Did you hear that story in the New England Journal of Medicine this week that talked about how our own weight is significantly influenced by the weight of our closest friends? Well, our friends better watch out because we're likely to plump up in a hurry now that Stortini has come to town. Stortini is the newest restaurant in the El Chile family of eateries and it’s in the space on Manor Road where......

The little pocket of tex-mex restaurants on Manor just east of I-35 never ceases to delight and impress, and El Gringo is no exception. Sunday's brunch outing was fruitful and exciting for the future of this establishment. Brunch was an addition to the full menu, meaning we had a wealth of options if one of us wasn't up for traditional morning fare. We began with gorgeous chorizo empanadas with a perfect crust - substantial......

The Austin Chronicle kicked off its 19th Annual Restaurant Poll yesterday with a ballot deadline of April 23. Each year the Chronicle covers all the bases from best comfort food to best bathrooms to best wine list. The results will be featured in the May 18 issue of the Chronicle. Here's who we're voting for: FAVORITE RESTAURANT One: El Gringo Two: Vespaio Enoteca Three: Uchi BEST DISHES Appetizers: The Bar at the Roaring Fork......

Nearly a year ago, Austin theatre company Salvage Vanguard made the fabulous announcement that they were finally settling down after twelve years of wandering about town, and committing to a single performance space. That new space, on 2308 Manor Road and within spitting distance of the Vortex and the El Gringo/Chile/Chilito goodness, would eventually contain a 100-seat performance space, offices, a rehearsal studio, and a dozen smaller studios to be used by fellow theatre......

Zagat's 2007 America's Top Restaurants Survey is out and although the setup on this one begs for an immediate rimshot, it's true - we love eating out. In fact, only Houston residents eat out with more frequency *snicker* than Austinites. Hungry Houstonians are eating out an average of 4.2 meals per week while residents of Austin and Dallas/Ft. Worth eat out an average of 4 times per week. Trailing in weekly eating-out outings are......