Mexican Food

natalie_ca

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There is a small Mexican restaurant near where I live and I've been meaning to stop in and try it out. I did that this evening.

It's not a classy place. It's basically a rustic looking "fast food" style taco place that is licensed. They serve their food in foil lined wicker baskets. You go to the counter and place your order, and you pick your toppings and then take your tray to a table. Like McDonalds, you take your tray to a dumpster and dispose of the trash.

I was so not impressed! I think it was probably the worse Mexican food I've ever had!

I opted for a "Barbacoa Beef" which is essentially a beef burrito made with what looked like pulled beef. She filled it, wrapped it and stuck it on some kind of a press to get brown. Now either the shells were too thin or she over filled it to the point it burst open while she was wrapping it, so it was so incredibly messy that I ended up having to take out the fork I used for my lunch: They don't have cutlery there!! I also had chips and salsa.

The salsa was nothing but chopped up veggies. Whatever "sauce" was pure liquid and only served to make the chip soggy before you even managed to get it to you mouth. The chips were bland and unsalted and tasted stale.

The burrito was incredibly messy because the entire top of it was ripped wide open before it was even grilled. I couldn't even pick it up to eat it. Plus it was pretty flavourless and the beef which was supposed to be tender, was tough and stringy.

The atmosphere was dreary and the music was nothing more than Mexican elevator music that sounded like a radio station with a bad signal: lots of static. It was also way too loud. People were having to shout at each other from across their tables in order to hear each other.

I overheard a couple of people in there saying that it's their favourite place for Mexican food, and the checker at Safeway told me that their food is so good and she has to resist going there too often.

I don't know, maybe I'm so used to 'substandard/bad" Mexican food from Taco Bell or Taco Time, that I can't appreciate "good" Mexican food anymore.

All I know, is give me a super soft burrito from Taco Time anytime over that one I had this evening!!
 

mrblanche

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We once took a "TexMex" cruise out of Houston, TX. Norwegian Cruise Lines, the ship was the Norwegian Sea, and one of our favorites.

However, the "TexMex" food they served looked and tasted like the recipes had been made by someone in New Hampshire, who heard them described by a cousin who had once visited Texas, then faxed to Norway where they were translated into Norwegian, then faxed to the ship on a bad fax machine to the Italian chef, who had his Indonesian assistant chef translate it into Italian.

But keep in mind that what we in Dallas call "Mexican food" can be very different from what someone in Arizona or California might call "Mexican food."
 

butzie

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Well, let's see. You're in Winnepeg and I live in a suburb of San Francisco in a state with a large Mexican population - mostly legal and hard working.

I have a Mexican restaurant that I can walk to that serves the best veggie burritos, salsa, pico de gallo, and chicken mole. Am I making your mouth water? That is just the one within walking distance. There are 2 more in town each with its own specialties.
 

lotso'cats

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Tex-mex is different than Cali-Mex or Southwestern. I'm from and still live in Texas and of LOVE tex-mex. I lived in NM for a year and don't care for their version of mexican food or california's version. I've been learning how to make true tex-mex just in case we ever move to a region that has mexican food that don't taste great.
 

spudsmom

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Bummer that your Mexican dinner sucked. I've had that happen before and it is so disappointing. We also had Mexican food last night. Take-out from our favorite restaurant. Had a combo of an Enchilada and Chimichanga...shredded beef, with beans and rice. Beans and rice loaded with cheese. The E & C were smothered in sour cream and guacamole. I wish I could treat you to a dinner there to make up for your crappy dinner last night.
 

addiebee

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I guess I am not all that discerning. What I like are clean, distinct flavors, not overloaded with cheese ( SO American- gringo) and just well prepared and tasty.

Detroit has a large Mexican population and a Mexican "town" area where the food varies widely, but there are some wonderful taquerias and even some Central American places.

There is a great little place about 15 min by car from my house - the owners are from Mexico City. The food is very good - sauces made from scratch... the tomatillo is especially good .... one of the owners said it is his mother's recipe. One of the wives makes the Tres Leches cake.


Another fave is in the state capital, Lansing. The food there is very very good. The Al Pastor is to die for and the bread for the tortas is made -again - by the owner's wife. Worth stopping in there!!
 

blueyedgirl5946

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What is with all these food threads anyway. First the recipe one, then the whats for supper one and now this. Seriously, we live so far out in the country, Mexican is not a choice for us.
 

going nova

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Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I don't know, maybe I'm so used to 'substandard/bad" Mexican food from Taco Bell or Taco Time, that I can't appreciate "good" Mexican food anymore.
Taco Bell is not Mexican food.
 

cococat

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That sucks you had a bad experience with that one restaurant when you were wanting a good meal!
Living in the South and having traveled to Mexico and South America I get to have real fresh Mexican food and also Tex Mex, it is divine!
If given the choice to eat out anywhere I want I will usually either pick Mexican food or my favorite deli that is heavy on the fresh fruit and fresh veggies.
Taco Bell isn't what I would classify Mexican food, it is more American than anything else to me.
 

lisar

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Man I was born and raised in Texas so I happen to love Tex-Mex. I also love traditional Mexican food as well. I've had some of that as well... served in Mexico.
In Chicago we were hard pressed to find a good Mexican food place but we found a couple. In Chicago it is closer to traditional Mexican food.

I've been to Cali and I'm not too fond of their Cali-Mex. Arizona's Mexican food isn't so bad and I've never eaten Mexican food in New Mexico so I can't comment. I'm just bias but I still prefer Tex-Mex over all other versions.
 

blueyedgirl5946

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Originally Posted by Going Nova

Taco Bell is not Mexican food.
According to Widipedia, Taco Bell is an American restaurant chain based in Irvine, Ca. that specializes in Mexican style food.
 

subconsciousme

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I live in Central Phoenix, AZ and we have some excellent Mexican food restaurants (and, of course, some not so great ones too - as does everyone).

I tend to favor local places. Especially this one that has veggie tacos (as I am a vegetarian).

And no, Taco Bell is NOT Mexican food.
 

whisky'sdad

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OMG, I LOVE Mexican food! I tend to favor the mom & pop places as they are the most authentic. After reading through this thread, it looks like I'm going to have to take a drive out to Texas for their Tex-Mex! If it is better than what I've had so far. then BRING IT ON!!!
 

mrsgreenjeens

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I was gonna say, can you EVER find really good Mexican food in Canada? When I lived in North Dakota as a kid, we used to have my aunt, who lived in Arizona, mail us tortillas, so we could make our own, because no one up there even knew what REAL Mexican food was. 'Course, I AM talking many, many years ago
 

addiebee

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Originally Posted by mrsgreenjeens

I was gonna say, can you EVER find really good Mexican food in Canada? When I lived in North Dakota as a kid, we used to have my aunt, who lived in Arizona, mail us tortillas, so we could make our own, because no one up there even knew what REAL Mexican food was. 'Course, I AM talking many, many years ago
We have a tortilla factory in the "Mexicantown" area of Detroit I mentioned above. You can buy them at some of the local restaurants and they are quite good!
 

zohdee

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I have been to a few mom and pop Mexican restaurants and I just found the food bland. I do have a "cast iron" stomach so I want my food spicy!! I don't really like to add hot sauce to everything, I would rather have it prepared with some hot peppers in it.

I have the same issue with Asian foods. If I want hot mustard, I don't want a pack of yellow sauce..blech.
 

strange_wings

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Authentic Mexican is like any ethnic food - whatever can be pulled together to make a meal. You have a lot of variation by region, too. (no, I don't mean cali or tex, I mean in Central America and Mexico)
And yes, the real stuff isn't the highly seasoned Tex-Mex that most people know.

My area has a lot of Hispanics, so much so that the grocery stores all carry beef tripe and a lot of Mexican products. Who here has seen muenudo on a mexican restaurant menu, for example?
(if you have, it's not that common).

Tortillas are ridiculously simple to make, that's why they were made in the first place. Just like how fry breads are all simple, too.


There wasn't any excuse for the loud music, however. That was just bad taste.
 
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