"Fried Avocado Lettuce Wraps" is the name of popular new appetizer on the menu of Matt's Rancho Martinez in Dallas. Invented by fourth-generation Tex-Mex chef Marco Martinez, the dish features chicken-fried avocado slices served with Vietnamese-style lettuce wraps and condiments along with a monkey bowl of ranch dressing for dipping.
"Why not?" Marco Martinez said. Everybody loves the lettuce wraps served in Texas Vietnamese restaurants, he observed, so why not put the popular lettuce tacos o
photo by Will van OverbeekThird-generation Tex-Mex legend Matt Martinez, Jr. died last Friday at the age of 63. With his family, he owned Matt's Rancho Martinez and Matt's No Place restaurants in Dallas. He also had an interest in Matt's El Rancho, the legendary Austin Tex-Mex restaurant founded by his father in 1952. His grandfather, Delphino Martinez, immigrated from Mexico and made enough money selling tamales on Congress Avenue to open El Original, one of Austin's first Tex-Mex restaurants,
Photo by Robb WalshI now consider it society's greatest injustice that every city does not have at least one cupcake truck like Austin does.
First some good news: we thought Late Night Pie was dead and gone, but it turns out we were mistaken; they've simply moved to a new location and will be returning with a full liquor license. Which is awesome, because pizza actually goes really well with wine.
