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Cal-Mex is less defined than Tex-Mex, but usually includes fresher ingredients (like vegetables) and California creations like fish tacos. Tex-Mex is heavier on Northern Mexico traits like beef, shredded cheese, refried beans, flour tortillas. Most Mexican-American food is based off Tex-Mex.
I prefer California-style Mexican food, personally.
Cal-Mex is less defined than Tex-Mex, but usually includes fresher ingredients (like vegetables) and California creations like fish tacos. Tex-Mex is heavier on Northern Mexico traits like beef, shredded cheese, refried beans, flour tortillas. Most Mexican-American food is based off Tex-Mex.
I prefer California-style Mexican food, personally.
Fish tacos are a California creation in the sense that they were created in Baja California, but that's still from Mexico. In terms of things with a California (the state) genesis, it'd be things like the Mission burrito, packed burritos in general, carne asada fries, and East Asian fusion stuff like kalbi tacos.
Ca Mexican food I have noticed to be more flavorful. If tried the street tacos in both places but wasn’t impressed with Texas but then again the only city I e tried was el pasoand it’s been a bust for the most part. Very bland
I'm gonna kick-start this thread because I just stumbled onto it and I think it's still of interest to people.
I'm from Texas (Houston), but have lifelong family ties to the LA area. I can't help but think LA must have more "authentic" Mexican food places, but I haven't experienced them yet. Like Houston, LA seems to predominantly have places that modify (or make up) the cuisine to suit Anglo (and other) tastes. Which is natural, because they want their business to be as profitable as it can be. Even the places that cater to a Spanish-speaking clientele aren't naturally going to be representative of the best, for various reasons.
Another aspect is, if one is going for places that reflect the person or persons who run it, it's very individual. There is a place near the Port of Houston that had the best cochinita pibil I ever had (even compared to places I had it in Yucatán). But ... it was because they had an 80-yo lady making it in the kitchen, who really knew how to do it right.
I appreciate the comments made by people earlier, about how the "CalMex" food reflects the greater amount of immigration from the west coast of Mexico. My best friend, who is from northern Mexico, has commented on that. Also, on how the food in New Mexico reminds him more of the food in Chihuahua. (He's from Coahuila, but lived in Sonora, Chihuahua, and Mexico City.) I understand that the chimichanga thing is more of a northern/Pacific coast part of Mexico. I guess like the fish-taco thing. Fajitas/Arracheras are more of a NE Mexico thing. I'm still learning how to interpret the cuisine, but it seems to me that the green chile thing in New Mexico is distinct from both Tex-Mex and Cal-Mex, but I'm not sure why that is.
One think I don't like about so much Tex-Mex (and also some Indian food in Houston) is the over-use of cumin (comino). I'm not sure yet how to differentiate the more local versions of Mexican food here in Houston vs. those in LA. However, I don't think its useful to compare chain-restaurant versions, of which there are plenty, even those that mainly cater to Spanish-speaking clientele.
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