JOHN EATS WORLD TURNS ONE YEAR OLD! YouTube here I come.

One year ago, I was on a two week vacation from work.  My boss accidentally did not schedule me for the next week, so I had no idea what I was going to do being off for a third consecutive week.  After a few hours of brainstorming, creating a food blog won the day.  JOHN EATS WORLD is a forum for me to tell the world why I love being a FOODIE.  I only write about the places I love, promising never to diss any eatery.  This blog has become very successful.  I feel it is now time to take this blog to YouTube.  This move has been influenced by the works of TabiEats and Paolo from Tokyo.  I will draw from the influence of Anthony Bourdain and add my quirkiness.  I am excited to announce that the JOHN EATS WORLD YouTube channel will drop on June 1st of this year.  What will you see you say?  Here are the ideas for the first five episodes.

Episode 1 :Carnivore's Paradise

Lockhart, Texas is a small town outside of the college town of San Marcos.  Lockhart is known for one thing.....World Class BBQ.  We will visit all 4 of Lockhart's legendary BBQ restaurants.  This episode will include a visit to the famous BUC-EE's travel stop.

Episode 2:  Some Legends Never Die

The Malthouse was a Westside institution.  An eatery that offered old school favorites for very low prices.  For 75 years it stood as an iconic eatery until 2016 when it closed.  In 2019, has it returned? We will look into the resurrection of the much loved MALTHOUSE CAFE.

Episode 3:  Welcome to San Antonio.  Home of  the World's Best Barbacoa.

No one does Barbacoa like San Antonio.  There are more molinos in San Antonio than any other city in the country.  I will take you to some of my favorite molinos in the Alamo City, including one that doubles as a karaoke bar.  It must be seen to be believed.

Episode 4:  SAN ANTONIO ASIAN FESTIVAL 2019

One of my favorite days of the year.  A cool cultural festival featuring food from all over Asia.  Why is lumpia the world's perfect food, and why Korean BBQ is so addictive?  I give you a tour of Asian food heaven.

Episode 5:  Food At A Rock Festival

I am headed to the Rockville Rock Festival to show you what to do about food if you are camping out at a music festival for 3 days.  What not to bring, and what is a must bring, I tell all with my cousins there to rock.  Raise your devil horns and lets eat.

I want to thank everyone who has read my blog.  The first year was amazing, and the new year will have alot of cool things happening.  Keep reading, and I will keep exploring.

Ramen made a killing in the food market in 2018

Over the last 35 years, we have looked at ramen as a dish that in Japan is great cuisine that is a quick eat in the USA.  It was thought for a while that only Japan had great ramen, and that the ramen in America was a noodle square that you boiled in water for ten minutes.  In 2018, Japanese quality ramen became a regular in the United States.  Foodies are lining up for what the noodle bars popping up everywhere have to offer.

It was thought that Pho was a huge threat to ramen in the food market, and for a little while it was.  Pho was a healthy alternative at a fraction at the price of ramen.  But, flavor wins all.  Ramen eateries started offering Japanese style bowls of ramen such as Shoyu, Tonkotsu, and spicy Miso to much fanfare.  These bowls of ramen introduced America to visually appealing naruto-maki or fish cake.  American noodle bars started to look like ramen bars in Shinjuku.  

Two weeks ago, I took a couple of old high school friends to a ramen eatery that I have reviewed on this blog called NAMA RAMEN located in the Northwest side of San Antonio.  They were huge fans of Pho, but had never tried traditional Japanese ramen.  I advised them to try the Shoyu ramen which has pork belly and a chicken/soy broth.  The bowl also had a soft boiled egg,  naruto-maki, seaweed, and green onions.  After one try, they fell in love with Shoyu ramen.  It was packed with flavor, was filling, and hit the spot.  My friend Paul was surprised how good the ajitama or spiced soft boiled egg was.  Paul is not a big fan of eggs, and loved how the yolk had the texture of mashed potatoes.  Needless to say they want to go back.  

Ramen is both great cuisine and a comfort food.  It offers alot of flavor for an affordable price.  It is my go to food when I can  not decide what to have for dinner.  It is great for a gathering of friends.  It is a food trend that is here to stay. Find your local ramen noodle bar, and order a bowl with extra naruto-maki.  Trust me you will love it

The News In Food January 2019

JOLLIBEE Is Coming To San Antonio

Houston is the home to the only JolliBee in Texas.  So, you can imagine how many JolliBee fans would make the pilgrimage to Texas' largest city to get their hands on their juicy fried chicken. rice with gravy, and delicious burgers.  Not long from now, there will be a second JolliBee in Texas.  San Antonio, which has a large Filipino population will be the home of the new JolliBee.  If you have never been to JolliBee, you owe it to yourself to give it a try.  It has something for everyone.  I always get the fried chicken.  It is delicious.  Great customer service, and a great menu.  From what I heard, the new JolliBee will be located at Lohman's Village which is close to Loop 410 and Evers Road.  The countdown is on.

Japan's Cherry Blossom Season brings on SAKURA COCA-COLA

As spring approaches, travelers from all around converge all over Japan to witness the blossoming of beautiful cherry blossoms.  This popular event is celebrated with festivals and parades.  Coca-Cola commerates cherry blossom season with their seasonal Sakura Coco-Cola.  It comes in a very decorative aluminum bottle with cherry blossom artwork all over it.  The soda itself is a cherry cola with a hint of vanilla.  Very delicious, yet pricier than your regular Coca-Cola.  It is usually only around for 3 months, but is worth a try. And....you might end up saving the bottle.

SHASTA SODA COMPANY TURNS 130 YEARS OLD

Speaking of soda,  the Shasta Soda Company turns 130 years old this year.  I know, alot of you have never heard of Shasta, but I assure you that Shasta sodas are top notch.  A huge drink staple in the 70's and 80's, Shasta has offered consumers great quality soft drinks at a fraction of the price.  I love Shasta!  My favorite flavors include grape, root beer, tribal punch, and of course cola.  Like them on Facebook.  They are having a ton of giveaways this year including a years supply of their excellent soda.  

2018 Food/ Drink MVP: Topo Chico

In a year of trends, old favorite Top Chico had  their best year ever.  For years, Topo Chico was Mexico's best kept secret.  Upon coming to America, it became the best selling mineral water in the U.S.A.  In 2018, Topo Chico was everywhere.  Foodies from all ethnicities fell in love with Topo Chico.  It became a healthy alternative to the sugar based beverages on the market.  Its rise in popularity is also due to being a beverage choice at taco trucks.  Topo Chico was recently purchased by Coca-Cola last year, and sales of the Mexican mineral water were up 30%.  Topo Chico is my choice for the 2018 Food/Drink MVP.