Aldaco's Mexican Cuisine - Blanca Aldaco

I met Blanca Aldaco at Aldaco's Mexican Cuisine, in San Antonio's Historic Sunset Station, during a spring 2008 press trip. Her eyes sparkled and she spoke enthusiastically as she taught each of us how to make the ultimate margarita under her watchful eye. Aldaco then circulated through the dining room as we sat down to dinner, and served us the restaurant's signature avocado margarita.

Ever since Aldaco opened her first restaurant, nearly 21 years ago, she has taken inspiration from childhood experiences in Guadalajara. And Aldaco's has become a San Antonio favorite and a Zagat-rated dining destination.

"We ate with my grandmother and grandfather every Wednesday and Friday," Aldaco says. "She had a cook and it was very formal, with soup, salad, entree, and dessert. On Sundays we went to the club, and you could smell steaks cooking outdoors. When I came to the U.S. I knew how to make a great salsa, and tacos, and I had a great, great palate."

Nowadays, Aldaco spends most of her time at her bustling two-year-old second location, on Stone Oak Parkway.  Here, customers can enjoy steaks grilled outdoors, and billiards plus a Bloody Mary bar on many Saturdays and Sundays. 

Aldaco has added 'lighter' items to both menus. One of the newest dishes, Arrachera a la Brava, combines beef skirt steak with a marinade of lime, fresh jalapeno, garlic and one secret ingredient. The restaurants also offer items for individuals with celiac disease and gluten intolerance.

"I want [dining at Aldaco's] to be an experience, rather than just an outing," Aldaco says. "I also want to cultivate friendships."

San Antonio's Sunset Station

We reached San Antonio's Sunset Station at St. Paul Square around dusk, and wound our way through an enormous crowd that drank, sampled appetizers, and socialized on the expansive patio at The Depot. We were headed to Aldaco's Mexican Cuisine - a Zagat-rated restaurant owned by the vivacious Blanca Aldaco, for lessons in margarita-making and an authentic Mexican meal.

The complex is a National Historic Landmark that includes 10 acres, 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space for events of all sizes, and a fully restored train depot, which reflects the grandeur of the early 1900s - when trains that passed through here linked San Francisco to New Orleans and San Antonio.

After we finished our meal, our host gave us a tour through The Depot, which has undergone a multi-million dollar renovation and transformation, complete with enormous stained glass windows, a grand staircase and amazing woodwork, painted with painstaking accuracy.

Yet, despite the grandeur of this stunning room, it managed to feel inviting and even cozy. And I could definitely envision a bride walking down those gorgeous stairs.

Liquid Avocado II

After my visit to San Antonio last spring, I wrote a post about the dynamite avocado margaritas that we enjoyed at Aldaco's in Sunset Station (see photo above, and post, Liquid Avocado in San Antonio). Almost a year after tasting this unusual cocktail, I created my own version this afternoon. I looked at several recipes online (Aldaco's doesn't share theirs on the web site) and then headed for our kitchen.
Though not a duplicate of the creamy, smooth concoction from Aldaco's, this recipe is definitely worth making again. See what you think:


Lisa's Avocado Margarita
Makes approximately four, 5-ounce servings

2 cups crushed ice, after crushing
1/3 cup fresh lime juice; about 3-4 small limes
1 1/2 medium avocados
1/2 cup tequila
1/4 cup triple sec (or orange brandy)
3-4 teaspoons honey

1/4 lime juice - bottled is fine
1-2 tablespoons chile powder
lime slices, cut in half

Crush ice in food processor or sturdy blender. Juice limes and cut avocado into large chunks. Place all ingredients in blender and combine to create a milkshake consistency. Adjust honey and lime juice to taste.

Pour 1/4 cup lime juice in a wide bottom bowl and chile powder in another wide bottom bowl. Wet top edge of each glass in lime juice and then dip in chile powder so it surrounds the entire rim. Place slice of lime on each rim. ENJOY!

Liquid Avocado in San Antonio

After Blanca Aldaco gave us a margarita-making lesson at Aldaco's Mexican Cuisine, in San Antonio, there was one additional variety she thought we should try - an avocado margarita. The staff initially presented our table with a gargantuan martini-style glass of the pale green concoction and six straws, so we could share. By the time our food arrived they had split the remaining cocktail into separate glasses so we wouldn't have to reach across the table.

This unusual cocktail tastes nothing like guacamole. As smooth and creamy as a milkshake, with tequila so subtly blended in that you barely know it's there and a ring of chili-lime salt around the rim of each glass, this knockout alcoholic beverage could easily sneak up on you. And you'll want to order another as soon as the first is gone.

Just be sure to save room for some of Aldaco's Guadalajara-inspired food, from Traditional Chicken Enchiladas and tortilla soup to pozole rojo (pork/hominy soup), shrimp ceviche tostadas, and the decadent dessert, Pastel Tres Leches. You may need a 'go box' too.

Making Margaritas at Aldaco's

My travels increasingly include food and beverage classes or lessons and such was the case at Aldaco's Mexican Cuisine, in San Antonio. Margaritas are this restaurant's signature beverage, for which it has already received several awards. And owner, Blanca Aldaco, revels in teaching guests how to create perfect ones.

Before our evening meal, Aldaco gave hands-on instructions to each of half a dozen people about making classic and specialty margaritas. I especially enjoyed shaking the concoction the prescribed 20 times to make sure all ingredients thoroughly merged, although the result was a bit strong for my taste.

Not so with Aldaco's avocado margarita, a fabulous frozen version that pairs the creamy texture of avocado with premium tequila and Triple Sec, tangy, fresh lime juice, and a spicy, chili-lime rim of salt. Soon after sharing one enormous glass with six straws, we asked for separate glasses so we could sip easily while enjoying our food. And I definitely would have ordered another avocado margarita if I wasn't so full.