HOMETOWN HEROES

Pearl food hall hosts free party for James Beard recognized San Antonio chef

Potluck Hospitality is celebrating Nicola Blaque's recent James Beard Award nod.

Photo by Jason Risner

Phew! It's been a whirlwind. Since chef Nicola Blaque opened The Jerk Shack, she has expanded the business, debuted a new concept Mi Roti, and snagged multiple plaudits. This year, she added another feather to her cap: being named San Antonio's first black woman and Caribbean-American semifinalist in the James Beard Awards' Best Chef: Texas category.

Any way one looks at it, that's cause for celebration. Potluck Hospitality, the operator of the Food Hall at the Bottling Department, is doing just that with a community party honoring her stellar culinary career on February 23.

Army veteran Lattoia Massey (Blaque is her nom de gastronomy) graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio before embarking on a successful private chef career, impressing NBA members and others. In 2018, The Jerk Shack debuted to long lines clamoring for Blaques Carribean fare like jerk chicken and braised oxtail.

The acclaim almost instantly followed. Eater named The Jerk Shack to its 2019 best new restaurants in the U.S. list in 2019. CultureMap readers heartily agreed. The same year, the restaurant won the Tastemaker Award for Best New Restaurant, a category voted by the public in a tournament bracket.

On February 23, locals will have a chance to once again have an opportunity to raise their glass to one of San Antonio's most ascendant chefs. The reception, held between 5-7 pm, will feature a spoken piece from poet Andrea "Vocab" Sanderson and remarks from Potluck. DJ Donnie Dee will keep the proceeding lively with a blues, hip-hop, and soul set.

While enjoying light bites and beverages from Mi Roti and Jerk Shack, fans will also have the chance to wish Blaque good luck. There are two more stages the chef has to clear before taking home the coveted James Beard medal. The finalists for this year's awards will be released on March 29 before the winners are announced at a lavish June 5 ceremony in Chicago.

Potluck Hospitality Texas awards chefs jerk shack nicola blaque pearl brewery pearl food hall san antonio

Happy New Year

12 top New Year's Eve events to ring in 2025 across San Antonio

San Antonio Parks Foundation / Facebook

Several San Antonio hotels, restaurants and bars will offer special menus and events on New Year's Eve..

While San Antonians are preparing Christmas festivities, there are plenty of New Year’s Eve celebrations to look forward to. Events are being offered at local restaurants, bars, and hotels, where partygoers can enjoy lots of activities and amenities to welcome 2025.

Read each listing carefully for a full scope of events; some locations include multiple venues with multiple offerings.

Kimpton Santo Hotel
431 S. Alamo St.
Tenfold Rooftop at one of San Antonio’s newest high-end hotels will have a black-and-white party for New Year's Eve. Interested guests can choose between a pre-party and a midnight party, with ticket options of general admission or VIP tables for four. Price varies between $100 to $1,800 based on the chosen party and ticket option. The pre-party is from 3-7:30 pm, and the midnight party goes from 8 pm to 1 am.

General admission includes small plates from the restaurant’s 10x Tour menu, complimentary coat check, and a DJ. The VIP table option adds cocktail service and a complimentary bottle of champagne.

Additionally, Dean’s Steak & Seafood is celebrating the new year by extending brunch service from December 28 through January 1.

Rosario’s ComidaMex & Bar
722 S. St. Mary’s St.
The "Toast from the Top" celebration at Rosario's begins at 8 pm when patrons can enjoy music by DJ Steven Lee Moya, a photo booth, and rooftop views of the downtown fireworks. Individual tickets are $125 and include rooftop lounge access, a midnight champagne toast, party favors, a cash bar, and midnight bites.

Guests may also reserve a table for six for $800, which includes six individual tickets, reserved seating, a bottle of premium champagne, and all individual ticket amenities. For larger groups, a reserved table for eight is available for $1,050, offering the same perks with eight individual tickets and a bottle of premium champagne.

Tickets for Rosario’s New Year’s Eve celebration are now available on Eventbrite.

Pullman Market
221 Newell Ave.
These four new Pearl-area eateries are offering their own special menu options and experiences for New Year’s Eve revelers. Isidore will provide a variety of dining experiences. In the main dining room, Isidore will have a tasting experience highlighting locally sourced ingredients. The menu will feature seven courses for $140 per person, with an optional $75-per-person wine pairing. Reservations are available via OpenTable.

The bar at Isidore will also serve a special à la carte menu for the evening. Additionally, guests can enjoy an Old Fashioned and Martini cart, and a champagne tower at midnight.

Chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph of Nicosi is going to roll out a two-hour experience combining the delectables served at the dessert bar with dishes available at his Austin Caribbean restaurant, Canje. Seatings are available at 5 pm, 7:30 pm and 10 pm, and are available to reserve on OpenTable. The experience is $120 per person with an optional $60 wine and cocktail pairings add-on.

Mezquite will have menu specials available while guests can enjoy live mariachi music from 6-9 pm and a DJ from 9 pm to midnight. Reservations are available on OpenTable and walk-ins are also encouraged.

Fife & Farro will have a special menu of pizzas and champagne to-go.

Copa Wine Bar
19141 Stone Oak Pkwy., Suite 704
This Stone Oak wine bar will offer a prix fixe menu from 5-9 pm on December 31. The menu will consist of three courses, including a previous menu item beloved by customers: frites. Copa's regular menu will also be available to enjoy.

Indulge Wine Bar
21 Truss Dr., Boerne
Indulge will present a prix fixe dinner to ring in the new year, with offerings such as salmon crudo served on beet rounds with herbed labneh; a winter soup with carrot, apple, fennel, and prosciutto; and a duck pastilla filled with duck confit, accompanied by a mini salad and demi-glace. Cap off the night with a blackberry tiramisu. Wine pairings for each course will be suggested, and select bottles of sparkling wine will be available at 25 percent off the retail price.

Evil Olive Bar
2950 Thousand Oaks Dr., Ste. 4
Partygoers can greet 2025 at a disco-themed bash from 8 pm to 2 am on December 31. There will be live music, a complimentary champagne toast, and festive favors at midnight, all for a $20 cover charge. For VIP treatment, reserve a table. Bartop seats are available for $25 each, with a bottle of champagne and favors for $100.

Thirsty Horse Saloon
2335 N.W. Military Hwy.
This Castle Hills-area dance hall will have a New Year’s Eve party featuring live music, a $2,025 cash drawing, $100 giveaways every 15 minutes, and free party favors. General admission tickets are $10-15. VIP tables are available for reservation.

Upstage Comedy Lounge
4441 Walzem Rd.
This Northeast Side bar will offer a free evening of live music, comedy and poetry on New Year’s Eve, starting at 9 pm.

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