Eating San Antonio

Z’Tejas

2012-01-31T08:14:00.000-06:00

15900 La Cantera Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78256
(210) 690-3334
www.ztejas.com

Z’Tejas is in the newer section of the La Cantera Shopping Center. I really like this side of the center, it’s quaint, and has a feel that makes it seem like it’s in its own little world. Going there on a warm evening is a joy as the streets are lit with strands of lights crisscrossing the roads that run down the middle of the shops. You can find random outdoor seating areas with comfortable chairs to sit and chat with your friends in between shopping and dining.

I stopped by Z’Tejas one evening for dinner with some friends. We had a reservation, so my dining companions and I were seated immediately. I checked-in on foursquare and found that they gave an appetizer of chips and salsa for using foursquare, so we started with that.

I’ve been to other places that give free chips and salsa for checking in on foursquare, and it’s usually the normal small bowl of chips and a single helping of salsa, but not at Z’Tejas. We received a large bowl of chips and three different types of salsas, each very tasty. So kudos on the appetizer, well done.

Our waitperson was very prompt and courteous. He took our drink orders and returned in a reasonable amount of time given the number of other diners in the restaurant. I decided to order their Baked Seafood Enchiladas. This meal consists of blackened salmon and tuna, grilled cilantro pesto shrimp, wild mushrooms and baby spinach, topped with Jack and cotija cheeses, a roasted red pepper sauce and sour cream, served with green chile rice and black beans. It sounded wonderful and I was excited about digging into this tex-mex delight.

Our food arrived in a good amount of time. The place was pretty hopping, so I expected to have a bit of a wait for the food. I have to say that the presentation of the food is really good. Z’Tejas takes time to give their meals a nice curb appeal that gives their entrees that extra special touch.

I took one bite of the enchiladas and realized that even though the wait to receive our food wasn’t that long, it was time enough for my food to reach the cool side of lukewarm. It was a disappointing turn in what I thought was shaping up to be a good dining experience, so I called my waitperson over and asked if my meal could be reheated. He obliged in short order and returned with piping hot food, just the way it should be.

Digging into my meal I found that the presentation was better than the taste. It wasn’t bad by any means, but my impression was "meh, it's just ok." It was marginally tasteful, and left my taste buds flat. Mediocre is the best word for it. The dish looked great, but the meal needs an overhaul to give it the flavor it deserves.

I give Z’Tejas credit for their desire to give their patrons a nice dining experience. The restaurant is comfortable, with both inside and outside seating. It’s a nice place to sit and relax with friends, so it’s unfortunate that their food left me wanting for something better.

Give Z’Tejas a try, it’s a decent restaurant and their prices are very reasonable.

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Zinc Bistro and Bar

2011-10-07T15:16:00.000-05:00

207 North Presa, San Antonio TX 78205
(210) 224-2900
zincwine.com

Downtown San Antonio has a lot of cool little eateries that are worth paying the stupidly expensive parking fees to visit. Zinc is one of them. Located in the heart of downtown, this unique bistro is poles apart from the other wine & dine places in the area. It boasts an extensive menu of drinks that include specialty cocktails, champagne, and vintage ports. You can even pick up an imported cigar if you’re one of the black-lung set.

I decided to drop by this place because a friend raved that the Zinc hamburger was better than 99% of the burgers in town, and as you all know I’m a big fan of the cow, so I wanted to see for myself what the hoopla was about.

I dropped by one evening and I liked the atmosphere of the place. It’s clean and decorated with good taste. At first I thought it was just a small bar because all I saw was a long bar on one side and bar tables on the other, but after walking to the end of the bar I found a hosting station where a nice lady was seating people. There was a doorway behind her that opened into another part of the building that appeared to be a fairly large traditional restaurant. The hostess asked if I had a reservation, which I didn’t, so I was told I’d have to eat in the bar area. Apparently this place was pretty packed, which says a lot because it was a weekday. That’s ok, I had no problem sitting at a table in the bar area because it was quiet and I could catch a ball game on their TV. They have a nice courtyard with plenty of seating, but I decided I wanted to bask in the air conditioning.

My wait-person arrived quickly and took my drink order. I decided to try a specialty beverage and ordered a Chocolate Razzberry Martini. I’m not usually a martini drinker because I’m a cheap drunk, but this sounded interesting so I thought I’d live dangerously and take a chance that I wouldn’t be dancing on a tabletop before the night was over.

Side-bar: A small ding for my wait-person because she didn’t introduce herself. This may just be my opinion, but I like to know the person who is serving me because I like to call them by their name. I think they deserve to be acknowledged as a person. Servers have a hard job; the pay isn’t usually that great, and a lot of the people they deal with are total jerks. So always get your server’s name, and use it every time they come to the table with a pleasant “thank you, Stefanie,” or “I appreciate it, Justin.”

I wasn’t in an appetizer mood, so I went straight to my quest and ordered the Zinc Burger. It’s a pretty hefty chunk of beef with smokey cheddar cheese, parmesan tuiles (a thin, crisp wafer made of cheese), spicy tomato aioli (kind of a garlic mayonnaise usually made with olive oil and egg), tomato slices, and lettuce. It also comes with fries.

My drink arrived, and I have to say it was really good. It wasn’t your average overindulgence of alcohol you find at a lot of bars. This was blended really well with a smooth chocolate taste. Nicely done, Zinc!

My burger arrived in a fairly short amount of time, and as you can see from the picture, this is a BIG burger. I literally wasn’t sure how I was going to attack this thing, but I wasn’t going to let it get the best of me.

Biting into this burger was a joy. The flavor that pours into your mouth made my taste buds very happy. I really like the addition of the tuiles, it gave the burger a nice crunch, and the abundance of aioli dripped off my fingers. This is really a great burger!

I was unimpressed with the fries that came with the meal. They’re small, skinny, and mostly over cooked. As they cooled on my plate they became hard, which isn’t what I’m looking for in a French fry. I did, however, like the ketchup that came with it because they stepped it up a notch by adding some spices that gave it a real zing. It complimented the fries, so it’s unfortunate the fries were so disappointing.

Overall, Zinc is a really nice place to sit and relax and have a drink, watch a game, hang with friends on the back patio, or have dinner in the dining room. Definitely check out this place the next time you're downtown!

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Green Vegetarian Cuisine & Coffee

2011-09-08T15:15:00.001-05:00

1017 N. Flores St.

San Antonio, TX 78212

(210) 320-5865

http://www.greensanantonio.com/

I’m a meat and potatoes kind of guy, so going to a strictlyvegetarian restaurant has never really been on my radar, but I was invited out bya friend who wanted me to try this place, and I have to say that I was verypleasantly surprised.

Green Vegetarian Cuisine is not only 100% vegetarian andkosher, but they are also a “green” company. They revitalized a circa 1896 building downtown and tried to make it asenergy efficient as possible, as well as doing their part to recycle. They also serve fair trade coffee, free rangeeggs, and use biodegradable packaging when possible. It’s nice to see a business doing their partto preserve our environment.

I arrived for lunch with my friend and we were seatedimmediately. The restaurant has apleasant décor with plenty of seating both inside and outside. Our wait-person was prompt and took our drinkorders. Since I was in a vegetarianrestaurant I decided to go with the “green” tea, which was a nice change fromthe regular black tea I normally get at restaurants.

The menu is pretty extensive at this eatery, boasting a nicevariety of breakfast food, appetizers, burgers and sandwiches, entrees ofvarying types, including Mexican dishes, and desserts. Needless to say there is plenty to choosefrom, but in the end I ordered something not on the menu. Our wait-person told us that they the specialof the day was sweet potato enchiladas in mole sauce.

I have to say something about “specials.” I have found that the “special” at most restaurantsaren’t really special. They're basicallyjust a random item off their regular menu they’ve decided to highlight. The price isn’t special either because it’sthe same as the menu price. This isn’t true at Green. The special of the day was actually specialbecause it’s not on the menu.

My food arrived and I’m sorry that I didn’t get a picture ofit for this review. It really lookedgood, and smelled wonderful. I wasastounded by the taste too. Theenchiladas had lots of chopped veggies and seasoning inside along with the sweet potato. The mole sauce wasn’t overbearing like I find at a lot of otherrestaurants, it has a great flavor. The dish came with refriedvegetarian beans and a small patch of greens masquerading as a salad. I really enjoyed this meal, it was seasonedperfectly, and tasted great! A vegetarian delight.

Overall, Green is a perfect place to break the everydayrestaurant doldrums. The service isfriendly and fast, and the food is very good and healthy to boot. Definitely put this place on your list ofplaces to visit very soon.

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Marianito’s Extreme TexMex Grill

2011-08-15T12:27:00.005-05:00

2102 Bandera Rd
San Antonio, TX 78228
(210) 433-7100
www.marianitosextremegrill.com

Marianito’s arrived in San Antonio in the winter of 2010. It’s a family operation with a dining area as unique as its menu. Owner Felix Ximenez has a simple philosophy when it comes to food: “Why be normal when you can go extreme!” This mindset is evident in their food with nachos the size of a pizza, and one of the most courageous eating endeavors I’ve even seen – the Extreme Grizzly Burrito. It sounds like a simple bit of Mexican fare with a big tortilla stuffed with carna guisada, refried beans, lots of cheese, enchilada sauce, queso, guacamole, sour cream and red tortillas. Nice, huh? The interesting thing about this dish is that it weighs 7 pounds. My hand to God that is not a typo, the burrito is bigger than that sack of flour you have in your pantry! If you think you can handle it then Felix has a simple challenge for you: eat it in less than an hour and it’s free, which is a big deal because this burrito costs $25.

I hit this restaurant because I saw an article in the paper about some of the best burger joints in town. I decided to clip the article and visit each of the eateries myself and see if the burgers were as good as they claimed.

My dining companion and I arrived for lunch one day, and were seated quickly. I like the décor of this restaurant because it’s fun. There isn’t anything really interesting about the seating, or even the decorations, it’s the walls that are unique. Everywhere you look there is writing on the walls. They let patrons scribble their thoughts about their dining experience anywhere they want, and it’s kind of fun reading all of the different reviews on the walls as you sit and dine.

Our wait-person was very friendly and took our drink orders quickly and returned with our iced teas so fast we didn’t have time to check out the whole menu. After a few minutes I ordered the Green Chile Cheese Burger. It’s a nice sized Black Angus patty topped with grilled New Mexico Chiles, Pepper Jack cheese, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. It comes with steak fries, or you can sub onion rings for .50 cents. I decided to splurge and get the rings.

It took a little while to get our order, which I don’t mind if it’s being made fresh. We spent our time reading the walls and discussing the interesting places people had come from to visit the restaurant, some as far away as Canada.

My lunch arrived and I liked what I saw. The veggies were fresh, and the burger and rings were nice and hot. I really liked the onion rings because they didn’t overcook them. This is something I run into a lot in San Antonio. Cooks throw the rings in the vat and get busy doing something else and they end up with a slight burned taste. But not these, they were perfectly cooked.

The burger was good. I liked the meat because it was tasty without a lot of spices on it. I was especially impressed with the bread. A lot of eateries neglect the very base of a burger by serving buns that have been around too long and fall apart because of staleness. I don’t care how good the meat and veggies are inside the burger, if the bread is stale the burger sucks. I was happy to find that Marianito’s bread was super fresh, soft and warm. It was the perfect container for a very nice burger.

We decided to have some dessert because Marianito’s does something I love; they fry things that aren’t normally fried. You can get friend ice cream, which isn’t that uncommon, but you can also get fried Oreos and Twinkies. I’m a big Oreo fan so I got an order of them. I was surprised because it wasn’t just one or two fried Oreos, it was six, and they were awesome. Hot, melty insides, crispy outsides. A perfect dessert in my book.

Overall, Marianito’s is a fun and tasty place to have dinner or grab lunch. The service is pleasant and fast, and food is very good. Definitely put this place on your list.

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Apple Annie's Restaurant

2011-06-22T14:33:00.003-05:00

2177 NW Military Highway
San Antonio, TX 78213
(210) 491-0226

Apple Annie’s is a nice place I spotted in a small strip mall one day and decided to stop by for lunch. It’s a quaint little place with plenty of seating, and my dining companion and I were seated immediately.

Our server was very pleasant and took our drink orders and returned quickly with two iced teas. As I’ve said before, iced tea is a staple in the South, and it’s hard to find a bad brew around here, and this tea was no exception.

The decor here is pretty basic. It fits the name of the restaurant well, and it's comfortable. I don't like that they have tables right outside the restrooms though. Does that bother anyone else? It's just seems, I don't know, unsanitary. Maybe it's just me.

I ordered the Epicurean Sandwich, which is a hot, open-faced sandwich on toasted wheat bread with turkey breast, ham, sautéed mushrooms, cheddar cheese and a white wine sauce; and comes with a garden salad.

I ordered this meal because the name was unique, and the description was very intriguing. My salad came quickly, and I was impressed. It was large, with fresh greens and strips of carrot, sliced cucumber, and tomato wedges with Ranch dressing on the side. Very good salad! One point though, and I don’t know if you’re like me, but I like to put my dressing on and stir everything up to get the dressing applied evenly throughout the salad. The problem is that so many eateries pile the bowl so full that you can’t stir in your dressing without dumping half of the salad on the table. It’s annoying, but maybe I’m just different and should learn how to apply my dressing differently.

My sandwich arrived, and it was a real feast for my eyes. I’ve never seen anything like it, or tasted anything like it either. This is a spectacular combination of ingredients and sauce in just the right proportion to create a wonderful taste treat that I’ll definitely be back to eat again. It’s not overbearing or understated, you definitely know you’ve eaten a meal when you’re done with this sandwich. Well done Apple Annie!

For dessert I had a peanut butter pie thing that was huge! I had to take half of it home because it was so big and rich I couldn’t eat it all. It was pretty good though.

Overall, Apple Annie’s is a great place to get an out-of-the-ordinary meal that breaks up the monotony of the standard fare served in the area. I recommend this eatery, go eat there and be happy.

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Picnikins Patio Cafe

2011-03-16T14:37:00.000-05:00

6901 Blanco Rd.
San Antonio, TX 78216
(210) 616-0954
www.picnikinspatiocafe.com

Picnikins Patio Café is a new place in town that will do very well once the word gets out. It’s hidden away in the Blanco Junction strip-mall off Blanco and Loop 410, and I found it by accident just driving by one day. It looked inviting, so I decided to stop in.

The atmosphere in this restaurant is very cozy. They have done a great job of creating a place that is comfortable, with plenty of table and half-booth seating, as well as outdoor seating that will make this place a regular hangout for people after work who need to unwind.

The ordering concept is simple; grab a menu on your way in, walk up to the counter and tell them what you want, they give you and number and then you fill your drinking glass at the self serve beverage station and find a seat. When your order is ready they bring it to your table, which is already outfitted with utensils wrapped in a nice napkin.

I ordered the Chicken Salad Platter. Now as I’ve said in previous posts I don’t normally order anything with the word “platter” in it because it’s usually a gigantic dish large enough to feed a small country and isn’t conducive to watching one’s weight, unless you want to watch your weight increase, that is.

However, this dish is a bit of a misnomer because it’s not actually a platter, it’s a bowl of salad greens, sliced tomato, cucumbers, and avocado, and to top it off a scoop of chicken salad with sliced almonds on top. It’s a pretty substantial amount of food but weighs in with less than 300 calories. I ordered Ranch dressing which bumped it up to just under 500, which is still a respectable meal for anyone who is trying to stay under the average San Antonio tonnage.

The dressing came in two small square glass containers, which was a nice touch. They have created a menu with presentation in mind, as you can see from the picture of my salad. I was a bit afraid that the two small containers didn’t hold enough dressing for such a large amount of salad, but I found that after emptying them in the bowl and stirring it up it was plenty.

I opted for water with this meal, so no marks for beverages. But I will give them points for having a nice selection of wines on hand. I will make it a point to try some of them soon.

Overall, Picnikins Patio Café is a very nice addition to the San Antonio food scene. It has a comfortable atmosphere that will be great for hanging out with friends after work, and also a very nice place to eat. The owner has been in the catering business for over 10 years and really knows his stuff. So go try out this new eatery!

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Cerroni’s Purple Garlic

2010-06-10T12:38:00.000-05:00

1017 Austin Highway
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 822-2300

Cerroni’s is a pizza, pasta and sub shop that has a lot going for it. They have a good location off Austin Highway, and they have made very good use of their space. The décor is very inviting with plenty of seating both indoor and outdoor. They have two outdoor seating areas: one at the front of the building with nice tables with umbrellas, and another in the back which is bigger and has a large sandbox for the kids to play in. I will admit that this is one of the more aesthetically pleasing restaurants I’ve been to in a while. They really put some thought into the layout, colors, and decorations in this eatery.

The folks at Cerroni’s have strayed from the regular restaurant flow of either being seated and waited on or ordering from a counter, because they do both. When you walk in you’re met by a greeter, shown to a table, given a menu and then told to go to the front counter when you’re ready to order. You place your order and pay for it, then they bring the food to your table when it’s ready. It’s a bit unconventional, but not too inconvenient.

I ordered a Meatball Sub which is three spicy meatballs smothered with marinara sauce and topped with mozzarella cheese. You get chips with this meal, which you pick out yourself from a rack. I chose Ms Vickie’s Jalapeño, kettle cooked potato chips which are nice a crunchy but not too hot.

The wait time was relatively short, and the sandwich was really good. The marinara sauce has a sweet taste, which I like, and the bread was soft and warm. The meatballs are large and perfectly seasoned to create a very tasty meal.

Overall, this restaurant is a good choice for a great meal in a very comfortable atmosphere. If you’re a family with kids you’ll like the area at the back of the facility with the sandbox for your kids, and the separate area in the front is perfect for those who don’t wish to listen to the little screaming brats.

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Spanky’s Smokehouse and Saloon

2009-12-04T07:48:00.007-06:00

16505 Blanco Rd
San Antonio, TX 78232
(210) 479-7200

Spanky’s is a new place in town with an old idea: serve people food and booze by tightly dressed waitresses. Their logo is a pig wearing sunglasses and a wife-beater t-shirt that says “The BEST Rack In Town.” It’s obvious they're not shooting for the more intelligent demographic of San Antonio, but this is an equal opportunity web site that promises to review any and all restaurants.

My dining companion and I visited this Hooters wannabe for dinner one day, and we were seated right away. It’s a nice atmosphere with plenty of booth and table seating. Our wait person was very friendly and took our drink orders immediately, iced tea.

I started with a salad, which was very disappointing because it was barely bigger than a cup of soup, but cost $3.00! It tasted ok, but not worth the money.

Our wait person was very attentive, and came by often to make sure we had plenty of tea. This always gets big points with me. You can have the best food in the world, but all the customer will remember is their empty drinking glass.

My entrée was pork, straight from the smoker. The portion was generous, served with onions and dill pickle slices on the side. I also had onion rings, which came with a spicy ranch dipping sauce that was very spicy. It complimented the onion rings well though.

The pork was very good. Cooking meat is a tricky thing, and every eatery has a different way of preparing it. Spanky’s meat has a sweet taste to it, which I really liked. It is tender and juicy too. Overall a good meal.

Spanky’s has a good menu with plenty to choose from, and if their pork is any indication this establishment could do well. It’ll depend on if they can bring in enough people who aren’t offended by their “come look at our boobs” business model.

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Paloma Blanca

2009-07-16T14:59:00.002-05:00

5800 Broadway
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 822-6151

Paloma Blanca is like an oasis in the busy area of Alamo Heights. It’s a big place, with different eating areas that help make it a quiet place with both indoor and outdoor seating.

I really like the décor of this restaurant. The architecture is a classy 70’s look with lots of plants, creating a comfortable, relaxing place to eat. I have to be honest, given how nice the place looked I expected an expensive lunch, but found it to be very reasonable.

My dining companion and I were seated immediately, and our wait-person took our drink orders quickly. We were brought chips, and we ordered queso, which was really good. I like when restaurants go the extra mile to find quality cheese, and I could tell they really looked for the good stuff.

I ordered the Enchiladas Tradicionales. This comes with two enchiladas covered with a beef gravy and is filled with your choice of queso Monterrey or beef. You also get Borracho beans and Spanish rice. They also added a quarter leaf of lettuce filled with diced tomatoes to give the presentation an added zip.

I was impressed with the Borracho beans. It’s put together with pieces of bacon, onion, and just the perfect amount of seasoning to give this side dish a wonderful flavor.

The enchiladas are just ok. I like my food cooked and hot, and these were just lukewarm. The gravy was disappointing. If you’re going to put a topping on something, make sure it has the added purpose of enhancing the taste of the meal. The gravy was bland, which made the enchiladas boring.

Overall, this restaurant is one of the best looking establishments in San Antonio, but they need some help with their entrée offerings. I’ll probably try it again, but opt for something other than the enchiladas.

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Crumpets Restaurant & Bakery

2009-04-25T23:33:00.004-05:00

3920 Harry Wurzbach
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 821-5600

Crumpets Restaurant is a very quaint place off Harry Wurzbach. It’s an upscale establishment with both indoor and outdoor seating, with a unique menu that includes Bison and Ostrich.

I visited this eatery one evening for dinner and was seated immediately on the back patio. It’s a very calm atmosphere; perfect for a cozy date with that special someone.

My waitperson arrived quickly and brought water, then took my drink order of iced tea. I really like their tea. It’s a perfect blend that is smooth and tasty enough that you don’t even need to add sugar.

I began with an appetizer of stuffed mushrooms, which were mushroom caps filled with a mixture of Sour Cream, Ham, Parmesan, Bread Crumbs and Spices. They tasted good, but I wasn’t impressed with the spices. I think they could do better and give this appetizer the zip it deserves.

For an entrée I had the Duck Breast Rossini. It is two good sized breasts with a demi-glaze sauce, Port Wine and Paté, served with potatoes and broccoli.

I really like this dish. The duck is tender and juicy, perfectly seasoned and very tasty. The sauce compliments the duck to give it just the right flavor. There is plenty of it too. Between the two duck breasts, ample portions of potatoes and broccoli you’ll definitely get filled up.

For dessert I had the Crème Brûlée. This is by far my favorite dessert, and Crumpets does a great job of preparing this sweet bookend to a great meal.

Overall, Crumpets is a very nice place to relax and enjoy a wonderful meal. Be ready for the tab though, because you’ll pay a bit more for the privilege of eating this finely prepared cuisine.

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The Barn Door Restaurant & Meat Market

2009-04-11T00:08:00.005-05:00

8400 N New Braunfels Ave
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 824-011

The Barn Door is the oldest steak house in San Antonio. Opened in 1953, they specialize in hand-cut meats and homemade pies, along with other very interesting foods.

My dining companion and I arrived for dinner one night and were seated immediately. The décor is country, with lots of old pictures of the restaurant through the years , ranch memorabilia, and photos of celebrities and longhorns hanging on the walls. It’s comfortable and inviting.

Our wait person arrived quickly and took our drink orders. We also ordered an appetizer of crabmeat Jalapeño poppers. The staff at this eatery are very friendly and courteous, and the service is prompt.

Our drinks and appetizer arrived quickly, and I like the Jalapeño poppers. The crabmeat stuffing is tasty and the Jalapeños are just the right temperature; not too hot, but not wimpy either. They came with a cocktail sauce for dipping which I thought was odd. I didn’t expect the sauce to go with the poppers, but I was pleasantly surprised and it actually complimented them very well. It was a nice way to start our meal.

For an entrée I ordered the Barn Door Mixed Grill which consists of a small quail, a bacon wrapped filet, and a bratwurst link. It also comes with a salad, and I ordered it with Ranch dressing.

The salad was simple, made with lettuce, some carrot strips, a cherry tomato, and a banana pepper. It was very good. The lettuce is fresh and clean, and I really like their Ranch dressing, it wasn’t overly ranchy, but wasn’t weak either. Very tasty!

My entrée was pretty good. The quail is a small bird with some of the bones still in. The meat was ok, but there wasn’t really any spices to give it a special taste. It was just all right. So was the filet. It was a bit dry, which was surprising for a filet. It was tender, but again there were no spices to give it any zing. The bratwurst was good. It’s hard to mess up bratwurst. As long as you don’t overcook it, it’s usually going to be good.

Overall, this is a comfortable, pleasant place to have a relaxing meal. I wasn’t really impressed with the quail or filet, especially for the price. But, they have a menu that is pretty extensive and includes stuff like Fried Chicken Livers and Gizzards. So I’m sure you’ll find something that will satisfy your hunger.

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La Focaccia Italian Grill (a twofer!)

2009-03-21T23:58:00.002-05:00

800 S. Alamo
San Antonio, Texas 78205
(210) 223-5353

La Focaccia has been around since 1996. It’s located in the historic King Williams section of San Antonio at South Alamo and Presa St.

My dining companion and I showed up one evening for dinner and were seated immediately. I like the atmosphere of this place. The décor is old Italian, and the wait staff are friendly and helpful. We were lucky enough to be there on a night when Francois was playing. He has an old Wurlitzer style organ and he plays lots of old tunes. It’s fun and enjoyable. He sets a great mood for dining.

Our wait person came by and took our drink order, and we decided on a bottle of 2007 Schmitt Söhme Liebfraumilch. It’s a nice white wine that is a little sweet, and is very smooth with a great body. It’s a great way to start a nice dinner.

We ordered an appetizer of Funghi Ripieni. It consists of mushroom caps filled with crab and herbs in a sherry wine sauce. It’s a good starter because it won’t fill you up like some appetizers. It’s very flavorful, but had more of a wine taste than I cared for.

For in entrée, I ordered the Stuffed Flounder. It’s a filet of flounder filled with crab, scallops, and snapper served in a lemon butter sauce. It comes with a side of spaghetti and fresh vegetables.

Our entrées arrived in a good amount of time, but unfortunately I was brought the wrong order. Our wait person apologized and took the order back.

While I waited I ate my spaghetti, which was good. Nice sized noodles that are perfectly cooked so they’re not too soft or too hard.

My order arrived in less than ten minutes, and I have to give the wait person a lot of credit. He made no excuses, he just quickly corrected the mistake, and I really appreciated his professionalism and the speed in which he corrected my order.

The stuffed flounder is good. Usually the fish used for a “stuffed” fish meal is thin because it doubles in overall size with the stuffing. But not a La Focaccia, they give you a very thick fish filet that is moist, tender, and seasoned very nicely. The stuffing is really good too, and compliments the fish well.

The vegetables consisted of slices of squash, cucumber, and carrots, combined with broccoli and cauliflower. They’re steamed and served just right, not soggy like some places, they were firm and crisp and very good.

As promised… your twofer is that I tried some of my dining companion’s Filet Mignon. Wow, this is a real taste treat. Grilled to give the outside a slightly crisp taste, and tender on the inside, the steak is a dream of perfectly seasoned chargrilled meat.

Overall, the eatery is a very comfortable, relaxing place to enjoy a great Italian meal, and if you’re lucky you’ll get to hear Francois tickle the ivories.

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Fralo’s Art of Pizza

2009-03-01T23:51:00.004-06:00

23651 IH 10 West
San Antonio, TX 78257
(210) 698-6616

Fralo’s is not your ordinary pizza joint. They serve lots of Italian food from Lasagna to Cannelloni, but they specialize in pizza. They hand prepare a variety of specialty pizzas that are fun and eclectic. They’re located off Boerne Stage Road in Leon Springs. The restaurant isn’t very big, but they have ample outside seating that is surrounded by trees lined with lighting effects that create a really nice outdoor environment for dining.

They advertise that you can bring your own alcohol, and most people show up with their favorite wine. I suggest you bring your own bottle opener unless you want to pay the $5 opener charge though.

My dining companion and I showed up on a weekend and the place was packed. We waited an hour for table, and ended up sitting inside because it was the only thing available. Like I said, the outdoor seating is really nice, so everyone wanted those tables, plus there was entertainment that night and everyone wanted to sit where the music was playing.

We decided to share a large pizza and ordered the Spanako. It’s a thin crust pizza topped with butter garlic spread, lamb, roma tomatoes, Turkish calamata olives, purple onions, and feta cheese. It’s kind of like a Gyro Pizza.

Our wait person was nice. He did his best to bring our drinks and food as quickly as possible, which wasn’t very quick because of the number of people at the restaurant. It wasn’t a bad wait though, and the pizza was worth it. I’m not normally a fan of thin crusts, but I have to say that Fralo’s pizza crust is really good. It’s moist and tender, and has a great flavor. The combination of herbs and spices is really good, and I liked the eclectic taste of lamb on the pizza. Very interesting!

Overall, I really have to hand it to the folks at Fralo’s; they really have made pizza an art. But bring plenty of cash, because they charge like its art too!

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Bill Miller Bar-B-Q

2009-02-26T22:28:00.005-06:00

13151 NW Military Hwy
San Antonio, TX 78231
(210) 492-7385

Bill Miller started his business in 1950 as a small poultry and egg place. It’s grown a little over the past 59 years; now there are 68 Bill Miller Bar-B-Q restaurants in Texas. And if that doesn’t tell you that they know what they’re doing, then maybe the fact that they sell over 2,000,000 sausage links a year will tell you something… it’s good BBQ!

The concept of their restaurant is simple… walk in to the counter, order, pay, and then wait for your number to be called. It’s just like any other fast food restaurant; accept for the fact that the food is way better than any fast food joint.

I stopped by this franchise for dinner one night, and there wasn’t a long line. The person behind the counter was very helpful and patient. She made ordering easy.

I ordered a #1. It’s a Brisket Po-Boy sandwich with fries and a large tea. I like that you can order the meat extra lean if you want. I personally don’t go for that “healthy” stuff… I want cow fat on my cow meat! I know, it’s not healthy. All I can say is… SO WHAT! IT’S REALLY GOOD!

Since I ordered the full-fat meat, I decided to raise the bar on having a heart attack before I’m 50 and ordered a big slice of Coconut Cream Pie. Yum, yum!

After placing my order I hit the condiment buffet which you can find at every Bill Miller’s. This thing has it all, from pickles to onions, the buffet has everything you need to eat BBQ.

My food was ready in just a few minutes, and I really enjoyed it. The sandwich was good, with nice, tender meat, and fresh hoagie style bread. I would have liked a little more BBQ sauce though. You can ask for more, but I’d rather get it upfront.

The fries are great. Big, fat fries that are hot and tasty. A perfect match for the sandwich. The pie was good also. Very tasty without being overly coconut-ie. A great desert.

Overall, Bill Miller really got it right when he started making BBQ meat products in a fast food setting. It’s not the best BBQ in the city, but it’s the most popular. Why? Because their food and service are consistently good!

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Pizza Hut

2009-02-23T20:13:00.004-06:00

4500 De Zavala
San Antonio, TX 78249
(210) 493-3101

As promised, I’m a normal person critiquing normal food for normal people. So you’ll be seeing reviews on some of the more normal, everyday kind of restaurants on this site.

Today it’s Pizza Hut. An American icon and one of the first large pizza chain restaurants. I love pizza as much as the next person, and I’ve tried Little Caesar’s and Dominos, but my favorite remains Pizza Hut.

The establishment on the corner of De Zavala and Roger’s Parkway is kind of out of the way. I found it by accident just driving by one day. It’s a clean place, as most Pizza Hut’s are, with a salad bar and prompt service.

My dining companion and I were seated immediately and our drinks arrived soon after. We ordered personal pizzas because my companion likes thin crust and I like pan, so getting our own pie is a great solution.

Pizza takes at least 20 minutes to cook no matter where you go, which is fine. I had some cheese sticks and sauce to pass the time. Their cheese sticks are good. Nice and hot and very cheesy. The sauce however, was apparently from the very bottom of the pot. How do I know this? It was less than lukewarm, thick, sticky, and had a burned taste. Plus the wait person told me it was.

I opted not to dip my sticks and ate them a la naturale. They were good by themselves though.

The pizza arrived and as usual it was very good. I love hot food that arrives hot. The pizza was hot enough that I had to blow one each bite, which is a plus to me. It means someone actually took the time to cook my meal.

Overall, if you’re one of the few people left on the planet that doesn’t have their pizza delivered, going out to the Pizza Hut on De Zavala is worth the drive.

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Dough Pizzeria Napoletana

2009-02-23T15:19:00.004-06:00

6989 Blanco Road
San Antonio TX 78216
(210) 979-6565

The Dough Pizzeria has a name that is interesting in that it’s not only named after the material their pizza is made of, dough, but it’s also the owner’s first name and last initial, Doug H. Pretty nifty coincidence and a great name for a pizza place.

This joint is tucked away in the Blanco Junction Shopping Center off Blanco and Loop 410, so you kind have to look for it. The bad thing about being in a strip mall is that space is a premium and restaurants can sometimes be a little cramped, and unfortunately Dough’s suffers from a severe lack of space, which they made worse by packing in too many tables. This would be ok if you don’t mind making new friends with the people sitting around you, but if you want a semi-private conversation with your dining companion you’ll need to sit on their patio, which boasts more space in between each table.

They did a good job with the space the have outside. The patio is pretty spacious, and has ample seating if you’re in the mood for outdoor dining. They also have large heaters for when it’s cold, and they have throw blankets on the chairs if you need to cover up. This of course will not be the case during the summer months, but luckily their restaurant doesn’t face the setting sun, so it shouldn’t be too hot in the evenings.

My dining companion and I were greeted by a very nice lady who took us to our table. We were there a little early, so the dinner crowd hadn’t shown up yet, but by the time we left it was standing room only at the door.

I’ll give this place credit for having friendly staff. Our hostess and waiter were both very nice, and helpful. We started off with an appetizer of Flat Bread made with herbs, garlic and extra virgin olive oil. It came hot and fresh, and there was plenty of it. I enjoyed this starter; it’s a good way to begin a meal.

For an entrée we opted for pizza. They have a good sized list of pizza to choose from, and anything else you want on it is extra. We ordered the Margherita.

The wait time for our food wasn’t too long. They cook their pizza in a real Italian pizza oven, so it takes a little time.

I have to say that coming from a budget conscious, “every persons” point of view that I think they charge way too much for additional toppings. Seriously, $3 to add mushrooms? And if you want Prosciutto (ham), you’ll pay $5! Perhaps they’re still paying off their imported pizza oven.

I’ve been to Italy, and I ate a lot of pizza, and I was impressed with the pizza at Dough’s. It’s about the closest thing to real Italian pizza I’ve found in San Antonio. The crust is thin, and the sauce is very flavorful without being overbearingly tomato-ie.

I wasn’t impressed, however, by how they burned the crust. Not all of it. The crust bubbled up on the outer crust so it cooked twice as fast in those places as the rest of the pizza. We ended up with lots of burned bubbles on our pizza. We had to chip these off before we could eat.

The meal was pretty good overall. But the experience wasn’t that great. We had to sit too close to other patrons, and our pizza looked like a war zone with the burned bubbles all over it, and when we tried to leave I was almost run over several times by their wait-staff and couldn't get out the door because there were so many people waiting to be seated.

Lastly, I have to mention that I’m a stickler for details, and I was very disappointed that the prices on the menu they have on their website aren't accurate. They need to keep this kind of advertising up to date.

Overall, I have mixed feelings about this place. Great outside seating, sucky inside. Great tasting pizza, but burn bubbles on it. I’d say go here for lunch rather than dinner, but they’re not open for lunch during the week. Aside from the burned parts, though, the rest of the pizza was really good, and very authentic. They definitely need a bigger building, and some space in between their tables, as well as a larger waiting area. They also need to teach their staff to give patrons the right-of-way.

It’s a toss up.

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Ácenar Mexican Restaurant

2009-02-19T07:31:00.003-06:00

146 E Houston St
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 222-2362

Ácenar is located downtown on the river next to the Valencia hotel. It’s a good location providing a relaxing atmosphere for outside dining and plenty of good food.

My dining companion and I arrived for dining one evening and were seated immediately. The weather was nice so we sat outside. This joint is usually pretty busy, so it doesn’t hurt to go to their website and make a reservation if want to ensure a guaranteed spot.

The wait-staff are friendly and do their best to give quick and courteous service. Our wait-person brought our drinks quickly and took our food orders. We started with an appetizer of Queso Flameado which consists of Chihuahua and Jack cheeses, mushrooms, chorizo, and pico de gallo. Served hot, with tortillas, this is a great way to start your meal. The quality cheese and other ingredients are a great flavor sensation that gets your smiling.

For an entrée I ordered Crepas de Pato, which is duck crepes. It’s an interesting combination of corn Serrano crepes filled with roasted duck, onions, corn, and a really good sauce, then covered in tamarindo-tomato grilled onion sauce and cheese. There are two crepes in this meal, and it comes nicely garnished with what appeared to be very thin shoestring potatoes.

As with most Mexican restaurants my meal was served on a very hot plate. This is usually a red flag because I’ve found that a lot of Mexican eateries heat their plates to the temperature of the sun, then half cook their food and expect the plate to do the rest. But not at Ácenar. I was very happy to find that my food was completely cooked and hot all the way through. I just had to be careful not to touch the plate for fear of losing some skin!

I really enjoyed this meal. They really have a good handle on putting the right flavors all in one dish.

Overall, this is a great place to either sit at the bar and relax, or get some wonderful food. It’ll cost you a few bucks though, as with most downtown dining. But it’s worth it!

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Sompong’s Thai and Chinese Cuisine

2009-02-13T16:09:00.002-06:00

8110 Fredericksburg Rd
San Antonio, TX 78229
(210) 614-0845

The search for a quick and easy lunch spot is always a challenge, especially if you want it to be good too. But I found a nice little joint off Fredericksburg and Datapoint Dr. that fits the bill, Sompong’s.

This is a small place in a strip mall that is kind of hidden behind a Diamond Shamrock gas station. It’s cozy inside, with nice tables and pleasant décor.

I stopped by with some friends for lunch one day and we were seated quickly. Our wait person was friendly and brought our drinks and meals quickly.

I ordered the Sweet and Sour Pork, fried rice and a Spring Roll. I was impressed with the entire meal. The pork was tender, with a batter that was light and tasty, and wasn’t overcooked. The accompanying vegetables were large cuts of Green Pepper, Carrots, Pineapple, and Onion. All very fresh and crisp.

I really like their fried rice. It’s not dry, and has a lot of different ingredients that produce a wonderful flavor. It’s a perfect companion for the pork.

The only improvement I noticed was the sauce, which was good, but not as great as the rest of the meal warranted. It needs more flavor to make the meal pop.

Overall Sompong’s is a good place to have lunch. The service is quick and friendly, and the food is better than a lot of the larger, established competition.

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Ajuua!

2009-01-30T07:48:00.006-06:00

11703 Huebner Rd Ste 203
San Antonio, TX-78230
(210) 877-0600

Ajuua! is a Mexican and Latin fare restaurant in a strip mall on the corner of Huebner and Vance Jackson. It’s all the way in the back and hard to see, but well worth your time to visit if you can find it.

I like this little joint. They’ve done a good job of decorating and creating a relaxing atmosphere with nice table seating both inside and outdoors. They also have a small bar you can sit in if you just want a drink with some friends.

My dining companion and I arrived for dinner one night and were seated immediately. Our wait-person was very nice. He did an excellent job of getting our drink orders and checking in every once and a while. He was friendly and courteous, and really seemed interested in making our dining experience a nice one.

I ordered the Rob’s Enchiladas. This dish was created by former NBA star Robert Horry when he played in San Antonio for the Spurs. It’s marinated chicken fajita plus seasoned grilled shrimp with sautéed mushrooms, wrapped in two flour tortillas and draped with white wine rajas cream sauce and Monterey Jack cheese. It’s served with Mexican white rice and black beans; and it’s really good.

I didn’t know Mr. Horry was such a chef, and I have to give him Kudos; these enchiladas are a wonderful combination of spices, sauces, and ingredients that will satisfy even the pickiest of Mexican food lovers. A truly magnificent Latin meal.

The rice and beans we’re standard fare, nothing special about them, but they tasted good and complimented the meal well.

Our wait-person did what I consider a really classy thing and took our leftovers to the kitchen and boxed them up for us. This simple thing goes a long way in people’s eyes, and too many restaurants simply bring a box and set it on the table. They could learn a few things about customer satisfaction from Ajuua!.

Overall, Ajuua! is a warm, comfortable little place that seems to be getting it right in the food and service departments. Definitely put this place on your mealtime agenda!

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Chester’s Hamburger Company

2009-01-26T07:49:00.003-06:00

9980 IH 10 W, San Antonio
(210) 699-1222

It doesn’t get any more American than hamburgers, and there are only a few spots in town that really make them well, and Chester’s is one of them.

I dropped in for lunch one day, and I like the décor of this place. It’s simple, with old signs hanging on the walls, and nice seating both inside and on the covered patio. This is a pretty popular place, so you’ll probably stand in line before you get to the counter to order.

I had a Cheeseburger. It comes with all the fixin’s, but you can add or delete things how ever you want. I also ordered fries and an Iced Tea.

The post order wait at this restaurant depends on how many people are there, but it’s usually not a tremendous amount of time before they call your name and you’re ready to dive into this master piece of meatery.

There burgers are large, and they really do a great job of putting the right amount of ingredients together to make a very flavorful and filling meal. I’ve never had a bad burger at this joint. They really have it down to a science.

The fries are good. Just basic potato slices that are fried. They’re usually cooked just right, but occasionally they’ll over cook them.

Their Iced Tea is good. Most restaurants in San Antonio know how to make Iced Tea, so it’s hard to find a bad cup of this stuff. You can get it here both sweetened as well as unsweetened.

Overall, Chester’s is a great place to have a relaxing burger and fries that has stood the test of time and continues to be one of San Antonio’s better burger joints. Definitely put it on your list!

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Chris Madrid’s

2009-01-15T12:37:00.008-06:00

1900 Blanco Rd
San Antonio, TX 78212
(210) 735-3552

Chris Madrid’s opened 32 years ago as a taco and burger joint. It became clear almost immediately that Chris’ burgers were something special, and it didn’t take long before they became so popular that the tacos were dropped from the menu and they began serving burgers exclusively.

It remains one of the most popular burger eateries in San Antonio, and for good reason, the burgers are really, really good.

I went with some friends for lunch a few weeks ago and arrived before noon, which is the best time to be there if you expect to eat and get back to work in a hour. Chris Madrid’s fills up quickly. I’m not kidding, at times the line can literally be seen to go from the register to almost the other end of the restaurant!

The décor is simple, with ample table seating both inside and outside. They have a bar in the back if you want to drop by after work for a few, and overall it’s a very relaxing atmosphere.

You order at the counter at this restaurant, then pick up your drink on your way to find a table. The folks are very friendly and helpful. A big plus for any service-based business.

You can order your burger in two sizes: Regular or Macho. The regular sized burger is actually enough to fill up any normal person. It’s pretty big. Larger in diameter than any McDonald’s or Sonic burger by at least a third.

I can only assume that the Macho sized burger is for someone who, like the burger, is larger than life themselves. Either that or you’re going to serve your whole family with it.

The fries come in a pretty large size also. It’s best to have a “fry buddy” for this serving, it’s enough to fill up two people with no problem. I like the way they make them too. They’re just basic cut potatoes that are fried. The secret to making them this way is not to overcook them, which can easily happen. But the folks at Chris Madrid’s have this down to a science and they come out perfectly crisp, but not with the burned taste you find at other restaurants.

I ordered a Flaming Jalapeno with Cheddar. It’s made with mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and a very generous helping of jalapeno pepper slices. And of course, cheddar cheese. Lots of cheddar cheese. So much that it hangs out of the sides.

All I can say is man, these folks really do make a great hamburger. It’s a tasty, flavorful, perfectly seasoned masterpiece of cooked beef. Definitely one of the best burgers in the city.

Need a burger fix? Go here… eat... and smile a lot.

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Old Smokehouse

2009-01-04T22:30:00.003-06:00

5145 Fredericksburg Rd
San Antonio, TX 78229
(210) 340-5039

Old Smokehouse is a small BBQ joint on the corner of Fredericksburg and Callahan. I never knew it was there until someone pointed it out, so look for it or you’ll miss it.

I went for lunch one day with some friends and got there about 11:30, which was a good time because it tends to get very busy around noon.

It’s an “order at the counter” kind of place, so I went up and ordered the Daily Special #2. It comes with Brisket, Chicken, and Spare Ribs. You also get two sides, so I ordered Potato Salad and Pinto Beans. I was disappointed in the selection of sides. They only have 3, with Cole Slaw being the other choice.

I took my cup over to the self serve drink island and got some sweet tea. I unfortunately had to pour it out because it tasted overly sweet, and really lemony. The unsweetened tea is ok though.

They called my order in less than ten minutes and I went up and got it. This restaurant definitely works on a low budget. The plates and cups are Styrofoam, and the utensils are plastic. I’m ok with this, it’s almost like camping.

There was plenty of Brisket, which was really good, but only one Rib, which was so tough I couldn’t eat it. The Chicken was good, as well as the sides I ordered. I will say that the BBQ sauce is really good though. It’s slightly sweet, and has a great flavor.

The one thing I really didn’t like about this place is the lack of ventilation. They cook the meat on an open flame, but it doesn’t vent to the outside very well. My eyes literally burned after about 20 minutes, and everyone I had lunch with smelled like smoke the rest of the day. Yuck.

Overall, this is a cheap place to eat that has pretty good food. I’d get it to go though.

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Little Italy Restaurant

2008-12-29T08:42:00.001-06:00

824 Afterglow St
San Antonio, TX 78216
(210) 349-2060

Little Italy is a very quaint little eatery that strives to be as authentically Italian as possible, and I think they’ve done a good job of it.

I had dinner there one evening, and my dining companion and I didn’t have to wait for a table at all. This isn’t the norm at this restaurant, we just happened to be there at the right time. It’s usually a pretty busy place.

I like that they bring you a little taste of something from the kitchen before you begin. Our wait-person presented us with two small slices of cheese pizza, and then took our drink orders.

The pizza is really good. I don’t normally go for straight cheese pizza, but this had a really great flavor. So we decided to go with the pizza theme and ordered one of their specials with artichoke, prociutto, tomatoes, and green olives.

Our pizza arrived in a good amount of time, and it was great. This is real pizza, Italian style. It’s a perfect combination of ingredients with just the right amount of sauce. Served hot, and fresh.

Overall, Little Italy is a nice place to relax that has a wonderful Italian atmosphere, good service, and great food.

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P.F. Chang’s China Bistro

2008-12-29T08:22:00.005-06:00

15900 LaCantera Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78256
(210) 507-6500

P.F. Chang’s is a chain restaurant, but with a slightly more upscale atmosphere and price. The one I visited was in the La Cantera Mall, which is at Loop 1604 and I-10, next to Six Flags.

This is a busy restaurant, not only because the food is good, but more so because it’s in a mall. My dining companion and I waited about an hour for a table.

After being seated our wait-person showed up quickly and took our drink orders. We also ordered an appetizer of Harvest Spring Rolls. He did a good job of managing the tables he was assigned, and got to us regularly with drink refills. He also did a good job explaining the different sauces he put on the table, and how they interact with each other.

The spring rolls are good. They come with a sweet-n-sour sauce that complimented them well. They’re filled with shredded vegetables, such as carrots, celery, and cabbage. You only get two rolls, but they’re a lighter fair, served fresh and hot. A good way to begin a meal.

For an entrée I had the Double Pan-Fried Noodles. I thought this would be a smaller meal, but I was wrong. It’s a good sized portion that you can share with someone if you would like.

The meal consists of semi-crisp egg noodles stir-fried with vegetables and served with a choice of beef, pork, chicken or shrimp. I opted for combo serving and got all of the meat.

I really like this entrée. It’s served in a heavy sauce that makes it a very hearty meal, and the ingredients are well thought out and proportioned. The resulting flavor is wonderful. And as with all of their meals, it’s served piping hot and fresh. A really great meal.

Overall, P.F. Chang’s is a very nice restaurant with great food and a pretty comfortable atmosphere. I never recommend going to a restaurant in a mall if you’re looking for a really relaxing night out though, so check this franchise out at a non-mall location if you can. Either way, you’ll get a meal worth the price.

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Zorbas Greek Mediterranean Cuisine

2008-12-24T16:43:00.003-06:00

2110 N.W. Military Hwy
San Antonio, TX 78213
(210) 541-9936

Zorbas is fairly new in town, which was evident when I arrived for dinner one night and had to sit in a certain part of the restaurant because there were people laying floor tiles in the other part. It wasn’t an inconvenience or anything; I just thought it was odd to be doing construction in the middle of the dinner rush.

However, Zorbas is trying to build a nice establishment, and so far they’re doing a good job. They have a bit to go though, with only standard tables and chairs so far. But I think they’ll continue to grow and add to the restaurant as time goes on. I’m sure they’ll be around for a while too, because the food is good!

Instead of music playing from an integrated sound system, Zorbas has a television on the wall tuned to a Mediterranean satellite station playing music videos in languages that reminded me of a bad Bollywood movie. It isn’t unpleasant though. In fact, it was interesting and fun to watch.

We started out with an appetizer of Sfiha. It consists of seasoned ground beef, onions, and tomatoes baked on a flatbread, then cut into four wedges like a pizza. They topped two of the slices with a pickle half, and the other two with a slice of tomato.

I really enjoyed this appetizer. The spices are slightly hot, and the taste was really good. The flatbread was crisp, but not hard. A really good way to start the meal.

For my entrée I ordered a Beef and Lamb Gyro. It’s put together with Taziki sauce (cucumber, yogurt, garlic, and oregano), lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. Wrap it all in fluffy gyro bread and you have a great tasting meal. I was particularly happy with the Gyro Bread. It is warm and soft and has a great taste.

The secret to a good Gyro Sandwich is the meat. Too often I’ve had meat that was hard and tough from sitting under heat lamps all day. Zorbas doesn’t do this, and their meat is tender and flavorful. Great job!

Overall, Zorbas is an up-and-coming restaurant that I’m sure will continue to bring in customers with their delightful menu and good service. It’s nice to see a small place where the owner takes the time to serve his patrons. Put this place on your list of eateries to visit!

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410 Diner

2008-12-24T13:50:00.004-06:00

8315 Broadway St
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 822-6246

The 410 Diner is a popular little place just inside Loop 410 on Broadway. It’s an old school looking diner that has a lot of great food.

I visited this establishment for lunch one day, and not knowing that it didn’t open until 11:00 I sat in my car for about 15 minutes. However, this turned out to be a good thing because my dining companion and I were the first people in the door, which also turned out to be a good thing because this little diner is a local favorite and it filled up quickly.

The décor is very interesting. It’s decked out like a 50’s – 60’s diner, so it’s quaint and comfortable with plenty of table and booth seating.

The service was a little slow getting started because we were so early, and my advice for the management (which I’m sure they don’t need), is to have your employees show up 30 minutes early so they aren’t putting starters on the tables while the early customers sit and wait.

I ordered the Shrimp Po Boy Sandwich, which comes with Onion Rings or Fries. I opted for the Fries.

Our food arrived in a short amount of time, and our wait-person was very good about checking in on us for drink refills and anything else we needed.

Unlike some restaurants who feel that piling the contents of a sandwich so high that you can’t close your bread is a good thing, the 410 Diner only puts a human amount of shrimp and lettuce. They also use a very flavorful, mild sauce that complimented the sandwich very well. The shrimp is medium sized and breaded with a nice batter. Combined with a soft hoagie style bun this is a really good sandwich.

The fries are big and fat. They dust them with a seasoning that looks like red pepper, but isn’t hot. It gives the fries a nice taste that went well with the sandwich.

Overall, the 410 Diner is a wonderful little restaurant that throws back to the day when people met with their neighborhood friends for good food and good conversation. It’s a great place to eat, and a fun place to gather. Go check it out.

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La Fonda Oak Hills

2008-12-24T12:51:00.005-06:00

350 Northaven Street
San Antonio, TX, 78229
(210) 342-8981

I went by La Fonda for lunch one day. It wasn’t tremendously busy, so my dining companions and I were seated immediately.

I like the décor of the restaurant. It’s decked out with interesting artwork and has an old-world Mexican feel.

I ordered the Special No. 2, which consists of a Guacamole Salad, Enchilada, Spanish Rice, Beans, and your choice of a Beef or Chicken Taco, or Queso.

The wait-staff at La Fonda are very nice, and did a good job keeping our Iced Tea glasses full. We didn’t have to wait very long for our food either.

However, I found the food to be unremarkable. It’s served hot, which I like, but it’s very bland. Mexican food is supposed to be spicy and flavorful, but unfortunately their food is neither.

Overall, La Fonda has a nice relaxing atmosphere that would be good for kicking back after work with a few friends. But unfortunately their food is only Mexican enough to satisfy a Yankee. If you’re looking for good Mexican food, this isn’t it.

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Frederick’s Bistro

2008-11-24T16:45:00.004-06:00

14439 NE Military Hwy, Suite 100
San Antonio, TX 78231

Frederick’s Bistro is an anomaly because it’s a pretty high end establishment that’s tucked away in a strip-mall off NW Military Highway and Huebner Rd. You don’t usually find swanky joints like this in a strip-mall, so I wasn’t prepared for what I found inside.

My dining companion and I showed up one evening and were seated immediately. The ambiance is very relaxing; with a nice mix of smooth and progressive jazz playing over the sound system.

I have to be honest and say that this place kind of messes with your senses. You can see into the kitchen through a wide opening, with what appears to be heat lamps across the top of the opening, a la Jim’s Restaurant. And they have booths along the walls with tables in the center of the place. However, the décor is nice. Really nice. Each table and booth is dressed with cloth tablecloths and all of the appropriate silver and glassware found in a fine restaurant. I guess the best word for this place is eclectic.

We sat down and the first person to visit our table was a Wine Steward who introduced himself and asked if we’d like some wine. We ordered a Riesling which was very good. I didn’t jot down the maker of it though. But their wine list boasts some vintages that will set you back a few hundred dollars.

Our wait person arrived and I ordered the Duck Confit with Garlic Herbs Potato Rissolee.

While we waited our waiter brought a basket with two small, personal sized loafs of bread with butter. It was very tasty. Warm and soft, but nothing extraordinary.

The wait staff was very attentive, filling our water glasses regularly, and the manager came by for a quick hello.

Our food arrived, and my entrée was two, nicely sized chunks of meat with the bone in. It also had asparagus, carrots, bits of red pepper, broccoli, and small diced potatoes on top of a brown sauce.

I tried the duck, and it was dry. So I stripped the meat off of the bones and mixed it with the sauce and vegetables. This was much better. It had a very nice flavor, and although it didn’t look like a lot of food, it turned out to be plenty. Overall the meal was pretty good. Not as great as I anticipated given the fanciness and price of the restaurant.

For desert I ordered the Mango Crème Brule with Raspberry Coulis. I was a little unsure about it at first. I like my Crème Brule without any added flavors, which is why I didn’t use the Raspberry Coulis. And Crème Brule should have a substantial shell on top, which this didn’t. But I will give it credit because it tasted really good.

Overall, I don’t think a really posh restaurant should have a suite number in it’s address, but this place is new, and they’re trying something different. They have some growing pains to get through before I can give them a rating commensurate with their expensive menu. The sign on their door says they open at 5pm, but the folks inside say they open at 5:30. They also need to figure out where they’re located, because the take-away menu I picked up on my way out says their address is on NE Military instead of NW Military.

It’s the little details that make a good restaurant great.

However, if you’re looking for a nice place to celebrate a special occasion, and have at least a c-note burning a hole in your pocket, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this nice, up and coming establishment.

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Baskin-Robbins

2008-11-08T23:06:00.001-06:00

5238 De Zavala Rd Ste 132
San Antonio, TX 78249
(210) 699-3911

Like most people, I love ice cream. I remember when the best treat in the world was a soft cone at the corner drug store. Now we have myriad choices for designer ice cream at more locations that we can actually visit. But you know, that just makes life sweeter.

This franchise is located in a strip mall off De Zavala and I-10 West. It’s small, and usually packed with people, so it can take a while to get your order. It’s usually manned by high school kids with no adult supervision, so that tends to slow things down a little too. But for the most part they try their best.

There’s really only one thing I need from Baskin Robbins, and that’s Peanut Butter Chocolate. It’s a simple idea: take creamy, smooth chocolate ice cream and add a bunch of real, chunky peanut butter. It’s awesome.

And as long as you’re going out for this treat, don’t waste your time having it scooped into a cup or cone by some pimply-faced kid. Just hit the freezer and grab a pre-packed pint to take home and enjoy over the next week. Well, maybe the next couple of days. Ok, ok… day. Hey, this stuff is too good to stop until it’s gone!

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Ding How Chinese Restaurant

2008-11-08T22:46:00.004-06:00

4531 NW Loop 410
San Antonio, TX 78229
(210) 340-7944‎

Ding How is one of those restaurants that is always full of happy patrons. It’s a traditionally decorated Chinese eatery with great food, and great service.

My dining companion and I showed up one day for lunch, and as usual it was standing room only. We were seated pretty quickly and our wait-person took our drink orders. She was very friendly and attentive; keeping our drinks filled and stopped by frequently to ask if we needed anything.

I ordered the Sweet and Sour Pork. It’s a mainstay of the Chinese genre, consisting of chunks of pork, battered and fried. Serviced with slices of onion, green peppers, carrots, and pineapple with a sweet dipping sauce and rice.

I was surprised when our wait-person literally returned in less than 90 seconds with our food. Normally when food arrives this quickly it’s because it’s sitting under a heat lamp in the back, dried out and hard. But I really have to give Ding How credit because the food was fresh and hot, and very good. There was plenty of it too, but I couldn’t stop eating and managed to finish my plate.

Overall, Ding How is a great restaurant with a wonderful, relaxing atmosphere and superb food. You can’t go wrong here, go eat it!

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Big Easy Café

2008-11-02T21:00:00.005-06:00

5170 Randolph Boulevard
San Antonio, TX 78233
(210) 653-5688

The Big Easy Café was started by a few folks who came to San Antonio in search of a safe haven during hurricane Katrina. They went back to New Orleans after the storm, but decided that San Antonio was a better place to live and came back.

You can tell as soon as you arrive that this eatery is maintained on a fairly low budget because there’s no sign! If you didn’t know this building was a restaurant you wouldn’t stop. There’s nothing but a large white board by the street that says “5170.” That’s it.

My dining companion and I went in and were told to sit anywhere, which wasn’t a difficult choice because there are only eight tables in the joint. It’s a clean place though; with nice cloth chairs and Mardi Gras pictures on the wall. It’s comfortable and you can tell they’re really trying to make it a nice restaurant.

There was only one wait-person, which made for slow service. It took between 5-10 minutes before we were asked what we wanted to drink. We both ordered sweet tea, which arrived in Styrofoam cups, which is ok, but if they intend to make good on their advertising and offer “formal” as well as “casual” dining they need to improve on their inventory of place settings.

I ordered the Seafood Boil, which consists of boiled Blue Crab, Shrimp, Corn, Potatoes, Turkey Necks, and Smoked Sausage. I also ordered a cup of Gumbo.

While we waited for our food the cook came out and asked us to try something. He gave us two whole shrimps that had been boiled with Zatarain’s spices. We peeled them and they were good. Juicy with just the right amount of spice.

My appetizer arrived, and I was impressed with the presentation. It was a cup on a small oval plate with two slices of French bread, garnished with flakes of parsley. I knew it was going to be good because good gumbo should have a dark broth, and this stuff was dark. It had rice, shrimp, sausage, a real crab claw, chicken (including bones), and sliced green onion. It was really good. Definitely some of the better gumbo you’ll find in this city.

Our food arrived and I have to give them credit for doing the best they can with what appears to be a shoestring budget. My dining companion got a plate made of, well, plate material; but I got a Styrofoam plate. Seriously. A flimsy, cheap Styrofoam plate! I know they’re a small place just getting started, but get some plates!

My dinner consisted of two full crabs, a small ear of sweet corn, two small sausage links, half a potato, and four full sized Shrimp. I didn’t get the Turkey Necks advertised on the menu, but I didn’t mind.

I’ve had crab before, but it’s always been stuffed, which means you get the top shell filled with stuffing. The crabs I got at the Big Easy weren’t just the shell, they were the whole crab. Literally the entire crab was boiled and put on my plate. I had no idea how to eat these things! I finally flagged the wait-person down and he told me basically to stick my thumbs up its rear end and then pull the top and bottom halves apart.

Uh. Ok.

I went for it and pulled the crab apart. Yuck! What a mess. I’ve never seen the insides of a crab, and honestly I don’t think I need to ever see it again. I didn’t know what was eatable inside this thing. Our wait-person got a guy out of kitchen to explain what to eat, and I was very disappointed to find that there is actually very little meat inside a crab. Out of both of these large crabs I probably got maybe two table spoons full of meat.

The corn and potato were both good. They’re boiled in the pot with the other stuff so they have the spices in them. Very good.

The sausage looked and tasted like something they bought at the supermarket. Nothing special at all. They need to work on this.

The Shrimp were good. They come whole, so you have to pull them apart to get to the meat. I don’t mind doing this, and their Shrimp are big, which makes it easier.

Our wait-person did a good job of keeping our drinks filled. They need to work on this whole process though. Rather than have him take our cups to the back to put tea in them each time, you’d think he’d just bring a pitcher around like most restaurants. I think they’re still learning though.

Overall, this is cozy little starter restaurant that needs customers to really get the business going. The owner stopped by our table and chatted for about 10 minutes, and I think she has some great ideas, like a wine a food tasting night, and another night for playing dominoes and cards. If they can keep people coming in and build some capital, I think this establishment has the capability to grow into a really popular restaurant. Go check them out!

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Pappasito’s Cantina

2008-10-30T13:44:00.003-05:00

10501 I-10 W
San Antonio, TX 78230
(210) 691-8974

Pappasito’s is a chain owned by “Pappas Restaurants,” who also own other restaurants such as Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Yia Yia Mary’s Greek Kitchen, and Pappas Grill. It’s a big company, but the reason they’re successful is because they put out a really great product.

This particular restaurant is across the highway from USAA, and near a ton of hospitals, so it gets a lot of business. My dining companions and I arrived for dinner one evening and were lucky enough to be seated quickly. This is a relaxing establishment, decorated with traditional Mexican lights and scenery, so it’s a regular watering hole for the weary workers in the local area.

Our wait-person arrived and took our drink orders, and we ordered some beef fajita nachos.

Our drinks and appetizer arrived quickly, and I have to say that their nachos are some of the best I’ve ever had. Perfectly seasoned fajita meat, cheese and refried beans piled on crisp tortilla chips with guacamole and sour cream on the side; these nachos make a great way to start your meal.

I ordered the Seafood Enchiladas. They’re cheese enchiladas with shrimp, scallops, crawfish & avocado in a cream sauce. They also come with Fried Rice and your choice of Refried or Borracho Beans.

Our food arrived in a short amount of time, and the enchiladas are top of the line. They don’t skimp on anything, they pile on the seafood and sauce with great tortillas and cheese. These enchiladas are some of the best in the city and more than you can eat. But you’ll eat it all anyway because it’s too good to stop!

I had the Borracho Beans, which are really good. They add tomatoes and onions and just the right amount of spices for a great taste.

The rice, unfortunately, was luke warm. The taste was ok, but I don’t like food that’s cold when it’s meant to be eaten hot.

Overall, Pappasito’s is one of the better Mexican eateries in town. You’ll pay for it though; my enchiladas were over $17. But if you’re in the mood for good Tex-Mex and have a few extra dollars, go here, eat, and be very happy.

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Marie Callender’s

2008-10-29T07:27:00.007-05:00

4788 NW Loop 410
San Antonio, TX 78229
(210) 680-4257‎

Marie Callender’s has been around for over 60 years. They’re mostly known for their outstanding pies, but I found they have pretty good food too!

My dining companions and I arrived for dinner one evening and we didn’t have to wait long to be seated. Most of the wait was because there was a large crowd at their pie counter and the hostess was trying to help check some of those people out.

The restaurant is nice. The décor is soothing and pleasant and they have ample table and booth seating. We ordered our drinks and they came pretty quickly, but both of my dining companions sent their drinks back because their glasses were dirty. We were also brought cornbread, which is really good. It comes with honey butter, which I love. The bread was hot and the butter melted into it creating a great tasting appetizer.

I ordered the Chicken Pot Pie. It’s a classic we’ve all probably eaten from the super market, but those frozen meals don’t begin to compare to Marie Callender’s. Loaded with tender chunks of chicken with seasonings and vegetables, topped with a flaky crust, this is a hardy meal.

Our food came quickly, and the serving size of their Pot Pie is enough for anyone. Probably two anyone’s in most cases.

I started to dig into my meal with the soup spoon that came with it but noticed it was dirty. I set it aside and one of my dining companions gave me their spoon, but that one was dirty too!

I gave them both to our wait-person who brought a clean utensil and I was finally able to dive into my Pot Pie. I broke open the crust and it was steaming hot underneath. I don’t know if it’s the ceramic bowl it’s served in or what, but my food refused to cool off. It was good though, really good. A true American classic.

For dessert I had a slice of Coconut Cream Pie. Awesome. Great taste with the perfect amount of coconut and not too much sweetness.

Overall, Marie Callender’s is a great place to dine. The atmosphere is relaxing, and the food is really great. Their prices are a little on the high side though. With every meal starting north of $10 I would expect a cleaner restaurant.

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Augie’s Barbed Wire Smokehouse

2008-10-26T22:07:00.003-05:00

3709 N. Marys St
San Antonio, TX 78212
(210) 735-0088

Located near the Zoo and the Sunken Gardens, Augie’s is one of those places that you could pass right by if you weren’t looking for it. It’s unassuming and plain looking, but don’t let that fool you, the food is pretty good.

I went with some friends for an evening meal, and we arrived pretty early to get a good seat. You have to do the cattle call at the counter to order, but it goes pretty quickly. I ordered a 3-meat meal with Sausage, Brisket, and Pork Ribs. For sides I ordered baked beans and corn on the cob. The person behind the counter was very helpful and pleasant. He prepared my plate as I waited and handed it to me with a smile. A great way to start a meal.

After grabbing an Iced Tea and paying for my meal I went with my group outside. I really like the seating they have. The area has a high fence around it for privacy, and it’s very low-key. They have a small stage where bands play on certain days, but that night they had some very nice jazz music playing through the sound system.

I enjoyed the different kinds of meat. Their sauce is pretty good. I’ve had better, but it’s not bad at all. I like their pork ribs, and the sausage is flavorful. You can get the sausage with Jalapenos in it if you want to step it up a notch too.

I didn’t care for the brisket, however. I thought it was very dry and bland. I make it better at home on my grill. But, I topped it off with a lot of BBQ sauce and ate it anyway.

The beans were good, very well prepared. The corn on the cob was good also.

Overall, Augie’s is a good place to relax and have some good Bar-B-Que.

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La Tuna Grill

2008-10-26T21:32:00.004-05:00

100 Probandt St
San Antonio, TX 78204
(210) 212-8727

The La Tuna Grill is just south of downtown San Antonio. It isn’t really big, but compensates with a large backyard boasting covered patio seating, as well as ample open air, picnic table seating.

It’s a simple place where you order at the counter, and then a wait-person brings your food to your table. I browsed the menu and decided to try the Torta Milanesa. It’s a sandwich consisting of a sautéed breaded sirloin patty served on a toasted bolillo with refried black beans, lettuce, tomato, sliced avocado, and chipotle mayo. It also came with jumbo fries.

Since it was a nice day I decided to sit outside, and I liked their seating. It was comfortable, but I wasn’t happy with the flies.

My food took what I feel was a very long time to arrive. But it was worth the wait. My sandwich was big, really big. The tomato slices were huge, and so were the avocado slices. The meat was a bit greasy, and it soaked through the bottom of the sandwich, which I didn’t count against them, I’m just letting you know that it’s a two handed affair, and you will probably want to have a fork on standby too. The sandwich is wonderful though, very flavorful and filling. The combination of refried beans, fresh veggies and good bread really made for a great meal.

The fries were really good as well. Large potato wedges with a coating of batter, deep fried and hot. A perfect addition to the sandwich.

The only bad thing about this eatery is their location. It’s on a stretch of road where railroad tracks cross over the street at an angle so the train passes almost parallel with the restaurants parking lot, completely blocking it. Plus the train conductor’s like to let everyone know they’re going by with a few toots of the air horn, which is pretty loud. However, I’d say your chances of being there when a train passes are pretty slim. Unfortunately my luck wasn’t good that day and I got to enjoy the train’s song.

Overall, this is a really good restaurant that probably just needs more staff in the kitchen to speed things up. But if you have the time, it’s totally worth it. Go check it out!

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Chili’s

2008-10-14T08:32:00.004-05:00

12503 IH 10W
San Antonio, TX 78230-1026

In looking at the reviews I’ve done I realize that I’ve referenced Chili’s a few times as a staple eatery for us common folk, but I’ve never actually reviewed them. So here goes!

There is probably a Chili’s in most cities with a population of more than a thousand people. They’re everywhere, and for good reason, they have a pretty good thing going with decent food, a comfortable atmosphere, and service that is usually good.

My dining companion and I stopped by Chili’s one day for lunch and were greeted cheerfully and seated immediately. The décor at the Chili’s on I-10 and De Zavala has recently been upgraded, and I like what they’ve done. The booths have new seats that are soft and comfortable, and they’re not so low that your chin barely reached the table.

We started off with a Skillet Queso appetizer. It’s a cheese dip with seasoned beef, served with warm tostada chips. This is a pretty good starter, and today it was fresh and hot and very tasty.

I saw something new on their menu, Crispy Chicken Tacos. They’re made with strips of battered chicken, topped with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, Ranch and Chipotle sauce. It also comes with rice and black beans. This looked pretty interesting so I ordered it.

Our wait-person was very good. She brought our drinks quickly and kept them full the entire meal. And we also received our food in record time. Chili’s isn’t usually the fastest place when it comes to preparing food, but I was impressed this day.

Our food arrived and I have to say that I was impressed. The combination of veggies, sauces and chicken crispers was a surprising taste treat that made me smile. I thoroughly enjoyed every bite of these tacos!

The rice and beans were ok. Nothing special, but good.

Overall, the tacos are a great addition to their menu that I hope they keep. I recommend you try it!

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Carrabba’s Italian Grill

2008-10-05T22:37:00.007-05:00

12507 I-10 West
San Antonio, TX 78230
(210) 694-4191

Carrabba’s is one of those unique places that grew from a small idea to a pretty large chain of restaurants. It’s an enjoyable mix of comfortable dining, good food, and friendly service.

My dining companion and I showed up one night to meet some friends for an evening meal, and since we arrived before them we took the opportunity to get a glass of wine at the bar and relax. We both ordered a Riesling, which at Carrabba’s is “St M” from Chateau Ste. Michelle. It’s a German wine that I thought was very good. It’s not too dry, and has just the right amount of body.

Our friend’s arrived and we were seated within five minutes at a nice table for four. It’s obvious they use their space for maximum occupancy, as the tables are a little too close together for my tastes. But overall it’s comfortable.

Our wait-person was prompt and pleasant. He took our drink orders, and I started the evenings eating with an order of Calamari. It’s lightly battered and fried, served with their own marinara sauce, which is very tasty. It’s a great appetizer.

I decided to skip their regular fare and order off the specials menu because something caught my eye that looked interesting: Risotto Di Mare. It’s made with different types of seafood, which I love, so I thought I’d give it a go.

The restaurant was pretty busy by now, but our wait-person did a good job bringing our drinks and refilling our water, at least at first. By the time we were almost done with our entrees I was dry of both vino bianco and water. I endured dessert by drinking my dining companion’s water, but since it was at the end of our meal I let it go.

Anyway, my entrée was really good. The Risotto Di Mare is a nice blend of fresh fish, shrimp, scallops, Prince Edward Island mussels and clams simmered in a homemade broth featuring a hint of marinara sauce, white wine and spices. It’s then placed over creamy risotto.

I was very happy with this dish. It had the right amount of seafood, wonderful spices, and great risotto. A very tasty meal.

We tried something new for dessert. They brought out a wire framed device that held eight little glasses. They looked like oversized shot glasses, filled with different types of desserts, like Cannelloni, Tiramisu, Sogno Di Cioccolata, Ricotta Cheesecake, and other wonderful delights. I thought this was an ingenious treat, and well worth the $12 price when shared with your dinner company.

Overall, Carrabba’s is a wonderful Italian restaurant with nice ambiance and great food. It’s a bit pricey, but well worth it!

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Pei Wei Asian Diner

2008-10-05T22:31:00.006-05:00

11267 Huebner Rd
San Antonio, TX 78230
(210) 561-5600

Pei Wei is a cross between a fast food joint and a nice sit down restaurant in that you order at the counter, but your food is brought to your table when it’s ready. It’s a nice way to dine, and the fact that Pei Wei has good food is an even bigger plus.

My dining companion and I stopped by for lunch one day and ordered an appetizer and entrées. The appetizer was Crab Wontons, which are made of crispy wontons filled with a mix of seasoned rock crab and cream cheese, then served with a side of sweet chili sauce.

Now, I’m used to Chinese wontons being just cream cheese, which I like, but these tasted more like crab stuffing, which I also like. It was an interesting combination of seafood and Chinese food. You just have to be ready for the abundance of crab. The sweet chili sauce is awesome. A really great taste treat that really sets off the Wontons.

For an entrée I ordered Chicken Lo Mein. It’s cooked egg noodles stir fried with soy rice wine garlic sauce, scallions, onions, bean sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, and carrots. I really liked this dish a lot. The noodles aren’t skinny little things, but nice, fat egg noodles, and they do a great job of adding just the right ingredients in the right proportions. I also like that it’s made fresh and served hot. A really good meal.

Overall, Pei Wei lives up to their trade mark of being “East of Unusual™.” They have great food worth going out for, at a price that won’t break your bank. Go check them out.

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Blanco Café #1

2008-09-30T21:55:00.010-05:00

1720 Blanco Rd
San Antonio, TX 78212
(210) 732-6480

San Antonio has its share of Mexican food. Well, actually I think it has Mexico’s share of Mexican food too, at least it seems that way. The restaurants are everywhere, which means there’s plenty of good and bad Mexican food to be had.

I dropped by the Blanco Café one evening and found it mostly empty. This particular eatery usually gets its largest crowd during lunch, so it's easy to get a table at just about any time of the evening. My dining companion and I grabbed a nice booth and ordered iced tea.

The Blanco Café is definitely one of those places you’d classify as a hole in the wall. The furnishings are sparse, and the décor is very meager. Don’t let this fool you though, because this is a pretty special place.

We ordered some chips and salsa, which surprisingly enough is something you have to pay for at this establishment. I wouldn’t be too disgruntled about it though because you’re not going to pay a lot for your meal. These folks don’t charge an arm and leg like a lot of Mexican food restaurants in town.

Anyway, I was impressed by the salsa. It's chunky and fresh with tomatoes, onion slices, and just the right amount of seasoning to make it hot, but not too hot. You can tell they hand make it right there in the kitchen. It’s really good, and their chips are nice and crispy.

I ordered the #1, which consists of 2 cheese enchiladas, rice, refried beans, and your choice of beef or chicken fajitas. I chose the chicken.

Our food arrived very quickly, so I was a little afraid it was going to be lukewarm. They gave us a tortilla warmer with 4 tortillas. I reached in and grabbed one and was only able to hold it for about 10 seconds before I couldn’t take the heat anymore. I set it down and contemplated my next step, and decided to just get it over with and eat a bite of enchilada. I was prepared for a semi cold mouthful as I scooped up a fork full and ate it.

Wow.

Wow wow!

The flavor sensation in my mouth was truly astounding. It was hot, flavorful, perfectly seasoned, quality cheese, and a great tortilla. I’m not kidding; this is the best enchilada I have ever had!

The eating orgy began as I couldn’t stop my fork. It was too good to stop and talk. Actually it was too good to stop and breath, but I decided to pace myself.

Their refried beans are awesome. A perfect recipe with just the right amount of consistency and a wonderful flavor. Their rice is just as good, not dry or hard, and not too wet or spongy.

My tortilla finally cooled off enough to eat it, so I loaded it up with Chicken Fajita meat, and oh my, this was every bit as good as the enchiladas. I don’t know what’s in the sauce they put on their fajita meat, but Bravo! My compliments to the Cocinero.

Overall, the Blanco Café #1 is low on ambiance, but high in food quality. This little hole in the wall has the best Mexican food I have experienced in San Antonio. You really gotta try this place, you will love it!

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Red Lobster

2008-09-28T23:17:00.004-05:00

4511 NW Loop 410
San Antonio, TX 78229
(210) 349-2157

Red Lobster is one of those chain restaurants that’s been around for a long time, and for good reason. They have a good handle on preparing seafood, and they provide a nice, family oriented setting.

My dining companion and I showed up one night and were lucky enough to be seated immediately. This usually doesn’t happen at this restaurant. It’s a popular eatery designed with the average person in mind. The cost is a little above average, so it’s become one of those special occasion places for a lot of people.

The bad thing about Red Lobster being such a popular place is that the seats in their booths are worn out. Seriously, there have been so many butts in the outside seat of each booth that when you sit down you sink down until the table is level with your chin! I scooted towards the wall to where the seat wasn’t so worn and found a comfortable spot where I didn’t need a booster seat to see over the table.

Our wait-person took a bit to get to us, but brought our drink orders quickly. We ordered the Lobster, Crab, and Seafood stuffed Mushrooms. It’s a great way to start your meal experience with fresh mushrooms stuffed with seafood and topped with Monterey Jack cheese. You can’t go wrong with this appetizer, it’s good.

For an entrée I ordered the Seafood-Stuffed Flounder. Now, I’m not usually a baked fish kind of person, I’m more of a breaded and fried kind of guy. But I felt like something different this night and this dish consists of two fillets baked with crab and seafood stuffing. For a side, you get a choice of fresh broccoli, home-style mashed potatoes, wild rice pilaf, baked potato or fries. I ordered the rice, again feeling like something different.

I also ordered a Lobster tail on the side. Come on, you can’t go to Red Lobster and not actually eat Lobster! It’s always a great seafood treat, and although it adds $11.50 to your bill, it’s totally worth it.

Red Lobster is one of those places that you have to reside yourself to a long dining experience. It takes a while to properly prepare everything, so don’t go there thinking you’re going to zip in and out in under an hour.

After the appetizer, our wait-person brought our salads. They do a good job of putting together their rabbit food. The lettuce is fresh and clean, and they add sliced cucumbers, carrots, croutons, and tomatoes. I have to say that I was impressed with their Ranch dressing. I was a little worried because there was a lot of it, and I really don’t like my salad drowned in dressing. However, Red Lobsters Ranch dressing is really understated, with such a mild flavor that having a lot of it didn’t become overbearing or detract from the veggies. Really excellent salad.

My Flounder finally arrived and it was very good. The fish wasn’t dry or overcooked. They use really great spices that go well with the meal. And of course you can’t go wrong with crab and seafood stuffing. It’s really good.

The rice was ok. Nothing spectacular, but good.

The Lobster tail was outstanding. This, to me anyway, is the epitome of seafood. A warm, tender, cooked to perfection Lobster tail with melted butter. A truly wonderful food.

To end my meal I had the Chocolate Lava Cookie. It’s a thick chocolate chip cookie with warm melted chocolate in the center and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Needless to say, it was an explosion of chocolate flavor that was awesome, and the ice cream was the perfect compliment.

Overall, there’s a reason Red Lobster has been around for so long and has booth seating with worn out springs… they have really great food and a friendly staff. Go check them out.

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Sushihana Japanese Restaurant

2008-09-22T09:10:00.006-05:00

1810 NW Military Hwy
San Antonio, Texas 78213

I really like oriental foods. They’re fun and different and I don’t care if I’m hungry thirty minutes later. I usually eat Chinese food when I want oriental because they have the best stuff, but the Japanese have a pretty good menu also, so I decided to stop by Sushihana’s one night for dinner.

Sushihanna is a cute little place in Castle Hills, which means the price is automatically jacked up, but I was prepared for this and anticipated a good dining experience to go with the price tag.

My dining companion and I were seated quickly, and I like the décor of the place. It’s simple and comfortable. It took a minute for our wait-person to arrive and he seemed like a nice fellow. He took our drink order and went to retrieve them.

I was in the mood for Yaki Soba, which is stir-fried chicken breast with vegetables on a bed of egg noodles, sliced carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms, broccoli, and snow peas in a brown sauce. They have the dish but list it as an appetizer, so I asked our server how big it was. He assured me it was big enough to be a meal and it shouldn’t be on the appetizer list. So I ordered it and a Spider Roll, which is a whole soft-shell crab tempura, cream cheese, avocado, cucumber, and masago rice in soy paper with sweet eel sauce.

The restaurant didn’t seem overly busy, but our wait-person wasn’t around very much. My drink ran dry and it was quite a long time before he showed up to refill me.

Our food took quite a while to arrive also, but it was hot and tasty. The Yaki Soba has a nice flavor that isn’t overbearingly Teriyaki, and the waiter was right because the serving being larger than an appetizer. It’s really a full meal.

The Spider Roll was really good. It is a wonderful collection of flavor and ingredients. I will say that I was a little freaked out by the crab though. When you think of crab, you think of those things with large shells and long arms, right? Well the soft-shell crab isn’t that. It looked like they took a Hermit Crab, pulled it out of its shell, fried it in Tempura, and then stuck it in the middle of the Sushi Roll. Not all of them, there were six rolls but only two had these fried crabs in them. It grossed me out, which is hard to do with food. The sight of these little Hermit Crab legs sticking out of my Sushi Roll like they had abandoned their normal shell homes and tried to make my Sushi Roll their new abode was too weird for me. I kept thinking that 30 seconds before the poor little crab got fried it was just sitting around singing “Under the Sea.”

I pulled them out and ate the Sushi Roll and left the little fried Hermit Crabs on the plate.

For dessert I had a slice of cheese cake topped with toffee bits and whipped cream. This is a very nice dessert and a perfect way to finish off a good meal.

Overall this is a pretty good restaurant, the food is really good but the service was very, very slow and the pricing is too high.

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Beto’s Comida Latina

2008-09-16T20:44:00.006-05:00

8142 Broadway
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 930-9393

Beto’s is a cozy little place in Alamo Heights that is a relaxing place to unwind. My dining companion and I dropped in one evening for dinner and were seated immediately. They have plenty of inside seating as well as ample seating out back, so we decided to sit outside.

Our wait-person took our drink order and we asked for chips, salsa, and queso. She returned shortly with our tea and appetizer and took our entrée order. I liked the salsa and queso. They both have a nice zip to them. The salsa is slightly chunky, like salsa should be. They do a good job with their queso too, using quality cheese and throwing in the right amount of peppers. The peppers turned into a bad thing however when I ran out of tea and it took what seemed like an eternity to get a refill.

I ordered the Combo #2, which means you choose from any two menu items. It also comes with rice, beans and a garnish salad.

Beto’s specializes in Empanadas. An Empananda is a turnover stuffed with different ingredients. I ordered a Calabacita con Puerco, which is finely ground pork with tatuma squash stew, tomato, onion and corn. My second item was Grilled Fish Taco, which is grilled fish topped with cilantro cole slaw and poblano sauce.

Our food arrived in a pretty decent amount of time, but within 60 seconds we were inundated with flies. It got so bad I was spending more time waving off flies than eating, so we finally got up and moved indoors.

The Empanada was good. The crust was cooked just short of being crispy, which I like, and the ingredients went well together. I thought it was interesting and a nice combination of tastes.

The taco was ok, but the fish was dry. The sauce is good, but they basically stack the taco with the fish on bottom, then the cole slaw, and the sauce on top. The problem is the sauce is too far away from the fish, and the taco is big enough that you can’t get enough of it in your mouth to get sauce, cole slaw, and fish at the same time. You either get sauce and slaw, or slaw and fish. They need to add the sauce on to the fish, as well as the slaw. Without sauce on the fish it’s just too dry.

The beans were good. Big beans with onion, tomato, and cilantro. Very tasty.

The rice was just ok. It was lightly fried, with peas, carrots, and corn. It’s a good combination, but needed some seasoning, and the rice needed to be cooked about 90 seconds longer.

For dessert I ordered a Guava and Cream Cheese Empanada. It came warm out of the oven and tasted really good. I also took a bite of my companion’s Banana with Leche QueMada & Pecan Empanada which I thought was really, really good. A great treat.

Overall, Beto’s is a pretty good place to unwind and enjoy some good food at a relatively good price.

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Beijing Chinese Restaurant

2008-09-16T08:09:00.002-05:00

2313 NW Military Highway # 125,
San Antonio, TX 78231
(210) 340-0921

I like Chinese food. Who doesn’t, right? Beijing’s is a quaint place stuck in the back of a strip mall off Military and Lockhill-Selma. The parking is kind of weird because of the way the restaurant is placed in the mall, so it’s a little difficult to get in, but worth it.

The décor of the place is basic Chinese, and they did a good job of using the space they have. It’s a sizable restaurant with plenty of table and booth seating.

My dining companion and I took a booth, and I was happy to find that it wasn’t one of those booths that some eateries have that you sink so far down you almost want to ask for a booster seat so you can see above the table.

Our wait-person took our drink orders and did a good job of visiting our table every few minutes to see if we needed anything.

We ordered a Shrimp Toast appetizer, and I ordered the Chicken Lo Mein.

I have to say the Shrimp Toast wasn’t up to my expectations. I had heard good things about this restaurant, but I was unimpressed with the taste and presentation. The shrimp was kind of hard, and the seasoning of the toast really wasn’t that good.

The Lo Mein was average. The dish boasted bean sprouts, sliced carrots and onion along with very skinny egg noodles. There was plenty of it, and it didn’t taste bad, but again I was unimpressed.

I will give them credit for unique fortune cookies though. They didn’t come in a wrapper, and they dipped one side in chocolate before serving. Anything dipped in chocolate gets high marks from me.

Overall I thought the meal was average. It’s not a bad place to eat, but if you’re looking for a “wow” factor, you won’t get it here.

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Hungry Farmer Steakhouse and Seafood

2008-08-31T23:57:00.009-05:00

16505 Blanco Rd
San Antonio, TX 78232
(210) 479-1818

I visited Hungry Farmer one day because my dining companion knew about it and said I should try it. I’m glad I did, too. The building is a good size, not too big, not too small, and has plenty of table and booth seating with small televisions dispersed throughout. I liked the décor, which was basic wood with license plates from every state in the union on the walls, plus city signs, like a San Antonio city limits sign showing the population a little less than 750,000. It’s fun.

We were seated immediately, and the hostess took our drink order after she seated us. I really liked this small touch. Our wait-person appeared a minute later with our drinks, and two salads. Surprised, I asked who ordered them and was told they’re automatic, everybody gets one. I was ok with this and ordered some Ranch dressing. The salad was good. Clean lettuce, grated carrots, and a cherry tomato.

I ordered the fish plate and a baked potato. The meal is two good sized Orange Ruffy filets, pan fried so the skin was crispy. It was really good. The fish was tender, juicy, and hot. The spices they use are very complimentary to the fish, and overall it’s a great meal.

The baked potato doesn’t get a score because there’s no work involved in this bit of spudery, you just bake it. So it’s either cooked, or it’s not cooked. This one was cooked.

We ended our meal with Apple Cobbler and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was good. However, I have it on good authority that their “cobbler” is actually Mrs. Baird’s apple pie, cooked and then cut up. So I can’t really give them any points for this food item, but I will give Mrs. Baird’s 3 Jalapenos!

Overall, I like this restaurant. It’s relaxing, the service is friendly and fast, and the food is very good.

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Panera Bread Café

2008-08-23T18:00:00.003-05:00

999 E. Basse Rd #192
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 882-7000

Panera Bread Café is one of those places tucked away in a strip-mall that is a nice change of pace. As you can tell from the name, they have bread. It’s mostly a sandwich shop but they have nice selection of salads too.

It’s a simple place with lots of seating, which was good because there were a lot of people there. I ordered at the counter, and then took my cup to the self serve drink area. After filling up on sweet tea, I went and found a table. There I sat, waiting for the coaster looking device they gave me to start buzzing and blinking to tell me to return to the counter for my order.

I was happy with the seating and cleanliness of the restaurant. A lot of self-service type eateries end up being kind of dirty because the management doesn’t get someone out front often enough after the multitude of slobs have passed through

It didn’t take long for the coaster to start dancing, and I retrieved my order. I had the Chicken salad sandwich, which came with chips and a pickle wedge. The chips came in a bag, and are just your basic chips. You don’t get a choice of flavor; it’s just plain old chips. The bag is pretty plain too; it’s got a picture of some guy holding potatoes with the words “potato chips” across the bottom. However, they were good. I noticed they’re cooked in sunflower oil, so the saturated fat content was only 1 gram(ish).

The pickle was odd. It tasted ok, and wasn’t limp. But the rind was tough. Really tough. Like trying to chew a belt, tough. I didn’t like it.

The sandwich was good though. They did a great job of combining the right ingredients to produce a flavorful salad, including celery bits and the right amount of dressing. The chicken wasn’t dry, and they topped it off with sliced onion and tomato, then they put it in between two slices of Sesame Semolina bread.

The hard part about making sandwiches is usually the bread. If you use good bread, half the battle is over, and I really liked the Semolina. It’s moist and soft and the crust wasn’t overly tough like a lot of breads, so I enjoyed the meal

Overall, I like this sandwich shop. The food is very good, and the service is quick and friendly. It’s a great lunch place, so go see for yourself.

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T.G.I. Friday’s

2008-08-22T16:50:00.011-05:00

18039 IH-10 West
San Antonio, TX 78257
(210) 690-7602

Finding a good lunch spot can sometimes be impossible. I’m usually in a hurry and need quick service and decent food, and T.G.I. Friday’s has both.

I visited the franchise out at the RIM one day and was seated immediately with my party of six. Our wait person was very friendly and took our drink orders immediately. I had my usual iced tea, and it was good. Being a staple in the South, most restaurants serve a pretty good blend.

I looked through their menu, which is pretty large, and spotted something that looked interesting: the Fiery Chicken Popper Sandwich. It’s a crispy chicken breast, smothered with cream cheese and jalapeno habanera jelly, then topped with jalapenos and mayo, then served on toasted ciabata bread with fries and a Jalapeno Popper.

Whoa. Ok, this was too temping to pass up. So although a little intimidated by the overload of Jalapenos, I ordered it.

It’s hard to impress me with a mere sandwich, but this one really put a smile on my face. It was an explosion of different flavors in my mouth, from tender chicken, to sweet jelly, then cream cheese and hot jalapenos; this is a masterpiece of sandwichery. The ciabata bread wasn't hard, and there was just the right amount of mayo too. A really great sandwich!

The fries were, well, fries. Nothing special.

The Jalapeno Popper was slightly overcooked. Not burned, but almost too crispy, but still very good. Who ever thought of stuffing cream cheese into a pepper and deep frying it should get a medal for culinary inventiveness.

Our wait person did a great job of checking in on us every few minutes, and everyone at our table got the right order and had a full glass the entire time we were there.

You’ve probably seen T.G.I. Friday’s commercials lately about updating their business, and it really shows with a comfortable setting and a great menu. Put this place on your lunchtime list!

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Petra Café

2008-08-20T20:59:00.009-05:00

7959 Fredericksburg Rd, Suite 215
San Antonio, TX 78229
(210) 614-0700

I like Mediterranean food, so when I saw this little joint tucked away in a strip mall at the corner of Medical and Fredericksburg I was intrigued. It’s small, and geared towards providing lunch for the Medical Center area, so when my dining companion and I showed up one night we had the whole place to ourselves.

There was only person there and he served as waiter, cashier, and cook! He was really nice though. The place is set up so you order at the counter, grab a cup and fill it with your beverage of choice on the way to your seat, but our lone proprietor let us sit down and he came out to wait on us. Super service!

I ordered the Classic Chicken Pita, also called the “Shawarma.” It consists of grilled sliced chicken breast with garlic sauce, lettuce, and tomatoes wrapped in warm pita bread. It also came with a chopped salad of fresh lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers with vinegar and oil dressing.

I was a little disappointed in the “pita” because it was actually a wrap. Rolled tight and wrapped in tinfoil, it didn’t impress me with it presentation. I didn’t really care about that part; I’m more interested in the taste of food, not what it looks like. Unfortunately it wasn’t very impressive in that area either. It didn’t taste bad, it was just very dry, as a lot of white chicken meat meals can be. They could make this wrap better if they would use more of the garlic sauce.

The chopped salad was ok, nothing special, just a standard salad.
On the plus side, my dining companion ordered a Gyro which I took a bite of and thought it was excellent, so there’s hope for this little lunch diner.

Overall, if you’re looking for a decent lunch at a good price this eatery is worth it.

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Cosi

2008-08-18T00:24:00.007-05:00

17503 La Cantera Pkwy
San Antonio, TX 78257
(210) 558-1040

Cosi is a restaurant chain serving sandwiches, melts, soups, salads, pizza, and breakfast foods. It’s supposed to be a family neighborhood restaurant, but this particular one is located in the RIM, a new, ginormous outdoor mall north of 1604 on IH-10. This seems to have turned the restaurant from a quiet eatery into a jam-packed noisy fast-food joint.

I guess I should have known that going on a weekend was a mistake. The RIM is always busy, and there was a long line to order food. After waiting in line I ordered a Flatbread Sandwich that included Chicken, Guacamole, White Crumbled Cheese, Tomatoes, Cilantro, Onions, and a reddish colored sauce. Then the cashier asked me something that no one has ever asked me in my entire life: “Would you like chips or carrots?” I said “huh?” and once again she said “chips or carrots?” It took a few seconds for my brain to process this sentence, but I finally decided she was serious, and being intrigued I ordered the carrots.

They gave us our number and we went to find a seat, and although the décor is pretty cool, this is where I started having a problem with this restaurant. The tables are small, and close together. I mean really close. So close you just as well introduce yourself to the people sitting next to you because they’re going to hear your conversation anyway. I realize that in a mall setting space is expensive, so they had to maximize the space they could afford. But I’d rather have some space in-between me and other food patrons.

Our food arrived and low and behold I had a small bag of carrots on my plate. I had to laugh because it literally looked like they bought a bunch of small bags of carrots at HEB or something and were serving them with their meals. Anyway, the carrots were small, and tasted just like carrots, so they were good.

The sandwich was the redeeming item to this visit. It was really, really good. I love their flatbread; it’s not hard, or tough. It has a very nice flavor and the ingredients of the sandwich were all very good. I enjoyed the sauce a lot, and I don’t mind admitting that I couldn’t identify anything about it. It was just good.

Overall, this restaurant would probably be a good place to go during the week, for lunch. I don’t recommend it on the weekends though. I’d also recommend getting it to go if you want any privacy while you eat.

However, I have to say that if you want a really great flatbread sandwich, go check this place out!

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Water Street Oyster Bar

2008-08-17T23:40:00.005-05:00

7500 Broadway St
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 829-4853

The Water Street Oyster Bar has been around since 1983, with its humble beginnings in Corpus Christi. They were able to grow and expand for several reasons, including great ambiance, wonderful food, and being a classy but reasonably priced restaurant.

My dining companion and I showed up on a Saturday and were able to get seated pretty quickly. I really like this restaurant because it’s built in a manner that absorbs sound. High ceilings and plenty of floor space make this restaurant a place that you can sit and have a nice conversation without yelling because it’s so loud in the building. Even with a full sized bar in the restaurant it’s not overly loud. It’s comfortable and a nice place to relax.

Our wait person arrived quickly and took our drink orders, and I opted for a glass of Beringer Riesling. It was pretty good, I hadn’t had the Beringer’s before and it was drier than I like my wine to be, but a good body and nice flavor that warranted a second glass. I also ordered a glass of water, which I never got.

We received a small French loaf of bread which was ok, nothing special. The butter that came with it looked more interesting that it tasted. It had lots of different colored specles that I thought would be spices or something, but it didn’t taste like anything out of the ordinary.

I ordered the Anniversary Special: Blackened Tilapia with Crawfish Nueces Sauce, seasoned vegetables, and your choice of Clam Chowder or Seafood Gumbo. I ordered the Gumbo and a house salad. My wait person made a mistake and brought a Wedge salad instead, which is basically a quarter wedge of a head of lettuce, a billion diced tomatoes, and the house dressing. I didn’t mind the mix-up; accept I’m not a big fan of raw tomatoes. I prefer them in a sauce. However, I ate the lettuce, and the dressing was good, but here wasn’t enough of it.

My meal arrived and it looked good. The seasoned veggies were Squash, Zucchini, Onion, Red Peppers, and Carrots. There was a lot of seasoning on them, but it surprisingly had very little taste. But then again I’m not a big fan of cooked vegetables.

I like their Gumbo. You can tell a good Gumbo because it is almost black in color, and this Gumbo was the right color. It includesd Crawfish, Okra, Shrimp, Oysters and just the right amount of New Orleans spicy flavor. I just wish they would have heated it more. It was spicy warm, but lukewarm tempurature.

The fish was great. Cooked to perfection, the Tilapia is moist and seasoned really well. The Nueces Sauce was a good compliment to the fish, and together they were a great combination. Might I suggest a little more of the suace though, I didn't get enough of it!

During our meal the manager made a drive-by, which I hate. You know what I’m talking about, they walk by and ask how your food is and half listen to your response as they keep walking by. It’s a bore and a waste of time because you know they don’t really care. Los Barrios is the only place I’ve been where the manager will come by your table and really stop to talk with you, and he’s genuinely interested in what you say. However, I shouldn’t bag on the manager at Water Street, she was just doing her job, which I know is demanding, but if you want to impress your customers, stop and really talk to them.

For desert we ordered fried cheesecake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. What a cool concept. Everyone knows (at least men know), that everything tastes great if you deep fry it! You could put batter on a hammer and deep fry it and I'd take a run at it. Fortunately the cheesecake was way better than a hammer. The fried portion was a sugar cinnamon crust rolled in a tube shape with cheesecake in it. Awesome. Really awesome.

Overall, the Water Street Oyster Bar is a good place to relax for a good meal if you have a few bucks to spend, dinner for two with wine will cost you about $90. Worth it if you want some good seafood though!

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AT&T Center versus the Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium

2008-08-11T22:11:00.008-05:00

San Antonio has a few sports teams. There is an NBA Championship team, the Spurs, and a minor league Baseball team named the Missions. Both are worth seeing, and they serve a lot of different food.

The Spurs play in the AT&T Center. It’s a big place, with a lot of space dedicated to food. There are vendors for just about everything from pizza to burgers to burritos.

The Missions play in the Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium. It’s not as big or glamorous as the AT&T Center, but then again, it’s minor league.

In a contest between these two venues there’s no contest, the AT&T Center has the best food. I’ve had most of the food there over the past few years, and it’s always a fast food treat. I love the Pizza Hut pizza. By the slice, it’s hot and tasty. Top it off with some bread sticks and a beer, and you’re good to go! Don’t forget to through some jalapenos on it and then cool yourself down with a soft ice cream cone.

Wolff Stadium doesn’t fair as well. Like I said, it’s minor league. There’s really no excuse in my opinion though, food is food; whether you’re a minor league stadium or a big-time NBA stadium. The food can be prepared the same, but it isn’t. The Pizza at Wolff is like the kind you buy at the store for two bucks and throw in the oven. It’s cheap and tasteless. Their Nachos, however, were pretty good. The cheese had a little zip to it, and the chips were crispy and didn’t fall apart in the cheese.

The bad thing was that I had to go to a certain place to get the pizza because it wasn’t served at the food outlet on the 3rd floor. What a drag having to schlep all the way to the bottom floor just to find the food I wanted, only to get lukewarm pizza.

Overall, the AT&T Center seems to have their act together when it comes to customer service and decent fast food. The folks at Wolff Stadium should take a lesson from them.

Spurs -

Missions -

Texas Land and Cattle Steak House

2008-08-04T22:45:00.006-05:00

9911 IH 10 West
SAN ANTONIO
TX, 78230
(210) 699-8744

TXLC is the epitome of Texas beef. It’s real beef, and good beef at that. It’s a very popular restaurant so count on waiting for a table. It’s ok though, it’ll give you time to build up an appetite because you’re going to need it.

If it’s just you and a significant other out for a meal, you can order one entrée and it will fill you both. But if you like taking home leftovers, you will definitely get some here.

The night I went to this eatery I wasn’t looking for a big meaty meal, so I ordered the Chicken Fried Chicken. It’s hand-battered chicken breast topped with pepper-cream gravy. Served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes. I ordered extra gravy because I have yet to eat at any restaurant that gives me enough gravy straight from the kitchen. I also ordered a house salad with Ranch dressing.

This was an off night for me. Ordering a salad is definitely out of character, but sometimes I need a little rabbit food. It was good too. I like the dressing on the side so there is no chance of getting a salad that’s buried in dressing.

My wait person was good. He came by several times to ensure I had everything I needed, which is always a big plus. I like that they serve their iced tea in a small carafe so you can pour it yourself and you never run out. Great idea!

My meal was good and hot. The breading on the chicken was seasoned nicely and had a great taste. There is always a danger when ordering battered food because if it's cooked too long it becomes a shell instead of a coating. Fortunately TXLC knows what they're doing and my Chicken Fried Chicken was perfectly cooked. The mash potatoes were excellent. Great flavor and good consistency. And lastly, the gravy was wonderful. Perfectly lumpy and a great addition to the meal.

Overall, TXLC is a great place to eat. Be ready for a pretty large bill though. Texas beef ain't cheap! It's worth it though.

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Sonic Drive In

2008-08-04T22:25:00.009-05:00

Sonic has been around since 1953 and was the first restaurant to use curbside speakers. I can remember going to these places when I was a kid and it was always a neat experience. Back then they brought your order on a big tray that had hooks on it and you rolled your window halfway down so they could hang it there. Apparently there were a few incidents with some windows shattering, and people driving off with the trays, so they changed their model to simply bringing your order out in a bag like a normal to-go order. They have also updated the drive up menu boards so you can swipe your debit card now and not have to worry about cash.

The food at Sonic has changed over the years also. They have a pretty good menu, and on the day I went I was in the mood for something different, so I ordered a Toaster Sandwich. It consists of a single hamburger patty, Bacon, Dill Pickle, Onion, Lettuce, Tomato, Cheese, an Onion Ring & Hickory BBQ sauce. To me, the genius is in how they added the onion to the sandwich by using an onion ring instead of regular onion slices or chopped up bits.
The sandwich is awesome. A big, awesome sandwich. A big, meaty, artery clogging, awesome sandwich that tastes great. It’s a perfect blend of BBQ sauce, fresh veggies, and meat.

If you get the meal deal you also get Tater Tots, which are a refreshing change from French Fries. They’re really good.

For dessert, I ordered a Sonic Blast, which is their version of a Dairy Queen Blizzard: ice cream with cookies or candy whipped into it. I had one with Oreo’s and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. Mmmmmm. It is the perfect desert for an “every-man” meal.

Sonic is an American classic. Good food. Good service. And an interesting way to order your meal.

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La Fogata

2008-07-30T07:33:00.005-05:00

2427 Vance Jackson Rd
San Antonio, TX 78213
(210) 340-1337‎

La Fogata (the bonfire), has been in San Antonio for over 30 years, and for good reason. They have a very classy restaurant that won’t destroy your wallet. It’s a big place with extensive outdoor seating that has a lot of shade so it’s never too hot. It’s a relaxing place with several fountains that gently bubble in the background to provide a calming atmosphere.

Getting a table here can take a while because it’s a popular spot, but worth the wait. My dining companion and I visited La Fogata for lunch one day and were seated quickly because we missed the lunch rush. Our wait person came quickly and took our drink order and I ordered some shrimp nachos as an appetizer.

They have a sizable menu with plenty to choose from, and I wanted a simple meal so I ordered the Cheese Enchilada plate which consists of three enchiladas, Mexican rice, frijoles refritos and guacamole salad. Covered with salsa roja de picadillo.

The wait staff at this establishment are very nice, and our server did a good job keeping us in chips and salsa, as well as refilling our drinks. This was good because the food took a while to arrive. I don’t mind waiting for good food though, and I know it takes a bit to get and order here because they’re working in the kitchen to make it right.

The Shrimp nachos were good, and there were a lot of them. Had I known there was going to be so many I would have just ordered it as an entrée. Each nacho chip had a generous portion of cheese and shrimp on them. They use good, white cheese for the nachos, and it was really good.

My entrée arrived and it was nice and hot. The reason La Fogata has been in business so many years is because they are a serious restaurant and they know how to cook. My enchiladas were great with the right “cheese to tortilla” ratio so they weren’t dry from not enough cheese, or overbearing from too much. The beans and rice were good also, very flavorful and cooked to perfection.

Overall, this authentic Mexican restaurant is a great place to relax, have a Margarita, and enjoy some really great food. Go check it out.

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Demo’s Greek Food

2008-07-29T21:26:00.003-05:00

7115 Blanco Rd # 120
San Antonio, TX
(210) 342-2772

Demo’s is a chain of restaurants in San Antonio that serves a nice variety of Greek food. You walk in and order at the counter and they call your name when it’s ready. The drinks are self serve, and you pick up your food at the counter.

I had lunch there one day and ordered the basic Gyro plate which consists of a Gyro sandwich and Greek salad. I ordered mine with lamb meat.

I didn’t have to wait long, and the food was nice a hot. I wasn’t completely happy with their meat though, it seemed a bit dry and the edges were cooked to a point they were crispy. It was like the meat had been sitting in the back being slowly heated for a long time. The rest of the ingredients were fresh though, and the tzatziki sauce tasted great. There was plenty of it too.

I’m not big salad fan by any means. I like real food, with meat in it! But I have to say that Demo’s Greek salad is very good. It takes a lot for me to say that, so you know I mean it.

Overall the meal was just ok. The dry meat didn’t endear me to the sandwich I had, so I was disappointed.

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Lisa’s Mexican Restaurant

2008-07-29T20:12:00.003-05:00

815 Bandera Rd
San Antonio, TX 78228
(210) 433-2531

Lisa’s is a quaint little place with a nice atmosphere and pleasant décor. They have a little bit of a sports bar set up, with a nice sized bar and plenty of dining room space. They didn’t overdue it with the televisions though, I only saw one, so it was more restaurant than sports bar. The place is kept up well and I felt very relaxed there.

My dining companion and I were seated immediately and our wait person was very attentive, getting our drinks quickly. We never went without a full glass the entire meal.

The menu at this eatery is pretty extensive, meaning they have lots of variety. I landed on “Lisa’s Super Combo,” which is a little bit of a misnomer because it sounds like it would be a ton of food, but it consisted of two cheese enchiladas, rice, refried beans, and your choice of a regular or puffy beef or chicken taco. I ordered the puffy beef taco.

In typical San Antonio Mexican restaurant fashion the plates arrived boasting the temperature of the sun. Seriously, the plates were hot enough to peel skin if you were foolish enough not to believe the wait person who warns you that the plate is hot.

The difference at this restaurant is that unlike a lot of other Mexican food joints, they don’t use the plate as the only means of heating the food, so my meal was hot all of the way through. This is a huge plus in my book, because too many times I’ve had Mexican dishes that were blazing hot on the edges and tepid in the middle. So good marks for heating the food!

I really like their puffy tacos. The shell isn’t spongy and completely limp; it’s slightly crisp with a great flavor. They also know how to put a taco together, with just the right amount of ingredients so you don’t lose most of it out one side on your first bite. Their beef is perfectly cooked and the added spices make it a really good taco.

The enchiladas are just as good. They use good cheese, and a great chili con carne sauce. They didn’t skimp on any of the ingredients either, it was a full plate with good rice and great refried beans.

Overall, this is a very nice restaurant with a very friendly staff and wonderful food. Definitely one to put on your personal Eating San Antonio list.

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Skipper's Galley

2008-07-22T20:15:00.005-05:00

1527 Hillcrest Dr
San Antonio, TX 78228
(210) 431-2727

Every now and then I find a restaurant that looks like a hole in the wall that not many people know about which turns out to be a real jewel. The Skipper’s Galley is one of these places. It’s not fancy, but it’s clean and friendly. And oh yeah, the food is really, really good.

Skipper’s has a family owned, family oriented feel that caters to the real people of San Antonio who work hard and make little, so their family eats on a budget. It’s a simple establishment where you stand in line and order at the counter. They don’t take checks, credit cards or debit cards, but they have an ATM in the building. Unfortunately it charges a $2.25 service fee!

I ordered the Fried Catfish Platter. I got two sides: Rice Pilaf and Green Beans. The iced tea is self serve, so you never have to sit and wait for someone to come around and fill your glass. They fixed my meal in a fairly short amount of time, and the plate came with my food, plus two hushpuppies and tartar sauce.

I really liked the rice because they seem to understand that rice dissipates heat very quickly, so it’s easy to get a plate of lukewarm rice. But Skipper’s packs the rice into a small, serving sized bowl that holds the heat. I scooped it out on my plate and steam wafted off it. It was really good. Tender, moist, good flavor and just the right sized serving for the meal.

The green beans were good. They don’t do anything special to them, they’re just good old green beans.

Then there is the fish. Breaded and fried, this catfish is incredible. Moist, flaky, tender filets with truly amazing taste. I don’t know how they prepare them, but they deserve a medal of cookery for their catfish. Their tartar sauce was the perfect compliment to it, too. A really excellent meal.

Overall this is one of the best unknown restaurants around. The price is good, the service is friendly, and the catfish is the best in the city!

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Picante Grill

2008-07-20T21:49:00.004-05:00

3810 Broadway St
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 822-3797

I was looking for a lunch spot one day and saw the Picante Grill. They have a sign in the window bragging about being something special in 2008, so I decided to try it.

It was immediately obvious that they were terribly understaffed that day. There were people waiting to be seated even though there were 7 tables completely empty. This is never a good sign because you never know if it’s because they’ve been having a problem finding quality people to work there, or if the management is just being cheap.

After finally being seated it took quite a while to get a wait person to take my order, and it took over 40 minutes to get my food after I ordered. So apparently the kitchen staff was short too.

I had the “Numero Cuatro.” It’s one cheese enchilada, a beef taco, and a chalupa. I was really disappointed with the meal. The enchilada was totally tasteless. Bland and unremarkable. So was the Chalupa. Tasteless.

The only redeeming item on my plate was the taco. The ground beef was awesome. Very flavorful and perfectly seasoned with the right ingredients. Really good.

Overall the meal wasn’t good. However, I will say that my wait person was great. She always appeared at the right time to refill my drink and chips. I never went without. Great job.

Unfortunately her performance and one good taco isn’t enough to bring me back. I won’t be going back to this establishment.

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Babe's Old Fashion Hamburgers

2008-07-18T19:20:00.007-05:00

4535 Fredericksburg Rd # 101
San Antonio, TX 78201
(210) 732-6666

Babe’s has been around for a while. It’s a good old fashioned greasy hamburger joint that is the foundation of the American way of life. Ok, that’s exaggerating, but I love hamburgers.

This is a pretty typical burger place in San Antonio, you stand in a line the winds around like one of the endless lines for the roller coaster at Six Flags. And like the amusement park ride, the wait is worth it.

After ordering you grab your drink off the counter and find your own seat. There is plenty of seating, inside and out, and flat screen TVs everywhere. I don't really care for this trend in American restaurants. It directs the attention of the people in the dining party away from each other and removes the opportunity to have a conversation. It's sad when I see couples sitting at a table totally ignoring each other. The art of conversation is slowly dying thanks to 1080i.

I had a Mushroom Swiss Burger. There’s something about swiss cheese and cow meat that makes me smile. It was great. They do something special with their hamburger buns at Babe's, they put butter all over them. This, along with a great sauce, very good meat, and good veggies make this a winner of a burger.

The fries are ok, I was too enthralled with my burger to really care. Go eat these burgers!

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Rock San Thai Restaurant

2008-07-18T19:03:00.002-05:00

5238 De Zavala Road
San Antonio, TX 78249
(210) 561-0011

The Rock San Restaurant is one of those small, eclectic restaurants hidden away in a strip mall I found by accident. I was intrigued because it’s a Thai restaurant, but they advertise fish tacos on their menu. I guess the story goes that the Hispanic gentleman who laid the tile floor before they opened told them they couldn’t be a decent eatery in San Antonio without serving fish tacos, so they added them, with their own particular flare.

My dining companion and I arrived early and were seated immediately. The atmosphere is nice. It’s quiet and clean and an enjoyable place to relax and digest.

Our wait person was prompt with my drink order of iced tea, which was ok. Nothing special about it. We decided to start with an appetizer of sushi, so we ordered the Cali Cream Cheese, which is a rice log stuffed with crabmeat, avocado, cucumber, and cream cheese.

I’m a little spoiled because I lived in Japan for several years, and the sushi there is better than anything you can get in the States. The sushi at Rock San was pretty good though. I was happy with it. I would have liked a better variety of dipping sauces though, because they had one choice, Soy Sauce, which to me isn’t a dipping sauce, it’s a cooking ingredient. Just my opinion though.

For an entree I decided to try the Fish Tacos. They served 3 of them, which was plenty. The taco shells were a bit stale, but I enjoyed the eclectic ingredients they put in them. I couldn’t identify them all, but I will say they did a very good job of choosing them. They also served a type of garden compote with it consisting of a sweet sauce and pieces of mango, onion, and tomato. It was really good and complimented the tacos well as a topping.

Overall, this is a good spot to sit and relax, but the price is a little high for a place in a strip mall off De Zavala.

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Long John Silver’s and A&W

2008-06-09T21:48:00.006-05:00

12812 W Interstate 10
San Antonio, TX 78249
(210) 561-9030

Combining different kinds of restaurants is a new trend in America. I’m not against it; in fact I think it’s actually an interesting idea from a business stand point because you can get more of your corporate products to the public with a smaller amount of overhead. And since this blog is all about the real food that real people eat, reviewing this place was an easy, logical choice.

Yuck.

I’m sure that the majority of franchises are probably very clean, wholesome restaurants, but this particular one was a pit. The counter was a little slow. The guy working the register took about a minute to acknowledge I was there because he was too busy playing with the coins.

I ordered a platter thing that came with fish and shrimp and fries. The food came quick, I’ll give them credit for that, but I wish I’d got the food to go because there wasn’t a clean table in the place. Every table literally had food on them. I wiped one off myself and sat down.

The food was typical fast food Long John Silver’s, which I like. Their batter is the best of the fast food batters. It tasted good and I left happy with the food, just not the service or tables. However, about 30 minutes later my stomach clinched and I had a bad case of fisherman’s revenge. Luckily I was somewhere with easy access to a bathroom so I shot to a stall.

After sitting on the toilet for a few minutes, squirting out my lunch, I vowed to never return to this particular establishment. I won’t hold it against all of them though, and I won’t be afraid to try it again, just at a different franchise.

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Which Wich?

2008-06-09T21:20:00.003-05:00

11224 Huebner Road, Suite 202
San Antonio, TX 78230
(210) 561-9429

This sandwich shop is pretty cute. You start by looking at a large menu board on the wall to choose a type of sandwich. Under the menu is a box of brown paper bags, like small baguette bags. On the bags are sandwich options for each of the types of sandwiches. You use a marker and check off everything you want and then give it to the cashier who rings you up. A short time later they call the name you wrote on your bag (I put Popeye, ha!), and you have a warm, yummy sandwich wrapped up and placed in the baguette bag you checked off.

I chose a Saladwich with the following options: Chicken Salad, white bread, Swiss cheese, regular mayo, mushrooms, salt and pepper, and to step it up I added Avocado for 75 cents extra. What the heck, you only live once, right?
I also grabbed a piece of paper marked Shakes and marked the Hershey’s Chocolate shake entry.

This was a fun experience and it’s a truly unique way to order food. And the experience was made better by the fact that the food was good. It’s pretty easy to get a good sandwich when you get to choose every aspect of the ingredients, but there is of course the underlying base of the sandwich, and mine was Chicken Salad. It was very tasty. The chicken wasn’t dry or tough, but just right, and the ingredients they used to put it together made it a winner.

It’s hard to screw up a chocolate shake, but I’ve seen it done. This offering however was very good. The chocolate wasn’t overbearing, but not undervalued. A very nice drink.

Overall, this was a fun experience and good food. The facility is a little cramped, but they have a back patio that is pretty nice. It’s also a little pricey for a sandwich shop, but you’re paying for the experience, which in my opinion is worth it. Go check it out!

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Bei Fang Chinese Restaurant

2008-05-05T21:42:00.005-05:00

11040 IH 10 West
San ANtonio, TX 78230

Bei Fang's has been around for a long time. They recently moved from Fredericksburg Rd to the small strip mall off IH 10 and Huebner, next to Cracker Barrel.

I was by there new location not too long ago, and prayed that the move hadn't changed there food. Luckily my prayers were answered and the food is still very good.

My dining companion and I were seated quickly, and our wait person appeared immediately for our drink order. He returned with our drinks and took our order in great time.

Their Iced Tea is good. Not too strong, and not too weak. Just right for me.

I ordered the Sesame Chicken with fried rice and an Egg Roll. Our orders came out quickly, which sometimes concerns me because I'm afraid it was just sitting in the back in a big vat waiting to be scooped out and shipped out front. But I don't think it's completely that way at this restaurant. The food was fresh, and hot, and there was lots of it.

The Sesame Chicken is sweet, which is why I like it. The chicken was soft, unlike some places who's chicken has been sitting under a heat lamp for a few days and is hard as a brick. This dish is wonderful. The flavor fills every inch of your palate and I can't stop eating.

The rice is good. It's pretty hard to screw up fried rice. The Egg Roll was very good too. A perfect combination of ingredients.

Overall, this is a great lunch place because it's fast, inexpensive and the food is great.

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Big'z Burger Joint

2008-05-05T21:37:00.005-05:00

2303 N. Loop 1604 West
San Antonio, TX 78258
(210) 408-2029

Burger joints are a staple for us un-high society people. It’s a great meal that encompasses all the good food groups: meat, bread, vegetables, and French fries!

Big’z is a big barn of a place, so I was a little apprehensive about it. Large, open buildings tend to generate a lot of noise which isn’t conducive to eating. But Big’z surprised me. It’s a line up at the counter to order restaurant with wood tables and chairs. There is seating outside, but don’t go out there unless you really like kids, because they’re out there by the millions because of the playground equipment.

The burgers are priced well within the smallest of budgets, especially since all of the toppings are ala carte. So you can build a burger within your price range.

I have to say that I was impressed. The burgers are good, really good. Couple that with a great family atmosphere and you have a wonderful spot to take your spouse and kids for a relatively inexpensive food adventure.

Grab your family and check it out!

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Boardwalk Bistro

2008-04-15T08:53:00.006-05:00

4011 Broadway
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 824-0100

The Boardwalk Bistro is a popular place with a good location in Alamo Heights. I went for lunch one day on a weekend and my dining companion and I had to wait a bit for the staff to get organized. The lunch rush was just starting and they didn’t seem prepared for it.

We were finally seated and our wait person took our drink order. We asked for iced tea and an appetizer of Spinach and Artichoke Dip.

The atmosphere in this restaurant is relaxing. The décor was put together well and it makes for a very nice place to eat.

Our drinks arrived and their tea is very good. I don’t sweeten my tea because putting sugar in iced tea just makes it a snow-globe. It doesn’t dissolve, so I’ve learned to enjoy it without sweeteners.

The dip took a long time, but was worth the wait. They use a ton of cheese on their Spinach and Artichoke Dip, which is fine by me. It came with pita bread wedges for dipping, and the combination was really good. The dip was prepared perfectly with the right combination of seasoning, spinach and artichoke… oh yeah, and lots of cheese!

For my entrée I ordered a Muffuletta. This is a New Orleans sandwich consisting of salami, ham, mortedella and provolone, topped with an olive relish on a toasted bun. They heated it so the cheese was melted and the meat was warm. Perfection! It is really a great sandwich, very flavorful with the right amount of olive relish so as not to be over-bearing. It also came with chips, like Lays, which were good.

Overall, this is a wonderful place to spend a relaxing Saturday lunch. The atmosphere is nice and the food is divine. The price is typical of Alamo Heights.

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Black-eyed Pea

2008-04-09T13:22:00.004-05:00

7959 Fredericksburg Rd
San Antonio, TX 78229
(210) 614-3825

The Black-eyed Pea restaurant has been around for a long time, and for good reason. The atmosphere is comfortable and relaxing, and the wait staff are usually very nice and very responsive.

I met a friend for lunch one day and arrived before noon to avoid the lunch rush. It paid off and we were seated immediately. Our wait person was very friendly and took great care of us. He brought bread and drinks quickly and joked around with us.

The bread is really good at the Black-eyed Pea. It’s soft and fresh, and with some butter on it the taste is perfect.

I ordered meatloaf with smashed potatoes, kernel corn, and brown gravy on everything.

Our food came really fast. It was hot, fresh, and delicious! The meatloaf wasn’t dry or flavorless like I’ve seen at other establishments. It was spiced just right, and tasted wonderful. The brown gravy went just right with the meatloaf and potatoes. I’m a big fan of gravy, so it has to be made right to impress me, and this gravy was good.

The Black-eyed Pea isn’t a high-end restaurant. It’s a restaurant for the common person with expectations of getting a good meal on a normal person’s pay. This restaurant delivers with class, good food, and good prices. Go check it out.

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Taqueria El Rodeo

2008-04-08T22:59:00.008-05:00

3721 Colony Dr, Ste 2
San Antonio, TX 78230
(210) 690-7979

This Taqueria is a quaint little place with a very basic atmosphere. It’s not fancy, but it’s not a dirty hole in the wall either. I went for dinner one night and was seated immediately. These types of restaurants cater to the lunch crowd, so evening dinning is usually prompt.

We were given the standard chips and salsa, which were both good. The chips were fresh and warm, and the salsa was flavorful and not too hot.

Our wait person was very nice and brought our drinks quickly, iced tea, which was brewed just right. We ordered some bean and cheese nachos, which is usually a safe appetizer because you can’t really screw up chips with refried beans and cheese on them. It arrived and looked great with copious amounts of cheese and beans, which is refreshing because too many places give you a big plate of chips with very little cheese and beans, so you end up eating 2 or 3 nachos with bean and cheese on them, but then you're left eating plain chips for the rest of the appetizer.

We dug in and immediately noticed something odd, there was no taste. Seriously, the cheese and beans had no taste. We both sat and puzzled on this for a while, sampling the nachos to see if there would suddenly be flavor, but there wasn’t. I can’t explain it, because I’ve never had cheese with no taste, or refried beans with no taste either. We ended up getting some jalapeños to put on them just to create some taste.

I ordered a Torta, which is a French bread sandwich with seasoned chicken, lettuce, avocado, sour cream, and tomato. It was really, really good. The bread was tender and flavorful, and the chicken was tender and seasoned to perfection. Whatever they put on it, kudos. It was delicious!

Overall the meal was a success, sans the nachos. It's a bit pricey though, which was disappointing, but that's capitalism!

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El Chaparral

2008-04-07T14:36:00.008-05:00

15103 Bandera Rd
Helotes, TX 78023
(210) 695-8302

El Chaparral is a cute little place that looks interesting from the outside, and the decor on the inside is just as interesting. Relaxing and pleasant.

I arrived with a small group, meaning less than 10, and we were told it would be about 20 minutes. I really dislike restaurants that blow sunshine up your fanny just to keep you there. We waited over 40 minutes, which wouldn’t have been that bad accept that there were about 15 open tables in the restaurant.

My impression is that the management didn’t do their job and ensure the proper amount of wait staff was scheduled. Either that or there is a severe shortage of restaurant workers in Helotes, which is not likely.

Our server was nice, but obviously overwhelmed with the number of people in the restaurant and the number of tables she was trying to manage, so the service suffered a lot. Our drinks came slow, and refills were infrequent.

I ordered the Todo Mexican plate which came with a Cheese Enchilada and Carne Guisada, which is basically steak.

Our meals took a very long time to come, and when they finally arrived my meal was cold. By then I didn’t care and I ate it that way.

The enchilada was terrible. Perhaps it would have been better if it had been warm, but it wasn’t, and it sucked. It was dry and tasteless, with very little discernable flavor.

The refried beans and rice however, were good, even cold. The beef was just ok. I put my refried beans on it, which helped a lot.

The overall dining experience at this restaurant was terrible. The service suffered because of wait staff shortages. Our specific server was nice, but I can’t review her performance in good conscience based on this visit. She could have been the best, or the worst; but with such a manpower shortage it was impossible to gauge, so my mark for service is against the management.

This restaurant has been around for a while and has even built on to their building in the past 5 years, so I tend to think they’ve been doing something right to get this far. I can only surmise that either they were just having a bad day, or the standards in Helotes are frightfully low.

In either case I would be hard-pressed to revisit this establishment.

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Mamacita’s Restaurant and Cantina

2008-04-02T10:29:00.009-05:00

8030 W Interstate 10
San Antonio, TX 78230
(210) 341-5424

Mamacita’s is a large restaurant with a unique decor. Inside the building are more buildings, or at least the appearance of them. The restaurant is set up to give you the impression you’re sitting in a large courtyard with buildings around you. They even created a ceiling with pinpoint lights in it to simulate a night sky. It’s a nice affect. Unfortunately you can’t escape that fact you’re indoors because of the noise. Large, open buildings like this don’t absorb noise, so the din in the restaurant is pretty high.

My dining companion and I were seating quickly, but that was the last thing that happened fast. We waited for quite some time for our server to appear. We were actually ready to order our food by the time she got there. I ordered iced tea, and my companion ordered water and an alcoholic drink. Our wait person then disappeared before we could order our food. We waited again for what seemed to be forever before she returned with my tea and the water, and then instantly disappeared again without taking our food order.

Again we waited for an eternity and she came by and dropped off the adult beverage, then poof, she was gone again without taking our food order.

We did have salsa and chips, which were brought when we sat down, so we munched on this while we waited. They gave us two salsas: one was the standard, red salsa which was just short of bland. The other salsa was almost a lime color. It wasn’t spicy, but it was very flavorful and very good. We ate that bowl quickly, and then waited, and waited, and waited.

Our wait person finally came back to take our food order. I ordered Cheese Enchiladas with the Mamacita Vegetarian sauce, which is a tomato sauce with sautéed onions. I also asked what the name of the green salsa was because I liked it and wanted to say something good about it in this review. Unfortunately our wait person didn’t speak English and must have thought I asked about her green card instead of the green sauce because she kind of went limp when I asked about it. After motioning to the salsa, she finally just said “green salsa,” and that was it.

Anyway, our food finally arrived and it was ok. Mamacita’s does like too many other Mexican restaurants and the plate was a million degrees, but the food wasn’t. I ended up with enchiladas that had lukewarm centers. The refried beans were very hot, but the rice was almost cold.

Overall the enchiladas tasted good. The tomato sauce was pretty close to spaghetti sauce, so that was something new. Not bad, but nothing I would order again.

The refried beans were good, as was the rice. Both flavorful and better than a lot of other beans and rice I’ve had.

It wasn’t a busy night at Mamacita’s. There were a lot of empty tables, which made my disappointment in their service even greater because I don’t think they had a good excuse.

I’m sure I’ll visit this eatery again, but this particular experience wasn’t good.

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Cappy's Restaurant

2008-03-22T22:53:00.008-05:00

5011 Broadway
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 828-9669

Cappy’s Restaurant is in Alamo Heights, so automatically they get to charge more than other places. In this case however, it’s warranted because the food and the service are really good.

I arrived with a group of four for lunch and were greeted and seated immediately on the outdoor patio. The weather was very agreeable that day, and sitting outside always makes a meal better.

Our wait person was friendly and quick getting our drinks and helping us order. I decided to get their pot roast, smashed potatoes with brown gravy, and steamed vegetables. It was a pretty bland order for a place that offers some pretty interesting food, but I wasn’t in the mood for anything encrusted or dusted or tossed.

Our food came in a reasonable amount of time, and it was delicious. The pot roast was cooked to perfection. A lot of times this type of meat can become dry, but the chef at Cappy’s really did a great job preparing this meal with some interesting spices that gave it a kick. The potatoes were very good, the brown gravy was flavorful and added a lot to the meal, and oddly enough I liked the vegetables. I’m not usually a Cauliflower, Squash, or Broccoli kind of person, but I enjoyed this particular mix of vegetables. They were crisp and flavorful. Very nice.

Overall, this was a great meal in a relaxing, outdoor setting with wonderful service. However, be prepared for the tab, it'll be reflective of how good everything is.

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Citrus, in the Hotel Valencia

2008-03-10T01:40:00.015-05:00

150 East Houston Street
San Antonio, TX 78205
Reservations: 1-866-842-0100

Every once and a while I eat somewhere that is above what most of us would call normal. I can afford it; I’m just not the type to spend the kind of money it takes to eat at these places more than a couple of times a year. I’m not cheap; I just don’t see a good reason to spend $100 on a meal when a $5 meal at McDonalds will fill me up just as well.

Anyway, the Citrus restaurant is one of those special places that charge a lot, but is worth it. We showed up without a reservation, which was almost a mistake, but luckily the maitre d'hotel was a very nice person and let us in.

The facility is nice. The decorations and furniture are commensurate with an establishment in a nice hotel. It was comfortable too.

I started with an appetizer of Oyster and Chicken Gumbo. At first I was a little freaked out because it showed up in a bowl with just some ingredients, like cooked chicken, a few vegetables, and pan seared oysters. I’ve had Gumbo many times, and it never looked like this, but then the waiter took a small pot from his serving tray and poured it over the other stuff. Whew, I was worried for minute there. The Gumbo was really good, every bite of it.

Next, I had the Crisp Gulf Snapper and Shrimp. The shrimps were big, and the fish was pan seared and seasoned perfectly. It was very flavorful and one of the best fish meals I’ve had in a long time. It also had small chopped potatoes, which were bland and I could have done without.

For dessert, I had the Crème Brule. It was really good. Really, really good.

It’s hard to review high end restaurants because when they get to this level, they really know what they’re doing and it takes a truly professional restaurant reviewer to intelligently score them. All I can do is prop my head back with my mouth open like Homer Simpson and drool.

If you have at least $100 to spend on a meal, this restaurant would be a wonderful choice.

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Flour Power Café & Bakery

2008-03-10T00:53:00.013-05:00

2211 N.W. Military Hwy., Suite 131
San Antonio, TX 78230
(210) 694-9288

I love finding quirky little places, and Flour Power is very unique. My dining companion and I went for lunch one day and the place was hoppin’. A little too much it turns out because the service suffered a little. We were seated pretty fast, and the wait person told us there were new people on duty that day, so they were running behind.

** Advice to wait staff everywhere: make your patron’s as comfortable as possible and get their stuff as quickly as you can, while displaying a smile and a good attitude. Coming to my table with a “hurry up and order because I’m busy” tone in your voice will not give you any points towards your tip. We can see the place is packed, and we expect some delays, but hearing excuses and getting an “I’m overworked” attitude will not endear you or your place of employment to anyone. **

Anyway, the restaurant’s theme is the 60’s flower power generation, and it’s fun. The tables and chairs are simple and they put a single vase on each table with some kind of single stem plant. The whole place is painted in bright green and orange and yellow. It’s a very festive place.

I ordered the Pambazo. It’s a sandwich with shredded roasted pork, refried beans, jack cheese, avocado, tomatoes, red onions, and mayo on toasted French bread. It came with chips and a pickle. I really appreciate people who take chances and put different kinds of foods together. It was a gutsy move putting all of these ingredients in a sandwich, but I have to say bravo! What a great taste treat. The pork was seasoned well, giving the sandwich a wonderful flavor. The addition of refried beans, cheese, and vegetables really make this sandwich a unique treat.

The chips were ok. Nothing special, but not a detraction from the meal.

Overall I like this place. It’s a little pricey for a sandwich shop, and the management needs to work with their wait staff to help them cope with high traffic times, but the food is wonderful and you need to try it out!

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Clear Springs Texas Seafood Restaurant

2008-03-02T22:40:00.010-06:00

606 E Afton Oaks Blvd
San Antonio, TX 78232
(210) 403-3474

I haven’t been to a Clear Springs restaurant since they closed the one on Bandera and 410 a few years ago. But I was driving on 1604 last month and saw the sign for the franchise out by Stone Oak Parkway. I couldn’t resist and stopped because I’ve missed this place.

Clear Springs is along the lines of a Joe’s Crab Shack or Sea Island, accept better. My dining companion and I arrived for dinner and were seated quickly. Our wait person arrived and brought our tea and appetizer quickly. Stingers. Fresh jalapenos stuffed with catfish and shrimp, hand breaded, then fried golden brown, and served with ranch dressing. It doesn’t get any more Tejas than that. Great appetizer.

For my entrée I had the fried catfish. It was served with French Fries, Cole Slaw, Pinto Beans, and Hush puppies. Way too much food, but that’s how the food industry seems to work these days. They serve you more food than you really need, which is why San Antonio is in the top 10 of fat cities in the U.S.

The catfish was very good. It’s easy to end up with dry, flaky catfish instead of making it tender and juicy. Clear Springs did it right though with the right combination of ingredients in their breading.

The sides dishes were good. Nothing to brag about, but a good addition to the fish.

Overall, Clear Springs is a good family restaurant with good family food and good service.

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Cappyccino's

2008-02-27T21:38:00.011-06:00

5003 Broadway St
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 828-6860

My visit to Cappyccino's was the first time I’d been there, and I have to say that I’m a fan, now. It’s a very quaint little bar and grill with eclectic food and beverages in the Alamo Heights area of town.

I ordered my usual iced tea, which was good. It’s hard to find bad iced tea in San Antonio. I ordered a combo meal of half a sandwich, soup, and chips. I chose the Chicken Salad for the sandwich, and the Celery Bisque for the soup.

The Chicken Salad was a pleasant surprise. It was put together well, which oddly enough can be a challenge when making good Chicken Salad, but they did a great job of putting in the right ingredients, and then some! It boasted black olives, which I love, and to really kick it up a notch they added guacamole. It was a really good combination of foods spread on toasted bread with lettuce. Definitely a winner.

The Bisque was good. Very flavorful with a small amount of melted cheese that was really stringy; so much that I had to use my hands at times to disconnect the long strings dangling from my spoon, which kept migrating to my chin. It was good though.

The chips were average at best. They looked like any other kind of chip you buy at the store, nothing special there at all.

Finally, for dessert (yes I know, I finally spelled it right), I had the Apple Crisp. This was an interesting dish because the dish was a pastry shell. They filled it with apple crisp and topped it all with vanilla yogurt and caramel sauce. I’m still licking my fingers. Very good.

Overall I recommend this quirky little place. Their prices are good, the wait staff is very attentive, and the food is fun, tasty, and adventurous. Good job ya’ll!

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Romano's Macaroni Grill

2008-02-22T09:17:00.010-06:00

11745 W I-10
San Antonio, TX 78230
(210) 691-1360

The Macaroni Grill is the Italian version of Chili’s. It’s a franchise, with several locations in town. My dining companion and I arrived for dinner on a Wednesday, and were able to be seated immediately.

The restaurant is nice. The decor is pleasant and our wait person was very good. She was attentive and kept our drinks full.

We ordered the crab-stuffed mushrooms for an appetizer, and I was disappointed because they pulled a Mexican restaurant on us; they heated the plate to five million degrees, but the food was barely lukewarm. It tasted good, but I despise food that isn’t cooked.

My dining companion had the Chicken Scaloppine, making an extra request for pine nuts on it. They didn’t add the pine nuts. Another strike.

For my entrée I ordered the Shrimp Portofino. It’s comprised of shrimp, mushrooms, pine nuts and spinach in a lemon butter sauce, served with Capellini pasta.

This was the saving grace of my dinner. What a wonderful combination of ingredients and sauce. Although there was way too much sauce on the dish, it didn’t take away from the exquisite taste of the rest of the meal. I took some home that night and I have to say that it was even better for lunch the next day. Awesome entrée!

Overall, the price was ok for this type of restaurant, the service was good, but they need to pay more attention to the details.

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Cold Stone Creamery

2008-02-10T22:04:00.005-06:00

17503 La Cantera Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78257
(210) 561-2776

I love ice cream. It’s the perfect comfort food, and Cold Stone is the best ice cream in the land. I’ve tried Baskin Robbins and Marble Slab, but they don’t come close to the taste and fun of ordering a custom made ice cream treat at Cold Stone.

I also like that when you put a tip in the jar, they sing a song for you. They usually suck at singing, but they give it a hell of a go. High marks for going for it.

I always start with one of their signature creations, like Germanchokolatekake®. But then I’ll add my own twist, like double brownie, almonds instead of pecans, and throw in a Heath Bar for the heck of it. Mmmmmmmm.

If I go to Cold Stone, it has to be on a Friday night because the sugar coma will usually last all weekend. But it’s worth it. Every, delectable, wonderful, ice creamable, bite.

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Acadiana Café

2008-02-10T21:34:00.003-06:00

1289 Southwest Loop 410
San Antonio, TX 78227
(210) 674-0019

There aren’t very many Cajun food places in San Antonio, which makes it a treat to have some. Acadiana Café gets busy because of this, so you have to know when to go, and 11am on the Sunday is a good time.

My dining companion and I were seated immediately and our wait person arrived quickly. We ordered our drinks and they arrived quickly. We both had iced tea, my companion ordered unsweetened and I, sweetened. I love when restaurants offer pre sweetened tea because adding sugar to unsweetened tea doesn’t really sweeten it, it just turns it into a snow globe because the sugar does not dissolve!

I ordered the Seafood Platter. I’ve said it before, but I don’t like food named “platter”, it makes it sound like something only a 300 pound mountain of a person would order. But, I went for it because I wanted variety.

My meal consisted of fried catfish, fried oysters, fried shrimp, stuffed crab shell, red beans and rice, black eyed peas and a biscuit. If that sounds like a lot it’s because it is! Fortunately I am a veteran diner and can handle it.

The food was very good. I like the Cajun spiced tartar sauce, which made the catfish taste even better than it already did. The breading on everything enhanced the taste of everything it touched, and the two sides were perfect.

Overall, this is a great place to have a pretty authentic Cajun meal without going all the way to Louisiana.

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Taipei Restaurant

2008-02-10T20:57:00.003-06:00

211 NW Military Hwy
San Antonio, TX 78213
(210) 366-3012

This was my first time at this restaurant, and my dinner companion and I were seated immediately, which is always a plus in my book. The service was pretty quick at first and we got our drink orders quickly, ice tea of course.

I ordered an appetizer of shrimp toast. I’d had this before at Bei Fangs and loved it, so I looked forward to seeing how this establishment prepared it. For an entrée I ordered Sweet and Sour Pork and an egg roll.

Note: In my humble opinion (which I highly admire), if you’re a Chinese restaurant, the egg roll should automatically come with the meal! It shouldn't be something you have to order on the side and pay extra for.

The appetizer arrived in a decent amount of time. I have to say that I was very unimpressed with it though. There were 4 pieces in the order, which is normal and they split it on to two small plates so we could each have our own. That was nice. But the food was awful. One of my pieces of toast was overcooked to the point that it had a hint of burnt flavor, and the shrimp on it was as tough as leather. This was an impressive feat; how do you make shrimp tough!? The other piece I had wasn’t burnt, but the flavor was still terrible. Basically, the Shrimp Toast sucked.

They delivered my egg roll with the toast, and this was more palatable. I liked that they brought Sweet and Sour sauce with the appetizer. Some Chinese places have a container of it on the table that stays there all the time. I don’t know why this isn’t a health violation, for all I know the last patron may have licked his spoon before dipping! Anyway, the egg roll was good and the Sweet and Sour sauce was perfect on it.

The wait person was slow in getting drink refills. This is a pet peeve of mine. How simple of task could it be to ensure the people in your care have fluid in their glasses?

The Sweet and Sour pork was pretty good. It’s made differently at every restaurant. The pork is usually the same, but other ingredients vary. This serving had pineapple, cucumber and carrot strips. The sauce was light and tasteful and the pork wasn’t overdone. A passable meal, but nothing special.

Overall, this was an ok meal and an ok restaurant.

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Jacala

2008-02-06T15:09:00.003-06:00

606 West Avenue
San Antonio, TX 78201
(210) 732-5222

There are certain restaurants you find off the beaten path that not a lot of people know about, but seem to be some of the better eateries in town. Jacala is one of them.

I went during lunch on a Saturday, and didn’t have to wait for a seat. The service was prompt and my usual order of ice tea was delivered promptly.

I had the cheese enchilada plate topped with chili. It came as most Mexican food does, on a plate the temperature of a super nova, which is ok, as long as the plate wasn’t used to heat the food. Unfortunately this seemed to be the case. The outer region of my food was blazing hot, but the center was luke-warm.

This was disappointing because the flavor of their food is really good. It has the perfect combination of ingredients and toppings to make a wonderful lunch in a nice, comfortable atmosphere. The price is right, too.

This restaurant is worth the trip. Check it out when you get a chance!

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El Mirasol

2008-02-03T01:12:00.003-06:00

13489 Blanco Rd
San Antonio, TX 78216
(210) 479-8765

I love Mexican food. Well, I love good Mexican food, that is; and the El Mirasol Mexican Restaurant has good food. My dining companion and I went there for lunch and were seated immediately. We just happened to arrive a few minutes after noon, which was lucky because they don’t open until noon on Saturdays, which I’m against. Food establishments need to cater to a more diverse set of eating times.

We started with some bean & cheese nachos and the standard southern drink, iced tea. The nachos were good. Too many restaurants take chips and pour cheese on them and serve them. You eat the first 5 or 6 chips off the top and you don’t have any more cheese. The nachos at El Mirasol are not prepared in this manner. Each chip is separately layered with refried beans and cheese so you always get a full mouth of flavor. Good nachos!

I ordered the cheese enchiladas. It’s a staple food in San Antonio, and like a lot of Mexican food there isn’t a set recipe for how to make them, so you can get good enchiladas one time, and bad the next. The enchiladas at El Mirasol are very good, though. They were prepared with plenty of cheese, a nice helping of refried beans and Spanish rice. Both of which were seasoned just right to create a nice blend of flavor for the entire meal. The meal was served hot, not just plate hot, but food hot. I appreciate that a lot.

The only thing I didn’t like about El Mirasol are the prices. With Mexican food on just about every corner of San Antonio, I don’t know how they can charge as much as they do. However, they seem to doing well, and their food is good.

Overall, a good dining experience with good service and great tasting Mexican food.

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Soleil Bistro & Wine Bar

2008-01-19T15:22:00.006-06:00

14415 Blanco Rd, Suite 105
San Antonio, TX 78216
(210) 408-2670

The Soleil Bistro is tucked away in the Cadillac Plaza off Blanco Rd. It’s a small, quaint place with a nice atmosphere. The Wine Bar is relaxing with large couches and a good selection of spirits.

The restaurant serves Mediterranean food inspired from various countries, giving them an upscale priced menu.

My dining partner and I were seated immediately. If you’re there with a significant other and want to be close to them, don’t get stuck along the wall. There’s a bench seat along the wall with single width tables that have a chair at the other end. They made the tables a bit long to give you room to spread your food out, but this leaves you with having to stare longingly at your companion from what seems to be a very long distance. Get a four seater table.

Our server appeared quickly and took our drink order. He was very helpful in selecting a wine; a 2004 Zilliken Riesling that was very good. Big points because I’m not a wine buff, so it was nice to have a server who had a good amount of info about the wine list and didn’t talk down to me about it. High marks.

We started with a very interesting appetizer of escargot with mushrooms and several other ingredients in a brown sauce over what I can only call a light, flakey pastry cake. This is only the second time I’ve been brave enough to try snails, and it was truly wonderful. A perfect combination of herbs and spices and sauce. Not too heavy, but you definitely knew you ate it. Really great appetizer.

I ordered the Shrimp and seafood Risotto. For those who don’t know, Risotto is a rice dish. Made right, it’s delicious. Made wrong, it’s boring and dry. The chef at Soleil Bistro knows how to cook though, and the dish was great. A wonderful combination of flavor infused shrimp and seafood in a really well prepared Risotto.

My only comment is about the shrimp, and this is actually for all restaurants who serve shrimp. Would it kill ya’ll to take the tail shell off!? I hate wasting food, and there are only two ways to get the tail off of the shrimp, the polite (wasteful) way, or the impolite (I’m getting this entire shrimp), way.

The polite way is to simply cut the tail off with a knife. This leaves valuable tail meat in the tail shell, lost forever. The impolite way I learned while living in Louisiana. You grab the shrimp by the tail, ala crawfish style, and pinch it while you bite and pull the shrimp out of its tail with your teeth. Needless to say the latter is not something you do in polite company. It would be easier if restaurants would simply take the tail shell off for you. They’d be surprised how many people agree with me.

Anyway, the meal was good, and our server was perfect. He made sure our wine glasses never dried up, and he was Johnny on the spot when it came to removing our empty plates. He also did the classy thing with the leftover food we wanted to take home: he took those portions to the kitchen and boxed them up himself, returning a neatly packaged sack to our table. Thank you for this simple, elegant practice that too many restaurants who think they are upper class fail to do. Bravo.

For dessert, I ordered the Crème Brule. I love any dessert that can boast a dozen eggs per each square inch of food. So this is one of my favorite dishes and the chef prepared it with skill.

Overall, the Soleil Bistro & Wine Bar is a great place to sit and have a great meal with great surroundings. Be prepared for the tab, but also know that it is worth it!

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Del Sol Mexican Restaurant

2008-01-15T20:50:00.002-06:00

2267 NW Military Hwy, Suite 101
San Antonio, TX 78213
(218) 525 8158

Mexican food is a staple in San Antonio. According to CitySearch.com there are over 700 Mexican Restaurants in the area, which means there are plenty to choose from. This is a good thing because I love Mexican Food, and I can say with all certainty that the best Mexican Food outside of Mexico is right here in San Antonio.

After arriving at Del Sol, my dining partner and I were seated immediately, and the ambiance of the restaurant is good. It’s clean and well decorated. They’re going for a sports bar atmosphere by having a big TV on the wall in the store and one outside in the patio area. Unfortunately they have yet to gain a liquor license so the place hasn’t taken off as a watering hole yet.

Our waiter showed up as we were sitting down and took our drink orders, which came back quickly. Ice Tea, another staple in San Antonio. Well, in the South in general actually. It was ok, not great, but palatable.

We were served chips and salsa with our drinks, which if you’ve read any of my previous reviews you’ll know that this is served at every Mexican restaurant. I really like their chips. They’re not stale or hard and they have a distant sweetness to the taste. They're interesting. The salsa was pretty good. It could be a bit hotter, but overall a good flavor.

I ordered the Enchiladas Del Mar, which is cheese enchiladas topped with a cream sauce, shrimp, crawfish and avocado.

I ordered Refried beans instead of the Borracho, but was served the latter by mistake. I pointed this out and they promptly brought the former. This was a good chance to try them both though, and I have to say their Borracho beans are way better than their Refried beans, which are bland and tasteless.

The meal was good and bad. It’s standard operating procedure for every Mexican Restaurant in San Antonio to heat the plate to about 5 million degrees before they put the food on it. This is supposed to keep it hot while you’re eating, I guess. Unfortunately some places tend to heat their food too little so they can serve it quickly, and let the blazing hot plate do the rest.

It’s not a consistent thing in any restaurant, accept Pappasito’s on IH-10 where I’ve yet to have a hot meal. But I’ve been to Del Sol a few times and my food is usually hot. This time, however, it was not. Well, actually ¾ of the first enchilada was hot, but for some reason the other end of it wasn’t, and the entire other enchilada was lukewarm.

My biggest pet peeve is being served lukewarm food, but after eating one of the enchiladas I didn’t feel right sending the other one back. So I muddled through. The tortillas were ok, but the edges were very hard for some reason. I’m not sure if that means they were old, or what?

However, the cream sauce is wonderful. I mean really wonderful. You could put this stuff on a turd and it would taste good. I loved it! It has a flavor that's hard to describe, you'll have to go and try it. It's one of the best cream sauces I've tasted in San Antonio though.

I decided to have desert and ordered the Flan. For those of you not from the area, Flan is a cross between jello and pudding. It’s a firm gelatin with a light glaze on it. It was very good! A nice, light desert that won’t put you in a sugar comma like some deserts.

Overall, this is a small, quiet place where you can get a meal without waiting a long time. The service is good and the prices are very reasonable. Go check it out.

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Mimi's Cafe

2008-01-13T22:08:00.002-06:00

17315 IH 10 W.
San Antonio, TX 78257
(210) 877-5792

Mimi’s at the RIM seems like a popular restaurant. My dining partner and I arrived for lunch at 11 AM and had to wait for 30 minutes for a table. There were a lot of people waiting, which normally means the place is jumping, but when we were seated I noticed there were quite a few empty tables. So why the wait? There are a few reasons: 1. The management isn’t managing the seating very well. 2. There wasn’t enough wait staff on hand to handle the volume, which is also bad management, unless there just aren’t enough people working there. And 3. They purposely leave people in the waiting area to give the impression that the restaurant is so popular that there is always a long line to get in.

I don’t really know which one of these reasons applies to this establishment, so I won’t guess. I’ll let you make up your own mind.

When we were finally seated the server appeared quickly and took our drink orders, which he also brought quickly. That was the last thing that was quick. We sat for quite a long time waiting for the server to return to take our order, and he made rare appearances during the meal to refill our drinks. There’s nothing that devalues a meal experience faster than having to wait forever for the privilege of paying for food.

The building is nice. They did a good job decorating with fun, eclectic furnishings like a balcony with drums and a tuba. Very cool effect.

We were brought bread with our drinks. It was a basket of three slices of Raisin Nut bread, and a small loaf of French bread. The Raisin bread was good. It was served with a light butter that was great on it. The French bread however, was a brick. I hate bread that takes 2 men and a small boy to pull apart.

I ordered the Meatloaf Ciabatta sandwich. It sounded really interesting because it comes with onions, mayo and melted cheese. It also came with fries, which were Ok. Nothing special, but good. I also ordered a Honey Oatmeal muffin. I’ve had them before and it’s a specialty at Mimi’s worth getting with any meal.

The sandwich was very good. The bread was soft and the meatloaf had a nice flavor with the right amount of spices. Together with the onions and cheese it was a great meal. Unfortunately the muffin wasn’t served with my meal. I had to ask for it. They brought it fairly quickly, and then surprisingly another one showed up about 5 minutes later, so bad marks for keeping track of orders.

Overall, the service was the only thing that detracted from this dining experience. But service in the restaurant business is the name of the game. People don’t remember great food as long as they remember bad service. Mimi’s will survive though, mainly because they know the first rule of business: location. Being located in the RIM will ensure people continue to flow through this establishment, but hopefully they won’t take it for granted and work on improving how their patrons are served.

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