An Average Joe in San Antonio

Biff Buzby’s Burgers may be a tongue twister to say, but will you be glad that you said it when your friend asks where you want to go grab some grub?

Located off of Topperwein and I-35 on the NE side of San Antone and in/near the little city of Live Oak is a burger joint that makes you recall the days of old.  I happened on this restaurant off of a suggestion from a friend; I decided to go on a Friday night when I was over in that part of town.

When I arrived to the restaurant I noticed that it was packed and was almost tempted to turn around.  I’m glad I didn’t because it turns out that every Friday Night (weather permitting) is an impromptu car show complete with a DJ spinning some tunes outside.  You see everything from 30s model Ford coupes, old hot rod pickups, 60s/70s muscle cars, on up to the recently released and redesigned Chevy Camaro.  There is a booth set up outside that sells beer, so you can drink while admiring some classic cars.

I definitely advise you going on a Friday night to see the cars, and need to pass on the following piece of info: it costs $5 to park, but don’t fret, you are given a $5 coupon to be put towards the cost of your meal at the restaurant.  As long as you are eating, it essentially doesn’t cost you anything.

The inside of the restaurant is really retro with a lot of the yellow and blue neon; the checkered table cloths complete the feel and you are transported back to the days when rock was young.  On this night, there was a special of a 1/2 pound Philly burger (came with cheese, grilled onions and peppers) with fries for $8.00 (there was a smaller sized burger that ran $6.50) so both my friend and I got this burger and a beer and were out only $10 for dinner.

The amazing Philly Burger; I really thought the fries were holding the burger back, but you may like them

The fries are incredibly disappointing; they are those “steak fries” look like you are eating planks.  I am assuming that they are not fresh cut, and this is unfortunate, because of how good the burger was…

The burger was nothing short of spectacular; the onions were caramelized just right and the patty was nice and thick.  The item that stole the show was the bun; it was really fluffy, hot, and had a nice sweet taste to it.  I am not sure if it is homemade or not, but it is a hamburger bun that I don’t think I have ever tasted.  The meat was excellent too and had a nice taste.  I would suggest putting a little bit of salt on the burger because it really brings out all the different flavors (in particular the onions).

Value: 9/10 (pretty solid value of getting a 1/2 pound burger and beer for $10 at dinner)
Atmosphere: 10/10 (the inside has a throwback feel and if you go on Friday you are treated to a classic car show with a beer booth outside)
Service: 9/10 (very friendly and prompt at getting tables cleaned)
Taste: 9/10 (so if all you get is a hamburger, then the restaurant is by far a 10/10 and probably the best burger in San Antonio; unfortunately the fries bring it down a bit)

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If you are going to Pam’s Patio for lunch, be sure to get there a shade on the early side. Pam’s cookin’ has been known to pack the locals in the smallish dining area right when traditional lunch time starts; however, true to the name, there is abundant seating in the outside patio. You just have to be able to brave the Texas heat to snag a spot!

I have to start out by saying that the most striking feature about Pam’s Patio is the fact that the staff is so friendly given the fact that their restaurant is so packed that they must have to negotiate around the maze of people to deliver food and pick up the plates. Amazingly they all have smiles on their faces.

One of the big minuses to Pam’s, although something that would not typically bother a consumer at any other restaurant, is the whole ordering process. You wait in a line that snakes around tables and then order your food, but instead of paying, you are told to walk down the line to the register. The line is quite congested because there are multiple servers to the queue that takes the orders; top that off with the fact that some people are being served their salad instantaneously along with the fact that the soda refills are in the same line, and you get a cluster pretty quick.  This cause you to be in a line for a while in order to finally pay. I think the biggest minus to this is that you don’t get to talk to your friends because it is pretty much a single file line and you have to be on point to figure out where to go and incoming people to dodge.

Ok, enough about the ordering process (I know that is not why you are here).

I ordered the strawberry lemonade and the chipotle chicken sandwich which came with a piece of watermelon, homemade chips, and mango avocado salsa. The total of my meal was $11.35 (it would have been $9.25 if I just got the sandwich).

The strawberry lemonade was fresh, and the added bonus was having real strawberries (not some syrup) floating at the top of my glass. I definitely recommend this choice and bypassing the soda.

The chips were all right, but what really made them was the mango-avocado salsa that has some red onion and maybe cilantro in it. I know that it may sound a little gross, but I wish I could have had more! It really tastes like summer and that with the lemonade made me feel like I was free.

They were out of focaccia bread, so I got it on their sub bread, which I think turned out for the better. I have to say that the sandwich was pretty dang amazing. The chicken was hot, the bread was soft, and the homemade chipotle mayo was muy delicioso.  The sandwhich really brought it.

My friend got a chicken salad sandwich and said that it was equally as impressive.  He did make a lot of sense when he said that, “The reason that I got a chicken salad sandwich is because if I am going to spend $9 on a sandwich, there better be more work involved than just slicing meat and putting it on bread.”  In spite of Expensive Sandwiches being Number 63 on the popular list www.stuffwhitepeoplelike.com, I think it is a little absurd to charge that much for a sandwich.  This is callous, but it is true.

Then again, it was an amazing sandwich and I might be tempted to set aside some money from the next 3 paychecks and go back…

Value: 6.5/10 (lunch is steep, but (1) it is a restaurant that prides itself on “fresh ingredients” and (2) it truly does taste good; I just want you to know your dollar won’t go far)
Atmosphere: 7/10 (I like the inside atmosphere, the paintings, and the patio, however, as a person with a background in Industrial Engineering their ordering process is nothing but frustrating that robs you a quarter to a third of your lunchtime from talking with your friends)
Service: 9/10 (Incredibly friendly folks that somehow can wind around the crowds to make every table clean; the service is quite good in spite of what they have to work with–imagine what it would be like if they got the ordering process straightened out)
Salsa: 9/10 (yes, this is San Antonio so we do have chips and salsa at our sandwich shops; it is a funky take on salsa that really delivers)
Taste: 10/10 (as much as I want to complain on the price, it is a dang good sandwich)

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Tito’s, oh Tito’s, how do I love thee Tito’s…

Located in an old grocery store off of the main drag, S. Alamo, in the King William area, Tito’s has been serving me up some great Mexican food since moving to the River City nearly four years ago. If you are a tourist and staying downtown, do yourself a favor and go just a little south (you can even take one of those old trolleys!) to eat at Tito’s. The food is far better than any Mexican food on the River and WAY cheaper. This will mean you will have more money for drinks and dancing afterward!

I order different things depending when I go. If I am going at lunch, I ALWAYS order the Enchilada Tejanas (TAY – han – as) lunch special with a unsweet tea. This is an incredible deal at $5.29 (with tax it is right under $6).

The salsa always has a very fresh flavor too it and is of a very fine texture that is not watery at all. It does have a bite to it, but it is a pleasant one, not one that will make you want to drink from a water hose (for that type of salsa ask for the green, guaranteed to clear up any allergies you might have!).

The enchiladas are of the cheese variety and are truly great; what separates them is the gravy (or sauce to you turistas) on the enchiladas. It is very rich, and often times has chunks of meat in it which gives it a good flavor. The rice and beans are superb too and compliment the meal. I often use the tortillas that are brought out (I think the second best in all of San Antonio) to make a taco to go with the meal.

The best enchiladas in town; the salsa is delicious too, you can tell because there are no chips left!

If you are there for dinner with a friend and both very hungry, I recommend that you get the Pariallada plate and split it. Think fajitas, except it is every possible meat that could be grilled (fajita chicken, fajita beef, tocino, sausage, and shrimp) mixed with green pepper and onions; you will have PLENTY of leftovers.

Wash it down with a michelada which is a beer (go with Carta Blanca) on ice, with lime, Wostershire, Tabasco, and pepper. It has a nice spice to it (if you get Joaquin as your waiter as him to go easy on you!), but if you are a little scared, you can always get a chelada which is just beer, ice, and lime. I would not recommend the margaritas at Tito’s, but this is largely based on my preference for very tart and non-sweet/syrupy margaritas plus for the fact that the micheladas are so good.

Value: 8/10 (lunch is cheap (if you stick with the enchilada tejana special with a tea you are at $6 with tax — the best $6 you will spend in town), but dinner won’t be quite as cheap, but a good value)
Atmosphere: 9/10 (I like that I can sit outside on a chair on the sidewalk if the day is nice; inside often features exhibits from local artists)
Service: 9/10 (I like the service because they are friendly and have become friends; that being said, it may frustrate out-of-towners because it can be slow; just remember you are in the land of mañana)
Salsa: 10/10 (I could make a meal on their chips, salsa, and a michelada)
Taste: 10/10 (one of the better Mexican restaurants in the city)
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Nestled away in a shopping center that has a throwback non supersized HEB grocery store, is an Asian fusion restaurant that really brings the goods called Pacific Moon. A stay at home mom started this restaurant 10 years ago as her children left the house to go to college; she coped with the empty nest syndrome and lack of teenagers coming over to eat by opening up shop.

Although the family is of Korean descent, the menu boasts an eclectic assortment of Asian fusion fare.  I even spotted loco moco on the menu which contrary to thought has nothing to do with being Spanish for crazy, but rather an offering that is commonly found in Hawai’i that is composed of a bowl of rice, hamburger patty on top with brown gravy, and a fried egg.

For a drink, be sure to get the tea as it is infused with ginger that gives it a nice finish.  If you are looking for something a little more stout, they do have a full bar with some liquor that is not offered everywhere (I saw some Partida tequila from the distance) and happy hour specials throughout the week.

I ordered the Honey Walnut Shrimp which came with brown rice and a side salad.  The shrimp was in a light batter, and the sweet went nice with the sesame/soy/ginger sauce  that was available to dip it in.  The salad was made of fresh romaine lettuce with a little bit of spinach that had a nice crisp to it.  The dressing was really light and had a ginger taste with a little bit of a bite to it.

The staff was incredibly friendly, and I got to talk a lot with the lady who started the restaurant and her daughter.  The owner told me to come back on Wednesday nights as she makes several pots of soup and gives it out for free with each entree ordered.  She was an incredibly friendly person, and with her personality I can see why the food tastes so good!

Value: 8/10 (there were some reasonably priced meals at $10-12, but some of the others can get in the $25 range pretty quick; Wednesday is complimentary soup night)
Atmosphere: 7/10 (I like how the inside felt, however, I thought that the TV  above the bar was a little loud (granted, we did dine at an off time and this might not be the case))
Service: 10/10 (always great to meet the owner of the restaurant and to understand the passion that comes with the food)
Taste: 10/10 (the food was a real delight to eat)

Please note that the restaurant moved from its 1604/281 location is now currently located off of Brookhollow/281 regardless if Google Maps states “Place closed”.

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To all the ladies,

I just want to say that I finally understand your pain of a bad haircut. For most of my life, when a woman complained about a bad haircut I was not very sympathetic. I did not understand your pain, your anger, your sorrow. I think this was due to two reasons: (1) I have never had long hair and did not know the time it takes to get long and (2) I don’t have style so I genuinely would not have realized that your haircut was bad.

Recently I have grown out my hair; my colleagues were complaining that I looked like I was homeless so I decided to go get it shaped up this past week. Now, I had never been to a salon so I thought I would try it out. I was unsure of what I wanted (seeing that I had never been to a salon before), but did answer all the ladies questions. Yes, I liked it longer. No, I was not planning on growing it out more. Yes, I would like for it to be shaped. No, I did not like looking like I was homeless.

She then proceeded to cut my hair; when she was done, it was wet and I didn’t know exactly what it looked like, but the back looked a little short.

I went home and it dried; I thought it might not look the best, however, as I mentioned above I don’t really have style so I couldn’t tell for sure. My roommates (one guy and one gal) came home and immediately laughed at me. At this moment I knew I had a bad cut. In fact, it is like I had two styles on one head: short in the back and long on the sides/front. As one colleague put it, I had a mullet in reverse – I affectionately called it a “Tell um”; thanks Soulja Boy.

Thankfully, I have a good friend who took it upon herself to make an appointment for me to get it fixed.  Her words were, “I can’t let you go on looking like that.”  Had it not been for her, I would have probably just continued to rock it out because, as I have said, I have no style.

Upon going into the salon and explaining the situation to the stylist, he looked at me and was like, “Oh no, oh no.  You look like Johnny Depp from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”  Although I have a respect for Mr. Depp and his craft, that was one role that I did not like being compared to.  Thankfully the stylist was able to get me squared away and shaped up.

Anyway, I want to let all of the women know that if you ever need true sympathy from a man when you get a bad haircut, I will be there for you. I now know your pain and if anything, you can find solace in the fact that you don’t look like Willie Wonka!