Cheap Good Eats Near Lackland AFB?
My young friend is graduating basic at Lackland AFB on Jan. 22. His fam are common folk like me and we're looking for reasonable good chow close by..say within 5 -10 miles. Any suggestions? Cuisine isn't a problem. Thanks in advance.
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El Rafas Cafe 733-5476 1535 W Hildebrand Av (btwn Blanco & IH-10) (comments below gleaned off Chowhound & other sites) ... for myself ... I think El Rafas puts out some darned good food.
Breakfast menu is extensive. Plates from $3.25 -4.25, & vy generously sized. They offer huevos a la Mexicana, huevos rancheros, chicharrones con huevo, bacon & egg, ham & egg, chorizo con huevo, huevos a la Mexicana, papas a la Mexicana [that means w/sauce of green pepper, tomatoes, & onions], country sausage & egg, chilaquiles, machacado, & papas rancheras (w/salsa ranchera). Taco options incl carne guisada, machacado, barbacoa, lengua, picadillo, carne asada, carne a la Mexicana, fajitas, & chicharrones con huevo for $1.70 ea. Egg+something & bean+something tacos are $1.25 ea.
Standout dishes
Huevos rancheros. The over-more-or-less-easy eggs were enlivened by vy good ranchera salsa made w/sweet fresh tomatoes along w/onions, garlic, oregano, etc. It had good spicy after-kick to it from judicious use of serrano chiles.
Chunky ranchera salsa tasted good on everything.
3 kinds of bkfst potatoes: The ones that came w/huevos rancheros are like short, thick, greasy french fries. They were kind of soggy, but had great flavor. The potatoes w/papas rancheras are tasty fried chunks of potatoes w/ranchera salsa. Their smooth refried beans are excellent — made w/lard.
Their lengua taco has long strips of tongue stewed w/chiles. The meat is vy good, & tender. Despite chiles, the dish wasn’t spicy, but was enjoyable.
Their corn tortillas are better than flour ones - made from fresh masa. The tortillas need a little salt.
Carne guisada is tender but seasoned w/not much besides tomatoes — just so-so.
Barbacoa was crispy, from being cooked on the grill like hash or bacon. Fine, not superlative.
Flan, which they buy from baker down the street. It was perfectly acceptable.
1 critic) Many items are underseasoned—no salt, no lard, not enough spice. The menudo, for example, contained good-quality, tasty, tender tripe, but it needed more chili powder & oregano. The Mexican rice is neither too dry nor too moist, but pretty bland. It needed the addition of extra salsa ranchera we requested to make it flavorful.
........I'm also fond of:
Los Antojitos 435-7292 3330 Culebra, W of Memorial M-Sa 07-15
Specials (I don't have all of 'em)
M - Chicken Molé * <<-- Haven't tried but want to
Tu-Flauta Plate <<-- quite good
W- Chile Relleno * BEST IN TOWN? (according to a magazine article posted there)
.........And Lackland ain't far from
Chris Madrids for burgers & beer? 735-3552 M-Sa 11-22 / Happy Hr M-F 15-19
1900 Blanco @ W Hollywood
......
I also agree w/ the Brenda's Burgers suggestion
M-Tu-W 10-17, Th 10-20 / F-Sa 10-21 / Su 11-20
Barry's Special: onions & Japs $2.95
Dbl Meat: $3.15 w/ cheese & Japs 4.15 (grill the Japs, please)
Lg Burger $2.15
Brenda's is a vy good burger that most folk's will never taste (due to its location). Order a malt w/your burger & fries.
Stick w/Double Barry w/cheese & ask them to grill the japs.
... andMina & Dimi's for Greek (some of the best squid in town) www.agreekhouse.com M-Th11-20 & F-Sa 11-21
......For an inexpensive Sunday Brunch ... follow SW Military around to the E ... 1 mi past I-35 to Don Pedro ... $9.40 w/ a non-fancy but a good Sunday brunch ... but get there before the church crowd pours in after 0830. They have a whole side of the brunch set up to serve Mexican foods ... and then the other side w/ plenty to please folks not used to the Mexican spices or pastries. It's NOT fancy ... no lobster, not usually any shrimp ... but lots of fruit, good custom made omelets, etc
922-3511 1526 SW Military ~1mi E of IH-35 on S side
Bkfst 07-11 Sun AM Brunch Buffet $9.40+tip
Lunch Specials M-F 11-14 *TUES: Pollo en Molé $4.79
Happy Hr: M-Th 15-19 Mx Beer $ Reg Marg's & Pina Coladas $1.75Congrats on graduation!
›2 Replies-
re: EdLagniappe
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re: DetectDave
So you like Blue Cheese Salad, eh?
Try this: (someone brought it to work)Bleu Ranch Dressing
Equal parts Mayo & Ranch Dressing
Crumble up LOTS of bleu cheese in it ... then double that!
Finely dice some celery into it.GREAT as a dip, marvelous to dip celery into ... no doubt would be great on buffalo wings.
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Youz Guyz for cheesesteaks (on Pat Booker rd.). There is also a Thai place, can't remember the name, at Pat Booker and 1604 that has had good reviews.
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re: saeyedoc
SAguy
Jan 5, 2010 07:29 AM
Eyedoc, maybe your thinking Randolph AFB for the P booker locals?
Acadiana Cafe Cajun Cuisine
1289 SW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX
(210) 674-0019
acadianacafe.comMina & Dimi's Greek House
7159 W US Highway 90, San Antonio, TX
(210) 674-3464
agreekhouse.comBrenda's Burgers
3837 Southwest Military Drive, San Antonio, TX
(210) 932-1177
Some of the best in the areaplus you got all the chain and plenty of Tex-mex
good munchin
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re: SAguy
DetectDave
Jan 5, 2010 10:49 AM
Awesome..please keep them coming. Any TexMex favs like for breakfast. I think we're staying at LaQuinta right off base. I'd love some green chili fixings.
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re: SAguy
Just about 1 mile S of Acadiana Cafe on the feeder road headed S is
Asia Market & Kitchen 673-0662 (though I think the "market" is gone)
it's very popular w/ the Lackland crowd for lunch
very nice Thai & oriental foods
www.asia-kitchen.com
1739 SW Loop 410
it's set back from the road ... there's a small side-street that goes by it as well ... it'll only be obvious by all the parked cars at lunch & dinner time
Lunch M-Sa 11-15
special $4.50 /dbl $5.50
Dinner M-Th 17-21 & F-Sa 17-22here are some menu notes I took:
BEVERAGES: Thai Tea or Thai Coffee $2.50
APPETIZER:
=> Gyoza (POTSTICKERS): Mix of pork & vegies. Deep fried or STEAMED. Served w/seasoned soy sauce (6) $3 (12) $6
* Tiger Cry: Tender Marinated, grilled beef served w/special Thai tangy dipping sauce $7
* Tord Mun Pla (Fish Cake): Special mix of fish paste, lime leaves & sliced long beans. Fried to golden brown treat. Served w/sweet chili cucumber relish $7
* Satay: Your choice of pork, beef or chicken, marinated in curry sauce, grilled on skewer sticks. Served w/cucumber relish & peanut sauce (8) $8
* Steamed Black Mussels: w/basil & lemon grass $8SOUPS & SALADS:
=> LARB: Chopped beef or chicken, flavored w/lime juice, ground rice, ground chili, salt & sugar. Combined w/sliced onions, cilantro & green onions $8.50
=> PAPAYA SALAD: Typical Thai feast of shredded green papaya, sliced tomatoes & dried shrimp on lettuce $7DINNER MENU:
NOODLE ENTREES:
* Lard Na: Stir fried lg rice noodles topped w/broccoli & yellow bean sauce.
Beef, pork, chicken or veg $7, Combo $8, Shrimp $9THAI CURRY:
Pla Duk Tord Grop (Spicy): Crispy catfish nuggets sauteed in red curry, coconut milk & basil $9
Pla Duk Pad Ped: Sauteed catfish nuggets w/red curry, onions, chili, basil $9SEAFOOD -- Call ahead, takes longer to prepare
* Pla Rad Prig: Deep-fried whole crispy fish w/chili garlic sauce $Mkt Price Flounder, Snapper or Tilapia
* Priew Wan Pla: Sweet/sour whole fish $Mkt Price
CURRY FRIED RICE w/yellow curry. Beef, chicken, pork, veg. $6.50
Combo$7.50 Shrimp $8.50
* Kow Pod Himmapan (Cashews): Fried rice w/bell peppers, onions, cashews & garnish. Beef, chicken, pork, veg. $8 Combo $9 Shrimp $10
* Kow Pod Key Moa (Spicy Basil Fried Rice): Spicy fried rice w/sweet basil
Beef, Chicken, Pork, Veg. $7 Combo $8 Shrimp $10DESSERT:
* Thai Sweet Rice w/Fresh Sliced Mango (Seasonal) $4
* Thai Coconut Ice Cream w/Fruit $2.75
* Thai Durian Ice Cream $2.75
* Filipino Ice Creams $2.75 - Mango, Buko-Lychee, Halo-Halo, Ube, Buko, Macapuno, Langka-Cashew
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