7 minute read
Food
Pouring One Out
The I F**king Love San Antonio podcast has spun its “Cheers for Local Beers” segment into a standalone show
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BY NINA RANGEL
It’s a running joke across the nation that Texas residents have an outrageous love for their state, and the Alamo City seems to host its own microcosm of that kind of over-the-top pride.
San Antonio native Alex Arredondo, the guy behind the I F**king Love San Antonio podcast, is certainly an embodiment of that sentiment. He founded the podcast in 2017, aiming to engage and share the stories of movers and shakers in San Antonio politics, art and beer.
For folks unfamiliar, past seasons of ILFSA have comprised seven episodes divided into three segments: a current events overview, a spotlight interview featuring a local disruptor in the art or political space and “Cheers for Local Beers,” a mini segment in which the episode’s participants share opinions about a new beer from a local brewery.
This season, the podcast’s fourth, “Cheers for Local Beers” is spli ing off into its own separate entity. That comes as Arredondo highlights more food-focused guests, including chef Jesse Kuykendall, a recent champion on Food Network’s Chopped, and Weathered Souls Brewing Co. co-founder Marcus Baskerville.
Arredondo spoke with us about what’s new this season, which launches Nov. 22. He also talked about the driving force behind the new format and what makes I F**king Love San Antonio so fucking fun to listen to.
Lots of new things are shaking out for 2021-2022. First, what drove you to split the podcasts up?
You know when too much of a good thing is a lengthy thing? That’s what was going on with the original format of the podcast. It got to the point when I would be editing an episode and loved all the content we had covered. … I was left thinking, “How could I cut this? How could I cut that?” I think it was around the beginning of Season 3 when I started looking at the overall time of an episode. Three hours? Four hours? That’s long, even for a diehard local like myself. I started to think about when a split would be appropriate, and Season 4 felt right.
Tell me about your hosts for IFLSA and the new beer spinoff . What’s special about them?
IFLSA has been super lucky with the amount of smart, motivated and compassionate people that have been involved in the previous seasons. [Former IFLSA host] Kloe Dominguez, Girls’ Pint Out’s Jackie Romero and [Mad Pecker’s] Rey Duque all played such a big role in how the podcast looked, sounded and felt. As far as Season 4 of IFLSA is concerned, we will have special guests co-hosting this season, and [Dooryard manager] James Ratnayeke and [beer authority and writer] Jeremy Banas will be co-hosting Cheers For Local Beers’ fi rst offi cial solo season. Together, their overall beer knowledge and personalities are something that I can’t wait for the listeners to experience.
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Courtesy Photo / I F**king Love San Antonio
What do you look for in guests? Is there a checklist, or does it change from person to person?
Potential new guests can come from anywhere. I sometimes ask myself, “Who are the people that are trying to make something happen and improve San Antonio, their community and themselves?” We have been very fortunate to talk to people from all walks of life, but the one thing that they all have in common is that they fucking love San Antonio.
Who would be your dream San Antonian to interview?
Honestly, one name comes to mind right away: Randy Beamer of News 4 San Antonio fame. Being with News 4 for over 30 years, and over 40 collective years in the news business, he knows San Antonio be er than almost anyone in this town. I have so much respect for his journalism, and I would love to hear about what he is now up to in retirement.
The format of these shows is unique in that you record in actual San Antonio locations and make use of the ambient sound. What made you decide to go with an on-site format versus studio recordings?
It was always about the experience for the listener. I know that many podcasts nowadays are both video and audio; we are audio only. By adding the sounds of the environment around us when recording, it creates another dynamic to keep the audience listening and captivated. Our podcast’s on-the-go mentality and sound has always been what makes us unique.
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Saint City Supper Club partners with San Antonio event venue The Espee for year-long dinner series
BY NINA RANGEL
San Antonio nonprofi t Saint City Culinary Foundation has revived its monthly Supper Club dinner series via a new partnership with The Espee, the eastof-downtown event venue formerly known as Sunset Station.
The fi rst dinner in the series — a Thursday, Nov. 18 collaboration between the foundation, The Espee and the St. Paul Square Historic District — will highlight cuisine from chef Juan Carlos Bazan of the Gusto Group. Bazan’s outfi t, which operates local eateries Cuishe Cocina Mexicana and Toro Kitchen + Bar, will provide the eats, while Ilegal Mezcal will supply libations.
The Nov. 18 event kicks off the revival of the Saint City Supper Club series, which raises money for HEARD, a nonprofi t focused on providing mental health and teleheath services to foodservice workers. Due to the pandemic, the foundation’s recent fundraising events have been few and far between.
The rejuvenated Saint City Supper Club will hold 12 monthly dinners at The Espee. The multi-building entertainment site operated as Sunset Station until a recent rebrand, which includes renovations on the indoor spaces and the pending opening of swanky, Gatsby-esque nightspot 1902 at The Espee.
Zacatecas-born Bazan — a veteran of Michelin-starred restaurants Monastrell and Taberna Del Gourmet in Alicante, Spain — will bring his elevated understanding of Spanish fare to the Nov. 18 event. Prior to se ing roots in SA, Bazan studied Culinary Arts and Business Administration at the University of Durango. He studied Molecular Gastronomy while working at world-renowned Mexico City eatery Pujol.
Tickets to the Nov. 18 dinner are on sale now at scsc.ticketbud.com/ november. The $75 per person price tag includes all food and drink for the duration of the event.
NEWS
Southside seafood joint Fish Lonja landed on the New York Times’ list of 50 restaurants “we’re most excited about right now.”
Torchy’s Tacos has been sued by a parent who alleges their child contracted Salmonella Oranienburg at the chain’s Sonterra Place location.
Seasoning outfi t Twang has released a limited-edition beer called Twang-a-Rang in partnership with Fort Worth-based Martin House Brewing Co.
Alamo Heights-area eatery Adelante, which specializes in healthy Tex-Mex, will close next spring after 40 years.
North Central San Antonio’s Los Cocos Bakery has closed, ending nearly half a century of baking up unique pan dulce made with European recipes.
Espada Coff ee, the highly visible bubble gum-pink food truck, has closed permanently.
Korean doughnut chain Mochinut’s Northwest San Antonio store is now serving corn dogs breaded with crispy ramen and Hot Cheetos.
After just six months in operation, Willa Eatery, a health-focused spot near the Tobin Center, has shut its doors.
OPENINGS
Missouri-based chain Andy’s Frozen Custard will open its fi rst San Antonio location at the RIM shopping center next spring.
New smoothie and superfood shop Jugo has opened in the Northeastern suburb of Selma.
West Side snack staple Tropic Express is back to serving fruit cups, raspas, aguas frescas and elote after a devastating July fi re.
Highly anticipated eatery Up Scale, a steaks-andseafood spot from the couple behind Li le Em’s Oyster Bar, is now open in Southtown.
New high-end restaurant Tardif’s American Brasserie has opened near the Dominion.
Bubby’s Jewish Soul Food has set a Nov. 14 opening date.
New San Antonio food truck Tacos Cucuy is now serving up “bespoke taco experiences.”
Bar America owner Bryan Correa will open a dog-friendly beer garden near USAA’s headquarters in Northwest San Antonio.
Longtime Tex-Mex staple Cha-Cha’s has reopened in Northwest San Antonio with a vegetarian-friendly update.
Craft cocktail spot Pink Hill has opened just north of downtown on the Broadway corridor.
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