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 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’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.
House of Má and Hugman’s Oasis will be opening in early 2021 in downtown San Antonio. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Restaurateur Chris Hill, responsible for the award-winning Esquire Tavern and Downstairs at the Esquire Tavern, is excited to announce both a new restaurant and a new bar coming to downtown San Antonio in early 2021. The bar concept, Hugman’s Oasis and the restaurant, House of Má, will be in the Historic Witte Building on East Commerce Street. (Hugman’s Oasis, 2020)
Jill Giles and Project Lead Mark Anders conceptualized and designed Hugman’s Oasis and the street level space for House of Má. To assist with the design of Hugman’s Oasis, Giles Design Bureau brought in Bamboo Ben, a well-known tiki bar expert whose work has been featured in numerous bars throughout the country including Frankie’s Tiki Room in Las Vegas and Luau in Beverly Hills.
The bar menu will feature drinks like the Bermuda Triangle, a tropical rum-based drink, a Piñagroni, a pineapple version of a traditional negroni, and more under the supervision of Beverage Director and Boulevardier Group Owner Jeret Peña. Hugman’s Oasis, named for the visionary architect responsible for the creation of the San Antonio River Walk, Robert H. H. Hugman, will occupy the river level of the Witte Building.
House of Má is a concept by Louis Singh and Eric Treviño, the same team behind the popular Singh’s Vietnamese restaurant in San Antonio. Guests will be able to order items from the menu like Hủ Tiếu (Cambodian Noodle Soup), Phở Gà (Chicken Pho), and more from House of Má, while dishes like Candied-Jalapeño Rangoons, Seasonal Yakitori Skewers, and more will be featured on the bar menu at Hugman’s Oasis.
Jeret Peña will also lead the bar program at House of Má, where guests can order cocktails with names like Old Siam, Soi Cowboy and more. House of Má will occupy the first floor of the building, with private dining available on the second floor. Hugman’s Oasis will be located on the river level directly on the River Walk.
The Witte Building received additional transformations to accommodate guests including a new elevator and a set of stairs leading up from the River Walk to the street level. The new elevator tower was designed by Architect Tobin Smith. Andrew Douglas of Douglas Architects served as the lead architect on the project and Lewis Fisher of Fisher Heck Architects served as historical architect for the project.
“We are particularly excited to add some depth and interest to not only the Riverwalk, but to the overall food and drink scene in San Antonio. We wanted to create an environment on the River Walk that can be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.” – Restaurateur Chris Hill
The ‘Tango Frogs’ have a new home at the Truck Yard. Photo: google
For six years, the late Texas artist Bob “Daddy-O” Wade’s beloved “Tango Frogs” — a collection of three 10-foot-tall frog sculptures perched atop Taco Cabana’s former Dallas Greenville location — brought joy to Taco Cabana guests and passersby. Following the location’s closure earlier this year, several members of the Dallas community have begged the question, “what will happen to the frogs?” Today, Taco Cabana has officially announced their new home. (Taco Cabana, 2020)
Taco Cabana will donate the “Tango Frogs” to the Truck Yard at 5624 Sears St. off Lowest Greenville Avenue in Dallas where they will take up permanent residence. The “Tango Frogs” will be prominently positioned atop the popular beer garden’s roof facing Sears St., welcoming visitors to the venue.
The former Taco Cabana location was originally a nightclub called Tango, where the “Tango Frogs” first claimed their home in 1983 and reclaimed the rooftop in 2014 when recovered and reinstalled by Taco Cabana.
“I couldn’t be more hoppy. Truck Yard has always desired and worked toward being an iconic Dallas location that our city can be proud of. We will position the ‘Tango Frogs’ so they can be an Instagram-worthy staple in our city and to continue to show the appreciation of this ‘unfrogettable’ artwork.” – Jason Boso, owner of Truck Yard
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 Nov. 1, 2020, 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.
Pluckers Wing Bar is hosting two nights of Christmas-themed trivia nights. Photo: Melissa; Skorpil, used with permission.
This month, Texas’ favorite wing restaurant, Pluckers Wing Bar, will be hosting two virtual Christmas-themed trivia nights on Sunday, December 20 and Wednesday, December 23, 2020. (Pluckers Wing Bar, 2020)
Christmas-themed family trivia game night
On Sunday, December 20 beginning at 6p.m., Pluckers’ weekly Sunday Family Trivia Game Night will return on Facebook Live for three rounds of Christmas-themed trivia and fun physical challenges, both kid-friendly. Pair with a Pluckers’ family meal pack and you are sure to have a safe and fun night with the kids.
Christmas-themed trivia
On Wednesday, December 23 beginning at 7:30p.m., participants can access the Christmas-themed live stream trivia on Facebook Live. Round up your team for an evening featuring 10 questions in each round: sports, nerd, movie lines, movie quotes, name that tune, random, and more. Guests can complete the form to participate and all participants will receive a freebie menu item on their next order, just for playing. Just submit your entry before the start of the following week’s trivia night to receive your coupon code in your confirmation email. The order must be $30 or more to qualify.
Pluckers Christmas Bundle. Photo: Pluckers Wing Bar, used with permission.
Pluckers Wing Bar is having a Holiday Gift Card Promo and a Christmas Bundle offer perfect for gift giving season. (Pluckers Wing Bar, 2020)
Now through Christmas Eve, when a guest purchases an e-gift card of $25 or more, 20% will be added free to the purchaser’s e-gift card account on January 1, 2021. When a guest purchases a physical gift card of $30 or more, 10% will be added free to the purchaser’s physical gift card on January 1, 2021.
For the devoted Pluckers’ fan, there is the Pluckers Christmas Bundle, valued at $45 and includes the following below items. When purchasing a Christmas Bundle, add a sauce bottle of your choice to your cart and get it FREE.
Ugly Christmas Stocking
Ugly Christmas Sweater Shirt
Button Pack (6-count)
Chicken Wing Keychain
Chicken Wing Socks
Bumper Sticker
Choice of Sauce Bottle (FREE with purchase of Christmas Bundle)
La Panaderia’s personal size Christmas pies. Photo: La Panaderia, used with permission.
This holiday season, most people will be staying home and getting creative with holiday shopping. Whether celebrating with family or alone, local businesses are making it easy for San Antonio residents to celebrate the festive season. EVO Entertainment’s Movie Night Holiday Box will provide the ultimate home theater experience and La Panaderia and Bakery Lorraine are offering a variety of delectable treats sure to boost anyone’s holiday cheer. See below for a full list of Christmas offerings in the Alamo City this year. (Pearl, 2020)
Pearl and its Farmers Market Curbside debuts a variety of curated boxes filled with holiday gifts from regional producers and family farms that are perfect for gifting. Holiday shoppers can pre-order their products packaged in a beautiful, hand-printed Pearl gift box starting NOW through December 15 for pick up, or through December 18 for shipping (select boxes are available for shipping). Orders can be placed at Pearl Farmers Market and a full menu is available online.
Bakery Lorraine will offer a selection of festive desserts perfect for sharing. Offerings include their Apple Cranberry Pie made with a unique fusion of fresh ingredients and perfectly dusted with Christmas spice. A twist on the classic apple pie, the Dutch Apple Pie is made with four types of fresh apples and topped with a delicately crafted apple assortment and their legendary Whiskey Pecan Pie is made with a kick of Jack Daniels No. 7 Whiskey. All holiday pies are available for $26. The yearly treat, Buche De Noel ($48), is handcrafted with edible whimsical art that changes yearly and features a fluffy vanilla mousse, cherries, and a dreamy chocolate sponge cake saturated in a special kirsch syrup.
All items can be pre ordered in-store or online. The last day to place a pre-order will be Friday, December 18 for Christmas Eve pickup. The Buche De Noel is available for pickup from December 12 through 31. Items will be available for pre-order at all Bakery Lorraine locations in San Antonio and Austin.
EVO Entertainment is offering a Movie Night Holiday Gift Box this holiday season for those missing the movie-going experience. The box will provide movie lovers with everything needed to create the perfect movie viewing experience at home: two limited-edition EVO tumblers, two boxes of classic candies and a large bag of movie theater popcorn. The Movie Night box is $24.99 and is available online or in store.
La Panaderiawill once again be offering their traditional holiday pies this season and will include family size or personal size of the Apple, Pecan, Pumpkin, and Mixed Berry pies. The Apple Croissant, the pan dulce holiday favorite, is available now for purchase for $5 online and in-store and the Christmas pies will be available for pre-order beginning December 15 through December 23 at select prices. Pies may be picked up prior to Christmas Day.
For the first time, La Panaderia will be serving gooey and delicious s’mores cookies. The scratch-made chocolate cookies are packed with chocolate chunks and toasted marshmallows. The unique Christmas cookies come in a package of 6 for $18 and can be pre-ordered starting December 15.
La Panaderia is also offering Mimosa Kits to take home this year. The kit comes with a 750 ml bottle of JP Chenet Brut and half a gallon of fresh orange juice for $36. Mimosa Kits are available for curbside pickup or dine-in.
Later this month, guests can pre-order the traditional pan dulce, Rosca de Reyes, starting on Tuesday December 29 in preparation for Epiphany Day on January 6, 2021. Guests will have the option to purchase a small Rosca de Reyes for $4.50, a six-pack of small Rosca de Reyes for $24, or a family size Rosca de Reyes for $24.
The Jerk Shack’sfamily packs are designed to feed groups of six, making them the perfect option for a small Christmas gathering, which is an all too real situation during a pandemic. Guests can order Jerk Ribs, Jerk Tacos and Jerk Chicken with shareable sides to feed the group. Orders can be placed prior to Christmas Eve as the Jerk Shack will be closed for the holidays. Jerk Ribs with four sharable sides ($55), Jerk Tacos with two sharable sides ($45), Jerk Chicken with three sharable sides ($45)
“After a rollercoaster year, it is important now more than ever to support local businesses, and in turn for businesses like us to continue to do our part to bring joy to the San Antonio community. La Panadería was built on tradition, so it is always an honor for us when guests choose to share our seasonal items with their families and make us part of their own family traditions.” – David Caceres, La Panaderia co-founder
Taco Cabana’s catering options include enchilada casseroles and individually packaged Taco Boxes. Photo: Giant Noise, used with permission.
This holiday season let Taco Cabana ease the stress of meal preparation with a wide variety of catering options featuring all of Taco Cabana’s favorites. Guests can now order Taco Cabana’s new 24-pack Enchilada Casserole, individually packaged Taco Boxes, and other delicious TC menu options as part of TC Holiday catering. Catering packages are available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (Taco Cabana, 2020)
As a special incentive, any Taco Cabana guest placing catering orders for pick-up or delivery through December 31, 2020 by calling 1-855-4-MYTACO, or online using code M05328, will receive a 15% discount off their order if placed by Friday, December 18, 2020.
The 24-pack Enchilada Casserole is the latest addition to Taco Cabana Catering and is the perfect easy-to-serve addition to any holiday season. Guests can enjoy the Enchilada Casserole for $89.99. The casserole is topped with the guest’s choice of two sauces, including Queso, Ranchero, Green, Suiza, Sour Cream or Tex-Mex. Each casserole is served with Taco Cabana’s signature refried beans, rice, pico de gallo and salsa roja. The TC catering menu is available online. Catering is available at all participating Taco Cabana locations in Texas.
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 November 1, 2020, 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.
David and Jose Caceres’s new restaurant is coming to Quarry Village in 2021. Photo: La Panaderia, used with permission.
David and Jose Cáceres, founders of popular San Antonio restaurant staple La Panadería, are excited to announce their latest culinary venture coming to the Quarry Village in summer 2021. Titled El Morita Kitchen, the concept will provide a fresh take on Mexico City-inspired cuisine, while focusing on the use of flour and corn and featuring a dessert menu influenced by the Cáceres brothers’ 30-year culinary journey. The menu will be crafted by the Cáceres brothers in conjunction with input from Mexico City-based celebrity chefs. (El Morita Kitchen, 2020)
El Morita Kitchen will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and will feature a full bar that will bring to life a new brunch experience featuring chile morita, jamaica, tamarindo, and horchata-based cocktails among others, and patio dining for a casual, yet sophisticated experience. El Morita Kitchen honors the memories of a typical Sunday brunch with the Cáceres brothers’ mother, Doña Josefina, accompanied by her signature dish “Huevos Morita.”
Since opening La Panadería in San Antonio in 2014, the Cáceres brothers’ mission has been to share Mexico’s “Bread Cultura,” bringing the art of their beloved pan dulce items to the Texas market that have since become a culinary staple for residents and visitors to San Antonio alike. La Panadería has seen great success in San Antonio and has shown resilience throughout the uncertain times the global coronavirus pandemic has brought on, with two locations in operation on Broadway and Houston St.
Hoping to share their Mexican heritage with citizens in the U.S., José and David Cáceres opened La Panadería in San Antonio, Texas in 2014. The bakery, which specializes in handmade bread, pan dulce and pastries inspired by Mexico’s Golden Era, or Epoca de Oro, draws influence from French, Italian and American bread making techniques. La Panadería’s unique approach to breadmaking includes a minimum 72-hour fermentation process that results in artisan bread and pastries unlike any other. La Panadería has two locations in San Antonio, Texas.
“The Mexico City food scene is truly rich, presenting a kaleidoscope of flavor. Whether you’re enjoying street food or fine dining you will always be surprised, and we want to continue to share our culture and that element of surprise with San Antonio.” – David Cáceres, co-founder and head baker of La Panadería.
SA Examiner 