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 “When I started culinary school, I knew I didn’t want to own a restaurant,” says Suzanne Perkins. “I knew I didn’t want to be an executive chef. I knew I didn’t want to have a staff working for me for as long as I lived. I knew these things.”
I guess we all know where this is going: Perkins is owner and executive chef of Cool Mint Café in San Marcos, and the restaurant is certainly not a one-person operation. It is, however, something original in this small town, which lies halfway between San Antonio and Austin and is home to Texas State University (TSU). The food at Cool Mint tastes like contemporary, big-city fare, with fresh, wholesomely prepared offerings, but the ambiance is firmly rooted in its small-town heritage.
She explains her focus on using in-season, organic ingredients from local farmers and ranchers for her “South X Southwestern” menu. The star of the chicken cordon bleu is Buddy’s Natural Chicken out of Gonzales; the natural beef for a Bobcat Burger, which comes layered with green chiles and Jack cheese, hails from Michaelis Ranch near Kyle; and fresh beets—which might show up in any number of dishes—are grown in nearby Lockhart. Such shopping is grounded in the common-sense practices of the past—kind of like Cool Mint itself.
Perkins understands Texan tastes, so it’s no wonder that Cool Mint’s pork tenderloin with ginger-mango salsa and the rack of lamb with roasted-tomato Espanole sauce are hot-sellers, but she wishes more people would try the seared yellowfin tuna topped with Thai barbecue sauce. “Thai-style barbecue sauce has about 20 different ingredients in it, including sesame oil, sesame seeds, hoisin sauce, and cilantro, and it makes a flavorful blend that caramelizes the outside of the tuna steak,” says Perkins. “If you haven’t tried it, you don’t know what you’re missing.”
In addition to featuring beers brewed locally, the café’s beverage list includes Becker, Messina Hof, and other Texas wines among the California, Oregon, and Washington State selections. On a warm spring afternoon, McPherson Cellars Rosé of Syrah-Grenache—with its subtle hint of smokiness and long berry finish—would pair especially nicely with many of the Mediterranean salads, pastas, and sandwiches available.
See full article in May 2009 issue.
See the full article in the May 2009 issue. Subscribe Order back issues |
