Date Night x2

Date Night #1: Valentine's Day was great for hubby and I because we got to spend some time checking out new restaurants in San Antonio! We are both 'foodies' and love to find places that truly care about the food they serve. The first was Barraca: Paella & Tapas Bar. Hubby spent a year in Spain way back when and has familiar memories of eating tapas for dinner and so I thought it would be a fun date night. I think the restaurant just opened less than 6 months ago and the food was amazing! We started with Spiced Almonds and Jamon y Queso. The almonds were great and we kept wanting more. The jamon was smokey and the manchego was soft but delicious. Then on to the main course- PAELLA! There were 3 to choose from and we ordered seafood paella. Neither of us is a fan of oysters and mussels, but from our travels to Spain and Italy we have learned to be open minded and that they can be great. And surprisingly they were! This was the first mussels and clams state-side that hubby and I have liked and we ate everyone knowing they wouldn't keep. And then we had to have desert because after all it was Valentine's Day and I have been constantly craving sweets with this pregnancy! We ordered the special bread pudding- and the carmel sauce that was drizzled on it was amazing, but I did have to request extra since the bread pudding was a little dried out. I would say that we enjoyed Barraca and would return, probably sans children although there were a couple children at the restaurant. I would return to try more tapas, there were SO many, and for the sangria. The sangria was my favorite thing and hubby liked it too.- They offered both white and red with fresh fruit in the glass. So glad that my in-laws decided to come in town and give us a few nights without the kiddos!

Date Night #2: Stella: Plublic House across from Barraca. We saw this place the night before and thought that it looked appealing - one wall is open to the patio and the bar was inside with local beers on tap and it is a "Farm to Pizza" restaurant. My in-laws decided to keep our boys for a second night and we, being 'foodies,' could not wait to go back and try out this restaurant! First we ordered the Wild Mushroom Mac n Cheese with truffle oil and we ate it so fast that I think I said that I wished we had ordered 3 bowls! Then, we ordered Buratta and Heirloom jam as a salad. It came with red potatoes and was delicious, but I was surprised by some type of herb mixture inside the buratta that was unexpected. Next was the real reason we came back - a pizza that sounded exactly like what my hubby has always wished for in a pizza and has tried to order-        

• SOUTHTOWN PEPPERONI

  tomato sauce, jalapeno cheddar pepperoni, hand-made organic mozzarella, caramelized onions & black olives

YUMMY! Hubby loved the pizza! And then, of course, I had to have desert. We ordered the waitress's suggestion that she said had won 2013 Best Desert- Salted Carmel Panna Cotta. And yes hubby loves salted carmel so much that I think he might have enjoyed this desert as much as I did! I loved this restaurant and would definitely come back. I would re-order the Mac n Cheese and maybe the Panna Cotta but would try a different pizza of my choosing next time! Oh and I forgot to mention what beer hubby tried...it was lighter than an IPA (his favorite lately) but it was recommended by the waitress and he was happy with the selection. I love that this restaurant had a seasonal menu with local food and house-made cheeses. We hope to be back sometime, and I think I may bring the boys if we went early enough although I didn't see any children there at 8pm.