I satisfied my cravings for Mexican food this past week by visiting Taqueria Datapoint a couple of times.  So you get a two-for-one review to make up for me neglecting the blog.

Last week Big Red sent me a sample pack of their Big Red Zero to try before it hit the shelves.  I decided to take it to work and knew that it had to be paired with Taqueria Datapoint’s barbacoa to give it a true taste test.  The only way to tell if the Big Red soda with zero calories is any good is to actually drink it while eating barbacoa. 

I went up to the restaurant on Medical Drive to pick up my pound of barbacoa and was happy to see that the restaurant has expanded to include the storefront to the left of the entrance.  The waitresses were incredibly friendly and I soon had my pound of barbacoa and was on my way in to work.

Pound of barbacoa from Taqueria Datapoint with some Big Red Zero.

What I love the most about their barbacoa set up is that they give you all the fixins – you get a side of cilantro, onions and avocado to help make your tacos.  The corn tortillas are thick and go well with the barbacoa.  If you are a gringo and prefer your breakfast tacos to be made with a flour tortilla, do yourself a favor and opt for the corn when eating barbacoa at Taqueria Datapoint.  You won’t regret it.

The barbacoa was devoured by my coworkers in an instant.  (Pro Tip: if you are going to be a little late at work, bring barbacoa and all will be forgiven).  The Big Red Zero was spot on; it was as sweet as the original and didn’t have that funky diet aftertaste.  Since it paired well with the barbacoa you know that it is the real deal.  Now, if they could just get to work on making fat free barbacoa that tastes as good as the real thing…

This weekend I again found myself craving a big Mexican breakfast and was drawn back to Taqueria Datapoint.  I decided to dine in and really liked how the new seating area opened up the restaurant.  The walls are painted with a bright orange color that was sponged on so you can still see some white.  The front of the restaurant is entirely made of windows that let in a flood of natural light which gives the restaurant an airy feel.

Sitting in the new section at Taqueria Datapoint; I love the orange walls and natural light coming in from the windows.

I also love the sound of the restaurant because while it isn’t loud it also isn’t dampened: you can hear a mix of both English and Spanish from the customers and waitresses, laughing at tables across the way, the sound of breakfast tacos being wrapped up in bags and delivered to go, and the occasional Tejano song on the jukebox.  The language of choice is Spanish, and most likely the waitress will initially ask you “¿Cómo estás?”  If you don’t speak Spanish (or just know a couple of words like me), don’t fret and reply with a “Hello” and you’ll be on your way.

While I was tempted to order barbacoa again, I decided to give their chilaquiles plate a try along with a cup of coffee.  The chilaquiles were made with the white cheese instead of the yellow and were very tasty.  While there were not a lot of peppers in the chilaquiles, there was a green salsa that had a strong bite on it that could wake it up.  I wish that the tortilla strips in the chilaquiles were a little more crispy, but that was not a huge complaint.

The green salsa is delicious with chilaquiles plate at Taqueria Datapoint.

The refried beans were outstanding; I don’t know what makes their beans taste so good, but I think that they are some of the best in the city.  They were particularly tasty with the green salsa and the flour tortillas.  While I was eating breakfast I saw an assortment of soups, street tacos and fajitas come out that looked delicious.  I am definitely going to have to come back to check them out for lunch.

The next time you are craving barbaco or a big Mexican breakfast, check out Taqueria Datapoint, one of the best restaurants to showcase the multicultural flavor of San Antonio.

As the name might imply, Flour Power has kind of a hippy/funky atmosphere with brightly painted walls.  There are a lot of windows which helps make the restaurant well lit and appealing to stop by for a Sunday morning brunch which is what I did yesterday.

The brunch is $10.95 and includes selections from the buffet line along with made to order eggs, omelets, pancakes and waffles.  I decided to start our with the buffet while I waited for my order of the European omelet to be finished.

The buffet had a wide variety of hot items, so  I loaded up my plate with biscuits and gravy, bacon, sausage and a spinach quiche.  I was happy with how crispy the bacon was and the quiche was loaded with a lot of cheese, spinach, and mushrooms.  The buffet didn’t have a dessert pastry this day which was strange because when I have visited before they had different fruit tarts and sweet rolls.  I had to pace myself because I wanted to order the European omelet and also a waffle to try everything that they had to offer.

Some of the items I got off of the Sunday morning buffet.

The European omelet came out next and that was by far my favorite item.  Made with fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, and Parmesan and Brie cheese, this omelet is full of flavor.  In addition to more exotic omelets, Flour Power would scramble up anything that your heart desired.

The European omelet was very tasty.

Finally, I ordered a strawberry waffle to complete my meal.  The waffle was excellent, but I was disappointed with the amount of strawberries that came on top of it.  If I were you, I would forgo the extra expense to get a fruit topped waffle and just stick with the normal kind.

The strawberry waffle was good but didn't come with a lot of strawberries.

Please note that Juice in the City paid for my meal so that I could review Flour Power in advance of their daily deal.

Feeling defeated, I wandered down into South Town and remembered that I had seen a restaurant with a huge fork out front that I had been meaning to try, Mr. Tim’s Country Kitchen.  It was to my great fortune that they serve breakfast all day long.

How can a place with a giant fork not be good?

The inside of the restaurant is South Town funky with stained concrete flooring that is sporadically brushed with blue paint.  The building appears to be an old house with many of the walls knocked out to have two open rooms with plenty of windows.  The radio was dialed into a country station and there were a lot of people and families inside chowing down.

Our waitress was personable and took a little extra time to visit with us about the restaurant and menu.  She also was prompt and quickly brought out a cup of coffee in one of those ceramic mugs typical of older diners.  I couldn’t decide on what to order, and while I was making up my mind the waitress brought out a basket of fresh baked biscuits.  These are the best biscuits I have ever had in my life.  Not only were they huge, they had just the right crispiness on the outside and were dense without being too thick.  To top it off, Mr. Tim’s has a bottle of honey on each table that was perfect for my sweet tooth.   If you want to take it to the next level, order a side of sausage gravy; the gravy has tons of sausage and ham and is delicious.

You get a basket of biscuits for just ordering breakfast! Get a side of sausage gravy to top them off, or use the honey if you are in the mood for something sweet.

I ended up order the #1 breakfast plate which came with two eggs, choice of meat (I got bacon), and hashbrowns.  But since I was also looking for something with syrup, I split the Texas French Toast with my girlfriend.

The breakfast plate was great and had two really big eggs and the bacon was crispy.  What Mr. Tim’s really does right isthe hashbrowns; they weren’t greasy and they really got them brown and crispy.  To me that is the way to make hashbrowns instead of the soggier/less brown kind.

The Texas French Toast was billed as being something “different and delicious” and I asked my waitress what made it so different.  She told me that they use a roll instead of toast.  Whatever they did, it tasted really good and had a little more chewier consistency than normal French Toast.  I particularly liked the fact that they were quite liberal with the powdered sugar.

They put a gang load of powdered sugar on the French Toast which is awesome.

Even better than the food and atmosphere was the price.  Our ticket had two of the #1 breakfast plates, one order of Texas French Toast, and a cup of coffee and came out to be $15 (not to mention the side of gravy and big basket of biscuits)!  I couldn’t believe how reasonable everything was considering how much food we got and how tasty it was.

If you don’t like the long wait of Magnolia Pancake Haus and the Guenther House (or their higher prices), Mr. Tim’s will do you right.  I can’t wait to check them out for lunch and dinner!

Value: 10/10 (amazingly reasonable for a sitdown breakfast)
Atmosphere: 10/10 (funky South Town feel without being pretentious; they just do their thing and they do it well)
Service: 10/10 (our waitress was very friendly, engaging, and prompt; you could tell she loved working there)
Taste: 10/10 (slap yo’ mama biscuits, and you get those for free just for ordering breakfast!!!!!!!!!)

View Larger Map

The Flagstop Cafe, you even get free WiFi.

I was tipped off to this restaurant a few years back by a true blue cowboy who swore by their biscuits and gravy.  Now if a cowboy tells you that a place has good biscuits and gravy, then it is a spot worth driving a little ways to check out.

The Flagstop Cafe takes up about half of the filling station and is usually full of locals and wayward travelers, especially on a Saturday morning.  The inside has a roadside diner feel (there is a sign that says, “If you want a stable relationship, get a horse”) complete with booths upholstered with the Texas Flag.  If there happens to be a lot of people, don’t fret as they are very quick at getting your order out regardless of the length of the line.

If the line is long, don't worry! The short order cooks will get your food out quick!

I went with the Two Egg Breakfast where you get a couple of eggs (duh), choice of hashbrowns/grits, choice of biscuit/toast/tortillas, and a choice of bacon/ham/sausage.  You get all this for $6.29 and can add coffee for another $1.59.

I wanted to try out their grits, but since they were out I ended up getting the hashbrowns along with the side of bacon and a biscuit.  In a short time later, I got my plate of food that was piping hot.  My least favorite part of the meal was hashbrowns, but that is because I usually don’t like hashbrowns anyway.  They were still good, but I could have had them a little more brown.

The Flagstop Cafe doesn’t skimp you on the side of bacon and they serve it up nice and crispy.  As mentioned before, I like my bacon crispy and love to combine it with the egg yolk.  What really steals the show is the homemade biscuit.  These are the type of biscuits that make you want to slap your momma, the kind that have just a little crunch on the outside and are soft on the inside.  Be sure to get a side of gravy (especially if you are a Yankee and have never tried it) to dip that biscuit in.

This biscuit is cowboy approved, like from a real cowboy who works on a ranch, not from one that you run into at Midnight Rodeo.

The Flagstop Cafe is country cooking at its finest.  Take a little drive outside of the city limits and enjoy a hearty American style breakfast.  But don’t take it from me, remember that a cowboy is never wrong when he tells you about good biscuits and gravy.

Value: 8.5/10 (for a breakfast, $6.29 isn’t too bad, but it can get expensive by adding on coffee/juice)
Atmosphere: 10/10 (perfect greasy spoon atmosphere; anything with a Texas flag upholstered on the booths gets a high mark in my book)
Service: 9.5/10 (very fast and very friendly)
Taste: 9.5/10 (some of the best biscuits and gravy this side of the Pecos)
Website: http://flagstop.com/
Twitter: Follow FlagstopCafe
Facebook: Like Flagstop Cafe
View Larger Map

I went down Nogalitos/
Lookin’ for some barbacoa and Big Red/
I went down Nogalitos/
Lookin’ for some barbacoa and Big Red/
I coulda had menudo/
But I got some cabesa instead!

For those of you gringos who are visiting San Antonio, you might be in the same position that I was five years ago and not have a clue what it even is.  Barbacoa is traditionally served on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and many view it as a hangover cure when paired with Big Red Soda.

Here’s the down and dirty on barbacoa (I don’t mean to freak you out, but you should know what you are getting into): it is cooked cow head in a dug out pit in the backyard.  Traditional barbacoa consists of everything associated with the head, so if you are a little squeemish (like I can be) I would suggest that you order the “all meat” version.

I was educated by Eddie and Diana at the first job I worked because we had to come in one Saturday in our busy season.  When Eddie told me what barbacoa was, it freaked me out.  I was just a young gringo from West Texas who didn’t know anything.  I told Diana I wasn’t going to have anything to do with barbacoa, and she insisted that I try it.  Seeing that Diana was like my surrogate mother in San Antonio, I had to eat it or risk disappointing her.  Boy was I glad that I manned up and tried it.

Like soul food, barbacoa is a cut of meat that most people would see no value in; however, folks who could not afford the better cuts of the cow had to make use with what they had.  Barbacoa is seasoned and allowed to cook a long time which gives it a nice flavor.

You will stir up a big debate by asking San Antonians where is the best place to get barbacoa.  Locals are very passionate about this dish, and I am not meaning to suggest the best place, but simply a place that I think is pretty good.  Some of the best barbacoa I have eaten was brought into work by someone from a little hole in the wall that I would have no idea of where to find.

I had a friend, Putman, coming in from New Mexico one Saturday for a party, so after picking him up from the airport we met another buddy of mine, Frank, down at Taqueria Datapoint to get some barbacoa. Frank had been to Taqueria Datapoint before and said that they served up some good grub, so I thought this would be an excellent place to take Putman.

A pound of barbacoa, the fixins, and a Big Red at Taqueria Datapoint off of I-10.

You usually order barbacoa by the pound and the best way to eat it is with corn tortillas.  A pound is a good amount and can probably feed four people comfortably (even as three hungry dudes we had some left overs at our table).  Condiments are always served on the side, but I was impressed by what was included at Taqueria Datapoint.  We got tons of cilantro, onions, limes, avocado, and some great green salsa (this salsa is hot, but it is the best for barbacoa).

The tortillas were nice and thick and the barbacoa was very flavorful (again be sure to order the “all meat” if you’re squeemish).  Making a breakfast taco with cilantro, onions, green salsa and a pinch of salt will put you in heaven, or at the minimum alleviate that hangover.  The Big Red completes the experience, giving a little bit of sweet to calm that hot taste of the salsa.

If you are in town on business and staying over the weekend, forgo that continental breakfast with stale biscuits and lackluster fruit and head out to find some barbacoa.  Taqueria Datapoint will definitely do you right, but if you are on the opposite side of town, ask the person at the front desk for their opinion.  If they are a true San Antonian, they will definitely have one.

Value: 10/10 (we got the entire pound with drinks for under $15)
Atmosphere: 10/10 (great hole in the wall vibe with different art/items from Mexico on the wall)
Service: 10/10 (super nice and very prompt; tip them well since the food is so cheap!)
Salsa: 9/10 (I really liked the spicy green salsa; the red with the chips was good as well)
Taste: 9.5/10 (excellent spot to grab some barbacoa and Big Red; I am not sure about the other food as I have only been there for breakfast)
View Larger Map

Finding a good spot for an American breakfast can be somewhat difficult in the land of barbacoa and breakfast tacos. One place that is on the top of many people’s lists for some good pancakes, bacon and eggs is Magnolia Pancake Haus off of Bitters and West. This is not to be confused with Magnolia in Austin as it is a completely separate entity. I decided to go try out their pancakes one Sunday morning with a friend who is a huge fan of Magnolia Pancake Haus.

Now let me be up front, I have been to Magnolia once before and had a mixed reaction to it. You should expect to wait a long time (especially on Saturday or Sunday mornings) as locals always pack this place in. While I thought that the pancakes were good (they are very fluffy), I didn’t think that they were worth a 45 minute wait. You can see that I was a little reticent to return.

My friend, however, thinks that they are the best pancakes in the world, so I decided to give them another shot. After the 30 minute wait (you can’t escape the wait, just plan on it and enjoy reading the paper or talking with your friends and family), we were seated. I do like the inside of Magnolia; it has a good diner type feel and you can tell everyone is having fun.

My friend always orders one of two items, but was eyeing some different types of pancakes. I tend to judge a pancake house based on how awesome their blueberry pancakes are, but I had remembered that is what I ordered at Magnolia before. In order to get her to try something new, and so that I could try an assortment of pancakes, I proposed the idea that we ordered six different kinds of pancakes!

I don’t know, sometimes I think it is good to go crazy and do something out of the ordinary. This was one of those days. Unfortunately, we could not order a stack of pancakes with each one being different, so we had to order six different servings. After looking at the menu we decided on the following: blueberry, apple cinnamon, chocolate chip (made with Godiva chocolate chips), bacon (she was particularly interested in this one), pecan, and bananas foster (this was one I lobbied hard for because she wasn’t particularly interested).

When you order six types of pancakes, you get a lot of butter and syrup!

After eating all the pancakes, there were three that were unmemorable, two that were pretty good, and one that was outstanding. All of the pancakes were fluffy and had a good taste, however, I am judging the pancakes on the fact that you have to wait at least 30 minutes to eat them (and on how much all the people rave about this restaurant).

The pancakes that leave something to be desired were the bacon, pecan, and blueberry. If you want the bacon pancake, you are better off ordering normal pancakes and a side of bacon. You don’t get a whole lot of bacon in the pancakes and I couldn’t even taste it in there. The pecan was equally disappointing with the pecans looking like they came from a package instead of being shelled in the restaurant. Again, I couldn’t discern their taste in the batter.

The blueberry pancakes were an epic disappointment. First, the blueberries are really small and even eating them alone you will not be able to taste any flavor. They are just small and rubbery with no real flavor. To top it off, there are not that many blueberries in the pancakes. If you go to Magnolia and wait through that line and are a lover a blueberry pancakes, do not order them. You will be sorely disappointed.

Both the apple cinnamon and chocolate chip pancakes were pretty good. The apple cinnamon pancakes had a great flavor and were a little tart (think along the lines of apple pie). The chocolate chip pancakes were incredibly sweet and were chopped full with chocolate. It seemed that as stingy as they were with blueberries, they were generous with chocolate chips. With these two pancakes you won’t be disappointed that you ordered them, however, it might not be enough to get you to come back.

The six different pancakes on our table; the bananas foster pancake at the top left stole the show!

Finally, the pancake that stole the show was the bananas foster pancake. This is absolutely the item you must order out of the bunch. I am really not that big of a fan of bananas in breakfast items or desserts, but I do love some bananas foster (especially in New Orleans).

This pancake does it right where the top is filled full of bananas and the brown sugar sauce that is very rich and very sweet. The bananas foster pancake stands alone and there is no need for syrup on it. The sweet is complimented nicely by the fluffy pancake and is something that I would wait in line for again.

I had a lot of fun getting to try this assortment of pancakes and even got to learn something in the process. First off, you have to take consideration for the fact that I am not a professional food critic. I’m just an Average Joe writing about what I like and don’t like.  This blog started as a way for all my friends to know about what I was eating so that they could decide on where they want to eat when they come to town.

I don’t have the luxury of getting to order a variety of items because, unless stated explicitly in the article, I am funding my culinary adventure out of my own pocket. I can very easily order something that is not the restaurant’s core competency; if you find a review of mine that you don’t like, by all means disagree and leave a comment on what I should try in a future visit. (That being said, if you are a pancake house, you really have to bring it on the blueberry pancakes.)

Second, it is a lot of fun to just order a bunch of different types of plates. I enjoyed getting some funny stares from other folks in the restaurant and the “You want what?” question from our waiter. Life is too short to always order the things that you are familiar with; next time you are out at your favorite restaurant, instead of ordering your standard, try a couple of dishes that you have always been interested in. You never know, you might find something new that you like.

Value: 8.5/10 (the cost of their pancakes and breakfasts are in line with the rest of the city between $5-$8/plate)
Atmosphere: 9/10 (very clean and cheerful atmosphere)
Service: 8.5/10 (good service; the waiter was very friendly, but I was disappointed that he didn’t really interact with us more and ask us which pancake was our favorite)
Taste: 7/10 (the bananas foster pancake is out of this world while the blueberry pancake badly misses the mark; I still don’t understand what all the hullabaloo is around this restaurant)
Website: http://www.magnoliapancakehaus.com/

View Larger Map

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/
View Larger Map

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??)
View Larger Map

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

View Larger Map

My continuing search for breakfast food besides tacos led me around the corner to the Flour Power Café.  With a funky painted interior, the restaurant tries to strike a chord with a hippy feel full of peace and love.

I will say that I tried to eat breakfast here once before and was like 5 minutes after 11:00AM, which I was told is when they stop serving breakfast.  I understand that there has to be a point in time when you stop serving breakfast, but I think you should have a grace time of at least 15 minutes!  I ended up returning on this morning to check them out.  (Oddly enough, their website shows that they serve breakfast all day long on the weekend, but I would advise getting there early and not chance it!)

I was in the mood for a big breakfast and ordered coffee, orange juice, the European Omelet (which came with a couple of biscuits), and a couple of jalepeño sausage kolaches.

When my plate was brought out, you could immediately smell the deliciousness of the European Omelet.  It is made with three eggs, pesto, garlic, tomato, basil, Parmesan and Brie cheese.  The two cheeses and the spices work incredibly well to get an amazing taste to the omelet.  Particularly pleasing was the way that the omelet smelled as you ate it; looking at other tables, this dish looked as though it was one of the tops.

This omelet is amazing and will really fill you up!

The homemade biscuits were really nice and had that more course crumbly texture rather than the flakey kind of biscuits.  With a little butter and jam, they made a nice sweet compliment to the omelet.  I will say that kolaches are not worth ordering.  They are really small  and the bread is really dense instead; there was also a strange sweet taste in the kolache that I was not a fan of at all.

My waitress was incredibly friendly and we talked a lot about where we were both from and some of the places we liked in San Antonio.  She was excellent at providing suggestions from the menu (the kolaches were my own doing) and didn’t let my coffee go empty.

I would say that Flour Power Café is pretty groovy man.

Value: 7.5/10 ($8.25 for a three egg omelet and $2 for coffee can make this a fairly expensive little breakfast, although the omelet is huge)
Atmosphere: 8.5/10 (funky colors on the interior, but not as much hippy décor as I would have thought)
Service: 9.5/10 (waitress really engaged me in conversation and made good suggestions)
Taste: 8.5/10 (great tasting omelet and biscuits; the kolaches were a miss so I don’t know how other entrees would be like; so-so coffee)
Website: www.flourpowercafesa.com
View Larger Map