Inside the New Steakhouse From ‘Iron Chef Gauntlet's Jason Dady

San Antonio chef and Iron Chef Gauntlet contestant Jason Dady is opening his new steakhouse, Range, next week on the Riverwalk starting on Monday, October 2. For the restaurant, he took over New Orleans chef John Besh's outpost of Lüke, which closed earlier this year.

“I’ve always wanted to get into that steakhouse feel,” Dady told Eater. “I don’t think it’s a genre that’s slowing down. My vision [with Range] was just to bring a newer, fresher approach to it.”

Steaks are the heart of Range’s menu, sourced from 44 Farms (“best beef raised in Texas,” Dady explained) and Creekstone Farms in Arkansas City, Kansas. There are the traditional cuts, from house dry-aged New York strip, bone-in ribeye, Tomahawk chop, and beef tenderloin. Plus, he’s offering his take on Korean short ribs.

Because it’s a steakhouse, there will be tableside Caesar salads and martini carts. Then there are oysters, caviar served with cans of Pringles, the beef tartare parisa (his ode to South Texas), and wagyu hot pot. The cocktail menu focuses on the classics, from Old Fashioneds to margaritas.

Range will open for lunch and dinner, as well as Sunday brunch. For the latter, plans include all-you-can-drink Perrier-Jouët champagne, fried chicken, and a biscuit bar for $55. Its hours are from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.

Eater photographer Robert J. Lerma took a tour of Range’s new renovated space, which, according to Dady, “walks that very fine line of being high end and elegant, but also trying to talk that line of the way that people want to eat in today’s world,” which meant a casual bent without white tablecloths. The floors were sanded down to its original wood, which were restained a light dark brown. Banquettes were added throughout the restaurant, and giant, bright Texas ranch photographs line the walls (including some shot by Lerma himself).

Dady is happy that Range can help revitalize downtown San Antonio. “We’re having this unbelievable re-emergence of the downtown scene,” with tech startups and banks flocking to the area.

While Dady doesn’t have anything concrete in the works after Range, he is potentially working on a new restaurant for Austin.

• 'Iron Chef Gauntlet's Jason Dady Is Opening a San Antonio Steakhouse [EATX]
• New Orleans Chef John Besh Is Closing Lüke San Antonio [EATX]