Texas’ Best Breakfast Re-Visited

Texas’ Best Breakfast – Reggie’s Weekend Special $7.50

One year ago this month, “The Food Network Magazine” recognized Taco Haven on S. Presa, as the destination for Texas’ Best Breakfast. They won this coveted award because of their Reggie’s Weekend Special (which is served any day, BTW).

We thought we’d check back in with Taco Haven to see what’s been happening since the article was published and were not surprised to learn business is booming more than ever. Olga Torres explained they have sold over 14,000 of the Reggie’s Weekend Special in this last year, so though the annual recognition may pass to another deserving dining spot, Taco Haven’s winner will no doubt keep its popularity.

For those whose tummies are already rumbling over the thought of this little

Fresh Pico de Gallo

breakfast “snack”, here’s what you’ll find on your plate: 2 eggs (any style), papas con chili (Mexican potatoes), barbacoa (beef cheek meat), refried beans and small quesadillas (with mozarella cheese and perfectly crunchy corn tortillas!). All of this arrives with freshly made flour tortillas and fresh pico de gallo.  The meal is available all hours they are open and is obviously memorable. If you’re squirming a little over the idea of eating barbacoa, I say “rethink cheek meat.” It’s actually quite tasty. I will say, however, that a planned jog around the nearby San Antonio Mission Concepcion would be a good idea afterward. 🙂

As a side note, this historic Mission Concepcion (circa 1755) celebrates a bilingual mass on Sunday morning at 10 and a Mariachi Mass (in English) at noon. Your visit to Taco Haven could be an extra treat in conjunction with one of these unique services.

More great news. As of June 1st, Taco Haven is now open for all of you evening diners as well. You can stop by any night ’til 10 or ’til midnight on Friday or Saturday. They’ve even added a daily Happy Hour from 5-7. I’m personally intrigued by the live music provided on the 1st and 3rd Fridays. (You can call 210.533.2171 for up-to-date info on that!)

Olga and Jerry Torres

The Torres Family is an excellent example of hardworking, dedicated small business owners who are part of what makes America great. The vision and faith of founders, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry V. Torres, when they opened this spot in 1969, was more than fulfilled.  We love to tell their stories and will continue to do so.

The Revival of a South Town Diner

Frank Arevalo at Frank's Hog Stand

When area businessman, Frank Arevalo, decided to “reincarnate” the historic Pig Stand on South Presa, his inspiration came from a connection between the Pig Stand and creating a local dining destination for “Hogs”. Hence, the new Frank’s Hog Stand. For those unfamiliar with the label, a Hog is a nickname for a motorcyclist — particularly a Harley Davidson biker.

Awesome Shakes & Splits

Another underlying motivation for Frank’s new venture may stem from fond childhood memories of creatively earning change for his next Pig Stand milkshake. These efforts for his beloved milkshakes may have birthed the entrepreneurial spirit in him and ultimately resulted in the revival of this great shake and malt diner!

Bring your bicycle or motorcycle

The new Hog friendly eatery is the perfect spot for South Town motorcyclists and bicyclists to pull up to one of the cozy outdoor tables (designed specifically for bikers of all kinds) and order up one of those famous shakes from the past.

The original Pig Stand, noted as the World’s First Drive In, has the new tag of World’s First Ride In. Its appeal to recreational bikers extends to families and area business people as well. After all, who can pass up a Hog Heaven Appetizer Platter or a Heavy Throttle One Pound Burger?

One pound Angus burger

We had the privilege of sampling a number of items while shooting photos for the $5 Dining website. Known for their burgers, shakes and banana splits (all awesome) I’ll throw in my vote for the pork chop dinner,

Pork Chop Dinner

too! This two chop plate has crunchily crusted chops with sautéed onions and mushrooms crowning the feast. The mashed potatoes had a few little lumps for authenticity. Mmm. Since it’s all made fresh to order, be sure to count on a few extra minutes preparation time.

First Fridays are especially eventful at the Hog Stand and, thanks to its proximity to downtown S.A., there are plenty of special events in the works for the future! We’ll be tweeting the news as it happens!

With manager, Jerry Torres (of  the Taco Haven Torres family), visitors can count on good service and an efficiently run operation. Be sure to let Jerry know about your experience and give him a “hello” on your next visit. 

6 yr old Ella

“I thought the chicken tender kid’s meal with curly fries, was really good. The chicken was crunchy. I like that. The curly fries were awesome and really curly. They were a little spicy, so if kids don’t want spicy they can order regular fries.  They gave me a shake, too. I thought I was going to faint cuz it was so good!”         Ella

 

Excited about shake

 

Their 40′ Pit Makes the Magic Happen

I just spent the good part of an afternoon with Tanya Ollerbidez, at The Smokehouse in San Antonio.  Sometimes I have to pinch myself to be sure that I’m not dreaming about this awesome job I have. Could it be considered “work” when I sit and chat with restaurant owners for a while, sample their great food and then have the privilege of telling their stories to all of you? This ain’t bad!

Tanya Ollerbidez

The meteoric success of this little smokehouse is definitely a story worth telling. In 2004, Tanya’s enterprising father heard of the availability of this BBQ location and grabbed the opportunity — provided Tanya was available to bring her extensive restaurant experience to  manage it. Within four short years (with long work days), The Smokehouse was noted by Texas Monthly Magazine as one of the “Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas”. By that time, they’d also received numerous other accolades including, “The Critics Choice Award for Top BBQ” and “Best BBQ” by San Antonio Magazine.

40' Indoor Pit

Tanya says the secret lies in that 40′ indoor pit you’ll see when you place your order. Larry James (a 40 yr smokin’ veteran), rubs their meats with a special mix that only they know about and then smoke each piece for 24 hours in Mesquite. The result — BBQ magic.

Their extensive menu includes the traditional chicken, short ribs, spare ribs, turkey breast, sausage and brisket. However, they also smoke huge turkey legs and lamb ribs daily. Everything I tasted was great. The rib meat fell off the bone, the smoked turkey leg was awesome and the chopped burger (brisket) was a sauce lover’s fantasy come true. However, I woke up this morning thinking one word — BRISKET!!!

Brisket & Pork Ribs $8.30

I’m talking about pure undefiled sliced BRISKET.  Do I dare say it? Don’t even put the sauce on it ’til you’ve taken your first bite. The secret rub and the mesquite flavor are outstanding on their own. Cast your sauce vote after savoring a bite or two.

All sides are made fresh every day and I’m throwin’ in my hat for the Spanish rice. LOVE IT.

Conveniently located near the AT & T Center, once you’ve discovered The Smokehouse you’ll want to pop on by before a SPURS game or on your way to the next big event.

Irresistible Assortment

Sushi, Miso Soup, and a Fun Atmosphere

I love sushi and always enjoy trying new kinds. I had passed Sake Cafe many times and wondered about it, but I had never taken the time to stop in. I wish now that I had tried it sooner! When I stepped inside, I felt suddenly calm and relaxed. The atmosphere was soothing, with a dark wood interior. The atmosphere was fun to, with dance-mix type music playing in the background and sports on the TV.

The food was amazing! I ordered the Chicken Katsu for $7.95, and it was delicious. I couldn’t believe how much food came with it!

Chicken, Rice, Vegetables, Salad, 4 pieces of Sushi, Ginger, and Wasabi!

I ate maybe half the meal and saved the rest for later, making it into two $4 meals. They also served soup before hand. I hadn’t had a good cup of miso soup in forever.

Miso Soup

I can’t wait to go back for happy hour. The crunchy sushi on Sake Cafe’s Quest for the Best video looks amazing.

Check out Sake Cafe’s $5 Dining page and head on over for a fun time and great food at a great price.

Happy Dining!
Annie
$5 Dining

Sushi anyone?

We have recently added a new listing for our first official sushi restaurant, the Sake Cafe. I don’t know about you, but I LOVE sushi.

If you find yourselves looking to try new a new sushi haunt or if you are a newbie ready to try something delicious, head on over to the Sake Cafe. Take a look at their page on our site by clicking here.

Suring the summer, they have a happy hour schedule that you’ll definately want to take advantage of. Sake Café also has an excellent selection of beer, wine and sake.

If you’re a sushi connoisseur be sure to ask for Injoman. He’ll create your favorite sushi upon request!

Snoga’s – A Blast from the Past

Snoga’s is a family owned and operated business founded by Alvin and Bernice Snoga in the late 1970’s, and currently all nine of the Snoga children are still involved in the business. Though the building and décor are quiet and unassuming, you’ll feel a sense of nostalgia reminding you of barbeque stops you and your family may have made in the past as you walk in the front door. All the delicious meats are cooked on site under the experienced supervision of Gary. They are smoked with Mesquite wood to give it that “Texas Smokey” flavor . The wide selection of sides (made fresh every day) include old favorites like potato salad, macaroni salad, pinto beans, corn, mashed potatoes, numerous vegetable salads, and a few unique sides on specific days. Come to Snoga’s and enjoy the home-made chocolate fudge and vanilla cakes also made fresh daily. Take a peek at the menu for all your meat and side serving selections and more fantastic pricing!

Welcome green Vegetarian Cuisine

Green Vegetarian Cuisine is San Antonio’s only vegetarian and Kosher restaurant! Green’s mission is to serve delicious and affordable vegetarian comfort food to our diverse customers. We realize vegetarians are discriminating foodies, and we strive to provide a range of options for our vegetarian guests. Many of our vegetarian meals appeal to our non-vegetarian community as a way of introducing them to a great tasting vegetarian experience.

Green is more than just our name. It also stands for the way we do business. To learn more, check out our website at green Vegetarian Cuisine.

Cool stuff: free wi-fi, farmer’s market and opera night!

Awards and Accomplishments
* San Antonio Express News Critics’ Choice Awards 2007 Best New Restaurant
* San Antonio Express News Readers’ Choice Awards 2008 Healthy Lite Menu
* Certified as Kosher on June 29, 2008 and is under supervision of the Vaad Hakashruth of San Antonio.
* Overall Best Restaurant Salsa (Roasted Papaya) at the 2nd annual Sukkah and Salsa Fiesta

New Listing for the Flour Power Cafe and Bakery

Hi everyone!

Flour Power Cafe has joined the $5Dining ranks. Check out their page http://5dollardining.com/RestaurantCategories/Restaurants/FlourPower/FlourPower.html. They have some great meals that go along with the great ambiance. They have food for even your pickiest eater and even have vegetarian and vegan options. Bring your friends, your family, or your work group (they have wireless internet)! Check them out!

Happy Dining!

PS they also do catering and their cakes are fantastic.

A Story Behind Every Tip?

When we ate lunch at one of the participating 5DollarDining.com restaurants today, we had a chance to chat with our waiter for a few minutes. It was interesting to hear how he had moved from a larger city to live next door to his daughter and her six children. The daughter is very ill and he helps care for the kids.

When he moved to San Antonio to work in restaurants here, he realized that he’d have to take a substantial pay cut, but the family relationships were a higher priority.

That brief conversation served as a poignant reminder that, especially in these economic times, our tips for the wait staff need to be considerate. They usually work just as hard for the $10 or $20 table as they do for the $30 or $50 table, and there’s often a story on the other side of the smile on your waiter’s face.

Happy Dining!

Wow, That’s Good!

In this business, I’m learning to be very strategic. The timing of my appointments with restaurant owners, is really crucial during the quiet parts of their workdays while discovering new $5 and $10 dining spots. Sometimes, I can even manage to swing by Culver’s on De Zavala between appointments to reward myself for a hard day’s work with a Turtle Sundae.

Okay guys, get this. A Turtle Sundae has the Culver’s vanilla custard with caramel and hot fudge dripping over it, and some kind of crispy roasted half pecans that melt in your mouth. It’s practically a meal on its own!

One of the best parts of this new job is learning about all of the restaurants San Antonio has to offer. It’s great fun getting to meet so many entrepreneurs and to see the different operations and selections of cuisine. In the midst of all of this research, finding an awesome treat like that is really fun.

Happy Dining! (and dessert’ing!)

By the way, be sure to sign up for our newsletter and special promotions at 5dollardining.com. You’ll learn all of the latest about $5 Dining and $10 Dining in San Antonio!!!