True Romance

Still trying to find the ideal Valentine’s Day dinner spot?

Let us help.

BY NINA RANGEL

Valentine’s Day is nearly here again, along with the stress of picking the perfect spot to wine and dine one’s significant other. With so many options, picking the perfect spot to fit the mood can be perplexing, whether you plan to brave the crowds on the big day or slide in for a quieter dinner sometime after.

To help out, we put together a handy guide of locally owned date-worthy spots that run the gamut from sultry and sexy to easygoing and fun. We even ranked them all based on price, ambiance, noise level and approachability.

And don’t limit your visits just to Valentine’s Day. These are all stellar dining spots any day of the year. All ratings are one to five scale with five being the highest.

Copa Wine Bar

Approachable fare, extensive wine offerings and knowledgeable staff make Copa hard to beat. Owners Jeff and Angie Bridges have specialized in offering rare labels and vintage wines for more than two decades, but don’t let the heft of the wine list scare you off. Fresh tapas and pizzas, a cozy atmosphere and an inviting crew create an easygoing setting for romantic meetings. 19141 Stone Oak Parkway, (210) 495-2672, thecopawinebar.com.

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The Magpie

Named for a messenger of good luck in Korean culture, The Magpie features Korean-influenced plates in an intimate East side eatery known for using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Chef-owner Jungsuk “Sue” Kim’s experience in a variety of cuisines, including time Los Angeles’ Michelin star-rated Melisse, is apparent in her plating, which is likely to impress a date’s eyes as much as their taste buds. The Magpie is great for adventurous eaters who don’t mind close quarters for date nights. 1602 E. Houston St., Ste. 106, magpie.us.

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Sojourn Trading Co.

The term “sojourn” may signify an escape or getaway, but the vibe of this downtown spot will make you want to sit and stay a while. A bright and airy interi- or sets the tone for imbibing in interesting takes on classic cocktails, and the menu includes small bites ranging from sandwiches and charcuterie to a raw bar with ceviche and oysters on the half shell. Post up at the bar or a cozy table for a bite and a cocktail, then confer with your plus-one about staying for another round. Sojourn is great for folks who enjoy casual, yet elevated, fare, and may want the option of barhopping together afterward. 244 W. Houston St., (210) 455-0357, sojournsatx.com.

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Il Forno

For low-key couples whose ideal date night is sharing well-prepared food in a relaxed setting, you can’t lose with Il Forno’s wood-fired pizzas. Sure, the spot is super casual, but something still makes it feel right for special occasions. We suspect it’s the decadence of the pies, made with scratch-made mozzarella, fresh veggies and house-cured meats. Herbs and more are grown onsite, and the menu’s “Not Pizza” section includes salads, meatballs and antipasto. 122 Nogalitos St., (210) 264-7559, ilfornosa.com.

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Ocho

Ocho’s ambiance — which includes a gorgeous, glass-encased dining room — makes it a perennial on lists beautiful San Antonio dining destinations. But that’s not the only reason to visit. Chef Jesse Kuykendall’s creations, such as fiery agua chile and a chimichurri-marinated ribeye, make this a great date spot for established and new relationships alike, as long as both eaters don’t mind a little culinary indulgence. 1015 Navarro St., (210) 222-2008, havanasanantonio. com.

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Frederick’s Restaurant

From the mind behind now-shuttered French food haven L’Etoile, Frederick’s offers friendly service along with its expected white-tablecloth vibes. Chef-owner Frederick Costa blends the flavors and diverse cultures of Vietnam and France. Classic European dishes such mushroom risotto and creme brûlée abound, but don’t be surprised if you encounter fresh charred octopus and pho as well. Frederick’s is a great spot for couples who enjoy exploring wine menus over dinner, but the space is small, so be sure to make a reservation. 7701 Broadway St., Ste. 20, (210) 828-9050, fredericksrestaurantsa.com.

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Fairmount Rooftop Oyster Bar

Set atop the historic Fairmount Hotel, this rooftop oyster bar marries al fresco dining with fresh seafood against the breathtaking backdrop of downtown San Antonio. Seafood lovers will find much to swoon over, including oysters from boutique East Coast harvesters as well as crab and lobster. The affable bartenders are adept at slinging wine, beer and craft cocktails. If your significant other is prone to selfie-taking at every angle, the Fairmount offers unbeatable photo ops. 401 S. Alamo St., (210) 224-8800, fairmountsa.com.

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RD Speakeasy

It may not look like much from the exterior, but the charms of this reservation-only speakeasy are hidden inside. Especially if your date has a penchant for sipping expertly crafted Old Fashioneds in an opulent ambiance. Sure, texting a phone number for a secret password to gain entry is a little dramatic and theatrical, but there is sense of romantic intrigue about it. 8400 N. New Braunfels Ave., (210) 605-2292, mixed4u. com.

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Toro Kitchen + Bar

Toro operates two SA locations, but for date night, we lean more toward the one downtown, in part for its sexy basement bar, Cellar Mixology. Share seafood-laden paella, fancy Jamón Ibérico or perfectly prepared fresh octopus then pop downstairs via Cellar’s secret entrance for an after-dinner cocktail. Bonus points if your lover enjoys flamenco since Toro often hosts live music right in its dining room. 1142 E. Commerce St., Suite 100., (210) 592-1075, torokitchenandbar.com.

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Clementine

Owned and operated by husband-wife team John and Elise Russ, casual Clementine centers around seasonal eats inspired by global flavors. The chefs’ dedication to seasonality even includes a “Feed Me” dinner in which they prepare a menu just for you and your honey that highlights the freshest ingredients available. 2195 N.W. Military Highway, (210) 503-5121, clementine-sa.com.

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Homegrown Mood Enhancers

If aphrodisiac foods are on your Valentine’s Day menu, why not source them locally?

BY NINA RANGEL

Adrink before, and a cigarette after,” the old adage goes. And there’s also no shortage of sayings about food items that offer powerful benefits during romantic encounters.

Legend has it that Giacomo Casanova, one of the most famous lovers in history, would slurp down dozens of oysters before bedding down with partners. Many claim the slippery bivalves and other foods are aphrodisiacs that heighten arousal and boost sexual performance.

Before anyone drops even more money on fancy food ahead of Valentine’s Day, keep this in mind: Even after copious study, there’s not much scientific evidence to back up claims that certain digestible items can transform us into red-hot lovers.

But if you’ve not yet busted your budget for the big day, your attitude may be, “What not give it a try?”

For readers with that mindset, we plumbed the archives of PBS’s The History Kitchen to research five of the best-known purported aphrodisiacs and identified spots where romantic San Antonians can find locally sourced versions of these alleged mood-enhancers.

Chocolate

Chocolate’s longtime rep for putting people in the mood may come down to the presence of the compounds phenylalanine and tryptophan. The former is a stimulant that’s released in the brain when we fall in love, according to food historians, while the latter helps produce serotonin, the brain chemical most often associated with happier moods and sexual arousal.

Where to find it:

Délice Chocolatier & Patisserie: 946 N. Loop 1604 W., Suite 145, (210) 545-2200, delicechocolatier.com.

Casa Chocolates: 555 W. Bitters Road, Suite 127, (210) 570-2225, casachocolates.com

Oysters

The zinc in oysters is said to help raise testosterone, which can support a good mood and a healthy libido. Oysters also contain taurine, an amino acid that supports cardiac health and nerve transmission, according to the medical journal Translational Andrology and Urology. Flavonoids in oyster meat also have been shown to stimulate the reproductive system and can help bolster sperm count.

Where to find them:

Double Standard: 114 E. Houston St., (210) 977-0005, doublestandardsatx.com.

Ostra Restaurant: 212 W. Crockett St., (210) 3965800, instagram.com/ostra_sa.

Pomegranates

The word aphrodisiac originates with the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, who’s credited with planting the first pomegranate tree. Even though science has shown the fruit is better at supplying antioxidants than boosting sexual performance, its abundance of seeds led people to associate it with fertility. It also appears as a romantic symbol in literature dating back centuries.

Where to find it:

Clementine’s White Mushroom Salad: 2195 NW Military Highway, (210) 503-5121, clementine-sa.com.

Pharm Table’s Pomegranate Guacamole: 611 S. Presa St., Suite 106, (210) 802-1860, pharmtable.com.

Honey

Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates prescribed honey for sexual vigor, and an old French wives’ tale claimed that a bee sting was akin to receiving a shot of pure aphrodisiac. Since then, scientists have established that honey contains boron, said to regulate hormone levels, and nitric oxide, which is released in the blood during arousal.

Where to find it:

Holdman Honey: 1050 Youth Haven Road, Seguin, (210) 885-5868, holdmanhoney.com.

Beespace: 709 Highway 90 West, (210) 415-9636, facebook.com/beespaceofficial.

Coffee

A 2010 University of Texas study found strong evidence that caffeine was effective in boosting female libido. Well-established effects of caffeine, such as increased heart rate and blood pressure, are among the factors that enhance female arousal, researchers found.

Where to find it:

Shotgun House Roasters: 1333 Buena Vista St., shotgunhouseroasters.com.

Barrio Barista Coffee: 3735 Culebra Road, (210) 5195403, barriobarista.coffee.

Armed and Dangerous

Anthrax’s Scott Ian dishes on the thrash metal pioneers’ long history with San Antonio

BY MIKE MCMAHAN

Those who know thrash metal titans Anthrax and their signature anti-racist anthem “Indians” know shit gets real when rhythm guitarist Scott Ian shouts “War dance!” at the start of the song’s punishing breakdown.

“Indians” was among the aggressive anthems that helped define Anthrax’s classic 1987 release Among the Living. The album dropped on the heels of Metallica’s breakthrough LP Master of Puppets, and its hyper-speed riffing and socially aware lyrics propelled Anthrax to the forefront of the nascent thrash movement.

Along with Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer, Anthrax emerged as part of the “Big Four” that drove the metal genre in a faster, more intense and brutal direction.

On the occasion of Anthrax’s 40th anniversary tour with Black Label Society and Exodus, which hits San Antonio’s Boeing Center at Tech Port on Friday, Feb. 10, the Current caught up with Ian to discuss the band’s memorable Alamo City gigs. He called on the afternoon of a gig in Grand Forks, North Dakota, noting “it’s fucking freezing here!”

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

This is the 40th anniversary tour, but it’s actually Anthrax’s 42nd year as a band, right?

Yeah, July will be 42. We didn’t get to tour in 2021 on the back of the actual anniversary because of COVID. We started the 40th anniversary tour in 2022, which was the first leg of this run. Now we’re on the second leg of the tour with Black Label and continuing the 40th anniversary thing.

The band has a long history with San Antonio. What was your earliest stop here?

We played Sunken Garden in July of ’87 with Metal Church and D.R.I. opening. That was our first big show in San Antonio. We were there in April ’86 headlining too, but I can’t remember what club it was. I think we had Helstar opening for us. We quickly realized that San Antonio was like a metal mecca.

In April of 1989, the Headbangers Ball tour — with you guys, Helloween and Exodus — stopped here. The band was reaching a new level with all of the MTV support. That gig was moved last minute, due to rain, from Sunken Garden to Freeman Coliseum. And Exodus had to cancel last minute due to someone being sick. That must have been chaotic.

I’m sure it was chaotic. You said it was rain? It was. Before the show, you signed albums at Sound Warehouse. Do you remember that place?

I don’t remember the signing specifically, but I remember Sound Warehouse for sure.

You still had hair, and drummer Charlie Benante hadn’t cut his.

(Laughs.) Exactly!

The next San Antonio show would have been supporting Iron Maiden in February 1991. You have cited Maiden as a huge influence. Being on that tour must have been a thrill.

There’s no band more responsible for Anthrax being a band than Iron Maiden. In those early days — even pre-Anthrax — Maiden was everything When you look at it on paper, it doesn’t seem too long. I think back to 1980 when the first Maiden record came out. Walking home from the record store with that album — and listening to it — it completely changed my life. In ’81, there’s Killers too, and Anthrax is a band and we fucking worshipped Iron Maiden. They opened for Judas Priest in ’81 at the Palladium in New York City. All of us were at that show, even though we weren’t in a band together yet. I didn’t even know

Charlie and Frank [Bello, the bassist]. But we were all at the shows. And then cut to just nine years later and we were opening a world tour for them — ’81 to ’90 might as well have been an eternity. Looking back on it now, it’s only nine years. We’re still good friends. I just bumped into [Maiden guitarist] Adrian Smith at a Whole Foods in Malibu before I came out on this tour.

That’s rock ‘n’ roll!

We were standing there at the checkout for 10 minutes, holding up the line. People are like, “Who are these two weird old guys talking about music?” There’s no band I can say more about, that’s more instrumental in our career path. They’ve gone above and beyond for Anthrax in every possible way. If it wasn’t for the fact that I have pictures from back then, it would almost seem like it was a dream.

Looking back at 40 years. If you had a time machine and could change one thing, what would it be?

My logical mind tells me you can’t change anything, because you couldn’t be where you are now, still being able to do it at this level in 2023. I guess the real answer would be: I would have bought Apple stock back in the 1980s.

A longer version of this interview, which includes Ian’s thoughts on whether thrash peaked with the Clash of the Titans tour, how Alice In Chains got on that bill and the Pantera reunion is available online at bit.ly/3HWvhAi

$30.50-$80.50, 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, Boeing Center at Tech Port, 3331 General Hudnell Drive, (210) 600-3699, boeingcentertechport.com.