@odam

Restaurant critic and reporter @Statesman @Austin360. Email [email protected] IG: @matthewodam

 Austin, TX
austin360.com/diningguide
Joined September 2008
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One of Austin's best restaurants for more than a decade, chef Michael Fojtasek's Michelin-starred Olamaie, closing permanently. statesman.com/entertainment/…
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“They keep opening more restaurants every day (in Austin), and it is hard to choose. And we have a saying in Mexico, ‘No todo lo que brilla es oro’ (‘Not all that glitters is gold.’) — James Beard Award-winning chef Iliana de la Vega on the closing of her El Naranjo.
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“The only thing I would say is if you love a restaurant, especially if it’s a mom-and-pop like ours, go and support them.” — James Beard Award-winning chef Iliana de la Vega on the closing of her El Naranjo and the difficult state of the restaurant world.
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statesman.com/entertainment/…

'A lot of pain': Austin restaurant El Naranjo to close after more than 15 years

Chef Iliana de la Vega, a culinary trailblazer and unofficial matriarch of the modern Mexican movement in Austin, will not renew her South Lamar lease.

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One of the most exciting aspects of Austin's growth over the last 20 years has been the explosion of Asian culinary offerings, from Indian to Cambodian. statesman.com/project/best-a…

25 best Asian restaurants to try in Austin right now

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Matthew Odam retweeted
Neena Satija@neenareportsApr 23
NEW: Absent a biblical rainfall event this summer, Corpus Christi will be the first American city in modern history to run out of water. 💦 Schools & hospitals hope to drill wells. Lawns are dry. How will petrochemical plants handle it? We don’t know. kut.org/energy-environment/2…

Corpus Christi plans to declare a 'water emergency.' What does that mean?

City leaders intend to make unprecedented cuts to water use in September, but they aren’t sure exactly how.

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Did they open a Silicon Valley Power Mission Substation across I-69 from Daikin Park? What the hell is going on?!
Chandler Rome@Chandler_RomeApr 20
The Astros put Nick Allen on the injured list with back spasms. Braden Shewmake takes his spot on the 26-man roster. Cristian Javier goes to the 60-day IL to create a 40-man spot for Shewmake.
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One of the oldest barbecue restaurants in Texas, the Original Black's BBQ from Lockhart, has purchased the former Trudy's location near UT campus. statesman.com/entertainment/…

Black’s BBQ from Lockhart plans new, bigger Austin location near UT

One of the oldest barbecue restaurants in Texas, the Original Black's BBQ from Lockhart, has purchased the former Trudy's location near UT campus.

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Matthew Odam retweeted
Lily Kepner@lilykepnerApr 1
SCOOP: @UTAustin to host U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in unpublicized April event. He will give a lecture for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. #highered #ut #txed statesman.com/news/education…

UT to host Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in unpublicized April event

Clarence Thomas is set to give a lecture at the University of Texas to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence’s signing.

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Native Austinite Hoover Alexander will close his Hoover's Cooking on Manor Road this spring, though the patron saint of the “cosmic pudding” that binds us all says his mission will continue. statesman.com/entertainment/…
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Native Austinite Hoover Alexander will close his Hoover's Cooking on Manor Road this spring, though the patron saint of the “cosmic pudding” that binds us all says his mission will continue. statesman.com/entertainment/…

Hoover's Cooking on Austin's Manor Road to close after 30 years

Native Austinite Hoover Alexander will close his Hoover's Cooking on Manor Road this spring, though the patron saint of the “cosmic pudding” that binds us all says his mission will continue. 

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Lenoir owners opening Spanish-inspired neighborhood bar Boni's on South First Street March 6. statesman.com/entertainment/…

A taste of Spain arrives at Boni’s in South Austin

Lenoir owners opening Spanish-inspired neighborhood bar Boni's on South First Street March 6. 

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Matthew Odam retweeted
John Spong@sponglrMar 4
Calling all Willie fans! New OBW hitting next week. Hear Kenny Chesney, Taj Mahal, George Saunders, Tami Neilson, Jamey Johnson, Matt Berninger, and way more...talking on why they love @WillieNelson. Hear the new trailer here: bit.ly/4aZa3yU
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So much fine dining panders to Michelin. It’s boring, soulless, and a colossal waste of money.
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Peter Kafka
@pkafka16 Dec 2025
A thing about people who complain all day about the big bad old media is that they love being in the big bad old media. vanityfair.com/news/story/tr…
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Mark Medici@Medici127 Oct 2025
As we can continue to invest in the @statesman we have launched a new feature on statesman.com to highlight the incredible work from @odam Is there anyone better at chronicling Austin’s food scene? I think not. statesman.com/project/austin…

Austin American-Statesman: Austin, TX News, Politics & Sports

Austin American-Statesman is the number one source for Austin and Texas breaking news, politics and business.

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I’m still thinking about the smoked ham at Parish Barbecue, the best new barbecue joint in Austin.
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The ham, the ribs, the duck … Parish Barbecue goes its own way, and goes hard. statesman.com/story/entertai…

Louisiana-inspired Parish Barbecue is Austin's best new barbecue joint

Pitmaster Holden Fulco has tapped his Louisiana roots to create Parish Barbecue, Austin's best new barbecue joint. 

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Best Austin dishes Statesman restaurant critic Matthew Odam ate in June statesman.com/story/entertai…

Best Austin dishes Statesman restaurant critic Matthew Odam ate in June

From seafood to Middle Eastern lamb wraps, these are the best dishes Statesman critic Matthew Odam ate at Austin restaurants in June. 

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Has a group of players (or fans) ever filed a class action lawsuit against an #MLB team’s medical/training staff? Asking for a friend. A friend on the #Astros. Smh.
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