BTW:  It's hard to take pictures of food in a darkened theater with your iPhone.

So death at a funeral was on the agenda today.  Tomorrow starts my very full week of Fiesta San Antonio, so today we had time to sneak this new flick into the schedule at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.  Although this movie was funny, it was only sporadically funny. 90 minutes was plenty long enough for the scatalogical; slapstick; sexual and gay humor scattered throughout the flick.  The ensemble cast including Chris Rock & Martin Lawrence were adequate in their roles but something was missing?  They say this movie is a remake of a British flick with the same name.  Perhaps I should rent that for comparision but if I were you I would skip this flick and wait till it comes out on cable. 

2.5 Stars out 5

Now on to the food.

This time I tried the ENTER THE DRAGON pizza. Green peppers, jalapeños, sausage, black olives and crushed red pepper. The sucker was actually pretty good. Just enough zing to make you think twice.

3.1 Stars out of 5 for the food.

PS:  Cameo's mid 80s hit Candy was the closing credits song.  Does it stand the test of time?  It fit the ending perfect.

PPS:  Man I need a valium.

PPPS:  Tomorrow Fiesta.  Charreada. ...con los botas puestas!!! 

S:  "where do you 'wanna eat?  Me:  Koreana.

So why did S drive to Tong's Thai? 

Apparently the only dish I can get at this joint is the Pad Woon Sen?  Well actually it is my favorite Thai dish, always. Reviewed here in September.

Appetizer was the White Spring Rolls.  Very fresh and fragrant.

Tonight my Pad Woon Sen was very tasty and well prepared.  I wanted more. I needed more.

Obligatory hot oils and fish oils and spicy oils.  Yes!

They said they were out of the typical bubble tea cups.  S thinks they are probably saving money with these ordinary cups.  I had an Almond Bubble Tea and it was very good.  I am STILL on my bubble tea fix and hope I don't tire of it soon?

3.8 Stars out of 5

PS:  does anyone know if a downtown location is still in the works?

PPS:  I didn't get pix but they really cleaned up the patio and it looks like a really nice place to have supper now.

PPPS:  @spamatdan said: @foodandhowtoeat I have not been to Tongs Thai in too long!  <<<Well that's too long.  LOL.

#2 on the TOUR DE BROADWAY

I think this place was closed for almost a year?  It was closed a long time.  But it is open again.

This location @ 410 & Broadway is 'kinda hidden behind a gas station but it was always a good place to grab a quick, good lunch. Tonight we tried supper.

The salad was first.  It was fresh and tasty albeit just a bit too much dressing.  I imagine it had been stewing in the dressing most of the day.

I had the lasagna.  Slices of meatball make up the uppermost layer. My lasagna was salty.  I couldn't tell if it was the sauce or the pasta or the fillings.

The garlic bread was also fresh and tasty. We ate two baskets worth.

Waitress was new and a bit green.  I don't think she will make it very far.

3.1 Stars out of 5

PS:  The pizza used to be really good here.  I will try that on my next trip.

As S was already bored with my TOUR DE BROADWAY project, we ventured off Broadway onto North Flores and found MK DAVIS (sorry, no website).  We both thought this was a Soul Food place for some reason.  We were both wrong.

Tucked away in an unassuming part of downtown at 1302 N Flores St,  looking more like a bar than a restaurant, we were unprepared when we entered the joint.  For one thing there was a line and it didn’t look that busy from the outside.  It didn’t take long to be seated and we soon discovered this place was no Soul Food restaurant.

Dark and crowded and completely packed,  the décor right out of a 1970s rec-room, it was obvious this place was not your typical San Antonio tourist trap.  This place was full of locals and they were all having a good time.

Asked the waitress what most people order and she suggested the Chicken Fried Steak.  The Chicken Fried Steak it was then.  I also ordered a schooner of beer.  48 oz of cold, draft beer and I was good to go.

The CFS was big and tender.  The gravy had a real good, homemade flavor.  The CFS was served with fries and a salad that were instantly forgotten.  And really?  The French  Dressing was pink?

@RayDog59 recommended the Sea Food Combo thru Twitter.  Maybe I’ll try that next time I find myself in that part of the city.

3.4 Stars out of 5

PS:  The prices were very reasonable.  This meal for two was less expensive than most breakfast meals for two.

PPS:  Definitely for the locals.  Leave your tourist family on the riverwalk.

PPPS:  There were three separate parking lots.  This place must get super packed.

Was feeling nostalgic for some reason and thought of this early 1980s movie:  Reckless.

This film is a highly under appreciated film in my opinion with a killer soundtrack to boot. 

There is enough moody teenage angst in this movie to compare it to Rebel without a Cause or even West Side Story, but somehow it works against the backdrop of a cold, dreary steel town.

Aidan Quinn (in his first acting role) plays the dark, moody teenager who falls for Daryl Hannah who plays the rich, popular cheerleader type.

While I never quite believe that Quinn & Hannah are really teenagers, he was 25 and she was 24 at this time, their chemistry and fresh acting chops keeps one engaged in the story.

The soundtrack, which relies heavily on INXS early works and other new wave classics from Romeo Void and Kim Wilde, totally makes this film memorable.  One scene in particular where the two young lovers are at a high school dance has resonated with me all these years and is a piece of cinematic genius and magic. How no one got hit in the head with the camera is beyond my comprehension.

Yes I used to dance like that; to music like that; and dressed like that and once had hair like that; with dreams like that and angst like that in a time long ago.

Written by Chris Columbus of Gremlins; Goonies; Harry Potter; etc, this often overlooked and risqué teen drama is classic that stands MY test of time.  Watch it if you ever see it come on late night on HBO; SHO; etc. 

4 Stars out of 5

#1 on the TOUR DE BROADWAY

This place is hard to find.  Located at the Broadway entrance to Pearl Brewery, one would never know this place even exists. And apparently I didn't know it was there these six long years.  Seriously, I had no Idea.

This place is from the people who brought you Little Hipps.  That place was in a shed of a building near Porter Loring Downtown and was always packed with people eating some darn good burgers. Tonight when I ate at Timbo's, I was transported back to that magical place.

I wanted to try the Yellow Submarine: $9.95 Jalapeno, onions, & cheese stuffed inside 2/3 lb of meat, sinfully delicious but instead opted for the Cheeseburger $6.50 for now that I am trying to more healthy, I am not as hungry as often.

I sunk into the giant burger and really, I had instant memories of the burgers at Little Hipps.  That place closed down when Mr. Hipp passed away in 2002. Timbo continues that tradition today by honoring the great burgers produced by the late Mr. Hipp.

The burger was oh so super delicious.  Cooked just right. Seasoned just right. Just enough greasy to remind you that you are not eating healthy.

I will return to this place now that I now it exists.  Look for this place too and I personally guarantee you will enjoy a quick trip back to the glory that was Little Hipps.

4.5 Stars out of 5.

PS:  Tator tots, they had tator tots.

Always the dilemma of what to do w/ brown bananas, then I remembered that I had just seen a cake on the cover of Food Network Magazine that I knew had bananas in the recipe. Now all I needed were pecans and pineapple and creme cheese and I would be in business.

I have made Hummingbird Cake before but with an old recipe from like the 50s. Thought I'd give this one a try, hoping it might be a bit more healthy than it's 50s counterpart.

Recipe is here

The cake was good but not as moist as that June Cleaver version I remember. Also, the recipe for the frosting was not nearly enough. I am used to slathering a cake with tons of frosting. I will double the frosting recipe next time so that I am not having to scrape the bottom of the bowl to finish frosting the cake.

3.5 Stars out of 5

PS:  they say its called Hummingbird Cake for it's nectar-like sweetness.

PPS:  they say it's called Hummingbird Cake because it's so good it makes you hum.

So had to wait 'till the new restaurant furor died down before we could try out the newest joint to hit San Antonio. Funny how a restaurant called Longhorn Steakhouse only has two locations in all of Texas and both are in San Antonio? This chain restaurant based out of Atlanta has a western-themed ambiance. Most locations are in the Southeast part of the nation.

I'm a big ribeye steak guy and of course didn't even really look at any other part of the menu but the ribeye section. I had the Outlaw Ribeye which it turns out is 18oz of bone-in, fire grilled, made of awesome goodness.  It was only a buck more than the 12oz regular ribeye.  This medium steak was very tasty and cooked to near perfection. Just a bit too much fat but then again a good ribeye is marble well with fat.

The side of sweet potato with butter and cinnamon was good but was puny in sized compared to the giant ribeye. Guess sweet potatoes aren't quite in season yet.

The meal also came with the house salad. It was well prepared and tasty.

The meal was actually very reasonably priced.  In comparison, the lunch meal we had Saturday @ Ilsong Gardens, previously reviewed here last November, had a more expensive tab. Weird huh for Korean food to be more expensive than steak?

I would recommend this restaurant highly. The wait staff were friendly and helpful, the ambiance was very pleasant and the food was really good. I shall be back there soon.

4.2 Stars out of 5.

So I made some "from scratch" salsa the other day but it was sorely lacking. My brother @TMarkM makes an awesome salsa that I'm sure he stole the recipe from our mom or dad.  I can no longer remember.

I emailed him for his recipe and lo and behold, it was the same as mine, basically. So why was mine so weird the other day? Maybe allergies?

Today I made his salsa but dammit if I didn't forget to get the limes, however, it was still VERY VERY good.

So, I recommend you try his salsa and follow the recipe to the T.  I personally guarantee it.

If you send me your "from scratch" salsa recipe I will make it and review it as well.

4.8 Stars out of 5

PS:  I'm sure the lime juice would have made it a 5 star recipe. I really shouldn't penalize Mark for my inattention but I can't help myself.

________________

Salsa Montoya

From the PANZA LLENA, CORAZÓN CONTENTO Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

2-3 Big Tomatoes

½-1 White Onion

1-2 Garlic Cloves

6-12 Jalapeños

1.5 Cans of Tomato Sauce (Salted)

½ tbsp of (Garlic) Salt

½ Lime

1.  Quarter and seed tomatoes, place in bottom of blender

2.  Skin and quarter white onion, place above tomatoes

3.  Skin garlic cloves, place above onion

4.  Cut stems from jalapeños, place above garlic

5.  Add tomato sauce; let it seep to the bottom of the blender

6.  Add salt

7.  Add juice from the lime

8.  Blend all ingredients on a low chopping level to desired “chunkiness”

9.  Enjoy

Serves 6-8

Shutter Island was a long, dreadful, plodding movie.  I wanted to like it. Really I did. I ended up wanting to walk out.  I didn't.  I had to remain to learn what I already knew; that all the fore-boding cinematography, the thumping music, the numerous flashbacks, the punishing acting and the gratuitous violence were not enough to save this film.

If I were you I wouldn't waste money on this movie.  I felt like a rat in a maze.

1.4 Stars out of 5

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