L.A. Foodies who've spent time in Texas, what's the difference between Cali and Texas Mexican food? (Burbank: living, sushi)

[CMDallas]

naw, I never said I loved the food , New Mexico has the best Mexican food, then Maybe El Paso. El Paso just stands above the rest of Texas in terms of Mexican food.

[Lakewooder]

Originally Posted by motoman

I have no idea what Chili Colorado or Chili Verde are, but certainly there are Chile Rellenos and tamales in Tex-Mex restaurants. I don't know why you think you would find authentic Tex-Mex in MA.

Double - Ditto..tamales and rellenos are my faves. There is no good Tex-Mex outside Texas, anyway.

California-Mex is so bland and boring.

[puffle]

When in L.A. try El Cholo on Western. An LA institution and one of the first Mexican restaurants although it has been enlarged.

[HotFudge]

oh gosh, I'm hungry now :-)

[motoman]

Originally Posted by HotFudge

oh gosh, I'm hungry now :-)

I will second that.

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by puffle

When in L.A. try El Cholo on Western. An LA institution and one of the first Mexican restaurants although it has been enlarged.

if you go to el cholo, be prepared to be fed like a bird! the first and only time that i went there, i ordered an enchilada plate. they gave me ONE enchilada with rice & beans. when i protested, the server willingly obliged to give me another enchilada at no cost.

[Slauson Rosecranz]

Originally Posted by wehotex

if you go to el cholo, be prepared to be fed like a bird! the first and only time that i went there, i ordered an enchilada plate. they gave me ONE enchilada with rice & beans. when i protested, the server willingly obliged to give me another enchilada at no cost.

Should've gone to El Tepeyac or El Atacor in Highland Park...they both have burritos the size of your computer monitor!

[shannon94]

Originally Posted by Claire_F

Carne Asada literally translates to "roasted meat." I've eaten Mexican food all my life, and everywhere I've been, Carne Asada is grilled meat - either sliced, or served as a steak.

Carne Asada

Carne Asada

Carne Asada

Still tastes different......no use trying to prove it to me.... (and it's grilled not "roasted")

[johnrex62]

Originally Posted by Burbankhotty

The only thing I miss about Texas is the chicken friend steak, and biskits and, whats that stuff??? Gravy? Right gravy.....I miss that stuff.

DROOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLL! You hit a nerve with that one.



This just in.....from a confirmed tex-mex bigot and avowed chili addict.


Tex-Mex, as mentioned before is very regional and varied even in Texas.

You will find that San Antonio and Houston are very similar in styles, while Dallas and north central Texas are very different flavors. Austin has suffered greatly from it's long influence of Californian imports and (as far as I can tell) was the first to move from pinto beans to black beans as a major component as well as a shift from jalapeno and cerrano peppers to chipolte (smoked japalenos) peppers.

S.A. and Houston styles rely on chedder or some other yellow stlye and Mozzarella cheeses, while other areas omit the yellow and vary the white to include many other varieties with vasty different flavors.

I grew up in San Antonio and greatly prefer that style of strong flavored tex-mex. I live in Austin and have not found a palatable source of tex-mex here. I have found a couple really good versions in Huntsville, AL and even in northern Virginia. In California I have found a couple good places with a nice salsa, but have been greatly disappointed with the food items. They have all been very bland and lacking in spice. Even where the salsa is hot and well seasoned, the food has been bland. Chevy's has been the best overall and I am not well fond of it. Don Cuco's has had the best salsa, but their tamale was more of a carne asada with a cornmeal polenta wrapped around it than it is a tamale.

I can find plenty of places that will keep you alive as Crocodile Dundee says, but fortunately they taste a bit better than his outback fare.


As to the topic of tacos, carne asada, carne guisada, picadillo, etc.... Every region has items with these names, but I have found that they are vastly different. I have sometimes not recognized what the item was when it arrived but then found similarities with another item I know by another name. I never expect the burrito to be the same as a burrito in another state, but I don't complain when the chalupa turns out to be a burrito and a burrito is a soft taco by my vacabulary. I only complain when it tastes like children's breakfast cereal as my spanish rice did in McKinney Falls, TX. I did not expect Sugar Puffs when I put that fork full into my mouth. Gross!

[johnrex62]

Originally Posted by puffle

Tex-Mex doesn't have Chili Colorado and Chili Verde or Chile Relleno or Tamales. There is only Tex Mex here in Ma. and I don't even bother unless I want a generic salad. Lived in Bakersfield for a few months before moving here and tried to have my fill of good Mexican food before leaving.

Beg to differ. Chili Colorado is also know as Texas Red and you will find it documented in books and newspapers dating back to the early 1800's. Chili Verde is not nearly as popular, but also exists but seldom referred to by that name outside CA, NM, CO, and perhaps AZ (never eaten chili in AZ)

chile Relleno and Tamales are famous old time texmex, with the "authentic" relleno being made from poblano peppers and the new cheaper version being made from bell pepper