San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Food along East Houston got game
Satisfying fare worth cheering
Express-News food writer Chuck Blount died Thursday after a brief illness. This story was the last one he wrote. A full obituary is at ExpressNews.com/Blount.
Houston Street has so many options for dining, it will probably be the subject of another Eat the Street. But the focus here is on the East Side stretch that begins off the Interstate-37 exit, with restaurants and bars all the way to the AT&T Center.
This is a working-class neighborhood with a large African American population, and many of the restaurants are mixed with residential housing. You won’t find fancy steakhouses or seafood joints, but you will find some good eats, including one that was featured on the Food Network.
Tucker’s Kozy Korner
Tucker’s provides the trio of entertainment with lots of live music, a full bar with modestly priced drinks and food that holds up to the same standard. Although it has gone through a few ownership changes, it has been a mainstay since 1948. Many great musicians of all genres have played here, but Tucker’s has always been best known for jazz.
When you walk into Tucker’s, you get an instant case of nostalgia. The staff and fellow patrons are friendly, and you will not have a bad time. Outside sits a large patio area that’s perfect for sipping on a margarita.
As for the food, it’s diverse, hitting on Asian dishes, chicken wings, fried chicken and, of course, weekend brunch items. The cocktail menu is vast, and Tucker’s has plenty of varieties of beer, so you’ll find something you like.
1338 E Houston, 726-999-3764, Facebook.@tuckersbarsa
Dignowity Meats
A few blocks down the road from Tucker’s is Dignowity Meats. Look for the can’t-miss big D sign and you’ll know you are in the right place.
It has been featured on national food programming and can best be described as a barbecue restaurant, but it does things a little bit differently. For example, owner Andrew Samia was one of the first people to embrace burnt ends. His burnt end melt sandwich is only one I’m aware of, and I’ve eaten at most of the barbecue establishments in the city.
The lunch menu consists mostly of sandwiches and sides. Pork ribs, East Side hot chicken, pulled pork and giant loaded baked potatoes are available for dinner.
The ordering and service process is simple. Just walk up to the window, pay your tab, and they will call out your number when your order is ready. All the seating is on a shaded outdoor patio with both picnic and traditional tables.
There is a bar in the back loaded with craft beer, so it’s not unusual to see small gatherings there when the weather is good.
1701 E Houston, 210-462-1496, dignowitymeats.com
J&I Cafe
On the exterior, this Mexican restaurant may look a little rough around the edges, but don’t let that stand in your way. The restaurant is spacious and clean, and the kitchen is in full view, so it smells like sizzling meat throughout that place. That’s a good thing.
J&I is strictly a breakfast and lunch joint that opens early and closes midafternoon. But it packs a lot of punch with a massive menu that had to have at least 100 options on it. I was told by staff to get the carne guisada tacos, and they didn’t disappoint. The meat was tender, cut into large chunks and mixed with brown gravy on thick, housemade tortillas.
1431 E Houston, 210-271-0557, jandicafe.com
Ballhoggs BBQ
Since it sits close to the
AT&T Center, the name is a natural for this classic barbecue joint in an area that had few options before its arrival about four years ago, according to a staff member. Available meats are brisket, chicken, pork ribs and sausage. The meat has a delicate smoky flavor that isn’t cooked to the point that it sits in the back of your throat for the rest of the day.
The dining room was packed when I arrived, and I was excited to try it. The brisket is tender and well seasoned, and you get a lot of it when you order a plate. It had that coveted smoke ring and was trimmed with a small layer of fat.
The pork ribs, which were almost big enough to double as a weapon, were nice, too. There is a common misconception that “fall off the bone” is a good thing. It’s not. That means they are overdone and the meat can taste like a pile of mush. Instead, you want to give a firmer bite to the point that you can virtually see your teeth marks on the rib. Ballhoggs accomplished that feat.
2941 East Houston, 210-5494203, no web presence
AT&T Center
OK, so technically the address is not East Houston, but half of the arena, a large parking lot and one of the main entrances does occupy East Houston. There are dozens of restaurants and a large assortment of food outlets. Some act more like legitimate restaurants, while others are similar to mall food court kiosks.
There is something for a food craving for anything from a brisket sandwich to cheesesteak, freshly carved smoked turkey sandwich, nachos and sweet treats like funnel cakes and cupcakes. Just remember to carve out some time to actually watch the Spurs game, because that is why you are there.
There were just a few problems, but that is to be expected at an event venue. Mostly everything is closed when there isn’t an event, and the prices are elevated, so beware it’s easy to burn through $80 or more very quickly.
1 AT&T Center Parkway, 210444-5000, attcenter.com