Category: Restaurant News

JL Bar Ranch is Texas Hill Country’s undiscovered luxury retreat

JL Bar Ranch is located deep in the Texas Hill Country. Photo: JL Bar Ranch, used with permission.

This year, as Americans continue to practice social distancing and seek destinations that are in remote, outdoor-driven locations, one of the U.S.’s hottest regions is the Texas Hill Country and its stunning, off-grid JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa. (JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa, 2021)

Set on 13,000 acres and a short drive from Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas/Fort Worth areas, and accessible via private airplane thanks to its on-property hangar (FBO), The JL Bar Ranch offers an off-grid yet luxurious experience for those seeking to reconnect with themselves and the Great Outdoors. With the following new amenities, offers, and activities for 2021, The JL Bar Ranch is a prime destination for a naturally distanced getaway in the heart of Texas.

Luxury Meets Texas Ranch: The 32-room boutique property acts as guests’ home away from home to relax, unplug and enjoy the tranquility of West Texas. With scenic views in every direction, JL Bar’s grounds offer rolling acres of oak trees and wild grasses to spot local wildlife.  JL Bar’s cuisine is reflective of the current seasons with an emphasis on using locally sourced ingredients.

A True Texas Adventure: From a full equestrian program featuring horseback riding to off-road ATV adventures, a Putting/Chipping Green, weekend yoga, wine tasting, and clay and skeet shooting, The JL Bar Ranch’s slew of activities and programming take place primarily outside for the ultimate safe cation getaway. Guests are invited to embrace the Texas Hill Country lifestyle, even if it is just for a weekend stay.

Cowboy Cookout: The culinary team at JL Bar Ranch has designed a decadent and interactive social distancing-approved dining experience with its new Cowboy Cookout. Guests can take in the Texas Hill Country views with a horseback ride to the property’s cookout camp, enjoy cocktails and snacks as the culinary team prepares a lavish steak dinner, and relax to country music while taking in the magnificent sunset.

Wellness Weekend, Anyone? To balance its outdoorsy and adventure programming, JL Bar Ranch guests can unwind and practice self-care at the property’s full-service spa, which offers luxurious massages and spa treatments alongside a full nail/salon menu. Guests can reconnect with themselves and the natural world with one-of-a-kind immersive programming, ranging from a horse psychology experience to spa treatments that incorporate ancient healing traditions.

Set amidst 13,000 breathtaking acres deep in the heart of the majestic Texas Hill Country, JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa is one of the country’s premier working ranch experiences and the state’s only luxury ranch resort. Fulfilling the dream of owners James and Lois Archer, the 32-room resort is a study in rustic elegance, providing an intimate, customized Texas experience while connecting guests to nature through a variety of guest offerings and amenities such as equine experiences, hiking, swimming, biking, yoga, and a sporting clay complex. The resort features a spa, outstanding culinary offerings at The Restaurant at JL as well as Lonesome Creek Lodge for dinner series and private events; a Fixed Base Operator (FBO) private airport with a 5,300-foot runway, a general store and more than 35,000 square feet of unique indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, making it the perfect place to relax, unplug and experience the beauty and serenity of West Texas.

Bottling Department at Pearl launches tableside ordering and delivery

Pearl’s Bottling Department Food Hall now offers tableside delivery using QR codes at select outdoor tables. Photo: Pearl, used with permission.

Pearl continues its dedication to small businesses by announcing new initiatives to better serve customers and the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting Wednesday, January 6, Pearl’s Bottling Department Food Hall will offer tableside delivery using QR codes for customers seated at select outdoor tables at Pearl Park. (Pearl, 2021)

With a quick scan of a QR code, visitors can access Bottling Department menus, order, and pay in one seamless transaction. Twenty-six tables in Pearl Park are equipped with this service; guests must scan the QR code located at the specific table at which they are sitting to use tableside delivery. This offering enables visitors in Pearl Park to avoid going indoors, skip lines, and order from multiple vendors in one transaction and to re-order additional food and drinks in a seamless transaction.

All Bottling Department vendors will be available for tableside delivery, including Bud’s Southern Rotisserie, Fletcher’s Hamburgers, Tenko Ramen, Mi Roti, Chilaquil, and The Bar.  

Pearl, located north of downtown San Antonio, provides a unique experience as a top culinary and cultural destination. The mixed-use space features retail, dining, picturesque green spaces, paseos riverside amphitheater, and the third campus of The Culinary Institute of America. As a former brewery operating from 1883 to 2001, Pearl reflects a vivid past while embracing the future with environmentally sustainable buildings mixed with historic architecture.

“Pearl Park is a great place to spend time with your friends and family and we want the Bottling Department Food Hall to be a dynamic amenity for our guests and customers. With this new service, you can order from any Food Hall operator and the bar and have everything delivered directly to you at your table. No lines, no going inside. It will feel like restaurant style service in the park – we’re really excited about using new technology to enhance our park experience and support our amazing operators in the Food Hall.”- Elizabeth Fauerso, Pearl’s Chief Marketing Officer

Taco Cabana announces new menu items and returning flavors

The Beyond Meat bowls and tacos are back on the menu for a limited time. Photo: Taco Cabana, used with permission.

Launching this week, Taco Cabana welcomes the New Year with the introduction of several all-new items and returning menu favorites at all Texas locations. (Taco Cabana, 2021)

For the first time ever, Taco Cabana will introduce Pork Adobada, delicious pork marinated in dried guajillo peppers and adobo spices. Guests can enjoy the Pork Adobada in a Cabana Bowl or in a taco. Taco Cabana guests can also enjoy a four-pack of new cheesy Gordita Bites, filled with mozzarella cheese, and topped with Cilantro Lime Ranch and cotija cheese. 

Beyond Meat bowls and tacos are now back on the TC menu. For a limited time, guests can order a Beyond Meat bowl or a Beyond Meat taco served with salsa roja. 

All menu items can be ordered online for front counter and curbside pick-up, via the drive-thru or by mobile order when using the MyTC! App or online. Select Taco Cabana dining rooms and patios are open for onsite dining.

Taco Cabana, a subsidiary of Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGI), was founded in 1978. The brand specializes in Tex-Mex-inspired food including enchiladas, fajitas, quesadillas, flautas, burritos, tacos, flour tortillas, and a selection of made-from-scratch salsas and sauces. Restaurants feature open-display cooking, a selection of beer and tequila margaritas, patio dining, drive-thru windows, curbside pick-up, and delivery. As of Jan. 1, 2021, Taco Cabana operates 144 company-owned restaurants in Texas.

Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc., owns, operates and franchises Pollo Tropical and Taco Cabana® restaurant brands. The brands specialize in the operation of fast casual/quick service restaurants that offer distinct and unique flavors with broad appeal at a compelling value. The brands feature fresh-made cooking, drive-thru service, and catering.

“We’re excited to bring new innovative tastes to TC, and our pork adobada and gordita bites are a great start to our 2021 menu. For those guests looking for plant-based options, we’re happy to re-introduce Beyond Meat tacos and bowls as well.” – Richard Stockinger, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fiesta Restaurant Group, parent company of Taco Cabana.

Southerleigh Haute South launches brunch menu

Southerleigh Haute South will kick off 2021 with the launch of a brunch menu. Photo: Southerleigh Hospitality Group, used with permission.

Southerleigh Haute South is set to begin offering brunch service on Saturdays and Sundays starting January 9, 2021 from 10a.m. to 3p.m. The restaurant recently opened at the RIM shopping center in September 2020 and offers a selection of coastal cuisine and southern comfort food. (Southerleigh Haute South, 2021)

Southerleigh Haute South’s brunch will include cocktails like the classic Mimosa, a Breakfast Old Fashioned, and a couple varieties of Bloody Marys, including one served with shrimp, a crab leg and fried chicken. The food selection will include Soft Shell Blue Crab Benedict, Southerleigh Chicken and Donuts, Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs in addition to other southern comfort offerings. The full brunch menu is available online.

Southerleigh Haute South – The RIM is located at 5822 Worth Parkway #112 San Antonio, TX 78257. 

Based in San Antonio, Texas, Southerleigh Hospitality Group is an independent fully integrated restaurant and hospitality company, owning and managing various restaurants and food concepts such as Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery, Southerleigh Brewery, Southerleigh Haute South and Brasserie Mon Chou Chou. Southerleigh Hospitality Group is a strong group of foodies who are obsessed with connecting people with savory, comfort, flavorful food experiences and they make no excuses about it. With an unwavering passion for palette tantalizing menus, the restaurants serve up decadent cuisine along with distinguished hand-crafted beers for food lovers abound. The friendly neighborhood gathering places make every visit an unforgettably fun social dining experience.

Amor Eterno announces grand opening date

Amor Eterno, a new craft cocktail bar in Southtown, will open on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. Photo: Amor Eterno, used with permission.

Amor Eterno, a new craft cocktail bar concept, is excited to announce its grand opening date in Southtown in downtown San Antonio on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 from 5p.m. to 12a.m. Amor Eterno will offer an elevated experience of craft cocktails and food in an intimate setting and atmosphere, paying homage to family history and the city’s culture. (Amor Eterno, 2021)

Developed by local bar owners Aaron Peña (owner of The Squeezebox) and Brian Correa (owner of Bar America), Amor Eterno is in the space formerly occupied by Don Martin’s Coffee Co. The entire food menu is being developed in partnership with ¡Bucho!, a popular pop-up concept that focuses on chef-inspired “Tejano street fare.” The food menu includes Ceviche Wonton Tacos, Pinche Hot Chicken Tacos, Tejano Cubano, Ol’ Fashion Donut, and more. The cocktail program, overseen by Peña, will offer handcrafted cocktails including the ‘Who’s That Lady’ featuring gin, PX sherry, lemon, orgeat, and Peychaud bitters; ‘Noches de Amor’ featuring tequila, lime, strawberry, angostura bitters and bubbles, and other house and classic cocktails. A curated selection of wine and beer will also be available. 

Amor Eterno is located at 540 S. Presa St. and the hours of operation will be Wednesday – Thursday: 5p.m. to 12a.m., Friday – Saturday: 5p.m. to 2a.m., and Sunday: 1p.m. to 10p.m. Closed Monday & Tuesday.

COVID-19 safety precautions:

During the era of COVID-19, Amor Eterno will be taking all the necessary precautions to make sure the experience is safe for both staff and guests—including additional sanitizing, frequent hand washing, mandatory masks for guests, associates, and operators, socially-distant tables, and offering hand sanitizer stations.

Pluckers Wing Bar announces North Star location

Pluckers Wing Bar set to open third San Antonio location in Fall 2021. Photo: Melissa Skorpil, used with permission.

With the success of Pluckers Wing Bar’s Selma and Landmark locations and the support for expansion into other parts of town from San Antonio locals, Texas’ favorite sports bar and wing restaurant, Pluckers Wing Bar, is pleased to announce its third San Antonio-area location will be opening near North Star Mall in early fall 2021. The new Pluckers Wing Bar will be located at 92 NE Interstate 410 Loop, San Antonio, TX 78216. (Pluckers Wing Bar, 2021)

Known for their perfect combination of homemade food and a great atmosphere for watching sports, the iconic Pluckers menu includes fan favorites, such as Fried Pickles, Holy Macaroni, the Bypass Burger, and the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. Family Meal Packs and Kids Birthday Party Packs are also available for purchase through online ordering. Pluckers’s famous wings are available in-bone or boneless, grilled, and paired with signature sauces, like Buffalo, Spicy BBQ, and Spicy Ranch, along with such unique flavors as Ginger Peach Sriracha, Gochujang, and Spicy Mandarin.

The new Pluckers location will also offer their legendary “Fire in the Hole” contest, requiring each participant to finish 15 wings dressed in their hottest “Fire in the Hole” sauce. The winner will be added to the famous Pluckers Wall of Flame. Customers will be able to participate in Pluckers’s signature rewards program, Pluckers Club. Members can enjoy a variety of rewards, including, but not limited to, free birthday meals, food and drink specials, and more. Pluckers Club specials are redeemable for dine-in only.

The Selma and Landmark Pluckers San Antonio locations are currently open for dine-in service at 75% capacity and offering curbside pickup. Pluckers is continuing their fun restaurant traditions, such as live streaming their popular Trivia every Wednesday at 7:30p.m. on their Facebook, as well as their Family Trivia Game Night hosted every Sunday at 6p.m. 

Owners Mark Greenberg, Dave Paul, and Sean Greenberg, 2017 Ernst and Young Central Texas Entrepreneurs of the Year, opened their first Pluckers restaurant in Austin in 1995. Over the past 25 years, Pluckers Wing Bar has opened 29 locations, expanding to Baton Rouge, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston Killeen, San Marcos, and San Antonio. Pluckers is known for its signature wings and is consistently recognized as the best sports bar and chicken wing restaurant in the cities where it is located. Offering guests a fun, laid-back atmosphere where friends, family, and co-workers can enjoy a great meal and watch sports, Pluckers has been named in USA Today’s “Top Ten Wing Restaurants,” ESPN’s “Top 5 Sports Bar in North America,” and Dallas Observer’s “Best Sports Bar,” along with being named one of “Austin’s Best Places to Work” for three years by Austin Business Journal.

Culinaria Restaurant Weeks in January to support local eateries

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.

Whataburger Spicy Chicken Sandwich and BBQ Bacon Burger are back

Whataburger’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich is back for a limited time. Photo: Whataburger, used with permission.

Whataburger’s long-requested Spicy Chicken Sandwich was such a big hit when it was introduced in September that they decided to keep it around a little longer – and it is now on a new brioche bun. Also back is the BBQ Bacon Burger, perfect for BBQ lovers everywhere. Both items are available now for a limited time and prices vary by market. (Whataburger, 2020)

The Spicy Chicken Sandwich starts with a perfectly marinated, crispy chicken filet, topped with a fresh, cool leaf lettuce, pickles, and mayo, on a new delicious brioche bun. The BBQ Bacon Burger has three slices of savory bacon, smoked cheddar, and Monterey Jack – paired with two of Whataburger’s 100% fresh, pure beef patties, and a smoky tangy BBQ sauce, all atop a five-inch bun.

Whataburger has been making burgers since 1950 when Harman Dobson opened a humble hamburger stand in Corpus Christi, Texas.  He wanted customers to take one bite and say, “What a burger” so he named his stand on Ayers St “Whataburger.” Whataburger now has over 800 locations across the country and continues to deliver fresh, made to order meals every day with superior customer service.  Community support includes charitable giving and volunteerism to nonprofit organizations that focus on children’s charities, cancer research, hunger assistance, disaster relief and military support.

Whataburger makes childhood wishes come true

Whataburger delivered on childhood dreams for a selected group of fans. Photo: Whataburger, used with permission.

As a year, 2020 has been more Scrooge than Santa, more coal than cookies, more “no, no, no!” than “Ho, Ho, Ho!” But for some of Whataburger’s biggest fans, it was the year that their childhood wishes came true.  Whataburger asked fans across its social channels “What’s the one thing you asked Santa for but never got?” Then, Whataburger surprised 15 lucky fans across the United States from Arizona to Florida with their childhood dream gifts. These included retro game consoles, action figures, model cars, Legos, light sabers and more.  Santa even hand-delivered gifts to two lucky fans in his orange hot-rod sleigh, a 1939 Chevrolet Master Deluxe.  His gift bad also included their favorite Whataburger meals and Whataburger-For-A Year gift basket. (Whataburger, 2020)

Whataburger has been making burgers since 1950 when Harman Dobson opened a humble hamburger stand in Corpus Christi, Texas.  He wanted customers to take one bite and say, “What a burger” so he named his stand on Ayers St “Whataburger.” Whataburger now has over 800 locations across the country and continues to deliver fresh, made to order meals every day with superior customer service.  Community support includes charitable giving and volunteerism to nonprofit organizations that focus on children’s charities, cancer research, hunger assistance, disaster relief and military support.

Pluckers Wing Bar ‘Anti-Resolution Special’ returns this January

Pluckers Wing Bar’s Fried Twinkie dessert. Photo: Pluckers Wing Bar, used with permission.

In honor of the new year, Pluckers Wing Bar will feature an anti-resolution special from January 1 to January 7, 2021. During the week, guests can expect half-priced desserts and a $1 upcharge on salads when dining-in at the restaurant. The extra dollar will be donated to Breakthrough Central Texas, an education nonprofit that creates a path to and through college for students who will become the first in their families to earn a college degree. (Pluckers Wing Bar, 2020)

To ensure the well-being of guests and their employees, safety procedures and precautions currently implemented at all Pluckers locations include taking the temperature of all guests before they enter the restaurant. Any guest who registers a temperature above the current guidelines will be asked to place a takeout order; strongly encouraging guests to use the Yelp waitlist; kindly requesting that guests limit their dining times to 45 minutes after they receive their food; per Texas requirements, Pluckers will only seat parties of ten or fewer people at a table. Children of all ages are included in the party number; checking employees for fever upon arrival for their shift; installing sneeze guards at the host stands; requiring all back-of-house employees to wear gloves and requiring all employees to wear face masks. All Pluckers locations are currently open for dine-in service at 75% capacity.

Owners Mark Greenberg, Dave Paul, and Sean Greenberg, 2017 Ernst and Young Central Texas Entrepreneurs of the Year, opened their first Pluckers restaurant in Austin in 1995. Over the past 25 years, Pluckers Wing Bar has opened 29 locations, expanding to Baton Rouge, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston Killeen, San Marcos, and San Antonio. Pluckers is known for its signature wings and is consistently recognized as the best sports bar and chicken wing restaurant in the cities where it is located. Offering guests a fun, laid-back atmosphere where friends, family, and co-workers can enjoy a great meal and watch sports, Pluckers has been named in USA Today’s “Top Ten Wing Restaurants,” ESPN’s “Top 5 Sports Bar in North America,” and Dallas Observer’s “Best Sports Bar,” along with being named one of “Austin’s Best Places to Work” for three years by Austin Business Journal.