Reader Mail.......Should be interesting.

     You guys have questions, and I try to answer them without blushing or scratching my head.  Here we go.

Question #1

Since you plan on taking your blog to YouTube, who would be your ideal celebrity guest?

     Easy.....Mia Khalifa.  Sure she is a social media darling, and she is gorgeous, but she knows where to go eat.  She has very good taste in restaurants, and would be as great conversation.  Another person I would consider is the best wrestling tag team in the world THE YOUNG BUCKS.  These guys really know where to go eat.  It would be a blast to have lunch with them at Cracker Barrel or TGIFriday's.  Mia would be #1 on my list.

Question #2

     What is the one food that San Antonio does better than any other city?

     There alot of foods I could say, but after careful consideration, one choice shines above the rest.  BARBACOA.  Here in San Antonio, barbacoa is both a cultural delight and a phenomenon.  Everyone in the Alamo City loves barbacoa.  My city has the most molinos (Mexican Deli) of all the Latin populated cities in the country.  It's a weekend morning tradition that has captured the imaginations of tourists as well.  Need proof?  Look up the video of Stranger Things' Millie Bobby Brown trying barbacoa for the first time.  She loved it.

Question #3

     What is your go to food when you can not make up your mind determining what to have for dinner?

     If anyone knows me, my go to food are hamburgers.  I love a great burger.  One day it will be the Kobe beef burger at Fuddrucker's.  The next day it's the Working Man Special from Burger Boy.  I also love the Patty Melt from WHATABURGER.  It is the one food I never get tired of.  And it always tastes great.

Question #4

     You recently did the top 5 snacks to take on a road trip.  Is there a sixth snack you can suggest?

     Absolutely.  Almonds.  They do not secrete oil, they come in tons of flavors, and are not as pricey as other nuts.  They are super healthy for you, and don't dehydrate you like salty nuts do.  I usually buy a big bag of them to share with my friends on the road.  They stay fresh longer too.

Last Question

     What is the most underappreciated food nationality that people would love if they try?

Easy.  Puerto Rican food.  Tons of great flavors make Puerto Rican food amazing.  It is packed with rich and sweet flavors that satisfy your appetite.  Their rice and pork are mindblowingly delicious.  If you need some convincing, my friend Argentina's husband has a Puerto Rican food truck called Ay Papi's.  I will be doing a story on this great food truck.  Ay Papi's can be found on FACEBOOK.

Quest For The Ultimate Burrito video coming soon

The first video I plan to post on YouTube and this blog will be my quest for the ultimate burrito.  The only thing is I can not divulge where I am going to try the ultimate burrito that has been chosen.  I want to keep it a surprise.  Once I reveal the location, then it will all make sense.  The city I will be going to is beautiful and is known for its Mexican food.  I will only be there for a weekend, but I plan to get a ton of video to show you guys.  The people there are friendly, and the food is awesome.  And the weather is to die for.  No joke.

What does make an ultimate burrito?  It's all about a perfect synchronicity of ingredients.  I will use Freebirds Burritos as an example.  I get the second largest burrito they have on a wheat tortilla.  I add refried beans, Spanish rice, steak, pico de gallo, guacamole, BBQ sauce, shredded cheese, and red onions.  To me, that is a pretty well balanced burrito.  Unfortunately, most other burritos in San Antonio are filled with cheese and carne guisada.  Taco trucks have great burritos, but most customers get tacos or nachos from a taco truck.  Taco Bell burritos are good, but look more like bean filled wraps than anything else.  But there is a particular state in our country that has the best burritos.  And that is where I am headed.  

Above is a picture of the burrito I have chosen as the ultimate burrito.  I am excited to try it, and show you what other culinary delights the mystery city has to offer.  Food brings people together, and this video I plan to bring you will demonstrate that.  I won't have you all waiting long for this video.  In late June, I will bring you JOHN EATS WORLD GOES TO____________.    The space will be filled to much delight.  That burrito looks delicious doesn't it?

John Eats World is heading to Chicago for STAR WARS CELEBRATION 2019

I go to a ton of comic-cons and pop culture conventions.  I enjoy them immensely.  I have been to San Diego Comic-Con, New York Comic-con, tons of anime conventions, and several sci-fi conventions.  Left on my convention bucket list is Star Wars Celebration.  I am planning to attend next year's Celebration in Chicago.  This makes me very happy since Chicago is a food hot spot.  I will be going with a crew of 8 peeps who are Star Wars super fans.  John Eats World is coming to the Windy City.  Where shall I go eat?

I was told I have to go to Portillo's once I land in Chicago.  And this is from over a dozen people who love Chicago.  From the looks of it, I have to go there.  Reviews I have read say Portillo's have the best hot dogs and beef sandwiches in town.  Sounds like my type of place.

Very close to McCormick Place, where Star Wars Celebration will be taking place.  This popular eatery has a great reputation for excellent old school style pizza and pasta.  When cooking, Italian is my specialty.  I am very excited to be going to Connie's Pizza.  Chicago is a pizza haven, so I will be throwing a munch at Connie's.  

A trip to the Chicago Oyster House will be a delight.  For years I have been hearing about this establishment.  I have been told the Chicago Oyster House has the best Oysters Rockefeller, which happen to be my favorite variation of oyster.  We shall see what all the hype is about.  I hope the Chicago Oyster House delivers.

As far as breakfast in Chicago, The Spoke & Bird seems to be the place to go.  I am a sucker for a great omelet, and this eatery has one of the best.  Seems to be hip and cozy, so it has my attention.  I'm not much of a breakfast guy, but The Spoke & Bird will be well worth a visit.  Wonder if they sell shirts there.

Where there is beer, there are great eats.  Word has it that this place is alot like the Blue Star Brewery here in San Antonio.  I may have to break my no alcohol rule to explore this place.  It is very popular, and has a great food menu.  I look forward to get video of this place once John Eats World comes to YouTube.  

These are just a few of the places I will be visiting for this blog.  I am pretty sure I will have a month's worth of articles in the one week I will be in Chicago.  I am super excited for this trip, and you will see the fruits of my labor.  

Peng's Chinatown Restaurant is good to my wallet

Like many of you, I like to get the most bang for my buck.  When it comes to dining, there are not many choices these days.  One of my go to restaurants is Peng's Chinatown Restaurant.  It's over by Ingram Park Mall, and it's great.  My wallet is a big fan of this eatery.

Peng's is the poor man's Golden Wok.  But Golden Wok does not offer the amount of food Peng's does for a fraction of the price.  I usually order the lemon chicken lunch special that could honestly feed two people.  Comes with a larger than usual egg roll, great combo fried rice, and a choice of one of their great soups.  I am bias to their delicious egg drop soup.  $7.49 for a gargantuan plate of lemon chicken will always get the thumbs up from me.  Surprisingly the food is great quality.  Their twice cooked pork is amazing.  My friend Dianna described it as food heaven.  They have a great mild sweet and sour sauce they make in house.  It is not thick like the others, and goes with pork and chicken beautifully.  They have such a great menu.

lemon chicken (that's alot of food)

Another aspect of Peng's I like is they are fast.  Every time I go, I get my plate 5 minutes after ordering.  Keep in mind the amount of food you are getting.  There are not alot of restaurants thgat can pull that off.  The dining area is nice, and dimly lit.  Great artwork on the walls, very relaxing vibe at Peng's.  They may get the most to go orders by any Chinese restaurant I have ever seen by a mile.  The last time I was there, I counted 27 different to go orders being taken to the checkout counter.  That in itself is a very good sign.  Always keep that in mind when dining out.  If a restaurant has alot of to go orders going out, the food is awesome.  

Peng's is the type of place that a group of friends can agree on when they can not agree on any other option.  It offers great value, quality, and relaxing vibes.  Give Peng's Chinatown Restaurant a go.  You will not regret it.  And don't feel bad if you can't finish your plate.  After all, the portions they serve are big.  Peng's gets a huge thumbs up from me.  

Got some eatery FIESTA MEDALS

I'm back after two and a half weeks, and I have a few Fiesta medals to show for it.  Didn't go to Fiesta here in San Antonio.  Didn't want to get involved with the $30 parking, drunken madness, or droves of crowds.  But, there were some Fiesta  medals I had to have from my favorite food establishments, and I am happy to show them to you.

BURGER BOY

I'm pretty sure this is their first Fiesta medal, so it was a no-brainer for me to get the Burger Boy medal.  It was available at both locations for $10, and it features its iconic light up sign from its St. Mary's location.  I guess it is a token of my fandom towards what I think is the best burger joint in town. Has the Orange Freeze logo on the back.  This one is not coming out of the plastic.

SAZON Mexican Cafe

Sazon Mexican Cafe is my favorite breakfast destination.  They opened 10 years ago, and I was one of their first customers.  Great menu, and now they are in the Fiesta medal game with this very vibrant entry.  Cost me only eight dollars, and is easily the nicest medal I got this year.  Sazon is a great place to eat at.  I'm there about three times a week.  Give it a try.  You will love it.  Order the tortilla soup.  

GOLDEN STAR CAFE

On an early entry of this blog, I told the story of the Golden Star Cafe's legendary menu item FISH AND GRAVY.  The Golden Star's latest Fiesta medal celebrates this awesomely delicious plate.  I had to get this one especially since Fish and Gravy is the only thing I order from the Golden Star.  This particular medal was their best seller this year, and a bargain at seven dollars.  You haven't lived till you have tried Fish and Gravy.  Pick up this cool medal as well. 

EL PARAISO ICE CREAM

When I want some bad ass ice cream, you will find me buying fresh fruit popsicles at El Paraiso Ice Cream.  I have been buying paletas from them since I was knee high to a grasshopper. This moving Fiesta medal features their Fredericksburg Rd. location along with a sliding iconic El Paraiso ice cream cart.  Cost $10, and they also go $30 from me for the popsicles.  I stock up on watermelon, banana, and strawberry.  Cool medal, and great place for those who appreciate great ice cream.

H-E-B

I felt obligated to get this medal for two reasons.  First, the $10 you pay for it goes to charity.  The Brighton Center provides programs and services for disabled children and their families in the San Antonio area.  Second, HEB has been my employer for the last 27 years.  They are part of the inspiration of why I do this blog.  My managers and co-workers have been my biggest supporters in this venture.  And.....it's a really nice medal.  Has the iconic red hand basket.  This medal is just another example of how HEB gives back to the community.  So pick one up.  It will look good on you.  

Those are the Fiesta medals I got this year.  If you have any cool Fiesta medals, post them in the comments.  Tell me why you got the one you did.  Next week you will be seeing more posts.  Till then, keep rockin.'