Best Mexican food in Houston? (kitchen, dining, build)

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by detachable arm

This thread should be titled "Where can I find the best Mexican food where uppity whites feel comfortable at?"

Bad attempt. Where is the gong to hit to get you off stage? LOL

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by 979Texan

There's Mexican food, then there is Tex-Mex.

As mentioned Cuchara is GREAT Mexican cuisine. Never been to Hugo's.

For Tex-Mex, El Tiempo is very good but on the expensive end.

The divey places on here usually are pretty solid Tex-Mex options as well. Los Cucos is ass. That should be disregarded first and foremost.

The hilarity of all this is how Mexican and Tex-Mex joints are marking up peasant food and people gladly pay high prices for it. There is absolutely no need for humble peasant cuisine to be high end and expensive.

For a chain, Los Cucos is ok. It's not wonderful either. It's pretty staple Tex Mex and not off the charts that different from El Tiempo although you're right the latter is way better. Sorry but Tex Mex food doesn't vary all that much to me. But why would you could call one place ass, while another so great, and then call it all peasant food?

[testmo]

I love the Ortega restuarants - xochi, caracol and hugos

[detachable arm]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

For a chain, Los Cucos is ok. It's not wonderful either. It's pretty staple Tex Mex and not off the charts that different from El Tiempo although you're right the latter is way better. Sorry but Tex Mex food doesn't vary all that much to me. But why would you could call one place ass, while another so great, and then call it all peasant food?

Pho & banh mi are peasant food. It can be great, while some can almost smell like booty. The ass analogy makes sense.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by detachable arm

Pho & banh mi are peasant food. It can be great, while some can almost smell like booty. The ass analogy makes sense.

There are real Tex mex hole in the walls that taste like "ass". Los Cucos aint one of them. Sorry. It's just a staple meh place. I figured you'd know the difference. The analogy doesn't hold.

[eastontracks]

Originally Posted by jaycich

el Tiempo is the most popular right now. Then there's Hugo's if you want authentic.

A lot of people recommend cyclone Anaya. I personally don't like that one, but it's popular.

I can agree with this too.

[madrone2k]

There will never be universal agreement on "the best mexican food in houston". As for me, I'm not sure whether there are any places in Houston that are both (1) authentic and (2) good. Sure, there are 100s of taquerias in Houston, including plenty with a mostly Spanish-speaking clientele ... but the ones I've been to can't hold a candle to places I've been to in Mexico. Seems like the humble places often have issues with cleanliness and food quality; fancy places that depend on gringos with fat wallets always modify some or all of the dishes to appeal more to the tastes of that demographic.

For authentic/semi-authentic Mexican food, I do enjoy the "Ortega" restaurants, but I enjoy (Arnaldo Richard's) Pico's on Richmond@Kirby more. My Mexican dining pal finds it more truly authentic than the Ortega places or Cuchara. For what it's worth, he also likes Los Cucos and El Tiempo, not for authenticity, but because he likes some of the dishes anyway. I like Escalante's; he hates it because "everything there tastes like cumin".

As for Cafe Toulouse in River Oaks District ... it has a nice ambience but I didn't care for the food. (I've heard the same from people who have hosted business meals there.) As a Dallas import, it fits the stereotype of restaurants there spending more on decor than on making good food.

If I were visiting Houston, I'd enjoy trying out several contrasting "Mexican" restaurants, e.g., Pico's, Caracol (the Ortega place near Galleria), and El Tiempo. Maybe Cuchara, also. That would be a fun visit for me, since I'm kind of an omnivore and like to try (almost) everything.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by madrone2k

There will never be universal agreement on "the best mexican food in houston". As for me, I'm not sure whether there are any places in Houston that are both (1) authentic and (2) good. Sure, there are 100s of taquerias in Houston, including plenty with a mostly Spanish-speaking clientele ... but the ones I've been to can't hold a candle to places I've been to in Mexico. Seems like the humble places often have issues with cleanliness and food quality; fancy places that depend on gringos with fat wallets always modify some or all of the dishes to appeal more to the tastes of that demographic.

For authentic/semi-authentic Mexican food, I do enjoy the "Ortega" restaurants, but I enjoy (Arnaldo Richard's) Pico's on Richmond@Kirby more. My Mexican dining pal finds it more truly authentic than the Ortega places or Cuchara. For what it's worth, he also likes Los Cucos and El Tiempo, not for authenticity, but because he likes some of the dishes anyway. I like Escalante's; he hates it because "everything there tastes like cumin".

As for Cafe Toulouse in River Oaks District ... it has a nice ambience but I didn't care for the food. (I've heard the same from people who have hosted business meals there.) As a Dallas import, it fits the stereotype of restaurants there spending more on decor than on making good food.

If I were visiting Houston, I'd enjoy trying out several contrasting "Mexican" restaurants, e.g., Pico's, Caracol (the Ortega place near Galleria), and El Tiempo. Maybe Cuchara, also. That would be a fun visit for me, since I'm kind of an omnivore and like to try (almost) everything.

Well reasoned post. I second the whole Mexican restaurants having to gringo up the food to make it palatable for locals. The non modified foods in Houston, the more authentic means it's proly low end and has poorer food quality. Some of it might taste good while others might just be killer for your stomach later. There are only a few places that are both authentic and good quality in Houston and they were pretty much all named. TexMex has really become chain store food in Houston and I consider it not even of the best cuisine Houston has to offer now.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by madrone2k

There will never be universal agreement on "the best mexican food in houston". As for me, I'm not sure whether there are any places in Houston that are both (1) authentic and (2) good. Sure, there are 100s of taquerias in Houston, including plenty with a mostly Spanish-speaking clientele ... but the ones I've been to can't hold a candle to places I've been to in Mexico. Seems like the humble places often have issues with cleanliness and food quality; fancy places that depend on gringos with fat wallets always modify some or all of the dishes to appeal more to the tastes of that demographic.

For authentic/semi-authentic Mexican food, I do enjoy the "Ortega" restaurants, but I enjoy (Arnaldo Richard's) Pico's on Richmond@Kirby more. My Mexican dining pal finds it more truly authentic than the Ortega places or Cuchara. For what it's worth, he also likes Los Cucos and El Tiempo, not for authenticity, but because he likes some of the dishes anyway. I like Escalante's; he hates it because "everything there tastes like cumin".

As for Cafe Toulouse in River Oaks District ... it has a nice ambience but I didn't care for the food. (I've heard the same from people who have hosted business meals there.) As a Dallas import, it fits the stereotype of restaurants there spending more on decor than on making good food.

If I were visiting Houston, I'd enjoy trying out several contrasting "Mexican" restaurants, e.g., Pico's, Caracol (the Ortega place near Galleria), and El Tiempo. Maybe Cuchara, also. That would be a fun visit for me, since I'm kind of an omnivore and like to try (almost) everything.

Cumin makes Tex-Mex!

[War Beagle]

Originally Posted by detachable arm

This thread should be titled "Where can I find the best Mexican food where uppity whites feel comfortable at?"

I find myself agreeing with you. People rave about El Tiempo. It's good but it's overpriced and not anything special IMO. Escalates isn't even good. It's just overpriced so, as you say, uppity whites can feel comfortable or signal that they have money to spend. People who pay $12 for two cheese enchiladas are either stupid or are a-holes.

That said, I'm more of an authentic mom & pop, hole-in-the-wall, dive kinda guy. I'm morally opposed to pricey Mexican food. So if you're into the fancier Mexican food, disregard my recommendations.