Hot Plate

Oh-oh! Wouldn't you know it? Just when I thought I'd laid to rest the last of my obsessions, up crops a new one. This time it's caramanolas ($6) -- yuca turnovers filled with black beans, cotija cheese and Caribbean chorizo served in a rich cilantro sauce -- and to find them, you'll have to go to Churrascos (2055 Westheimer, 527-8300). But don't, I beg you. The road to hell is paved with these things. Eat even one, and you're done for. We're not talking Lost Weekend here; we're talking Lost the Rest of Your Life. So if your loved ones mean anything to you -- if you want to preserve a shred of dignity -- steer clear of this place. Caramanolas have ruined my life; don't let them ruin yours.