sear in hot saute pan
- Season scallop with salt and pepper and pimenton, sear in hot saute pan and cook to medium rare
- Slice calamari and scallop and place into plate
- Garnish plate with mushroom salad
Hotel Contessa Tops Expedia Insider’s Select List 2010 for San Antonio
hotelcontessa | July 7th, 2010 | No Comments »Hotel Contessa Ranks 1st Amongst San Antonio Hotels and 5th for Texas
Every year Expedia releases their Insider’s Select List, highlighting “The best hotels for any destination—and any budget.” The list compares hotels using traveler’s opinions and reviews, overall value, and Expedia’s Hotel Expert input – Hotel Contessa scored a 98.6!
San Antonio is an affordable city that is perfect for short road trips if your from Texas with the family, but is also suited for big conventions like the 50,000 people who were here for Alcoholics Anonymous Convention July 1-4th! There are plenty of great sites to see from the famed Riverwalk, to the Alamo, to cultural art museums.
Thanks to all of our guests whose reviews and ratings have helped us be so successful!


















