SAN ANTONIO -- Raul Segura is a cooking machine at Umberto's Italian Grill. His passion for cooking is so infectious his family is lovingly contaminated for the rest of their lives.
"He doesn't read it from an ingredient book," said Raul's daughter Rocio Cortez. "He makes it was so much love. He is never tired."
Segura is one of 12 children from Mexico who caught the incurable bug to cook. He and wife Rita came to San Antonio 21 years ago. Over the years, he had the chance to work in restaurants including one Italian place. He took that foundation and started to experiment.
The 50-year-old used his three daughters as well-fed lab rats to try out his concoctions. "He started cooking and started prepping and started making sauces and dough," said Cortez.
The former paralegal said her family opened a Mexican/Italian restaurant more than a decade ago. But the fiscal consequences that came in the days after 9/11 were too much for the eatery to survive.
Nearly four and half years ago, the Segura's (Dad, mom, sisters and brother-in-law) tried their hand at the food business again. The place is called Umberto's Italian Grill. Umberto is Segura's late father.
The first couple of years were lean. Now, the business at 7616 Culebra Road is doing extremely well.
"The true success story behind the restaurant I would say is God," said Cortez.. "God has given us the abilist. God has given us the strength. God has given us the tools."
The eating space is in a shopping plaza where many say it's a hidden gem on San Antonio's west side. The menu boasts francescas, piccatas, parmesans, marsalas, strombolis, alfredos, gorgonzolas, raviolis, linguines, pizzas and house Italian specialties.
Neighborhood Eats was treated to veal marsala, shrimp Umberto, salmon gorgonzola, caesar and Umberto salads and sides of pasta. Que Rico!
Cortez said the family plans to expand to another location in the future. We can only hope the location is very near the pleased palate of Neighborhood Eats.
That's this week's edition of Neighborhood Eats. If you have a suggestion for Marvin send an email (mhurst@kens5.com), tweet (@Mhurstkens5) or post it on the KENS5 Facebook page.