Secret Little Garden · San Antonio, Texas

Serena & Rusty

March 21, 2026

An Evening Menu

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A Note from the Couple
“Thank you for being here. Tonight is about the people we love most in one room, good food, and a bar that stays open until we say otherwise.

We asked our friends at Secret Little Garden to cook the way they cook for themselves — with intention, a little heat, and a lot of heart.

Eat everything. Drink well. Dance badly. We’ll see you out there.”

Serena & Rusty

March 21, 2026

Upon Arrival

Pre-Op

Chilled cucumber-elderflower gin cordial, passed as you arrive.

Please don't eat or drink anything after this.
(Just kidding. The bar opens in five minutes.)

I

Course One · Welcome Grazing

The Intake

Good food, good people, good night.

The Board

a world in one spread

Brillat-Savarin triple-cream · aged manchego · Rogue smoky blue · jambon de Bayonne · Peruvian botija olives · house leche de tigre aguachile · fresh honeycomb · seasonal stone fruit · grilled sourdough · seed crackers

Famous Green Beans

dry-fried · blistered · addictive🌶 House Signature

Dry-fried until blistered and slightly charred, tossed with garlic, ginger, and a touch of chili. The dish that makes people ask for the recipe before they've finished the plate.

Sichuan Spiced Candied Walnuts

🌶 House Signature

Five-spice, chili flake, honey glaze, flaky salt. The numbing tingle is the point. Side effects include eating the whole bowl.

Smashed Cucumber & Sesame

🌶 House Signature

Quick-cured Persian cucumbers, black sesame, rice vinegar, chili oil, toasted sesame seeds. Cool, acidic, addictive.

Whipped Miso Butter

on grilled sourdough

White shiro miso folded into cultured butter, whipped until cloud-like. Served with grilled sourdough and a drizzle of good honey. The thing Petit Coquin would put on their bread course.

Leche de Tigre Aguachile

tiger's milk · cucumber · serrano · lime

A nod to Leche de Tigre: bright citrus tiger's milk with serrano, cucumber, and cilantro. Served in small cups alongside the board for sipping or spooning over the cheese.

House Chili Crisp

🌶 House Signature

Contraindicated with blandness. Try it with the triple-cream.

II

Course Two · Passed Canapes

The Rounds

Our team will find you.

The Consult · Western

The Consult I

mushroom · caramelized onion · chèvre · thyme🌶 Chili Crisp Finish

Cremini mushroom stuffed with slow-caramelized onion and goat cheese, finished with fresh thyme and a single drop of house chili crisp oil.

The Consult II

fig mostarda · prosciutto · arugula · aged balsamic

House-made fig mostarda on grilled crostini, prosciutto di Parma sliced thin, a single arugula leaf, a drop of aged balsamic. The crostini that Petit Coquin would serve.

The Second Opinion · Ancient Chinese Secrets

We weren't going to say anything. But here we are. — Love You Long Time

The Showstopper

Gold Bars & Caviar

pork & shrimp spring rolls · crème fraîche · tobiko · 24k gold flakes

Passed on a black tray. The gold leaf catches the light. This is the photograph of the evening.

The Cult Classic

Street Fries

Chef KZ's Sichuan aioli · scallion · sesame · chili crisp

The fries that started a following. Once you've had them, you understand why people come back.

The Midnight Remedy

Garlicky Cold Noodles

sesame paste · black vinegar · chili oil · scallion · cucumber

Cold, silky, deeply savory. The dish that makes every table go quiet for thirty seconds.

III

Course Three · Dinner Buffet

The Treatment Plan

The full course of care.

The Classic Protocol

caesar salad

Romaine, house-made anchovy Caesar dressing, shaved parmigiano-reggiano, house croutons. The dressing is made from scratch — raw egg yolk, anchovy, lemon, Worcestershire.

The Attending

juniper citrus roasted chicken

Free-range chicken, juniper berry, lemon zest, orange, fresh rosemary. Presented bone-in with pan jus. The juniper is the detail.

The Specialist

herb marinated beef · smoked paprika romesco

Herb-crusted beef with a proper smoked paprika romesco — roasted red pepper, marcona almonds, sherry vinegar, olive oil. Rested, sliced, and served simply.

Fresh Labs

locally sourced · Gardopia Gardens · River City Produce

San Antonio grown, community rooted. March means asparagus, broccolini, spring onions, and snap peas. Grilled over high heat, dressed with preserved lemon gremolata, good olive oil, and flaky salt. The kind of vegetable dish that makes you forget it’s a side.

The Fundamentals

confit garlic smashed potatoes

Boiled, smashed, roasted until shatteringly crisp. Finished with confit garlic, fresh herbs, and flaky salt. The kind of potato that disappears first.

Steamed Jasmine Rice

the quiet constant

Perfect jasmine rice. The thing that makes everything else taste better. Always there, never showy.

Signature Cocktails

The Board

Designed, not assembled. Tap each card to reveal the recipe.

Signature Cocktail

The Anesthesia

You won't feel a thing. Until you do.

Tap to reveal

The Recipe

The Anesthesia

Barr Hill Gin · butterfly pea flower infusion · house elderflower tonic · fresh cucumber ribbon · dill sprig · served in a copa glass over large ice. The indigo turns lavender-blush when the tonic is poured. Watch it happen.

Serena's cocktail. Named for Rusty's profession. The color change is the moment.

Tap to flip back

Signature Cocktail

The Scope

Classic. Precise. Gets right to the point.

Tap to reveal

The Recipe

The Scope

Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin · Campari · Carpano Antica Formula sweet vermouth · expressed orange peel · single large ice cube · rocks glass. Equal parts. No shortcuts. No apologies.

Rusty's cocktail. Named for Serena's instrument. Built for his palate. His colleagues will understand.

Tap to flip back

Non-Alcoholic

Vitals

Hibiscus · lime · mint · sparkling water

All signs normal.

Late Night

The Doctor Will See You Now

Aged tequila or mezcal · passed at 9:15 PM

One round. Last call.

Open Bar

The Full Bar

Beer · wine · spirits · mixers · garnish

4.5-hour deluxe bar · 5:00 PM – 9:30 PM

V

Course Five · Dessert

Post-Op Recovery

Doctor's orders.

Churros

🌶 Sichuan Chili Dark Chocolate

Fried to order. Ceylon cinnamon sugar. Served with four dipping sauces: dark chocolate, house caramel, cajeta (Mexican goat milk caramel), and Sichuan chili dark chocolate — 70% dark chocolate, chili crisp oil, Sichuan peppercorn powder, flaky salt.

For the adventurous. Doctor-approved.