This weekend on Goodtaste with Tanji, we’re kicking off the show in San Antonio at El Mirasol where we taste Caldo de Res with tender beef short ribs. Then, we hop over to Houston for a cheesy 20-layer Lasagna at Carmelo’s Cucina Italiana. Lastly, we head to Monument Cafe in Georgetown to try a sizzling big breakfast of eggs, ham, home fries and Texas toast. We love the food, but we are here for the people! To tease your palate a little more, here are 3 must-not-miss moments in this week’s new episode of Goodtaste with Tanji Season 4.
1. Making an Impact
Jesse and Carmen Calvillo have had a tremendous influence on Mexican food in San Antonio from the four restaurants they’ve created. Back in 1978, they bought a tiny abandoned ice cream shop and turned it into La Fogata. When they first begin serving the community, they were probably the second restaurant in San Antonio to have authentic Mexican food. Before then, it was only Tex-Mex. After selling the first restaurant in the 90s, the Calvillos opened El Mirasol. Then they opened Soluna and later a second El Mirasol location. One big secret to their years of success is that Carmen comes from a long line of wonderful cooks. Her mother, who had a catering business in Mexico City, won four gold medals for being the best chef in Mexico City.
2. Family Built in Food
Brothers, Ben and Daniel Berg, have recently taken the reins at Carmelo’s Cucina Italiana and neither one of them can imagine having taken on such a venture without each other. Business savvy Ben and executive chef Daniel both have a deep love for family and food, which began during their childhood in New York City. With their parents working a lot, the two would bond over eating and cooking on their own. Now the two have found themselves in Houston tackling the industry together.
3. Back to the Basics
Rusty Winkstern started in the restaurant business when he was 22. Losing all his money on his first restaurant, he learned very quickly about the business and decided to go back to the basics. He wanted to honor the industry and the folks who came before him in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. Going organic and “all-natural” ahead of the curve more than 20 years ago, he created a concept focused on the community with the goal of sourcing all products from within 250 miles of the restaurant. He worked with 15 to 25 different growers to incorporate seasonal ingredients in his cafe’s specials. Rusty eventually expanded to add a farmers market next door, The Monument Market, to celebrate the local food artisans and their products.
Tune in this weekend for delicious food and MORE during the ALL NEW episode of Goodtaste with Tanji.
Leoteen Stevens says
Looks delicious . I will go there very soon.