Bonterra is just on the West side of Fredericksburg, a little higher in the hills of this Hill Country. Set in a small home surrounded by trees, you have a choice to sit inside or out to enjoy gourmet comfort food. Inside, the restaurant is intimate, its walls covered with art work by local artists. We chose to sit outside in a nearly perfect bucolic setting, a small Eden blessed by gentle breezes. According to owner and chef Steve Howard, the name means good earth. Looking at the leaves flutter we understood why he chose that name. When we looked at the menu and saw the long list of organic vegetables and meats, locally grown wines and locally made cheeses, we knew that Chef Howard could have made no other choice to show his respect.
Howard is a friendly chef-host, dividing his time between kitchen and guests, checking to see that each dish pleases. He is assisted in the front by his charming, attractive wife Sherry who divides her time between inside and outside. Howard was the original owner of Navajo Grill,and his is a familiar face in the culinary life in the Hill Country. Respected for pioneering southwestern foods, he is an eclectic chef who surprises with new innovations. Howard learned his craft under Paul Prudhomme and remains true to his love for Cajun-Creole, but his culinary instinct embraces all foods.We were torn between the Niman Ranch Pork Chop served with Sweet Corn Pudding and Creole Mustard Hill Country Peach Sauce or the Chicken Montoya, a Free Range Chicken Breast stuffed with Charred Polbano and Red Peppers and Cheddar Cheese, but we veered abruptly into a new direction when we learned that the special of the night was New Orleans Shrimp with Creole Mustard, Tabsco and Garllic. We succumbed to the thought of a hint of Creole . Happy with the choice, the shrimp were extra large, cooked in the shells to retain their juiciness and served in their own broth which we mopped up with slices of fresh French bread. Served in the shells, the staff is happy to remove them if you prefer, but we wanted the excuse to lift the bony tail shell that remained when we finished eating to draw out the final taste of sweetness. And sweet they were, though the sauce was lively. The shrimp were accompanied by Organic Baby Greens tossed with a Dilly Egg Dressing and Locally Produced Goat Cheese. We admit that the word 'local' was a selling point and the fresh cheese had a liveliness that is unmistakeable.This combination produced the creamiest of dressings.For dessert, we settled on Key Lime Pie Parfait served with Pecan Sandies. Again the choice was satisfying. The lime winked at us, the pecan sandies were saved to eat with a final expresso.
Like other wine connoisseurs in the region, Howard is a great advocate of Texas wines which have become award winners in the past few rears.
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