Rosarios

Food: varied, lots of veggie options
Service: average
Atmosphere: bright and fun

While we were downtown visiting the Institute of Texan Cultures for Buffalo Soldier day, my husband and I happened upon this restaurant on S Alamo St. Apparently, this place is quite well known, but since we are new in town, so we were lured in mostly by the pink walls and a picture of Frieda Khalo holding a margarita that greeted us at the hostess stand. The restaurant was unusually busy for 3:30, but we were seated right away, which was a sign of the pleasant, efficient service to come.

The comp chips and salsa were great. The chips were hot and fresh and the salsa was smoky. To start we ordered a ½ order of the shrimp nachos, which was large enough to share. The chips had a wonderful texture, like puffy tacos. Each chip had one shrimp strategically placed ontop. The shrimp were grilled, tender, and a little garlicky. Delicious! Each chip was also sprinkled with diced tomatoes, cilantro, and onions and smothered with cheese. Crunchy and flavorful all the way through, these were some of the best nachos I’ve ever had.

These amazing nachos really built up my expectations for the main course; however, I felt a little let down. I had ordered the Enchiladas Mexicanas, corn tortillas filled with queso and covered in enchilada sauce and topped with potatoes and carrots. The fresh cheese filling was delicious, but the carrots and potatoes were really just a garnish and not an integral part of the dish, which was disappointing, because the dish could have used a little more depth of flavor. The enchilada sauce was a little greasy and a little too spicy for me (as evidenced by the sauce left on the side of my plate. The cabbage slaw was citrusy and refreshing at the end of dinner.

My husband had the chile relleno de pescado, and he was surprised at my lukewarm view of my dinner, because he thought his was delicious.

Recommendation: The vegetarian notations and their willingness to make vegetarian alternatives increase the number of options, which is more than most restaurants around here can say. I was a little disappointed, but there are plenty of options for everyone, so check it out.

Freetail Brewing Company

This bar is pretty far out of town for me, but I needed to pick up tickets to next week’s beer and cheese tasting, so I made the trek. The bar isn’t large, but it’s a little impersonal and generic, like chain instead of an intimate, local brewery.

Since we were there, my man and I decided to get drinks and munchies. While perusing the menu, I noticed that it was created with vegetarians in mind. Many items were marked as vegetarian, which as we all know is helpful for setting the mind at ease, because nothing is worse than ordering something only to take a bite and find bacon or whatnot inside.

So we ordered a ½ order of nachos, a rye wit for me, and PirateTail V for him. The drinks came out quickly, which was much appreciated. Belgian inspired, the rye wit is light bodied with rich flavors. I thought it had fruity hints, but the man said it tasted like prosciutto – but I wouldn’t know about that. The PirateTail V was thick and bitter, and my husband thoroughly enjoyed it.

Not long after we got the beers, the nachos came out. First off, I was excited to find nachos that didn’t include bacon, chili, or some other form of meat. Our ½ order of nachos was HUGE, more than enough to share, and they were smothered in black beans and cheese. Jalapenos, sour cream, and guac came on the side. It looked delicious, but once I dug in, I was more than a little disappointed. The nachos were practically tasteless. Even the guac was a little bland. I usually complain about food being too salty, but this plate suffered from a lack of salt. Luckily, the sour cream added tang.

Recommendation: They get points for a veggie friendly menu, and I’ve heard the pizzas are great, but based on the nachos, I can only recommend the beer.

Beet and Carrot Soup

Even though my goal is to find vegetarian friendly restaurants, I really prefer eating at home. When I cook for myself, I know exactly what is in each dish, and there is no worrying whether the rice was cooked in chicken broth or if the grill was cleaned between meat and veggies. When dining out, I usually have to accept that these and other transgressions may happen despite what the restaurant claims. Since I’m a pescetarian for health and environmental reasons, I let these things go, even though I would never cook that way at home, and the only meat in the house is my husband’s lunch meat.

I love fresh veggies, and I love making soups. So, I picked up some yummy looking carrots and beets at the Pearl Farmer’s market this past weekend for a winter veggie soup. Check it out!

Ingredients:

3 medium beets
5 small-medium carrots
Olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
Fresh ginger root
About ½ cup leftover potato fondue (or mashed potatoes)
Vegetable broth
Plain yogurt

Start by roasting your vegetables: wash and peel carrots and cut lengthwise. If they are super thick - like my short, stubby ones - then cut them once more lengthwise. Cut the stems off of the beets and scrub away. Save the greens, you can use them as salad greens or use them in place of collard greens in a recipe. 

Place both on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil (I used about 1 tbs for all the veggies) and salt and pepper to taste. Fold aluminum foil over beets like so:

Roast in oven at 400 degrees until tender (about 20-25 min for carrots and 60 min for beets). Old beets will take longer.

Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a large saucepan (or a dutch oven would be even better, if you have one). Cook onion in pan until translucent. Stir in ginger for 1 minute. Then add beets, carrots, potato goop, and enough broth to cover veggies. Cook up to another 5 minutes to let the flavors blend.

Using an immersion blender, puree soup. Or, if you want to torture yourself, you can transfer the soup 1 cup at a time to a blender.

Ladle into soup bowls and scoop plain yogurt on top to taste. The dark red color makes this perfect for a Valentines dinner. Enjoy!

Game Day Cookies

Instead of bringing the same-old, lame, football shaped cookies from the supermarket to this year’s Super Bowl party, make these awesome sweet and salty, holiday appropriate chocolate and potato chip cookies. In addition to having the flavor of potato chips, these are also an alternative for those cannot enjoy the salty goodness of chocolate and nuts due to allergies.

My man is headed to a Super Bowl party today (unfortunately, I can’t go because of work. Bummer. I was so hoping to cheer against the Patriots). Anyways, I made these cookies for him to take, so that he won’t look like a total freeloader.

Ingredients:
1 ¾ cups flour
¾ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter – softened
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
9 oz chocolate chips
1 ¼ cup crushed potato chips

Yields about 3 dozen cookies

Crush potato chips in a small mixing bowl (I used generic Ruffles, but use whatever you like). Keep crushing more until you have 1 cup crushed. Set aside.

Mix first three ingredients in a small to medium mixing bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and all sugar in a large mixing bowl. If you have an electric mixer, set on medium speed. If not, get ready for a work out! Beat until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until well blended.

Add the flour mixture about 1/3 at a time. Completely blend before adding the next third. Note: If you are hand mixing, you may want to add less at a time.

Stir in chocolate, then potato chips. Keep in mind that add-ins like chocolate chips, potato chips, and vanilla do not affect the chemistry of baking, so you can use as much or as little as you like. Just keep in mind that if you add more than the dough will allow, then the cookies may fall apart.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. (or do this earlier if you are super speedy) Scoop out heaping tablespoons of dough and place them about 2 in apart on an ungreased (seriously) baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until lightly brown on top and edges. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for one minute, then transfer to a wire cooling rack. When cool, arrange them on a platter and show off your culinary prowess to your friends.

Or just add potato chips to your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Enjoy!

Luke - Riverwalk

Food: delicious fish preparation, but limited options
Service: informative and cheerful
Atmosphere: understated

The restaurant lies on a vibrant street, just a few blocks from the Majestic Theater (the man and I were headed to the symphony later, so it worked out perfectly). Some reviewers have noted that its location in the lobby of an Embassy Suites detracts from its ambience, but I entered on Houston Street and didn’t even notice. The décor nods to the chef’s New Orleans inspiration without being distracting or kitschy. It dresses up well for a special night out but chill enough for a relaxing meal at any time.

I have heard such great things about this restaurant, that I was disappointed to find that even as a pescetarian, my options were very limited. However, our very helpful server mentioned that if I would rather have something veggi-friendly, the chef would be happy to prepare a special dish for me. Very considerate. However, I hadn’t had much protein that day, so instead of risking a protein-less meal, I opted to go with the fresh Gulf Coast fish meuniere. My only other option was the mussels, but I appreciated that the fish was relatively local compared to the PEI mussels. The fish that day was a black grouper accompanied by potatoes and cauliflower (fresh winter veggies, yum!). The breading on the fish was delicate but was awfully salty. The spicing had just the right amount of kick to make me think Cajun but not so much that my senses were overwhelmed.

The meat-eater says: “I had the prix fixe menu, which I definitely enjoyed – it was a venison sausage and potato dish. Very tasty – felt like I nabbed the deer myself. It was a little tougher, but they prepared it so that the sausage flavored the potatoes – made it awesome. I’d recommend it.”

For dessert, we made the mistake of ordering one each, since the desserts are so large that they could be main dishes! I had the bread pudding, which was moist and subtly spiced with nutmeg. They keep the almond cake simple, so that the almond flavor sings, and it reminded my man of marzipan.

Recommendation: Only if you are open to seafood or if you are brave enough to see what sort of veggie dish kitchen turns out. My meat-eating husband loved it, so I may go back and see what the chef comes up with.

Beto's on Broadway

Food: fish tacos are yum!
Service: varied
Atmosphere: relaxed, friendly, neighborhood

I can’t believe I’m reviewing another Guy Fieri joint, but I guess he had good scouts in San Antonio! Beto’s is known for its fish tacos, and they are quite tasty. They include a generous portion of grilled fish, which is good news for anyone that isn’t in the mood for something heavy and fried. I’ve been there four times now, and in the past, the fish tasted quite good, but last night, it had a little previously-frozen texture to it. It also had more cabbage and less sauce than I am used to. The sauce is creamy and a little spicy, and it melds well with the smokey flavor left on the fish by the grill.

They also offer a veggie only taco filled with seasonal vegetables. I had it once and never went back. I give them props for creativity and thinking seasonally, but the vegetables just were just under cooked. A crunchy sweet potato just doesn’t have the flavor and aroma of a fully cooked one, not to mention that it is difficult to eat.

A salad is served with every taco, but it’s just lettuce and tomatoes. Their bland beans and rice don’t impress either. So skip the combos and order a la carte. The dessert empanadas are a little greasy but aren’t bad for a little restaurant.

The service has always been consistent: anywhere between ok and good, never terrible and never great. And for the money you spend, this kind of consistency is all you can really ask for.

Recommendation: Fish tacos: yes. Veggie tacos: skip ‘em.

Best Fried Pickles Ever!

Broadway 50 50

There aren’t many bar food options out there for vegetarians, including this joint; even the devilled eggs have bacon in them! The only truly veggie options are appetizers, so don’t come expecting to have a full meal. But if you’re just interested in beer and snacks, then this spot gets the job done. The 50 50 is no Flying Saucer, but the drink list includes all the basics. Shiner was $3/pint, so the table ordered a round, and I ordered fried pickles. The service on the drinks was prompt, but the pickles took forever to arrive. I soon found that the wait was worth it. The pickles were fried to order, and they arrived piping hot and plentiful. So hot, in fact, that the first bite burned the roof of my mouth. Watch out! However, my minor injury was worth it. I’ve eaten quite a few fried pickles in my life (insert vulgar joke here), and these are the best! It was almost as if I were tasting for the very first time, like a fried-pickle virgin. The crispy shiner-batter was bursting with flavor, and the spicy ranch dressing adds just the right amount of heat. Nothing goes better with beer than fried, and no batter beats Broadway 50 50’s.