I like my etouffee like I like my street people: sassy and slightly scary.

The atmosphere is bar-none the best in Austin if you like that lo-fi/hi-fi vibe as much as we do with a strong dash of surrealism and steaming sensuality.

Detroit-style pizza is deep dished in aluminum pans once used for cleaning auto parts, parbaked with liberal amounts of butter, and lathered with tomato sauce on top.

Laura Bush started the Texas Book Festival in 1995, and it's been held at the capitol ever since, now spilling down Congress.

The food at G'raj Mahal is straight-up Indian with cage-free and free-range proteins mixed with natural ingredients.

Started by Texas State alumni, this modern-but-comfy fast-fine-kinda-casual spot with chef'd up and instagrammable offerings is part cafe, part beer hall, part sports bar, and all hip.

On paper, the Loro lovechild of James Beard award winners Tyson Cole of Uchi and Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue induces a Pavlovian response.

Restaurant-wise, we had three must-eats on the list: Raymonds in St. John's, Mallard Cottage in Quidi Vidi, and The Norseman at L'Anse aux Meadows. All of them were superb.

Doors closing, doors opening, and a dippy surprise!

...this is home cooking for Silverstein, who was raised by a Chinese-American mother and a Jewish-American father in Tokyo and Atlanta