Culinaria Restaurant Weeks will be a month long promotion to support local eateries. Photo: Culinaria San Antonio, used with permission.
Culinaria Restaurant Weeks’ bi-annual event to promote local eateries begins January 2 and runs through January 31, 2021 and is offering three course lunch and dinner menus for both dine-in and to-go. Due to the current situation limiting capacity to 50% for dine-in, Culinaria encourages to-go and curbside pick-up. Three course lunch menus are $20 and dinner menus are $35 and $45, and most also offer bar beverages for take-out. (Culinaria, 2020)
Guest safety and satisfaction is a priority. All participating restaurants are enforcing safety procedures and protocols when it comes to sanitizing and service.
Reservations are required for those preferring to dine-in. For a complete list of participating restaurants and to view menu options visit Culinaria online. While there, visit the Hospitality Fund tab for information on how you can help furloughed workers and businesses on the financial brink.
“Restaurants are continuously adapting, so keep in mind that hours are subject to change along with availability of some menu items. Restaurant teams are working hard to provide the best experience and service while working under unusual circumstances,” says Suzanne Taranto-Etheredge, president and CEO, Culinaria.
“The mission of Culinaria has always been to promote San Antonio as a culinary destination, and, to support the restaurant and hospitality community when they need us in times of financial hardship or family emergencies, as they have been there for the community in times of hardship – natural disasters, flood and hurricane relief. So, we ask the community to give what you can to help restaurant owners keep their establishments operational. Donations are 100 percent tax deductible.” – Suzanne Taranto-Etheredge.
The Grinch crêpe at Sweet Paris. Photo: Sweet Paris, Used with permission.
Sweet Paris Crêperie and Café, located on Main Street at The Shops at La Cantera – 15900 La Cantera Parkway, across from Grimaldi’s and two doors down from Sur la Table, is launching Holiday for Hunger. A portion of proceeds from two holiday crêpes, the Turkey Cran Brie and The Grinch, will benefit the San Antonio Food Bank and Culinaria. (Sweet Paris, 2020)
The Turkey Cran crêpe features roasted turkey, brie cheese, bacon, spinach and fresh cranberry sauce, garnished with walnuts and dried cranberries for $10.95; and The Grinch crêpe is a savory combination of sweet cream cheese, strawberries, red and green M&M’s, and dulce de leche in a grinchy green batter for $9.95. A portion of proceeds from these crepes sold from November 27 through December 23 will benefit the San Antonio Food Bank and Culinaria. To participate, guests must say “Holiday for Hunger” when ordering. Sweet Paris business hours are 11a.m. to 8p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6p.m., Sunday.
The San Antonio Food Bank fights hunger and feeds hope in 16-counties and serves 58,000 individuals a week in one of the largest service areas in Texas. Sweet Paris shares the belief that no child should go to bed hungry and regularly aids the San Antonio Food Bank’s Kid’s Café and Backpack programs and believes that without awareness of a problem, people cannot take action to remedy it.
Culinaria promotes San Antonio as a premier food and wine destination. The organization supports local dining establishments through its Emergency Relief Fund and scholarships through its Endowment fund with the University of Houston’s Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management.
The Nicolett, a new fine dining destination for West Texas, is now open in Lubbock. Photo: The Nicolett, used with permission.
The Nicolett, a new restaurant from Chef Finn Walter, is now open at 511 Broadway St. in downtown Lubbock. With a focus on High Plains cuisine, the elegant menu is rooted in showcasing ingredients that are natural to the region with techniques that reflect Walter’s experience in Paris, Austin, Napa Valley, and Santa Fe. The restaurant is inspired by West Texas culture and the revitalization of the area. (The Nicolett, 2020)
The highly anticipated restaurant was on track to open this spring but due to the ongoing pandemic, The Nicolett’s team thoughtfully adapted the opening schedule. After nearly eight months of delays, The Nicolett is now open and accepting reservations for outdoor dining. Socially distant, indoor reservations are being considered upon request. The dreamy open-air courtyard consists of 26 seats, where heaters will keep diners warm as cooler weather begins to roll in. The property’s stunning greenhouse will serve as The Nicolett’s private dining room and will be available for booking this holiday season.
Chef Finn Walter was born and raised in Lubbock where he first got a taste of the “West Texas sentiments” at the heart of The Nicolett. His career has taken him throughout France, Northern California, and the Southwest, in both savory and pastry capacities. He was assistant pastry chef and chef de partie at The Restaurant at Meadowood when it became the second West Coast restaurant to earn three Michelin stars. With The Nicolett, Walter has set out to create a restaurant that defines a region, in a similar vein to those in which he trained.
The Nicolett aims to be approachable and fun — grab pozole and house wine — while presenting a new fine dining experience for the area. Menu highlights include twice-baked sunchokes with béarnaise and hoja santa; a delicate quail baked in brioche, presented tableside and served with barley risotto, juniper, and rich game jus; and a beef cheek “brisket,” served with black truffle, nuka pickles, and aligot potatoes.
Like the food, The Nicolett’s wine, beer, and cocktail list will celebrate esteemed Texas producers while also tracing Walter’s path through France and Northern California. Walter has collaborated with pioneering Lubbock winemaker, and James Beard semifinalist, Kim McPherson (McPherson Cellars) to produce proprietary house wines for The Nicolett under custom labels.
The backbone of the ambitious menu and thoughtful beverage program is an intriguing location. The Nicolett has transformed a former residence, one that has for years caught the eye of locals, into a dining destination. A limestone fireplace divides the space into two indoor dining areas, which preserve original brick interiors and tall ceilings lined with cedar planks. Outside, a handcrafted glass greenhouse stocked with flowering aloes, hanging succulents, and trailing jasmine vines will function as the private dining room. An adjacent building dotted with colorful stained glass will serve as a future event space. At the center of the property is the open-air courtyard, where The Nicolett will begin service, offering a safe and welcoming space for diners during this time.
“A big part of creating this restaurant was identifying elements that have always been important to West Texas. This region has a long and rich history of artists and songwriters who approach their work as craftsmen. We want to honor that tradition in our approach to food, drink, and service.” – Walter, chef/owner of The Nicolett
The Nicolett is now open at 511 Broadway St., Lubbock, Texas, 79401. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Thursday, 5p.m. – 9p.m. and Friday and Saturday 5p.m. – 10p.m.
El Sushi Loco’s CEO and Head Chef Francisco Mendoza. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
El Sushi Loco, named “Best Mexican Sushi” by LA Weekly, was recently featured on Tastemade’s Dave’s Killer Bread Foundation’s (DKBF) Second Chances stories. Second Chances is a video series produced by Tastemade that highlights chefs who have found success despite going thru challenging times. The stories are sponsored by the Dave’s Killer Bread Foundation, which was established by Dave’s Killer Bread to help provide more second chance employment opportunities. (El Sushi Loco, 2020)
El Sushi Loco CEO and Head Chef Frank Mendoza strongly empathizes with the struggles that persons with past histories experience when seeking employment. The Tastemade video features Frank Mendoza speaking about how he overcame the odds to begin a successful Mexican-Asian fusion restaurant business. The brainchild of Frank Mendoza, El Sushi Loco is a place to bond with family and a lively place to hang out with friends. El Sushi Loco may be the truest expression of east meeting west, with tastes and textures both exotic and familiar. The flavors and ambiance provide the perfect place for a festive and tasty lunch or dinner.
For the Second Chances campaign video, Frank Mendoza has created a tasty new dish for El Sushi Loco’s menu – the Crispy Chicken Burger. The dish begins with diced chicken breaded with crumbs made fresh from Dave’s Killer Bread Burger Buns, fried to a golden brown, then served on butter baked Dave’s Killer Bread Burger Buns covered with avocado, tortilla strips and El Sushi Loco’s Mexican/Asian fusion sauces. Frank Mendoza’s second chance story, and many more inspirational cooking videos sponsored by DKBF, is available on the Tastemade Instagram and YouTube channels.
“We’re a place of second chances because, how could we not? I was down and out at one point, and somebody gave me a chance.” – Frank Mendoza
The Dave’s Killer Bread Foundation was created to power second chance employment. A lack of information or understanding about employing people with criminal backgrounds can make businesses hesitant to explore this option and the DKBF is here to change that. DKBF believes that in the long term, second chance employment has the power to reduce the negative impact of reoffending in America. The foundation works to educate organizations on the importance of employing this part of our population.
In 2010, Frank Mendoza purchased a street vendor food cart off a Craigslist ad in Tijuana, Mexico for $1200 and began selling his unique cuisine in the streets of Los Angeles, California. In its food-cart days, the Mexican-Asian fusion food concept was called Sushi Island. Frank Mendoza, his wife and his nephew developed the brand tirelessly by serving high quality Mexican sushi and mariscos. The success of Sushi Island further fueled Mendoza’s desire and he renamed the business El Sushi Loco. In 2011 they opened the first brick and mortar restaurant in La Puente, California and soon after, they opened another branch in Downey. Most recently, Mendoza opened his third restaurant in Pomona, California.
El Sushi Loco Locations: 11837 Downey Ave, Downey, CA 90241, 15711 Amar Rd, La Puente, CA 91744 and 1542 W. Holt Ave, Pomona, CA 91768
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