St. Anthony Hotel’s new food honcho wins with approachable fare at Anacacho Coffee & Cantina

Street corn is one Anachacho's winning dishes. Street corn is one Anachacho’s winning dishes. Credit: Ron Bechtol

Tiny tostadas and barbacoa buns in the shadow of posh Peacock Alley? Consider the recently launched Anacacho Coffee & Cantina a denim-and-diamonds kind of thing.

From its beginning in 1909, downtown San Antonio’s St. Anthony Hotel has aspired to greatness. In its storied history, it’s often achieved the greatness it shot for. However, it’s also been through multiple owners and periods of neglect and decline.

Beginning in 2012, top-to-bottom renovation at the hotel signaled a renaissance of sorts — one in which its food and beverage operations played an important role. The more recent conversion of the Lucite-accented bar Haunt into wood-paneled Anacacho Cantina & Coffee is the latest sign of progress, albeit in a kind of back-to-the-future sense.

To manage this metamorphosis, the St. Anthony tapped chef Leo Davila, formerly of Beard-nominated Asian-Tex Mex fusion spot Stixs & Stone. Anacacho marks the opening shot in his kitchen takeover. A final verdict will have to wait for the completion of the restaurant set to replace the now-shuttered Rebelle — the name and opening date of which our waiter declined to reveal.

But the same waiter was more than willing to discourse at length on the 21 Texas whiskies that form the backbone of the ranch-themed bar’s offerings. We agreed on those most appropriate for the Bourbon King Old Fashioned, ultimately landing on Still Austin’s The Musician Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

With the addition of a house bitters and Demerara sugar syrup, the Still Austin made for a masterful Old Fashioned thanks to a sophisticated balance and a lush mouth feel. Far less successful was the compelling sounding but utterly unrewarding Edna’s Whisper, consisting of Cognac, vermouth and an unusual marigold cordial. There was a little floral bitterness from the marigold, but otherwise nothing. Crushed ice proved one of the culprits.

Fortunately, the waiter offered to take back anything we didn’t absolutely love. (I rarely love unexpected crushed ice, just FYI.) The 1930s-classic Toreador I got in exchange was a considerable improvement. Served up, the combination of tequila, apricot liqueur, lime and sugar syrup was deftly balanced between sweetness and strength.

Anacacho’s breakfast menu features specialty coffees and plates such as brioche french toast with horchata mousse and an opulent $27 breakfast platter boasting eggs, sausage, papas and more. After 11 a.m., the bar menu kicks in.

From the Small Bites section, Charred Shrimp Aguachile struck an appealing tone: what could be bad about charred shrimp with “house pickle” and cucumber? A lot as it turns out. Charring the shrimp does it no favors, and once you’ve dispensed with the exuberant garnishes what remains is a visual trainwreck. You may yearn for the classic with lime, chile, cucumber and not much more. That and more of the wrinkled and spectacularly good house chips.

But if the aguachile disappointed, the Mexican street corn mightily exceeded expectations. In this case, charring is a serious plus. The garnishes and drizzles are too many to mention, though they’re all part of an impressive presentation. Just make sure to rub the pieces of cob around in all of it.

Nine options comprise the menu’s Large Bites, and I admit to a kind of paralysis here — not due to an excess of options, but rather to a lack of plates I felt compelled to order. Out of familiarity I ruled out the Big Red & Barbacoa Tacos that had catapulted Davila to local fame. Lo mein? No thanks. Same goes for chicken in sandwich or salad form. I wavered regarding the $21 Anacacho Burger with Wagyu beef.

Finally, I landed on the Bao Bun Flight and Mini Tostadas. Don’t worry, both were good.

The elements of the odd throuple nestled into spongy bao buns have little to do with each other except perhaps accessory condiments. But the crisp pork belly version returned this overexposed item to a place worthy of its popularity. The fried chicken version was actually excellent all on its own, while the burly barbacoa take could win over the otherwise unconvinced — it only needed a little more slaw to mitigate its richness.

And then there are the tostadas. There’s little point in reciting all the ingredients, housemade chorizo among them, which comprise this kitchen-sink creation. They simply all come together atop the best crisply toasted corn tortillas I have eaten in years. Try not to share these.

Seductive desserts were a somewhat uncelebrated aspect of Davila’s Stix & Stone, but for the moment you’ll have to drink yours from the One for the Road after-dinner cocktail list. Here’s hoping that once the flagship restaurant reopens, Davila will have his way with that aspect of the menu too.

Anacacho Coffee & Cantina at the St. Anthony Hotel

300 E. Travis St. (210) 227-4392, anacachocoffeeandcantina.com.

Hours: 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 6 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday

Prices for large bites: $16-$21

Best Bets: Mexican-Style Street Corn, Bao Bun Flight, Mini Tostadas

The Lowdown: Anacacho Coffee & Cantina is the dining spot at the St. Anthony Hotel to be realized under its new food honcho, chef Leo Davila, formerly of well-reviewed Stixs & Stone. The bar menu features 21 Texas whiskeys, while breakfast highlights specialty coffees as the name suggests. The bar food menu offers the likes of an impressive Mexican-Style Street Corn, along with a a Bao Bun Flight — each of the trio with a different stuffing. Davila’s locally famous Big Red & Barbacoa Tacos and some irresistible Mini Tostadas also make an appearance. A new flagship dining space, replacing the former Rebelle, is still in the planning stages.

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St. Anthony Hotel’s new food honcho wins with approachable fare at Anacacho Coffee & Cantina

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