San Antonio Menu site

There’s a new feature on this site: San Antonio Restaurant Menus. Use this guide to San Antonio’s best (or worst) restaurants and their menus by clicking on the link here, or choosing the San Antonio Menu page/tab above. I’ve organized it by Cuisine Category to make things as easy as possible to find. If you don’t find what you are looking for, leave a comment and I will add the menu if it is available.

Like any major city, San Antonio’s restaurants serve a diverse range of cuisines:

• Alamo City Classics (the mainstays and staples everyone knows about)
• American & Regional
• Barbeque (BBQ)
• Breakfast
• Burgers
• Continental & European
• Cajun & Creole
• Chinese
• Coffee & Tea Houses
• French
• German
• Home Cooking
• Ice Cream
• Indian
• Italian
• Japanese
• Korean
• Latin
• Mexican
• Middle Eastern
• Pizza
• Pub Grub
• Steak
• Seafood
• Tapas
• TexMex
• Thai
• Vietnamese
• Many Value Restaurants

You name it, its here. Thanks for looking.

Coming soon…

Its interesting how viewership trails off without constant upkeep.  I’ve taken a very short hiatus to catch up on a few things, so expect some postings soon. thanks

Picture menus: sin or savvy?

Many restauranteurs would probably argue that pictures on a menu are just an outright abomination to the profession (Gordon Ramsey, for one). You don’t see any upscale restaurants with pictures on their menu, just a detailed description of the dish. To be sure, pictures on menus are reminiscent of fast food joints.

“I’ll take the combo #2, super-sized.” No description needed, the picture says it all.

“mmphogclakm zpechtorflam” is the reply from the speaker (that means “pull up” in drive-thru speak).

Is it a sin to have pictures on a menu? Any one of us can probably recall off the top of our head at least five restaurants we’ve been to with pictures on the menu (let’s see: Chili’s, Denny’s, Red Robin…hmm, all franchises - interesting). Do these restaurants know something that other restauranteurs don’t? I would venture to say that restaurants actually sell more of the pictured items, but I haven’t seen any data on this. Let me tell you what I think.

Will Starbucks get its soul back?

A couple of days ago an article came through on the AP wire regarding a memo issued by Starbucks Chariman Howard Schultz. This memo, delivered to Starbucks top executives about a year ago bemoaned the “watering down of the Starbucks experience. He complained that the company’s unbridled growth had sapped the soul out of the company. In this memo he pointed to the fact that many people find the stores “sterile” and “cookie cutter.”

How often do you see or hear about someone in a position such as Schulz’s being so candid about the company they run? Admitting there is a problem is the first step towards recovery, and Schultz hit the problem right on the head. As Starbucks saturates the market, the funky and cozy coffee houses (remember when they were called that?) have gone by the wayside. People are driven by convenience and efficiency, and its so much easier to pull up to the Starbucks drive-thru to pick up the morning java than to stop at a favorite coffee house and drink inside out of a ceramic cup. The original intent and philosophy behind the coffee house has waned, and in some areas, disappeared. In fact, after Starbucks switched to the fully automated machines, the pungent coffee aroma that used to permeate the air almost completely disappeared as well. Likewise, the craft of “pulling” a great cup of coffee or espresso is non-existent.

Here in San Antonio, I can only think of one coffee house that has retained this eclectic charm and that also serves good coffee. I only know about it because I stumbled upon it. On the other hand, Starbucks has become so ubiquitous through their marketing that even cartoons mimic and parody their logo.

However, hope may be in sight. Schultz is taking steps to bring the soul back to the stores. Different ideas have been tossed around to accomplish this, (like firing the CEO) but their success remains to be seen. I will be waiting in anticipation as I sip an espresso made from my Jura Capresso at home.

Never assume what food your kids will like

Last night I had to prepare a quickie since we had to be at our Pilates class by 7:15 (yes, I take Pilates) and we were short on time. I boiled some spaghetti, poured a jar of tomato sauce on it and called it dinner.

It wasn’t until my son was almost done eating that he noticed something in his pasta sauce.  In a surprised and delighted tone he exclaimed “Yay! Capers!”

Many people find the pickled, briny taste quite nasty, although I don’t think you are supposed to eat these by themselves like an olive. However, they enhance flavors in dishes when combined and used properly. Nevertheless, I think most people will tend to categorize these in the “Nasty” file.

I encourage you to develop and promote an environment for yourself and your kids that food (all kinds) is a wonderful thing to experience. It absolutely pleased me to hear my 9 year old last night.

Restaurant reviews online

If you own a restaurant and do not have a website yet (I am an optimist, you know?), you must live under a rock. In addition, if you do not manage what is being said about your establishment online then you might as well board it up, because your prospective customers are researching your restaurant in droves.

I read an article in the “Restaurant Startup & Growth” magazine (Dec. ‘07) that pointed to an interesting nationwide poll of consumers by AIS Media. No, I am not fool enough to miss the fact that AIS is a website design company (among other things), so we have to take the results with a grain of salt. Nevertheless, the poll found that 89% of consumers research a restaurant on the web before visiting. Many of those people (about 57%) look at the restaurant’s website. So, what if you don’t have one? Your prospects will then sift through the rest of the info Google has provided them with for meaningful information. I’ve looked for many restaurants online to find them listed only in a directory on sites like CitySearch with just an address and phone number (gasp! Not even a map!). However, there is usually no meaningful information there to attract me to visit. Even worse is to find disparaging comments on forums, or by reviewers who search these directories. I’ll give you an example

Kitchen design that works

Anyone who holds the same disdain for today’s residential architecture and design will certainly have a conversation buddy with me. I recently read a post at one of my favorite blogs that lambasts kitchen design in today’s homes as unfunctional and unusable. The last two “Parade of Homes” I went to featured homes in the $1.5M-$3M range. Few of them had kitchens that made any sense. This seems ridiculous to me until it dawned on me that most of the people who live in these homes probably don’t cook for themselves.

I’ve been blessed to be able to design the home that I live in. My home is not a modified stock plan. It is a bona fide, from-the-top-of-my-head, unique design, all the way down to drawing the blueprints and overseeing construction. In this post, I’d like to show you my kitchen. It went through numerous designs, and we researched many products. My tastes are somewhat minimalist, but not to the extreme. I know that many people will dog on me for the cliché items like the stainless and granite. So be it. I hope you can steer clear of what your personal tastes are and just focus on the design. I’m proud of the design and the look we have achieved and it has served us well. So, here it is:

The living room, dining room, and kitchen are an open design. I can watch TV while I cook or keep an eye on the kids. It is designed for entertaining in mind so that I can interact with guests while cooking. The view in the picture above is taken standing at the dining table with my back to the living room. Its a U-shaped galley with plenty of granite counter space and lots of cabs.

Wasabi - fun for kids of all ages

I love wasabi. Not for me, though, the stuff is pretty evil. I like turning on my friends to sushi and telling them to eat a small glob of the green stuff. “Its just a condiment,” I lie. “It goes well with the California Roll,” I lie again. Then, I sit back and enjoy the entertainment. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, then you don’t know what you are missing. Stop reading immediately and go try some wasabi. Then come back and finish reading.

Hey, I told you to stop reading. Allright, go ahead.

Wasabi is known as the Japanese horseradish and its spice is more akin to hot mustard than to the capsaicin of hot peppers. Its difficult to find in its root form (real wasabi), but more readily available in its ready to use form which comes as a paste made from grinding the root to a powder and mixing with horseradish, mustard and food coloring.

Typically, wasabi is eaten with sushi or sashimi. I’m not very familiar with any other uses other than for sheer torture. The flavor of wasabi produces an intense, eye-watering burn on the tongue and nasal passages that is quite fearsome. The first time I tried this I did not know what to expect. The heat came on instantly, searing my tongue and consuming my nasal passages to where I couldn’t even breath. My eyes teared up and it reminded me of when I sprayed myself with pepper spray (yeah, that sucked). The pain was so intense that I panicked, praying that I didn’t do any permanent damage to my esophagus and stomach.

And then, all of a sudden, it completely disappeared. Not a single trace of the burn could be felt on my palate. I totally thought I just hallucinated (darn those 80’s - just kidding).

Food by-products - yes, I’m talkin’ Methane

I’ve been mulling this for quite some time and need your help deciding. One of food’s foul (yet in a macabre sort of way, pleasing) by-products is Methane. Yes, I’m talkin’ bout air biscuits here. This is a food blog, you know, and all things food related are fair game. Though it may seem right in my mind to host a series on flatulencia, some might find it offensive. So, I’ve decided to leave it in your hands, my trusted readers. Please let me know if you’d like to read a little and I’ll see if I can get in touch with a friend of mine as a guest writer, the authority on this subject, Dr. Harry Butthonks.

Suffering in San Antonio

Around mid-December each year (sometimes as early as late September) and on through January (and sometimes extending through February), cedar pollen makes its unwelcome visit to San Antonio and South Texas. Cedar is actually is misnomer, considering that it is actually the male Ash Juniper tree that produces its berries and decides to pollinate in the Winter. It floods South Texas in clouds like a swarm of army ants moving across a jungle floor. (The picture here shows the red pollen accumulated on the tips of the leaves.)

Personally, I think that mature Junipers can be beautiful trees. These evergreens seem to be the predominant tree species in the Texas hill country. They propagate easily and spread quicker than rabbits. Many developers in the area consider this tree an invasive nuisance in that it uses crazy amounts of water. Nevertheless, they don’t seem to be affected much by drought.

Despite their beauty, anyone who lives in their midst or downstream from their pollination flow will eventually succumb to “cedar fever.” It seems that no one is immune to this evil pollen.

Its my party and I’ll cook if I want to

I wouldn’t classify myself as a serial party thrower, but we do have people over to our house several times a year for birthday parties, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the occasional social gathering. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I am certainly not a chef, but I love to cook and it gives me great satisfaction to see people enjoy what I’ve made.

Most of the time, I have a theme for my meal. It may be Latin inspired, or tacos, or gourmet burgers, etc. Nevertheless, from the aperitif and appetizers, and on through the entrée and dessert, everything is tied in together either by the general theme, or with a certain ingredient. Now, many of my well-intentioned friends and family ask if they can bring something. I think that’s great. There are many times that I could use a few extra things, or maybe I’ve forgotten to buy plasticware and can’t get out of the house. I totally appreciate this kind of help.

But allow me to propose a bit of etiquette here. As I mentioned, I am nowhere near Nigella, nor do I even pretend to come close to an Iron Chef. However, “I DO HAVE A THEME HERE PEOPLE!” Okay, let me calm down (breathe in 5 seconds, out 5 seconds).

What I’m getting at is this:

Fennel: the Devil seed

Can you imagine the first caveman who yanked a fennel plant from the roadside and decided that the funny little brown seeds would be a great addition to sausage? (When I say “caveman” I probably mean “Italian”)

“What is fennel?” you might ask. I call it the devil seed. I remember the first time I bit into one of these suckers. I was enjoying an all-meat pizza (can’t remember where at) and I was gobbling up the last bits of scrap left on the pizza pan. I recall reaching for a small sausage ball and wondering what that interesting little seed was that was poking out of the side, yet unwittingly categorizing it as merely a part of the spices and seasonings. Thinking back to this gastronomically momentous yet insipid moment, it all seems to go by in slow motion…

Two fingers delicately pinch the sausage bit and makes its way towards my pizza hole [insert dream sequence here]

I can see it now, just like in the movies: the beautiful woman picks up the poisoned drink, known to be tainted only by the protagonist, her lover. He glances her direction and sees that she has unwittingly picked up the martini with the poisoned olive. The entire scene is in slow motion; the edges blur as the protagonist rushes toward her, screaming “Noooo.” But its too late.

The 4 horsemen of the Chinese Buffet: fake, famine, foul, & frigid

I hate Chinese buffets for several reasons:

• The food is not really Chinese;
• Most of the food is cold;
• The food tastes Nasty;
• A ton of food is thrown away;
• They are expensive, in order to make up for all the thrown away food.

This past weekend my family traveled a few hours out of town to visit some extended family. Upon arriving, it is customary for the entire family to go out to a restaurant to eat dinner. All in all there were eight adults and five children this time around and to be honest, it makes things a lot easier for a group this size to eat at a buffet. No time needs to be spent with menus and no time wasted to start eating either - just get up and load up.

And you know what? I’m normally pretty excited when I see the array of food I’m about to indulge in. I mean, out of the 75 or so selections, I’m bound to find a couple that I like. Right? Right??? Well, disappointingly, no. Let me work through my list above real quick.

First of all, if these restaurants actually served authentic Chinese cuisine, no one would come.

What is your comfort food?

What is comfort food? Everyone has their own definition, although some of you may not be familiar with the term. You know you’ve eaten comfort food when your brain says: “Oh man! That brings back memories.” For me, comfort food makes me relax, and it brings my guard down. It could be the food your mom makes, or that you remember eating at your grandma’s house. Its the food you serve yourself seconds of, or thirds. Its the “must have” food when you have returned home from a long trip.

For me, its Puerto Rican food. I was born in the U.S. and was raised as an Air Force brat, moving every three years or so to a different region of the States, or to a different country altogether. Both of my parents are Puerto Rican and they have lived in the U.S. ever since my dad joined the military. I’ve experienced different foods and different cultures, but nothing says “home” to me more than a plate of mom’s cooking. That never changed, regardless of the location. Although I’ve never lived in PR, the food is a part of my upbringing.

Why is there a worm in the Mescal bottle?

When I was young I remember going to the grocery store with my mom and waiting in anticipation for the cereal aisle. What was I going to get today? What kind of toys were in the boxes? Do you remember that, too?

Three things would always catch my attention:

1. The cartoon character. I don’t know why I liked Sugar Puffs, I mean, the frog was not that interesting. But, there was a certain hyper-active energy about him that seemed to resonate with my persona;
2. The toy, of course. Cheap as they were, I still wanted it. “Collect all 19 stickers!” Okay, but you only have three here! When are the rest coming in? Good thing we didn’t know about Chinese toy lead poisoning back then or mom would have never bought us this crap;
3. Anything that blared out “Get your chocolate sugar buzz here!” Well, the boxes never said that explicitly, but c’mon, Count Chocula’s eyes are buggin’ out really far and he just seems so excited about this cereal. No : >( mom never, ever, bought me the Count.

My point is this:

Yet another reason why wine drinkers are snobs

Have you ever wondered about wine descriptions? You know, where the taster is describing how he tastes notes of this and hints of that with a nose of so-and-so? I think its a bunch of BS, personally. But how should I know, I’m a beer snob, not a wine snob.

I was perusing the San Antonio Express News Taste section the other day and encountered a recurring article called The Wine List. I normally ignore this because, like I said, I’m more into corked beer than corked wine. Nevertheless, this one caught my attention because it was reviewing Tawny Ports. In addition to being a beer snob, I’m also a spirits snob. I’m not content with any gin - it has to be Tanq 10 or Bombay Sapphire. Jose Cuervo simply will not do (its actually quite nasty). I must imbibe Corazón Añejo or Tres Generaciones Reposado (and no, not in a shot glass, but a snifter, mind you). I happen to also like Ports on occasion and I noticed that this article reviewed a particular bottle that I had in my cabinet, a Taylor-Fladgate 20-year old Tawny Porto.

Mitt Romney Pot Pie

“What kind of pot pie” you might ask, is Mitt giving up a recipe to? Well, none actually, and that is the point.

Imagine being served a beautifully baked pot pie, but not being told what is in it. It could be beef, or chicken, or veggies, or kidneys (no offense to kidney lovers). But, this is exactly what happened during Gov. Romney’s “religion” speech about 1-1/2 weeks ago. Some might call his speech just a cleverly veiled façade, intended to garner support from the religious right, but not give enough detail to actually turn them away. Others might say that Mitt is no different than many Americans who call themselves religious, who see no difference between the god they worship and the god everyone else worships. So, before I continue, let me explain that this is still a food blog, as witnessed by the title. Nevertheless, I do feel compelled to comment on other things every now and then (politics, religion, etc.). In keeping with the theme, then, I will still attempt to work in the food angle.

In his speech, Mitt answered what he believes is the most fundamental question he is asked: What he believes about Jesus Christ. His answer:

3 steps for complaining at a restaurant (part 2 of 2)

As I pointed out in my previous “complaining” post, I have found that restaurants want to know if you are dissatisfied and will normally bend over backwards to ensure your problem is fixed and guarantee your return. But how do you complain? For many people initiating conflict is uncomfortable. It is much easier just to keep quiet and leave. However, there are three (3) easy steps you can take to make this action non-confrontational and benefit both you and the establishment. I strongly believe there is a definite etiquette involved when complaining, so pay attention.

Should you complain at a restaurant? (part 1 of 2)

My wife and I rarely go on dates. When we do, our favorite thing to do is eat. It doesn’t have to be an expensive place, we just like good food. One evening we visited a fairly new restaurant founded by two well-known restauranteurs in San Antonio, so we expected the experience to be great. I ordered a typical Mexican pork dish that I am very familiar with, and my wife tried an enchilada plate with a sweet potato sauce. The enchiladas were fantastic. My dish, however, didn’t taste good at all. But it was edible, you know? I ate it all, no big deal. However, while taking our plates, the waiter asked “How was everything?”

What do I do? Nothing, and try to forget the whole experience and never return again? Should I spout off a lengthy diatribe about how they have ruined my date and wasted my money and blah, blah, blah? Or should I honestly let him know what I think?

Problems at restaurants are not isolated to dissatisfaction with food, however. We have all experienced bad service,

Wine Broker - 1950 Cos d’ Estournel

If there is any interest in this please e-mail me with your name, ph. number, and e-mail address and I can let the seller know you are interested. The bottle should fetch well over US $500 (some vintages from the 60’s are selling over $1k). I am simply brokering this for a friend and, therefore, do not know anything about it.

2e Cru Classe, St. Estephe