As we looked down the Market Square and prepared to run the gauntlet of street peddlers/vendors, I began to second guess my desire to eat at this restaurant. I am not one who likes to be solicited with each and every step. I will usually cross to the other side of the mall when I see the Dead Sea Salt lotion stand... With a deep breath, I crossed the market to Mi Tierra with resolve.
Wow! The decorations are not for the faint of heart. I think "modest" would be the antonym of the decor chosen by the owners. The furnishings did have a certain effect on the diners, everyone was laughing and smiling.
Ahh, normally I don't like such gaudiness but, it seems to fit this place to a "T". If you are eating during normal lunch or dinner hours, prepare for a wait list. Don't fret though, it's worth the time. At least there are plenty of things to look at and distract you. Be careful, however, there is a rather large bakery counter filled with delicious looking pastries and cookies. A quick check around the waiting area confirmed my suspicions; many patrons were ruining their appetites with pastries while waiting for their names to be called. Such a mistake could spell disaster as Mi Tierra's portions are rather large. My suggestion would be to skip the bakery counter until after dinner, and then buy something for breakfast or a late night snack.
Once our name was finally called, the Host pointed us to a young man who was to guide us to our table. As we started our trek to the table, we noticed that this is one HUGE restaurant! It goes on forever! The walls of the restaurant are adorned with "Southwestern Flair" and large murals that Mi Tierra is famous for:
Now, on to the part we really care about; the food! I was really surprised with the scope of the menu. The selection wasn't the normal cookie-cutter Tex-Mex menu that restaurants can so easily fall into. Don't get me wrong, Mi Tierra has enchiladas, tortilla soup, and tacos, etcetera, but I liked the inclusion of Pescado al Mojo de Ajo, Menudo, and Steak a la Tampiquena. As the wife and I were still a little full from breakfast, we decided to share a plate. We love spicy food, so we asked the waitress for something hotter to have with our chips. She brought out some fresh chile verde that had just been made and was still warm! I was impressed with the fresh ingredients. It seems that they avoid processed food as much as possible. When the waitress returned we ordered the El Rancho Special to share.
The tortillas were fresh and hand-made, the corn tortillas were excellent. The beans were really flavorful but, the rice was fairly standard and unremarkable. The guacamole was fresh and a nice touch but a little lacking in taste. The beef was of good quality and fork tender and the gravy was rich and smooth. This meal was fairly priced and really was enough food for the both of us. We checked out the other patrons' meals and the servings are really large here. I would recommend that you share a plate and get an appetizer or one of the fresh in-house made desserts. We really enjoyed our time at Mi Tierra and think y'all should check it out the next time you are in San Antonio!
To learn more about Mi Tierra Cafe y Panaderia, check out their website: http://www.mitierracafe.com/default.html.
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