News and notes from the San Antonio food scene
It's for a good cause, dahling
The San Antonio Country Club, 4100 N. New Braunfels, is hosting a Feast for Relief dinner from 4-8 p.m. on Sunday, October 2. The dinner will benefit the Red Cross' Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, and will be served in "dine-around" featuring a wide variety of local restaurants, including Azúca, Las Canarias, Cheesy Jane's, Fig Tree, Liberty Bar, the Melting Pot, and many more. The Rick Cavender Band, Small World, and Max Class & the Class Acts will perform. Tickets are $50 and 100 percent of the proceeds go to the Red Cross. For information and tickets visit alamotickets.com.
Corporate America eats local
On Thursday, September 29, chefs from Bon Appétit, a food management company (of no relation to the magazine) that serves corporations, colleges, and universities, will take part in the company's Eat Local Challenge. For one day, the chefs must cook meals using only ingredients harvested within a 150-mile radius of their restaurants and cafés, with the exception of salt. "It's a great opportunity for us to show people what is available from the local food shed and what's not, what we've lost," says Chef Keith Sumner of Capitol Group's Hill Country Café. "Food that travels 1,500 miles to get to us loses a lot of flavor, and the things that make food pest-resistant and eye appealing may not necessarily be good for you."
The Challenge includes more than 150,000 patrons in 190 of Bon Appétit's cafés and restaurants. Employees of Capitol Group will dine on honey-glazed chicken, made with Rancho de la Chuparrosa poultry, and a mushroom-infused rice pilaf with basmati rice from Lowell Farms in Gonzales, Texas. Robin Bowman, owner of Rancho de la Chuparrosa, will be on hand to talk about sustainable agriculture.
A wee bit of the homeland
Waxy O'Connors, a popular bar in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, is coming to the River Walk and will be installed in the newly revitalized historic 1901 San Antonio Loan and Trust Building, 235 E. Commerce, by Thanksgiving. The pub's owner, Irishman Mark Rohleder, says it is a true Irish pub: Its menu features fish and chips, bangers and mash, and shepherds' pie, and its beer - a vast list, ranging from Smithwicks to Bud Light - is served "properly," on tap and with the correct blend of nitrogen. For authenticity, Rohleder is having the interior manufactured in Ireland and shipped to Texas, including a mahogany bar, tables and chairs, and stone paving for the floors.
Corrections
The Eclipse Restaurant, 14439 NW Military at Huebner, has postponed opening until October 18, due to difficulties with getting supplies and equipment in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina `see "All You Can Eat," September 15-21, 2005`. Also in the issue of September 15-21 ("Fresh off the farm"), we incorrectly listed Rancho de la Chuparrosa's website. It is goodfoodfarm.com.
