Food Memories of San Antonio
Mi Tierra Cafe & Bakery
218 Produce Row
San Antonio, TX 78207
(210) 225-1262 | Map
When I went down to Austin to visit my friend Kristina back in August, she promised we'd spend a day down in San Antonio. I'm pretty sure Kristina started hatching the plan for our mini road trip as soon as I admitted that I had never been to the Alamo. Before we did the "tourist thing," we stopped at San Antonio's Historic Market Square to have brunch at Mi Tierra Cafe & Bakery. The line of people waiting for a table rivaled the lines at the most popular brunch spots in New York, so we passed the time over at The Mariachi Bar, which is attached to the restaurant.
I completely embraced my surroundings, followed the lead of the locals, and ordered a margarita. No mimosa for me this time! And, as if by magic, as soon as I was sipping the last bit of my margarita, we received notification that our table was ready. That couldn't have been more perfectly timed.
The hostess led us through several large, brilliantly decorated dining rooms, each with its own theme, until we reach the room with this amazing mural on one of its walls. To add more dimension to the mural, there were parts that were actually three-dimensional, like the noses on the people's faces. This mural was way more intriguing (and far less creepy) than the art on the walls at Faces & Names, and I couldn't help but look up at it several times during our meal.
Instead of snacking on brioche doughnuts with our coffee, Kristina and I snacked on chips and salsa -- a brunch first for me. The chips were still warm, fresh from the oil, and the salsa had a subtle heat that was surprisingly complemented by the coffee. I hardly missed those doughnuts as I considered what to order from the menu.
I took Kristina's recommendation and ordered the Chilaquiles Famosos with Carne de Res. The dish consists of tortilla strips scrambled with eggs and then topped with Ranchero Sauce and melted cheddar. On the side? Beef tips sauteed in tomatoes and peppers, refried beans and fresh tortillas. In other words... heaven on a friggin' plate. I couldn't believe how quickly I inhaled my food! (The pre-brunch margarita had nothing to do with it.) I didn't think it could get any better.
Holy hell, I was wrong! Kristina introduced me to Leche Quemada, a Mexican caramel candy topped with pecan halves. Smooth, sweet, and so, so good! And, if you take a bite of the Leche Quemada and then a sip of hot coffee, magical things will happen in your mouth. Trust me. If you can get your hands on some authentic Leche Quemada, then try it with some coffee. It'll blow your mind. If I had more room in my stomach and an unlimited amount of time, I think I would have eaten my way through all of the desserts in the bakery case at the front of the restaurant.
But Kristina and I had a trolley to catch...
And the Alamo to remember.
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