The sign out front of the future home of Big Lou's Burgers & BBQ.

Big Lou’s Burgers & BBQ will open Oct. 28 at 2014 S. W.W. White Road, in the building next door to its parent restaurant, Big Lou’s Pizza.

If you have a huge appetite, you could try the Super Big Lou’s Burger, a 66-ounce, 14-inch burger. It could feed up to seven people or one with a truly grandiose appetite. And if that’s not enough, you could always go next door for Big Lou’s 42-inch pizza.

The rest of the new restaurant’s menu will include brisket, sausage, jumbo wings, onion rings and 16 different draft beers.

The restaurant will be open Oct. 28 from 11 a.m. to midnight.

For more information please call 210-337-0707.

The sign out front of the future home of Big Lou's Burgers & BBQ.

The sign out front of 2014 S. W.W. White Road says it call: Coming soon … Big Lou’s Burgers & BBQ.

Well, almost all. It’s opening at the end of October.

If Big Lou’s does burgers and barbecue with any of the care and attention it (he?) lavishes on pizza, lasagna and chicken, then look out, W.W. White drivers. The traffic will be getting heavier in that neighborhood.

Big Lou’s Pizza is nearby at 2048 S. W.W. White Road.

What’s a Labor Day party without grilling some burgers? Give yours a twist this year by cooking the cheese inside.The following recipe from “Good Housekeeping Grilling” (Hearst Books, $24.95) also gains from the addition of guacamole, lime, cilantro, sprouts and tomatoes, all welcome additions to any burger.

Inside-Out Burgers With Avocado and Sprouts

1 1/2 pounds lean (90%) ground beef
2 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese (1/2 cup)
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 ripe avocado
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 cup alfalfa or radish sprouts
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
4 multigrain hamburger buns, split
2 small tomatoes, each cut into 4 wedges

Lightly spray a ridged grill pan with nonstick cooking spray, then heat on medium until hot, or prepare outdoor grill for covered direcct grilling over medium heat.

Meanwhile, on a work surface, shape ground beef into 3 1/2-inch patties, handling meat as gently as possible for best texture. Place cheddar in center of 4 patties, leaving a 1/2-inch border around each patties edge. top with remaining 4 patties, and press edges together to seal. Lightly sprinkle burgers with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to season both sides.

Place burgers in hot grill or on hot rack, and cook 12 minutes for medium or to desired doneness, turning burgers over one halfway through cooking.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mash avocado with lime juice and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. In another owl, combine sprouts and chopped cilantro.

Serve burgers on buns topped with sprouts and avocado mixture. Serve tomato wedges on the side.

Makes 4 burgers.

Approximate nutritional value per serving: 480 calories, 36 g protein, 25 g carbohydrate, 27 g fat, 102 mg cholesterol, 730 mg sodium.

From “Good Housekeeping Grilling”

Esquire Bar owner Chris Hill looks on while guests sample a burger.

The tangy aromas of smoke and meat were in the air, as the sun shone brightly on Burgers, BBQ and Beer, Culinaria’s last event of a highly popular 2011 festival.

How popular? Many events sold out and, at Saturday night’s Grand Tasting the Culinaria store was bought out. “No more T-shirts, nothing left. That’s amazing,” said Suzanne Taranto Etheredge, president and CEO of the festival.

By noon Sunday, the parking lot at the back of the Pearl Brewery was filling up with people drawn in by the scents of smoke, bacon frying and just-opened bottles of beer. As part of the ticket price, hundreds of festival-goers were able to pick up some of the city’s most innovative, chef-cooked burgers and not-your-everyday ‘cue. The perfect weather was thrown in at no added cost.

You could even shop. Melissa Guerra’s stand offered a few items from her store, including $69 leather huaraches in a startling shade of purple.  Her Tienda de Cocina offers Mexican cooking supplies, ingredients, dishes, cookbooks and more.

Or, you could stop at Al’s Gourmet Nuts where author Travis Poling was signing his book on Texas brews, “Beer Across Texas.” The event also  marked the beginning of the first ever San Antonio Beer Week. Click here for information on this series of events.

Oyster barbecuer "Moose" offers bivalves in a spicy sauce on the half shell.

Stephen McHugh, chef at Lüke on East Houston Street, and his crew, served barbecued oysters on the half shell accompanied by an herb-buttered crouton. The bivalve, simmering in spicy juices, went down easily with sips of cold beer. The Two Bros. team of Jason Dady and Jake Dady offered their spicy pork deshabrada, or pulled pork. Ben E. Keith invited one and all to sample conventionally pit-smoked fajitas, bacon-wrapped jalapeños, beef tenderloin and chicken, with all the trimmings. Jesse Perez brought out his smoker and prepared meaty chicken drumsticks in what he called an “old school” barbecue with chipotle and a touch of habanero, another recipe that called for the clean, refreshing taste of an icy beer.

Patricia Wenckus, chef at Auden's Kitchen, with Perny Shea, catering and sales manager.

Patricia Wenckus, chef at Auden’s Kitchen in Stone Oak, and Perny Shea, catering and sales manager for chef Bruce Auden at Biga on the Bank, put up a good fight against smoke pouring off the grill. “It doesn’t matter where I go, it’s coming after me,” said Wenkus, laughing. Her offering of the day was a lamb burger with handmade potato chips on the side.  Chef John Brand from Las Canarias at La Mansion del Rio was grilling Wagyu beef sliders, with toppings that ranged from yellow cheese and pickles to black truffle mayo and foie gras mousse.

Jeff Balfour of Citrus created this pork boudin burger with pickled shrimp slaw.

Beef and lamb weren’t the red meats of choice for burgers at the event, however. Shrimp and pork burgers were passed out. Two of the most popular burgers were pork, including Jeff Balfour’s pork boudin sausage burger topped with pickled shrimp in a tangy coleslaw mix.  Another grilled pork burger was topped with brisket bacon, a smoky-beefy-chewy and delicious creation from the JW Marriott.

Brian West of Las Ramblas in the Hotel Contessa served up a mixed seafood burger with crispy salmon skin.

Timbo’s, located next to the Pearl Brewery complex, is known for its big burgers. But that wasn’t on its menu Sunday. The restaurant offered its delectable Shypoke Eggs with tomato melted under the cheese.

Max, a standard poodle, waits for a treat at the Pearl amphitheater.

Next to the parking lot, the amphitheater overlooking the Museum Extension of the River Walk was a comfortable resting place for weary moms and dads or anyone wanting to get out of the sun while sipping on an icy mix of locally made Dripping Springs vodka and cranberry juice. A few even got up to dance to the music of Ken Little and Rodeo Ho Ho, and even the pooches on leashes got a few tastes of some of the festival fare — if they were lucky.

Though the festival ended Sunday, more stand-alone Culinaria events will be happening later this year. For a look at what is coming up, go to www.culinariasa.com.

Photographs by Bonnie Walker

Firewater Grille has opened at 26108 Overlook Pkwy. off U.S. 281 North.

The menu specializes in American favorites, such as the appetizer array of a slider sampler plate, Maryland crab cakes, Hot Firewater Wings, fried pickles and Shiner Bock-battered onion rings.

Entrées range from Lemon Basil Shrimp and Herb Mahi Mahi to Peppercorn Rib-eye and Flat Iron Steak Diane. There are also burgers and sandwiches, such as the Monte Cristo and Thanksgiving, a layering of turkey, mashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing and gravy on a roll with cranberry marmalade on the side.

The restaurant has a full bar with house cocktail list as well as five TV screens in the bar area. Live music on the patio begins at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

The restaurant is open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday and 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Thursday-Saturday. Call 210-481-7645 or click here for more information.

The burgers at Fattboy Burgers are fat and juicy.

Fattboy Burgers & Dogs sells, you guessed it, burgers and hot dogs. Big, fat burgers and dogs. It’s simple, yet it works. Beautifully.

The meat for the burgers is Angus beef, never frozen, so it has a fresher taste that seems to burst in your mouth. Plus, you can get it topped with any number of wonderful toppings, including grilled mushrooms, grilled jalapeños, grilled onions and relish. A few others, such as avocado, are available for slightly extra.

If you’ve been longing for the fabled burger that drips down your hands when you bite into it, this is it. Some might call it greasy, but the better word is juicy.

If anyone still remembers the slang word, “phat,” it applies.

The all-beef hot dog is served sizzling hot with plenty of onion, relish and mustard as ordered, and is an old-fashioned pleasure.

The fries are full of real potato flavor, but they are cut in different sized pieces, leaving the larger ones a little limper than the crunchy, tinier pieces.

There’s also a chicken sandwich on the menu, and it may be as good as the burger, but why bother?

One drawback: On both visits, I ordered a burger with bacon and made no mention of cheese. Both times the burger arrived coated with cheese. On the first visit, the owner apologized for the mistake. I realize I’m in a minority on cheeseburgers, which means that I’ll have to be more specific on my next visit, which I hope is soon.

Fattboy Burgers & Dogs
2345 Vance Jackson Road
210-377-3288
Open for lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday
www.fattboyburgers.com

A Fattboy burger and fries

Fattboy Burgers & Dogs has opened at 2345 Vance Jackson Road.

As you can tell by the name, burgers and hot dogs are the game here. In fact, they’re the only items on the menu outside the fries and drinks.

But you can get a Slimburger (a quarter pound of beef) or a Fattburger (1/2 pound) with cheese, with bacon or which bacon and cheese.

All burgers come with your choice of mayo, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, relish, raw onions, grilled jalapeños, grilled bell peppers, A1 or barbecue sauce.

The hot dogs are made by Hebrew National.

Frank Torrez is the Fattboy of the name and he started out with Tio Frankie’s Mexican Restaurant before opening the burger joint, where his slogan is “Shut up and eat.”

Hours are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Visit www.fattboyburgers.com or call 210-377-3288 (FATT).

In other restaurant news, The Friendly Spot at 943 S. Alamo St. is now open daily from 11 a.m. to midnight. The open-air Southtown joint, which serves up interior Mexican food, is now boasting a beer list with 150 different craft bottlings.

Movie nights are every Wednesday.

Call 210-224-2337 (BEER) or visit thefriendlyspot.com for information.

“You can find your way across this country using burger joints the way a navigator uses stars.”
~ Charles Kuralt

Cheese or chili?  Jalapeños or plain?  How do you like your burger?  Check out Fatty’s Burger Festival. Or, if burgers aren’t your thing, enjoy some of the other great weekend activities.

“A Taste of Provence” Tasting Menu
Through July 31, $48 plus tax and gratuity, $12 additional for wine pairings
Fig Tree Restaurant
515 Villita
This French inspired meal starts with your choice of Zucchini Blossom Beignets or Terrine de Légumes.  Next, select either Blue Prawns Provençal or Grilled Mediterranean Sea Bass.  The main course options are Pan-seared Herb-marinated Lamb Tenderloin or Grilled Lamb Chops with Roasted Garlic Créme.  Dessert choices are Hill Country Peach Croustade or Poached Fruit of the Day a la mode.  The optional wine pairing includes Chateau Routas, Rosé Var 2008; Mas de la Dame, Rose du Mas 2009; and Mas de la Dame, Rouge 2006.  For reservations, call 210-224-1976.

“Farm to Table” Prix Fixe
Through Saturday, July 17, $25, $10 additional for Becker Vineyards wine pairings, all plus tax and gratuity
Bin 555
555 W. Bitters Road (Artisans Alley)
Start with Bluebonnet Hydroponic Farm’s Arugula Salad with Sherry Braised Sweet Onions, “Smoked” Watermelon and Chevre.  Gulf Shrimp with Lamb’s Stone Ground Grits, Pickled Gypsy Peppers and Saffron Braised Fennel will be followed by Roulade of Texas Quail with Sweet Corn Puree, Summer Squash, and Honey Jus. Dessert is “Peaches and Cream” – Fredricksburg Peach “Panna Cotta” with Liquid Nitrogen Vanilla Chantilly, Pecan Nougat and House Brandied Peaches.  Call 210-496-0555 for reservations.

“A Tasting of Halibut” Prix Fixe
Through Saturday, July 17, $29 plus tax and gratuity
Restaurant Insignia
401 S. Alamo
The four course meal includes a glass of wine and starts with Halibut “Tar Tare” with Spicy Globe Basil, Red Pepper, and Tomato Coulis.  Halibut “Bouliabase” with Summer Vegetables, Saffron Broth, and Ciabatta Crostini will be followed by Pan Seared Halibut with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Asparagus, Pearl Onion, and Parsnip Puree. Dessert is Chef Jason Dady’s Chocolate Nutella Soufflé with Nutella Mousse.  For reservations, call 210-223-0401 and indicate that you want this menu.

New Summer Tastings Prix Fixe
Through Saturday, July 17, $35 plus tax and gratuity
The Lodge Restaurant of Castle Hills
1746 Lockhill Selma
The five course dinner starts with All Day Braised Snake River Farms Pork Belly with “Fresh Corn Polenta,”Sofrito “Marmalade,” Cayenne Syrup, and Micro Cilantro.  The next course is Hearts of Palm and Baby Beet Salad with Marcona Almonds, Baby Arugula, Texas Grapefruit, and Ruby Red “Gel”.  Pan Seared Atlantic Salmon with Tomato-Garlic Ragout, Preserved Lemon, Baby Turnips, and Sauce “Gribiche” will be followed by Cast Iron Seared Beef Tenderloin with Brussels Sprouts, Onion Petals, Potato-Pepper Brunoise, and Sauce “Blanquette”.  Dessert is Crème Fraiche Cheesecake with Pine Nut Praline, Strawberry “Consommé,” and Micro Cilantro.  For reservations, call 210-349-8466 and reference this dinner.  Please note, The Lodge will be closed on Monday, July 12.

Cooking Demonstrations at the Pearl
Pearl Farmers Market
200 East Grayson
In addition to fresh produce, cooking demonstrations and musical entertainment are on the agenda at the Pearl Farmers Market.  Chef Luca Della Casa of Il Sogno will offer a cooking demonstration at 9:30 a.m.; the market’s general hours are 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.   The market also features a changing chef’s table lunch menu by chef Johnny Hernandez, “representing what is seasonal and regional in our cuisine.” Hernandez serves the meal family-style and discusses each vendor and their seasonal ingredients. For information or reservations, go to www.mesalegre.com.

Artisan Baking Class
Saturday, July 10, 1 – 4:30 p.m., $65
4050 Fischer Store Road
Wimberley, TX 78676
Learn how to make rustic bread starting with a biga, or poolish.  Debra Auden of Biga will teach this hands-on class; participants will take home their own sourdough starter.  Class size is limited to eight students.  To register, e-mail debra@biga.com with the subject, Bread Class.  The class will also be held July 17.

Children’s Cooking Class
Saturday, July 10, $45
Becker Vineyards
464 Becker Farms Road
Stonewall, Texas 78671
Chef Lori Hinze will teach this class in the Lavender Haus Kitchen.  Call 281-917-1721 for information and registration.

All American Burger Festival
Saturday, July 10, free admission
Fatty’s Burgers
1624 E. Commerce St.
Watch others overindulge at burger-eating contests and enjoy a few on your own.  Two outdoor stages will host 10 regional and local bands.  Chris Madrid and Katherine Shields will be honored for their San Antonio hamburger experience.  The event will help raise funds for scholarships for District 2 high school graduates and St. Philips College students.  www.saburgerfest.com

Winery U: Your Nose Knows! An Introduction to Tasting Wines
Saturday, July 10, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., $30 ($25 if registered for all 4 classes)
Dry Comal Creek Vineyards and Winery
1741 Herbelin Road, New Braunfels
Learn the basics of being a sommelier — how to swirl, sniff, and taste wine.  Participants will receive course materials, additional informational materials, a Winery U diploma, and possible surprises.  Preregistration is required and the class is limited to 30 participants.  www.drycomalcreek.com

McNay Art Brunch at Auden’s Kitchen
Sunday, July 11, 11 a.m., $30 adults, $15 children
Auden’s Kitchen
700 E. Sonterra Blvd.
Start off with brunch at Auden’s Kitchen and then take a chartered bus to the McNay to see the exhibit, Neither Model Nor Muse: Women as Artists. Participants will also have the opportunity to join the public tour, McNay Architecture. The event is limited to 36 people. For reservations, call 210-494-0700.

Maine Lobster Sunday Dinner
Sunday, July 11, 6 p.m., $50, $20 additional for wine pairings, all plus tax and gratuity
The Lodge Restaurant of Castle Hills
1746 Lockhill Selma
This five-course dinner welcomes you with a selection of assorted hors d’œuvres and chef Jason Dady’s Summer Cocktail Mixology.  The first course is Deconstructed Lobster Salad with “Claw” and Garden Inspirations, followed by Thai-inspired Lobster “Bisque” with Coconut Milk, Basil and Avocado.  The third course, “Bahn Mi” of Lobster with French Butter Roll, Carrot-Daikon Slaw and Ginger Aioli, will be served before Butter-poached Lobster Tail with Celery Root Ravioli, Beurre Rouge, Black Garlic and Yukon Coins.  Dessert is “Peaches and Cream.”  Seating is limited; for reservations, call 210-349-8466 and mention this dinner.

The Peanut Butter Burger at Yo Mamma's

Do not try this at home.

If you do, just don’t tell your doctor.

That’s the message I came away with after spending a few days in New Orleans recently.

The Big Easy — or Who Dat Nation, as fans of the Saints call it — is easy on the eye and palate when it comes to food. And I seem willing to give in to temptation every time.

There’s never enough time on any trip, though, to sample the amount of food there is to be had, so I told myself I would just have to squeeze in an extra meal somewhere.

That meant two dinners in one evening.

I’m a professional, I told myself. I can do this.

Well, the first, at a soul food restaurant called the Praline Connection, consisted of a mountain of fried fish, fried shrimp, fried oysters and deviled crab perched atop an equally daunting pile of french fries. On the side – yes there were side dishes – was an overgrown order of crowder peas with rice as well as a bowl of the most sinful-looking macaroni and cheese I had seen in some time. (I say sinful, because as a diabetic, pasta is strictly verboten. I shouldn’t have the breaded seafood, either, or the carb-heavy potatoes, but that’s another story. Suffice it to say, I avoided the rice because I simply had to make some slight acknowledgment to my diet.)

Though I filled a large to-go container for breakfast the next morning, I still managed to put away more food than I would have liked. And yet I just had to get to Yo Mama’s,

Why?

Because of the Peanut Butter Burger.

The assorted seafood platter at the Praline Connection

That’s right, a burger with warm peanut butter on top and then crowded with plenty of crisp bacon. It’s one of the specialty burgers at Yo Mamma’s, alongside the Burger Romanoff with sour cream and caviar or the Texas Burger with barbecue sauce. (Is that all Texas has to offer the outside world? The owner needs to discover the bean burger as a better representative of what the Lone Star state has to offer.)

But back to the peanut butter burger: If the idea sounds terrible, then think about who peanuts are used to such great effect in Thai food.

The thought of that sent me dashing off from the Praline Connection at one end of the Quarter to Yo Mamma’s toward the other.

I was glad I made the effort. The burger itself was spectacular. I wish I knew the secret of what made it so great, served medium to order and bursting with more flavor and juice than you find most places nowadays. It really landed in the top five burgers I’ve had in my life.

I just wish the peanut butter had melted just a little more into the meat. The two didn’t quite coalesce into a whole. I kept tasting the peanut butter and the beef separately. But it really didn’t matter. I can play with the recipe and the idea at home.

I just wish I knew what made the burger so good. The entire half-pound patty was gone all too quickly, even though my stomach was telling me, “Enough, already.”

I took the salad on the side to go. I could eat it on the ride home the next day, I told myself. Except I left it in the refrigerator. And there would have been no room. I had the leftovers of a pulled pork po’ boy, and that was enough for the road. Well, that and a cupcake with almond frosting. And the 10 pounds of sausage I picked up on the road …

More burgers, casual food and ethnic flavors — not to mention beer — is in store for the Alamo City this year.

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse is putting in two more locations. One restaurant is going into Alamo Ranch, at the intersection of Loop 1604 and State Highway 151, in April. The other will be at The Rim shopping center, on I-10, west of Loop 1604.  This restaurant is scheduled to be opened in October, according to the company’s website.