Buddy V’s Ristorante opens in San Antonio

On Thursday, March 22, the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Buddy V’s Ristorante at The Shops at La Cantera. It featured Buddy “Cake Boss” Valastro, his wife Lisa Valastro, their four children and various family and Cake Boss cast members, in celebration of the restaurant’s highly anticipated opening. (Buddy V’s Ristorante, 2018)

Following the ceremony, invited guests, media and tastemakers enjoyed a private reception at the restaurant. Hosted by the “Cake Boss” himself, the bash featured delectable hors d’oeuvres and passed dishes including Grandma’s Meatballs with beef, veal, pork, marinara and parmesan, My Mother in Law’s Capellini Shrimp Scampi with roasted tomatoes, spinach, garlic and white wine, and Bone-In Veal Parm Chop oven baked with provolone, mozzarella and marinara; along with wine and signature cocktail offerings.

Aside from remarks by Jason Lapin of Blau + Associates, on behalf of Elizabeth Blau and Kim Canteenwalla, there was also a champagne toast by Buddy Valastro in honor of the event. In true “Cake Boss” fashion, numerous cakes exemplifying the spirit of San Antonio including The Alamo, armadillo, cowboy boots and more, were presented for guests to enjoy and satisfy their sweet tooth.

Buddy V’s Ristorante is now open and serves both lunch and dinner. Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 11a.m. to 10p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11a.m. to 11p.m.

Renowned baker Buddy “Cake Boss” Valastro has opened Buddy V’s Ristorante at The Shops at La Cantera, partnering with veteran restaurateurs Elizabeth Blau and Chef Kim Canteenwalla, to bring a taste of Valastro’s family gatherings and beloved heirloom recipes to San Antonio.

Inspired by family gatherings, neighborhood barbecues and the beloved recipes passed down by Buddy’s mother, grandmother and aunts, the restaurant features signature dishes such as My Dad’s Bucatini Carbonara with pancetta, cracked black pepper and egg; Lisa V’s Linguine & White Clam Sauce with white wine, garlic and extra virgin olive oil; Bone-In Veal Parm Chop oven-baked with provolone and mozzarella and served alongside spaghetti marinara; Valastro Sunday Gravy with meatballs, sausage, lamb, pork and a bowl of rigatoni; Steak Pizzaiola with peperonata, grana padano and polenta, and Nona’s Lasagna Al Forno.

SweetFire Kitchen Easter Feast

sweetfireeaster18 — SweetFire Kitchen is having an Easter Feast on Sunday April 1. Photo: SweetFire Kitchen, used with permission.

Next up on the calendar is Easter and SweetFire Kitchen at La Cantera Resort & Spa is having an Easter Feast on Sunday April 1 for $65 for adults and $26 for children. Reservations are available through open table or by calling (210) 558-2479. (SweetFire Kitchen, 2018)

SweetFire Kitchen is located on the lobby level of La Cantera Resort & Spa and features an open-air style kitchen. Guests can enjoy home style cuisine and signature dishes and a full-service bar with unique craft cocktails, an extensive wine list and draught beers.

Menu includes:
Raw Bar
Calamari salad, olives, Meyer lemon & dill
Gulf Coast oysters on the half shell, cucumber- vodka mignonette
Cajun rubbed poached shrimp, chipotle cocktail sauce
Cheese & Charcuturie
House cured meats & Texas cheeses
Spiced lavosh, seasonal jams & local honey
Salad Table
Artisanal greens, spring vegetables & assorted dressings
Braised duck & quinoa salad, celery, fennel & citrus
Baby romaine, brown butter croutons, roasted tomatoes & roasted garlic dressing
Beet & potato salad, pickled mustard seed & tarragon
Grilled spring vegetable antipasto, fava bean hummus & crostini
SFK Specialties
Apple wood smoked bacon
Chicken apple sausage
Pork sausage
Scrambled eggs, chives & roasted tomatoes
Roasted Yukon gold potatoes, caramelized onions, peppers & Smoked paprika
Sautéed BBQ shrimp, Jalapeno sausage & cheese grits
Grilled Texas squash, leeks & blistered tomatoes
Roasted heirloom carrots & English peas, cardamom butter
Action stations
Made to order pancakes
Blueberries, chocolate chips, Oreo pieces, butter, whipped cream
Chocolate sauce, caramel, maple syrup
Made to order omelets & eggs
Carving Station
Garlic & herb rubbed Prime Rib, horseradish cream & Au jus
Porchetta, bourbon-apple mostarda
From the Bakeshop
Display of house made breads & pastries
Assorted verrines
Milk chocolate mousse cake
Texas orange cheesecake
Pistachio financier, hazelnut streusel
Cream puffs strawberry, raspberry
Olive oil and mascarpone cream cake
Chocolate almond tarts
Easter sugar cookies
Carrot cake carrot macaroons
Action station
Orange crepes hazelnut cream filling mandarin orange ice cream

SweetFire Kitchen
16641 La Cantera Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78256
(210) 558-6500

Easter Specials in San Antonio

bakerylorraineeaster — Bakery Lorraine is one local restaurant having Easter specials. Photo: Bakery Lorraine, used with permission.

Easter is right around the corner and local restaurants will be having Easter specials and brunch ideas for those who opt to eat out. Whether it is special Easter pastries, drinks specials or brunch, there is something for everyone. (Bakery Lorraine, Boiler House, Southerleigh, Rosella at the Rand, Twang, 2018)

Easter specials include:
Bakery Lorraine will offer special Easter egg moon pies, carrot cake and bunny heads made with white chocolate mousse and strawberry compote. Hours: 7a.m. – 8p.m.

Boiler House will have Easter Brunch specials including carrot oatmeal pancakes, cast iron rabbit bread pudding, Lobster Cobb, cured salmon patty melt and a country ham Benedict. They will also have brunch favorites such as the “David Lee Roth” Krispy Kreme Burger, Hangover Hash and Green Chili Pork and Eggs. Hours: 10a.m. – 10p.m.

Southerleigh will celebrate Easter Sunday with delicious drink specials including specialty mimosas, Micheladas and various brewed beers. Hours: 10a.m. – 4p.m.

Rosella at the Rand will offer a “Live Jazz Easter Brunch” from 9a.m. – 3p.m. The Brunch menu includes, Chicken and Waffles, Tom’s Huevos Rancheros, Chicken Biscuits and gravy and more. For beverages, the full bar will be serving mimosas, Bloody Marys and Micheladas. Rosella’s newest location, Rossella at the Garden will also be offering the same Easter Brunch menu from 9a.m. – 3p.m. Rosella on E Jones Ave will be open serving breakfast from 8a.m. – 3p.m.

For those planning on celebrating Easter Sunday at home with family and friends, Twang has some delicious recipes. These include: Michelada Deviled Eggs: Traditional deviled eggs with a twist of Michelada inspired flavor by using Twang’s Michelada Beer Salt; Sugar Cookie Balls: A sweet and easy no-bake dessert perfect for Easter festivities using Twang’s Cafe Zuca vanilla sugar and Slow Cooker Pulled Pork: A unique appetizer for guests to enjoy before the egg scavenger hunt.

Whataburger 2018 Fiesta Medal

whataburgermedal18 — The Whataburger 2018 Fiesta medal is available for purchase online. Photo: Whataburger, used with permission.

Fiesta is right around the corner in San Antonio and the medals have already started to show up around town. Yesterday at the second annual Fiesta Pop Up Store, Whataburger fans got a chance to buy an official Whataburger 2018 Fiesta medal before they went on sale to the public. Coinciding with San Antonio’s Tricentennial and all the history that comes with it, Whataburger’s Fiesta medal pays homage to the classics. The medal features a Whataburger No. 2 with crispy fries, decorated with glitter, and an ice-cold drink, all in bold, festive colors. They are $9.99 each and are available online but there are only a limited number available and they have been known to sell out. (Whataburger, 2018)

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 700 locations across the country and continues to deliver fresh, made to order meals everyday 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.

St Patrick’s Day at Rosella at the Rand

rosellaleatherneck — Rosella at the Rand will be hosting a St. Patrick’s Day event where guests can celebrate the day with special drinks like the Leatherneck. Photo: Rosella at the Rand, used with permission.

This year St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Saturday and for anyone looking for a place to celebrate, Rosella at the Rand will be hosting a St. Paddy’s ‘Kegs and Eggs’ party on March 17 from 9a.m. to 12a.m. Sponsored by Jameson Whiskey, this themed party will feature late breakfast, Irish Whisky specials and more. (Rosella at the Rand, 2018)

The swanky downtown restaurant will be serving up breakfast foods until 4p.m. including ‘egg’cellent favorites such as the Open-Faced Buttermilk Biscuit with house-made pork sausage and over-easy eggs. Their all-day St. Paddy’s drink specials will taje center stage at the fully equipped bar. Throughout the day, classic Irish libations will round out the party, including kegs of Guinness draft beer, specials on whiskey flight shots of Jameson Irish Whiskey and Rosella’s take on Irish Coffee, made with Jameson Irish Whiskey, Demerara sugar, freshly brewed Rosella coffee and freshly whipped cream.

Jameson Whiskey, the Irish Distillers subsidiary of Pernod Ricard, will join Rosella to offer whiskey flight tasting boards, giveaway swag and more. Rosella’s Bar Manager, Jesse Torres, has created a fun off-menu green cocktail called Leatherneck containing Jameson, Blue Curaçao and lime juice and will be exclusively available during the St. Patrick’s Day party.

Any Rosella guest attending will receive complimentary three-hour parking validation at the Rand Parking Garage. Bustin’ Loose Saturday DJ Night will take over the evening for entertainment from 9p.m. to 12a.m.

Rosella at the Rand is a one-off concept situated at the Historic Rand Building in downtown San Antonio. Features that set this location apart include later hours and dinner service with menu options from hot sandwiches to small plates. Equipped with a full bar, the café offers a selection of house-crafted cocktails, a wine and beer program and a special boozy brunch menu. Hours of operation are 7a.m. to 10p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7a.m. to 12a.m. Friday, 7a.m. to 12 a.m. Saturday and 9a.m. to 3p.m. Sunday.

Rosella Coffee
114 E Houston St, at Soledad in the Rand Building
San Antonio, TX 78205

Garrison Brothers celebrates Texas Independence Day

hotelemma2-pg — Hotel Emma is a participating restaurant in the Garrison Brothers Distillery’s “The Bourbon Takeover of Texas” on Friday March 2.

Garrison Brothers Distillery™ is a small farm and ranch located in the Texas Hill Country which produces straight bourbon whiskey. Founded in 2006, Garrison Brothers is the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas history and is one of the first distilleries in America outside of Kentucky to produce authentic, handmade bourbon whiskey and only bourbon whiskey. At the American Craft Spirit Awards in 2016, they were awarded a gold medal for their Cowboy Bourbon™, silver medal for their 2016 Vintage Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey and another silver for their Texas Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The distillery and its barrel barns are open to the public for tours in Hye, Texas. (Garrison Brothers Distillery, 2018)

On Friday, March 2, Garrison Brothers Distillery is partnering with 21 chefs and mixologists across the sate to celebrate Texas Independence Day with bourbon-infused chef specials. These tastemakers have been hand-selected to showcase their culinary love for the Lone Star State by incorporating Garrison Brothers’ 2018 vintage of their Small Batch bourbon into a unique, limited-time culinary special. “The Bourbon Takeover of Texas,” a one-night-only event, will take place at choice restaurants in Texas’ largest cities: Austin, Dallas, Houston, El Paso and San Antonio. Each chef has been tasked with creating a dish, or cocktail, reflecting their restaurant concept and the bold, proud spirit of Texas.

Participating restaurants include:

Austin
Alma Alcocer — Executive Chef, El Alma
Jeff Martinez — Executive Chef, Alcomar
Maribel Rivero — Executive Chef, Yuyo
Ryan Foster — Restaurant & Bar Manager, Juniper
Amanda Rockman — Executive Pastry Chef, New Waterloo – Central Standard
Natalie Gazaui — Executive Pastry Chef, Eberly
Lance Posey — Bar Manager, Native Hostel
Tatsu Aikawa & Takuya “Tako” Matsumoto — Chefs/Owners, Kemuri Tatsu-Ya

Dallas
George Kaiho — Bar Manager, Jettison
Omar Yefoon — Bar Manager, Shoal’s Sound & Service
Matt McCallister — Chef/Owner, FT33
Josh Sutcliff — Executive Chef, Mirador
Nick Hurry — Executive Chef, Proof & Pantry

El Paso
Aldo Mora — Executive Chef, Café Central

Houston
Westin Galleymore — Chef, Hay Merchant
David Keck — Chef, Goodnight Charlie’s
Ryan Lachaine — Executive Chef, Riel
Bobby Matos — Executive Chef, State of Grace

San Antonio
Tim Rattray — Executive Chef, The Granary
John Brand — Chef & Culinary Director, Hotel Emma – Supper
Jason Dady — Chef/Owner, Tre Trattoria

Whataburger Oh Whata Night to benefit Harlan High Class of 2020

whataburgerchickensandwich-jpg — The next Whataburger Oh Whata Night fundraiser on Thursday February 22 will benefit Harlan High School Class of 2020. Photo: Whataburger, used with permission.

Whataburger periodically hosts events to help the community and its various schools. These events have ranged from “Oh Whata Nights” to jalapeño eating contests, drawings and raffles. This Thursday February 22 from 5p.m. to 8p.m., Whataburger is hosting a fundraiser to benefit Harlan High School Class of 2020. The public is invited to come and show their support by enjoying their favorite menu items and during the posted hours, Whataburger will donate 20 percent of the sales to the students. Attendees who present an official school ID will have a chance to win “Whataburger For a Year” – where one customer’s name will be drawn to win the prize, a free Whataburger each week for an entire year. The first 100 guests will receive a free Whataburger sports bottle. This Whata Night fundraiser will be at the posted location only. (Whataburger, 2018)

Whataburger
5760 W Loop 1604 N (near Culebra Rd)
San Antonio, TX 78251
(210) 688-6335

Special Lent menu at Whataburger

whatacatch2 — For those observing the Lenten season, Whataburger has a special menu. Photo: Whataburger, used with permission.

The Lenten season is here and for those who opt to go meatless on Fridays, Whataburger is offering customers the Whatacatch fish sandwich and Whatacatch dinner to accommodate and provide more ways for our customers to enjoy their meals “just like they like it.” (Whataburger, 2018)

The Whatacatch sandwich includes a wild-caught Alaskan Pollock fish fillet with southern-style cornmeal breading, served on a toasted four-inch bun, accompanied with crisp lettuce and topped off with Whataburger’s original tartar sauce. The Whatacatch dinner includes two all-white fish fillets, French fries and Whataburger’s tartar sauce.

Boiler House and Witte Museum host ‘Dinner in the Wild’

boilerhousewine — Boiler House and the Witte Museum are hosting ‘Dinner in the Wild’ on Wednesday March 21. Photo: Boiler House, used with permission.

Boiler House Texas Grill & Wine Garden has partnered with the Witte Museum for ‘Dinner in the Wild,’ a specialty charity event featuring renowned local chefs. This multi-coursed ticketed dinner will take place on Wednesday March 21 from 6:30p.m. to 9:30p.m. There are a limited number of tickets available online for $250 per person. Guests will be able to experience an exclusive evening of fine dining centered around the “Texas Wildlife” theme, combining ingredients from the state’s land, water and sky. (Boiler House Texas Grill & Wine Garden, 2018)

The evening will begin with cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres in the newly transformed Witte galleries, followed by a multi-course twilight dinner created by top local chefs with al fresco style seating options in the Texas Wild Garden space. Participating chefs led by Boiler House Chef Jarrad Gwaltney include Jeff Balfour from Southerleigh, Jason Dady from Tre Trattoria, Tim McDiarmid from Tim the Girl Catering and Anne Ng and Jeremy Mandrell from Bakery Lorraine. Witte Museum curators Helen Holdsworth, Curator of Texas Wild and Dr. Bryan Bayles, Curator of Anthropology and Health, will work with the chefs and their courses to explore the significance of the South Texas region in the past, present and future of the state and how each person can have a profound impact on the stewardship of Texas’ land, water and sky. The event is co-chaired by Emily and Bo Conrad, as well as Carol and Fred Reyes. Texas’ own singer-songwriter Luis Rey will be providing the evening’s entertainment.

All proceeds from the event go directly towards ensuring all K-12 students on field-trips to the Witte Museum get to experience San Antonio’s official Tricentennial exhibition, ‘Confluence and Culture: 300 Years of San Antonio History.’ This fundraiser covers all aspects of the field-trip costs including buses, gas, general admission and Tricentennial programming for students.

Witte Museum
3801 Broadway St
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 357-1900

‘Month of Love’ returns to Pearl this February

vintageboutique — The Vintage Bouquet Bar is just one business at the Pearl helping customers celebrate the ‘Month of Love’ with special deals. Photo: The Vintage Bouquet Bar, used with permission.

During the month of February, Pearl is celebrating all things love with their ‘Month of Love’ celebration. This will consist of romantic programming that includes sweet shopping and dining specials at the onsite restaurants and retailers and romantic live music. Hiatus Spa + Retreat, The Granary ‘Cue and Brew and more are offering specials throughout the romantic weekend. Pearl is encouraging all guests to interact via social media posts using the hashtag #PearlLoves throughout the month. (Pearl, 2018)

Special Events:
Enjoy all day happy hour every Monday at Bottling Department. During February, The Bar at Bottling Department will have handcrafted mimosas, specialty sangrias, local beer and wines carefully selected by the team at High Street Wine Co.

Sweethearts Dance will bring the community together for an evening of dancing at Pearl Studio on Friday February 9 from 5p.m. to 7:30 p.m. featuring DJ Steven Lee Moya.

Salsa Night at The Stable invites salsa pros and beginners to come to Pearl Stable on Friday, February 17 from 7p.m. to 11p.m. with music by Jose Amador and NATIAO Latin Jazz.

The music series Canciones; Love Songs returns to Pearl Park on Friday, February 23 from 5:30p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with live music from Tje Austin & Alyson Alonzo.

Sound Cream returns to Pearl Park on Valentine’s Day, Wednesday, February 14 from 6p.m.to 9p.m. SoundCream Airstream will host DJ JJ Lopez with his own take on all things love-inspired music.

Hotel Emma has an exclusive Valentine’s package for patrons staying throughout the month. Hotel guests can use code MLOVE to receive a special room rate and receive complimentary chocolates including a box of four regional truffles and a half bottle of Miravel rose upon arrival.

Shopping
Customers can assemble an extra special flower bouquet at The Vintage Bouquet Bar, the flower and gift boutique that consists of full service floral customization. Selections include florals, fillers, greenery and arrangement style for a personalized piece perfect for any Valentine. The limited-edition style created for Valentine’s Day is called the “Yours & Mine” arrangement which sells for $150 and lux blooms styled two unique ways to complement their accompanying dark gray or light cream copper bottom ceramic vases. They also have classes where guests can learn the art of floral design with a hands-on, relaxing experience on how to build and create signature whimsical arrangements. Each class arrangement will be uniquely styled and color palette oriented and will change from week to week.

Adelante Boutique has new, lightweight sweaters in stock by Wooden Ships, which make dressing for the occasion effortless.

Dos Carolinas is selling Valentine’s Day robes to make gift-giving super easy. Be Mine and Hug Me “Bathrobe Love” bathrobes are seersucker and one-size fits all. Perfect for gift giving to a loved one, these robes will make anyone want to lounge the day away.

Leighelena has handmade gifts including a boxed steak knife collection by Claude Dozorme for Laguiole and a woven glass bead and sterling silver necklace, handmade by Claudia Fajardo.

Niche will be selling cute little stone wear gift hearts and dishes as well as “kiss” scarves.

Dine and Drink
The Granary ‘Cue and Brew is offering a three-course pre-fixe dinner on Valentine’s Day from 5:30p.m. to 10p.m. for $55 per person, plus tip and tax. Each guest will choose a Welcome, Savor and Stay Courses from a specially selected menu for the evening including items such as Smoked Pork Belly, Barbecued Duck Breast, Buttermilk Chess Pie and more. Select wine and sparkling options will be featured during the evening. Reservations are not required, but strongly suggested and may be made online. The Granary also has a new seasonal beer on tap, ideal for chocolate lovers: Imperial Mocha Stout.

High Street Wine Co. will be celebrating Pearl’s ‘Month of Love’ with two unique wine flights that will run through the entire month. The first flight, ‘Riddle Me This,’ will be an exploration into the major styles of sparkling wine made by the Champagne Method. The second flight, ‘Liquid Dessert,’ has three different dessert wines that are distinctly different. Each flight will be paired with a small treat alongside, and discounts will apply to those who order in ‘pairs.’

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