Tourists' perspective on Mi Nidito restaurant (Phoenix, Tucson: buy, to live in, stores)

[katierey]

Oops. Have a couple of other ideas:
As someone mentioned, La Parilla Suiza is excellent.
I happen to adore El Charro (several in the area, and I'd choose the one in downtown Tucson)
Chile Verde in downtown Tucson, but only for lunch (not dinner)
La Poca Cosa--fabulous little place, lots of character
La Indita on Fourth Avenue, near the University

[brianag221]

Rosa's on campbell/ft.lowell has AMAZING salsa!
La Poca Cosa.. its quite pricey and has an ever changing menu, I didn't quite care for it, but lots of my friends LOVE it!
MiNidito's I used to love, but over the past couple years, lost my interest in it. It seems like they have gone downhill (especially the food).. very disappointing.

[Jukesgrrl]

I like Rosa's a lot for the traditional ambiance as well as the food and inexpensive prices. But it's small. Go at off times or be prepared to wait outside. Guadalajara Grill has Mariachis if you enjoy that and the tableside prep of guacamole is nice.

[szupergipsy]

I lived in New Mexico for most of my life. Let me tell you, for good SW cuisine you will have to travel to New Mexico, because Tucson is far behind as far as great food. However, I had better Italian food here then in NM.

[Spot]

Originally Posted by szupergipsy

I lived in New Mexico for most of my life. Let me tell you, for good SW cuisine you will have to travel to New Mexico, because Tucson is far behind as far as great food. However, I had better Italian food here then in NM.

I have to disagree. One of Tucson's real strengths is the number and quality of small locally owned restaurants that prepare great food. The options certainly aren't limited to Mexican, but there are several excellent Mexican restaurants to choose from, including many of the ones named in this thread. Not to mention the "unconventional" options like BK's on 12th Ave. They make great Sonoran hot dogs and carne asada tacos.

[szupergipsy]

NM is the only State in the nation where McDonalds serves double green chile cheeseburgers on the dollar menue made from original Hatch green chile. Enough said.

[Takes1 2 Know1]

Originally Posted by szupergipsy

I lived in New Mexico for most of my life. Let me tell you, for good SW cuisine you will have to travel to New Mexico, because Tucson is far behind as far as great food. However, I had better Italian food here then in NM.

Theres' a difference in food in NM. There's New Mexican food, where it's in abundance in NM and there's authentic Mexican food, which NM is sorely lacking.

[szupergipsy]

Seek, and you will find. Sure you won't find many Sonoran style places, however I personally visited at least 15 restaurants in Albuquerque that had exacto the same food as many towns and villages in Chihuahua.
Never ask a gringo for good Mexican food.

Originally Posted by Takes1 2 Know1

Theres' a difference in food in NM. There's New Mexican food, where it's in abundance in NM and there's authentic Mexican food, which NM is sorely lacking.

[bongofury]

Warning: this post may offend many with equally strong opinions.

For as much as Americans love their Mex and pizza, there are surprisingly few places that excel at doing either well. Mediocrity is the norm, not the exception (but we're getting better since Betty Crocker, Swanson's and Spaghetti O's). For the disparity of wealth, it's surprising how better the food is in many humble Latin/Central America and European working class eateries when it comes to fresh flavorful ingredients and the marrying of those ingredients into an bite that inspires confidence in the cooks. I have to assume it's too many Americans don't know the difference, or really care (as long as it fills the pit in their gut), or many food places serving lame examples of Mex and Italian pies would have been out of business. OK, that said, everyone likes what they like. Fair enough. With a career in food service biz over twenty years and having lived coast to coast and several countries abroad eating all kinds of foods, I feel my opinion is worth something, but ultimately it is just the opinion of one person. Way, way to crappy Mexican meals and pizza pies in the USA, but who cares that I prefer a Motorino's (to name but one of half a dozen that are killer) in Brooklyn for pies, or am just as happy chowing down at Maria's New Mexican Kitchen in Santa Fe near the Trader Joe's with a sampler plate, or in Durango in a tiny joint called Cocinda Linda by the Albertson's supermarket digging into some delish tamales and soup? Having lived to relish some exquisitely scrumptious fresh tortilla based concoctions, stews, and soups in some converted industrial spaces in Latin NYC borough bodegas, or gotta-go-back soon Texas "Tex Mex", Colorado and New Mexico Mexican, and California offerings from Nouvelle Mex to L.A.'s Tico Tacos with those killer fresh tortillas fried in lard, or Julia Childs favorite taco stand in Santa Barbara - I know most people will continue to support mediocre restaurants. Which brings me to this: Arizona is toward the bottom of my list for Mexican food. For a state with so many Mexicans this is shocking. There is decent Mexican in Arizona, but I really have to work extra hard to ferret out the few decent places from so many mediocre ones, much more so than in most states with large Mexican/Central American populations. If you have not already done so I recommend checking out Anthony Bordain's "No Reservations" videos featuring food from different Latin countries, and yes..I've met him in NYC back in the day. Arizona Mexican is more often than not a disappointment, and I told my brother "no mas" going to media hyped Phoenix Mexican places that were just OK to totally uninspiring. It's not just a matter of preferring Sonoran-style or Mex prepared with Green Hatch chilies (make mine Christmas), or Tex Mex or hand pressed tortillas (although this last one is BIG), I just no longer have money to waste on food little better than one would have in a frozen TV meal, and that's often the case in Arizona. Recommendations? I'm all ears amigo. p.s. after a few Margareta's many foods taste better than they really are, that's what alcohol does people, not so much so with a decent glass of red.

[Spot]

Originally Posted by szupergipsy

NM is the only State in the nation where McDonalds serves double green chile cheeseburgers on the dollar menue made from original Hatch green chile. Enough said.

McDonald's is your example of superior Mexican food in NM? Really?

I agree that there are a lot of excellent Mexican restaraunts in NM, but McDonald's is not one of them by any means.

Listen, I'm no Tucson "fanboy," but the Mexican food in Tucson is actually pretty good if you know where to eat. There are a lot of non-chain options and some of the food is comparative to what you will find anywhere in Sonora. Look around a little bit and stay out of the chains and you will find some great examples of authentic Northern Mexican cuisine.

I'll be visiting Tucson again in a couple of months and the food is one of the things that I look forward to the most...