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!

American River Walk - European Feel

On a warm, muggy day in May, I walked with several friends on San Antonio's renowned River Walk. We had taken a boat tour along the River Walk on the previous morning and shared lunch within view of a mariachi band, at a restaurant across the water. But our walk offered a totally different view of this renowned waterway; much of it quieter and more contemplative.

Brilliant bougainvillea overhung sidewalks and Spanish-tiled stairs, which led from riverside to streetside. As we walked we appreciated hand-painted tiles at the Old Mill Crossing - Last Known Place Where Horses Drank and Forded the River - Erected by the Daughters of Texas Trail Drivers. We admired ornate iron work depicting two hands and a cross and commemorating the first mass celebrated in San Antonio, on June 13, 1691.

We rounded a gentle curve and I was momentarily transported to another world. Just ahead, a driver in a straw hat navigated a tour boat beneath an ivy-covered, arched footbridge. White-painted adobe and red tile roofs at one end of the bridge resembled a quaint European village. Only after we walked several more blocks did we return to the hustle and bustle of modern shops and restaurants, and I missed the quieter, gentler River Walk.

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.

San Antonio's Mexican Market

Since the 1700s, San Antonio's Market Square has operated under the influence of German, Polish, Italian and Mexican immigrants. But take a stroll through the main plaza and you'll swear you hopped a plane to the heart of Mexico. Sample luscious baked goods at Mi Tierra Cafe and Bakery, where Christmas lights glow year round and mariachi musicians often entertain. At La Margarita Restaurant and Oyster Bar more mariachis, fresh oysters and renowned sizzling fajitas delight customers.

Shoppers will find seemingly endless rows of brilliant hued skirts, hand-painted clay pottery, and festive pinatas inside the brilliant teal walls of El Mercado. This is the place to buy an authentic sombrero, hand woven table runner, or colorful tote bag. Sparkling sterling and turquoise, butter-soft leather, and hand-blown glass fill shelves, cases, and storefronts within the building - the largest Mexican marketplace that operates outside of Mexico.

San Antonio River Run

San Antonio offered a warm, muggy morning when we arrived at the River Walk and boarded a boat for a tour on the water. White linen tablecloths and napkins greeted us as we sat down to breakfast hors d'oeuvres, piping hot coffee and mimosas. A waitress from the adjacent Zuni Grill distributed menus. "We'll serve breakfast when you circle back around," she said.

Our driver, in a dapper white straw hat, piloted us along the water and regaled us with tales of San Antonio's rich multi-cultural history. We passed a metal sculpture and plaque that celebrated the first mass held in San Antonio, in 1691, and a double-tier stone bell tower built during the city's 'mission' period, in the 1700s. An ivy-covered foot bridge and adjacent Spanish-style stucco building with red tile roof resembled a European village.

We pulled in beside Zuni Grill and gasped as enormous plates of food arrived. My chilaquiles plate paired fresh eggs, cheese, corn tortillas and green chile sauce with a small bowl of fresh melon, and hand-cut grilled potatoes. Another mimosa, a coffee refill, and we were off again. As the sun poked through gray clouds, passengers on other boats looked longingly towards our breakfast feast and we turned our attention to the now-bustling River Walk.