The consolidated "Mexican food & Mexican food restaurants in the U.S." thread
Sep 16, 2008, 7:56 am
#62
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Interesting. I had a similar experience visiting Tucson. I asked the local plant manager for a recommendation and was told that there was no good Mexican restaurant in Tucson. I asked someone in the plant (hint: his name was Cesar) and got an excellent recommendation. The surrounding area was dodgy, but the food was good. I took the plant manager there the following night and he was quite pleased.
Sep 16, 2008, 8:57 am
#63
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Sep 16, 2008, 10:55 am
#64
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Because of the Mexican migrant workers down in the Homestead area (admittedly in the extreme southern end of M-D, but still in the county limits), there are some decent places down there:
http://www.urbanspoon.com/nf/12/1118...an-restaurants
http://www.urbanspoon.com/nf/12/1118...an-restaurants
Sep 16, 2008, 11:16 am
#65
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Growing up, there were not any Hispanics in my New England hometown of 50,000. Whatever has driven so many Mexicans (presumably the need for a better paycheck) to the US in the last 10-15 years, they seem to be everywhere. Certainly every town and city I have visited or lived in in that timeframe has a population that is large enough to support some specialty businesses catering to that population. My little town in AL (population around 25,000) has dozens of little markets and easily a dozen Mexican restaurants. Some are quite good, some are simply awful (but fool enough locals to stay open). I have not visited Mexico, but have lived in CO & CA and traveled through TX, AZ & NM, where I found "Mexican" restaurants that pleased visitors and locals, hispanic & gringo alike.
At this point, I'm led to wonder how small and remote must a town be to have no Mexican restaurant options. Is Mexican food as ubiquitous as Pizza and Chinese? And how many Mexicans before you get a restaurant? My hometown had no more than a handful of Asians, but 1 Chinese & 1 "Polynesian" restaurant.
At this point, I'm led to wonder how small and remote must a town be to have no Mexican restaurant options. Is Mexican food as ubiquitous as Pizza and Chinese? And how many Mexicans before you get a restaurant? My hometown had no more than a handful of Asians, but 1 Chinese & 1 "Polynesian" restaurant.
Cheap, authentic, not smothered in beans or cheese (no beans or cheese, for that matter), and delicious. There are a TON of identical low-budget knock offs of little Ranchero restaurants here...Betos is probably the best because their rolled tacos are tasty.Ashamedly, my favorie "Mexican" restaurant is Cafe Rio...their pork barbacoa salad is to die for, even if it's not traditional Mexican. Same goes for Chipotle's Fajita Burritos.
Aside from that, I get sick of it really quickly. My co-workers go to Mexican nearly every day, and I really don't fancy a tortilla swimming in a deep pool of refried beans and cheese so I pass.
I do have to go against the grain and say that my hometown of Munising, Michigan has NO Mexican restaurant, and I can't really think of any sort of dish that the local restaurants have that's close besides a taco salad. Of course, my hometown only has about 2,500 people.
The biggest town in the Upper Peninsula - Marquette - used to have a Mexican restaurant that closed long ago (it was great), and has only a Taco Bell. Escanaba has a place that is decent, but that's the only one I can think of in the entire Upper Peninsula of Michigan!Sorry this turned into a review
Sep 16, 2008, 11:21 am
#66
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On the other hand, there are some places that do quite well...The Bohemian serves Czech/Hungarian/German food, Sigfried's German Deli, Tony Caputo's Italian Deli, Red Iguana's AMAZING mole, and a Polynesian market or two that flourish.
Sep 16, 2008, 11:25 am
#67
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A couple of caveats....
Menudo - a soup/stew of hominy, pig or calf feet, hog maw, beef tripes in a broth of red or green chilies. Served with chopped raw onion, chopped fresh jalapeno, and cut limes or lemons, it is the nectar of the Gods, the original weekend breakfast and hangover cure, "Para la Cruda" as the TShirts say.
When a place has Jaramillo brand soda pop in bright colors in the cooler, it ain't aiming at Anglos....
Menudo - a soup/stew of hominy, pig or calf feet, hog maw, beef tripes in a broth of red or green chilies. Served with chopped raw onion, chopped fresh jalapeno, and cut limes or lemons, it is the nectar of the Gods, the original weekend breakfast and hangover cure, "Para la Cruda" as the TShirts say.
When a place has Jaramillo brand soda pop in bright colors in the cooler, it ain't aiming at Anglos....
I love the little markets here in SLC that have all sorts of Mexican brands of foods, including Jaramillo.
I especially love when they carry salted tamarindo candies. I had an exchange student from Sinaloa, and I miss the good old fashion breakfasts we'd have. Her mother sent her a 10 lb. block/log of goat cheese and about 50 homemade tortillas. Enchiladas Suisas right from the home recipes are amazing.
Sep 16, 2008, 2:49 pm
#68
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Sep 16, 2008, 3:04 pm
#69
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Anyone ever had fresh Green Corn Tamales?
I've had these from this area (Cochise County, AZ) for many years and for the most part they are delicious. I ordered them at a place in L.A. and found them to be not even close to what I grew up with.
I guess its the region that the menu is derived from that makes a "good" mexican meal. Yucatan style is deff different from Sonoran style each having its strengths.
I dont care for what they consider "salsa" here in Cochise with most mom n pop places serving what amounts to chili powder and vinager.
While i don't care for "pace picante sauce" I do enjoy chunky salsa or a Salsa verde.
I've had these from this area (Cochise County, AZ) for many years and for the most part they are delicious. I ordered them at a place in L.A. and found them to be not even close to what I grew up with.
I guess its the region that the menu is derived from that makes a "good" mexican meal. Yucatan style is deff different from Sonoran style each having its strengths.
I dont care for what they consider "salsa" here in Cochise with most mom n pop places serving what amounts to chili powder and vinager.
While i don't care for "pace picante sauce" I do enjoy chunky salsa or a Salsa verde.
Sep 16, 2008, 3:13 pm
#70
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I like Posole, thats my alternative or Caldo de Queso. Albondigas is high on my list as well.
Sep 16, 2008, 3:30 pm
#71
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My Mexican food litmus test: a large jar of Horchata, another similar jar of Tamarindo, and sopes on the menu.
I've been able to find at least one in every decent sized city in the US.
I've been able to find at least one in every decent sized city in the US.
Sep 16, 2008, 4:39 pm
#72
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Lots of good Mexican food in NM - you just have to get outside of the tourist traps (Taos, Santa Fe) to find it. Go through the little towns and ask a local - you'll find some of the best food you'll ever eat. Two of my favorites is Chope's in La Mesa... Nellie's in Las Cruces (open for lunch only but d@mn its good!) - a few good ones in Deming too...
Sep 16, 2008, 7:44 pm
#73
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Sep 16, 2008, 7:52 pm
#74
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...founded in San Diego by Americans who got the idea while surfing in Baja California. The first location in Pacific Beach is still there.
Growing up in San Diego, I loved the Roberto's, Alberto's, Hilberto's, Adalberto's, Humberto's, etc. Rolled tacos and quesadilla. Yummy!
Growing up in San Diego, I loved the Roberto's, Alberto's, Hilberto's, Adalberto's, Humberto's, etc. Rolled tacos and quesadilla. Yummy!
^Had an Alberto's knockoff around the corner when I lived in Fullerton (Rigoberto's?), and it was always busy. I hope I find something like that here in the DFW area...too much Tex-Mex here
Sep 16, 2008, 10:14 pm
#75
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A couple of caveats....
First, there are two distinct sorts of Mexican restaurants, and the first group, those which cater to Anglos/gringos fall into several subcategories - the most common and best know, "TexMex", different regions/cuisines of Mexico itself, and the subclasses New Mexico, Arid Zone (thankfully blessedly small in number) and SoCal, where they used to put ripe olives in the enchiladas).
Then there's real "Mexican" restaurants, which come into communities where an influx of Mexican immigrants, legal or illegal has created a market. Many of them are small, spartan and cater to what we in Texas adjacent to Mexico and with two on every corner in the less fancy parts of town call the "Family Trade". Many of them serve food traditionally eaten in the low and moderate income homes of Mexico, neither very pretty or appealing, dull and filling like the traditional US small town cafes, food like mama cooked for all those young men here plucking chickens, finishing concrete and stapling shingles.
Some of your "simply awful" likely fall into that category. They're not cooking for you, but for a clientele from homes where money was short, diet limited, and Mama wasn't much of a cook.
Then there's Taquerias, curbside stands, carts or little better in Mexico, but here forced indoors by health regs. Here's where you find "organ meats" filling a corn tortilla with chopped onion, cilantro and sauces from mild to Vesuvian, capable of being felt tomorrow, fiery on departure. Tongue, brains, "barbacoa"(actually baked beef head), and to prove the veracity of their heritage, the two kingposts of dining along Northern/Central Mexico's back streets...
Chicharrones - Crisply fried pigskins.
Menudo - a soup/stew of hominy, pig or calf feet, hog maw, beef tripes in a broth of red or green chilies. Served with chopped raw onion, chopped fresh jalapeno, and cut limes or lemons, it is the nectar of the Gods, the original weekend breakfast and hangover cure, "Para la Cruda" as the TShirts say.
Cabrito - a luxury food, young goat, traditionally bought from specialty vendors, not cooked at home.
First, there are two distinct sorts of Mexican restaurants, and the first group, those which cater to Anglos/gringos fall into several subcategories - the most common and best know, "TexMex", different regions/cuisines of Mexico itself, and the subclasses New Mexico, Arid Zone (thankfully blessedly small in number) and SoCal, where they used to put ripe olives in the enchiladas).
Then there's real "Mexican" restaurants, which come into communities where an influx of Mexican immigrants, legal or illegal has created a market. Many of them are small, spartan and cater to what we in Texas adjacent to Mexico and with two on every corner in the less fancy parts of town call the "Family Trade". Many of them serve food traditionally eaten in the low and moderate income homes of Mexico, neither very pretty or appealing, dull and filling like the traditional US small town cafes, food like mama cooked for all those young men here plucking chickens, finishing concrete and stapling shingles.
Some of your "simply awful" likely fall into that category. They're not cooking for you, but for a clientele from homes where money was short, diet limited, and Mama wasn't much of a cook.
Then there's Taquerias, curbside stands, carts or little better in Mexico, but here forced indoors by health regs. Here's where you find "organ meats" filling a corn tortilla with chopped onion, cilantro and sauces from mild to Vesuvian, capable of being felt tomorrow, fiery on departure. Tongue, brains, "barbacoa"(actually baked beef head), and to prove the veracity of their heritage, the two kingposts of dining along Northern/Central Mexico's back streets...
Chicharrones - Crisply fried pigskins.
Menudo - a soup/stew of hominy, pig or calf feet, hog maw, beef tripes in a broth of red or green chilies. Served with chopped raw onion, chopped fresh jalapeno, and cut limes or lemons, it is the nectar of the Gods, the original weekend breakfast and hangover cure, "Para la Cruda" as the TShirts say.
Cabrito - a luxury food, young goat, traditionally bought from specialty vendors, not cooked at home.
).Lufthomie, all the New Mexican food in NM will be recognizable if you've been eating Mexican food elsewhere in the states. A few differences: more Hatch green chile, a lot more cheese, a lot less seafood (though my dad did find a decent mariscos place in Santa Fe).
