This Round's on Me

Texans' love of tequila doesn't translate to more hangovers

Texans prefer shots of tequila to anything else and will chase it down with either a Bud Light or margarita.

New national data from a hangover solutions company finds that in a land of lushes, Texas is pretty average overall. The study, put together by Blowfish for Hangovers, a concoction that’s actually recognized by the FDA to shorten hangovers, looked state by state for drinking rates, hangover rates and favorite drinks.

The results show that Texas is No. 27 in the country when it comes to imbibing. That’s a good or bad thing depending on your viewpoint, but it appears that we can hold our liquor pretty well, as Texas scored 39th in hangovers. (A higher number means fewer hangovers.)

The team at Blowfish even delved into favorite beers, cocktails and shots and came away with not-terribly surprising answers for Texas. Our favorite beer is Bud Light, and although we enjoy sipping on margaritas more than any other cocktail, we enjoy mimosas — holla at cha brunch — and vodka cranberry too.

Our shot selection is strong, as Texans go for the tequila first and foremost. It’s a bold move, but then Lemon Drops are second, followed by Jaegerbombs.

As for the winners and losers, Maine imbibes more drinks per week than any other state and yet still ranks only 42nd for hangovers. South Dakota is the tee-totaliest state at No. 51.

When it comes to hangovers, it seems the lobbyists in D.C. are constantly chasing away Mr. Scary as they have more hangovers per capita than anyone else, which isn’t all that surprising considering they drink the fifth-most.

Vermont has the fewest hangovers of anyone despite ranking 13th in drinking, which means that clearly New England has a hangover cure that absolutely works. We must invade them and learn their secrets.

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Pizza News

Veg-friendly Pizza Ella restaurant slings a kosher slice in Richardson

Pizza Ella

Pizza Ella pizza.

A special new slice of pizza has come to Richardson: Called Pizza Ella, it's open at 7134 Campbell Rd. #A, across the street from Campbell Green Park, where it's doing kosher-certified pizza with Middle Eastern flavors.

Pizza Ella is from husband-and-wife Yehuda and Lital Alila, who are originally from Tzfat, Israel; they also own Meat Point, a steakhouse in the same shopping center they opened in 2013.

They opened Pizza Ella to fill the void of kosher pizza.

“We are very familiar with the Jewish community in the area, and we listened to the community needs," Lital says.

Under kosher dietary laws, meat and cheese are kept separated, which means they cannot be cooked or served together. For this reason, Pizza Ella is mostly vegetarian, which the only exception being anchovies and tuna, since fish and cheese are allowed together in a meal.

They do both Neapolitan- and New York-style crust, with a menu designed by Yehuda, who was inspired by a pizza place in his hometown Tzfat called Pizza Palermo.

Toppings incorporate Mediterranean, Israeli, American, and Turkish flavors. There's even a tasty option without cheese.

Varieties include:

White Pizza with alfredo sauce, mozzarella, zucchini, sweet potato, eggplant, and caramelized onion
Tunisian Pizza, a cheeseless pizza with harissa, tomato sauce, tuna, olives, bell pepper, and preserved lemon
Lebane Pizza, with alfredo sauce, Lebane cheese, chives, olive oil, and za’atar
Mykonos Pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, Kalamata olives, Bulgarian cheese, red onion, and za’atar

Pizzas come in two sizes, 12-inch and 24-inch with prices ranging from $14 to $16, and $4.30 for a slice.

They also serve salads and family-style pastas in regular and gluten-free options. From 9 am-2 pm, they serve breakfast such as eggs, omelets, shakshuka, borekas, and coffee. Pizzas are served from 11 am-10 pm. They observe Sabbath so they are closed on Friday-Saturday, when they open from 8:30 pm to midnight.

Most of their orders are delivery or takeout, but the restaurant also seats about 10 people for noshing on-site.

"Even New Yorkers that moved to the area have told us that they like our pizza best," Lital says.

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