An Average Joe in San Antonio

There is a place where you can go to get out of the hustle and bustle of city life that is right downtown.  The Southwest School of Art and Craft is a beautiful campus on the grounds of a historic convent founded by French nuns back in 1851.  On campus, there is a delightful restaurant called the Copper Kitchen that I was able to visit recently with a friend on her suggestion.

The campus itself is worth going to see as it is an oasis in the middle of downtown.  When you go into the restaurant, if feels like you are in a time warp with beautiful wood floors and stone walls.  Being a restaurant on the campus of an art school, there are awesome paintings that flank the walls of the dining room.

I went on a Friday and got the lunch special of a grilled poblano and turkey sandwich served with almond squash soup.  The sandwich was very tasty, and I am going to have to start putting poblano peppers on my sandwiches at home.  However, what really stole the show was the almond and squash soup.  While I marginally like both almonds and squash, combined together they form a really tasty soup.  It was nice and thick with a hint of sweetness, and I can see just ordering a big bowl of it on a cold day.

The almond squash soup is worth the price of admission; I do wish they gave me one more side, like a little salad or something.

Even more fun was the atmosphere.  The restaurant is very conducive to sitting down, relaxing, and visiting with a friend.  There are no TVs blaring, or even piped in music, which is a nice reprieve from our world in which we are constantly being bombarded by media.  While it would be a great spot to bring a book and relax, I think having someone there to have a good conversation was even better.

One of the best atmospheres in town to eat; take a good friend or a good book and enjoy it.

Value: 8/10 (Wish they would have thrown on another side with my meal, but my friend got the Friday fish special and had a ton of food on her plate)
Atmosphere: 10/10 (My favorite part of the meal; you are on a beautiful building on a beautiful campus and feel quite removed from the hustle and bustle of the world)
Service: 7/10 (It is cafeteria style service so nothing amazing; one of the younger servers was giving an older server a little lip that put me off a little bit (even if it was in jest))
Taste: 8.5/10 ( Pretty tasty food; the sandwich was solid but not out of this world, however, the almond squash soup was really good)
Website: http://www.swschool.org/?option=com_content&view=article&id=68

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Situated next to Stonewerks in the Quarry Shopping Center of Alamo Heights is the Quarry Hofbrau and Beer Garden.  If you have lived in San Antonio any small amount of time, you probably know this as the “cursed location” because it seems impossible for any restaurant or business to last any substantial time.  I decided to drop by and check it out with a friend after work one day.

Anyone expecting something similar to Munich’s Hofbrauhaus would be remiss, the inside is more like a hunting lodge on a Texas Ranch.  I have to admit, given the name I was expecting something more German (there is not really any German food on the menu), but the owners really went all out with the atmosphere and put a lot of work into it.  There are a lot of bucks and other wildlife mounted on the walls and a huge stone fireplace that ties the restaurant together and gives it a nice feel.

The server started out by placing a basket of bread with butter that had fruit and nuts in it.  I have to admit, the taste was a little foreign at first, but it really grew on me.  However, if you don’t like it, just be sure to ask your waiter for a side of plain butter.

I was in the mood for a hamburger and ordered the Pepper Jack Bacon Melt.  The burger comes with pepper jack cheese, honey chipotle bacon, jalapeños, and a jalapeño cheddar bun.  When I got the burger, I was immediately impressed, and one bite sold me on the fact that this is one of the best burgers in San Antonio.  The bun was sweet and had a nice soft texture and those fried jalapeños provided a good kick while providing a crunchiness that I really liked.  This all mixed well with the thick slabs of bacon that were cooked perfectly for a burger, not too crispy and not too soggy.

Sorry the picture is a little dark, but don't worry, the burger was really tasty.

Equally good was the fries; they were thick cut and you could tell they were fresh.  Yes, $10 might be a little much for a burger, but I tell you what, this burger is worth it!

Finally, while I didn’t get to try one (I had ordered a Shiner), I want to mention something that looked interesting.  They serve these huge schooners of margaritas with an upside down beer in them.  I saw this as I was finishing up my meal and had to ask my waiter about it.  I forgot the name (just ask your server), but he assured me that they were awesome and the best kind are made with Dos Equis Amber.  He said they are quite potent, something like being equivalent to 3-4 drinks, so if you get one make sure your group has a Designated Driver!  Needless to say, I am DEFINITELY getting one the next time out there.

Hopefully the Quarry Hofbrau and Beer Garden will overturn the curse of that building, but be sure to do your part and get out there and snag one of the best burgers in town!

Value: 8.5/10 (a little on the expensive side, but worth the price)
Atmosphere: 10/10 (awesome Texas Ranch lodge kind of feel)
Service: 9/10 (extremely friendly, helpful at explaining the menu, and quick)
Taste: 9.5/10 ( they try to do something different with the bread and butter before the meal that is a little funky and initially it was strange but grew on me; if you don’t like the butter with fruit and nuts ask for a plain version of it to make sure you get off on the right step; the hamburger just busted out with flavor, from the meat, bacon, and jalapeños on it; really solid!)
Website: http://quarryhofbrau.com/
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As much as I like getting a big bacon and eggs breakfast or a couple of breakfast tacos, some mornings I am happy with a pastry and some coffee.  It’s no secret that I have a sweet tooth.  In fact a former roommate bought a tub of cookie dough that they sell for school fundraisers, and after seeing me eyeing it in the fridge for a while she mentioned I could have some of it (we had a strict policy of not eating each other’s food).  After asking a couple of times if she was sure, in the next couple of weeks I proceeded to knock out most of the tub with the exception of a half moon wedge at the bottom about an inch high, because after all, we know that in guy logic the tub was practically full and she would never notice.  At any rate, Broadway Daily Bread is the perfect place to satiate that sweet tooth first thing in the morning.

While the namesake is located on Broadway in Alamo Heights, I often go to the one off of DeZavala and I-10.  I like this location because it is kind of tucked into a neighborhood right around Clarke High School, and it really has a strong neighborhood feel with a lot of regulars stopping by.  The owner of this location, Bryant, is incredibly friendly and will visit with you whether your are a newbie or a regular if he is not busy at work kneading dough.

One of the reasons that I like Broadway Daily Bread so much is that it is one of the few “Tech” businesses in town; both of the owners daughters attended Texas Tech and there is a lot of Tech paraphernalia on the walls.  Being in the land of Longhorns and Aggies, this is always a nice surprise.  Additionally, they source their coffee from Daybreak Coffee Roasters, a Lubbock company and coffeehouse that I frequented when I was growing up.

When you walk in, you will notice the bakers rack full of baked goods.  They have all types of bread (their Birdman is the most popular) alongside tons of different sweets: cinnamon rolls, muffins, cookies, brownies, cupcakes, etc.  You can even order a cake for that special occasion.  When I was working for a company, I would try to bring some muffins in for breakfast to my coworkers; this is always a good idea if you are running just a little bit late.

The bakers rack filled with all sorts of goodness.

I have three favorite breakfast items that are my standards.  If I am going to get a muffin, I am going either for their sour cream pecan or the cranberry.  The sour cream pecan muffin has more of a spongy type texture and the top is dusted with cinnamon and sugar.  In a way, it is like a cinnamon role without being too over powering and without the icing; it is the best item to pair up with their coffee.

The cranberry muffin is equally good in a different way; the best part is the muffin top which has a nice crispy taste to it and is really sweet.  The cranberries are plentiful and are warm/gooey (if you get it fresh out of the oven) and have a nice tart taste.  I decided to get the cranberry muffin this past visit.

The cranberries are plentiful in the muffins and give them a great tart taste.

Finally, if you are REALLY in the mood for something sweet, get the brownie cupcake with peanut butter topping.  While they don’t always have this, it is every sweet tooth’s dream.  Smaller than a normal cupcake, when you pick it up you will be surprised how dense it is; it is like they are packing as much sugar and goodness into as little of a space as possible.  To top it off, there is this peanut butter icing that they are quite generous with.  This concoction is best with an ice cold glass of milk.

Whether in North San Antonio or Alamo Heights, Broadway Daily Bread delivers the goods if you are looking for something sweet for breakfast.

Value: 9/10 (You are probably going to spend between $3 and $4 for a muffin and a cup of coffee which seems standard; the muffins are pretty big)
Atmosphere: 10/10 (Pertaining to the DeZavala Location: Really clean feel, the inside is painted with bright colors and the entire storefront is windows which lets in the natural light; you can watch the folks make the dough, pastries, and sandwiches; people always seem happy here)
Service: 10/10 (Very friendly people always greeting you with a smile)
Taste: 9.5/10 (Everything tastes really good and I like pretty much everything here – the bread, cake, cupcakes, muffins, sandwiches; only thing that I think falls short is the kolaches but, then again, what do I know as they are sold out pretty much every day before 8:30-9:00 in the morning!)
Website: http://www.broadwaydailybread.net/
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Recently, Godai opened up a new restaurant in The Ridge shopping center off of 1604 and Lockhill Selma.  This is the latest restaurant of Mr. Goro who is a staple of the sushi scene in San Antonio having opened Goro’s (since sold) and the old Godai on West Avenue.  This restaurant was to capture a more sleek and upscale feel, and in talking with our server we learned that he was going for more the Asian Fusion feel on his entrees and rolls.  I went with some friends to check it out. Please note this review is specific for THIS location as they are very different.

First and foremost, I should be fair and state that we went during their Soft Opening.  The three of us completely  realized this and knew that there would be a few minor bumps in the road as they work out their kinks.  This is completely understandable, but… Well, we will get to that in a moment.

The meal started out promising as we were given some bread with a pureed edamame dipping sauce that I really liked.  We decided to order drinks and chose three different ones: a cucumber drink (don’t remember the name), Geisha (an Asian themed cosmo), and a Zen-tini (lemon flavored with a popular zen green tea liquor).   The ladies I was with also ordered a spinach salad as an appetizer.

The drinks came out and looked nice, but man, two of them were pretty rough.  I liked the cucumber one as it was rimmed with a chile limon seasoning that caused you to pucker up and then be quickly relieved by the cool (as a cucumber) concoction.  To be quite honest, the Zen-tini that I got tasted like I was drinking Pledge and the Geisha smelled like some sort of bodywash and didn’t taste much better.   My friend couldn’t finish the drink, so I tried to gulp it down because I am not going to leave $7.5 on the table!

From left to right, Zen-tini, Cucumber, and Geisha.

We decided to order four rolls so we could sample a variety.  Since one of my friends is allergic to shellfish, we had to be careful in what rolls we chose.  I was interested in one of them that had shrimp, so we ordered it and she planned to avoid it.  We went with the California roll, Scorpion roll, Longhorn roll, and the Heart Attack roll.  One of the rolls had eel sauce on it, and my other friend (who is not as adventurous of a food person, but who will try most things at least once) exclaimed, “That’s friendship right there, eating eel sauce.” We made sure to throw in an order of pomme frites just in case the sushi didn’t sit well with her.

The order came out and was impressive looking.  Our server placed the rolls on the table, and it was at this time the meal started to go downhill.  We had asked her what each of the rolls were and, with a little hesitation in her voice, she went through and named them all.  We said thank you and started to eat.

As we were eating our rolls, I noticed that one of them had this pink sauce and I was pretty sure we didn’t order anything with a pink sauce.  We she checked on us, we pointed out this one plate of rolls and again asked her to confirm it.  She said that it was the Heart Attack to which I questioned the pink sauce on it (also the Heart Attack was fried (hence the name) and this clearly was not).  She decided to investigate further and found out that the rolls were incorrect and promptly brought us out the right rolls at no charge.  I was really pleased with the customer service and how our waitress handled the situation.

Let me divert from the experience and write a note on the food.  I have to say I was underwhelmed.  I have enjoyed Mr. Goro’s food in the past, but this just wasn’t that good.  It was as if they decided to simply pile a TON of stuff on the rolls purely to pile a ton of stuff on them.  The rolls were unmanageable and extremely difficult to eat.  When you did finally get one in your mouth, it was as if it just tasted like a bunch of mush and you weren’t able to really tease out the flavors.  I couldn’t really tell all that much difference between the rolls, which kind of plays into what happened next…

We couldn’t remember what roll had the shellfish in it, so we stopped another server and asked for another menu so that we could make sure that the friend who was allergic to it stayed away.  From the menu we identified the roll with shellfish as the Scorpion roll.  My picky friend was trying to eat part of the alleged Scorpion roll and was trying to half it (again, way to big to eat) and noticed something in the roll.  She picks it up on her chopstick and asks us what it is.  My other friend took a stab at it and replied it was a mushroom.  My friend was like, “There is no way that is a mushroom, it is an eel!”  Now, she is adventurous, but she definitely has no desire to eat or even try eel.  While this was happening, I was eating another roll and found a fair amount of fish bones.

When the server stopped by to pick up the menu, we decided to ask him what the names were of all the rolls.  He proceeded to name one as Roast on the Coast (the one with the red sauce that we knew was wrong), the Heart Attack (the one that we got back that was corrected), the Yum Yum (one we never ordered), the California roll (of course, easy), and one he wasn’t sure of but thought it might be the Widowmaker (the eel one, again we didn’t order).

Our original rolls, only the back left California Roll was correct. Don't know what the other three are? Don't worry, neither did anybody else.

At this moment all three of us were kind of laughing because we knew that of the four rolls we ordered, only one of them came out correct (California roll).  We also were just munching away and couldn’t really tell the difference.  One thing I will say for my friends is that we are a pretty easy going bunch.  I know that people make mistakes; heck, I make them all the time.  I want you to know that we were not being tacky, rude, or jerks in anyway.  We just let him simply know that 3 out of 4 entrees were screwed up.

Later, we were asked if we could have the plates picked up, but we wanted to wait until we got to talk with one of them so they knew we weren’t making a story up.  In all sincerity, we knew it was a Soft Opening, and if this restaurant is going to be successful they needed to know about this error.  After a while, no one had came to talk to us, so my friend stopped Mr. Goro.  We asked him to identify the rolls, which he did with the exception of the eel one (I thought this was curious that the owner didn’t even know what roll that was!) and apologized profusely.  He told us he would make it right and again, I want to reiterate that we were completely cordial while letting him know.

The restaurant manager later came over to apologize and to visit with us about the meal.  In this conversation, he said something like, “So we made a little mistake.”  Yes, we had been cordial and friendly and joked how know that no one could really identify our rolls.  However, at this point in time, I kind of felt like he was taking advantage of our friendliness and young age because he would have never said that to a staunchly dressed 40-something from Alamo Heights.  In a jovial manner (but wanting to make a point) I retorted, “Little mistake? I kind of see messing up 3 out of 4 entrees more like a major mistake.”  He immediately got defensive and said something about it “not being intentional; it’s not like we were in the kitchen planning to mess up your order.” I was kind of taken aback that he wouldn’t just let that slide and fess up to a mistake.

Soft Opening or not, you have to know your product.  That is the one thing that has to be right.  You don’t go to a soft opening at a steakhouse and order a filet mignon and are brought out a New York Strip.  The fact that 3 of the 4 rolls were screwed up was a pretty major infraction in my mind.

He did right the ship and said that he was going to cover the ENTIRE bill.  I have to admit, I was shocked.  I mean, I was hoping we could a little something but not the ENTIRE bill.  So I guess when it came to the rubber hitting the road, they really were interested in making sure they corrected the situation.  Major props in this area.

Soft Openings and screwed up orders aside, I have to say that I don’t plan on returning to the 1604 location.  While the location was sleek, it was pricey, and the food and drinks were not up to the quality that the price commanded (although the pomme frites were really good).  I’ll tell you what to do instead.  Save a little money, get better tasting food, and make the drive down to West Avenue and eat at the old location.  Hopefully they remain as good as they have been in the past in spite of this new location.

Value: 5/10 (thought it to be overpriced for the quality; $7.5 for drinks; specialty rolls in the $15-$22 range; go to the original Godai for value)
Atmosphere: 10/10 (Sleek and hip; they really got this right from the furniture to the holders of the bread and pureed edamame appetizers; captures the feel of an upscale sushi restaurant)
Service: For the first time ever I have to actually split this area out into two sections:
Service (Friendliness and Correcting Problems): 9.5/10 (really friendly and nice people; reacted to a bad situation quickly and made sure we were taken care of; for this I can’t thank them enough; would have been a 10 if not for the “little problem” gaffe)
Service (The Nuts and Bolts aka Getting Orders Out): 2.5/10 (really dropped the ball here; to this day I STILL don’t really know the name of the roll with the eel; they screwed up 3 out of 4 entrees, so they lose 7.5 points…)
Taste: 5.5/10 (edamame and bread, pomme frites, spinach salad kept them above 50%)
Website: http://www.godaisushi.com/

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I don’t know if you have noticed, but I have started to get into a rhythm with blogging.  I think that one of the reasons is because I have kind of started a weekly ritual where I stop by Sip coffee house downtown to read the paper, knock out some posts, and enjoy some good coffee.

Situated on the corner of St Mary’s and Houston Street, Sip offers its customers the kind of feel that you would expect in a bigger city.  There are large windows flanking two sides of the coffee shop with a bar that travels along one side where many of my posts have been typed up.  I like this shop so much because it is a way to feel like you really are in a big city since you can “people watch” the tourists and locals as they walk by, see trolleys/buses/traffic buzz by, and be surrounded by tall buildings.  All the while, the high ceilings and large windows are perfect for a Texan like myself because, even being downtown, I still like to feel like I am in an open space.

The bar that I often like to sit at to type up blog posts.

I think that you have to look at the cost of Sip to something comparable like Starbucks.  For starters, the coffee is pretty reasonable and you can get a cup of Joe in a refillable mug for just under $2.  While there is not really an abundant selection of self service coffee (I would like to see a “bold” offering), the coffee is good and always fresh.

They have an assortment of fresh pastries that they purchase from different bakers around town.  I’ve enjoyed the chocolate cream cheese muffin several times and the chocolate chip cookies are really good as well.  I have yet to try a slice of pie or cheesecake, but they are always tempting.  While I usually keep it to coffee, expect to pay about $4 to $5 if you throw a pastry in with it.

Assortment of pastries at Sip; sorry for the glare! The chocolate cream cheese muffins are at the top right.

Additionally, they have all the specialty drinks that you would expect to find.  This past visit, they had made a mocha freddo for a customer and had a little left over in the blender and offered me a sample.  I liked the balance of sweet and coffee taste and think it would be a good summer drink for tourists navigating downtown in the hot sun.  However, being an Average Joe I usually stick to the basic cup of Joe.

Finally, they do offer some different sandwiches for the lunch crowd.  I have to admit, I have never ordered a sandwich as I am usually just ordering a cup of coffee or a pastry.  If you try one out, leave a comment on this post about how you liked it.

The staff is incredibly friendly and always up for a little conversation.  I enjoy chewing the fat with them a little bit and to find out how business is going.  Additionally, stars staying in the nearby hotels (Robert Duval, the band Buckcherry, Kathy Griffin and others) often stop by before or after a show.  If you are visiting San Antonio and staying at the Valencia or the Gunter, I highly recommend you eating breakfast and grabbing a cup of coffee at Sip and enjoy some of the San Antonio hospitality.  Who knows, you might even see a famous person to boot.

Value: 8/10 (In like with Starbucks and other coffee houses, but you do get free refills!)
Atmosphere: 10/10 (Modern, hip feel with big windows that let in plenty of natural light; get to “people watch” all the folks on the street)
Service: 10/10 (really friendly and always willing to chew the fat)
Taste: 9/10 (good coffee, but would like to see a little more diversity in the self service offerings; never met a pastry here I didn’t like)
Website: http://sip.bigz-burgerjoint.com/ (guess they are owned by the Bigz Burger people??)
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If you have ever been just a little south of downtown, you have seen what I call the “Pioneer Castle” which is where C. H. Guenther & Son, Inc. make Pioneer Pancake mix, some of the best pancake mix that you will find, along with the White Wings Tortilla mix.  Founded over 150 years ago, the mill was the primary business of one of the great families of San Antonio.

The Guenther House was the original residence of the family and has since been renovated, placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and converted to a restaurant that is known for its breakfast and brunch menu.

I have been to the Guenther House quite a few times and have tried to write an article several times, but for whatever reason the articles always turned up flat; hopefully this one is a little better.

I like the Guenther House because it is one of the few places in San Antonio to find an American styled breakfast; while breakfast tacos and chilaquiles are easy to find, a place that serves good waffles, bacon, and eggs can be more challenging.  Furthermore, since I have moved to San Antonio 5+ years ago, I have always enjoyed Southtown and have been going down there since the property values were pretty expensive until now where they are more ridiculous than Alamo Heights!

The building that the restaurant is located in takes to days long and past, and while you wait (yes, there will be a wait of 30 minutes to an hour), grab a complimentary cup of coffee and wander around the old Victorian styled house and store.  If you aren’t from around Texas, be sure to grab some Pioneer pancake mix in the store to take home with you.

I will either order the featured waffle or, what I got this last time, the Guenther Favorite Breakfast Platter which includes two homemade biscuits, sausage gravy, preserves (the jalapeño is interesting but I really like the blackberry), applewood smoked bacon or sausage (go for the bacon), and a side of fruit.  For good measure, I always through a fried egg on the side because it goes so good with their bacon.

The Guenther Favorite Breakfast Platter with an extra egg; the biscuits are really good!

While this might seem strange if you are visiting town from somewhere other than the South, biscuits and gravy are really good.  You should try it, because unlike most outfits down here, the Guenther House will put your gravy on the side so you can sample it and see if you like it.  If you don’t, you will most definitely enjoy the blackberry preserves on your biscuits.

The bacon is absolutely delicious, thick, and crispy; be sure to get that fried egg so you can mix the bacon with a little bit of the yolk.  Really, really good.  Furthermore, the coffee is interesting and they have a special blend just for their restaurant.  To me, it tastes like it has a little chocolate flavor in it, but then again, I am not the most discerning when it comes to coffee.

My only complaint about the Guenther house is that it is a very expensive breakfast; now, you will definitely be full, but for the Gunther Favorite, a fried egg, and a cup of coffee, you are looking right at $12 for breakfast!  That makes it kind of pricey, but the atmosphere, the service, and the fact that you get to eat something that is made with a product from the mill right next to you makes it a treat to enjoy every once and a while.

Value: 7/10 (Personally, I think that $12 a person for breakfast is a little ridiculous, but…)
Atmosphere: 9.5/10 (…the atmosphere is really nice; the grounds of the restaurant is gorgeous, the outside eating area is really pleasant because you are right by the south part of the San Antonio River, and the Victorian house is interesting to tour; the inside seating area is a little plain though; if it is nice, eat outside)
Service: 10/10 (some of the best; I have seen many of the same waiters/waitresses since I have been dining there)
Salsa: 6/10 (they do have salsa for their breakfast tacos that I think is weak; again, go there for the American breakfast, you can find better breakfast tacos at many other places in the city)
Taste: 9.5/10 (I always have a good meal there and have tried a variety of dishes!)
Website: http://www.guentherhouse.com

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One day while I was ramblin’ around town, I stumbled upon Ruthie’s.  This was one of those days where I was just driving around town on back roads to get to a place instead of staying on the major thoroughfares.  I saw this huge yellow building with a sign that beckoned me to “Eat Here.”  Since I had just eaten, I filed this stop away in my mind as a place to return.

"Eat Here"? Why yes, I think I will.

Fast forward to where I had to be at a going away party for a friend at the Lion and the Rose on Blanco.  I hadn’t eaten all day and I was like, bam, Ruthie’s.  I made my way to the yellow building to see what they were all about.

Strangely enough, this was about 4:00PM, but for whatever reason I had a hankering for some breakfast (if you have followed the blog you know that sometimes I want some odd food combinations…).  I asked the waitress if they still served breakfast and she said that they did so I was pretty pumped.  I was looking at some of the plates but just felt like some tacos.  I ended up ordering the chilaquile taco to satisfy my breakfast urge and the supreme taco to see what they were all about.  Total for both tacos was only like $4 in spite of the fact that the supreme taco had sour cream and guacamole.

The food was out shortly (have to admit, I was surprised they could turn a breakfast order that fast at 4:00PM!) and the plate was enormous!  I just couldn’t believe how much food they were able to cram on these tacos!

The chilaquile taco was dang good; it wasn’t like the chilaquiles that I order at Lula’s or Thousand Oaks.  It has a really rich almost buttery flavor to it.  I asked for some of the green sauce and that spice went really well with taco.  I knew I was going to get full and not touch the other taco if I didn’t put the chilaquile one down at the halfway mark, but I kept coming back to it as it was that addictive!

NOTE: that is not a little plate, those tacos are just that huge.

The supreme taco certainly lived up to the name.  In addition to being huge, it had all that add on stuff like sour cream and guacamole that most places will charge you a buck fifty (I’m talking to you Chipotle!), or almost as much as the whole taco costs at Ruthie’s!  It was pretty good itself, but I have to admit, I didn’t really eat a whole lot of it so that I could go back to the other taco…

I should say that I went in starving; I hadn’t eaten all day and devoured the chips and salsa quick (the waitress asked if she could bring me more, and I told her “No” so I could save room for the tacos), but I could only clear out probably 2/3 of these two tacos!

A final note should be made on the tortillas; they were some of the thickest I have come across in San Antonio (no, I have not been to Blanco Cafe, it’s on the list (I know, I know…))), and man, they were pretty good!

If you are on a budget or have lots of mouths to feed, drop by Ruthie’s and just order one taco, that is all you are going to need!

Value: 10/10 (Two giant tacos for $4 and I couldn’t even eat both of them, amazing! Plus get guacamole and sour cream without paying extra on the supreme taco)
Atmosphere: 8/10 (hole in wall but clean; go to the section further away from the door for better A/C)
Service: 9/10 (no frills but really nice)
Salsa: 9/10 (good tasting, would have liked the green to be a little hotter)
Taste: 10/10 (chilaquile taco was more addicting than fantasy football)
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SanAntonioJoe.com has been around for a little over a year now, and I realized that I had not yet reviewed my favorite restaurant in all of San Antonio, El Jarro de Arturo.  I have told countless number of people how great their margaritas and food are, but I guess I completely forgot to make a post.  This is about to be remedied.

El Jarro is a family owned business since 1975 and is run by owners Arturo and Sandy Cerna.  You can really tell the emphasis is on family as you will see many of the same folks working in the restaurant year to year.  I really like it because in addition to the management, many of the waiters and staff have been there for a while.  You really feel like part of the family when you dine there.

Entering the restaurant takes you away from the hustle and bustle of Highway 281 and transports you into the interior of Mexico.  On the weekends, there is a band that will play a combination of Latin and 60s/70s pop music.  You can even shake it on the smallish dance floor.

The outside patio is nice, however, it is pretty difficult to get away from the fact that you are in a strip mall next to a major highway and Party City.  In spite of this, they do a pretty nice job of trying to set up an oasis to escape the work day with one of their patented margaritas.

Speaking of, I think that the margaritas at El Jarro are the best in the city.  Don’t waste your time with a frozen one or one with a swirl.  Opt instead for the real deal, The Arturo.  Made with Patron, Cointreau, and lime juice, this potent mixture is served in a martini glass instead of the more traditional rounded margarita glass.  The margarita is $8 but packs a punch that makes it completely worth the price.  A word to the wise – if you will be drinking a couple of these you better plan on having a designated driver for the trip back home.

Normally served in a taller martini glass, this margarita packs a punch. Have a DD if you plan on drinking two.

Their chips and salsa are pretty addicting.  The salsa is always made fresh and pretty chunky.  It is almost like a pico de gallo but not quite; depending on how hot the jalapeños are that day it can be medium to really spicy heat.  Arturo recently talked to the San Antonio Express News and gave them his salsa recipe which is pretty quick and easy to make.  Apparently they make 40 gallons of it a day!

If I have a friend visiting me in San Antonio for the first time, we will inevitably make a stop here for dinner.  For all first timers, I make sure that we order the Queso Flameado as an antojito (or appetizer).  As opposed to queso that most gringos are used to (the kind at Super Bowl parties), this is more of a thicker consistency that has some peppers and chorizo mixed in with it.  They will usually bring it out and light it on fire while mixing all the ingredients together.  It is best eaten on a corn tortilla.

In addition to having the traditional Tex-Mex fare, El Jarro offers a nice variety of Mexico-Mex including Norteño and coastal food.  This is why I typically rotate between three main options for my meal:

If I am feeling a little Tex-Mex, I usually order the El Jarro #3 which is two cheese enchiladas, a crispy taco (be sure to sub in the puffy taco!), rice, beans, and guacamole.  At just above $10, this plate will leave you completely full and satisfied.

For all you seafood lovers, you won’t be remiss to go with the Red Snapper a la Pepe.  More on the expensive side (about $22), the fish is served with a tequila tomato sauce that is really nice. You also get a Salad a la George with this meal, which is a Romaine lettuce salad with mango, jicama, red bell pepper, purple onions, avocado and a vinegar dressing.  The salad almost equals the fish; I love this meal because after I eat it I am full but I do not feel weighted down.

The third option I usually go with is a Norteño delicacy called Cabrito, or baby goat.  I know firsthand that this might sound strange to a lot of folks because when I moved to San Antonio 5 years ago and visited El Jarro for the first time I was kind of shocked to see it on the menu.  I kept going back to restaurant and wondered what it tasted like until one day I got the courage to ask my waiter about it.  He said that it was a specialty and one of his favorites so I ordered it.  I’ve been hooked ever since.

Apparently, I’m not the only one.  In 2009, a foodie for the New York Times wrote an article about how he learned to love goat meat.  The taste of cabrito is really nice because it is so tender and really isn’t a greasy meat.  I was a little afraid that it might have a gamey taste (I don’t like venison for this reason), but I don’t think it is gamey at all.  Cabrito is good either by itself or by making a taco on a corn tortilla with a little bit of guacamole.

The cabrito is a specialty at El Jarro; I ordered it this past visit.

After telling folks how much I liked El Jarro’s cabrito, some of my Mexican friends told me I should check out El Rey de Cabrito in Monterrey, Mexico.  Always up for an adventure, a buddy and I took a midnight bus down to Mexico back in 2006 with the express interest of getting the cabrito.  I will say that El Rey de Cabrito is better, but it is only by the slimmest margins.

El Jarro is one of my San Antonio staples.  I go there to celebrate birthdays, new jobs, or life in general along with going there to commiserate after a bad day or a failure.  It has been a place to take friends and family the first time that they visit me in San Antonio, and a place to return time and time again to catch up.  In short, the overall friendliness of the staff and exceptional food at El Jarro is San Antonio to me.  God willing, their doors will be open for years to come.

Value: 9/10 (you can get a Tex-Mex dinner for $10 that will fill you up or some higher cuisine for $20; the margaritas are $8 but pack more of a punch than two of the typical $4 ones elsewhere)

Atmosphere: 9/10 (Inside atmosphere is really nice and cozy; the patio is good, but you are in a strip mall)

Service: 9.5/10 (really nice servers who will guide you through the menu; I would give it a 10 but the thing is that the service can sometimes be slow; don’t worry, you are in the land of mañana, sit back, relax, and visit )

Salsa: 10/10 (different than most in San Antonio, chunky with a nice heat; don’t forget the recipe seen here)

Taste: 10/10 (my favorite spot in town; if you visit me for the first time we are probably going there)

Website: http://www.eljarro.com

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Tin Star is the newest restaurant to come to San Antonio on the hopes that the “gourmet” taco will catch on.  One of my friends had suggested that I check them out as he was possible that I wouldn’t be disappointed.  He even promised that there were green chili so I really I decided to go give them a shot to see what they were all about.

When I walked into the restaurant, I was greeted by a lot of people who were very friendly.  I even got to talk with the head guy (not sure if he was the owner or not) and he let me know that Tin Star is a regional franchise and that this was its second attempt at trying to relocated to San Antonio.  I did ask him about the green chili and it turns out that they did not have any to pile on the tacos, but there were traces of it in their rice.

The restaurant itself has a cool feel with free wifi and is really clean.  There were flat panel TVs playing the world cup and really had a nice open, clean feel to it.

As part of this gourmet taco experience, expect to pay higher than usual prices.  For two tacos, a side of rice and black beans, my ticket was over $8 with tax (and this is with a water); obviously this is not the prices that a San Antonian is used to paying for two lunch tacos.

They do have some more exotic tacos, and for a full list, I would suggest that you click here to see what they are all about.   I decided to try something unusual, since I was at a gourmet taco place after all, and go the pork tacos with honey chipotle BBQ and the fish tacos.

Before eating, you can dish up some chips and salsa (in the same vein as Mamma Margie’s) to take back to your table.  I think that the salsa was pretty disappointing as it was sweet with really no spice to it.  I don’t know how this salsa will last in this city.

Now, I will have to say that the tacos themselves were not terribly bad, but they didn’t live up to the $8/lunch plate expectations.  I thought that the fish tacos were superior and really liked their chipotle sauce that they put on it.  The pork taco had a good flavor on the meat, but the sauce really was too much and I didn’t really care for that sweet of a sauce on my taco (I know, I know, this is my own fault for getting the honey chipotle BBQ, I’ll accept that).

Would you pay $8 for two tacos in San Antonio at lunch?

The green chili rice was a little above average but the black beans were awful.  Now, I love me some black beans (especially with a lot of spicy seasoning), but these were just way too salty for my taste.  I couldn’t get through more than a couple of bites.

While the food isn’t terrible (with the exception of the black beans), I don’t think I will return because as an Average Joe I can’t warrant $8 for basically two tacos at lunch, gourmet or not.

Value: 5/10 ($8 for two tacos in the Alamo City at lunch doesn’t do it for me)
Atmosphere: 9/10 (Really nice atmosphere and is incredibly clean)
Service: 9/10 (Super friendly folks)
Salsa: 5/10 (Not spicy at all)
Taste: 7/10 (The fish tacos were good, pork was above average, but the black beans were awful)
Website: www.tinstar.us

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You might wonder why I decided to eat at two restaurants right next to each other for two days in a row.  I actually tried to eat there on Monday but it turns out that the restaurant is closed then.  This was another restaurant that I had a Groupon too and was excited to check it out.

The inside of The Little Aussie Bakery is similar to Sweetie’s Deli where it is an older house with hardwood floors and a warm atmosphere.  While we didn’t talk to anyone with an Australian accent, we were told that the woman who owned it was indeed Australian.  Additionally, this is a gluten free bakery, however, being gluten free doesn’t mean that the desserts look any less decadent!

Strangely enough, even though I was at the bakery, I didn’t really order any baked goods!  I decided to get the same thing as my friend which was a salad with mango chicken curry.  Now, I have never really had any sweet curry, but this worked really well.  The chicken had a little bit of spice and you could really taste the mango in it along with brown sugar.  The salad was HUGE and incredibly fresh with cherub tomatoes, cucumbers, and assorted colors of bell peppers.  It was accompanied with a little bit of fresh baked bread that had this garlic butter that was to die for.

For some funky and fresh food, you can't beat the mango chicken curry.

Our waiter was incredibly cheerful and friendly and talked with us offering suggestions on the menu along with just chit chatting.  The light and pleasant conversation went well with the light meal to just leave you feeling good as you went back to work.

Value: 7.5/10 (A little expensive for lunch at $10/plate, but you pay for freshness)
Atmosphere: 9/10 (Another chill restaurant with a quirky feel to it)
Service: 10/10 (The waiter made you feel good and happy to be there)
Taste: 9.5/10 (Everything was fresh, fresh, fresh)
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