After weathering the pandemic and construction from the new Rosario's, a Southtown restaurant is hitting rewind. Maverick Texas Brasserie is returning to its Alsatian roots with a new chef team and an emphasis on live-fire cooking.
"It's like Maverick 2.0," said hospitality director Brannon Swindle via a release. "We're going back to the 'make your own rules' dining experience we had when we first opened our doors."
Executive chef Robbie Nowlin will be leading the charge. Already helming the kitchens at the Maverick Group's Arrosta and Allora, the Tastemaker Awards-nominated chef will draw on techniques learned throughout his career. The CV includes mentorship by local notables Damien Watel and Jason Dady and a stint at the world-famous French Laundry.
Culinary Institute of America grad Esteban Valdez will add even more talent. Valdez began his culinary career alongside Nowlin at The Lodge under Dady. After three years at Michelin Star restaurants in New York, Valdez has returned to San Antonio with a French-focused style.
The pair will refine the menu to focus on classic brasserie cooking. Although the restaurant never shifted too radically from its French DNA, it was less focused during the height of Covid-19. Though best-sellers like gougères remained on the menu, they were joined by dishes like Hamachi sashimi.
That's not to say that fans will have to say goodbye to some of their favorite dishes. Entrees like schnitzel and steak frites will have pride of place on the menu, along with brasserie standards like tartare, escargot, and decadent seafood towers.
"Bistro and brasserie cooking as a whole are super approachable for guests, but also a way for a chef to showcase his technique without being pretentious," shares Nowlin.
"I'm excited to see this French inspiration coming back," Valdez agrees. "It's a gradual shift to the unique experience that Maverick was known for."
Photo courtesy of Maverick Restaurant Group
Maverick Texas Brasserie is returning to its French roots.
