FOOD-NATIC RGV Magazine

FOOD-NATIC RGV

LARRY DELAGDO SHARES HIS EXPERIENCE DURING THE PANDEMIC - P. 3

FOOD FOR YOUR PANTRY - P. 9

RECIPES JUST IN TIME FOR SUMMER - P. 15

FOOD-NATIC RGV PUBLISHER

Antonio S. Marines

EDITOR

Antonio S. Marines

PHOTO EDITOR

Antonio S. Marines

CONTRIBUTORS

Steve Clark

Michael Gonzalez

Noelle Bresson

Texas Real Food Restaurant Guru

Kevin

Ana Frias

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LAYOUT DESIGN

Antonio S. Marines

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Do note that this entire magazine is for classroom project and is only used for educational purposes only. So, all of the emails and websites above are not real.

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HIGH-END RESTAURANTS FACE HEADWINDS

POST-PANDEMIC

STORY BY STEVE CLARK | PHOTOS BY MICHAEL GONZALEZ

Operating a high-end restaurant successfully, much less three of them, is always a complex proposition, but it was a whole lot easier before the pandemic.

Ask chef Larry Delgado, whose McAllen-based Delgado Collective is made up of house.wine.&bistro., SALT and Salomé on Main, which he and his wife, Jessica, opened in 2008, 2013 and 2019, respectively. While COVID appears to be with us for good, quasi-normalcy has returned to many corners of daily life, but restaurants like the Delgados’ are still facing headwinds that largely weren’t a factor before the pandemic.

LARRY REMEMBERS THOSE DAYS WITH FONDNESS.

“It was great,” he says. “Business was fantastic. We were looking in Brownsville as a matter of fact. We were looking at Corpus Christi, and we kind of toyed with the notion of Austin or San Antonio. Pre-pandemic, business was pumping on all cylinders and we were looking for a way for our restaurants to expand.”

Enter the pandemic, shutdown and “survival

mode” for the Delgado Collective. The situation demanded nimble adaptability. The Delgados, like so many other restaurant owners, got into the delivery business, setting up their own system rather than paying what the third-party delivery companies were asking. The company has also leaned much more heavily into catering as delivery has tapered off, Delgado says.

Supply chain issues and skyrocketing prices for food have forced some items off the menu, he says. The tuna from Honolulu Fish Co. first became hard to get. Now if it’s available, it’s unaffordable, Delgado says.

Where we used to get free shipping, now we might have to pay a couple hundred dollars in shipping, and now I can’t offer a beautiful filet of ahi tuna or sashimi or Japanese sea bass,” he says. “I can’t do it for $35 anymore. I can’t even do it for $45. I have to sell it for $70.”

BEEF, SAME STORY.

“Beef came down to a manageable price and last week [went] right back up to $17.99 for ribeye,” Delgado says. “That’s double what it was pre-pandemic. We used to pay $9.99.”

Staffing is another headache. The Delgados are down to fewer than 90 from a peak of 145 across all three restaurants. These issues barely

scratch the surface, though Delgado is loath to sound like a complainer. McAllen has been very good to his business over the years, he says, and for that he’s exceptionally grateful. At the same time, he’s hoping for a little understanding from customers who might balk at higher menu prices or extra credit card fees, none of which comes close to covering losses he’s experiencing.

On the bright side, the Delgados were coming off a terrific fourth quarter of 2022 after a “miserable year,” and Delgado had his fingers crossed for more of the same for the first quarter of this year. Chef Adam Cavazos, who opened Bodega Tavern & Kitchen in McAllen seven years ago in November, originally aspired to a Delgado Collective-caliber experience, but ended up modifying his concept. The Mercado District was Bodega’s first home, and Cavazos says he’s grateful for the experience even if it didn’t pan out.

“We had lots of things on our menu that were what

I was considering sort of more pushing the Valley’s culinary scene forward,” he says. “But the pandemic really changed all of that. We had to fight for survival during the closure.”

Bodega’s pivot to a less exclusive but nonetheless chef-driven concept has worked out well, Cavazos says. But he’s grappling with higher costs along with everyone else. It’s meant changes to the menu and substituting products when something gets too expensive or hard to come by.

“There’s a couple of things I pride myself on, and one of those things is finding lower priced items that are just as good in quality and dressing them up,” Cavazos says. “It’s how you treat the product, is my philosophy.”

He’d like to maintain Bodega’s reputation for being reasonably priced if higher end, though it’s hard to know how to handle ribeye going up from $12.99 to $19.99 a pound, especially since New York Strip was

already on his menu, Cavazos says.

TERES MAJOR RIDES TO THE RESCUE.

“They call it the hanging tender,” Cavazos says. “It’s a tender that comes from the shoulder clod and it’s about maybe a foot long. Basically we made little steak medallions, and that was our other steak option. We sous vided it and we served it with the leak purée and the red wine jus. In other words, for us it was all about getting creative and finding … items that had the quality but that were cheaper and that we could do them in our style, if you will.”

Rafael Lopez’s family has been riding the hospitality industry roller coaster since his grandparents ran a one-stop bar, restaurant, store, bus stop, barber shop, hotel and party venue in the center of their tiny village in northern Spain. Lopez and his brother Jose Antonio and sister Alicia opened La Pampa Argentinian Steak House in Brownsville in 2004 and Madeira, also in Brownsville, in 2011, after having success with the same concept in Toluca, Mexico.

La Pampa reopened in a new location (on Pablo Kisel Boulevard) only a few months before the pandemic arrived in the Rio Grande Valley. The family was on the verge of opening Antíca Gastrobar, a new watering hole next door to La Pampa, but then came the big shutdown. Madeira and La Pampa were eligible for forgivable loans through the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) since their employees had been receiving paychecks, but Antica hadn’t yet cut its first payroll check much less sold its first beer, and thus was ineligible.

“We had everything to open Antíca,” Lopez says. “We even had the servers, the bartenders, the bar backs, the chef — everything all ready to go, but we couldn’t open.”

La Pampa and Madeira found themselves in the takeout business, something the family was not prepared for, since the fare they’re famous for generally doesn’t travel well — especially steak. “You take it to your home and it’s going to be cold,” Lopez says. “What are you going to do with it? Put it in the oven? You are killing the food.”

Still, it was a way to keep tips flowing to their servers at a time before PPP was announced. The family was determined to hang on to their valuable employees and succeeded for the most part.

“We wanted to keep the servers and the kitchen staff,” Lopez says. “After so many years your staff, well, it’s the most important part of any business. … We did the same

at Madeira. We tried to sell food to go and we changed our menus to do it simpler, less expensive. But basically we didn’t make any money.”

Business came roaring back after restaurants were allowed to reopen and people had federal COVID-assistance money burning a hole in their pockets and a profound wish to get out of the house, he says.

“When the money started coming in, the restaurants went up like crazy, like the best sales in years,” Lopez says. Fast forward a year to early February and things are “not perfect,” he concedes. Customers are still coming in but spending a little less extravagantly, toning down the celebrations a notch or two. Some who used to come twice a week maybe are only coming once a week. The last two weeks of January were unusually slow and Lopez’s suppliers were warning of coming beef price hikes, while some products sometimes become impossible to get.

“It’s not as consistent as before, and that’s something that we have to understand,” Lopez says.

Despite the obstacles, he believes the worst of the pandemic is over and that — barring a catastrophe — the restaurants can survive pretty much anything the next two

decades throw at them. If not for the financial help, however, including assistance from the city of Brownsville, it might have been a been a grimmer outcome, Lopez says, expressing gratitude for “how the government managed things.”

“Without the help from the government, we couldn’t have done it,” he says. “Probably none of it would have survived. It would have been a struggle to survive.” z

Steve Clark is a reporter for The Brownsville Herald. In his spare time, he enjoys playing banjo and guitar, canoeing with his lovely wife Laura, and eating and writing about great food.

Left image:Chef Adam presenting a dish

Top image: Dining room at La Pampa

Bottom image: Chef cooking with a pan while it is on fire.

Q&A: Barista

Catrina Perez

Interview by Antonio S. Marines

She is the owner and main barista of the Pineapple Coffee Shop in Mission, Texas, serving up hot and cold coffee.

There is a lot of coffee shops around the RGV area, some more popular than others. Here, we are presenting a coffee shop that doesn’t get more love than it should, so I happened to look at around and found the Pineapple Coffee Shop at Mission, Texas on 308 N Shary Rd, where I met the main barista and owner, Catrina Perz, to which I asked a few questions about her and the shop.

When did the place open?

“It opened around Feburary of this year, though we have been planning on making the store for a year.”

Whose idea was it to open a cafe?

“It was actually my husbands idea to open a cafe here. We came from Reynosa and when we wanted to move to the U.S., we wanted to make an investment opportunity. We had to get approval from the government to even be here, but once we were here, we were able to start plans on the cafe.”

How many people can you say come to your coffee shop on average?

“Around 15 to 20 people daily.”

What makes your cafe stand out against all the competiton?

“There are lot of big businesses around the area and we work with smaller, local businesses to feature their products. One such example would be the coffee beans that we use, which comes from Jitters Coffee. We buy the beans off of them in order to make the coffee that we make. Another example would be the cookies being from Sugar Box US. It is sort of like a team effort in order to support the local businesses and community as a whole.”

Due to your stance of how you run your buisness, you would say that you are a supporter of local buissness?

“Yes, local buisness is highly

important to our overall community as many people have made a name of themselves by making a local bussiness. Usually, local bussinesses are usually at a higher quality compared to big bussiness as well.”

Finally, just for fun, what is your favorite drink on the menu?

“This one is pretty tricky as I believe that everything that I make is pretty good. But, If I had to pick one drink that I would say is my favorite, it would be the “Feel Like Home” drink. It has got a shot of expresso with two scoops of vanilla ice cream to give the espresso a bit of sweetness. It is more of a decadent desert rather than an actual coffee though.”

there anything else you would

Is

like to add before this interview is over? It can be either

to yourself or your bussiness. “Well, I dont have much to say about myself in terms of myself but if I had to say in terms of my buissness, I would like to add breakfast and lunch in the future. Nothing too big, but stuff like sandwiches and salads for example.” F

Antonio S. Marines is a freelance reporter. In his spare time, he enjoys playing video games,swmming, going to the gym, and eating and writing about great food. He is also a bit of coffee freak.

Top image: Pineapple Coffee Shop building

Right image: Sugar Box US cookies

Bottom image: Iced coffee drink from the cafe

Food For Your Pantry: Sourced In The RGV

STORY BY ANTONIO S. MARINES, TEXAS REAL FOOD, NOELLE BRESSON

JOY CHAMOY

Joy Chamoy is a product made by Mission local, Lily Gomez.

When she began selling these sauces during 2018, she did not know that she was going to be sell these products at many local places around the RGV.

But lo and behold, the chamoy was so good that she was able to sell it here and in Reynosa.

The chamoy is made with water, prunes, chile seasoning and roselle flower. Joy Chamoy goes great with fruit, popcorn, popsicles, and even shrimp.

Many local stores carry this product. For more info, check @joychamoy on Instagram or on Facebook.

AL CHILE SAUCE

Al chile sauce is a product made by Brownsvile local, Tom Dunn. After making, serving the sauce to his family and friends, and geting encouragment from them, In 2021, he debuted his sauce on instagram where he gained attention for having a really tasty sauce.

It is Locally sourced and the salsa contains natural tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, peppers, garlic and a unique blend of spices and is made with “pride and honor” in Brownsville.

The sauce is a perfect pairing with chips or adding flavor to meals at home. Many local restaurants and stores in Brownsville carry the salsa, and you may also purchase it online at alchilesalsa.com.

SOME JUAN SPICES

If you have one good product, it is enough to have a successful business enterprise.

This is the case for Some Juan’s Spices. You may think that based on the name, they would be selling a wide array of spices. No.

They have one item for sale and that is the very popular traditional South Texas enchilada mix.

If you’ve eaten an enchilada, you know that flavor is everything. Everything depends on the mix.

This is why Some Juan’s Spices is here - to make sure everybody gets to enjoy a yummy enchilada, even from the comfort of their homes.

Tons of people online have been prasing the spice mix, so come on and give it a try today!

You can buy this spice mix on their Etsy store page while also finding out more at @somejuansspices on instagram and on Facebook.

THE JANK GOURMET BBQ SAUCE

The Jank is known for its Texas gourmet BBQ sauce that is has no high fructose corn syrup, no MSG, gluten-free, and it being keto-friendly.

They offer a great selection of products including original, spicy, goodness, and habanero.

The goodness BBQ sauce especially is noteworthy due to it only having the features of every other sauce, but also having low sodium and being diabetic friendly as well, making on of the more healthier BBQ sauces on the market.

But no matter what sauce you pick, all of them areare great condiments to complement any meal, including ribs, brisket, chicken, and even tamales!

You can even use the sauce as a marinade for all your meats, which does wonders when you are trying to smoke any BBQ.

You are truly missing out on something special if you don’t try the Jank.

Jank’s BBQ products can be found at over 250 H-E-B stores and also online at bbqjank.com. You can also check out their social medias while on the website too.

TWO DIFFRENT CUSINES, STILL GOOD FOOD IN THE RGV

BY RESTAURANT GURU AND ANTONIO S. MARINES

YASUKE RAMEN & BAR

Yasuke Ramen & Bar, located in McAllen, offers a delectable Japanese cuisine experience.

The establishment boasts a trendy and youthful ambiance, with a spacious interior design that exudes a modern and upscale vibe.

Prices are on the higher side, but the quality of the dishes justifies the cost.

Yasuke Ramen & Bar is situated in a convenient location, with plenty of parking available. Guests can enjoy outdoor seating and infused water cocktails at the bar.

The menu features a wide variety of dishes, including the popular spicy ramen bowl with katsu chicken, takoyaki (fried octopus balls), and the Bulgogi Donburi bowl with marinated sirloin, rice, and fried egg.

The edamame and gyoza dumplings are also definite 10’s. The drinks menu offers a diverse selection of soft drinks, wines, and cocktails, such as the matcha holiday drink, mango-infused water, and spiked lemonades.

While the wait times can be long, the excellent customer service provided by the staff, particularly bartender Cody, makes the experience worthwhile.

Overall, Yasuke Ramen & Bar is a fine dining spot that delivers an exceptional Japanese cuisine experience that is definitely worth trying out.

Bottom left Image: Ramen served at Yasuke

Left side middle image: The outside facade at Yasuke Ramen & Bar

Right side middle image: Outside facade of Mamma Mia Pizzeria

Bottom Right Image: Chicago-style pizza served at Mamma Mias

MAMA MIA PIZZERIA

See Town Lake at Firemen’s Park and come to this pizzeria.

All of the Italian food is worth a try here.

Perfectly cooked pepperoni pizza, spaghetti and lasagna have a excelent taste.

The cooks here prepare tasty cheesecakes and good tiramisu for desert.

This place is also famous for delicious Sangria, wine or beer, as they have a wide slection of spirits. There is also great lemonade, coffee, and tea for those who wish to not drink alcohol.

Invite your friends to Mama Mia Pizzeria with a friendly atmosphere and invite dates as well for a more romantic atmosphere with the two dining rooms.

The service is great as they are very attentive, not to mention that the service shows the qaulity of the restaurant.

The prices are solid and the looks are great, overall, this pizzeria is a worthy Italian American experience that everyone should try when you come to the RGV.

Restaurant Guru is a website based on restaurants that are around the world. They have visitor opinions on the site for each restaurant on the site as well as a written review on what the overall thoughts of the establishment is like.

What’s in Season?

The month of May

By Antonio S. Marines

What to Harvest

Beans Mushrooms

Bell Peppers Onions

Cantaloupes Potatoes

Carrots Snap Peas

Celery Green Cabbage

Honeydew Sweet Peppers

Kohlrabi Tomatoes

Lettuce Turnips

Melons Watermelons

Squash Zucchini

What to Plant

Honeydew Sweet Potatoes

Okra Watermelons

Peas Winter Squash

Pumpkins Summer Squash

RESTURANTS OPENINGS COMING SOON

By Antonio S. Marines

BB•Q CHICKEN

This korean fried chicken shop is coming soon to the RGV at 1601 W. Trenton Rd. BB•Q stands for “Best of the best quality.”

The fried chicken is said to be with the same recipes, ingredents, and methods used in Korea. Some of the flavors range from tradional favorites to special creations.

PEDRO’S TACOS & TEQUILA BAR

Pedro’s is a Mexican/American resturant based from Louisiana serving up typical “mexican” cusine.

It features a full-scale tequilla bar and outdoor seating for more dining options.

It will be coming to Edinburg at West Trenton Rd. Construction has already started in March and it will be completed and open in 2024.

HUDDLE HOUSE

Huddle House, unlike, the two resturants previously listed, is a resturant that is come back to the valley after one establishment failed.

It is a American diner, in the same line as Dennys, IHOP, or Jimmy’s egg but focusing on waffles as their main breakfast food.

It will be at San Benito on 151 W Expy 83, right next to a starbucks.

There is no confirmed release date on when it will open.

Just In Time for Summer Recipes!

PHOTOS BY KEVIN AND ANA FRIAS

Pollo Asado

Recipe by Kevin, owner of the website, “Kevin Is Cooking”

Serves 6

“This pollo asado recipe creates a juicy grilled chicken dinner that starts with a quick and easy lime juice, Mexican spices and achiote marinade.”

5 lb of whole chicken , cut into 8 pieces

1/2 cup of olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp of ground cumin

2 tsp of salt

2 tsp of ground black pepper

2 tsp of Mexican oregano

2 oz of achiote paste (optional)

1/2 cup of fresh orange juice

1/2 cup of fresh lime juice

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, oregano, and achiote paste. Cook for several minutes, stirring. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Set aside.

Add cooled achiote garlic mixture, orange juice and lime juice to a bowl and whisk to combine. Reserve 1/4 cup of marinade in the bowl to use for basting the chicken as it grills.

Add remaining marinade to a 1 or 2 gallon Ziploc freezer bag. Add chicken pieces, seal bag, and massage the bag, then transfer to a refrigerator to allow the chicken to marinate for one hour (4 hours tops). Any longer will break down the proteins in the chicken, making it mushy.

Preheat grill to 350°F to 400°F. Remove chicken from marinade, then discard the bag of marinade. We will be grilling with indirect heat.

For indirect cooking on a charcoal grill, place your lit charcoal across half of the grill and leave the other half empty.

To indirect cook on a gas grill, only turn half of the burners on.

Grill chicken, covered, until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F when inserted into thickest portion of each piece, about 20 to 30 minutes. As chicken is cooking, use reserved marinade to baste the pieces every few minutes.

When chicken is cooked, discard any leftover marinade.

Ceviche De Camaron: Sonora Style

Recipe

by Ana Frias, owner of the website, “Muy Delish”

Serves 4

“Ceviche De Camaron is one of the ultimate healthy Mexican dishes. Fresh seafood + lots of “good for you” veggies, can’t get better than this! Serve it as an appetizer or as a light meal accompanied with tostadas, saltines or tortilla chips.”

1 lbs of raw shrimp (frozen or fresh), peeled and deveined

Lime Juice

1 cucumber, diced into small chunks

1/3 of a white medium onion

2 small tomatoes, diced into small chunks

2 serrano or jalapeño peppers (or one of each), finely chopped (seeds are optional)

1/3 cup of fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1 cup of clamato juice or V8

tomato juice

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 Avocado, diced into small chunks

Ketchup according to taste (optional)

Cut shrimp into small pieces and place in a plastic or glass container.

Add the lime juice making sure all of the shrimp is covered with it (add more lime juice if necessary).

Cover shrimp and refrigerate for at least three hours (preferably overnight).

Mix all vegetables, and set aside in the fridge.

When the shrimp is cooked through (it will be pink), add the vegetables, clamato juice (or V8 tomato juice depending on what you have), salt & pepper and mix well.

Serve with tostadas, saltines or tortilla chips. Add a little ketchup to personal servings if you decide to use any.

Traditional Mexican Horchata

Recipe by Ana Frias, owner of the website, “Muy Delish”

Serves 12 cups

“Learn how to make the authentic Horchata drink that everyone loves! With this step-by-step tutorial, you’ll be able to make the best homemade Horchata recipe made with a few simple ingredients. Skip the store-bought mixes and use this easy recipe right at home!”

1 cup uncooked white rice

2 cinnamon sticks

1-12 oz. can evaporated milk

1-12 oz. can condensed milk

8 cups of warm water divided Sugar for taste

Ground cinnamon to garnish (optional)

1/2 of a teaspoon of vanilla (optional)

4 cups of water

Wash and drain the rice. Place the rice, cinnamon sticks and 4 cups of water into a bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight (preferably) or a minimum of 4 hours.

Once you’re ready to blend the rice, remove most of the cinnamon sticks but it’s okay to leave small pieces with the rice.

Blend the rice in two separate batches by adding 1/2 of the rice & water with some of the cinnamon stick left behind. Puree until it’s very smooth and it forms a paste like texture. About 4 minutes long.

Using a very fine strainer (or some cheese cloth) pour the blended mixture over a pitcher. Strain out as much liquid as possible, pushing on the solids with a spatula or spoon.

Repeat this process for the rest of the rice, water & cinnamon mixture.

Stir in the milks, vanilla (0ptional), and 4 cups of water. Stir well.

Taste and add more sugar or water if needed.

Chill and stir before serving over ice.