My story begins in advance of Manuel’s birth. It begins as a young U.T. student on a date with a beautiful girl at Gianni’s restaurant in Austin, Texas. Our impressive waiter, Greg Koury, was a towering example of intelligence and grace. Fast forward, I’m working at a Russian restaurant, Sasha’s, and they want me to become a waiter. They invited Greg Koury to be my service consultant. I was gobsmacked by his knowledge: as he explained the importance of ‘reading the table,’ seeing the entire restaurant as your section, using a big tray a pivot point of service, anticipating your guests needs… Again, fast forward, I’m walking in West Campus and Greg Koury is selling hotdogs in front of the Littlefield Fountain, and I begin to sing at the top of my lungs, “I know a Winnie man, he owns a Winnie stand, he sells most anything from Winnie’s on down!” Greg turned ketchup red but appreciated the fact that my bodacious performance increased his sales! Fast forward, Greg Koury is opening his own restaurant on Congress Avenue. He jackhammered the floors himself, maxed his credit cards, and worked like a dog to convert the amazing jazz club, Piggy’s, at 310 Congress into his new Mexican restaurant, Manuel’s! On the second day of business, my buddy Jackson Drake, took me there for lunch. There was no one in the place. This was the great era of ‘fern bars’ in Austin, and there wasn’t a single plant, sombrero, tablecloth, or mariachi in the place. Sleek, clean lines, theatrical, and very apparent that this was no new Tex-Mex joint, we were experiencing the design sensibilities and culinary influences of pan-Mexican cuisine at its finest. No Velveeta her folks! It didn’t take long for Greg’s fine dining background, the partnership with Ahmad Modoni, and the fine staff and kitchen crew to distinguish Manuel’s as a first-rate eatery. His insistence on quality first and polite discourse permeated every aspect of the business. It was a delight to visit Manuel’s on a Sunday evening and see Governor George Bush, Jr. dining in the corner, music and film stars, Ann Richards, students, musicians, the gay community, and everyone in between. There was such a lovely sense of community and celebration thanks to the vision and passion of Greg Koury, and the many lovely people that worked to make Manuel’s a loved and cherished part of Austin. #LoveManuels, #Manuels40th