Houston to San Antonio on I-10?

Hi,

I will be driving from Baton Rouge to San Antonio later this week and would like recommendations for good places to eat west of Houston en route and in San Antonio proper.

Thanks!

R H Morrison

In Columbus, off I-10, there's a home-style restaurant named Schobel's that is good. A little ways up the road, the town of Schulenburg is just a few miles south of I-10. City Market is great for BBQ there.

In San Antonio, the Pig Stands are good, Chester's Hamburgers are good, but of course Mexican food is the specialty there. If you have some time and are downtown, I recommend visiting the Mercado and eating at Mi Tierra. If you're up North, there's a place right off I-35 in Selma named La Posadita. One of my all-time favorites.

There are countless Mexican places around town, however, so I'll have to defer to the locals for recommendations. I've had good and some not so good. Ask around when you get there; they won't be shy about recommending a place!

Bushie,
Do you know the name of the 'German & BBQ Buffet' on Rt 77 near Schulenburg. They had an 80 yr old waitress that could beat me in running the mile with a full tray of plates...She was a wonder!!

Mayor, I had to call a friend about this one, since I haven't been to that restaurant. We figure you're probably talking about Frank's.

As for feisty waitresses, ya just gotta love 'em. I'd probably be a rich man if I had all the tips I've left on the table. I always figure that they work harder than I do, though, and a good waitress is someone to be admired!

When In San Antonio, if you do have the time, I would agree with Bushie about Mi Tierra at the mercado, however, I really like Casa Rio, down on the Riverwalk.

You Must, I repeat must get off I-10 at Luling, and drive the eight miles to town to the NUMBER ONE Barbeque in Texas( see Texas Monthly), the Luling City Market. You can't miss it. There is usually a big fruit stand set up close to it . Just follow the smoke and the people.

You just can't pass up the best in the whole dang state!

If you like steaks or country food try Josephine St. Cafe(400 East Josephine Street, San Antonio)just north of downtown off of Broadway. They have great steaks served with home style potato chips and great prices to boot. The decor is unlike anyother place I've been to. The building was originally a butcher shop circa 1910 but the amazing thing is the hundred year old oak tree right in the middle of the place. I guess when the building was first built it was too expensive to pull up the tree so the owners just built around it. This is a very unique regionally distict restaurant.

You might also want to try Chris Madrid's Nachos and Burgers(1900 Blanco Road, San Antonio, TX 78212). Great burgers and ice cold beer. Place your order at the counter, go find a seat at the park benches, both inside and in a courtyard, and they will buzz you when your order is ready. This place is also pretty kid friendly(not like fast food/theme restaurants) just lots of families enjoying a night out.

Sorry to contradict Lone Star BUT, while City Market in Luling is okay (the sausage is wonderful), it's been coasting on its laurels from quite some time, the Texas Monthly rave (awarded back in the late 80s or early 90s) notwithstanding. The best BBQ is in Lockhart--Chisholm Trail on Rte 183N. Lockhart is about 15 mi. north of Luling.

There are quite a few other BBQ places in Lockhart (Blacks and an angry relative spinoff to name a few--skip them) but the hands down winner in that part of the state is Chisholm Trail (on left-hand side, start looking after Wal-Mart and if you pass the HEB grocery store, you've gone too far). Their pork ribs are the absolute best and the brisket is pretty damn fine also; you can cut it with a fork. They trim the brisket well (before weighing) but leave a little bit of fat (because it is so good), the sauce is very good and the sides are excellent, including my favorite--fried okra. Their BBQ sandwiches are big and tasty.

Every year when I go home at Christmas, we always stop on our way back from the Austin airport to Gonzales and pick up a couple of pounds (or more!) of meat to take home. Trust me on this--I'm a born-and-bred Texan, raised on good BBQ and this is some of the best ever. I hope you'll give it a try.

About Frank's in Schulenberg. When I was going to college in San Marcos, we used to stop there to eat on the way to and from Houston and when it was the "old" Frank's, the food and atmosphere was excellent and quirky. Since they finished I-10 in the late 70s, Frank's built a huge restaurant out on I-10 and they went kind of touristy. It's been about 5 yrs. since I last ate there and everyone said their orders were good and because I only order chicken-fried steak (it's the best thing on the menu and I'm always hungry for it when I go home), I can't really give you a 100% recommendation other than to say, if you're hungry for c-f steak and can't get to Austin for Threadgill's, then that's the place to stop. BTW, don't bother with Berger's Smokehouse on I-10, rip-off.