Las Manitas

For well over ten years now, I have been eating regularly at Las Manitas on Congress Avenue. By "regularly," I mean at least once a week, although I've gone through periods where I've been there three, four or more times each week.

One of the things I love about Austin is that it is both a big city -- lots of interesting people, lots to do, the amenities of a big city (although I am sure there are those who would disagree) -- and a small town. Having been here for 20 years, it's rare that I can go to a movie or a restaurant or to the park without running into someone I know. That's a wonderful feeling, as anyone who experiences it knows. For those who do not get to experience it, Austin may seem to be too large, growing too fast, with too much traffic. But to me, it's all that -- plus a little town.

Las Manitas is one of those places where I get that small town sense. Rarely do I go there without seeing at least one person I know, and often I see many more. My friends tease me that Las Manitas is my "embassy" -- the place where I can hold court and visit with lots of people in one fell swoop.

Austin needs places like Las Manitas. In fact, every town needs places like Las Manitas, and the larger the town, the harder it is to find them. There's been lots of grumbling about the city's financial plan to assist Las Manitas, which includes the now-infamous "forgivable" loan. But the loan has some preconditions and stipulations which make it far from a giveaway. And besides, Las Manitas is an actual treasure. Thank goodness our city's leaders will work with the owners to hang on to it.