Most Popular
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Barack Obama and Me
It was the year 2000 and I was a young hungry reporter in Chicago covering a young hungry state legislator
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Mescaline on the Mexican Border
Texas is the only state in the country where peyote is sold legally. Really.
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A Prison Cover-up During Hurricane Rita
For days after the storm, inmates in Beaumont lived without A/C, electricity or hot meals. Press releases kept saying everything inside was fine. Guards and prisoners agree — that was nothing but B.S.
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Little Bitty Burger Barn
"It's okay to be little bitty in the big city" is an apt slogan for this new burger joint, where sliders rule
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Ghost Town CFS: Carriage House Cafe
Step back in time — to a spooky old carriage barn with a monster chicken-fried steak
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Barack Obama and Me (246)
It was the year 2000 and I was a young hungry reporter in Chicago covering a young hungry state legislator
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Save Lobo: A Siberian Husky Mix is Sentenced to Die (28)
Why? Because he's big and intimidating and because one family complained about him over and over again
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A Prison Cover-up During Hurricane Rita (13)
For days after the storm, inmates in Beaumont lived without A/C, electricity or hot meals. Press releases kept saying everything inside was fine. Guards and prisoners agree — that was nothing but B.S.
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Are You Hot Enough for Citizen Lounge? (6)
All This Useless Beauty
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Rotten to the Corps: A Question of Justice at Texas A&M (140)
Thanks to A& M and a district attorney, two cadets escape punishment for beating in a student's face
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Little Bitty Burger Barn
"It's okay to be little bitty in the big city" is an apt slogan for this new burger joint, where sliders rule
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Ghost Town CFS: Carriage House Cafe
Step back in time — to a spooky old carriage barn with a monster chicken-fried steak
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It's Hip to Be Square at Masraff's
Continental cuisine is over, so why would anybody want to eat at this retirees' hang-out on South Post Oak Lane?
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Paneer and Pizza at Gourmet India and Kings Chicken
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BB's on Montrose and DiVino on West Alabama
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Miss Pop Rocks Loves Some Whole Foods Boys
06:06AM 03/10/08 -
Weekend Music: Help Save the Houston Music Scene
03:54PM 03/07/08 -
To Do: Hockey and Roller Derby
04:12PM 03/07/08 -
Sausage Fest: Bangers and Mash at Red Lion Pub
11:40AM 03/08/08
What we are writing about
- American Gangster
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Recent Articles By Robb Walsh
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On Top of Spaghetti
At Antonio's Flying Pizza, we ponder what cheese pizzas and cheese enchiladas have in common
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Mom's Hand Restaurant
Inside the Komart store on Gessner, you'll find Korean food like Mom used to make
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Red Basil Thai Fusion Cuisine
New York Thai
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5 Wines That Will Blow Your Mind
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Sandy's Produce Market
One healthy meal at Sandy's Produce Market will wipe away all of your high-cholesterol sins
National Features
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SF Weekly
The Candidate
Our columnist knows Ralph Nader's running mate all too well.
By Matt Smith -
The Pitch
How Not To Be a Rap Star
First of all, lay off the Ecstasy.
By Nadia Pflaum -
Village Voice
Project Runaway
What becomes a gossip columnist most?
By Michael Musto
Who Is Sylvia?
A chef who loves Karl's on the Riverbend and Freddie Fender
By Robb Walsh
Published: February 15, 2007Sylvia Casares-Copeland, chef and owner of Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen, answers a few burning questions:
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Sylvia Casares-Copeland is into Cavalino tequila.
What's your fave ingredient, right now?
Chiles and cumin -- now and forever!
Who is your culinary hero?
My grandmother, Sara Issassi Casares. She was born in 1886 in Reynosa, Mexico, had 14 children and cooked all the time. She cooked border-style. There was always a basket of hot flour tortillas and some empanadas on the table. She made calabacitas (summer squash) with corn, tomatoes, onions and pork or chicken. I make them for a lunch special some- times. When I was trying to think of something vegetarian, I came up with the idea of calabacita enchiladas. I just make them without the meat and add a little cheese.
Where do you eat on your day off?
I live out in the country in far west Fort Bend County, so on weeknights I go to Karl's on the Riverbend ["Brunch in the Alps," by Robb Walsh, February 9, 2006]. It's a half mile from my house. He makes a great potato, leek and bacon soup, and I love the chopped steak. If I wasn't watching calories, I'd eat Karl's chicken-fried chicken with cream gravy every night.
What are you drinking lately?
Cavalino Tequila; it's the new underdog tequila. They just got it at Spec's. It scored a 94 at the Tequila Olympics or whatever they call that competition. It tastes great, comes in a plain-Jane bottle and it's underpriced. I like it straight, in margaritas or on the rocks with agave nectar.
What's your fave food TV show?
I don't watch much TV!
What's your culinary philosophy?
USE FRESH INGREDIENTS!
What's the next big thing going to be?
I'm not sure. I'm a traditionalist.
What are you sick of?
People who put down Tex-Mex! I grew up in Brownsville. And I am proud to be cooking the food that I grew up eating. When people tell me they love my restaurant because the food isn't Tex-Mex, they are trying to be nice, but they are putting me and my food and background down. Like Tex-Mex isn't real cooking!
Who's your fave musicians?
For old-time ranchero music, Alejandro Fernandez, Vicente Fernandez's son. For Tex-Mex music, The Blazers, a group from L.A. that sounds like they are from south Texas. And for "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights," Freddie Fender.
