WORDS BY DAVID DEKUNDER
Photo by Nineteen Hyaku Japanese
ENJOY COMFORT FOOD AT COMFORT CAFE
If it’s comfort food you’re looking for, there are few better choices than Comfort Cafe — and longtime fans can now rejoice that they’ve recently opened a second location. You might be familiar with their restaurant at Los Patios — an 18-acre site for dining, shopping, social events, and wellness and medical services — overlooking Salado Creek, but now there’s a second option in Leon Valley, located at 6812 Bandera Road, Suite 101. They’ll still be serving their beloved hearty breakfast plates and refreshing lunches. There are a myriad of breakfast choices, including the Rise and Shine, a Greek yogurt parfait with homemade granola, fresh berries and a drizzle of honey; a Texas-sized muffin with your choice of two eggs and a meat; stuffed French Toast crepes and waffles; sweet cream pancakes; and, of course, extreme omelettes. For lunch, expect the usual cold and grilled sandwiches, mouth-watering burgers, and a variety of fresh specialty salads, including the famous chicken curry, made with sweet and spicy chicken, sprinkled with pecans and cranberries, topped off with a strawberry vinaigrette. You can also sip on one of the cafe’s 13 Java Junkies specialty coffees, alongside a decadent dessert. As usual, a $10 donation is suggested per meal, with all proceeds benefiting SerenityStar, a peer-to-peer program which helps individuals and families with drug and alcohol addiction.
lospatios.com/comfort-cafe-east
TRY OU MAMI’S ASIAN FUSION INSIDE LOMBRANO FOOD HALL
Photo by OU Mami’s Asian Fusion
Dying for a taste of Asia? Then head over to Ou Mami’s Asian Fusion restaurant. Founded by chef Billy Vongsouvanh, Ou Mami’s menu combines flavors and traditions from across Asia, including Thai, Chinese, Japanese and other Asian culinary traditions. The increasingly popular menu includes pad thai, orange chicken, sushi bakes, bang bang shrimp, pork egg rolls served with sweet chili sauce, Vietnamese-inspired fresh vermicelli noodles and Thai-lu BBQ pork with a signature spicy dipping sauce. Ou Mami’s is a ghost kitchen located inside Lombrano Food Hall at 427 Lombrano Street, specializing in to-go, carry out and catering. Orders for Ou Mami’s are available through Uber Eats, DoorDash and the Lombrano Food Hall website. It’s what could be for dinner!
Photo by OU Mami’s Asian Fusion
EXPERIENCE FANCY JAPANESE DINING
Photo by Nineteen Hyaku Japanese
A unique dining and cultural experience awaits guests who visit the new, highly- anticipated restaurant, Nineteen Hyaku Japanese. The restaurant opened its doors in September at 1900 Broadway, Suite 119, with an exceptional menu consisting of sushi, hand rolls, skewers, Wagyu steak, nigiri and sashimi fish delicacies, noodles, and more. Guests at Nineteen Hyaku get to experience omakase dining, in which the chef gets to choose the courses. Interestingly, some of the dishes are cooked over hot coals by the chefs, known as the robatayaki method. Nineteen Hyaku is a venture of Carpenter Carpenter Hospitality, which has been successful with other fine dining establishments in San Antonio, including Little Em’s Oyster Bar, Restaurant Claudine and Up Scale.
LUCY COOPER’S OPENS NEW LOCATIONS IN SA & NEW BRAUNFELS
Photo by Lucy Cooper’s
Whether it’s enjoying a beer after work or spending a Sunday watching football, we now have more Lucy Cooper’s choices on where to go, including their newest location on the Westside at 8403 State Highway 151, Suite 101, not to mention their New Braunfels location at 1515 Kuehler Avenue. Their slogan is “Stop by for a good time,” and, consistently, that’s what you can expect, with a variety of beers and cocktails to choose from and many luscious bar food options from their food menu. Venture out on Sunday for brunch by taking a satisfying bite of the donut brunch burger made with two burger patties, American cheese, a pile of bacon, house-made hash browns and a fried egg lovingly nestled between two donuts. With a wide variety of appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, pizza and seafood, there’s bound to be something you’ll fall in love with. Beverages include a selection of beers, signature cocktails and specialty drinks, including the Smokey Sunrise — a concoction made of mezcal, lime, pineapple and pomegranate.
Photo by Lucy Cooper’s
CRAFT BREWERY FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Photo by Dos Sirenos
Located in the heart of Southtown, Dos Sirenos Brewing Company prides itself as an independent and family-owned craft brewery. It offers a wide selection of craft beer, wines and non-alcoholic beverages complemented by its extensive menu of appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, entrees, sides, desserts and, inevitably, brunch items. Guests can dine indoors or outside on the pet-friendly patio. And, yes, Dos Sirenos is also family-friendly, with menu selections for both kids and older adults. Patrons can also take advantage of happy hour, live entertainment and games. The brewery is located at 231 E. Cevallos Street in the Blue Star Arts Complex.
SOAK AND SAVOR AT CAMP HOT WELLS
Photo by Camp Hot Wells
Camp Hot Wells is the new hot springs venue, perfect for a relaxing soak in healing waters while enjoying a beverage or noshing on a snack, just steps away from the ruins of the historic southside San Antonio resort and bath house known as Hot Wells. The venue is named after this once-famous destination. Built in the 1890s, Hot Wells was visited by many guests — including celebrities and VIPs of the day —who partook of the highly sulfuric waters on the property for healing purposes. Unfortunately, the hotel burned down in 1925, leaving it in ruins. It’s now a Bexar County historical park, located next to Camp Hot Wells. Patrons order drinks and beverages from a 27-foot-long cross timber bar that was recycled from the ruins of Hot Wells’ bath house. Guests can enjoy the therapeutic water of Camp Hot Wells by soaking their feet in the venue’s garden or reserving one of the venue’s bathing suites for a fee. A variety of beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages are offered at the bar, as well as snacks, including assorted meats, cheeses and charcuterie. On occasion, Camp Hot Wells will feature live entertainment, making it a unique space where relaxation, fun and history come together in perfect harmony.
UNIQUE FUSION CUISINE DEBUTS AT STIXS & STONE
Photo by Stixs & Stone
Owned by UNESCO chef ambassador Leo Davila, Stixs & Stone offers fusion cuisine inspired by culinary recipes from Mexico and Asia. The restaurant is known for its specialty tacos, including the award- winning Taco Flight, currently consisting of barbacoa, strawberry and Big Red jam, house pesto, chile de arbol salsa, queso fresco and pickled watermelon rind on tortillas infused with Big Red. On Taco Thursdays, guests can choose from a total of eight to 10 specialty tacos, served on blue corn tortillas alongside their signature house-made strawberry jam for $4 to $5 each. Menu selections include a variety of fusion-inspired appetizers, plates, desserts and beverages. Visit them at 5718 B Wurzbach Road.
Photo by Stixs & Stone
NEW BAR ROCKS SOUTHTOWN
Photo by Gimme Gimme
A rock’n’roll ambience combined with cocktails, food and live entertainment is what guests experience when they step into Gimme Gimme, a bar at 803 S. St. Mary’s Street in Southtown. The bar is a partnership between Roger Herr and Aaron Peña, both experienced in the local bar scene; Herr owns Bar Loretta, Peña runs Amor Eterno. Bar customers can drink exhilarating cocktails such as an espresso-tini and fever dream, made with pumpkin purée, lemon and an egg white mixed with vodka. Each Wednesday, starting at 6 p.m., join in on Steak Night, during which patrons can enjoy a ribeye au poivre served with duck fat waffle fries, green peppercorn demi and herb butter. Adjacent to Gimme Gimme is A Perfect Day, a neighborhood wine bar and store that carries foods to blissfully accompany their wine. Find Gimme Gimme on Facebook.
Photo by Gimme Gimme
LISTEN TO SAN ANTONIO RESTAURANT’S GROUP PODCAST
Image by The More You Know, The Better It Tastes
Foodies can learn more about local restaurants, chefs and other foodie news through a weekly podcast, The More You Know, The Better It Tastes, produced by San Antonio Restaurants, a social media group with over 210,000 members. The podcast, co-hosted by Alan Williams and Susie LaFredo, gets personal with local chefs, restaurant owners and food experts to discover truths and tales about the San Antonio culinary industry. The More You Know, The Better It Tastes can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other apps.
facebook.com/groups/sanantoniorestaurants
FOOD CLASSES FROM A MASTER CHEF
Photos by Brain West
Food enthusiasts have an exciting opportunity to learn from renowned chef Brian West, who you might have seen at some of our city’s top culinary events such as Fiesta’s Taste of the Republic. The local chef is now offering classes through his newly launched West Point Culinary School. The program caters to both beginners and experienced cooks through interactive classes, workshops and real-world industry experiences.
About the Contributor
David DeKunder is an experienced writer who lives in San Antonio. A graduate of both Texas Lutheran University and Southwest Texas State University, David loves reading about history, birding, sports, and the San Antonio Spurs.
