Canadian World Traveller Fallr 2016 issue Canadian World Traveller Fall 2016 issue | Page 67

Afterward Justin became a bit philosophical
about his role as a millennium-age chef
(under 30) as part of a growing group of
younger chefs who talk about collegial and
fraternal relationships with their peers,
rather than the hyper-competitive atmosphere that chefs of another generation
seem to celebrate. He noted that millennium chefs see their work in terms of passion
(“true passion is starting the day with your
heart pumping and your mind ready to go,
and then being unafraid to stand for 12
hours”) and inspiration (“I want to have a
legacy of chefs working after me—when the
students become masters, then I’ve done
my part”).

watchful eyes of a passionate brewmaster.
Mass -produced beers, those that offer
‘dumbed down’ tastes, just can’t offer the
same product. And craft beers don’t have
to be complicated. “Like Texans, our beers
are ‘please, howdy, thank you, ma’am’.

And as for Tex-Mex? Justin spoke about the
true influences on San Antonio’s food scene
in the context of the year 2016, as stemming from Latin and Central America as
well as Asia. He suggested that Texans
have a maverick mentality—they like to go
their own way and be creative. And he also
noted that while the King William District
was hugely popular for restaurants and cultural activities, so was the neighbouring “So
Flo” area (South of Flores Street, also called
Southtown) where artists and art galleries
proliferate along with a showcase of Indian,
Thai, Japanese and Chilean restaurants, all
specializing in locally sourced produce.

But in recent years the old buildings have
returned to life. The Hotel Emma has
become one of the hottest places to stay in
the city, the Farmer’s Market is a draw for
coffee drinkers and food shoppers, the
restaurants are ‘line-up only’ and the San
Antonio campus of the Culinary Institute of
America (CIA) is smack in the middle of
everything.

And the growing “locavore” movement,
people looking for locally produced products, has infiltrated the craft beer industry.
At the Alamo Brewing Company, James
Hudec the Brewmaster suggested that we
have a drink before the tour so we could
relate to what he was about to show us. He
mentioned that San Antonio used to be a
mecca for brewing in the 19th century with
over 30 independents, but the numbers
kept declining, so much so that in 1933
when Prohibition ended, only two breweries
remained: Pearl and Lone Star.
But the intense interest in local products
and the Texas tradition of having a good
time, has resulted in a new initiative. “Wine
drinkers have it easy. They take grapes and
make wine and if it is goes bad they blame
it on the grapes”. Craft beer drinkers prefer an artisanal product, made under the

In San Antonio there is no better expression
of the artisanal drive than in the Pearl
Brewery Complex. This slogan of the district boasts “Local Flavour Since 1883”
based on the Brewery founded in that year.
It would eventually became the largest
brewery in the state of Texas, only to experience periods of growth and decline, and
eventually closure in 2001.

We experienced a cooking class with Chef
Zach Garza who spoke about “El Sueno”—
the dream that he defined as “doing what I
love every day and sharing my dream with
the next generation”. As executive Chef of
Nao (pronounced “Now”) Gastropub
around the corner from the Culinary
Institute where Zach is also an instructor, he
echoed the artisanal mantra. He spoke
about Pan-Latin ‘inspired’ dishes (“Just
because you put avocado and cumin on it,
doesn’t make it Mexican”), and the need to
keep things clean and simple, with simple
preparation. Zach suggested that we “let
the ingredients speak for themselves” and
then he prepared a beet salad that was
sweet and crunchy with a bit of a zing, followed by Peruvian-inspired potato dish with
hot peppers, purple olives and heirloom
tomatoes on a drizzle of huancayo sauce.
When we weren’t touring San Antonio’s
neighborhoods we were enjoying the
amenities and the ambiance at La Cantera
Resort and Spa, a five star property, where
the Culinaria Festival took place. With the
emphasis on local, sustainable produce

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and artisanal food and drink, the themed
events included “Back to Bubbles” featuring
wines and champagnes, and “Tacos and
Talk” where Tequila and Mezcal drinks as
well as cocktails were featured as a complement to modern takes on traditional
Latin food (e.g. Lemon Curry BBQ Shrimp
Tacos). And after the upscale “Grand
Tasting” evening, a final “Burgers, BBQ &
Beer” afternoon event emphasized the
incredible variety of burger enhancements
available, from blue cheese, to brisket, to
onion rings, to mac and cheese.
And no trip to San Antonio would be complete without a visit to the iconic Riverwalk
on the banks of the San Antonio River.
Cafes, restaurant’s historic houses, stone
arched bridges, colourful flowers, picturesque trees, souvenir shops, tourist boats,
and museums contribute to the relaxed,
‘leave your cares at home’ atmosphere of
the area.
After a dinner cruise up the river (more eating and drinking!) we assembled in front of
the historic 18th Century San Fernando
Cathedral, to watch The Saga, an exciting
and moving sound and visual experience
that celebrates the history of the city, projected onto the façade of the Cathedral.
San Antonio, a city that literally started on a
Mission, is still on a mission to stay true to
the needs, trends and wants of locals and
visitors alike. It’s no surprise that the 26
million who visit the city annually for the
foods, drinks, locals, attractions, history,
and festivals, find the ambiance of excitement and energy to be irresistible.

www.vistitsanantonio.com

Canadian World Traveller / Fall 2016