Tucker’s Kozy Korner

If the walls of Tucker’s Kozy Korner could talk, there’s absolutely no telling what they would say, but it would undoubtedly be a fascinating tale. In the 75 years that Tucker’s has been open, it has been through a myriad of permutations.

Although John Tucker deserves credit for creating an iconic Eastside haunt known for great jazz and good community that attracts all walks of life, renowned San Antonio restaurateur Steve Mahoney has taken up the mantle and created a destination no one would have expected.

“Tucker’s is an institution and people have expectations, and we’re not going to be able to meet those, but I thought we could recreate a neighborhood spot, because that’s what we do,” explains Mahoney, also of Hanzo, Lilly’s Greenville, the newly reopened Francis Bogside and others.

During construction in the summer of 2019 after Mahoney had purchased the business, Charles Daniels, known by and large as simply “Mr. Daniels,” stopped by and dropped off a personalized card with his number written on a small piece of wood.

Daniels is a local pitmaster with 20 years of experience under his belt, and he and Mahoney hit it off right away, becoming “part of the family,” along with chef Jenny Tram, a native of Dong Thap in South Vietnam with a talent and love for cooking authentic Vietnamese food.

After these three exceptional individuals connected, everything seemed to fall into place organically and the idea of offering a menu with a unique mix of barbecue and Vietnamese food seemed the natural choice.

“I have a lot of admiration for Steve. I think it’s a great idea that he came up with, something different that you don’t really see here in the San Antonio area. It shows because we’ve had nothing but positive feedback,” said Daniels, pitmaster for Tucker’s and some of Mahoney’s other concepts.

Although you can order a Texas-style barbecue plate (brisket, ribs and chicken) with all the fixings or a variety of Vietnamese favorites like a bun bowl and spring rolls, what makes this new evolution of Tucker’s truly titillating is when the two seemingly disparate cuisines coalesce in delicious harmony.

The brisket pho, is a phenomenal example of what the Tucker’s team is bringing to the table. Imagine a traditional bowl of pho made with a laborious yet luscious broth adorned with a hearty slice of brisket that’s been smoked for up to 12 hours.

“Nothing but the best!” said Daniels with his usual low-key fervor.

“I try to keep it as close to backyard barbecue as possible, and I do it all with my own rubs and barbecue sauce recipes. One of our guests went so far as to say it was the best brisket in Texas. I don’t know about that.

KIMBERLY SUTA

Maybe she was just hungry that day.”

Daniels’ brisket is also used in Tram’s egg rolls for a juicy, crispy, unforgettable bite.

“When I got the job, I started with the egg rolls. Steve wanted to do pho but I told him no about three times. He said barbecue and pho go together and I finally said OK. He named us ‘pho cue,’” laughs Tram. “But it’s my own interpretation. I played with the food a lot and decided

I’m going to make the best one, so that’s how my broth comes out tasty and flavorful all the time.”

In April, Tucker’s introduced a new brunch menu of mostly shareable plates, available on Sundays and, hopefully soon, will become a regular offering during the week as well. The dishes range from pork belly-stuffed biscuits and gravy to chicken and waffles, eggs benedict with fried green tomatoes, and a breakfast tostada. Tram also recently introduced pork belly nachos to the appetizer menu on Fridays.

All of the menus are not only scratch-made and scrumptious, but also utterly affordable, making this a huge draw for neighborhood residents looking for a regular joint where they can meet up, relax, eat good food, throw back a few drinks and appreciate life’s little joys.

To that end, Tram’s egg coffee, a popularized Vietnamese coffee, is worth the drive regardless of what side of town you live on. Strong and creamy, it’s both a turbo boost and dessert in an unassuming lowball glass.

Although Mahoney may not think he could ever re-create the magical vibe that was once Tucker’s, he, Daniels and Tram may have done just that, and San Antonio gets to reap the benefits of this new, serendipitous chapter in the evolution of a legend.