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Texas Monthly
Head
for the Hills
25
Things I Love
About the Hill Country
by Suzy
Banks
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The
service at the Welfare Café one Saturday
lunch was friendly enough but mystifyingly slow, considering that I was the only
customer at this 1916 general-store-turned-restaurant. But the tomato-garlic soup
was so tasty and soul-warming on that drizzly afternoon, I quickly forgot about
the wait. Anyway,
it had given me time to contemplate the wide-ranging selection of imported beers,
the German entrées, and the ambitious dinner specials, like a wild-mushroom-and-vegetable
cassoulet; take a peek at the rambling outdoor patio; and imagine the café
when it's hopping on a balmy spring night.
To
get to the town of Welfare, take the Welfare exit off Interstate 10, seven miles
north of Boerne; 830-537-3700. Lunch Saturday and Sunday, dinner Wednesday through
Sunday (entrées $10 to $21.95).
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Texas Monthly
May
2005 Restaurant Reviews for Welfare
Our Editors' selections of restaurant
reviews
from the May 2005 issue.
April 2005 / Restaurant Reviews
or...Around
the State for May 2005
At
this rustic former post office, general store, and café, we dined on a
delicious mixed grill special of juicy duck, lamb, and quail that was too generous
to finish. In warm weather, dine under the vines and witness goats and donkeys
doing the same. Live music Sundays and Thursdays. Beer & wine. 223 Waring
Welfare Rd; from Boerne, go north on I-10 to exit 533, stay on access road, at
fork stay to right, at the T go right and continue 2 more miles (830-537-3700).
Open Wed-Sat 5-9, Sun 11-9. Closed Mon & Tue. Reservations recommended. AE
DS, MC, V. $$-$$$ 
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Gourmet Food in a Unique Setting.
Bandera Electric Cooperative
January 2006
If you are looking for
an off-the-beaten-path local eatery with loads of character and good food, check
out the Welfare Café. You will be blown away by the . . . more
Small towns, big tastes
April 2006
A jaunt in the Hill Country
used to mean barbecue, chicken-fried steak and more barbecue. Now it's rare yellowfin
tuna and big-city sophistication - in a world-unto-itself setting.
AMY CULBERTSON
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
. . . more
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The
Welfare Café and Biergarten
Article and Photos by Natalie Steele
Treat yourself to an unforgettable Hill Country
dining experience marinated in German delicacies at the Welfare Café and
Biergarten. Just west of Boerne, you will find this small paradise of delicious
entrees, fine wines, and all the pleasures your palette can endure. With an intimately
unique setting and an exquisite menu, you can’t go wrong.
This quaint
little spot is nestled in an abandoned post office and general store, and dressed
in Hill Country heritage from head to toe. Never-the-less, beneath the tin roof
you’ll find more than a touch of class. At the Welfare Café, you will
find a combination of the freshest ingredients, and true culinary artistry. For
an unforgettable start, try the crab cakes. Hand-breaded and pan-seared to perfection,
these are a must everytime. With such a unique bouquet of entrees, deciding what
to order will be a bit tougher than usual.
We chose the Potato Cakes
and the Chicken Artichoke for our interview. The texture and flavor captured in
the food is like no other. The chicken was topped with fresh artichokes, jumbo
shrimp, and served over a steaming bed of pasta. After just one taste, you will
insist on coming back for more. For a ghost town, Welfare’s Biergarten is
alive and well. Indulge yourself in a first class dining experience at this historic
German café. Follow I-10 West, exit Welfare, and follow the Waring-Welfare
Rd. to The Welfare Café and General Store. Store. You won’t be disappointed.
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Express News
Welfare
Café, 223 Waring Welfare Road, Welfare:
In their way, the
Germans have made the potato theirs as much as the Irish have. In this comfortable
German hideaway, you can get pan-fried new potatoes or mashed potatoes but the
best way to have them is in the appetizers called Kartoffelpfannekuchen.
The name is a mouthful, but
.so is this treat made from freshly grated potatoes seasoned with nutmeg. The
shreds are formed into cakes and then fried to a deep, crisp brown. The finishing
touch is a spoon of sour cream or applesauce. John
Griffin, Karen Haram and Bonnie Walker contributed to this report.
Good food, rural setting
revive the spirit
By Karen Haram
August 19th 2005
EXPRESS-NEWS
FOOD EDITOR
As much
as I love the city, sometimes I long for a place more like the area in which I
grew up - one that's a little quieter, a little slower, a little more relaxed.
When I get that urge, Welfare Café is one of my favorite destinations.
Here, I know I'll not only get great food in a casual, relaxed atmosphere, I'll
be able to enjoy a leisurely drive down a country road, see the stars tinkling
above, and maybe, if I'm lucky hear a few sounds of nature.
A trip to
this Hill Country country gem not only revived my spirits but made me think, once
again, what a great find this restaurant it.
Because we went on a Saturday
night, there was no live music, an additional draw at the restaurant on Thursday
and Sunday evening. But we hardly missed it, thanks to the casual camaraderie
at the surrounding tables. The restaurant itself
is as comfy as they come, thanks to a rustic Texana feel including vintage signage
and mismatched tables that have been full every time we've been there, thanks
to solid German food with a contemporary twist.
Whether you're looking
for seafood, beef or pasta, Welfare Café's menu has plenty of options.
No matter what we order, we always start with Kartoffelpfannekuchen, potato cakes
made the old-fashioned way with fresh grated potatoes seasoned with a touch of
nutmeg and fried to a crisp golden brown. Served with either sour cream or applesauce,
these are one of the restaurant's delights. Just as you
don't want to skip the potato cakes, the schnitzels are a must-order as well.
Welfare Café pounds its pork loin until it's thin, then runs it through
crisp crumbs and pan-fries it until tender and light.
Amazingly, I've
never had a greasy schnitzel there. The hardest choice is deciding how you want
it served from an assortment of options. I usually opt for the plain or Holstein,
in which the cutlet is toped with lean Black Forest ham, crunch asparagus and
a sunny-side-up egg.
Sausage lovers will appreciate Welfare Café's
menu as well. The Poebnert offers a sausage assortment that includes a juicy Bratwurst
and Knockwurst as well as a pork chop served with a sweet-sour Bavarian sauerkraut.
We're also fans of the tender beef fillet with its crunchy, tangy coffee,
chile and pepper crust.
If you're looking to eat a little lighter, the
garlicky shrimp seasoned with a spritz of fresh lemon juice is satisfying as well. We
seldom have room for dessert, but if you've planned better than we usually do,
you'll want to try any of the restaurant's pies, peach desserts or chocolate offerings,
which are a great ending to a satisfying meal. We we headed
back to the city, we took the time to drive slowly, enjoy the bucolic setting
and plan our return visit. It can't come too soon to suit us. |
kharam@express-news.net
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| | The
Welfare Café and General Store
223 Waring-Welfare
Rd.
Boerne, Texas 78006
Take
the Welfare exit off I-10 West
(Between Boerne
and Comfort)
[ VIEW MAP ]
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INDULGE YOURSELF
. . .
IN A FIRST CLASS DINING EXPERIENCE.
Wednesday thru Friday
5pm-9pm
Saturdays
11am-10pm
Sundays
11am-7p
*Enjoy live music on Thursdays and Sundays*
For Reservations Call 830-537-3700
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