By Joe Sanchez
Follow On Instagram @the_lost_local_sa
Hello San Antonio food people! I’ve put together a list of menu items in the city of San Antonio that are must order eats. Within the last 2 years I have immersed myself into the city’s local food scene, covering the chefs, their establishments, and digging deeper than anyone else is willing to go. These menu items are in no particular order. They are not racked and stacked from 1 - 9. They are simply mentioned as “must order” menu items and really should garnish your attention! So without wasting anymore of your time, here we go!
Bull Gogi Boys (Food Truck) - Korean Street Tacos
The must order menu item here are the Korean Street Tacos. Savory beef bulgogi marinated for hours then cooked to perfection. They’re topped with a red cabbage slaw, creamy sriracha sauce all housed in a flash fried corn tortilla. These are a perfect fusion food in what many consider Taco Town USA. These tacos are one of the best fusion foods that you can find in the city. You gotta order these! (Pro Tip: Top the tacos with their house made kimchi to ride the elevator up to the top of the Korean flavor sky scraper.)
You can find Bull Gogi Boys Saturday & Sunday at The Block food truck park located at 14530 Road Runner Way, San Antonio TX. From Noon til Sell Out.
Follow them on Instagram @bullgogiboys
Slam Daddy Baddies - The Slam Daddy Baddie
For a burger option I had to go with one I recently tried that really stood out. A burger pop-up, Slam Daddy Baddies. Chef Caleb Lott takes simple ingredients and makes them shine with this cheesy melt in your mouth sandwich . It’s a smash onion burger with with simple savory components and extreme levels of comfort. A burger so soft and tasty that teeth are optional when enjoying it. That’s what makes the Slam Daddy Baddie a must order menu item. (Pro Tip: Order 2)
You can find their next pop-up by following their Instagram @slamdaddybaddies.
Con Huevos Tacos - Fideo Loco
Chef Hugo Garcia’s rendition of this popular Tex-Mex pour is truly a bowl to behold. The meat, potatoes, beans, tender vermicelli and broth create a harmonious bowl of solace. If it’s cloudy, rainy, or a cold day, it doesn’t stand a chance when your face hovers over a vessel like this. It’s comfort, it’s warmth, it’s nostalgic, it’s a mother’s hug, and there’s never a bad time to enjoy it.
Con Huevos Tacos is located 1629 E Houston St. San Antonio TX. Open Tuesday - Saturday 8am - 2pm.
Instagram @conhuevostacos
Cullum’s Attagirl - San Antonio Hot Chicken Sandwich
For all you heat seekers, I’ve got you covered. If you dabble in the spice, then this sandwich is not for you. Spice, must be life in order for you to tackle this SA Hot Chicken Sandwich. Yes this sando packs a fiery punch, but it also contains a ton of flavor and enjoyable textures. This southern fried thigh is dipped in hot oil and drizzled with hot crema, topped with cotija cheese, micro cilantro, pickled jalapeños and micro churro crunchies. I don’t know how Chef Cullum does it, but he makes a really hot chicken sandwich that keeps you coming back bite after bite after bite. (Pro Tip: Order a side of Girls Thyme Fries & Gucci Ranch to dip to go with it).
Cullum’s Attagirl is located at 726 E. Mistletoe Ave. Open Wednesday - Sunday 11am - 10pm. Instagram @cullumsattagirl - https://www.cullumsattagirl.com/
El Chivito Tortas Ahogadas- Birria/Quesabirria
The Birria/Quesabirria tacos here are just done so well. Slow cooked flavorful beef stewing in its own juices for hours, tucked into 2 corn tortillas along with melty gooey Oaxaca cheese. The 1st tortilla is to hold the meat and juices in. The 2nd, to hit it on the flat top and sear it up a bit to add a crispy textural element. All these elements just mesh together so well to become a phenomenal taco experience. I consider this taco a must order in the city.
El Chivito is located at 204 Crossroads Blvd, Balcones Heights. Their hours are Monday - Saturday: 11am - 7pm, Sunday: 10am - 6pm
Instagram @el_chivito_tortas_ahogadas - https://www.ahogadaselchivito.com/
Stix & Stone - Dutch Baby
The Dutch Baby! One of the most comforting dishes I’ve ever experienced! Only one other dish that I can think of gave me a harder time of comparing it to another. The first bite felt like I was covering up with a warm freshly dried blanket straight from the dryer. This thing was like if a blueberry pie, had a three way with a pancake and bread pudding. A blissful bowl of harmonious soothing comfort. The Dutch Baby is the fuel used to create the sweetest of dreams. You have to order the Dutch Baby! (Note: This menu item can only be ordered for their Sunday Brunch.)
Stix & Stone are located at 5718b Wurzbach Rd, San Antonio TX. Open Wednesday - Saturday 11am - 9pm, Sunday 10am - 3pm.
Instagram @stixandstone
Curry Boys - Brisket Smoke Show
This bowl consists of Oak smoked brisket, steamed potatoes and carrots, jasmine rice, crispy chili oil, house made pickles, garnished with cilantro, all bathed in a green curry. They call it The Brisket Smoke Show! 2 bites in to it, and instantly I was made aware that this, was something legitimately exceptional. All the ingredients just seemed to blend in to each other so well. The coconut milk of the curry bled blissfully in to the smokiness of the brisket. The details like the house made pickles or the crispy chili oil that added spice and texture let the eater know that this dish was methodically put together. This is hands down the most seamless fusion I have ever experienced.
Curry Boys BBQ is located at 2334 N. St. Mary’s St. San Antonio, TX.
Hours: Wednesday - Sunday 11am - 9pm.
Instagram @curryboysbbq - https://www.curryboysbbq.com/
Masshole (Food Truck) - St. Anthony Lobster Roll
This lobster Roll is very well put together with detailed execution from top to bottom. Everything from the lobster itself to the labor intensive time vampire bun it’s bedded in, it is made from quality ingredients. This one has a touch a Mayo, lime juice, sweet Texas onion, and cilantro. It’s Chef Adam’s Ode to San Antonio and it translates very well. Let’s be clear, the star of the show is the lobster soft and perfectly cooked. How it’s prepared and how it’s seasoned is a nice accompaniment that elevates the lobsters natural flavors. Not to be over looked though is the House Made Brioche bun. Soft, flavorful, grilled to perfection and the perfect envelope for this quality crustacean. It is a combo that is very well worth the price of admission and the wait in line.
To find where Masshole is posting up next follow them on Instagram @massholefoodtruck and check their stories.
La Fonda de Jaime 2.0 (Food Truck) - Mexican BBQ Pork Belly Tacos.
These super juicy and exceptionally tender pork belly tacos hit. The pork belly is confit, then taken to the flat top to get a crispy sear. It’s layered over top of 2 quality Nixtamal tortillas and are topped with a Japanese slaw and carrot top micro greens. They’re drizzled with the Chef’s grandmother’s BBQ sauce recipe that really just sets it off. The sauce has familiar properties like a Southern style sauce, but infused with chiles and other Mexican flavors. Dusted with a little cotija cheese to finish, completed this exceptionally well rounded taco. From the flavor, textures, and presentation, this checked every box for me. Must order!
You can find La Fonda de Jaime 2.0 parked at Tony’s Siesta at 206 Brooklyn Ave, San Antonio TX. Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 6pm - 1:30am
Instagram @lafondadejaime2.0 - https://www.lafondadejaime.com/
There you have it, my 9 must order menu items in the city right now. How many of these menu items have you ordered before? Which item on this list will you be ordering first? Let know in the comments. Until next time, Keep it Texas. Keep it local.