Slow Down and Savor - a food blog
I have really enjoyed sharing my awesome trip to San Antonio with everyone, and I decided to wrap up my nearcation covereage today with our visit to the historic Market Square – El Mercado, and the famed Mi Tierra Cafe.
Click here for my review of Cured.
Click here for my review of Tre Trattoria.
Click here for photos of our touristy day.
Market Square is a three-block outdoor plaza lined with restaurants, shops and produce stands near San Antonio’s city center, and is the largest Mexican market in the U.S. It is also one of America’s top-ten outdoor markets according to Frommer’s.
Dozens of shops sell everything from hand-embroidered dresses to leather belts. Market Square’s working artists, musicians, dancers and major cultural events give it a rich and lively cultural atmosphere.
There’s so much color, culture and life at Market Square, and was the PERFECT way to end our San Antonio adventure. Plus? We just so happened to have visited on the first day of Tejano Music Awards Fan Fair! So awesome. While we walked through the market, we were treated to some seriously cool sights, wonderful Tejano sounds, and the smells of cooing meats and warming tortillas. Drool.
But when the clock struck 11 a.m., (or was it 3:45 p.m.?) we decided to make our way back to the place that never closes, the 24-hour Mi Tierra Cafe.
This restaurant has been open 24-hours a day since 1941, and has made a name for itself for great food, a tasty bakery, cold beer, and a seriously bright and colorful atmosphere.
After we secured our place in line, and received a buzzing pager that would alert us when our table was ready, we made our way to the Mariachi Bar where we sipped on some spicy and delicious Bloody Marys.
I was fully obsessed with the tamarind rim on these bad boys, and my mouth is literally watering up a storm as I think about it.
So good. Anyway, about 45 minutes later, our buzzer buzzed, and our table was ready. We followed our hostess through the ultra colorful, ultra shiny and ultra enormous restaurant to the final dining room, where lo and behold, there was a giant painting of Bill Clinton jogging. Yes. Bill Clinton. Jogging.
Holy. Cow. I mean… A giant painting of Bill Clinton jogging…
Anyway, we were seated, got comfortable, and were left to take in our surroundings. So much fun.
My husband and I enjoyed both variations of mole that we ordred (a traditional sauce made with a LOT of different ingredients. It is usually used to simmer chicken). For me, a quarter chicken and for him, chicken enchiladas. The sauce was deep, earthy, slightly spicy, full of complex layers, a touch of sweetness and a ton of deliciousness.
Yes, this place may just be a tourist trap, and yes, it may just be a little bit over priced. But it’s amazing. Both the food and the atmosphere were wonderful. Mi Tierra is truly a sight to see.
Pro Tip: You can’t leave without visiting the bakery! Yum.
