This Really is About Food, but....

Alicia here! It's been what feels like a very long time since we've written a bit about food. Explanations are in order. We really want this blog to be sort of an homage to the state that has made us most proud: Texas. Texas is as much a part of who Kevin and I are as anything else, because it's unlike living anywhere else in the world. That being said, in the past month or so, a lot has happened to us and done well to change our lives. Like anything else that changes where you're at in life, it takes some time to adjust and prepare to accept the next direction in your life. And if any of that makes sense to you, please find your way to San Antonio, Texas and explain it to me. Regardless, we have risen from the ashes of change and are gradually easing back into what makes us happy, which, as you know, happens to be eating and telling other people about the great (and not-so-great) things we've eaten. We apologize for being major deadbeats as far as food blogging is concerned, but no worries. We'll be back this week with all new and, hopefully, delicious meals to share with you! Keep reading, keep eating, and if you have suggestions, send them our way!

   Check back with us later this week! --A&K

Vida Mia y La Marginal

So, another weekend has gone by, but things are changing for me and Kevin, as far as when we get to indulge in these great restaurants and tell you all about it. Unfortunately, I drew the short straw at work and with my promotion came a new schedule for the time being that I really don’t like...but I like my new job, so I can’t complain too much. I work weekends now, so we still get to go to breakfast, but we’ll have to do lunch on Sunday now, instead of dinner later in the day. Fortunately, I’m only in this situation for four short weeks. Not that I expect anyone to care when I go eat, as long as I’m doing it!

Anyway, enough about my bummer of a schedule, and on to the food! Saturday morning, we started on a bit of a drive over to Stone Oak to eat at Vida Mia. Something to keep in mind about San Antonio, everything is like 20 minutes from where you are. Literally, I feel like all I do is drive when I have to go anywhere. But, we had the most authentic Mexican breakfast I’ve had since I ate one of my grandma’s tamales at Christmas with a fried egg on top. (Because that’s truly what Mexican breakfast is: food from the night before with an egg to make it morning appropriate.) Vida Mia is hidden in this nice shopping center and when you walk in, colors are everywhere. Everyone there is so friendly though! The staff smiles and pays really close attention to what all you'll need. Because we just woke up, Kevin and I were in dire need of coffee...and here's where my one complaint comes in. She brings us coffee and it is literally the temperature of the sun! I couldn't even pick the mug up without removing my finger prints. So we left that for later. While waiting for our food choices to show up, we sampled the chips and salsa they brought us, as well as some of the breakfast pastries. They had empanadas; we tried the pumpkin and dulce de leche. The fillings were great, but the dough was a little dry and a bit too flaky. I had a severe case of pastry dandruff on my clothes after we ate the two we got. We also got two orange muffins and these things were out of this world. It was like biting into an orange made of bread! I even dunked it into the scalding coffee, which made it better. The chips and salsa were really good, with the salsa more what I'm used to with my mom, smooth, not chunky, with a lot of flavor. Before the main course, they bring out fideo soup as well, which is always something I enjoy when I can find it. For those of you who don't know, fideo soup is like noodles and beans and broth and delicious. And it's like the time filler too, because the minute we were done, they brought out the entrees. Kevin got the Chilaquiles, a mixture of rojo sauce, cheese, beans, and fried eggs on top. There was nothing there that did not get eaten on his plate. I had the Molletes, three halves of bolillos (like baquettes but smaller football shaped breads), with beans on the bottom and then different toppings on each one. The first had cheese and chorizo, the second had cheese and bacon, and my favorite one had cheese, peppers, onions and cubes of what looked like asadero cheese. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I also had some ranchero papas (potatoes) that were so good on top of my food! By the time we finished our plates, someone was going to have to roll both of us to the car. This was the best, and I really mean best, Mexican breakfast I have had in San Antonio!

Best ever! 

Fideo Soup! 

Bottom Line: We ate like kings and with tip, came out under $30 total. It's really worth the drive and a truly great restaurant to enjoy a morning of delicious food. You have to eat here if you're in San Antonio. They also do great lunch food as well.
Vida Mia, 1941 Stone Oak Pkwy, Ste 803. San Antonio, 78256. 210-490-2011. www.vidamiacuisine.com

After breakfast and a few errands I had to go to work, and we weren't back together til almost midnight when I got home. So now our evening meal is our Sunday afternoon meal. Sunday, we went and continued our travels through Hispanic heritage, this time opting for something definitely new to us: Puerto Rican food. There's a small restaurant called La Marginal and it serves a great buffet on Sundays, filled with the staples of Puerto Rican cuisine. When you walk up to the line, the buffet server is like a lost uncle you miss seeing. There's a lot of hellos and friendliness. If you aren't sure how to order, he'll just give you a little of everything to try. You get to choose between red and black beans with seasonings (both were delicious!), and then white or yellow rice to go under the beans. The yellow rice was so good I kept going back just for that. It had small lentils and some sort of seasoning I still can't pinpoint, but loved. Kevin got the white and loved it, but to be honest, I think it was just plain white rice. From there, they give you roasted chicken legs, roast pork, and breaded, sweet batter tilapia. There are also some soups (Didn't try those...the floating corn slices did not entice me), salads (pretty basic stuff, nothing really unique to Puerto Rico, unless they invented the house salad, in which case, I apologize for that oversight) and little polenta patties. As far as the polenta patties go, I wasn't so crazy about them, but it might be because it was just plain polenta made pancake style, with no seasoning. The best part of this whole meal, though, was the giant bowl of fried plantains at the end of the line. It's like a seasoned, deep fried, delicious banana, but somehow better. I could not stop eating them! On the second trip back up, I only got beans and rice and plantains. Because they were just that good. Something I shouldn't forget is how attentive our waiter was. This guy really worked hard to get to our table and refill our drinks. He was also so friendly, commenting with us how interesting it was that our ancestors started with the same basic staples, but came up with such different ideas on how to eat them. As someone who has eaten her fair share of Mexican food made by mom and grandparents, I can tell you the ingredients were there, but the style was something else. At the end there are a few desserts as well (or you can opt to just keep eating plantains); they had flan-style dulce del leche squares and sweet rice. I cannot even begin to start explaining my love for sweet rice. I appreciate any meal that reminds me of how much I love my mom, and this was one of those times. When my sister, Melissa, and I were younger, my mom would make a giant pot of sweet rice. It's like evaporated milk, sugar, cinnamon, rice and vanilla and it is so good! We'd eat it hot after dinner, cold for breakfast, and any other time that I just wanted that flavor in my stomach. It's literally one of my favorite things about my childhood. La Marginal makes their own version, but it's got a bit more vanilla and cinnamon than I'm used to, and less runniness to it. It's more like rice pudding than the consistency that I'm used to, but again, same ingredients, different style. Overall, this was a delicious meal and an interesting way to see a different facet of Hispanic culture.

Not tasty! 

Bottom Line: We were out the door at $20. And we were so full again! Whether you grew up with a Mexican mom like I did or not, you still need to try this and enjoy something that you may not have had before. It's definitely something we will go back for, again and again!

La Marginal, 6714 San Pedro Ave, San Antonio, 78216. 210-824-2544 (where we went) or 2447 Nacogdoches Rd. San Antonio, 78217. 210-804-2242. www.lamarginal.com

It was a good weekend, to say the least. Hopefully this weekend, we'll have more to share and more food choices to show, as my mom and family will be down for a visit over Spring Break. Got a suggestion for us? Send an e-mail or leave a comment! Go eat something good!

The Guenther House and Alamo Cafe

Hey everyone! 

It's Kevin again. Couple days late, but all is well in the kingdom. I hope that all our readers out there in cyber-world are doing well also! So this past weekend was LOADS of culinary fun. 

Alicia and I started our weekend out for the second time in a row with a pretty lengthy wait (little over an hour) with brunch at the Guenther House. Fortunately, we started our days off for the second week in a row with some very tasty food to reward our patience. Let me start by saying this place is just a cool place to be. Alicia and I are both what one might call history buffs, and Guenther House totally appeals to that part of us. It started in 1858 as what would become Pioneer Mills. They take this rich history and easy access to such fresh materials to produce an amazing atmosphere and delicious food. I chose to chow down on the good 'ol fashioned Cowboy Breakfast. It came complete with biscuits and gravy (affectionately known to me and the mates as Bees and Gees) delicious thick cut bacon and a couple of sausage patties. The biscuit was easily THE biggest biscuit I've ever seen in my life. Good news for me is that the biscuit wasn't just fluff, but had some good substance. Delicious, flaky, soft, and warm. All the things you look for in a biscuit.

What you see in the above picture is the eggs and potatoes Alicia and I both had with our meals.The poached eggs were very good and the potatoes were the Pièce de résistance. They were cooked to perfection, not too soft or too hard, and the best part was the chorizo seasoning that was spread all throughout. Gave the potatoes a nice kick without being overpowering.

In addition to the eggs and potatoes, my beautiful wife had a fantastic waffle. Very soft and was covered in whip cream and awesome fresh cut strawberries. One thing I have definitely noticed since we moved down here is there seems to be an abundance of fresh fruit. It has been quite the adventure for our taste buds. 

Bottom line: If you are looking for a cool place to eat (felt like eating at Paula Dean's house) and some delicious down home southern cooking then Guenther House is the place for you. All in all it was a great meal, and between food and two coffees total came out to about $25 dollars for two.

The Guenther House, 205 E Guenther St, San Antonio. 800.235.8186. guentherhouse.com.

After a long day of housework Alicia and I met up with our friends Brian and Chelsea for a delicious dinner at Alamo Cafe. This time we went right in and were seated immediately. Don't mistake the lack of wait for a lack of a wait for a lack of deliciousness. This place was off the chain! Some delicious classic Tex-Mex was in store for us. They had their own tortilla factory on site and the results were amazing. The tortillas were hot, fresh, and delicious. 


Brian and Chelsea especially got to enjoy the freshness to go along with their fajitas. If you haven't noticed by now most of the pictures from this week are from half eaten food. I promise that's for a reason that does NOT include the word "forgot". The food was just that good! I didn't get to personally try the fajitas, but judging by the smell of the meat, sound of the sizzle, and haste with which they scarfed them down I would guess they were excellent!

Alicia had something my West Texas/New Mexico friends might know as "Navajo Tacos" but are known here in the River City as Puffy Tacos. They consist of what is essentially an unsweetened sopapilla filled with meat, lettuce, tomato, and cheese. As you can see my lovely bride also topped hers with some delicious sour cream and guacamole! Everyone's dishes came with a side of Spanish rice and refried beans. Normally this is the part of Tex-Mex Alicia avoids because her moms rice is usually light years better than any restaurant. This was not such a time however as she seemed to enjoy it surprisingly. Unlike previous places where everything was greasy and the taco fell apart, Alamo Cafe had a light fry, that kept it crunchy and delicious.

Finally I ordered the chicken chipotle enchiladas. Now I must admit this was a little bit of an adventure. I enjoy chipotle, I love chicken enchiladas, but I've never had them together. The results (just like a good Indiana Jones movie) did not disappoint. It was quite the meshing of flavors and to be honest I'm not sure any description I provide will do it justice. Just know it was cheesy, chickeny, spicy, Tex-Mex goodness. We topped off our meal with some sopapillas served on literally a plate of honey.

The Bottom Line: If you are looking for a good place to get quality Tex-Mex, and want to avoid everything that comes with going downtown then Alamo Cafe is the place for you, and with two locations in the San Antonio area there's bound to be one close by.

Alamo Cafe, 14250 San Pedro/10060 IH-10 West, San Antonio. 210.495.2233/210.691.8827. alamocafe.com

Well I do believe that is it for this installment of We Ate the State. Until next time happy chowing, and God Bless!

- Kevin

Magnolia Pancake Haus and IKEA

Kevin here. This is my first post, and is it fair to use being busy as an excuse to not write? Because right now, I'm evoking that excuse to its full extent. This past week has been insanely hectic, with so much to do and so little time to do it in.

After the fun we had last Friday, Alicia and I went to breakfast (well, brunch) with Mom (Louan) and Carla at Magnolia Pancake Haus. This place is incredible. There have been a lot of reviews and TV spots about this place, especially with Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives eating and raving about this amazing place. I'm sure my opinion doesn't rank so highly as the rest of these, but in case you haven't heard a word about this place, it's phenomenal! We got there late (close to 12:30 in the afternoon) and man does that place stay crowded! From early in the morning until this place closes at 2pm, there is a line out the door with a minimum 45 minute wait on the weekends. But believe me, it's worth all that time. Just don't be too hungry when you get there, or you're in trouble! Even after they opened a new location in the medical district, it's still busy as ever. Once we were seated, though, the food was there super fast. I went with the Pork Calico Hash, with russet and sweet potatoes, pulled pork, poached eggs and a side of bacon pancakes. And all their meat is specially done for the Haus, completely perfect and smokey. Their pancakes, bacon filled or otherwise, are amazing in their own right. Fluffy, soft, and light, they're the best compliment to whichever entree is chosen. For Alicia, she got the avocado, shrimp, and cheese omelet and a side of garlic hashbrowns and pancakes. Incredibly full of shrimp and the freshest avocado. Carla got eggs and pecan pancakes, and Louan got biscuits and gravy with eggs and pancakes. We practically had to roll each other out the door, we were so stuffed! This was the best way I have started a day in a long time! If someone asks you where the locals eat, this is the place!

Bottom Line: Be ready for the wait, but know that you're going to enjoy it. The food is great and not too expensive, with a full meal, coffee, and tip coming out at about $30 for two.

Magnolia Pancake Haus, original location: 606 Embassy Oak, Suite 100. San Antonio. 210-496-0828 | medical district: 10333 Huebner Rd, San Antonio. 210-496-0828. www.magnoliapancakehaus.com

After breakfast, the day sort of started flying by. Alicia and I feel like we've lived in a studio apartment because we've only had a bed. No living room furniture, so our bed has been our dining room table, our TV room, everything. Since we had some tax money burning a hole in our pocket, we headed to Round Rock (just north of Austin) to IKEA. This place is basically Alicia's mecca. This place is so big, it makes Sam's Club, Walmart, Target, and Lowe's look small. After two hours of hard shopping, we stopped and got some dinner at the IKEA restaurant. The cool part? It was free because we were spending over $100. Which we were definitely doing, a few times over. Our house looks awesome though! We got a couch, chair, footstool, coffee table, rug, sunburst mirror, end table, floorlamp, bed frame, a dresser for my brother, Marshall, and some odds and ends for about $731 (once they subtracted our food total). Not to stop there, Alicia and I put everything together in one night basically, stopping only for a small amount of sleep from 4am-9am, finishing our bed frame before lunch. Because that's where IKEA gets you. Cheap furniture, yes. But you have to put it all together.

IKEA, 1 Ikea Way, Round Rock, 888-888-4532, www.ikea.com

Beyond the massive amounts of work put into getting the furniture together, Alicia also did a Chevron (zigzag for men reading this) print and re-painted our dresser. Yep guys, I married Wonder Woman. So based on all this, I think I earned a reprieve on being ridiculously late on this most recent post. More to come tomorrow as we find another amazing breakfast joint to hit up, followed by what I exect will be an equally as great dinner! Stay classy, y'all!

Got a suggestion or comment? Don't forget to leave it here or e-mail me or Alicia!

Valentine's Day and a Birthday Dinner.

Happy post Valentine's Day everyone! It's been an eventful last few days with so much going on and so little time to tell everyone about it. I recently got a promotion at work, moving to the Resorts Desk, which basically means I have to know a whole bunch about Hawaii. Including the state fish, Humuhumunukunukuapuaa, which is just as hard to spell as it is to say. Kevin also got a promotion at work. He now works for the Service Support Team, which basically means he's the guy you go to with questions if you're an insurance agent at Nationwide who needs an answer for a customer asap. So this man of mine is super smart. As crazy as all this change and progression in our lives has been, we still found time to make a new memory in San Antonio as we celebrated our 5th V-Day as a couple. Now some people hate Valentine's Day, while others think it's the sweetest day ever. Which ever category you find yourself in, our amazing 2/14 dinner will still appeal to you.

Thursday night, I asked Kevin where we were going. His response? "Go die." Needless to say, I was a little peeved at his response and almost didn't go out with him that evening. Then he explained to me that he was saying Godai, as in Godai Sushi Bar & Japanese Grill. Uh, yes. Little tidbit about Alicia, I'm a big fan of sushi and all other things Asian food. Now when you pull up to this place, you think you're at someone's house, more so than an amazing restaurant filled with raw fish. It's a simple, unimposing building, that feels like all they need to impress you is an amazing plate of food. Inside, the staff is quick to attend to your needs and make suggestions. After a few minutes of menu perusal, Kevin and I decided on the Sushi for Two. Every order at Godai comes with cloudy (not to mention, delicious) Miso soup and a ginger dressed salad. With those as the starters, this meal was more than enough to fill Kevin and I. The entree for two came with two pieces of Tuna, Yellow-Tail, Salmon, Tai, Escolar, Shrimp, Octopus, Clam, Unagi, Ikura, Uni, Amaebi, and two 1/2 rolls of Tuna and Salmon. If I can be honest right now, my favorite piece in this amazing meal was the Unagi. It's eel with some sort of teriyaki sauce and it's amazing. We ate everything and I loved every minute of it (except the squid, but unless that sucker is deep-fried and being called calamari, I typically think it's too slimy, so whatever). My drink never ran dry, the meal was exactly what I wanted and was completely substantial. There are literally five or six Zagat Guide awards on the walls and several other write-ups listed on the door when you walk in: believe the hype. 

Bottom line: Big date? Take your special someone here. It's tasty, and the right amount of fancy without being pretentious. Be ready to drop $50 if you order something like we did and each get a soda. This is a special day kind of meal, unless you come during lunch or happy hour when they run good specials. But try to come here once, because it's too good to miss. 

Godai Sushi Bar & Japanese Grill, 11203 West Ave, San Antonio. 210-348-6781. godaisushi.com

Yes, that's one bite. No, he didn't choke.

After the sushi-fueled fun we had on Valentine's Day, Kevin and I were back at the grind, finishing out Friday strong. After our long days ended, we got to spend some time with my Mother-in-Law, Louan, and her friend, Carla. They're in town for the three day weekend, and then Louan will be here a little longer for a conference. And tonight happened to be a special day, with us celebrating her ___th birthday. (Let's not fill in an age, k!) And in true San Miguel fashion, we celebrated with a great dinner tonight. Because they're here for a visit, naturally she wanted to find a great place to eat on the Riverwalk to celebrate. Little side note, now that I have been a San Antonioan for almost half of a year, I fully understand the mindset many residents have here: we appreciate the Riverwalk and the business it brings, but residents don't go to the Riverwalk unless there's someone visiting who has to go. Every time I have ventured to downtown, it has been purely for the entertainment of a visiting friend or relative. Guess I'm one of your people now, San Antonio. Thanks for adopting me! Anyway, when we got down there we chose Rio! Rio!, a Mexican restaurant and cantina. As I'm about to tell you what I think, I find myself torn. First, my mama is Mexican and cooked correct for me growing up, so I have a bias. Second, I find that the best Mexican places are hidden gems, discovered after trial and error. Regardless, Rio! Rio! was our dining destination, and it wasn't quite what I thought it would be. Looking at the menu, it's easy to assume it's going to be another overpriced restaurant, with most entrees running $12-$20. Though that may seem cheap to some, to a girl who knows what a bag of beans and tortillas costs, it's an astronomical difference. It's like certain shoe manufacturers using cheap labor overseas to produce sneakers for only a few dollars cost and then turning a major profit by selling said shoes at well over $100 a pair. Sorry, but I get a little soap-boxy about this sort of thing. Either way though, we sat down and give this place a whirl. And Rio! Rio!, I ain't mad at you! Surprisingly, this place is pretty good. Kevin got a GIANT burrito, stuffed with marinated steak, beans, cheese, and a red carne sauce. Due to unseasonably cold weather, I got Chicken Tortilla soup, which came with a side of rice and a satisfied stomach. I actually found myself wishing for more broth, because this soup was filled with chicken, cheese, veggies, and flavor. Carla got Baja fish tacos with fried fish, cabbage salad, cilantro, and a chipotle mayo, on corn tortillas and with steamed vegetables. She was so full, she donated a taco to Kevin and I, and they were very good. Finally, Louan got Shrimp Fajitas and I found myself most impressed at this dish. One of my biggest complaints about any restaurant is ordering seafood typically means you're in for a small amount of your main protein, with mostly vegetables as a supplement. This was the opposite, as her plate had ten jumbo shrimp (which also happens to be my favorite oxymoron). A free birthday drink from our kind waiter and a night of laughter made this meal great. 

She came to SAT in that Sombrero.

Bottom Line: Are you: a) cheap? b) a good Mexican cook? or c) both (aka, my mom)? When then stay home and make this yourself! But if you want someone to make you some great food, this isn't a bad find for the Riverwalk. Visiting tourists especially, please take this restaurant into consideration when choosing a dinner location while you're here. It's going to be higher priced, as most restaurants are in the downtown area, because duh, there's a lot to do here, but it's worth the trip if you're willing to make it. San Antonioans, if you're entertaining a visitor who wants to come downtown, do your tourist a favor and take them here for a good meal. Just don't judge too harshly when they can't say "quesadilla" correctly.

Rio! Rio! Cantina, 421 E Commerce St, San Antonio. 210-226-8462. rioriocantina.com

So this is a special weekend for the San Miguels of We Ate the State. Normally, Kevin and I are far too financially challenged (read: poor) to eat out this often, but we do our best for special occasions, and will always try to share those journeys with you as well. I can't wait to tell you about what we're eating tomorrow! Well, actually later today. Either way, good night! 

And remember, if you have a suggestion, comment, or just want to tell me and Kevin how great we are, leave it here or in our inboxes! 

Mr. Tim's Country Kitchen, Trader Joe's, Mark's Outing, and Downtown San Antonio

What a day! It was so rainy and dreary, but the temp stayed above 60 for the most part. However, the humidity was a constant reminder that I need to get a haircut before I start looking even more like a q-tip. I digress though. Kevin and I got to spend most of today with some new friends, Brian and Chelsea, recently transplanted from Amarillo. 

Kevin's super cheesy omelet

Big biscuit and Brian's food

After we took Brian and Chelsea for a visit to Pearl Farmers Market (a necessary right of passage for new San Antonioans), we started the day at Mr. Tim's Country Kitchen for some breakfast. When you walk in, they're quick to greet you, offering up warm biscuits for everyone at the table. And I could have eaten as many of those large, fluffy bits of heaven as humanly possible. A little honey and some butter and I was good to go. Everyone ordered something different and from what I could tell, the food must have been good since no one was talking. Brian had fried chicken breast and a waffle and Chelsea had eggs and bacon. Kevin enjoyed a major omelet, filled with peppers, bacon, cheese, mushrooms, onion, and tomato. According to Kevin, this omelet was the cheesiest he'd had in his life! And that man knows cheesy. I had a bite and I was definitely a fan. Lots of cheese with hashbrowns on the side. I had the Mr. Tim's Hungry Texan breakfast, which consisted of two over easy eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, and giant pancakes. And I mean giant. They were so big, I ate half of one and Kevin had to eat the rest. I was stuffed! So much food, so much deliciousness. A lot of it is simple diner stuff, but cooked well, so there were no complaints! 

The most GIANT pancakes ever! 

Bottom line: Come here if you get a chance and want to start the day with a giant meal. The prices cap out at around $9.99, with the only items above that consisting of steak. There's nothing fancy about the hole-in-the-wall joint, but you will have to bring a friend to roll you out the door. Cheap, easy, and lots to fill you up! 

 Mr. Tim's Country Kitchen, 620 S Presa St, San Antonio. 210-271-7887. mrtimscountrykitchen.com

Trader Joe's in Quarry Market

After Mr. Tim's, we headed over to one of my favorite places in the whole city, Alamo Quarry Market. It's a big shopping center with different, really nice apartment complexes, restaurants and stores filled with all sorts of things to do. But my favorite place to go in all the Quarry is Trader Joe's. For those of you who have never been to one, Trader Joe's is a cool grocery store with lots of organic and inexpensive food stuff. Kevin and I love introducing people to their Cookie Butter, the greatest of all the butters because it's basically finely ground Gingerbread with the consistency of peanut butter. It's very rare that I leave this place without buying things that are totally unnecessary, but delicious. Today, we got ourselves some Kona Cookies (shortbread with coffee bits and vanilla bean icing), Mochi (little Asian ice cream puff balls), and apple fries with cinnamon. All these things are worth the less than $10 we spent. If you need some quick treats or even a couple of frozen dinners for an easy, inexpensive meal, this is absolutely the place to go. And remember to grab a jar, or seven, of Cookie Butter. It's amazing...just ask my dad, who always asks to be mailed another jar!

Alamo Quarry Market Trader Joe's, 350 E Basse Rd, San Antonio. 210-826-1110. traderjoes.com

It seems like every time we eat breakfast, we definitely skip lunch. Today was no exception. After a quick nap and some serious time with our XBOX and Netflix, we met back up with Brian and Chelsea for dinner. We went out to Mark's Outing, a personal favorite of mine in the short time we've lived in this city. When you first walk in, this place will have you questioning whether or not you should turn around and find another place, but don't let the lack of decor fool you. Hole-in-the-wall doesn't begin to describe this restaurant, which basically consists of a kitchen, a register, a menu on the wall, and card tables with folding chairs. No art on the walls, no decorations to speak of, but it really doesn't matter. This place lets the food speak for itself. And the burgers this place turns out happen to be some of the best in the world! They've got a Lineman burger weighing in at 2 pounds, the Slam Dunk Mushroom Burger, and the Fried Ice Cream burger that comes with a giant scoop of chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry ice cream deep fried, on top of a half pound patty, just to name a few. Tonight, we each had a burger that made us want to cry big tears of joy. Kevin had the half pound Spicy Jalapeno burger, with cheese, jalapeno slices, tomato, lettuce and mustard. Although it was tasty as an all around burger, his big complaint was the lack of Jalapeno. Sort of a downer. Brian had the half pound Bacon Cheeseburger, with tons of bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, mayo, and mustard. I know he enjoyed it because he was done before most of us started. Chelsea and I both went the same direction, and chose the quarter pound Coaches Chili Burger, with housemade chili, cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and grilled onions. I'm going to be honest: we all believe these burgers to be the greatest we have ever had. Juicy, perfect, delicious: all adjectives used tonight to describe the food on our plates. And they have Crinkle-cut fries! Of all the french fry types I enjoy, this one ranks highest on my list! I miss Braum's, a staple mostly found in the Texas Panhandle and Oklahoma, and especially Braum's Crinkle-cut fries. These filled some of that void in my heart. Please stop eating your burgers anywhere else if you're in this city, because it's just an injustice against mankind.

Bottom Line: Nothing here clocks in at over $10, unless it's a Lineman burger (it's close to $20 by itself). For $20 tonight, we got two burgers, an order of large french fries, a coke, and a slab of cake. Perfect if you're eating on a budget, but don't like to skip on quality. This is a San Antonio MUST when you're downtown. And it's just East of the Riverwalk if you want to take in the rest of the city after dinner.

Mark's Outing, 1624 E Commerce St. San Antonio. 210-299-8110. marksouting.com  

Now because our new friends are still becoming acquainted with their new home, they wanted to end the night with a couple of drinks on the Riverwalk. If you're cheap, just get over yourself, because you will not find anywhere remotely close to downtown to park without paying. The most convenient place for me, when it comes to parking, is the Rivercenter Mall. After a quick stroll around, we settled on Swig Martini Bar & Lounge. It's a pretty cool place, with a quieter clientele. You'll find very few frat-types, though we did run into a semi-exciting bachelorette celebration. Mostly everyone there is just interested in sipping their beverages, and for the lowest martinis starting at $7, I can see why. Early, soft jazz music filled the air, with it switching to a live band after 10pm. Kevin had his favorite, Shiner Bock, while I had first their Wedding Cake martini and later a Bloody Mary. All were enjoyable, and the music was pretty good.

Bottom Line: if you're going to the Riverwalk, don't balk at the prices. $6-$10 is what you can expect to pay for basic drinks throughout the night because of where you're at. If you're cheap, visit a convenience store or find a local bar you can enjoy without the prices. But go once, at least. If not for anything more, just do it for the experience.

Swig Martini Bar, 111 W Crockett St, San Antonio. 210-476-0005. swigmartini.com

Well, that's it for tonight. We had some laughs and a lot of fun today and I can't wait for next weekend when my mother-in-law, Louan, and her best friend, Carla, are in town to experience San Antonio with us.


Got a suggestion or comment? Don't forget to leave a comment or e-mail us! Good night!

 

Pearl Market, Tre Trattoria, Revolucion, and Rudy's

Today is the first day of the rest of our meals. Let me set some things straight: Kevin and I won't be posting every day about everything we eat, because frankly, we're in our mid-twenties and too broke to eat out that often. So, bear that in mind when you check in with us from time to time. However, we will do our best to offer up some foodie finds at least weekly. And today is the start! 

How cool is my candle?

If you can begin a lazy Saturday at a farmers market, don't hesitate: do it. Here in San Antonio, Pearl Farmers Market rocks out loud. Right now you can buy pastries made by someone's grandmother, jelly cooked up like crack in someone's kitchen, and a whole buttload of Swiss Chard and Oyster Mushrooms. All of this stuff is made locally and organically** (or so every sign said at every booth). Live music happens and everyone and their dogs (no, but seriously) come out to buy blueberry goat cheese. Today, we made out like bandits with some blueberry cream cheese danishes, Very Berry Jam, wildflower honey, a beeswax candle, and samples in our tummies. Kevin even tried something that looked like mustard pellets on toast. If you go, get there when it opens because crowds will converge pretty fast.   

**Quick side note, I literally think of that commercial where Gallagher goes bananas on some watermelons while the guy asks about the carbon footprint of cauliflower or whatever, and wanted nothing more than to take a mallet to some produce listening to people say sustainable every five minutes.  

Pearl Farmers Market, 200 E Grayson St, San Antonio, runs rain or shine, 9am-1pm.  Music and cooking demos typically start when the crowd grows. Check their website, pearlfarmersmarket.com for more info. 

After the excitement of a farmers market, we were dying to eat. Tre Trattoria Downtown (TTD) seemed like the perfect location to start this foodstraveganza. The brunch menu is limited in the number of entrees, but it seems like the chef puts some real love in each option. Drink orders first, we had Tropic Thunder Mimosas. Pineapple juice, orange juice and Tabasco tossed into a glass of champagne seemed like a great idea, however it's mostly champagne, and just a dash of everything else. Perfect for the pre-noon lushes, just not for us. I can't complain too much though, as the first two Mimosas per person are $1 each, then $3 after that. Not to give up on the first try and in the name of true effort, I swung again for the tried and true Bloody Mary. I mean this in the best possible way, it tasted like someone poured vodka into spicy gazpacho. This thing was way too thick to drink through those tiny cocktail straws, which led to unfortunate tomato mustaches and even more unfortunate "Why So Serious?!" jokes from my husband, but the flavor was definitely worth the cost. Salty, peppery, tomatoey, tabascoy, lemon-limey perfection, and at $5 a glass, not too expensive to enjoy. Breakfast next, Kevin had Green Eggs and Ham. Though Suessically monikered, this plate was anything but childish. Pesto eggs, fried potatoes and sun-dried tomatoes with bacon pieces covered with mozzarella, and two sausage patties on the side made up this dish. If it sounds a little busy, trust me, it was. According to Kevin, the Pesto eggs were awesome, but the overall dish was a little much with all the different flavors that didn't mesh. But getting to order a Suess-inspired dish made up for any shortcomings. Over on my side of the table, I indulged in Chicken and Waffles. Fried chicken is like God's gift to this earth, and in specific, the fried chicken at TTD. Under the chicken was a polenta waffle, all of which was generously covered in melted maple butter and warm Nutella. Take a moment and imagine. I'll wait. And before you ask, yes, it was as good as it sounds. 

Straight. From. Heaven. 

Bottom line: capping out at $40 with tip might seem steep for breakfast, so if you're a believer in the $5 plate, this place isn't for you. Most breakfast dishes range from $12-$20 depending on the dish. Kevin's was $12. Mine was $14. Save this one for a special occasion, or if you're like us and had some extra money on hand. 

Tre Trattoria Downtown, inside the Fairmont Hotel, 401 S Alamo St, San Antonio. 210-223-0401. tretrattoria.com

Watermelon-Pineapple-Ginger Juice

Now Rodeo week is around the corner here in San Antonio, so downtown is a happening place. Kevin and I felt so well-fed after our meal that we mosied on down to Houston St, where the parade was going on. Horses everywhere. No street safe to cross without some serious sole inspection afterwards for horse presents. But goodness, were there booths for stuff everywhere! Free cereal, free chocolate milk (though it being 75 degrees at that time, I think milk was a bad choice), free bags of stuff! Woohoo! We San Miguels are major fans of the freebies! After the fun of a stroll downtown, I was in dire need of iced coffee as a cool down. I guess you could call this stop lunch, since we didn't eat again til dinner. Revolucion Coffee + Juice is supposed to be the best for organic, cold-pressed beverages. These words are basically code for gross, as far as this coffee house is concerned. I love coffee as much as the next person. Trust me. I have a Keurig in my kitchen and a trashcan full of used K-cups to prove it. But yeesh. This wasn't coffee. It was punishment in the form of a mouth punch from every coffee bean ever harmed in the production of my prior cups enjoyed. Revolucion uses cold brew techniques on some beverages, and cuts the outcome with water. They just don't cut it enough. It's like coffee concentrate. And they don't warn you about the lack of sugar in typical sugary coffee beverages. Which means I have to find a good waxer who will remove the influx of hair on mine and my husband's chests from drinking these stout cups of coffee. Even with a ton of raw sugar and unprocessed Agave nectar, I had a rough go choking this thing down. Not to end on a negative note though, I took a frequenter's advice and ordered a bottle of watermelon-pineapple-ginger juice. And their juice is bomb. Better be for $7 plus the additional $1 they charge for the bottle (you get it back, assuming you wish to return the bottle, which means I ain't getting my dollar back). 

Bottom line: just go to Starbucks. Unless you enjoy the Guinness of stout coffees and ridiculously expensive juice, just go get your decaf-nonfat-soy-vanilla latte with two sweet&lows else where. Trust me. 

Revolucion Coffee+Juice, 7959 Broadway Ste. 507, San Antonio. 210-701-0725 revolucioncoffee.com 

And they really mean FREE!

Don't worry...no food was left behind.

Still with me? Good. I hope this post isn't too long. We may need to break it down in parts. But ain't nobody got time for that. However, we have reached the end of this awesome day with dinner. And what better way to cap off a great South Texas Saturday night, than by eating some bbq? I do feel it's a responsibility of mine to tell you this restaurant choice might be cheating, because this restaurant isn't exactly known for being just in Texas, but it's mostly in Texas, and it originated in San Antonio, so I feel good about it. And it was free. If you're outside of San Antonio, you can't appreciate this thing as much, but if you're here in SAT, invest in The Book of Free! This thing is l-e-g-i-t! Free movie tickets, free spa trips, free food. I'm a huuuuge fan. There are even freebies for the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. If you haven't been to one, go now. Seriously. This blog will be here when you get back. I think I paid $27 for this thing on Groupon and it's done paid for itself in being completely awesome. And you can trust us on this because we just started this blog, so no one is going to pay us to write about their stuff yet. Which means all these restaurants and folks should thank me now before I have a going rate. Anyway, tonight my coupon book got us a Complimentary Lunch or Dinner for Two, which included brisket, turkey, cream corn, bread, and bar-b-q "Sause" at Rudy's. Not entirely sure why this company chose to purposely misspell sauce, but far be it for me to criticize a bbq joint taking over the Southwest region of the country. Apparently Rudy's is huge in south Texas though, because Leon Valley, about 10ish miles outside of San Antonio on I-10, is the originator. We ate at a different location here in town and it was an interesting experience. Kevin and I disagreed too much, so let me break it down for you. Kevin basically loved most of the meal, but would have divorced me and married the cream corn if it were legal. I hate cream corn, but old dude finished off his boat of corn and mine. Which just makes my stomach hurt. The main problem I have with these types of restaurants are their constant efforts to make meats as smokey as possible. Even Kevin wasn't a big fan of the turkey, due in large part to the fact that it tasted like an ashtray. The brisket is good, the bread is just regular white slices, and the "sause" tastes like spicy ketchup. In addition to what our freebie got us, we spent about $11 on a beverage (which I don't even want to get into the whole they-only-carry-Pepsi-products-in-SAT issue I'm having right now), potato salad, and peach cobbler, the later two being things I believe can't be screwed up. Cobbler is like pizza: good, bad, it's still friggin' cobbler. And as for the potato salad, I never met a carb I didn't like. 

inside their gas station..trying too hard? 

Bottom line: There's probably a better mom-and-pop bbq joint in your hometown if you're from Texas. If you aren't, then Rudy's is probably heaven to you and this portion of the entry doesn't apply to you. If it's free, it's a good choice, otherwise, find a different, better quality place to contribute to. 

Rudy's BBQ and Country Store, 10623 Westover Hills, San Antonio. 210-520-5552 rudysbbq.com


Well, that's it for our day. Let us know what you think if you've been to any of these places, something good you had, or if you have a place in mind for us to try. Comment here or e-mail alicianna.sanmiguel@gmail.com or kevinsanmiguel@gmail.com.

Now go eat something good!