Our Pick: Royal Cuisine, 8931 Wurzbach Road, (210) 265-5463, royalcuisine.co
Royal Cuisine bills itself as an Indo-Pakistani restaurant, but the differences between the two countries are in steps, not leaps. Start, if you will, in the south of India with a spongy pancake called masala uttapam and work your way north stopping to appreciate the prodigious Mysore masala dosa, the spicy-creamy goat korma, chicken Chettinad with fragrant curry leaves, and the Punjabi specialty that is dal makhani. Order lots of naan for sopping of sauces. And on your way out, be sure to survey the take-out offerings of by-the-pound chaat snacks, samosas, and pakoras. Equally seductive are the sweets: pistachio green, lemon yellow, mango orange … the array of colors alone is enough to bring kid-in-the-candy-shop joy. Be a kid. Let the traditionally garbed server pinch off samples of anything that catches your fancy. Walnut halvah, for example. Or one of the less-sweet choices, the ladoo of lentil and chickpea.
WINNER: Bakery Lorraine, 306 Pearl Pkwy., Suite 110, (210) 862-5582, bakerylorraine.com
2. Cake Crumbs, 1218 W. Bitters Road, Suite 108, (210) 906-3783, cakecrumbssa.com
3. Bird Bakery, 5912 Broadway, (210) 804-2473, birdbakery.com
WINNER: Smoke Shack, 3714 Broadway, (210) 957-1430, smokeshacksa.com
2. Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q, multiple locations, rudysbbq.com
3. 2m Smokehouse & Catering, 2731 S. W. W. White Road, (210) 885-93
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WINNER: Lulu’s Bakery & Cafe, 918 N. Main Ave., (210) 951-2802, luluscafeinsa.com
2. De Wese’s Tip Top Cafe, 2814 Fredericksburg Road, (210) 735-2222
3. MK Davis Restaurant, 1302 N. Flores St., (210) 223-1208, mkdavisrestaurant.com
WINNER: Golden Wok, multiple locations, goldenwoksa.com
2. Ding How, 4531 NW Loop 410, (210) 549-8881, dinghowsa.com
3. Taste of Asia, 300 W. Bitters Road, Suite 120, (210) 496-6266
2. Barrio Barista, 3735 Culebra Road, (210) 519-5403, barriobarista.coffee
3. Rosella Coffee Co., 203 E. Jones Ave., Suite 101, (210) 277-8574, rosellacoffee.com
WINNER: Blanco Cafe, 1720 Blanco Road, (210) 732-6480
2. Taco Libre, 6511 Ingram Road, Suite 101, (210) 592-6288, facebook.com/vivatacolibre
3. Rosario’s, multiple locations, rosariossa.com
2. Lick Honest Ice Creams, 312 Pearl Pkwy., Suite 2101, (210) 314-8166, ilikelick.com
3. Amy’s Ice Creams, 255 E. Basse Road, Suite 430, (210) 832-8886, amysicecreams.com
2. Snociopa, 6423 Babcock Road, Suite 104 , (210) 455 -8638, snopioca.com
3. Bar Louie, multiple locations, barlouie.com
2. Green Vegetarian Cuisine, multiple locations, eatatgreen.com
3. Viva Vegeria, 1422 Nogalitos St., (210) 465-9233, myvegeria.com
WINNER: Sea Island Shrimp House, multiple locations, shrimphouse.com
2. El Bucanero, multiple locations, bucanerosanantonio.com
3. Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, 76 North East Loop 410, (210) 340-7143, pappadeaux.com
