Is there any food more traditionally suited for the Fourth of July than the hot dog? Thought not. This weekend, July 2 through July 4, Houston’s own James Coney Island will be assembling coneys about a million miles per hour for their big Fourth of July sale: 20 original coneys or cheese coneys for just $20. Yep, 20 for $20. The offer is good at all 21 stores, and you can eat in or take out. For locations, visit www.JamesConeyIsland.com … A little slice of Madrid is coming to Houston later this summer with Oscar Aguilar’s new tapas restaurant Convivio (700 Durham at Floyd) in the former space of Table 7 Restaurant. Aguilar, owner of Decco Cafe at the Decorative Center, is partnering with Madrid native Marta Vina in the new endeavor. Daniel Saenz, who previously worked with Ouisie’s Table and Post Oak Grill, will serve as GM. In true Spanish fashion, the Convivio kitchen will keep Madrid-style hours – open until 11 pm on Monday and Tuesday, midnight on Wednesday, and 2 am Thursday thru Saturday.

Tony and Phyllis Mandola threw open the doors of their new Tony Mandola’s restaurant (1212 Waugh near W. Dallas) this past Wednesday evening, and it was an all-night love fest. River Oaksians turned out by the Mercedes-full, as did politicians (former Mayor Bob Lanier and wife Elyse had the next table), judges, media, big-time real estate agents and long-time fans of the old Tony Mandola’s Gulf Coast Kitchen. Oysters are back on the menu: They had been taken off during the restaurant’s temporary stay on Westheimer in the old Rickshaw location while this new construction was being completed. There’s seafood, pasta and gumbo, of course, and now pizza, too. In fact, there’s even a gumbo pizza. The place is spacious and comfortable and has a very nice patio on the east side of the building. Tony Mandola’s is open for lunch and dinner.

We will be celebrating the Fourth of July on Monday and will not publish a SideDish on Tuesday, July 5. But we did want to give you a heads-up that Wednesday, July 6, is National Fried Chicken Day. We love fried chicken here at My Table magazine, but we do not like cooking it. Here are some local restaurants (and one supermarket) that do it very well: Max’s Wine Dive (4720 Washington), Pondicheri (2800 Kirby), Barbecue Inn (116 W. Crosstimbers), Super H Mart (1302 Blalock), Breakfast Klub (3711 Travis), Daily Review Cafe (3412 W. Lamar), Zelko Bistro (705 E. 11), Frank’s Chop House (3736 Westheimer), This Is It! (2712 Blodgett), Triple A (2526 Airline) and Beaver’s (2310 Decatur).

Finally, congratulations to Carmelo Mauro, owner of Carmelo’s Ristorante Italiano in Houston and Austin, who received the Texas Restaurant Association’s highest award in recognition for his many contributions to the restaurant industry and to the TRA. He was inducted into the TRA Hall of Honor at a ceremony held during the 2011 President’s Gala last Monday evening (June 27) in Dallas.