It is customary in smaller cities for people to lament all the things that are readily available in bigger cities,  that are harder to find in smaller cities like San Angelo. I hear it all the time. "I wish San Angelo were more like Austin or San Antonio,"

In my experience, having lived in big and small cities across Texas, bigger cities often are just bigger cities.  More people, more traffic, more problems. While we don't have some of the bigger restaurant chains you find in San Antonio or Austin, when it comes to local eateries, it is hard to beat San Angelo.

That is because some world class restauranteurs have decided to forsake the bigger cities, and all their inconveniences,  to pursue their dreams of creating something special right here.  One such restauranteur is the highly honored Ronnie Cajas of Street Eats and co-owner of The Urban Salt Kitchen and Bar at 23 W Beauregard downtown.

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Every year, restauranteurs around the state are honored for their work in their communities, leadership success, and entrepreneurial spirit. This year, Ronnie Cajas was chosen as a finalist for the statewide 2022 Outstanding Restauranteur Award.

If you've ever tasted his incredible culinary creations at either Street Eats or The new Urban Salt Kitchen and Bar, you would wonder how this incredibly talented chef would ever have time to do all he does for our community.  His leadership and entrepreneurial spirit is precisely what San Angelo needs to lure more and more of  the brightest and the best from around Texas and nationwide to our city.

The Urban Salt Kitchen & Bar is defined as "Upscale Modern American" Even in a forum so full of snarky reviews like YELP, this new downtown gem is getting breathtaking reviews. With a bold menu that includes Grilled Octopus and Grilled Annatto Chicken, people are driving to San Angelo to experience a dining experience that would stand out even in a dynamic metro as big as Dallas or Houston. This West Texas Gem would even excel in crowded restaurant markets like New York or trendy L.A.

Even if your tastes are more burgers and cocktails, you will find them both elevated to new heights at The Urban Salt Kitchen & Bar. If you want to impress someone, this is where you go.

Chef Ronnie Cajas is a rising star. He is proof that you don't have to travel to find exemplary dining experiences right here in San Angelo. In fact, when it comes to Chef Ronnie, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if there are people in Austin or San Antonio who are saying: "I wish our city was more like San Angelo."

 

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