Ron Bechtol
At Lombrano Meals Corridor, a small order-pickup lobby fronts a warehouse of ghost kitchens for hire.
I just lately stumbled throughout an early ’50s picture of Audrey Hepburn, white gloves and all, standing in entrance of a row of chrome and glass cubicles at a Manhattan Horn & Hardart Automat.
The starlet within the picture is presumably about to place her nickels right into a slot that may open to a seductive slice of pie, an illuminated slab of meatloaf or one thing equally tasty. Each Hepburn and Horn & Hardart have handed on earlier than us — however one is about to be reborn in San Antonio.
Given a lift in the course of the pandemic, the notion of “touchless” or “contactless” meals ordering has as soon as once more turn into a eating possibility. You will get something from a steaming bowl of ramen to a complete, freshly baked pizza from a merchandising machine someplace within the U.S.
Gone is the polished-brass posh of the unique automats — which proliferated throughout the U.S. within the early twentieth century then all however disappeared with the delivery of quick meals chains — however at the very least no nickels are concerned.
On the Alamo Metropolis’s Lombrano Meals Corridor, a small order-pickup lobby fronts a warehouse of ghost kitchens for hire. In contrast to a standard meals corridor, you see nothing of what is going on on in any of the presumably particular person operations past a wall of opaque, gym-locker-like cubicles.
Patrons full their orders at a single, touch-screen kiosk. Be warned that every particular person “restaurant” requires a separate order and cost, and it takes time for the kiosk to reboot between every interplay. So, for those who’re blithely mixing Thai with Italian and Argentinian, for instance, this will take a while.
As soon as every order is prepared, Lombrano’s system will ship a textual content message with a code to faucet that opens your cubicle and permits you to declare your meals.
Bear in mind as effectively that every kitchen is allowed to function at its personal schedule inside broad opening parameters, so if the hubby is jonesing for Asian Fusion and the bestie has a yen for barbecue, which will require cautious advance planning. Asian Fusion, because it occurs, is a well-liked class at Lombrano, with at the very least 4 operators touting such choices. As of this writing, there’s additionally Thai, Cajun, sushi, sandwiches, burgers, empanadas and the aforementioned barbecue possibility.
Of those I’ve tried 5.
Noods Mexican-Asian Fusion will get its cross-cultural creds from including carne asada or al pastor meat to in any other case customary Thai or Chinese language fare. The Pad Thai is an effective, sturdy rendition, though you won’t discover the distinction gained by subbing al pastor Pad Thai for the usual rooster or shrimp model if it weren’t identified. The identical goes for the lo mein noodles. There you could have a selection of protein that ranges from carne asada to tofu and al pastor to rooster, however for the reason that noodles are what actually matter, the fusion is simply secondary.
Although I did not have them, the Korean fried rooster tacos would possibly come the closest to an precise cultural mashup. In that case, the sweetly sauced rooster is tossed into flour tortillas with chipotle mayo, slaw, cilantro and sesame seeds for a visit throughout a number of borders.
Pad Thai additionally makes an look at T’s Thai Specific. Nonetheless, that ghost kitchen’s Thai-style honey pork ribs stood out as a singular dish. Sluggish-braised and wok-seared, they’re served in a “secret brown sauce” which seems rather more plentiful within the on-line picture. The not-so-secret finish outcome was 4 plump, tender and candy ribs with little visible or textural attraction however respectable Asian-spice taste. In the event you get them organized, a aspect of straightforward fried rice is likely to be acceptable.
With choices starting from a French dip sandwich to banh mi and katsu pollo, one other of Lombrano’s ghost kitchens, Eat Chingon, is sort of a mini meals corridor by itself. The dart landed on the eponymous Cochinita Chingona sandwich, and it is a good one — excluding a feckless “French” roll. The filling is achiote-marinated pulled pork, lots spicy in its personal proper, paired with a smear of incendiary habanero paste and a raft of pickled crimson onions for a cool, tangy crunch. Avocado is an elective addition.
A small tub of excellent black beans with bacon accompanied the sandwich, make it an interesting combo anyplace. The crimson beans and rice from Eat Wit Yo Eyez are additionally value ordering, although they might have used rather less rice and a little bit extra beans.
The prize for packaging, arms down, has to go to The Royal Pasty Co. The identify evokes British roots however the baked empanadas — artfully crimped round beneficiant fillings that vary from floor beef with cheese and bacon to poblanos and corn and apple cinnamon — converse many languages and make good handheld snacks. They arrive in a nifty, logo-sealed field together with a few natural sauces.
Hepburn’s white gloves nearly would not be amiss on this case. However do use a fork for the Royal aspect salad you may need to order for distinction.
Lombrano Meals Corridor
4275 Lombrano St., Lombranofoodhall.com
See web site for working hours of particular person eating places, together with their menus and costs.
The thin: Lombrano Meals Corridor is extra like a meals lobby — a small ordering house fronting a “ghost” kitchen encompassing 16 or so particular person restaurant operations. Two picnic tables supply seating out entrance, however it’s in any other case assumed diners will both order on-line for pickup or begin their order in particular person at a single contact display. Meals choices vary from American to Thai to empanadas. Whereas every thing sampled has been at the very least good, the Cochinita Chingona sandwich was a singular standout.
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