An Average Joe in San Antonio

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/
Facebook: Quarry Hofbrau and Beer Garden on Facebook
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I am often asked where my favorite place in town to get a margarita, and I have to say that I really like the margarita’s at El Jarro de Arturo.  I like the Arturo margarita because it is not syrupy or all that sugary sweet.  I one time talked to a waiter about how they make it, and took his advice, added a little more tequila and a twist of orange and have my margarita recipe which is seen below:

*2 shotglasses of Patron Silver
*1 shotglass of Cointreau
*1 shotglass of freshly squeezed lime (using a lime squeezer this is about 2 limes)
*twist of a fresh orange

Combine all ingredients with ice in a shaker; shake and serve in a martini glass.

I like it because you can still taste the tequila (hence the importance of using good tequila) and it just tastes fresh.

That’s it. Simple. Easy. Fresh. Potent.

Be sure to vote for El Clásico inn the Patrón Cocktail Lab on Facebook so that it becomes the most popular margarita!

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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The great thing about having this website is that a lot of my friends give me suggestions on where to eat and what to order.   One such friend had suggested that I visit El Mirador the previous day, and since I had my parents in town, I decided to go there and try something new for the both of us.  (Coincidentally, a lot of people have panned me for not having bad reviews; I think I have had a couple now, but I am (1) trying to write about some of my favorites mixed in with new restaurants I hear about and (2) when folks find out about my website they most often suggest a place that they think is great and so I go try it.  I guess it is due to the fact that I have friends with good taste that I don’t have a lot of bad things to say!)

My friend Mike had told me that there are three things you have to try at El Mirador: the empanada as an appetizer, the house margarita, and the puffy tacos.  I decided to take his advice verbatim and did just that.

First, the empanada is a jumbo size that could give 3-4 people a nice appetizer before lunch.  It is stuffed with chicken, cheese, a mushroom that grows on corn, some sauce, and topped with a poblano cream sauce.  It is served over a salad that had a nice house vinaigrette dressing and red bell peppers and jicama.   I don’t typically order appetizers, but not only did Mike stress that I should get this, the waiter also said that the restaurant is renowned for it – I was not led astray!  The empanada was absolutely amazing and was just jam packed with flavor.  The cream sauce had a nice bite to it, but the spice was cut by the salad.  I think I would just like to order it as a meal for myself!

Do not come here and leave with out ordering this empanada! It is amazing!

The house margarita was pretty good; it was not overly syrupy and had a nice fresh taste to it.  Again, I think it complimented the empanada and the chips and salsa.  The salsa was slightly roasted and was served in a little carafe so that you could refill the bowl yourself.  The chips were multicolored; I always like that.

I will say that while the puffy tacos were good (and surprisingly stayed together (it is my theory that you have like 20 seconds to try to eat a puffy taco when the waiter brings it to you before they split open)), they were also kind of unmemorable compared to my parents dishes.  The charro beans on the other hand were awesome and a true highlight of the dish.

The puffy tacos were good, but I would suggest Diane's or Jessica's plates.

My dad got, what I thought, was the best meal at the table, the Jessica Enchiladas.  They were chicken enchiladas topped with the same poblano sauce as the empanada.  I think I would like to order that next time.

Finally, to conclude the meal, the waiter brought us a tres leches cake for dessert.  Now, I love tres leches cake since it was introduced to me when I moved to San Antonio a while back.  The tres leches at El Mirador has to be the absolute best in the city.  It is amazingly sweet, swimming in some evaporated milk, and has some homemade whipped cream to top it off.  Get a cup of coffee and you will be loving life.

Value: 9.5/10 (dinner entrees run around $10 – $12 and are incredibly tasty and presented quite nicely)
Atmosphere: 9/10 (very nice restaurant right on the fringe of King William)
Service: 10/10 (unbelievable service; the waiter was kind to offer suggestions and really was nice to our table)
Salsa: 8/10 (the salsa had a mild bite to it and was fresh)
Taste: 9.5/10 (the empanada is a must have; the puffy tacos were ok but the other entrees I had were nice; tres leches is the best in the city)
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After playing volleyball, you can work up a pretty good appetite; this is why my team and I always go snag some food after the big game.  I suggested Martha’s after last game because of the fact that I saw an advertisement for $1.00 margaritas during happy hour if the temperature was over 100 degrees!  Now, I realize that it was well after happy hour, but hey, a catchy advertisement still gets me thinking about the place!

This is some great advertising during the summer heat!

Apparently, this Wednesday night was a biker night at Martha’s – there were tons of motorcycles, leather, a dj spinning some tunes, and a chip/salsa/queso bar set up outside!  One of the guys on my team brought some chips and salsa to the table and they were inhaled.  The salsa was incredible fresh made primarily of tomato and some peppers.  I went back to refill and noticed that there was also some free queso!  I gave my friend some grief, because it is common sense to NEVER turn down free queso!!!!  Not only that, but the queso was really really good; had just the right amount of spice in it.

Now Martha’s is a clever restaurant.  You see, they have some really good combination specials, and the #1 automatically comes with guacamole on the side; the other combinations are appealing, but they do not come with guacamole.  Having seen the guacamole listed first you are like, “Man, I want some guacamole,” but you would have to pay an extra buck to get it added thus blowing the cost of the combo out the water!  I didn’t want the #1, but I did want guacamole so I looked all over the menu for a platter that had it on the side.  I ended up going with the Taco Salad.

Have you ever heard the Budweiser “Real Men of Genius” commercial about the Taco Salad Guy?  Well there have never been truer words spoken with regards to Martha’s taco salad – they pile all sorts of goodness in it including cheese, sour cream, guacamole, rice, chicken tomato and lettuce; I even took mine over to the spot on the patio and loaded it up with queso (this is an excellent touch and I would advise you to do the same).  The shell was really flakey and held its crispiness throughout the entire meal.  I was stuffed after eating only half of it!

Here's to you, Mr. Taco Salad inventor guy!

In spite of the patio being packed, our waitress was extremely proficient; she was pretty good at getting all our drinks out to us in a timely fashion and also interacted with the table both in dishing out and receiving a bunch of cracks/jokes/grief.  We accidentally let her know we wanted a split ticket at the very end, and again in spite of the large amount of people there, she was able to accommodate us without issue.

So while the heat has been brutal here in San Antonio, there is a place where you can relish in it, be nice and full, and even have a shot at a dollar margarita!

Value: 8.5/10 (there are some good patio specials, especially during happy hour but some of the entrees are a little high when they aren’t on special)
Atmosphere: 9.5/10 (loved the patio, especially during a biker night!)
Service: 10/10 (waitress was incredibly prompt and nice ESPECIALLY considering how packed the patio was)
Salsa: 7/10 (I liked the fresh salsa, but it was not one of my favorites in town)
Taste: 8.5/10 (overall pretty good flavor and will make you full!)
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