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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMisc.' Beaumont Enterprise 000d 3obstewnrestau rate r creates r Greg Fieg Pizano f a .G )rpus Christi Caller Times . ROBSTOWN -- A stranger ove into a filling station — so story goes — and stuck his ad out the window to ask sere he could find some of that nous Texas barbecue he had and so much about. the attendant wasn't sure, but , ustomer offered a suggestion: o to Howard's," he said. hat's the best place." `Or you can go to the Texas r -B -Q House," said another Aomer. "That's really the best .ce." 3oth withdrew their sugges- ts, however, when a third ;tomer reminded them: "If 1 really want the best barbe- go to Joe Cotton's." Vhether Joe Cotten's really is best, of course, is a matter of nion. but there's little doubt after 40 .rs of serving brisket, ribs and sage that it has come to be arded as one of the biggest I most revered barbecue res- rants in Texas. :'s legendary even to its com- itors. ust a hole -in- the -wall beer t when it opened in 1947, it grown into a 15,000- square- Robstown mecca for some ie most prestigious palates in South. mong Cotten's customers e been President Lyndon B. nson, Gov. Bill Clements, - itry- western singer Willie ;on, rock'n'roll star Bill Ha- former U.S. Ambassador to at Britain Anne Armstrong, oall player and businessman er Staubach, and many oth- ► ttring contracts have come as far away as Houston. A only is Cotten's parking lot with pickups, Cadillacs and >ies, but even helicopters it on the U.S. 77 median in of the building. werful business people from oints clamber down just for )rivilege of tasting honest -to- ness Texas barbecue served Zeets of plain, old- fashioned her paper, and hearing the liar, barking voice of rugged !ar -old Joe Cotten himself as ;ks: "Did y'all get enough to long those who fly in regu- are executives for the vl;ng Coastal Corp. oil com- in Houston, who generally reached a consensus, corn- spokesman Jim Bailey said. y feel it's the best barbecue state." at makes Cotten's Cotten's ocally built, custom -made, by 8 -foot iron "pits" teem- ith 1,300 pounds of corn -fed beef smoked all night long a glowing half -cord of ed mesquite. other method can produce ;ame, smoked flavor as far Cotten is concerned. His pile is as big as a corral. ce is created in a bubbling, Ion caldron using buckets legendary Texas cuisine 1. v Cotten will call out before th have a chance to answer. None of his recipes are writb down, but all it takes is one tas for Cotten to tell if an ingredie has been forgotten, said his so Cecil, 28, who one day will tal over the business. He could probably detect teaspoon of sugar in a barrel vinegar, Cecil Cotten said. Before moving to his preset location in 1968, Cotten had be( in a little place he leased c Avenue A, where he had put small barbecue pit in a buildir at the rear. "We started out with a san( wick for 30 cents, and a pound meat was a dollar. Soft drink were a nickel and beer was cents," Cotten said. "We didn't have any silve. ware. You cut it with yot pocket knife and you ate it wit your fingers," he said. Today there are place setting and his waiters all wear re jackets, white shirts and blac ties even if the meat is sti served on butcher paper. His cooking style is derive from primitive European tradi tions widely thought to hav been brought to the Americas South by early Europeans. AP Laserphoto Restaurateur' Joe Cotten shows off his barbecue. __ Texas Bar -B -Q in nearby Corpus Christi calls Cotten a legend. "I feel like Joe has built his reputation for so long it's tough to compete," said Montgomery, whose barbecue has often been favorably compared to Cotten's. Though Montgomery thinks Zis own barbecue is best, he's not - iecessarily insulted to be consid- ,red -- at least by some custom - >rs -- to be No. 2. After all, he's heard of people is far away as Japan talking about Cotten's as though it were i shrine or some kind of tourist attraction. "As long as they mention me n the same breath with Joe : otten, that's an honor," Mont - omery said. Whether Cotten's barbecue ruly is better than Montgom- ry's or any other remains a tatter of personal preference, of curse. Cotten, a powerful, broad - hested patriarchal type with )ugh, stubby fingers, wrists as iiek as a boa constrictor and a o- funny- business gravelly oice, rules his domain with the uthority of the oilfield rough - eck he once was. His kitchen is immaculate un- °r his watchful eyes. A 35 -mem- E!r bucket brigade is made to go , every square inch of stain - ss steel and terra cotta at least vice a day with cleansers, mops id sponges. What if once in a while there's soap streak on a table top, a op string in the drain or a it. Though he might not get fired, he might be given some "time off to think about it, Cotten said. "It doesn't matter where we are or what we're doing, if we get in trouble Joe Cotten will come and get us out," said one worker who asked not to be identified. Cotten's reputation is such that a competitor once hired one of Cotten's cooks, then pro- ceeded to advertise that the fellow, "formerly of Joe Cot - ten's," was now at such -and- such a place. "People asked me whether I was going to sue them, but I said no. I don't mind them advertis- ing my place," Cotten said. Cotten works his dining rooms with all the charm of a man running for mayor. "See that man over there," says Cotten, pointing to a cus- tomer. "When he came in he was all nervous and excited. Now we got him relaxed. That's what we want. We want people to be comfortable." Cotten is reputed to know thousands of customers by name, and he makes a point to try to ask as many as possible whether they have had enough to eat. "Bring on some more meat," 7j SUNDAY, October 23,1988, Longview News - Journal 34 Cotten's barbecue called legendary, even by competitors ROBSTOWN (AP) — A stranger drove into a filling station — so the story goes — and stuck his head out the window to ask where he could find some of that famous Texas barbecue he had heard so much about. The attendant wasn't sure, but a customer offered a suggestion: "Go V ward's," he said. "That's the bebt place." "Or you can go to the Texas Bar -B -Q House," said another cus- tomer. "That's really the best place." Both withdrew their sugges- tions,_ however, when a third customer reminded them: `'If you really want the best barbecue, go to Joe Cotten's." Whether Joe Cotten's really is g the best, of course, is a matter of larly are executives for the opinion. sprawling Coastal Corp. oil com- of fresh tomatoes, mustard, black -,But there's little doubt after 40 pany in Houston, who generally pepper, salt and other ingre- years of serving brisket, ribs and have reached a consensus, com- dients. sausage that it has come to be pany spokesman Jim Bailey said. Rival Kenny Montgomery of reg ,4-tded as one of the biggest "They feel it's the best barbecue Texas Bar -B-Q in nearby Corpus and most revered barbecue res- in the state." Christi calls Cotten a legend. taurants in Texas. What makes Cotten's Cotten's "I feel like Joe has built his 'It's- legendary even to its com - are locally built, custom -made, reputation for so long it's tough petitors. i 7 -foot by 8 -foot iron "pits" teem to compete," said Montgomery, 'Just a hole -in -the -wall beer ing with 1,300 pounds of corn -fed whose barbecue has often been joint when it opened in 1947/ it Iowa beef smoked all night long favorably compared to Cotten's. has • grown into a 15,000- squre- foot, Robstown mecca for some of the � most prestigious pates in the South. Among -- cotfen's customers have been President Lyndon B. Johnson, Gov. Bill Clements, country- western singer Willie Nelson, rock 'n' roll star Bill Haley, former U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain Anne Armstrong, football player and businessman' Roger Staubach, and many oth- ers. Catering contracts have come from as far away as Houston. Not only is Cotten's parking lot full with pickups, Cadillacs and jalopies, but even helicopters alight on the U.S. 77 median in front of the building. Powerful business people from all points clamber down just for the privilege of tasting honest -to- goodness Texas barbecue served on sheets of plain, old- fashioned butcher paper, and hearing the familiar, barking voice of rugged 63- year -old Joe Cotten himself as he asks: "Did y'all get enough to eat?" Amon those who fly in regu- Cotten over a glowing half -cord of gnarled mesquite. No other method can produce that same, smoked flavor as far as Joe' Cotten is concerned. His wood pile is as big as a corral. J Sauce is created in a bubbli�� 35- gallon caldron using C V of drippings slowly i M % from the sizzling me fo mixed with more than 3t Though Montgomery thinks his own barbecue is best, he's not necessarily insulted to be consid- ered — at least by some custom- ers — to be No. 2. After all, he's heard of people as far away as Japan talking about Cotten's as though it were a shrine or some kind of tourist attraction. "As long as they mention me in the same breath with Joe Cotten, that's an honor," Montgomery said. Whether Cotten's barbecue tru- ly is better than Montgomery's or any other remains a matter of personal preference, of course. Cotten, a powerful, broad - chested patriarchal type with tough, stubby fingers, wrists as thick as a boa constrictor and a no-funny- business gravelly voice, rules his domain with the author- ity of the oil field roughneck he once was. His kitchen is immaculate un- der his watchful eyes. A 35 -mem- ber bucket brigade is made to go over every square inch of stain- less steel and terra cotta at least twice a day with cleansers, mops and sponges. What if once in a while there's a soap streak on a table top, a mop str'ug in the drain or a soiled brush in the janitor's closet? "There better not be," says Cotten in a cool but certain tone. If an employee is as much as one minute late, he's in trouble, or "gone" as his co- workers put it. Though he might not get fired, he might be given some "time off to think about it," Cotten said. "It doesn't matter where we are or what we're doing, if we get in trouble Joe Cotten will come and get us out," said one worker who asked not to be identified. Cotten's reputation is such that a competitor once hired one of) Cotten's cooks, then proceeded to, advertise that the fellow, "for- merly of Joe Cotten's," was now at such - and -such a place. "People asked me whether I was going to sue them, but I said no. I don't mind them advertising my place," Cotten said. Cotten works his dining rooms with all the charm of a man running for mayor. "See that man over there," says Cotten, pointing to a customer. "When he came in he was all nervous and excited. Now we got him relaxed. That's what we want. We want people to be comfortable." Cotten is reputed to know thousands of customers by name, and he makes a point to try to ask as many as possible whether they have had enough to eat. • "Bring on some more meat," Cotten will call out before they have a chance to answer. None of his recipes are written down, but all it takes is one taste for Cotten to tell if an ingredient has been forgotten, said his .son, Cecil, 28, who one day will take over the business. He could probably detect a teaspoon of sugar in a barrel of vinegar, Cecil Cotten said. Before moving to his present location in 1968, Cotten had been in a little place he leased on Avenue A, where he had put a small barbecue pit in a building at the rear. "We started out with a sand- wich for 30 cents, and a pound of meat was a dollar. Soft drinks were a nickel and beer was 20 cents," Cotten said. PAGE 12A THE TEXAS CITY SUN— SUNDAY, OCT. 16, 1988 SERVIN G ALL OF THE GALVESTON COU NTY MAIN LAN D Texas Topic 40 years of serving brisket, ribs and sausage ROBSTOWN, Texas (AP) — A stranger drove into a filling station — so the story goes — and stuck his head out the window to ask where he could find some of that famous Texas barbecue he had heard so much about. The attendant wasn't sure, but a customer offered a suggestion: "Go to Howard's," he said. "That's the best place. "Or you can go to the Texas Bar - B-Q House," said another customer. "That's really the best place." Both withdrew their suggestions, however, when a third customer reminded them: "If you really want the best barbecue, go to Joe Cot - ten's." Whether Joe Cotten's really is the best, of course, is a matter of opi- nion. But there's little doubt after 40 years of serving brisket, ribs and sausage that it has come to be regarded as one of the biggest and most revered barbecue restaurants in Texas. It's legendary even to its com- petitors. Just a hole -in- the -wall beer joint when it opened in 1947, it has grown into a 15,000- square -foot, Robstown mecca for some of the most prestigious palates in the South. Among Cotten's customers have been President Lyndon B. Johnson, Gov. Bill Clements, country - western singer Willie Nelson, rock 'n' roll star Bill Haley, former U.S. Am- bassador to Great Britain Anne Armstrong, football player and businessman Roger Staubach, and m nnv nthars ing. Powerful business people from all points clamber down just for the privilege of tasting honest -to- goodness Texas barbecue served on sheets of plain, old- fashioned butcher paper, and hearing the familiar, barking voice of rugged 63- year -old Joe Cotten himself as he asks: "Did y'all get enough to eat ?" Among those who fly in regularly are executives for the sprawling Coastal Corp. oil company in Houston, who generally have reach- ed a consensus, company spokesman Jim Bailey said. "They feel it's the best barbecue in the state." What makes Cotten's Cotten's are locally built, custom -made, 7 -foot by 8 -foot iron "pits" teeming with 1,300 pounds of corn -fed Iowa beef smoked all night long over a glowing half - cord of gnarled mesquite. No other method can produce that same, smoked flavor as far as Joe Cotten is concerned. His wood pile is as big as a corral. Sauce is created in a bubbling, 35- gallon caldron using buckets of drip- pings slowly collected from the siz- zling meats and mixed with more than 30 hounds of fresh tomatoes, tation for so long it's tough to com- pete," said Montgomery, whose barbecue has often been favorably compared to Cotten's. Though Montgomery thinks his own barbecue is best, he's not nec- essarily insulted to be considered — at least by. some customers — to be No. 2. After all, he's heard of people as far away as Japan talking about Cotten's as though it were a shrine or some kind of tourist attraction. "As long as they mention me in the same breath with Joe Cotten, that's an honor," Montgomery said. Whether Cotten's barbecue truly is better than Montgomery's or any other remains a matter of personal preference, of course. Cotten, a powerful, broad - chested patriarchal type with tough, stubby fingers, wrists as thick as a boa con- strictor and a no-funny- business gravelly voice, rules his domain with the authority of the oilfield roughneck he once was. His kitchen is immaculate under his watchful eyes. A 35- member bucket brigade is made to go over every square inch of stainless steel and terra cotta at least twice a day in a cool but certain tone. If an employee is as much as one minute late, he's in, trouble, or "gone" as his co-workers put it. Though he might not get fired, he might be given some "time off to think about it," Cotten said. "It doesn't matter where we are or what we're doing, if we get in trouble Joe Cotten will come and get us out," said one worker who asked not to be identified. Cotten's reputation is such that a competitor once hired one of Cot - ten's cooks, then proceeded to advertise that the fellow, "formerly of Joe Cotten's," was now at such - and -such a place. "People asked me whether I was going to sue them, but I said no. I don't mind them advertising my place, "Cotten said. Cotten works his dining rooms with all the charm of a man running for mayor. "See that man over there," says Cotten, pointing to a customer. "When he came in he was all ner- vous and excited. Now we got him relaxed. That's what we want. We want people to be comfortable." Cotten is reputed to know thou- sands of customers by name, and he makes a point to try to ask as many as possible whether they have had enough to eat. "Bring on some more meat," Cot- ten will call out before they have a chance to answer. - None of his recipes are written down, but all it takes is one taste for Cotten to tell if an ingredient has been forgotten, said his son, Cecil, 9.a whn nne day will take over the A -24 /The Houston Post /Sunday, November 27, 1988 LOCAL & STATE Even competitors admit Robsto By Greg Fieg Pizana CORPUS CHRISTI CALLER TIMES ROBSTOWN — A stranger drove into a filling station - so the story goes — and stuck his head out the window to ask where he could find some of that famous Texas barbecue he had heard so much about. The attendant wasn't sure, but a customer offered a suggestion: "Go to Howard's," he said. "That's the best place." .f "Or you can go to the Texas Bar -B -Q House," said another cus- tomer. "That's really the best place." I Both withdrew their suggestions, however, when a third customer reminded them: "If you really want the best barbecue, go to Joe Cot - ten's." Whether Joe Cotten's really is the best, ' of course, is a matter of opinion. But there's little doubt after 40 years of serving brisket, ribs and sausage that it has come to be re- garded as one of the biggest and most revered barbecue restaurants in Texas. It's legendary even to its com- petitors. Just a hole -in- the -wall beer joint when it opened; in 1947„ it has grown into a 15,000 -sgiie -foot Robstown mecca for son'of the most prestigious palaten the South. Among Cotten's custo have been President Lyndon John- son, Gov. Bill Clemen f untry- western singer Willie Ne, rock 'n' roll star Bill Haley, fer U.S. Ambassador to Great Br' Anne Armstrong, and football 1r and businessman Roger Stau. Catering contracts Itcome from as far away as Hod Not only is Cotten's hg lot filled with pickups, C*' and jalopies, but even helic f ight- on the U.S. 77 mediarInt of barbecu e point on he building. Iding. ®f Powerful business in the state." all points clamber down ju s t e fs Cotten Privilege r the b 's are local! of tastin lust fouilt rom What make, custom - ness Texas g honest -to -good- iron made, with 1,300 7- by -g_f sheets of barbecue served on "Pits" teemin Plain, old- fashioned Pounds moked all ni ht lon butcher paper and hearing corn -fed Iowa beef miliar, barking voice e g the fa- ing half -cord of g over a glow - Year -old Joe Cotten himself he that samees gnarled mesquite. asks: "Did method can produce eat ?" Y all get enou h smoked flavor as far as g to Joe Cotten is concerned. His wood Among those who fly in re Pile is as big as a corral. IY are executives for the s gular- Sauce is created in Coastal Cor prawling 35- a bubbling, Houston P• oil company in dri gallgn caldron using buckets of reached , consensus PPin s slowly collected from the a consensus, generally have sizzling meats and spokesman Jim Bailey said. ant more than 30 d. p mixed with ``They feel it's the best b matoes, Pounds of fresh to- u barbecue and other ingredients k pepper, salt best in state Rival Kenny Montgomery of Y Texas Bar -B -Q in nearby Corpus t Christi calls Cotten a legend. "I feel like Joe has built his repu- tation for so long it's tough to com- pete," said Montgomery whose barbecue has often been favdrably compared to Cotten's. Though Montgomery thinks his own barbecue is best, he not nec- essarily insulted to be considered — at least by some customers as No. 2. After all he's heard of people as far away as Japan talking abgv I Cotten's as though it were a shr` or some kind of tourist attrac' TAIWAN RESTAURANT Food: * *' /z Service: * *' /z Ambiance: ** Price: $ -$$ Speedy service, traditional Chinese favorites in a spacious dining area. 5425 S. Padre Island Drive, Moore Plaza Suite 168,994-9696. Ck. Cr. Full bar. [Sun. - Thurs, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri /Sat, 11:30 am.-11 p.m.] THAILAND RESTAURANT FF000qd: * ** Service: * ** Ambiance: ** Price: $$ Fiery cuisine - of Southeast Asia, with such exotic dishes as chicken potato curry and Thai basil stir fry. New sushi menu. 5505 Saratoga Blvd., 980 -0404. t,. Cr. Non -smok- ing. [Mon.-Fri, 11 am.-2:30 p.m. and 5 -10 p.m.; Sat, 4 -10 p.m.] THE THAI GUY Food: * ** Service: * ** Ambiance: * ** Price: $ -$$ Offers a variety of Thai dishes in ele- gant surroundings. 3812 S. Alameda, 855 -4448. Cr. Wine and beer. t. Non- smoking..[Mon: Fri., 11 a.m. 2:30 p.m.; Mon: Thu., 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m.; Sat., 11:30 a.m. 2:30 p.m.; Fri: Sat., 5 p.m: 10 p.m.; closed Sunday] TIEN TAN Food: * * '/2 Service: * ' /2 Ambiance: *' /z Price: $$ Generous portions and a buffet that isn't too heavy on the grease. 5898 Everhart Road, 980 -0748. t,. Beer, wine. Ck. Cr. Non - smoking. [Sun., Tue.-Fri., 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and Tue.- Sun., 5 -9 p.m.] TOKYO DEN Food: ** Service: * ** Ambiance: ** Price: $$ 50 types of sushi and other classic Asian foods and servers eager to explain what's what. 5625 -C S. Padre Island Drive, 992 -9611. t,. Full bar. Cr. Ck. [Mon.-Thu., 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 11:30 a.m: 10:30 p.m.; Sun, 5 -9:30 p.m.] VIETNAM RESTAURANT Food: * ** Service: * ** Ambiance:*** 'h Price: $$ Downtown location features must - see dining room. 701 N. Water St., 853 -2682. Cr. [Tue.-Thu., 11 a.m: 2:30 p.m., 5 -10 p.m.; Fri.,11 a.m: 2:30 p.m., 5 -11 p.m.; Sat, 5 -11 p.m.; Sun., noon -2:30 p.m., 5 -9:30 p.m.] ARANSASPASS NEW CHINATOWN Food: ** Service: *'/2 Ambiance: * Price: $ Strays from the norm with eats like crawfish, sesame chicken, crab Rangoon. 1337 Wheeler Ave. Aransas Pass. 758 -0097 or 758- 0037. Ck. Cr. f,. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; F 11 am. to 9:30 p.m.] FULTON HU DAT Food: * ** Service: *'h Ambiance: ** Price: $$ Tasty variety of Vietnamese, Chinese and seafood dishes by the family of Dallas Cowboy Dat Nguyen. 61 Broadway, Fulton, 361- 790 -7621. Cr. Beer, wine. [Sun.-Thu. 11 am: 9 p.m.; Fri /Sat, 11 am: 10 p.m.] BAR & GRILL THE EXECUTIVE SURF CLUB Food: ** Service: *'/2 Ambiance: ** Price: $ Live music, burgers, chicken, sal- ads and 30 beers on tap in a high - energy, n0 -rules atmosphere. 309 N. Water St., 884 -7873. t,. Full bar. Ck. Cr. [Sun. - Thurs, 11 a.m.- p.m.; Fri /Sat, 11 am.-midnight] TWO SEAS BAR & GRILL Food: *'/2 Service: * '/2 Ambiance: ** Price: $ -$$ Fried seafobtl and sandwiches in a comfortable atmosphere. t,. Ck. Cr. 14430 State Highway 361 (Padre Island). 949 -7338. [Bar: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily; Grill: Sun: Thurs, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri /Sat, 11 a.m. to midnight] THE Q PUB BAR & GRILL Food: *'h Service: * ** Ambiance: ** Price: $ -$$ Classic, cozy eats. Features include homemade potato chips, ribeye steak, chicken wraps. 4223 S. Alameda St. 991 -9840. t,. Full bar. Cr. [Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 7 to 11 p.m.] SHORELINE GRILL Food: ** Service: * ** Ambiance: * ** Price: $ -$$ Seafood, steaks, pasta and more served in a comfortable atmosphere with a floor -to- ceiling view of the bay. 6102 Ocean Drive, 992 -3938. S. Ck. Cr. [Sun.-Thu., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-11 p.m.] KINGSVILLE CHRISTOPHER'S BAR & GRILL Food: * Service: * Ambiance: * 1/2 Price: $ -$$ Reasonably priced drinks, burgers, chicken, sandwiches and steaks in a spacious atmosphere. 1800 E. Corral St., Kingsville. 361- 595 -7000. �,.Cr. Smoking section. Full bar. [Mon. 11 a.m: 2 p.m., 5 -9 p.m.; Fri., 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 5 -10 p.m.; Sat, 5 -10 p.m. closed Sun; Bar open to 2 a.m. Mon -Sat.] PORTARANSAS TROUT STREET BAR AND GRILL Food: ** 1/2 Service: ** 1/2 Ambiance: ** 1/2 Price: $$ Large portions in a lively atmos- phere.104 W. Cotter, Port Aransas, 361- 749 -7800. 1&. Full bar. Ck. Cr. [Sun.-Thu. 11:30 a.m. 9 p.m.; Fri /Sat, 11:30 am.- p.m.] RHO BARBECUE CORPUS CHRISTI THE BAR B Q MAN Food: * *'/2 Service: ** Ambiance: ** Price: $$ Hearty servings of smoked brisket, sausage, pork spare ribs, ham, chick - enand turkey breast 4931 Interstate 37 South, 888 -4248. Full bar. Ck. Cr. [Mon.-Fri, 11 M - 8 p.m.] COWBOY'S BARBECUE Food: ** Service: ** Ambiance: ** Price: $ Great sausage wide selection and tasty, tender pinto beans highlight. 4066 S. Port Ave., 887 -9841. Ck. Cr. Smoking section. [Tues.-Wed. 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thu.-Sat. 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sun. noon to 8 p.m.] HOWARD'S BAR -B-Q Food: ** Service: Ambiance: * *'/2 Price: $ Serves scrumptious sausage and lean mean brisket. 1002 Antelope St 882 -1200. 15. Ck. Cr. Non -smok- ing. [Mon.-Fri, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.] KNUCKLEHEADS Food: * *' /z Service: ** Ambiance: *'/2 Price: $ Barbecue standards catering to the business crowd by day, biker crowd by night 819 N. Upper Broadway, 882 -9997. t, . Ck. Cr. [Restaurant: Daily, 11 a.m: 10 p.m. Bar: 11 a.m.-2 p.m.] MACS BARBECUE AND CATERING F;aod * * ' /2 Service: * *'/2 Ambiance: * * Price: $ Slow -pit cooking 14 to 18 hours is 7 FRIDAY JANUARY 23 2004 CHELSEA STREET PUB & GRILL Food: ** Service: ** Ambiance: ** Price: $-$$ Highlights include drink selections, snack baskets, large portions and karaoke. 5858 S. Padre Island Drive, Sunrise Mall. 993 -3322. Full Bar. Cr. 11 a.m.-Midnight; Thurs 11 a.mai a.m. Fri /Sat, 11 a.m.-2 a.m.; Sun, noon -6 p.m.] CRYSTAL'S RESTAURANT Food: * * '/2 Service: * * '/2 Ambiance: * ** Price: $ -$$ Fried zucchini, edible salad bowls, Mexican food, burgers, kabobs and more in a 4119 S. Staples St 1857 8081 t, •Full bar. Cr. [Sun: Thurs,11 am: 9:30 p.m.; Fri Sat 9:30 am: 11:30 p.m.] what makes the brisket tender and succulent. 4301 S. Alameda, 993- 2233. Beer and wine served. Ck. Cr. Non - smoking. [Sun, noon -4 p.m.; Wed -Sat, 11 a.m.-9 p.m; Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.] VERNOWS BAR -B-QUE Food: ** Service: Ambiance: * Price: $ Good smoked meat selection, espe- cially the brisket 1030 Third St., 884 -6552. Ck. No Cr.[Mon Fri, 11 a.m. -7 p.m.; Sat, 11 a.m. -4 p.m.] GREGORY MACS BARBECUE Food: ** Service: * /2 Ambiance: *' /z Price: $ Good barbecue in a no- frills envi- ronment. 219 State Hwy. 35, Gregory, 643 -5589. No alcohol. Ck. No Cr. [Mon.-Wed, 11 a.m. -8 p.m.; Thurs -Sat, 11 a.m. p.m.] HHHESIDIE EVELYN'S BARBECUE AND MORE Food: * '/2 Service: *'/2 Ambiance: ** Price: $ -$$ Get your BBQ fix with all the usu- als, plus sandwiches, sides and desserts. 2868 Main St., Ingleside. 361- 775 -1007. 6. Ck. [Mon.-Fri., 10:30 a.m. -9 p.m.] PORTARANSAS LITTLE JOE'S SMOKE N GRILL Food: * *' /2 Service: ** Ambiance: *` /2 Price: $ -$$ Some of the best barbecue around. Hamburgers, sausage on a stick, turkey legs, veggie burgers. 200 W. Avenue G in Port Aransas, 749- 2333. Beer and wine coolers. Ck. Cr. Non - smoking. [Mon.-Thu. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri -Sat, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m. to closing] ISLAND PEPPER SHACK Food: * *'/2 Service: ** Ambiance: ** Price:'$' Award- winning chili, smoked brisket, pork sandwiches in a casu- al outdoor setting. 811 S. Alister, Port Aransas, 361-749-4702. Local Ck. Cr. Non - smoking. [Daily, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.] RUSTY JEEP BARBECUE Food: ** Service: ** Ambiance: *'h Price: $ -$$ Scrumptios pork ribs, a variety of sides, and sauces with kick. 118 S. Cutoff Road, Port Aransas, 361- 749-2276. Ck. Cr. [Tue.-Sat., 11 a.m.-7 p.m.] ROHSTOWN JOE COTTEN'S BARBECUE Food: * ** Service: * *'h Ambiance: ** Price: $ Known for serving slow- cooked sliced Pork, beef brisket, sausage and ribs for lunch and dinner. U.S. Hwy. 77, Robstown, 361 - 767 -9937. t,. Beer, wine. [rue -Sat, 10 am -10 p.m.] BURGERS/PIZZA CORPUS CRR" B&JS PIZZA Food: **'h Service: ** Ambiance: ** Price: $ -$$ Pizzas loaded with toppings. Almost 300 types of beer. 6335 S. Padre Island Drive, 992 -6671. Beer, wine. Area Ck. Cr. [Mon.-Sat, 11 a.m: 11 p.m.; Sun., noon -9 p.m.] BEAMER'S BRICK OVEN & GRILL Food: ** Service: ** Ambiance: * * '/2 Price: $ Excellent burgers, espresso shakes and veggie pizzas. 5225 S. Padre Island Drive, Suite 157.992 -1292. 1 a.m. to 0 p.m. F Sat 11 a.mU to 11 p.m.] DENTONI'S PIZZA Food: ** Service: ** Ambiance: ** Price: $ -$$ Good pizza and other basic Italian fare in large quantities and at reason- able prices. 415 William St., 881- 9886. Ck. Cr. t,. Beer and wine. Non- smoking. [Mon.-Wed.11 am. to 10:30 p.m.; Thu. to Sat 11 a.m. to 3:30 am.] COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE & LIFE SCIENCES TEXAS A &M UNIVERSITY 2402 TAMU COLLEGE STATION, TX 77843 -2402 June 30, 2004 City Council College Station, TX Dear City Council Members: I am pleased to support Kenny Cotten's Barbecue and Steaks moving to our community. I have eaten at their restaurant in South Texas for many years. It is the best! Kenny Jr. just graduated from TAMU with an agricultural major. He is one of the most dedicated and hard working individuals that I have ever worked with. I also excited about the restaurant because it can provide a place for our students to complete internships and really learn the industry. Our college has majors such as Food Science, Human Nutrition, Meat Science and Animal Science, whose students would benefit from the work experiences they could get at the new restaurant. Student experiences would inspire, support and encourage them on their own individual career path. The Cottens have also provided a path in which students could "buy in" to the business in the event other franchises were established across Texas. The practical experience gained at Cottens would assist students in building a business of their own. I recommend the Cottens without reservation. Sincerely, Joe Townsend Associate Dean As seen in the December 2000 issue Joe Cotten's Bar B Q US Hwy 77, Robstown (361 767- 9973). This family -owned restaurant has been servinc up serious barbecue to loyal fans since 1947 —no menu, no plates no credit cards, just succulent meat heaped on butcher paper alonc with the usual sides and a delectable tomato -based sauce. On ou visit, sliced pork, sausage, and brisket were all juicy and perfectly tender. Decor is rough -hewn, but red - jacketed waiters provide atten. tive service. Beer & wine. Open Tue thru Sat 10 -10. Closed Sun 8 Mon. No Cr. Moderate. GD Rik it �orpu� ��jri�ti �atte�ime� ice Barbecue Joe Cotton's Selected by Ca ller- Times' readers 1994 lOr rnTTFNI C ARRFCI LF____ -__.- _ _ _. I ! LW been set ecte PROGRESOA/ BRIDGE Kenneth Cotton & Party P Fmous Barbecue GOOD ON HE R8ON OR PERSONS NAMED ABOVE B & P BRIDGE CO. OF NESLACO 0053 BY !t li� PLEASE READ RULES ON THE REVERSE SIDE PASS 2004 Wednesday, November 20,1985 me Page 12 —A Just stopped by Country Western Singer Willie Nelson, right, stopped in Joe Cotten's Barbecue on Tuesday, Nov. 12 for lunch with a friend. Joe Cotten, owner of the restaurant poses here with Willie. Nelson was passing through on his way to Padre Island. - Photo by Joey Garcia Former Dallas Cowboy great Kiel Renfro. (center) visited in Robstown briefly last week. Renfro made a number of appearances in the area. Here, he visits with Joe Cotten (left) during a luncheon break at Cotten's Barbecue and Barry Andrews, area wholesale beer distributor. Former Cowboy Visits Town Port Isabel YACHT CLUB HOTEL 700 Yturria Street Tel. 943 -1301 Closed Wednesdays: Full bar AE DC MC V 'he Yacht Club Hotel is a sprawling white stucco beauty in 1927 as a private club for the Valley's wealthy residents. ral presidents have slept here, and before or after your you can take a tour upstairs to see the original rooms modernized; $30 a night). 'he hotel's Spanish -style tower and red tile roof can be seen Highway 100, but until you turn off onto tree -lined Yturria :t, its full impression isn't felt. Almost under the lighthouse, Id faded, but structurally sound building has a prominent ion in the residential "Hill" section on the North Shore of Isabel. 'ort Isabel is the Shrimp Capital of the World, and the It Club is recognized as the place to eat them at their very All of the Club's seafood is cooked to order —Texas snap - oysters, scallops, stuffed crab and trout. The whole live ie lobsters are the only interlopers. Steaks, pork chops, and ers are also featured on the colorful menu. Soup, salad and toes come with all dinner entrees. Dessert is a choice of ice rn, cake, or the famous Yacht Club lime pie —customarily ed with whipped cream. owner Ron Speier has expanded his wine list to include percent California, twenty -five percent French and fifteen ent German labels. kfter dinner, ask Ron to make you a Colorado Bulldog, and 11 swear that the one - hundred - fifty -pound trophy tarpon ;ing over the patio door is still jumpin'. Che Yacht Club Hotel is a fascinating and inviting place to while in the vicinity of South Padre Island. Robstown 101 JOE COTTEN'S BARBECUE Highway 77 & 44 west of Corpus Christi Tel. 387 -9273 Open daily: Beer AE V MC Joe Cotten's is to barbecued beef and ribs what Norway is to fjords. Let there be no misunderstanding. This restaurant, a large, cavernous arrangement, is "Chuck Wagon West" at its best. An old wooden ranch house -like structure, complete with porch swings, bids travelers between Corpus Christi and Kings- ville to stop a spell. And stop they do —by the droves —as Joe Cotten's four deep pit barbecues smoke up to 13,000 pounds of meat a week. Friendly six - footer Joe Cotten seats his customers in three sepa- rate dining rooms decorated with ranch artifacts from earlier Robstown days. One enormous head of a grey longhorn loom - ing over the door prompted our daughter Kathy to inquire, "Did you start this place with old Betsy's rump ?" Joe Cotten boasts about not having either menus or plates. "Why everyone in these here parts knows what we have and it's all served on butcher paper." Indeed, nothing fancy for Joe and his crew, some twelve hands who rustle up some mighty fine barbecue. Waiters bring each customer his order of ribs, beef, sausage, beans, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and bread (a slice of both wheat and white) and spreads out the repast on, shor'nuf, a large piece of butcher paper. The slices of beef bris- ket fall apart in your mouth, the pinto beans (in a small cup) roll over your tongue and the hot barbecue sauce4also served sepa- rately) is rich, slightly peppery and oh, so good. Very abundant portions are washed down with never - ending fillups of ice tea or seventeen ounce goblets of draft beer. They say you cah eat more if the first plate doesn't satisfy. We don't know for sure because our initial plate was plenty! Joe's been making his pungent BBQ sauce for thirty -fo�.ir years and his right -hand man Johnny has been overseeing the Robstown operation for the past twenty -six. National Honor Cotten was presented with a plaque commemorating appearance of his restaurant in the "Favorite Recipes ?amous Restaurants" section of Ford Times, a monthly el publication distributed nationally by Ford dealers. Lacy of 1). C. Rachal Ford pointed out that Ford Times ead each month by more than 5,000,000 persons and is n used by travelers as a guide to the outstanding eating es and interesting travel attractions throughout the itry. "As a result," Lacy said, "many of the restaur- ; featured in Ford Times report a noticeable increase visitors after the magazine reaches its readers. All of are most pleased of this national recognition brought at by Ford Times." The presentation was made at the sday meeting of the Rchstown Lions Club. —Staff Photo I farm and,c Cotten's receives honor Joe Cotten's Barbecue, a well - known Robstown restaurant that specializes in mesquite barbecued beef, has been named a certificate of merit winner in the 1992 National Beef Backer contest. The 44 -year- old restaurant is managed by Cecil Cotten. A panel of national foodservice experts selected Joe Cotten's for the award after it was nominated by the Brush. Country Chapter of Texas Cattle Women and the Texas Beef Industry Council. "The quality food and the atmos- phere of the restaurant has made Joe Cotten's famous in South. Texas and beyond;" says Mary Ann Pawlik, president of the Brush. Country Chapter of Texas Cattle Women. "Joe Cotten's has never advertised, yet they serve an ave- rage 800 -900 people each, day. Many people from the North. who winter in Southern Texas always plan their travel schedule so they can eat at Joe Cotten's." The Brush, Country Cattle Women presented the merit award at Joe Cotten's on Nov. 12 in Robstown. Joe Cotten's Barbecue was honored by being a certificate of merit winner in the National Beef Backer contest sponsored in part by the Texas Cattle Women, shown here. In the front from left are Mary Ann Pavlik, president of the Brush Country Chapter that nominated the restaurant, Cecil Cotten, restaurant manager and Lucy Moore, president of the Texas Cattle Women. Also shown are Mary Jane Bledsoe, Emaleen Scoggin, Georgia Tindol, Nora Ann Baldwin, Mary Louise Schulz, Mary Johnson and Ida Bell Dugger. —Staff Photo Restaurant honored andh Thursday, June 4, 1892 O m e Page 12 Just prior to his death, Joe Cotten was honored by the Nueces County Extension Programs Development Council for his years of dedication and service to the extension service and youth of Nueces County. His sons, Kenny, left and Cecil, right, accepted the award for their father from Laura Berry. Cotten received a special Community Service Award for his years of service-In the background is Harvey Buehring, county extension agent. Special honor goes to Joe Cotten Volunteer awards Special award June 21, 1991 Th nk you so much for another wonderful job catering at my fundrai4er on June 14, 1991. It is always a pleasure working with you ind your helpful staff. As you know, this was one of our most successful fundraisers. Your work and cooperation with my staff certainly helped make the evening run smoothly. I have heard nothing but great reviews about the delicious food and generous helpings. Thank you, my friend, for the best barbecue and trimmings found in the United States. While that is my personal opinion, I am sure it was the concensus of all those in attendance. In fact, Congressman Ben Jones, our keynote speaker, did not want to leave for Washington, DC without some of your barbecue. Mr. Joe Cotten Joe Cotten's Bar -B -Q Hwy 77 Robstown, 7X 78380 t�:l Dear Joe • , - -,�' 'Please do not hesitate to should arise. With warmest regards, I a m SPO/ ev -_r� call me or my staff if ever a need Solomon P. Ortiz Member of Congress Ortiz for Congress Committee, Frank Tompkins, Chairman; Alvaro D. Saenz. CPA, Treasurer, 4322 Pecan Valley Drive, Corpus Christi, TX. By_ .T ruan S.P. _ No,._ 1388 SENATE PROCLAM In Memo of Joe Cot WHERE The Senate of the State of Texas joins with the citizens of Robstown and Corpus Christi in mourning the loss of Joe Cotten who died recently at the age of 67; and WHEREAS, Joe Cotten was a United States Army veteran who served in World War II; and WHEREAS, He was well known for his famous restaurant, Cotten's Bar B Q, in Robstown, Texas, where the clientele varied from local fans to national figures such as Roger Staubach, Dizzy Dean, Lyndon B. Johnson, and George Bush; and WHEREAS, Joe Cotten opened his restaurant 45 years ago in downtown Robstown on Avenue A; he later moved to a site near United States Highway 77; and W HEREAS, Cotten's was renowned for its mesquite- smoked brisket, barbecued sausage and ribs, and ever -full glasses of iced tea; and W HEREAS, Served on white butcher paper, Cotten's barbecue was considered by many to be the finest barbecue anywhere; and WHE REAS, Joe Cotten was an exemplary gentleman and a successful businessman who became a legend in his own time; and WHEHE A man of integrity, strength, and generosity, he was beloved by his friends and by those who frequented the restaurant; and WHE� His wisdom, warmth, and effusive personality will not be forgotten by those who knew him; and WHEREAS, Joe Cotten was a devoted husband and father, and he leaves behind memories that will be treasured forever by his family and many friends; now, therefore, be it PROCLAIMED, That the Senate of the State of Texas hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved family of Joe Cotten: his wife, Charlene Cotten; his sons, Joe S. Cotten, Jr., Kenneth Cotten, and Cecil Cotten; his daughter, Jannese Knaus; his sister, Merle Burt; and his six grandchildren; and, be it further PROCLAIMED, That a copy of this Proclamation be prepared for these held dear by Joe Cotten as an expression of sympathy from the Texas Senate. &�� � f "-tl� Me th ber, Te xas Senate I here _certify that the above Proclamation was adopted.,.- -_ L ZIL4 Secretaryof the 'S sion, and it's excellent), are easier to decide upon. Bar. Din- ner Sun tttfu Thur 5:30 -9:30, Fri & Sat 5:30- 10:30. Sun brunch 11:30 -2 (prix fixe $19.95). Moderate. Cr • Hudson'si on the Bend 3509 Ranch Rd 620, 1.5 miles southwest of Mansfield Dam (266 - 1369). We've sampled everything, but we gladly return for the baby back ribs ap- petizer. Among the entrees, how can one fail with Hot and Crunchy Trout on mango - habanero aldli or a mixed grill of venison, rabbit, smoked quail, and pheasant -ancho sausage? Ups qle homey setting. Bar. Dinner Sun & Mon 6-9, Tue thru T10, Fri & Sat 5:30 -10. Reservations rec- ommended; a must weekends. Expensive. AE, DC, MC, V. * *Jeffrey's 1204 West Lynn (477- 5564). Austin's pre- miere dining venue for 20 years, disarmingly relaxed Jef- frey's is at its peak. Chef David Gafrido's forte is appetiz- ers. We loved the luxe (and accordingly priced) sevruga caviar on blue -corn blinis with lemon creme fraiche. But it's hard to fault a meltingly delicious bistro entree such as os- sobuco with yellow- tomato polenta and balsamic thyme sauce. Dessert extravagances include bourbon chestnut spice cake. Bar. Dinner Mon thru Thur 6 -10, Fri & Sat 6- 10:30. Closed Sun. Reservations recommended. Moder- ate to expensive. Cr. ® With assistance. Louie's 106 106 E. 6th (476- 2010). Occasionally we repair to Louie's after work for a martini or a glass of fino sherry. An accompaniment of steamed mussels or a bowl of gaz- pacho takes the edge off our appetite. Should we linger for dinner, we might try the risotto du jour (seafood, duck, and porcini mushroom versions have all been offered). Lively, stylish downtown space. Bar. Open Sun 5:30 -9:30, Mon thru Thur 11:15- 10:30, Fri 11:15 -11, Sat 5-11. Inexpensive to moderate. AE, DC, DS, MC, V. Manuel's 310 Congress (472 - 7555). At a re- cent casual Sunday brunch (accompanied by the scintillating jazz of Paul Glossa and friends), we or- dered two omelets, one stuffed with cheese and spinach (quite fresh) and the other with cheese and mushrooms. Both were tasty and fluffy but a tad cool upon serving; this was also true of the huevos motulenos. With egg dishes, quick delivery is everything. The tuna ceviche remains an excellent choice, as do the classic fajitas. Fire - breathing hot -sauce aficionados will find the table salsa a tad tame. The decor is sleek but casual. Bar. Open Sun thru Thor 11- 10:30, Fri & Sat 11 -10:45 (appetizers until midnight). Inexpensive to moderate. Cr. Mars 1610 San Antonio (472- 3901). Another excellent meal on, or rather at, Mars. The soup was a creamy white -bean puree to which lime juice had been added for a nice tang. Augmented with a dash of Tabasco, it was excellent. Also available as starters were a bountiful Caesar salad and pork loin from the tandoor oven. We tried two entrees— lightly cooked shrimp in a spicy green curry with snow peas and mushrooms over capellini, and grilled salmon with soy - wasabi sauce. They were delicious, and they cleared our allergy- besieged si- nuses in a trice. Friendly, casual service. Bar. Dinner Sun 5:30 -10, Tue thru Thur 5:30- 10:30, Fri & Sat 5:30 -11. Closed Mon. Inexpensive to moderate. AE, DS, MC, V. Mezzaluna 310 Colorado (472 - 6770). This high- tech, stainless - steel- and -neon Italian restaurant has ratcheted its quality up an impressive notch under execu- tive chef Brad Yerkes. Of our two appetizers, artichoke hearts richly baked with Parmesan, aibli, and fontina cheese were tartly satisfying, and a salad of exotic greens with shredded duck, feta cheese, a terrific Marsala vinaigrette, and wonder- ful morsels of dried fig was totally to our taste. A friend was equally taken with the ossobuco, braised veal shana cooked till silky and tender in a port wine demi- glace, with Gor- gonzola polenta on the side. Bar. Open Sun 6 p.m. -10 p.m., Mon thru Thur 11:30 a.m. -10:30 p.m., Fri 11:30 -11, Sat 5-11. Moderate to upper moderate. AE, DC, DS, MC, V Mustang Diner 400 Lavaca (472- 2363). The name says "diner," but in truth the Mustang is a casual grill, generally mobbed at lunch by downtown busi- nessfolk. The kitchen did okay by us with two sandwiches, one a mild Middle Eastern mix of hummus, baba ganou/, spinach, and good feta on focaccia (way too much bread), rho nthpr a nipnp of moat Inaf with the liaht texture of a crab and peppers. All were graciously served: Brodie Oaks: Lunch Mon thru Fri 11 -2, Sat & Sun 11:30 -2:30. Dinner Sun thru Thor 5:30 -10, Fri & Sat 5:30 - 10:30. Middle Fiskville: Call for hours. Moderate. AE, DC, DS, MC, V *Zoot 509 Hearn (477- 6535). Fine dining need not ex- clude vegetarians. Suitable menu fare here recently in- cluded a puree of butternut squash soup with roasted al- monds (an appetizer) and grilled - vegetable terrine served with a warm salad of teardrop tomatoes and arugula (an entree). Carnivores are accommodated well with a four - pepper beef tenderloin with roasted - shallot- and - Cabernel sauce. Pleasant, intimate cottage. Beer & wine. Dinner Sur thru Thur 5:30 - 10:30, Fri & Sat 5:30 -11. Reservations rec- ommended. Moderate. Cr. QD T N Is N1 ON T 8 level showbiz patter from the chefs are the stock -in -trade of teppan -yaki dining. Ideally, take a group of eight to fill the seats around a single grill. The Kato Special (about $20) includes shrimp appetizer, steak, chicken, and stir - fried vegetables. Bar. Lunch Sun noon -2, Mon thru Fri 11 -2. Dinner Sun thru Thur 5:30 -9, Fri & Sat 5:30 -10. Mod- erate to expensive. AE, DS, MC, V. Willy Ray's Bar -B -Q and Grill 145 1 -10S, Beaumont (832 - 7770). This centrally located, family -owned eatery should do well, offering succulent pepper turkey, catfish, and pork loin carved alongside the usual chicken, links, ribs, and brisket. We can also vouch for the music, from Gene Autry to Jerry Jeff. Beer & wine. Open Sun 11 -9, Mon thru Thur 11-10, Fri & Sat 11 -11. Inexpensive. AE, DS, MC, V. Small, new, or offbeat places to try La Zone Rosa 612 W. 4th (472 - 9075). "Gospel brunch" here is an occasion that inspires brethren (and sistren). Af- ter hobnobbing with other folks waiting in line, we finally cadged a stool at the be, and began to enjoy the rollicking music. We then spent nearly 20 minutes in the buffet queue foe the likes of fresh fruit and breakfast -taco makings (egg, sausage, bacon) and small danishes and pastries. The food was just average, but the synergy between singers and audience was positively rousing —yet another reason we live in this, our fair city. Bar. Open Sun 11:30-3 (brunch buffet) & 5-10, Tue thru Thur 11:30 -10, Fri & Sat 11:30 -mid- night. Closed Mon. Inexpensive to moderate. Cr. Z'Tejas Grill 9400 Arboretum Blvd at Loop 360 (346- 3506). The original W. 6th location has a sibling. Enjoy a dramatic view of the Hill Country from a spacious limestone building immediately south of the Arboretum. We sampled an omelet stuffed with fried spinach for brunch, with sides of fresh fruit and grits, as well as Jack's Quesadilla, filled with egg, sausage, and cheese. Interesting new dinner offerings include plantain- crusted salmon with mango relish and saf- fron abli, and Porcupine Shrimp with spiky tortilla strips in blackberry- wasabi sauce. After you've dined, stroll across the street and visit the denizens of the duck pond. Bar. Open Sun 9 a.m. -10:30 p.m., Mon thru Thur 11 -11, Fri 11- midnight, Sat 9- midnight, Moderate. Cr Beaumont— ': Port Arthur Carrabba's 1550 1 -10S, Beaumont (842- 5561). These nifty Italian restaurants are popping up like bluebonnets along major Texas highways. The links in this Houston -based chain do retain some individual character, though. We recommend the polio Rosa Maria — grilled breasts stuffed with cheese and prosciutto and served with pasta picchi pacchiu (in fresh tomato sauce). The friendliness is infectious. Bar. Open Sun thru Thur 4-10, Fri & Sat 4 -11. Moderate. Cr Cody's 3130 N. 16th St, Orange (883 -2267) and 6680 Calder, Beaumont (866 - 8511). The Orange location is a welcome stop on the way back from Louisiana's casinos, even if it lacks the friendly, beer -hall ambience of the Beaumont original. Though steaks and seafood abound, we've always found it safer to stick with the sandwiches and burgers — respectively, the Santa Fe chicken (a grilled breast topped with Canadian bacon and provolone) and the Bonejo (an open -faced burger with creamy mushroom sauce). Ordering a longneck and a basket of crisp french fries is a must. Bar. Orange: Sun thru Thur 11 -10, Fri 11 -11, Sat 5 -11. Beaumont: Sun thru Thor 11 -10, Fri & Sat 11 -11. Inexpensive. AE, DS, MC, V David's Upstairs 745 N. 11th St, Beaumont (898- 0214). New chef Alex Pickens hasn't been on board long enough to make a distinctive mark on the menu, but for the most part David's remains the area's best bet for romantic dininq. On our last visit we registered a few Corpus Christi Bayou Grill 3741 S. Alameda (854- 8626). This zydeco- lively Louisiana eatery has replaced the Country Cajun. The decor is a bit heavier on the fishing -camp motif, but the menu is nearly identical. We went for the tender broiled Gulf snapper with bonne sauce (cream gravy with crawfish tails) accompanied by creamed spinach and French -fried corn on the cob (an idea whose time has not yet come). Beer, wine, and Bayouritas. Open Mon thru Sat 11 -10. Closed Sun. Moderate. Cr. ® Rear entrance. Blue Swan 319 Lawrence St (B82- 1370). This r i four- year -old downtown deli has expanded its dining room but kept its praiseworthy selection of thick, hearty sandwiches on homemade bread. We lunched on a turkey- and -Swiss version served on French bread (crisp crust, soft interior). With our sandwich came a cup of hearty vegetable beef soup brimming with potatoes, car- rots, onion, and meat. Eclectic decor includes Marilyn Monroe posters and a surfing mural. Open Mon thru Fri 9-3. Closed Sat & Sun. No Cr. Inexpensive. GD Copano Provisioning Co. 66191-35N, Rockport (512- 729 -1703 or 512 - 729 - 8248). The aroma of simmering tomato sauce permeates this offbeat deli, where paper plates are de rigueur. Diners devour piping -hot calzone stuffed with ham, salami, provolone, and tomatoes, and Italian salads are decked with green olives and Gor- gonzola. Beer & wine. Open Sun thru Thur 6 a.m. -8 p.m., Fri & Sat 6 -9. Moderate. Cr. Cotten's Barbecue US Hwy 77, Robstown (767 - 9973). LBJ, Willie Nelson, and Bill Haley dined here (though not to- gether), as have scads of lesser -known South Texans. Saucy ribs, tender sliced pork, moist brisket, and juicy sausage are served on butcher paper with ranch -style beans, tomatoes, onions, radishes, dill pickles, and jalapenos. Take note: Payment is cash -only. Beer & wine. Open Mon thru Sat 10-10. Closed Sun. Moderate. No Cr. GD Crystal's Confectionary 4119 S. Staples (857- 8081). This pleasant fern bar- eatery of- fers an assortment of traditional dishes, ranging from quiches and salads to burgers and enchiladas. A recent special of baby back ribs with beans and coleslaw was acceptable but not worth raving about. Our companion fared better with a chicken - stuffed chile relleno topped with pecans, raisins, and sour cream. Appetizers are tasty, albeit a tad dull— nachos, potato skins, and fried mozzarella sticks. Bar. Open Sun thru Thur 11 -10, Fri & Sat 11 -11. Moderate. Cr. Elmo's City Diner 622 N. Water (883- 1643). Onion rings, slightly greasy burgers (the way they're supposed to be), and thick milk shakes beckon from this fifties -era down- town diner outfitted with red vinyl booths. Photos of football heroes and ponytailed cheerleaders hark back to the era of Happy Days. Bar. Open Sun 11:30 -9, Mon thru Thor 11 -9, Fri & Sat 11 -10. Moderate. Cr. CiD Hofbrau Steaks and Bar 1214 N. Chaparral (881- 8722). This manly, wood - paneled dive is replete with Texas flags, neon beer signs, and some of the best steak bargains around. We enjoyed the lunch special of chopped sirloin Former local resident has fond memories y cousin, Henry Alsmeyer Jr., sent me photocopies (THE NUECES CobNTY RECORD ST *R, Oct. 27, 1997) of articles from Hindsight's 20/20.' Henry Alsmeyer, Nueces County agent, was my uncle. It brought back a flood of memories of my time in Robstown from 1946 -58.1 could have been on the sidelines when that picture was taken. At the time, I was 9 years old and went all over the country with my uncle. It was my great adventure. ' I remember the elders as well as the younger generation who made guesses about the photo. 1 look tonaly at the pic- ture of friends and see familiar faces, but I don't remember names. I keep in touch with Virginia and Billy Joe Ordner. My family moved to Houston in 1958 and I graduated from Spring Branch High School. After spending 11 years in Rob - stown, my heart was with the 1959 gradu- ating class from Robstown High School. Elaine Langstaff, who is my friend here and the only person 1 know here who can discuss Robstown with any authority, taught English at RHS in 1962. Charlotte, NC is a beautiful city in a beautiful state, but it does not have Joe Cotten's barbecue or hot tamales. Can anyone out there send me a recipe for hot tamales. We have to make our own here! Charleen Thompson Harms Charlotte, NC Joe Cotten's, Robstown Joe Cotten got his discharge after World War II and started barbecuing on Avenue A in Robs - town. By his own description it was "a real beer joint that lots of people were scared to enter." Word - of- mouth- advertising soon over- came the surroundings, and Joe gained a reputation for the best barbecue in the Brush Country. "Snowbirds [out -of- staters who winter in South Texas] tell us th never travel through Robstown or; Sunday because we're closed," Joe says proudly. In 1968 he built a restaurant on US 77. Antique farm implements and vintage photographs decorate the dark paneled walls. Red checl+ ered oilcloth coverings on the tabl( add a homey touch. — No standing in line here. Waiters in burgundy jackets, whi shirts, and black bow ties take your order and deliver the meat on butcher paper. Although his son, Cecil, runs the business, Joe still works thi dining rooms like a politician, greeting old friends and checki i to be sure service is up to par. "Bring this table some ribs. They've been waiting too long for their order," he reproaches a waiter. Later, a small child in the group gets a complimentary ice cream cone. "They all think I was a mess sergeant," Joe says. The stainless steel and tile kitchens reflect his spic- and -span attitude. Ramiro Candela, the head chef who's worked for Joe 17 years, ex- plains that the restaurant pre- pares pinto beans daily in a 50- gallon pressure cooker. A simi- lar device makes 35 gallons of sauce. Pork sausage is produced on the premises. Briskets and ribs stacked on shelves in a walk -in pit are smoked at a controlled 200 degrees before being moved to a holding pit. The menu offers only beef and pork—all you can eat. "We tried chicken, but it doesn't sell. It's so cheap, people eat chicken 132 ways at home and don't want it again when they go out," Joe says. A 1975 addition doubled the restaurant's size, and construction of another dining room will start soon. a� � Joe Cotten's, Robstown Joe Cotten got his discharge after World War II and started barbecuing on Avenue A in Robs - town. By his own description it was "a real beer joint that lots of people were scared to enter." Word - of- mouth- advertising soon over- came the surroundings, and Joe gained a reputation for the best barbecue in the Brush Country. "Snowbirds [out -of- staters who winter in South Texas] tell us th never travel through Robstown or; Sunday because we're closed," Joe says proudly. In 1968 he built a restaurant on US 77. Antique farm implements and vintage photographs decorate the dark paneled walls. Red checl+ ered oilcloth coverings on the tabl( add a homey touch. — No standing in line here. Waiters in burgundy jackets, whi shirts, and black bow ties take your order and deliver the meat on butcher paper. Although his son, Cecil, runs the business, Joe still works thi dining rooms like a politician, greeting old friends and checki i to be sure service is up to par. "Bring this table some ribs. They've been waiting too long for their order," he reproaches a waiter. Later, a small child in the group gets a complimentary ice cream cone. "They all think I was a mess sergeant," Joe says. The stainless steel and tile kitchens reflect his spic- and -span attitude. Ramiro Candela, the head chef who's worked for Joe 17 years, ex- plains that the restaurant pre- pares pinto beans daily in a 50- gallon pressure cooker. A simi- lar device makes 35 gallons of sauce. Pork sausage is produced on the premises. Briskets and ribs stacked on shelves in a walk -in pit are smoked at a controlled 200 degrees before being moved to a holding pit. The menu offers only beef and pork—all you can eat. "We tried chicken, but it doesn't sell. It's so cheap, people eat chicken 132 ways at home and don't want it again when they go out," Joe says. A 1975 addition doubled the restaurant's size, and construction of another dining room will start soon. 8 CORPUS CHRISTI CALLER, Thurs:, Mar. 6, 1975 otten's ;area inst mneed � s no ;ry By KERRY NORTH a« ` Staff Writer *;When Joe Cotten sees one of Di6se neon signs that say BEST Olink) FOOD (blink) IN t,OWN (blink, blink), right 44ay he gets suspicious. He Oesn't believe what he sees — he:believes what he eats. ;That's why there's no big , n sign outside Joe Cotten's fat B Q in Robstown, even joough the food inside is some V `the best in town and for Riles around. jn the 27 years since he "cued his first beef, Joe ten's has become a South e Ras institution. Six days a i6ek they come, in Cadillacs Enid pick -ups„ from nearby factories anf faraway office buildings, to Cotten's place. °`:They come for only one thing barbecue — and among area aficionados Cotten's is considered the Real Thing. �w'Po approciate all of this, of course, you have to venture j,00de the plain wood building oul on U.S. 77, sit down at one rl.the tables with the red and wtfite checked tableclothes and They spread it out in front of Au on butcher paper. The tasic meal: A thick slice of beef or pork, a good sized link c(sausage, a couple of spare r#bs, barbecue sauce and beans ce. the side, plus bread, pickle, pepper, tomato and onion. :The meat is tender and ftevorful. When you finish iwping the sauce off your Bar B Q itution, frills tablehopped his way over to where you're sitting, introduced himself and asked if everything's okay. A neatly dressed, genial man, Cotten personally oversees the operation 8 to 10 hours a day. He says he knows more than half of the people who eat at his restaurant, although most of them come from outside Robstown. Sitting down, Cotten says, "I don't have any formula, no secret, except..." Except about two things. Foremost are the three special brick barbecue pits, the third type Cotten has designed. Smoke from a . low mesquite -wood fire — mesquite is best, Cotten contends — is drawn across the meat slowly cooking on a grill and then out the other end of the long pit. The meat is mopped in beef tallow as it cooks for 8-10 hours, he says. And finally, there is. "the touch." You've just got to have it, Cotten says, because you can't write a recipe for good barbecue: So many minutes at so many degrees and so on. Cotten tries to pass on "the touch" to the cooks he trains. Cotten acquired it accidentally. Born in Ballinger, Texas, in 1925, he had just finished a stint in the service in 1947 when a Robstown friend "just talked me into" the barbecue business, something Cotten knew nothing about at the time. "I hired a barbecue cook who worked about a year and left. And I was stuck with it. I just went back there and started cooking and learned it," he says. And he found much success in barbecue after all. Cotten started out cooking 30 -40 pounds of meat a day for the people who sat in the 40 seats in serves up 5,000 pounds a week. Cotten also does a sizable catering busine$s for groups as small as 30 and as large as 2,300. Right now, the frames are going up for a new party room that will redouble the size of his operation. "When we moved out here, half the people said it wouldn't En." r'nttPn cave Tha cnitipr JOE COTTEN, COOK CHARLIE JONES (Photo by George Tuley) 6H Houston Chronicle ­ Sunday, July 19, 1992 Drive; a straight t shot .south througo history on U.S. 77 By JEAN SIMMONS Dallas Morning News When you go: Highway 77 Were a lost sea gull to seek its way home to South Padre Island from Dallas, it could well follow the route of U.S. Highway 77. At ground level, a motorist might not find this the fastest way to the very tip of Texas, but it certainly can provide some interesting diversions. Such as: the thriving, history -laden city of Victoria or the even more historic Goliad; a saddle shop with outstanding merchandise that ex- tends from $1,500 saddles to $10 bandanas; and a bed - and - breakfast inn that in one morning serves enough different specialties for a full week. U.S. 77 either overlaps or parallels Interstate 35 from Dallas to Waco before taking off on its own to pass through such unheralded towns as Rockdale, Giddings and La Grange before meeting up with Interstate 10. What a pleasant surprise Victoria, a city of 55,000 turned out to be — a marvelous mixture of architectural delights, both old and new. While Victoria offers no B &B accommoda- tions, it has plenty of chain opera- tions. Now for the highlights: ■ A well- marked driving tour o Victoria. While the two briefer walk- ing tours would allow for better viewing, they also can be done by car. Seventy sites in all include fine old homes, a great old limestone courthouse, parks along the Guada- lupe River, a block -long mural rep- resenting businesses of the early 20th century and an ancient gristmill. ■ The Madison House in Goliad on U.S. 77A, which connects Halletts- ■ Victoria Convention & Visi- tors Bureau: 700 Main Center, Suite 101; write P.O. Box 2465, Victoria, Texas 77901. ■ Goliad County Chamber of Commerce: P.O. Box 606, Goliad, Texas 77963. ■ Guided tours of the King Ranch: Leave from nearby King Ranch Visitor Center ($6 for adults, $2.50 for children ages 5 through 12); normally available on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 -4 p.m. Sunday.. ville and Refugio, bypassing Victo- ria; or take U.S. 59 from Victoria. Would you believe a breakfast that begins with asparagus - filled cheese blintzes and moves on to include sauteed shrimp with Madeira, chipped beef on buttermilk biscuits, eggs with cheese sauce over wilted spinach, Swiss -style potatoes, sau- sages and bacon, oat bran muffins with dates, Friendship bread, and Faye's cactus jelly from a local specialty shop? The real reason for going to Goliad is to visit Presidio La Bahia, site of the longest siege in U.S. military history and scene of the largest single loss of life in the cause of Texas independence. ■ Joe Cotten's Barbecue at Rob - stown, where brisket, ribs, sausage and pork loin are served on white butcher paper, a 35 -year tradition. We arrived just in time to read the Page 1 headline of Cotten's death in the Nueces County Record -Star, but as patrons we found business as usual with son Cecil in charge. ■ King Ranch Saddle Shop in Kingsville. Even if there's no time for a tour of the legendary King Ranch, do stop at the saddle shop, which moved into its present quar- ters in late 1990. The grand array of western products is beautifully dis- played in the restored John B. Rag- land Mercantile Company Building (dating to 1909). The shop's history goes along with that of the ranch, having begun soon after the Civil War as the King Ranch's Running W Saddle Shop. Craftsmen can be seen creating fine saddles. And the shop is not just for cowboys — shoppers will find fine handbags and luggage, up -to -date fashions and many gift items. In the same block can be found several interesting shops, including Sellers Market, where the Wild Olive offers a one - selection lunch. At Sixth and Lee streets, a restored icehouse now holds the King Ranch Museum with Toni Frissell's photographic es- say of life on the ranch in the early 1940s, along with a collection of antique coaches, vintage cars and saddles. ■ King's Inn at Loyola Beach on Baffin Bay, nine miles east of High- way 77 on FM 628. We learned of this remote seafood establishment in Texas Highways magazine, which published results of a readers' poll for Texas' 10 most popular restau- rants. Here ordering is done by the pound. Fried shrimp costs $18; fried Chronicle oysters are $10; lobster, $22; broiled fish, $18. With each selection come generous slices of gorgeous toma- toes, onions, fried potatoes and the house version of tartar sauce. ■ The Inn at El Canelo near Ray- mondville, our destination for the trip down Highway 77. last month. "It's been this way as long as Pve been here, barbecue, and politics," said Klager, who first, i an for state representative in 1962. "It's a very informal - affair. It's a chance for people +;`, to talk. It's a time when politi- `.�`�cal friendships are made and p ,,c,gndidates are looked over. - -'-- "There's no way to describe the format except, `let's burn meat.' _ ­:But such events are not always pleasant, especially — for novices. ,;;; ,During his first campaign, Klager made a campaign sppeech - his first one — during a political barbecue at Moravian Hall on , ;tiostoryz Road. "I was so nervous I went out- - 'side and barfed in a ditch," he .said. ;Political barbecues are not always on a ranch or in some- one's back yard. Some politi- cians have a restaurant cater the events and hold a them indoors. For examples U.S. _1ep. SOl_ornon Ortiz, D- Corpus - Christi, held a fund - raiser Nov. 9 at the Bayfront Plaza - Gonjention Center. The cater- people, Cotten's served 1,900 pounds of brisket and 400 pounds of sausage, said part owner Cecil Cotten. The spread.also included the usual sides of bread, beans, potato salad and pickles. For events that size, the cost is usually $9.25 a person, he said. "It's the Texas heritage. That would be my guess," Cotten said of the relationship between barbecues and poli- tics. "Barbecue is more casu- al. It's not like a sit- down -and- serve - them -at -the -table deal." For events like Ortiz's fund - raiser, Cotten has to start the 8 -hour cooking process at 5 a.m. and then transport the cooked food by U -Haul van, he said. Cheap, practical The Bar -B -Q Man on U.S. Interstate 37 also caters polit- ical events. Mayor Loyd Neal announced that he would run for county judge as a Republican there on Nov. 13. And Bill Miller Bar -B -Q has catered fund - raisers, as well. In addition to tradition, there are practical advantages to serving barbecue at political relatively ng other And when a candidate is trying to raise money, it doesn't make much sense to spend a lot of it on events, said Rene Rodriguez, an attorney who has held barbe- cues for politicians. "The purpose is to raise money, and someone has to pay for all the stuff," he said. "(Barbecue) is easy to do. As such, it is not that expensive." Having attended fund -rais- ers in other Texas cities, he has noticed that barbecues are more common in South Texas, he said. He attributes that to South Texans being more laid back than people in places such as Houston and Dallas. Some of the more artful spreads he has seen elsewhere included Swedish meatballs, fried spring rolls, sushi and coconut shrimp. "Real colorful stuff where you don't know whether to eat it or criticize it," he said. Contact Jason Ma at 886 -3778 or maj @caller.com Area politiciai schmooze ove beans, brisket Barbecue has been a South Texas campaigning instituti( as long as anyone remembe BY JASON MA Caller -Times The scent of politics isn't mo mixed with backroom cigar smoke Politics also smells of bris; sausage, pork ribs and beans. Barbecue is a requirement in So Texas politics, and anyone who hole fund - raiser or a meet - and -greet usi ly delivers. Office holders and organizers such events said barbecue has beer, institution in campaigning for as h as they can remember. County Court -at -Law 4 Judge Jan Mager said he has attended barbeci in Johnson City for then- Presid Lyndon B. Johnson and in Floresv. for then - Governor John Connally. Mager, who is running for re -el tion next year, had his own barbec Please see BARBECUEA34 ]AMBECUE er was Joe Cotten's Bar -B -Q in events. Barbecue is Robstown, Ortiz's hometown. cheaper than servi '�t For the event of about 1,800 types of food. J oe Cotten' s Barbecue served on butcher paper leaves no doubt that this is the place, the famed Robstown eating spot Page 2 D x� ERICH no er T oe Cotten s is lege even to its competitors ✓ way. full with pickups, -adillacs and ja- lopies, but even helicopters alight No bottled sauces no liquid , " edian in front of smoke" flavorings, no electrifie 7 Profile the building. on the U.S. 77 m ovens, no gas cookers nor chemical lv tenderized gristle. 1 _ 11 1 By Greg Fieg Pizano BUSINESS WRITER onueTnWN - A stranger drove taken By Anise C. Wallace NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE Even though Wall Street been the catalyst for the tak( wave sweeping corporate A� ca in recent years, frnanci� perts never quite believe( future could be as frenzied. An inevitable slowdown always around the corne vestment bankers and ar figured. Now, however, with this level of large takeover offer pacing the record surge of the takeover players seen vinced that the days of in lion- dollar transactions ar to stay. "Why shouldn't it go on Eric Gleacher, head of n and acquisitions at I\ Stanley & Company, wl there was an estimated 9 lion in leveraged buyou that could finance deal, $250 billion. Indeed, the capital a for acquisitions is so la some financial executiv say boldly that it can offset any stock market "If , the stock market come down from here a bly, I think we would explosion of activity," s; ert M. Raiff, managing of research at C. J. L Morgan Grenfell Inc., w to identify possible corF quisitions or restructure dates for investors. Of course, when mo, pants in any trend 1 d could go on forever, th ten surprised. Just prior to the Oct ket collapse, many exf PROPERTY CONSULTANTS 9796947705 i i 2338 Harvey Mitchell Pkwy, S. College Station, TX 77845 June 25, 2004 E j To: { From: E Subject: P. 02 WhenR t th an I met with you and the Kenny Cottens on June 22 we agreed to review the proposed, eo bract Cor the possible purchase of some of our property. It was requested that we do so before, th request for re- zoning is considered by the College Station Planning and Zoning Commission on Julv 1. There '.is ' robably little long -term logical justification at the present for our retaining all of our property err in College Station merely for cattle grazing purposes. This practice has been extrerrr4 iTporta it for the past approximately 46 years which we have lived here because of the need for our re aining an agricultural exemption on the property with regard to tax assessme pt. I From ambng th'e several requests for purchase of some or all of our property in the past many years, we fe 1 more comfortable with what the Cottens want to do in our community (including on part or r prof erty) than we have with other proposals. Ruth and I plan to continue living here, health ermi ting, and development in the area and possibly on our property is very US. We a re< to thi proposed contract dated June 8, 2004, except we will retain mineral rights as are cute tly in offect, for approximately 10 acres of tract 77 in the Morgan Rector league. We will ace pt th selling price Nith other expense conditions as specified irr he pr posed contract. Our ,property is totally free of debt and there will be significant r 11 -ba k taxes which we will have to pay. Regarding capital gains tax, we probably have no alte ative than to pay as tinning of the sale and sale price dictate. However, before we finalize the ropo ed transaction we want to consider any options which we may have that would minimize th capi al gains tax burden. In the meantime Kenneth Cotten has our commitment to sell to hil i the creage as he has requested. This commitment is contingent on the City of College Station Jeeing to the needed re- zoning and to the overall plan for development. Ruth anti I will sign the contract and deliver it to you before July 1. We will be glad to discuss the ratter further with you or Denny Cotten if desired. Thank you for your assistance. cc: KennlAh' Cottetr COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE & LIFE SCIENCES TEXAS A &M UNIVERSITY 2402 TAMU COLLEGE STATION, TX 77843 -2402 June 30, 2004 City Council College Station, TX Dear City Council Members: I am pleased to support Kenny Cotten's Barbecue and Steaks moving to our community. I have eaten at their restaurant in South Texas for many years. It is the best! Kenny Jr. just graduated from TAMU with an agricultural major. He is one of the most dedicated and hard working individuals that I have ever worked with. I also excited about the restaurant because it can provide a place for our students to complete internships and really learn the industry. Our college has majors such as Food Science, Human Nutrition, Meat Science and Animal Science, whose students would benefit from the work experiences they could get at the new restaurant. Student experiences would inspire, support and encourage them on their own individual career path. The Cotten have also provided a path in which students could "buy in" to the business in the event other franchises were established across Texas. The practical experience gained at Cotten would assist students in building a business of their own. I recommend the Cotten without reservation. Sincerely, Joe Townsend Associate Dean Nuems (county Aggies to 'muster' at Cotten's in Robstown April 21 Alumni of Texas A &M Uni- versity from all over Nueces County will gather at their an- nual Aggie Muster Monday, April 21, at Joe Cotten 's Barbe- cue in Robstown. Happy -hour begins at 5:30 p.m. The muster ceremony is at 6:30 p.m. with dinner following. The guest speaker is John David Crow, the only Heisman Trophy winner to play for Texas A &M: Crow is in his fourth year as director of athletic development at his alma mater. In this posi- tion, Crow has been instrumen- tal in bringing about the endow- ment of several scholarships. Crow served as athletics di- rector at Texas A &M for four and a half years. During his ten- ure in that position, he is cred- ited with moving A &M to the forefront of collegiate athletics, especially in the area of gender equity, a spokesperson for the group said. He stepped down from that position to devote more time to a business partnership with coach Paul "Bear" Bryant's son. Crow is a native of Springhill, La. During his playing days at Texas A &M, Crow lead the Aggies to a No. 1 ranking during the 1957 season. He graduated in 1958 with a degree in busi- ness administration. He was a first -round draft pick ofthe Chicago Cardinals in 1958. He went to the Pro Bowl four times, had a pair of 1,000 yard rushing seasons and was named to the All -Pro team of the 1960s as a halfback. He coached for Bryant as an assistant at Alabama and served as head coach and athletics di- rector at Northeast Louisiana. He was also an assistant coach with the Cleveland Browns and the San Diego Chargers. The Aggie Muster is a school tradition that dates back to 1883. During the late 1890s, April 21 was celebrated with an an- nual trip to the San Jacinto Battle Field. On occasion, the Aggies were called in to help in recreating the historic battle ofSan Jacinto. A parade down lIoiiston's Main Street always followed. During World War I, groups of Aggies observed April 21 in Europe and on Army posts, but no formal campus observance was held. "The Aggie Muster is more than a ceremony. It is a way for Aggies to renew each year' the loyalty and unity which consti- tute the foundation of their friendship for each other and love and devotion for their school," the spokesperson said. 1 I I 2338 Harvoy ]Mitchell Pkwy, S. t i College Station, TX 77845 1 June 25, 2004 To: 004rge Bill From: �li t Be and Subject: �e . rand rn„A.4.1 � When;R than I met with you and the Ken Proposed, co tract n y C o tten on June 22 we agreed to or the possible purchase of some of our so befor-e requ st for re -zonin g is considered b p roperty . Stay It was review the requested that we do Comno,isiio on J y 1, Y the College Stati Planning nd g Zoning A AM - U s in C p robably little tong -term propert logical justification at the present for our retaining all of our �er liege Station merely for cattle extrcrncl iroporta t for the past app oximatel 4 grazing purposes. This pra te has been the need'or our re aining an agricultural exert ptio � h have lived here beause of assessment. Pro perty with regard to tax From aMong t e several requests for purchase Years, we fe 1 mor comfortable with what the Co of of some or to of Our Proommunit he past many here, hea on part a o r pro ezty) than we have with other proposals. Ruth and I plan to continue livi ng, and development in the area and important tai � us. ernai . possibly on our property is very We a4re4 to th proposed contract dated June 8, 2004 except we will retain mineral right p W as are cuVe tly as ff ect, for approximately 10 acres of tract 77 in the tviOZg R ect or lea e 1 cit c� gue. l eel in the pr posed contract. Our property is totally free of debt and there w be significant r -ba k taxes which we will have to pay. Regarding have no jiteptativ than to pay as tinning of the sale and sale p capatal gams tax rice dictate. However, r, probably finalize t e ropo ed transaction Vve want to consider an before we mimmiz thb caps al gains tax burden. In the meantime Kenneth which we may have that would to sell to " i4 the creage as he has requested. 'Phis commitment is contingent o commitment College taf�on a Being to the needed re- zoning and to the overall plan for development. of Ruth �n I will sign the contract and deliver it to you before July 1. We will he glad to discuss the atter utther with you or Kenny Cotten, if desired. Thank you for your assistance Cottc CO: KennLh i f t , To: From: Subject: 2338 Harvey Mitchell Pkwy, S. College Station, TX 77845 June 25, 2004 i When;R th an I nnet with you and the Kenny Cotters on Jun Proposed i co tract or the possible purchase of some of our prop y. t agreed to review the , so before th requ st for re- zoning is considered by the College Station wa-I requested p p rtY It was requested that we do Conuxiii on d y 1. g and Zoning I Axere.rs robalily little long -term erp in C Logical justification at the present for our retaini all of ou t ports r property liege Station merely for cattle a . extrcinclt t for the approximate ng Purposes. This the need or our re aining an agricuuralxe 4° gr zi6 Years which w e have liv here be ause of assessme�rt. I exemption the propert with regard to tax From axtabng the several requests for purchase , or comfortable with what the Cott of sole of our pro ert i Years we fe 1 m ens do in our Property n the past many on part o o r pro city) than we have with other proposals. Ruth and I plan to continue liv W here, ties th i 'ng, and development in the area and y important t l us. possibl on our property is very t g . We a to th proposed contract dated June 8, 2004, except we will retain miner as are ou�re tly irr lfcct, for approximately l p acres of tract 77 in the Ivlorgara Rector rights We will c or league. - Nith Other spee� ' rn he pr posed contract. O wil l p h r 'aver t t y ' s totally five of debt an�Se conditions as er significant r ll -ba k taxes which d the will we o pay. Regardi be have no lte ativ than to pay as tithing of the sale and sale pr d capital ictate. aHowever a probably finalize a ropo ed transaction we want to consider an , before we minuirxriz th capi a1 gains tax burden. In the meantime y options which we may have that would ll to se to rr i the creage as he has requested, This commitment s contin co the c it y of College tat on a eeing to the needed re- zoning and to the overall plan for develo m ge on the City of p ent. Ruth �n I will sign the contract and deliver it to you before Jul 1. We cu dis ss the atter urther with Y will be glad to You or Kenny Cotters if desired. Thank you for your assistance. cc: KennIth r!ntf^ i