The strip center at 2211 NW Military Hwy. may not be flashy, but it is quickly becoming one of the San Antonio-area’s most diverse restaurant rows. Castle Hills Market, already home to a pizzeria, a dessert bar, a sushiya, and an Eastern European café, has added a new Mexican concept and a Thai chicken joint to its roster.
Viva Kitchen is a new concept from Aldo Schiavon, the owner of the now-shuttered Takikos. That restaurant was mainly known for its street tacos and puffy quesadillas, but the new spot is more personal, incorporating recipes from his family’s restaurant in Mexico.
Among the offerings are tacos sudados made with chicharrón prensado or lamb barbacoa steamed in banana leaves and slow-cooked carnitas. The restaurant also offers grilled dishes like tampiqueña and fajitas along with San Antonio go-tos like chicken tortilla soup and corn in a cup.
"Every family has recipes worth remembering — these are ours," said Schiavon in a release. "We want it to feel like an extension of the family table - a place where people gather, conversations last a little longer, celebrations are shared, and new memories are created."
Viva took over the former home of Azro Authentic Afghan Cuisine, which shuttered in February. Although it initially promised to return in April, the restaurant never returned.
Thai Bird is roosting in Castle Hills.Thai Bird/ Facebook
As CultureMap reported in March, beloved chicken restaurant Thai Bird is also opening a new location in suite 121 of Castle Hills Market. The restaurant is from Kristin Alvarez and David Gilbert, the chef behind the mourned Tuk Tuk Taproom and a James Beard nominee for his work at Sustenio.
In addition to the Thai fried and rotisserie chicken, the restaurant serves snacks like chili crisp hummus served with puffed rice crackers and a chopped salad with kale, ripe mango, and crispy shallots. It’s especially cherished among the celiac community, who appreciate its totally gluten-free kitchen.
"Castle Hills immediately felt like a natural next neighborhood for Thai Bird," said Alvarez in a statement. "We want Thai Bird to be the kind of neighborhood place where you can stop in for lunch, bring the family for dinner, grab a bottle of wine on the way home, or simply become one of our regulars. That idea of everyone having a seat at the table is really at the heart of what we do."
Thai Bird has not yet announced an estimated opening date.
