Culinary casual
Pub grub gets elevated in new effort at embattled Stone Oak spot
Steak and frites at Stone Terrace Gastropub.
Stone Oak has a new culinary hotspot that’s elevating pub fare in a tricky location that's seen multiple restaurants open and close in quick succession. Stacey Robinson, owner of Stone Terrace Gastropub, said the team hopes combining an upscale menu with an easygoing atmosphere will go over well with folks seeking a well-rounded experience.
“We combine a fun, casual environment you’d expect at your local watering hole with the craft cocktails and excellent food you’d expect at your favorite date night spot,” says Robinson about the restaurant, which opened the weekend of August 9.
When it comes to entrees, Stone Terrace does not skimp with offerings such as mini-Beef Wellington, garlic truffle burgers, steak and truffle frites, bruschetta chicken, and spaghetti pomodoro.
Stone Terrace also entices diners with that it calls “house specialty food flights,” showing off samples of various plates. One is a seafood flight, which consists of a half portion of the Korina shrimp risotto stack: three bacon-wrapped shrimp with truffle frites, one crab cake, and a charred Caesar salad.
The restaurant has plenty of other non-traditional offerings, including quinoa bowls, gourmet sandwiches — like chipotle honey mustard chicken on ciabatta — and pasta plates. It also serves brunch from 9 am to 3 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
In the past year, two other culinary-driven concepts have preceded Stone Terrace in the same expansive retail strip space above the Green Lantern bar space. Nightclub and restaurant Ace of Steaks and restaurant and poker room the White Rabbit have both quickly come and gone at the same address. (The White Rabbit confirmed to MySA that only the restaurant portion has closed, while the poker room continues to operate.)
Still, Robinson voices confidence that her concept will succeed, acknowledging the past turbulence.
“Yes, there’s always a concern when you go into a location where another business has failed to thrive. We have done that in the past with some success, but it definitely takes some extra homework to find out why they didn’t make it and what you can do differently,” says Robinson.
“In a way, it can be helpful,” she explains. “In this situation we have some data and some information about what didn’t work for the neighborhood. That information can guide us to a certain extent.”
Stone Terrace is located at 20626 Stone Oak Pkwy., operating from 11 am to midnight on weekdays and 10 am to 2 am on weekends. More information is available on Facebook.
