I’m a fan of the Top Chef series on Bravo, and especially the current season, which was filmed in Texas and mostly right here in San Antonio!  Last night’s episode (Feb. 1) was fun to watch as the final 5 contestants rode bikes around downtown looking for ingredients, then had to find a restaurant kitchen to use for preparation before serving lunch to Pee Wee Herman and the other judges at the Alamo!  One of the big topics in downtown housing options is the lack of a downtown grocery store, so I was curious as to where these chefs were going to find the fresh food items they needed to prepare a lunch.  I’m still not sure exactly where they came up with their ingredients (besides using some things they found in the restaurants they “borrowed”), but it was fun to watch!

I especially loved when one of the contestants was arriving on scene to do his final prep before serving.  He stopped on the street, pointed ahead, and asked someone, “Is that the Alamo?”  Yeah, it was!  I thought everyone knew what the Alamo looked like!  Guess not!

It was fun to see the chefs use the kitchens in several popular Southtown restaurants.  I’ve had the pleasure of visiting 2 of the 5 that were featured, and now I’m even more determined to get to the others!  The two I’ve enjoyed were Rosario’s and La Frite–have had memorable meals at both and I highly recommend them!  One that is on my list to visit soon is Madhatters Tea–have heard lots of good things about it!  San Antonio offers so many choices in dining options, from fast food, to chain restaurants, to neighborhood “joints” to local fine dining.  And just about everything in between.

If you’re looking for someplace to take your Valentine for dinner, why not try looking in a different part of town from where you live/work?  There are some great options in all parts of the city.  And the same goes for probably any place–get out of your normal routine–try someplace new and different!  Explore a new part of town!  You may find a hidden treasure and open up all kinds of new possibilities!

Good luck, and enjoy the exploration!

Sue