MAKER

Edible Art

Ooyoo Pan fuses the heritage of its founders into Korean-inspired macarons

BY KATHERINE STINSON

A

t Nari Hodges and Aldo Cortes’ Ooyoo Pan pop-up, macarons are transformed into Animal Crossing characters, heroes from Avatar: The Last Airbender and anime-style cartoon bears.

“Seeing our customers light up when they recognize their favorite character or when they see something cute in our display case inspires us to keep going,” says Hodges, who spent her childhood moving between Texas and Korea.

Hodges returned to San Antonio for good as a young adult to pursue a degree in 3D animation and game design at University of the Incarnate Word. She’d long wanted to open her own Korean café, and after meeting Cortes, a Texas A&M University student and fellow home baker, in 2019, her dream came to fruition with Ooyoo Pan.

“We sought to share with one another all the treats from our childhood that brought us joy,” Hodges says. “We fused together all of the unique flavors and ideas into our business.”

The name Ooyoo Pan comes from the Korean word for milk and the Spanish word for bread, which is a nod to Cortes’ Mexican heritage. Their cookies include flavors drawn from both cultures, such as red bean, black sesame, chocolate caliente and matcha guava.

Korean-style macarons are made through the same painstaking process that traditional macarons call for with one big exception: the filling is much thicker. Hodges compares it to ice cream as it’s served cold and says while it can look intimidating, it’s not overly sweet.

Before any macaron is created, Hodges and Cortes sketch out what they want the treat to look like. After the base macaron is finished, they pipe on the decorations, waiting for each layer to dry before adding the next detail, whether lips on their red bean fish macaron or whiskers on their matcha teddy bear. Once complete, each macaron matures in the fridge for 24 hours, which the duo says enhances the flavor.

“We’ve made almost 2,000 macarons, but it’s still the most challenging treat to make,” Hodges says. “The most important factor is a good attitude. I’m not exaggerating when I say (the macarons) know when you’re having a bad day.”

In the future, the pair hopes to expand into a storefront that also sells coffee, fruit milks and more. For now, they’re focused on pop-ups throughout San Antonio, from Hemisfair to St. Paul Square and Tripoli’s Mediterranean Grill. Follow them on Instagram @ooyoopan for details on where to find them this month.

OFF MENU

News from the restaurant scene

Naco Mexican Eatery

opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant at Los Patios in December. / A second location of Guillermo’s opened on Austin Street near Pearl at the end of the year. It boasts a similar menu of pizza, sandwiches and pasta but has more outdoor seating than the original location. / Oregon-based Dutch Bros. Coffee debuted its third San Antonio location near West Avenue and Loop 410. / Caterer and former food truck Box Street Social opened its long awaited restaurant, Box Street All Day, at Hemisfair in December. / Künstler Brewing will expand to Hemisfair this summer with a second location that will serve brats, small bites and beer. / Gather Brewing Co. opened in Universal City. / Chef Michael Sohocki closed

Restaurant Gwendolyn

and Kimura Ramen downtown and will open a new concept that he describes as more relaxed than the multi-course fine dining menu that Gwendolyn was known for. / Rudy Ramirez opened a keto-friendly bakery and pizza eatery near Beacon Hill, Shake and Bake, in honor of his late wife, Norma Anabel Gonzalez-Ramirez. / After closing during the early months of the pandemic, SoHill Cafe reopened in December. / Nicola Blaque, owner of The Jerk Shack and Mi Roti, was named Chef of the Year by the Female Executives of Texas.

11 Options For Mediterranean Food

BASIL MEDITERRANEAN (Medical Center) Vegetarian and seafood dishes are served on a generous portion of buttery rice with grilled tomatoes, peppers and onions. Meats are slow-cooked over an open flame and include fresh Australian lamb made with Iranian seasonings and chicken breast and beef that’s marinated for 24 hours before it’s grilled. Lunch specials include Moroccan salmon and lamb osso buco served with rice, salad and hummus. 9955 I-10, basiltexas.com

DALLAH MEDITERRANEAN CUI-

SINE (Medical Center) Lentil soup and shiraz salad, served with dried mint, lemon juice and veggies, make for a perfect lunch break. Want something heartier? Consider the chicken or beef shawarma, which features a generous serving of marinated meat, hummus, garlic sauce and Greek salad or basmati rice. Warm up with Turkish coffee or cool off with the rosewater iced tea. 5450 Babcock Road, Ste. 112, dallahsanantonio.com

DEMO’S GREEK FOOD (Stone Oak, Castle Hills, St. Mary’s Strip) Family-owned and -operated for over 40 years, Demo’s is known for its personal service as much as its food. Start with hummus or tzatziki and housemade pita bread. You can’t go wrong with a falafel, beef or lamb wrap served with fresh cut fries, but don’t miss the specialties, including the moussaka, which is ground beef layered with eggplant and topped with bechamel. 1205 N. Loop 1604 W.; 7115 Blanco Road, Ste. 120; 2501 N. St. Mary’s St., demosgreekfood.com

JERUSALEM GRILL (Stone Oak, Medical Center) Everything is made from scratch daily at this grill that serves Persian, Greek and Turkish dishes. Try the hummus topped with falafel, a gyro platter with lamb, chicken and french fries, the baba ghanouj, a smoked and roasted eggplant with tahini sauce, or Kibbeh, which are lamb meatballs stuffed with onion, wheat and pine nuts. 203 N. Loop 1604 W., 9210 Wurzbach Road, jerusalemgrill.net

JOHN THE GREEK (North Central) Lunch specials include the popular avgolemono soup, made with chicken, rice, celery, eggs, carrots and lemon sauce, plus traditional and chicken gyros served with french fries, Greek salad and a drink. 16602 San Pedro Ave., johnthegreek.com

MINA & DIMI’S GREEK HOUSE

(Lackland) Dining at this Greek eatery is meant to be an experience. Make reservations for one of its Greek wine tasting parties, a toga party or dinner with live music. The menu includes all of the traditional Greek favorites, from gyro and chicken gyro platters with tzatziki and pita bread to kalamarakia, which is fried squid served with Greek seasoned fries, Greek salad and pita bread. 7159 Hwy. 90, agreekhouse.com

PAPOULI’S GREEK GRILL (Selma, Northwest) Owner Nick Anthony looks to carry on the tradition of his grandparents in this fast-casual concept that offers pan-Mediterranean cuisine. Begin with a phyllo puff pastry, which is stuffed with spinach and feta or cream cheese, ricotta and feta, or opt for the stuffed grape leaf dolmas. The plate special features a petite sandwich with your choice of gyro, chicken or falafel plus a Greek salad and additional side. The grilled salmon fillet and rosemary chicken are considered its signature dishes while the Papouli’s Feast for two to three people comes with kebabs, salad, puff pastries and more. 8250 Agora Pkwy., Ste. 120, Selma; 11224 Huebner Road, Ste. 201, papoulis.com

PASHA MEDITERRANEAN GRILL

(Stone Oak, Selma, Medical Center) The owners of this grill believe food is best enjoyed together around the table and it encourages sharing its appetizers, like mast-o-khiyar, labneh and falafel veggie patties. Its build-your-own pasha bowl is a popular option for those who want to select their favorite ingredients and its menu also includes all of the Mediterranean classics, from kabobs and shawarma plates to stews, gyros and salads. Find Mediterranean treats at its sister restaurant, Baklovah Bakery. 1207 N. Loop 1604 W., 9339 Wurzbach Road; 15069 I-35, Ste. 202; gopasha.com

TRIPOLI’S MEDITERRANEAN

GRILL AND COFFEE SHOP (Lackland) Order the “Taste of the Mediterranean” sampler if you’re not sure where to start and choose three of its traditional dips (hummus, labneh, baba ghanouj, garlic aioli or tzatziki) along with warm pita bread. There’s also a variety of calzones, wraps, flatbreads and salads featuring falafel, lamb, beef shawarma and more. Baklava and Turkish coffee served with cardamom is the perfect way to round out any meal. 322 Valley Hi, Ste. 106, tripolissa.com

ZAATAR LEBANESE GRILL (Medical Center) There are several bowls, salads and paninis as well as traditional Lebanese beef and lamb kabobs served with fattoush or tabouli, baba ghanouj and hummus. Try a Lebanese pizza with cheese, spiced ground beef or thyme spices. 9323 Wurzbach Road, gozaatar.com

ZORBA’S GREEK MEDITERRA-

NEAN GRILL (Castle Hills) With dine-in, carry out and delivery plus vegetarian options, kidfriendly dishes and meals meant for groups, there’s something for everyone at this Castle Hills gem. Whether traditional chicken gyros and beef kebabs or grilled tilapia with rice and Mediterranean salad, the dishes are always fresh. 2110 N.W. Military Hwy., zorbasgreek mediterranean.com

Restaurants' service and menus can change. Please call ahead to confirm. For our full directory of San Antonio restaurants, visit sanantoniomag.com/restaurants-bars.

Diversity in Medicine

Spine surgeon Antonio Webb works to inspire youth in the hopes that the next generation can benefit from more minority doctors

AS TOLD TO KATHLEEN PETTY

T

here is a lack of diversity in medicine, especially when it comes to African Americans. I grew up in Shreveport, and I never met a Black doctor there. It wasn’t until I went to a medical magnet program in high school that the field of medicine was even introduced to me as something I could do.

My mom was on and off drugs my whole life and in and out of jail. My little brother and a sister went to prison. A lot of my friends and family growing up were incarcerated and I thought that was the norm. I wound up at that high school and it changed my path.

I wanted to go to the military so I could pay for school and get out of Shreveport. I joined at 17 and my first duty station was in San Antonio at Lackland Air Force Base. I did eight years in the Air Force. While I was on active duty the first six years, I went to college at night and on the weekends, and after I got out, I went to medical school.

I love San Antonio and I came back here to practice medicine, but there is not very much diversity in medicine here. Out of the 85 to 100 spine surgeons, three are African Americans. We need more African Americans and more women in the field of orthopedics.

Patients need to be treated by people who understand their culture and by someone they can relate to. There are a lot of patients who get left untreated because of issues with access to care and being able to find a provider who understands them.

There have been multiple studies that show patients receive better treatment when they are treated by someone who looks like them.

I have patients who travel to see me just because of the color of my skin. Some fly in from other states or drive in from hours away.

As soon as I started my orthopedic training, I made it a point to be on social media talking about medicine so kids could see a Black doctor. Because I didn’t have that. I also give talks at colleges and high schools.

Sometimes I look back and really can’t believe I made it to this point. If I had stayed in Shreveport, I would probably be dead or in jail because that’s the path all of my family members and friends took. I’m grateful I was able to get out, and I hope other youth can use my story as a motivator.

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