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Searching for the best food the state has to offer, plus authentic Texas recipes and restaurant reviews for Houston, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, San Antonio, El Paso, and everywhere in between.
Eat My Words|
November 6, 2009

Stuffed every morning

I’m having fun trying all the great little eateries in Texas Monthly’s new neighborhood close by St David’s. Lunch is usually a sandwich-shop adventure, but for breakfast there’s currently only one choice for me, and that is a stuffed croissant from Lava Java, the coffee shop that’s part of Longhorn

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Eat My Words|
October 5, 2009

Gourmet magazine to close!

We all followed the bad news about publisher Conde Nast’s plummeting ad sales, and we all watched as their food magazines got skinnier and skinnier. (You could practically slip them under a door they were so flat.) But the bets were that, if CN closed any of them, it would

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Eat My Words|
September 25, 2009

Last Call: Le Reve Is Closing!!!!

My cell phone rang while I was fumbling around with my credit card paying for a Greek salad at lunch today. It was Andrew Weissmann, chef/ower of Le Reve in San Antonio. “Are you sitting down?” he said. The only acceptable answer to that question is, “I am now.” “Well,”

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Eat My Words|
September 22, 2009

Asti’s Perfect Panino

Stopped in at Asti for a quick lunch, got the daily panino, expecting a good basic sammy. Wow! Homemade focaccia, toasty, slathered with house mozzarella & thin-sliced salami with a tart-sweet rosemary balsamic reduction. What a treat! They don’t have it every day but I’ll bet if you begged, they

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Eat My Words|
September 21, 2009

This Just In: Mark Schmidt has left Annie’s

Austin diners will be devastated: Mark Schmidt (formerly of Cafe 909 in Marble Falls), has left his gig at Annie’s (formerly Apple Annie’s). Man, that didn’t last long. And it seemed like such a perfect match. I’ve asked what the deal is, haven’t had time to hear back yet.

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Eat My Words|
September 2, 2009

A Tease on Tesar’s

If you’re the type who MUST be first with everything, today would be a good time to check out chef John Tesar’s new restaurant in the Woodlands (north of Houston). It’s opening, yes, today, so you know the poor guy is probably ready to set his hair on fire about

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Food & Drink|
July 31, 2009

Soul Food

Julie Powell, the author, blogger, and inspiration for the film Julie & Julia, discusses living in New York, missing Austin, and seeing her life on the big screen.

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Food & Drink|
July 31, 2009

How to Brew Sweet Tea

It seems simple enough—make tea, add sugar—but brewing a high-class glass of Southern champagne is “all about time, temperature, and quality,” according to Clayton Christopher, the founder of Austin-based Sweet Leaf Tea Company. He should know: In just over ten years, he’s gone from making batches of the stuff at

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Eat My Words|
July 22, 2009

The Fifty Best Burgers in Texas: The List

You can access the full story on texasmonthly.com (subscriber-only), but here’s the list, just to get your tastebuds revved up. Also, there are lots of related burger sidebars that we couldn’t squeeze into the magazine. Check them out. The list is ranked in order of our preference from one to

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Eat My Words|
June 29, 2009

Spirits of the Times

My good friends at Fino, Lisa and Emmett Fox, have fully embraced the cocktail craze. They’ve persuaded their chef at Fino, Jason Donoho,and mixologist Bill Norris to whip up a four-course dinner with courses matched to cocktails. Throughout the meal, Jason and Bill will discuss the philosophy behind the pairings.

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Eat My Words|
June 18, 2009

Spam? From Bleh to Wow

In the same day I visited an empty Michna’s which was serving up beautifully smoked meat with genuinely thankful service, I walked into a packed Uncle Dan’s at 2:00 in the afternoon. Hoping for the best, I went with the three meat plate of ribs, brisket and hot links.Simply

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Eat My Words|
June 9, 2009

Chili’s Founder Norman Brinker Dies

Norman Brinker, 78, the Dallasite who founded Chili’s, died Tuesday while on vacation in Colorado Springs. Whether or not his many restaurants–Chili’s, Bennigan’s, Steak & Ale–were my cup of tea, I certainly acknowledge the influence he had on Texas restaurant scene and the enormous respect and affection with which he

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Eat My Words|
May 14, 2009

Granola Wars!

It doesn’t get much earthier—and in Austin, that’s saying a lot—than Wheatsville Coop. The clerks and clientele at the U.T.-area natural foods store make the dreadlocked staff at Whole Foods look like uptown posers. Ratty but loveable Wheatsville is in the final throes of massive up-do that will expand the

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Food & Drink|
March 31, 2009

How to Eat Well in Hard Times

It’s easy, really. Just go get yourself some shrimp tacos, a beef-and-cheese cachapa, grilled pork with green papaya, fried chicken, gourmet Frito pie, or any of the 25 finds on this list of my favorite dishes in Texas under ten bucks.

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Eat My Words|
March 13, 2009

Farmhouse Delivery

Two bags of incredibly fresh produce just  arrived on my desk. Not being able to eat several pounds of greens and radishes and fennel myself, i put out an email to the staff (AKA the Devouring Horde). The stuff was gone in 60 seconds–no, 30 seconds. The produce came from

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Eat My Words|
March 13, 2009

Attention Coneheads

Just got an announcement: The Mighty Cone food trailer is having its opening day this Saturday all day (from 11 to 11) at 1603 S. Congress, that’s the southeast corner of  Congress & Monroe.  TMC is a food truck from Hudson’s on the Bend, selling Hudson’s signature hot ‘n’ crunchy

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Eat My Words|
March 11, 2009

Tributes to Matt

These tributes to well-loved Dallas restaurateur and native Austinite Matt Martinez, Jr., who is ill with brain cancer and has entered hospice care, come from other blogs in the Dallas area.  Fort Worth journalist June Naylor wrote, “[Matt’s dad] Matt Sr. taught my mom to make his famous shrimp enchiladas

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Eat My Words|
March 9, 2009

Wine A to Z

If you’re new to wine, don’t know all the arcane terms, feel intimidated, here’s a good way to learn a little. The Wine and Food Foundation of Texas does great informal classes that take the mystique out of the subject. There’s one in Austin this Thursday, March 12,

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Eat My Words|
February 26, 2009

Texans: Read It and Weep

A sauce company in MAINE won a bunch of awards in a TEXAS barbecue contest. Gawd help us! Even worse, the products had names like Pixie Dust, Chick Magnet Rub, and Cow Bell Hell Rub. I am mortified. (The competition was the 18th Annual National Barbecue Association’s Conference & Expo,

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Eat My Words|
February 26, 2009

Cafe Annie Is Changing Its Name!

After 28 years as the grande dame of Houston dining, Cafe Annie is moving and changing its name! (It’s like Queen Elizabeth II deciding she’s going to go by Lizzie the Queen 2.) When its new location is opened (around early May), Cafe Annie will divide like an

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Eat My Words|
February 25, 2009

Cluck Cluck Cluck

The Counter Cafe, in Austin, has the most incredible chicken burger. They only offer it once a week, usually on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday.  So you need to be sure it’s chicken-burger day before you go. And don’t try to go right at noon, because it’s a teensy weensy

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Eat My Words|
February 25, 2009

La Condesa–Could Be the New Hot Thing

If times weren’t so darned tough, I’d predict that La Condesa was going to take off like a rocket. I mean, the space is crazy contemporary, the drinks are awesome, the food is by and large excellent (based on, oh, about eight apps and dishes). The only thing

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Eat My Words|
February 13, 2009

James Beard Award Semifinalists Announced

Chefs and restaurateurs wait for the James Beard Awards like movie actors wait for the Oscars. An award from the James Beard Foundation means gold for your resume and probably (if times were a little better right now) a salary bump. Today, the Beard Foundation announced the

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Eat My Words|
February 12, 2009

Kent Rathbun’s Latest

News flash: Big-time Dallas chef Kent Rathbun is going casual. On Feb. 23, he will open Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen at 6130 Luther Lane, 214-890-1103. He says it will feature the kinds of dishes he ccoks for the family, and that he grew up eating himself. Hmmmmm. I’m

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Eat My Words|
February 9, 2009

Sweets to the Sweet

Maybe you know someone who adores cookbooks. For Valentine’s, get them Dallas Classic Desserts, a new, beautifully photographed little tome from Pelican ($15.95–but it’s actually already on Amazon for less!). Here’s some of what’s in it: a Valrhona chocolate bar from Bijoux restaurant; a blueberry cobbler with lemon-verbena frozen yogurt

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Eat My Words|
February 7, 2009

Candy Is Dandy, But Liquor Is Quicker

Get high on Valentine’s–SXUL Chocolates (yes, their real name) has introduced a chocolate-flavored vodka in sexy black bottles. The company already markets irresistible bonbons, which I have tasted and can vouch for. If you want to try either the spirits or the sweets, check out the Spec’s liquor

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Eat My Words|
February 6, 2009

It’s a Tropical Eat Wave

I’ve been eating my way through a ton of ethnic restaurants for a story we’re doing. One of the highlights of my Houston trip was the Banana Leaf, a roughly six- or eight-month-old Malaysian cafe way out west on Bellaire Boulevard. It has split-bamboo-lined walls, giving it a bit of

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Food & Drink|
February 1, 2009

Valentines and Vines

BECKER VINEYARDS464 Becker Farms Road Stonewall 830-644-2681 http://www.beckervineyards.comValentine’s Dinner Chefs At Large of Fredericksburg will create a tantalizing menu, and wines will be paired with each course. Prepayment and reservations required. Dress attire is business. February 14: 6:30 p.m. Price: $85 per person Merlot & Chocolate

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Eat My Words|
January 22, 2009

Dive In

Friends began to email back in August, saying, you gotta try this place in Austin named the Good Knight, it’s almost ready for prime time, some things are so good, yada yada yada (is that how you spell yada?). Finally, I went. Yes! First, lower your decor expectations (their ain’t

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Eat My Words|
January 21, 2009

Dallas Morning News Has New Restaurant Critic

They’ve got a live one at the Dallas News: Leslie Brenner is going to be the new restaurant critic, starting mid-February. She’s got serious credentials, having been most recently the Sunday magazine editor at the LA Times and prior to that, the newspaper’s restaurant critic. Read more on the DMN

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Eat My Words|
January 21, 2009

Earthquake: Jeffrey’s Chef Leaving!

Jeffrey’s owner Ron Weiss is letting the news media know that Alma Alcocer-Thomas is leaving the Austin restaurant, where she has cooked, most recently as exeucutive chef, for sixteen years. The new man at the range will be Deegan McClung, who is now executive chef at Cissi’s Market on South

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Eat My Words|
January 14, 2009

Nobody Knows the Truffles I’ve Seen

I think Texas Monthly needs to send me to the Truffle Festival in Eugene, Oregon. Never mind it’s totally for my own benefit and enjoyment. Ohmigod, theyre having truffle dinners (but of course), truffle cooking classes with hubba-hubba chefs, and book signings. Plus, you’re in OREGON! Listen to what

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