The Original Blanco Cafe — Restaurant in San Antonio

Down town San Antonio Texas. What was I supposed to do, ignore her forever? Pretend like the first 20+ years of my working life as a security guard didn't really happen, it was only a figment of my imagination, a day dream? No.. I had to see her again. If only for a few hours.

Me and downtown have always had a Love/Hate affair since I can remember, I loved the sights and sounds of the bustling streets. The dirty sometimes trash riddled sidewalks was as a welcome site to me as the opening scenes of little house on the prairie.

Only Laura Ingles was never met by a homeless drunk that smelled like the monkies cage of your local zoo in the middle of a heat waive in July just before they hosed them down! This was my down town, the down town people seldom see, because all of the unsavory people were usually escorted out prior to a big event.

But with all of its faults, and short comings I loved her. And today being alone and unsupervised, I was on a mission to get to her as soon as I could.

And I was hungry, no STARVING. My first thought was PANCAKES! slathered with real butter, dripping with syrup, accompanied by everybody's go to breakfast meat product Bacon, and his sidekick, EGG'S with a gallon and a half of hot and steamy fresh from the pot Coffee!

On my research On asking Google where the closest pancake palace could be to quench my yearning for my fluffy hot and steamy cravings one place showed up that was too much to pass up.

When travelling it's important to know the "go too's" on any adventure, in Rome, the Coliseum, in London...Big Ben, in San Antonio Texas...The original Blanco Cafe!

Originating in 1974, a family owned business has won numerous awards for it's cuisine, mainly the enchiladas, a Tex-Mex staple in San Antonio Texas, dare I say a land mark in the Historic Travis Building on St. Mary's Street, about a block from Pecan Street, where I took my first real good paying job in the 90's fresh out of college.

So my conundrum for the day was, pancakes or Huevos Rancheros! I solved it this way; If I were in Paris, let's say... I'm not going to go to a Mc D**'* Or J-In the B**! No I'm going to try and find a good French restaurant, maybe one that has been around for almost a half century, family owned and operated, with fresh food served the same day it's made, not microwaved, or frozen and then heated up...no FRESH! and that is what the Blanco Cafe provides.

It was good, it was Grandma making me Bacon and eggs with fresh Fig preserves on white toast good. I had a warm feeling that dealing of bliss when you first wake up in the morning to see your loved one bringing you a cup of coffee goodness feeling. In short, I felt that someone who knew what they were doing in the preparation of my meal, knew somehow what I was looking for. A satisfying plate...

First and last time customer! I could get past the barbacoa being so watery, greasy, and hot enough that it nearly scalded my lips, as I know a lunch hour rush can be stressful on staff. However, it doesn't mean as a public servicer, it allows you to be short, or act as if common courtesy to ANY customer has to be earned when we patron your business. I was seated at an unwiped table as the $1 tip and old jar of green salsa was still where the previous customers left it. The server didn't welcome me/introduce her self as my server, just asked what I would like. I had to leave my table to go get napkins once my chewed watery meat tacos for barbacoa, were served. service and response I was given by my server was all about the “staff is too busy” to be bothered with my little concern of watery/greasy hot barbacoa taco. It was more like bland crock pot roast meat. When I decided that I wouldn't be able to finish the rest of the of a la cart (3 tacos and rice) meal, pre-mixed horchata that tastes like cough syrup, (had to send it back as the server loaded it with ice when I initially asked for no-ice, and had to ask for a straw)and due to the lack luster of quality, nor were my concerns addressed, both the cashier and manager initially refused to charge me for only what I ate. They were going to force me to pay for what I was NOT going to eat. Then the manager “lectures” me on they will relent for the one item this time, but on my next visit, I'll have to pay, etc. THERE WON'T BE A NEXT TIME. Through all of this, I'm calm and try to explain to the manager of my right as a customer if the food isn't presented in a safe/appetizing way. Before I could finish, the manager blatantly cut me off as if I'd disappeared into thin air, and proceeded to pursue the new customers. And this is how I will end my experience, and spare other future customers the waste of time and money, as disrespect generally in life comes to us all for free. I've watched places like this all over this country, doors close permanently...Yes, even the older...

The service here is the worse service I have EVER had in my life. We had to ask for refills and when we stopped the waitress once to ask for silverware that one of my co-workers never recieved she started walking away without acknowledging that we even spoke to her and before we could ask her for anything else. She also felt there was nno need to actually hand each one of us our plates, instead she set all of them at one end and expected us to figure out whose plate was whose as well as pass it down to each other. The waitresses here look like they hate their jobs and treat there customers like crap. I took two of my coworkers here for lunch and it cost me $40 for three people. They charged one coworker twice for lemonade because there are no refills. I ordered queso and chips and they gave us maybe 15 chips to go with it, when I asked for more chips, since we had a full cup of queso still sitting in front of us they charged me for another order of chips. Of course they never mentioned that if you wanted more chips that you would have to pay more for them or that a refill of lemonade would cost extra. When I got to the front to pay the cashier/owner doesn't even have the time to look up to or speak to who is paying them and of course when I asked about the extra for chips she gave me a look like I was an idiot and told me that's just how it goes. Can NOT believe this place is even still open. I will be posting this message everywhere I can find to post it as well as warning every person I run into in downtown San Antonio to never step foot there. I will also let anyone I know here in SA, Austin, Houston and Dallas that they would not want to ever go to Blanco's and to warn anyone that they know as well. HORRIBLE HORRIBLE...