Central Park Pizza - Downtown San Antonio

Central Park Pizza

136 E Main Plz
San Antonio, TX 78205

(210) 223-4880

http://www.centralparkpizzaofny.com

Hours

M-F 11 AM - 8 PM

Sat 12PM - 8PM

Service - 5/5

Food - 5/5

Price - 4/5

Overall - 4.25/5

She Said: 

So Thomas and I were visiting downtown the other day and stumbled upon a pizza place not far from El Mercado.  We almost missed it, but I found the fountain outside the courthouse to be utterly charming, and decided to stop in. Sorry - no pictures today - I forgot my camera.  But we will go back again, I am sure. 

Being from MA, I have a love for good pizza, which is hard to find in Texas.  All too often it is just not right compared to what I grew up with.  Over the nearly 10 years I have been down here, I have tried countless "NY style pizzerias" all of which were disappointing. Until this week.

We decided to get a large cheese pizza to share - in my opinion, you cannot tell the true quality of a pizza until you have tasted it plain.  Toppings are just that, toppings.  You can't have a good sundae with lousy ice cream, and a pizza that doesn't have the mix of sauce, dough, and cheese right isn't going to be that great no matter what you put on top of it. 

Drinks are free refills if you are dining in which is nice.  It took a bit for our pizza to finish in the oven, so I admired the building.  It is an older building, that has been refurbished - you can see where the drywall and plaster has been pulled away to reveal the original brick.  The floors are a nice hardwood and it is a pleasant place to sit an eat.  It can be a bit warm inside but if you go to the few tables all the way in the back, there is an ac unit right there.  Otherwise they have fans going and the restaurant isn't too warm. 

Ah, the pizza - what can I say?  This is easily the best pizza crust I have tasted since moving down here.  The sauce is just right - sweet with a touch of savory oregano, without feeling like you have to go in the kitchen with a tazer and tell the cook to back away from the oregano. The cheese blend was almost right for what I remember, but the cheese is melty and very good.  Overall Thomas almost didn't get to have any pizza, so I guess that means it was good, right?

I highly recommend them.  The staff is nice, the pizza hot and fresh and definitely different from most of what you can get down here. They also serve pasta and subs. 

Val. 

Benny's Tacos on Walzem

Val here:

I don't like a lot of Mexican or Tex Mex or Southwest food.  It tends to be the wrong kind of spicy, and some of the ingredient combinations just don't suit me.  Thomas has been working on introducing me to more of the cooking other than the stereotypical dishes.  I like his homemade carnitas and pork guisado (he is allergic to beef).  I do however, like breakfast tacos.  I am sure these aren't traditional and are totally American, but hey, a quick tasty breakfast is a quick tasty breakfast.

I am very fond of Benny's tacos in the morning.  They make incredibly tasty breakfast tacos - so far my favorites are the potato and egg, and I ask them to add a strip of bacon. Nom Nom Nom.  Their pork chop taco is also really good.  Thomas often gets chorizo and bean, and Goggles likes them too.

We were just there last week, having a quick breakfast after a meeting.  The service was fast, polite and helpful.  The tacos were fresh and delicious.  I got my usual.

They have great prices and if you get there at a reasonable hour of the morning, their more basic breakfast tacos are 2/$1.50 and much healthier than any sandwich at a fast food place. This is the to-go place for breakfast.  They also cater well - we had them make the tacos for Thomas' son's 18th birthday breakfast, and they made an outstanding breakfast.


He says:
If you are in the Walzem area, go there... They have great tacos at cheap prices. Their Salsa Verde is to die for. Get there early during the school year, though. They are a local favourite and get crowded right before school..

A quick note on cheap tourist eats

We were at the River Center Mall yesterday, and normally we don't post about chain restaurants, but were sufficiently impressed to point out that there are tasty cheap eats at the Big Easy Cajun Grill in the food court - Thomas got the bourbon chicken sandwich and loved it said it was moist, tender and tasty and it was very cheap. With all the overpriced restaurants around, this makes a good option for a low budget, but good meal on the go!

Bavarian food - and cakes - to die for at Bavarian Restaurant

The Bavarian Restaurant at 5512 FM 78 in Kirby is THE place to go for amazing Bavarian food

Atmosphere 4/5 stars - like eating at someone's home
Noise - fairly quiet, with cool music in German. It is easy to converse in there.
Service - 5/5 excellent! The servers and owners remember returning customers.
Food - 6/5 - We really love this place
Value - 5/5 - great prices, and very large portions

This restaurant can be a bit tricky to find, it is easy to pass, and in an odd part of town, but it is WELL worth the effort to find.

Val here - Do you like Schnitzel?  How about Schnitzel as big around as your head?  I am not joking here, generally Thomas and I cut it in half, and put it in a to-go box, then eat what is left on our plate (the rest makes an awesome breakfast the next day).

My favorite dish there is the Jaeger Schnitzel, with brown gravy and mushrooms.  Thomas tends to get a variety of things, such as the Gypsy Schnitzel and the Curry Schnitzel (which is rather yummy too). The potatoes are a must - they are just right - carmelized with onions...

The best nights are Wednesday and Thursday when they often have a special where if you purchase a drink, your meal is only 10.00, which is a savings of about 4.00 a plate.  Spend that on dessert, you won't regret it.

This cake weighed a ton.  It was amazing.

Horace is the owner, and primary genius behind the recipes at the Bavarian Restaurant.  He moved here from Germany and has lived a really interesting life.  He told me some great stories last weekend while I was picking up a cake for Thomas' birthday.  What I thought I was getting - a simple hazelnut cake that would be tasty - what I got - the ambrosia of cakes that would make a god weep for joy and has forever ruined all other cakes in our minds - there can only be one cake - a cake from Bavarian Restaurant - no really - it was that good.

I might have cried a little when I had the last bite. I mean, look at that.

Not two, not three, but six amazing layers of thin, moist chocolate cake with a rich, but somehow still delicate tasting hazelnut frosting, topped with whole hazelnuts.  There are no words that can encompass the amazing mind-blowing flavor of this cake. For only 35.00. Seriously one of the best values in town. (Call at least a week in advance for specific cakes, or to order a whole one.)

In fact Thomas and I should be nominated for sainthood because there was one piece left and we let Goggles have it even though she had gone out for the day and it was sitting
 in the fridge, taunting us with its deliciousness.

With the economy being the way it is, Horace could use more business - they are open for dinner Tuesday - Saturday night 5 - 9, and Fridays for lunch 11 - 2.  They accept reservations, and do some small scale catering (pick up only, not full service) for events.

Thomas here:

My Dad took me here a couple years ago. We LOVE German food and love it even better when it is like a home cooked meal. Some places you go feel stuffy or overly "Germanized" (like some tourist trap or a overly done kitsch hole)...

The Bavarian Restaurant is neither. It is like eating an exceptional home cooked meal at the home of a favourite Uncle. Horace and his staff go over and beyond to make the food tasty, atmosphere relaxed, and everyone comfortable.

If you know nothing about German food, the staff here will answer all your questions and even make recommendations about personal favourites.

Speaking of personal favourites, try the Curry Schnitzel! A Hearty/Sweet red curry sauce on one of Horace's incredible schnitzels. Ask for a "to go" box as soon as it hits the table. That way you don't eat the whole thing and hurt yourself. Plus, It makes a great companion to your eggs for breakfast the next morning.

Seriously though, everything on the menu is wonderful. Bratwurst with a crispy skin but moist inside, Slow roasted pork shoulder with caramelized skin, Home fried potatoes that make you homesick for that German Grandma you never had (or did), rotkraut, spatzle, potato dumplings, German potato salad, and even the green beans are to die for.

The lunch menu for Friday is clean and concise. You can get the best of the best and get back to work full of Germanic bliss without being so stuffed you need a nap.

Besides the food, Horace the owner/chef comes out whenever he can to talk to his customers and share his life with you, Will tell you most of his recipes, and even make suggestions to help your cooking style. All of the waitstaff chat with customers and it becomes a second home. Even John signs for the hearing impaired.

After everything is said and done, save the room and get dessert! If you put a slice of the Black Forest cake on a plate and balance it on your head, your tongue will beat your brains out trying to get to it. Fresh cherries, moist cake, and savoury chocolate... Hazelnut cake. strudel. stollen...

Now I'm going to have to go soon.

PS. Here's a picture of the Birthday cake that Val got for my Birthday Party recently. 6 layers of chocolate and hazelnut heaven. At a very reasonable price.