Building a Case

I love the theater and would rather go see a show than stay at home by myself and watch a big glowing box.

John Demous
New York, New York

Dropped in the Grease

Lard have mercy: Has the Houston Press hired Gary Michaels as a restaurant reviewer or a fiction writer [Hot Plate, June 20]? He proclaims the meatless Tex-Mex archetypal food of El Paraiso Mexican Restaurant. He promises no lard in the refried beans and no chicken stock in the rice.

As a lifelong vegetarian, I am always on the lookout for a rare new restaurant option in this meat-hungry town. I immediately put down my copy of the Houston Press and headed straight to the Montrose-area restaurant, salivating for some vegetarian-friendly Tex-Mex food.

Imagine my disappointment when I asked the incredulous waitress to confirm that there was indeed no lard, bacon or chicken stock used in the beans or rice. "Of course we use lard in everything," she said, as I meekly replaced the hot greasy tortilla chip into the basket she had just placed on the table in front of me.

Perhaps Mr. Michaels had his Mexican restaurants confused. If so, please tell me where I can find the classic stuff without the animal fat.

Janice Rubin
HoustonEditor's note: The management of the restaurant swears that the waitress was wrong and that it uses only 100 percent vegetable oil.

Color-Blind

Cut the race references: I noticed the reference to the "white boys" in your recent article [Playbill, by John Nova Lomax, June 13] and also your using "black" in several places in this piece. Please be more careful in the use of language so as not to upset the loyal fans of your music articles.

Harry A. Taylor
Houston

Editor's note: Consider this not just friendly advice but family advice: Taylor is Lomax's grandfather.