Amore Cafe

This past weekend we went to Amore Cafe. For full disclosure, a friend of ours works there. However, we are not the type to sway our opinion of a place for that reason, in fact we are likely to be more critical, because we know the level of customer service our friends are likely to offer their customers.

Belly dancer

Overall: 4.5/5
Atmosphere 4/5
Food: 5/5
Value: 4.5/5
Service: 5/5
Noise level: fluctuates from quiet to moderately loud
TV: yes
Wifi: No
live music/entertainment: some nights jazz band, some nights belly dancer

She says:
Amore Cafe has been around for a while, but recently has been under new ownership and management. It is a hookah cafe on the North west side of town, near Military and 1604. It is nestled in a shopping center with three busy nightclubs.

First Impression:

Our first impression, from the parking lot it has a nice sign, chairs and tables out front. We are not likely to sit outside because the view is mostly of cars. Management told us that they will be putting up an awning over the tables, and make it a nicer place to sit. However this would be a great place to sit if you like to people watch and check out all the folks club-hopping. The exterior speakers are a bit loud, likely to cover the sounds of the nearby clubs. Inside the music is somewhat softer, though the volume fluctuates with what is going on.

The inside is nicely decorated in earthy tones and jewel tones. Couches with patchwork brocade and pillows, with a bit of privacy provided by some beautiful screens gives you a sense of intimacy when sitting with your date and/or your friends.

Initially the music was a bit harsh and unpleasant - when I go to a restaurant with a particular cultural or ethnic background, I want to hear that culture's music. I love middle-eastern music, and the rhythmic drumbeats tend to help me relax. A quiet word to a member of the staff switched the music from 80's rock to what I was hoping to hear. So the tendency towards loud or jarring music is well balanced by the responsiveness of staff to the needs and requests of their patrons.

These wooden screens were nice, not a fan of the tv screens though.

The big downside for me was the presence of televisions playing the basket ball game. I don't know about other people, but for me, going to a hookah place is about smoking some good shisha, eating some good middle eastern food and talking and relaxing with friends. Sports games don't have a place in that - yet - with the location of this place, I can see where it appeals to some of the guests. I would recommend limiting it to one tv, or arranging them so it is possible to sit somewhere and NOT see a screen.

The Food:

Nomnomnomnom. Sorry - I have been dying for a good shawarma, as I have not had any since I moved from Houston, where I would get them at Droubi's. Naara, one of our other favorite places, does not offer it. So when I saw shawarma on the menu, I knew right away what I was going to order for dinner. The appetizer offerings were ok, but not a lot of what I like (as we know I am the finicky one), so we ordered the hummus. I am meh on hummus most of the time, but when we ordered it I mentioned that I liked the oil they put on it, and so they brought it to us and it was amazing. Best hummus I have ever had. The pita were on the toasty side, which went well for it - but makes them harder to eat once cooled, however they will bring you more pita, so all is well. It is also a great value at only $4, if I recall correctly.

The shawarma was excellent. Sliced chicken, garlic sauce, tomato and pickle (I asked them to hold the lettuce because I don't like hot lettuce) and the flavors blended nicely. Thomas got a different chicken pita sandwich, which was tasty, but I liked the shawarma better. It was a good price, and we added french fries because we weren't in the mood for rice. The fries were crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. They were a bit on the salty side, but since the sandwiches were not salty it worked well together.

We enjoyed some Turkish coffee with our meal, only downside is it is served unsweetened, and so it took me a small cup or two to figure out how much sugar to add to get it where I like it - not a big problem, I was just used to getting it pre-sweetened elsewhere.

The hookah was interesting, as we decided to blend something different - jasmine and rose - very fragrant, but the jasmine is just a bit astringent and the rose couldn't balance it - so next we tried grape and rose on the recommendation of Cecelia, and it was...good, but not what I was expecting - I thought it would be more of a concord grape type flavor, but it was a muscat flavor - once over the surprised taste buds, it rapidly grew on us - I still prefer rose and raspberry - but the muscat grape offers some possibilities.

The Service:

The staff at Amore is focused on customer service. Jeanette was our waitress, and she was very polite and attentive. Brought out everything exactly as we ordered it, and kept our water glasses full. Frequently a staff member would drop by the table and see if we needed anything - sometimes that can be annoying at places, but they have managed to balance availability with respecting patron's space and privacy, and manage to ask in a non-needy non-intrusive way. Just a quick "How is everything? Can I get you anything?" and then they are off, and you are back to your conversation like nothing happened. We really like that - at the busiest point, we had at most a few minutes to wait in trying to get a staff members attention to get more coals, which is excellent.

Josh is pretty cool.

Overall:

We had a good time, and not just because our friend Josh works here. The other manager and the owner both came to chat with us and they are open-minded, friendly, and eager to provide an excellent experience for their guests. This place under the new ownership has a LOT of potential to be an outstanding chill place to hang out in the evening or late evening, and their plans for improvement are exciting. I recommend this place.

He Said:

Amore is the Hookah Cafe that Could....

The decor is nice and alters well with just lighting changes. Almost all of the tables are separated by gorgeous hardwood screens and it has a very tasteful contemporary feels that includes elements of Older Middle Eastern culture with just a touch of "hipness."

The couches were comfy and there were plenty of pillows to prop or adjust for personal comfort. The music was all over the map. American 80's and 90's when we showed up to "classic" Eastern music with a few modern sounding tracks. Till the belly dancer showed up and then it was just alternating too loud and then not loud enough. A suggestion to the staff was all it took to settle it down. They were very responsive to patron feed back.

2 big screen TV's dominated the room and even with the sound off were very distracting.

The crowd was a mix of slightly older middle aged folks to frat boys/sorority girls. Nobody made too much of a disturbing scene as you might expect with that kind of diversity.

Overall, it felt like a cool place that was just fighting to find it's own identity.

The food was really nice and in good portions for the price. I had the grilled chicken tawooka pita and Val got the Chicken shawarma. Both were very tasty and flavouful without being too alien in spices and texture.

We tried a blend of Rose and Jasmine in the hookah and it was a little harsh at first due to a combination of our inattentiveness and the staff's inexperience. A helpful young lady got our hookah all sorted out and everything was smooth.

Once again, in regards to the hookahs, a nice blend of contemporary and old school. The hookahs were just as nice as other hookah cafes I'd been to but had modern elements like no engraving or paint on the vases but the pipe part was very tasteful and modern. The Coal Guy was a little overzelous a couple times with our hookah but was quickly fixed.

Overall, Amore looks to have a good future. Being right in the middle of several clubs it offers an oasis of relaxation and if it decides to stay open late would make an excellent after hours meetup spot.

First it needs to settle into what it wants to be.

We'll be going back.

Yum Yum Indeed! - Yum Yum Thai on Nacogdoches

Yum Yum Thai
13777 Nacogdoches
Ste 101
San Antonio, TX
210-598-1731
Price Range - inexpensive
Indoor seating only, no television
Music is Asian, played at a moderate level, good for conversation.  Great place for a casual date.
Atmosphere: Very nice, tastefully decorated
Service: Excellent
Value: Incredible.  High quality meals for very reasonable prices, good sized servings.
Overall: 5/5 stars.

She said:
This is one of our regular places to eat.  We go here fairly often in the rotation, so obviously we like it well enough that it is going to be somewhere we go again and again.

Our good friends initially recommended this restaurant, and so we gave it a try.  Oh my goodness.  After the first trip, we kept returning.  We often went to Thai Chalurn on Walzem (and we still do...) but when we have the time to drive out to Yum Yum (which is a lot further from where we live) we get there whenever we can.

The owner and her husband run the restaurant.  She cooks and he is the host with the most.  Kind and courteous, with an excellent memory for faces, he greets and seats the guests whenever he is in.  The waitresses are all sweet and helpful, and if there is something they cannot help with, he comes over and makes sure everything is right.

The restaurant is fairly new, and business is good, but they could do with more customers - so I definitely urge you to give this a try.

This restaurant has a flexible menu and they are great at working with allergies.  All of their ingredients are fresh, and everything is made from scratch.  I tend to be a bit less adventurous than Thomas, so once I find a favorite dish, it is hard for me to order anything else.   I usually get the Orange Chicken, with an appetizer of spring rolls.  Thomas has ordered all over the menu, often getting Laab with pork, and Tom Yum Gai with chicken.

Good news for spice lovers and spice haters - they are VERY flexible as to how hot you order things.  Warning though the difference between hot and Thai hot is exponential.  Do not get the Thai hot unless you really want to burn something off. Thai hot is hot enough that Thomas only gets it sometimes (and this is the man that picks thai peppers off the bush and eats them at work).

Now for the details: Their orange chicken is a crispy fillet of chicken breast, breaded and fried to perfection. It continues to be a bit crisp after the sauce is added, but it is never dry, and never greasy.  The sauce is sweet without being overpoweringly sweet, and they remember just how much Thai pepper to add to it for me.

The spring rolls are crunchy, and the sauce is sweet with a touch of Thai pepper.  The flavor is incredible, and Thomas is happy he can eat them.  They make them with chicken and vegetables and noodles and they are to die for.

I could not do the Laab or Tom Yum Gai justice, so Thomas will come back and post about those.

He Said:
This is one of our favourite places to go out. It is a hole in the wall place that delivers World Class food and service. Fine dining on a family budget.

Everything on the menu is great. I have tried everything that I can (Beef and seafood allergies suck) and have found it all amazing. Pad Thai, Laab, Tom Yum Gai, Spring Rolls... I just can't relate how good and fresh tasting the food is. The bulk of the peppers and other produce they use are sourced locally. So if you are a localvore, this is the place for you.

This Husband/Wife duo take their customer's satisfaction seriously and do everything they can to make sure that everything is right.  Their waitstaff and HusbandOwner keep your drinks filled and table cleared without hovering and the Wife/Owner runs the kitchen like I can imagine her kitchen at the house is. When She isn't cooking She'll come out and chat with the diners and make facetime (one of the things I look for in restaurants.)

If you like Thai food, go eat there. If you've never tried Thai food, go eat there. If you don't like Thai food, they have an excellent Chinese menu, go eat there!

One Cute Cupcake Boutique

She Said: So today I was driving "Goggles", Thomas's daughter, home from school, I thought I would surprise her with a treat.  Over by Olmos Perk cafe is a line of little restaurants and boutiques in boxcars, one of which contains a pink shop called One Cute Cupcake Boutique at 5257 McCullough Ave. SATX 78212. We decided to go there and try out some cupcakes, and bring one home to Thomas.

The shop is rather small, with a couple of comfortable couches inside, and a couple chairs outside.  The outside is pink, and rather perky looking and the inside continues the pink theme, with a large chalkboard behind the counter with menu items and prices, and a curtain blocking off the kitchen area.

We were greeted by Lori Hernandez, who is co-operating the shop with her own business, Oh Yeah Cakes.  She has been sharing the shop for the past 6 weeks, and has a truly impressive photo album of different cakes she has made.  For the store front, her cakes are simple, and delicious looking.  We had our heart set on cupcakes, so we promised to return for cake at some point.

Lori is very friendly, and told us about One Cute Cupcake Boutique, as well as some of the other businesses in the area. She recommends the deli next door as well as the hot dog stand.  She told us that Maritza Verazzi, owner of the boutique, was on Cupcake Wars (and because we apparently live under a non-cable watching rock - we had never heard of the show).  Still it was a lot of fun talking to Lori.

There were several different flavors.  The store must be popular because part of the case was empty.  Still there was a wide selection, and ultimately unable to decide, I decided to throw myself on the grenade and try two cupcakes, you know...for science and all.  I picked out a third cupcake to bring home to Thomas and Goggles picked out one for herself.

Undecided, I chose to try the French Toast cupcake and a caramel chocolate cupcake.  Goggles got a Rocky Road cupcake, and we picked out a snicker-doodle cupcake for Thomas.  The cupcakes were 3.25 each, and are on the small side, but with fairly sizable toppings. Cake slices are 4.00, and they also have cake bites and other types of products for special order such as cake push pops (like the ice cream, but with cake) and cupcakes in a jar.  Maritza makes 80 different flavors, in rotation, with some being special order only.  Lori makes a wide variety of custom cakes to order, and her range of artistic cake expression is impressive.

I had the french toast cupcake first.  Like a kid, I have to lick the frosting before I eat the cake part and Oh my! The frosting is just sweet enough and was dusted with spices like cinnamon, and I believe, nutmeg.  The cupcake itself tasted like someone poured french toast out of a blender and into a cupcake.
I next tried the chocolate cupcake with caramel and was a little disappointed.  It was moist and tender and well flavored, but I was hoping for more caramel.  I am not fond of chocolate cake by itself.

Goggles had her cupcake gone in moments, so I assume she liked it a lot.  Thomas will be by later this evening to post about his cupcake, as he just walked in the door from work.

Overall, the cupcakes were some of the most moist and tender cupcakes that I have ever eaten. There were very few crumbs, and a rich flavor.  I would say they are worth every penny. And for the love of all that is beautiful, try the French toast cupcake.

The other - She said: Here is "Goggles'" opinion from her blog: "Oh my gods, they were to die for! I chose a rocky road cupcake, which had mini marshmallows, almonds, and lots of chocolate on top of a German chocolate base. It was very tasty. The best thing yet, was that it was a locally owned shop..."


He Said:
You gotta love it when you've had a rough day at work and get bushwacked by your girlfriend with a cupcake at the front door!

After putting down the handfuls of stuff I had picked up on my afterwork errands I sat down for dessert first, before dinner.

Val had gotten me a snickerdoodle cupcake. It was medium-ish in size and while attractive, not overly frosted or decorated: White frosting with a light dusting of sugar and spices on top. While the body of the "cuppy" was light yellow.

Being a big fan of cupcakes I knew what to do first. You dive for the frosting! Sweet without being cloying while just enough "grit" from the coarse sugar to give it an interesting texture. So, sugar and some spices made the frosting great, the body of the cupcake was a bit underwhelming. I can see where the baker was trying to strike a balance of bold and background, but the "cake" part was, "meh". Being the end of the day it may have been a little dried out, refrigeration may have made the flavors a bit muted, etc.

Overall, it was a nice cupcake, but not deserving the reaction of Val and Goggles. It blows the doors off of most store bought cupcakes, but for me the bar is really high on desserts. Maybe I'll try something chocolatey next time?