cheers!
We have been wanting to try out Auden’s Kitchen for a while now because we really love Bruce Auden’s other restaurant, Biga on the Banks. J’s brother was in town and we were looking for a place that had a nice variety of dishes — and Auden’s Kitchen fit the bill. As soon as we walked in, I knew we would like it.
Tucked in the back of a ritzy Stone Oak strip mall (I am still getting used to the idea that good restaurants do exist in strip malls.. really, it’s a San Antonio thing!), Auden’s Kitchen is warm and inviting the second you walk in the door. We were seated right away. Even though it was a Friday night, the place was busy, but not overly crowded. Our server, Amanda, got us set up with menus and most importantly…a drink menu! I just had a glass of wine, but J and his brother each ordered a blueberry mojito. So delicious!!
aloha
The menu is just the right size, just enough choices but not so many that it’s overwhelming and no one can make a decision. The specials for the night sounded amazing. We started off with the pizza special, the luau pizza, a pizza with pulled pork, pineapple, pickled carrots, and barbecue sauce. Sounds kinda strange… I am more of a tomato sauce and cheese pizza kinda gal, so I was very leery of a pizza with bbq sauce on it. But, wow was it fantastic! Between the three of us, we nearly finished it and we each had a meal on the way.
a tad boney
J ordered the Texas Red Fish Boat… a sort of boat shaped piece of red fish with crispy smashed red potatoes, creamed corn and scallion butter. The fish was a tad boney, but the overall flavor was amazing. We weren’t sold on the creamed corn with fish combination. J’s brother had the Duck Duck, which is one of Auden’s best known dishes. Duck Duck is a seared duck breast and a duck confit leg. Bro said it was the most tender duck he had ever had. I had a little bite, and I agree.. it was very tender and had a nice crispy skin.
duck duck
And, I went the boring route. I just ordered the filet mignon, medium rare, which was served with grilled asparagus and mashed potatoes. You actually get a choice of mashers or fries, and a choice between sauces, either a cabernet sauce or a bourbon shallot jam. Both sounded really yummy, but I opted for the cabernet sauce. I was just in a wine kind of mood! The filet was good, but was a little closer to rare than medium. The sear turned the edges a brown and the middle a warm red… not a hot pink. But what can you do? Auden’s is not a steakhouse.
Everything was pretty yummy, but that pizza ruined us! Only J finished his whole plate (dishwasher clean.. again!) and just barely. We ended up taking a couple of to go boxes with us. And we passed on dessert, which was very hard since the featured dessert was Earl Grey Creme Brûlée. We’ll definitely be back.
Our rating:
| Atmosphere | 8.0 |
| Service | 7.0 |
| Food | 8.0 |
| Total | 7.7 |
Nice, warm atmosphere. Service friendly, but very casual. Good food and drinks.
Auden’s Kitchen
700 E. Sonterra Blvd. #1117
San Antonio, TX 78258
(210) 494-0070
The San Antonio Palate 
Auden’s is a real jewel and enjoy it every time we go!
(I am glad I did not have you as a teacher….you are a very hard grader! 😉
Ha! I guess I am a bit tough with my scores! What score would you give Auden’s Kitchen?
You’re right about finding good restaurants in strip malls: shocking and unexpected. But I had to revise my own opinion on the subject when I discovered RoMo’s café, in the strip center at Culebra & Ingram, late last year. I still find it a little surreal that it is there.
But it’s not just a San Antonio thing: it seems to be a budding trend all across the country. Probably just another sign of the continuing decline of civilisation, but we can’t yet be sure.
Why is food in a strip mall shocking? This is Texas! Everything is in a strip mall. Y’all must be from out of state!