At Le Calamar, you can order a single chicken wing for almost $10—and it’s worth every penny. The French-meets-Texan restaurant on South 1st excels at balancing fine-dining technique with backyard simplicity in a way that feels both effortless and precisely calculated. That simple-looking wing—stuffed with chicken breast, huitlacoche and veal sweetbreads—is the culinary equivalent of effortlessly tousled hair that obviously took an hour and a very expensive blow-dryer to get just right. This is where date night lands when you crave fancy, not fussy.
Eating here is like attending a soirée thrown by chefs who geek out over beurre blanc and know exactly where to find the best tomatoes in Texas. It’s the kind of French spot that went to culinary school in Lyon, then moved back home to open a business with a boutique wine-shop owner they met on the road. It’s elegant without being stuffy, technically impressive without showing off, and romantic without any of the usual clichés.
There’s no tweezers-on-the-plate energy or foam-for-the-sake-of-foam nonsense—just excellent Texas ingredients executed with quiet confidence. The chicken wing might be the most memorable bite, but La Calamar’s vibrant menu changes daily, highlighting whatever fish was just caught or what’s in season. Expect citrusy crudos topped with sungold tomatoes, crisp cucumber salads with dill, and flaky local fish finished with brown butter, almonds, and guajillo.
Every dish here feels like it was made for someone the chef really wants to impress. When you’ve got a fork in one hand and a glass of something French in the other, you’ll be glad it was you.
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Food RundownCocktails
Most of the cocktails are riffs on classics, including our favorite—the Cornstar Martini. The blend of gin and corn-infused vodka mixed with Nixta liqueur and dry vermouth is less “punny remix” and more “elegantly corn-forward.”
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Chicken Wings
Calling this a chicken wing feels like a misnomer, but it does take the shape of America’s favorite bar snack. Here, it’s deboned and stuffed with a savory, earthy mix of huitlacoche, veal sweetbread, and chicken breast, then sealed back up, glazed, and charred over binchotan. Start with one per person.
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Oysters
Even the oysters are from Texas. And while Gulf oysters can get a bad rap, these are farmed from a small operation turning out bivalves that taste more East Coast than swampland. They’re small, briny, and beautifully complemented by a green garlic mignonette.
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Snapper Crudo
We’ve tried a few versions of this dish at Le Calamar, all starting with pristine snapper and building in something seasonal—like sungold tomatoes and basil—for a burst of acidity and sweetness. It’s exactly the bright, balanced starter you’re looking for.
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Pan Roasted Chicken
Chicken rarely steals the show, but this one makes a strong case. It’s pan-roasted and topped with a fancy wine sauce (vin jaune, for the culinary nerds) that’s tangy, creamy, and complex. If you’re here with a group, get one to share and witness poultry excellence firsthand.
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Steak Au Poivre
It’ll be hard to find a better au poivre out there. Ours was served with a petit filet and rich, floral peppercorn sauce that we’d gladly pour over just about anything (but especially steak).
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Baked Texas
A riff on baked alaska featuring—you guessed it—Texas ingredients, like pecan and local honey. It’s beautiful to look at, but the rice pudding on the dessert menu upstages it in taste. Unless you’re at full stomach capacity, just get both.
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Dining and Cooking