COMING ATTRACTIONS

North San Antonio sows heartfelt new spot for Central Mexican cuisine

Maíz is San Antonio's latest restaurant devoted to regional Mexican fare.

Photo courtesy of Maíz

It wasn’t too long ago in San Antonio that Tex-Mex was simply called “Mexican food” — a designation that not only flattened homegrown Texas fare but ignored the diverse cooking traditions of Mexico. Now a crew of emerging local chefs are changing the conversation with fresh takes on the regional dishes that have made the country’s foodways internationally lauded.

Maricela Rangel Trujillo is hoping to put Central Mexican cuisine on Alamo City’s ever-expanding culinary map. Her new restaurant Maíz, opening on March 6 at 923 N. Loop 1604, is a tribute to her native Zacatecas and its surrounding villages.

Tradition is at the heart of the new concept. Trujillo developed a passion for food from a young age, immersed in her mother’s kitchen and her father’s bakery. Many of the recipes used at Maíz were inspired by her grandmother’s signature dishes dating back to the '50s.

Specialties include tampiqueña served with charro beans and nopales, pork served in salsa verde, and enchiladas smothered in a rich guajillo sauce. Mexican gastronomic fluidity is reflected in a couple of taco plates rooted in Northern Mexican (discada) and Pueblan (al pastor) heritage.

For breakfast, Maíz offers various takes on chilaquiles and omelets. One innovative dish combines the two — stuffing the saucy fried tortillas in the eggy folds. If guests want to pair it with a michelada, they are welcome to bring booze from home.

"The traditional recipes of my grandmother have been preserved for three generations," says Chef Maricela via a release. "I can't wait to share them in San Antonio, the city that has become my new home."

Following the March 6 opening, Maíz will be open 8 am to 9 pm Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays; 8 am to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and 8 am to 8 pm on Sundays.

Better Days, Same Burgers

Shuttered San Antonio burger joint stages surprising comeback

Teddy B's/Facebook

Teddy B's has made a surprise comeback.

Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of Teddy B's life. In October, the popular burger joint shuttered its decade-old location on Babcock Road, grieving a loss of foot traffic and rising costs. On November 20, the spot revealed a plot twist. The owners are now slinging patties at 9903 Fredericksburg Rd.

"Dear Teddy B's customers, we have good news," the restaurant posted on social media. "We are back in business...We are waiting for our new sign, but we are up and running."

The unexpected comeback is the culmination of a tumultuous year for the business. As the restaurant marked its 10-year milestone this summer, the outlook was much darker. On August 4, the restaurant took to social media to warn that closure could be imminent. A traffic decline affected Teddy B's ability to maintain its affordable price point.

The messaging worked, at least in the short term. Days later, the restaurant reported an increase in business. The marketing language was hopeful until October 13, when the restaurant abruptly announced it was closing for good.

The news of Teddy B's rebirth came just as suddenly. After a month-long social media silence, the restaurant announced it had taken over the former home of Burger Haven. The latter restaurant was little known, appearing to operate mainly as a ghost kitchen.

Assumably, burgers will be back on the menu, but it is unclear whether other favorites will be eliminated to streamline the operation. The business has not posted any revisions, and its website is down at press time.

The burger joint's comeback manifests as other shuttered legacy restaurants like The Lion and Rose and Fratello's have staged their own returns. While Teddy B's has offered no reasoning for getting back into the game, it is a testament to the resiliency of San Antonio's culinary community.

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